Chapter 7: Breaking the Engagement with the Guan Family

Lu Ze's hand paused. He took the wine cup handed to him by Qi Yu'an, took a light sip, and asked, "Does the Princess know about this matchmaking arrangement?"

Qi Yu'an said, "Your family's actions have infuriated my sister terribly. I haven't had the chance to speak with her yet, but it matters not if the Lu Heir seeks to act as a matchmaker first. I will speak to my sister about these two later."

Lu Ze nodded indifferently. "I will do my best. Prince Qi, I must visit the Guan residence, so I shall take my leave."

Qi Yu'an patted Lu Ze on the shoulder. "Very well. I entrust the matter of matchmaking for my sister to the Lu Heir. If this marriage succeeds, this King will certainly reward you handsomely as the great matchmaker."

...

South of Shengjing City, inside the Guan residence.

Guan Yao had originally been a Tongpan of Jinling. His previous three daughters had married exceptionally well, and because of those marital connections, Guan Yao had been able to enter Shengjing as a sixth-rank Chengyi Lang.

Now, the youngest sixth daughter of the Guan family was engaged to the eldest son of Princess Pingrou, the Lu Heir, Lu Ze. That was truly a windfall of immense wealth and status.

Inside the room of the sixth Miss, Guan Zhiyi.

The sixth Miss's biological mother, Concubine Zhu, spoke with a smile as she shared the news she had just inquired about.

"Zhiyi, the young Prince Lu has indeed entered the clergy. Originally, your Auntie was worried that after you married the Lu Heir, there would be a Princess sister-in-law who would suppress you at every turn.

Even though you would be the eldest sister-in-law, you wouldn't have been able to hold your head high in front of Princess Qi. Truly, the Bodhisattva has protected us; that Princess Qi won't be able to become your sister-in-law after all!"

Guan Zhiyi thought of the Lu Ze she had seen in the temple that day—a jade-like gentleman, tall and elegant, noble and handsome. Her profile flushed red as she said, "Auntie, the engagement isn't even finalized yet; it was merely a verbal agreement. Please do not speak nonsense."

Concubine Zhu said with a laugh, "The Duke of Lu's manor is one of the top aristocratic families of our Great Sheng Dynasty. Since Old Madam Lu has already verbally set the engagement, how could it not count? I didn't expect our little Sixth to have such heaven-sent wealth!"

Lu Ze's family background, appearance, temperament, and future prospects were all beyond reproach; he could be called the dream husband in the hearts of all the young ladies in Shengjing.

Guan Zhiyi asked, "Auntie, did the young Prince Lu truly enter the clergy and break the engagement? Won't Princess Qi be dying of anger?"

Concubine Zhu covered her laughter and said, "Is it not so? I heard that yesterday, Princess Qi even went to Xianglin Temple in her wedding attire to beg the young Prince Lu to return to secular life to marry her. Even if the young Prince Lu was unwilling to return to secular life to marry her, it's a mercy that Qi Yuning has no sisters; otherwise, the reputation of the Qi women would have been ruined by her."

Concubine Zhu sighed again. "I heard that the Lu Heir just went to the Qi residence to apologize and gave many generous gifts, almost as much as a betrothal gift. These treasures the Lu family gave as apologies should have all belonged to you, but now they've all gone to benefit Qi Yuning!"

Guan Zhiyi said, "The most important thing for a woman is to be virtuous, kind, and capable of managing a household. Princess Qi is precisely the type who is arrogant and lacks regard for others; no wonder the young Prince Lu preferred to enter the clergy."

While Guan Zhiyi was mocking, a maid rushed in and said, "Sixth Miss, the Lu Heir has arrived, and he has brought generous gifts."

Concubine Zhu's face lit up with joy. "Zhiyi, has the Heir come to finalize the engagement?"

Hearing this, Guan Zhiyi's hanging heart finally settled. The marriage she had calculated so painstakingly to obtain was finally bearing fruit.

Meanwhile, in the main hall of the Guan residence, the Chengyi Lang Guan Yao's expression changed when he heard the purpose of Lu Ze's visit was to cancel the verbal engagement.

Guan Yao said, "Lu Heir, breaking an engagement is a loss of reputation for a woman. If my little Sixth is broken off from her engagement, her older sisters will also have their reputations tarnished. Although my Guan family is of modest standing, we place great importance on rules and reputation."

Lu Ze stood tall and said, "Lord Guan, this marriage was merely a verbal agreement and had not yet been formally established, so it cannot be considered a broken engagement. It will not affect the reputation of the Guan family's married daughters.

