Chapter 3
Chapter 3
My father’s face was creased with worry.
“My dear girl, what are we to do?
“If Marquis Manor breaks off the engagement, it will be even harder for you to find another match.”
Of course, that was exactly what Marquis Manor was counting on. People had always been harsh on women. If the engagement was called off, Song Mingyang could simply arrange another betrothal, while my reputation would be stained.
Now that they had suffered such a humiliating loss of face, and Song Mingyang had said those ruthless words yet still could not bear to give up my family’s wealth, all they could do was drag things out and wait for my father to bring me to their door to apologize.
After all, if Marquis Manor rejected me, I would have little chance of marrying into a noble family again.
If I had not had that dream, I likely would have been just as anxious as Father, swallowing my anger and enduring it in silence.
But now, even if Marquis Manor did not come to break the engagement, I would never go through with this marriage.
The Song family prided themselves on being a noble house, but inside, they were filthy to the core. A whole family of heartless ingrates. If I married into that household, nothing good would come of it.
“Father, your daughter does not wish to marry Song Mingyang.”
My father let out a long sigh. “If you don’t marry into a good family, how will you protect this family business? Shi Yue, one day Father will go to see your mother. When that time comes, you’ll be a woman all on your own. If someone sets their sights on you and tries to seize your property, what will you do?”
“Father, are you saying the Song family wouldn’t try to seize my assets?”
My father hesitated. “Marquis Manor is still a great and powerful household. Once you marry in, you’ll be the wife of the heir. When you have children in the future, your status will be different from before. You won’t merely be the daughter of a merchant anymore.”
“A great and powerful household is precisely the sort that devours people whole and leaves no bones behind.”
“And besides,” I said, lifting my eyes to look at my father seriously, “no matter whose family I marry into, how could it ever be as comfortable as my own?”
“If Father could take care of you for your whole life, of course that would be best. But after I’m gone, what will you do?”
“Can I not take over Father’s business myself?”
“You’re a young woman. How could you endure that kind of hardship?”
“Would marriage not be even harder?”
Biting my lip, I told him everything from the dream I had that day.
“Father, Song Mingyang is no worthy match. Your daughter would rather never marry and personally manage your estate and businesses.
“Besides, you taught me everything I know with your own hands. When it comes to the art of commerce, how many people in this world can compare to me?”
By the time my father finished listening, his expression had changed.
He was both shocked and furious.
He had only ever wanted to find me a good future. After hearing what I said, he naturally refused to tie our family to Marquis Manor any longer.
“Let Father think this over carefully.
“Tomorrow, I will go to Marquis Manor and break off the engagement first.”
…
In order to leave Marquis Manor with no choice but to agree to the cancellation, my father took all the betrothal gifts from Marquis Manor and, with great fanfare, went to their front gates and knelt there, begging to break the engagement.
“A marriage alliance is meant to bring two families together in goodwill. Since the Young Marquis does not care for my daughter, then let this marriage be forgotten.”
Quite a crowd had gathered at the gates to watch the spectacle. No matter what Marquis Manor did, they could not afford to lose face like this.
The Marchioness came out in a fury and tore up the betrothal document.
“A merchant’s daughter truly is lowly beyond saving!”
Some of my family’s shophands had disguised themselves as onlookers. Hearing this, one of them shouted loudly,
“Marquis Manor really has no shame!”
“Exactly! She hasn’t even married in yet, and they’re already eyeing their future daughter-in-law’s dowry. Even common folk like us wouldn’t dare do such a thing.”
“That’s right. I was there that day and saw it with my own eyes. The Young Marquis was all lovey-dovey with that cousin of his. If it were my daughter, I’d break off the engagement too.”
Those who had already heard the rumors chimed in as well, nearly angering the Marchioness into fainting.
She wanted to have the crowd driven away, but there were quite a few ruffians and hooligans mixed among them. The moment anyone came near, they shouted, “Yongning Marquis Manor is killing people!”
The scene only grew uglier.
In the end, Marquis Manor had no choice but to swallow the humiliation and shut their gates tight.