Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Song Mingyang and his companion were not the only customers in the shop. Many of those who had come to make purchases were high-ranking officials and noble ladies from the Imperial Capital, and at that moment, every one of them wore the eager look of someone watching a scandal unfold. Their astonished gazes all turned our way.

Being the center of attention only made Song Mingyang’s face burn hotter.

For one simple reason: he truly could not produce eight hundred and eighty-eight taels of silver to buy that pearl hairpin.

Ever since our engagement, he had long since treated the Gu Family Trading House as his own property. Whenever he spent money in my family’s shops, he never paid the bill.

Beside him, Xu Ruyi’s eyes shimmered with tears as she spoke in a soft, wounded voice.

“Miss Gu, why must you embarrass me like this? It seems Ruyi was unworthy after all.”

I really could not hold back. With my back to her, I rolled my eyes.

In that dream, Xu Ruyi had tormented me plenty. She had snatched away many of my rare and precious books, then turned around and said I had no taste and did not understand the value of such works.

The moment she spoke, Song Mingyang’s anger flared even higher. He glared at me through gritted teeth.

“Gu Shiyue, since you are engaged to me, you can no longer be tainted by the stench of merchants. Reeking of money from head to toe-how could you possibly become the wife of the heir of a Marquis Manor?

“Yongning Marquis Manor cannot afford such disgrace. If you still wish to marry me, then hand this shop over to Cousin today as an apology.

“Tomorrow, my mother will send two old maids to your residence to teach you proper rules. Since you are engaged, you must not show your face in public from now on. Keep to a woman’s proper place and do not drag down the century-old reputation of the Marquis Manor!”

I was stunned by Song Mingyang’s shamelessness.

He did not merely want to have his cake and eat it too-he wanted the cake, the plate, the bakery, and the deed to the land beneath it.

He wanted my family’s wealth, yet despised my merchant background.

Did he think every good thing in the world belonged to him?

I was so furious I laughed instead. “It is not impossible for me to part with this shop. It simply depends on how much silver you can offer, my lord.”

“Every word out of your mouth is about money. Have you no shame?”

I put on a look of surprise.

“Could it be that my lord wishes to take my family’s shop for nothing?

“Heavens. With just a few words from your noble mouth, you expect to claim the best jewelry shop in the Imperial Capital for free? Is there such logic in this world?”

Xu Ruyi chimed in, “Miss Gu, what do you mean by that? You and my cousin are engaged. Must you really draw such a clear line between you? Once you become the wife of the heir of the Marquis Manor, will you not also rely on the Marquis Manor’s name?”

My smile turned colder. Behind me, Xiao Cui could no longer hold herself back. “So this is the upbringing of Yongning Marquis Manor? The bride hasn’t even entered the household yet, and you’re already scheming for her dowry. Even in our village, we don’t have families as shameless as that!”

“Impudent!”

Song Mingyang’s face darkened with rage, and he raised his hand to strike Xiao Cui.

I pulled Xiao Cui behind me.

“Xiao Cui, hurry and apologize to my lord. How can you speak like that?

“My lord comes from a distinguished family. How could he ever do something so shameless? Even a ruined household would not openly seize a wife’s dowry in broad daylight. How could a Marquis Manor possibly do such a thing?”

Then I turned to Song Mingyang with an apologetic expression. “I have spoiled this maid of mine too much. My lord is magnanimous, so surely you would not lower yourself to argue with a mere servant girl.”

Quite a few people in the shop had already begun whispering among themselves. Their mocking gazes fell on Song Mingyang’s face, making him flush an even deeper red.

Unable to endure it any longer, he spat out a vicious threat. “A merchant’s daughter truly has no upbringing. Our engagement is over!”

With that, he swept his sleeve and left with Xu Ruyi.

I patted Xiao Cui on the arm, not taking it to heart in the slightest.

Even if he had not broken off the engagement, I had been planning to seek him out to do exactly that.

After he left, I smoothed my skirts and bowed to the customers in the shop.

“I have disturbed everyone’s mood, and for that, I am truly sorry. As the owner, please allow me to make amends. All purchases today will receive an additional ten percent discount on top of any existing prices. I sincerely hope this will not spoil your enjoyment.”

“How could it?”

“Miss Gu is so generous!”

The crowd had watched a good show and now received a bargain as well. Naturally, they were even happier, and they began choosing jewelry one after another.

By the next day, the incident had spread throughout the entire Imperial Capital.

Only, since the people spreading the tale had benefited from me, most of them condemned the Marquis Manor for bullying others too far and having no sense of propriety at all.

As for me, I waited at home for three days and still did not see anyone from the Marquis Manor come to formally break off the engagement.