However, this matter is indeed my fault. I have a daughter before marriage, so I must cancel the verbal agreement. I am truly sorry to the sixth Miss of the Guan family."

Lu Ze ordered his servant to bring the apology gifts into the room and said, "Please accept these gifts as a small token of my gratitude toward the sixth Miss for saving my grandmother."

Hearing that Lu Ze had a child out of wedlock, Guan Yao said, "Lu Heir, she is but a concubine-born eldest daughter. The daughters of the Guan family have always been virtuous and will not mind. If you insist on breaking the engagement, you are truly trampling my Guan daughter's reputation under your feet..."

Lu Ze set down his teacup, stood up, and said, "Lord Guan, this matter was merely something my grandmother said verbally; it cannot be counted as a broken engagement at all. The generous gifts are also because I do not wish to harbor a grudge against the Guan family. After all, even if the marriage does not happen, the friendship between the Lu and Guan families remains."

Seeing Lu Ze stand up, Guan Yao said repeatedly, "The Lu Heir is right."

Guan Yao watched Lu Ze's retreating back and sighed deeply. This marriage was indeed just a verbal word from the Old Madam of the Lu family; even the Princess had not come to formally set the engagement, so it truly didn't even count as a broken engagement.

But Guan Yao truly could not bear to lose such a golden son-in-law. The other five sons-in-law of the Guan family were all considered noble matches, but in front of Lu Ze, they were nothing.

The Lu family was so generous; even a single one of these apology gifts was comparable to the entire wealth of the Guan family. He truly could not bear to lose such a precious husband.

After Lu Ze left, Guan Zhiyi and Concubine Zhu rushed to the front courtyard. Seeing the heavy gifts filling the hall, Concubine Zhu's eyes were glowing.

Concubine Zhu asked, "Master, did the Lu Heir come to finalize the engagement? Is our little Sixth really going to become a Princess's daughter-in-law!"

Seeing Guan Zhiyi approaching with a joyful expression, Guan Yao said angrily, "The Lu Heir came to break the engagement! I told you long ago not to have such high standards. What kind of family is the Lu family? Your sister being able to marry the legitimate eldest son of a Count's manor is already the best match our Guan family can climb to, yet you insist on dreaming of ducal houses and imperial relatives..."

Guan Zhiyi was stunned. "How can that be? The Lu Heir is a refined gentleman; he wouldn't repay kindness with enmity by breaking an engagement!"

Guan Yao said, "Sigh, just choose another noble husband in the future. The Lu family's status is too high; stop dreaming, you are not worthy!"

Guan Zhiyi twirled her handkerchief. She had gone through so much effort to establish a connection with the Lu family at the temple; how could the noble husband who was already within her grasp just vanish?

How could she be willing to accept this? With such a standard set before her, she certainly wouldn't be able to find a better husband than Lu Ze.

How was she not worthy? Was it just because she was concubine-born? She had already been registered under her legal mother's name; she no longer had the status of a concubine-born daughter.

...

At the Prince Qi Manor, during the evening meal.

Qi Yuning walked into the dining hall holding Lingling's hand.

The Qi family came from a military background, so the siblings did not follow the rule of not speaking while eating.

Qi Yu'an placed a piece of fish in Qi Yuning's bowl and said, "Sister, I just asked the Lu Heir to act as a matchmaker for you and two people: Lin Jiang from the Hanlin Academy and Qin Feng, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. Prepare yourself these next few days to meet with Qin Feng and Lin Jiang."

Qi Yuning paused just as she picked up her chopsticks. "Lu Ze agreed?"

Qi Yu'an nodded. "Mhm."

Lingling tilted her small head and asked, "Uncle, what does 'acting as a matchmaker' mean? Lingling hasn't seen Uncle Lin Jiang for a long time. Is 'stringing a line' playing cat's cradle? Does Uncle Lin Jiang know how to play cat's cradle too?"

Qi Yu'an stroked Lingling's small hair buns. "Lingling knows Uncle Lin Jiang?"

Little Lingling smiled and said, "Uncle Lin Jiang is Daddy's good friend!"

Qi Yu'an said, "Lingling's daddy is actually Lin Jiang's friend?"

Qi Yuning took a wine pot from the side, poured a cup, and said nonchalantly, "Oh, Lingling's daddy is Lu Ze."

Qi Yu'an realized suddenly, "No wonder they look so much alike. Since Lingling is Lu Ze's daughter, why haven't you sent her back to the Princess's manor yet?"

Qi Yuning took a light sip of wine and said calmly, "Because I am Lingling's biological mother."

Big Brother-in-law:???

(End of Chapter)