Chapter 1463 - 1461: Shouldn’t Have Kept It Secret
Chapter 1463: Chapter 1461: Shouldn’t Have Kept It Secret
"Naturally, it’s to propose marriage to Miss Jiang!"
Lady Sun looked as if it was only right and proper, her expression filled with an undisguised disdain.
As if to say:
Your young lady’s reputation is so poor, I’m willing to propose marriage and already giving you face, yet you still hesitate to agree?
Although Madam Shi couldn’t understand what she was saying, she was somewhat annoyed.
"I don’t know what you’ve heard outside, but coming empty-handed like this isn’t proper!"
After speaking, she scrutinized Lady Sun from head to toe, her gaze equally sarcastic.
"Moreover, when did I ever hint that I wanted an alliance with your family?"
Lady Sun suddenly sneered.
"Oh! What’s this about?"
"Madam Shi, don’t blame me for speaking harshly! Your young lady’s reputation is already that bad, if she doesn’t marry my son, who else could she marry?"
Madam Shi was shocked.
"What about her reputation? You tell me, how has Wanrong’s reputation been tarnished?"
Lady Sun was not one to hold back and immediately dropped all decorum.
"Now everyone in the streets knows that your Miss Jiang is already my son Liangliang’s woman!"
"As a mother-in-law, I’m willing to come propose marriage to give your family face!"
"In fact, according to my family’s matriarch, a woman who lacks virtue wouldn’t even be given the position of a legitimate wife!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Shi was furious, but she managed to compose herself. Her voice trembled with agitation.
"Nonsense!"
"Wanrong is a well-bred, unmarried woman from a reputable family. How could she already be a part of your family?"
"What evidence do you have to say such things? Or could it be... these rumors were spread by your Lv family?"
She didn’t even bother to address them as the Fuguo Duke’s Mansion anymore, directly calling them the Lv family, indicating Madam Shi’s anger.
In her heart, a family that used such despicable means did not deserve to be addressed as the ’Fuguo Duke’s Mansion’.
She even felt that this family lacked the virtue to deserve their status!
Lady Sun was somewhat complacent.
"Who spread the rumors isn’t important; what’s important are the facts!"
"If Madam Shi doesn’t believe it, you can find out for yourself outside, why waste your anger on me?"
"We’re both the same kind of people; how could I be at fault!"
As she spoke, she fiddled with an exquisite sachet.
The sharp-eyed Madam Shi instantly recognized it as the fish-shaped green sachet that Wanrong had worn on her belt that night.
How did this item end up in Lady Sun’s hands?
She began to waver but still sneered.
"How are you at fault? You’ve believed the rumors and sullied my niece’s reputation, so tell me how are you not at fault?"
Seeing her stance strong, Lady Sun didn’t want to say more, and she put away the sachet and stood up.
"It seems Madam Shi hasn’t grasped the situation, never mind, I won’t argue with you!"
"In any case, I’ve proposed; remember to send over Miss Jiang’s birth details later... I’m leaving!"
After speaking, she led her maidservant out in a huff.
Leaving only Madam Shi in shock.
In her haste, she quickly sent someone outside to gather information.
The maidservants around her were puzzled, for the Madam had never shown interest in outside matters before; why suddenly now...
But everyone still followed instructions, quickly going out to gather information.
Upon returning, they reported everything they had heard to Madam Shi.
"It is indeed being said throughout the Capital City that the young lady is already Lv Zhaoliang’s woman!"
"Even the details of the supposed secret tryst between the young lady and Lv Zhaoliang on the night of the Qiqiao Festival are explicitly detailed, down to actions and looks, almost enough to compile into a storybook!"
The truth of these claims aside, just hearing such things for the first time left Madam Shi beside herself with rage.
"What is going on?"
Remembering the Qiqiao Festival, Wanrong indeed went out alone and inexplicably got separated from the servants.
But she clearly said she got lost and it was Lingling who passed by and found her, bringing her back!
How could all this rise from that?
She was aware of Wanrong; initially, she had feelings for Lingling, but now those feelings were entirely dispelled. She was just a well-behaved young girl.
On the night of the Qiqiao Festival, even if she was interested in someone, it absolutely couldn’t have been Lv Zhaoliang.
So where did this scandalous claim of a tryst come from?
More critically, how did that fish-shaped sachet end up in Lady Sun’s possession?
The only explanation is...
Madam Shi summoned Jiang Wanrong, dismissed the servant and sat on the main seat, watching her with a serious expression.
"Wanrong, do you know why your aunt called you here today?"
Jiang Wanrong was clueless and frightened, shaking her head repeatedly.
Madam Shi’s gaze fell on her waist, where that sachet was frequently worn, yet today it wasn’t there.
Fine, let’s use that as the topic of discussion!
She forced a weak smile, trying to ease her tone.
"What happened to that beautiful sachet you wear at your waist?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wanrong immediately raised her head, her big watery eyes filled with terror and disbelief.
For the conversation to begin with the sachet, her aunt must have learned something.
She lowered her head again, gripping her handkerchief, twisting it between her fingers.
After a long while, she finally summoned the courage to ask.
"Aunt, have you learned something?"
Madam Shi sighed deeply, her expression turning serious again.
"So you were hiding something from me after all!"
Jiang Wanrong hurriedly said no and then burst into tears.
"Aunt, it’s not like you think!"
"That night..."
She recounted the events of that night, how Lv Zhaoliang had cornered and humiliated her, and how her cousin had rescued her in detail.
Finally, she wept resentfully.
"I was so ashamed I didn’t know how to tell you!"
"This involves cousin, and I didn’t want to cause trouble, but I’m innocent, aunt, you must stand up for me!"
Madam Shi was exasperated.
"This... this could have been excused, but why did you let him take the sachet?"
The sachet was a private item for women; it couldn’t be given to anyone except one’s husband.
Rumors from the Lv family on their own weren’t frightening, but with the keepsake in their possession, no wonder Lady Sun was so arrogant!
Thinking it over, Madam Shi finally understood.
"Are you sure he didn’t do anything else inappropriate to you?"
Jiang Wanrong, somewhat confused, nodded.
"That’s right; it’s lucky cousin arrived in time!"
"Aunt, I might be ashamed of what happened, but I remain physically untouched, please stand up for me!"
Madam Shi covered her temples with a headache.
"Alright, I understand!"
"You shouldn’t have kept this from me!"
After saying this, she waved her off.
...
At lunchtime.
Madam Shi found an excuse to invite Shih Shaoling over.
During the meal, she confirmed Jiang Wanrong’s story with him again.
Knowing he couldn’t hide it, Shih Shaoling answered one by one.
Upon learning the truth matched what Jiang Wanrong said, Madam Shi sighed with relief.
"Oh, no wonder mother didn’t trust her; indeed, I was kept in the dark..."
It wasn’t a good feeling to have people bring troubles to her and still be unaware of anything!