Water flows around the pavilion, lotus flowers bloom on the pond, red clouds dye the green tiles, and dragonflies fly over.
Yang Zhi was leaning against the railing of the waterside pavilion, wearing a green gauze dress with scattered flowers, her dark eyebrows were as charming as a distant mountain, and her green hair was thickly dyed with spring smoke. She was absent-mindedly throwing fish food into the pond. From a distance, she looked like a painting of a lady emitting the fragrance of poetry and ink.
She was accompanied by two 13 or 14-year-old maids, a pair of sisters, one named Ruoruo and the other Momo.
At first glance, the two of them looked like they were made from the same mold. They had double buns, delicate oval faces, and fair skin. They looked like a pair of beautiful porcelain dolls.
The two sisters saw their young lady looking so sad and unhappy, and they couldn't help but feel a little unfair. Ruoruo pouted and complained, "How can the son-in-law be so mean? Young lady has done him wrong, but he went to Nanchang Prefecture just for a prostitute. How can young lady put her face down?"
"That's right, Miss is trying to help him out. If it were me, I'd let the master give him a beating. Miss hasn't even married yet, and he's already flirting with other girls. Who knows what will happen in the future."
"You two stupid girls, if you keep talking nonsense I'll tear your mouths apart." The sisters' words made Yang Zhi upset. She threw all the fish food into the pond, causing the koi in the pond to become mixed up and splash water everywhere.
"Miss, what they said is not wrong. The young lady is like a fairy, and it is a blessing that he has cultivated for several lifetimes to promise her to him. What about 'such a starry night, for whom do I stand in the wind and dew all night'? I think he is lying. He doesn't know how to cherish such a good person like the young lady, and he can't bear others' criticism."
"That's right. He was never worthy of our young lady. I heard that he was married and divorced his wife. He has not passed the imperial examination. Although he was appointed as a county magistrate, it will be difficult for him to be promoted in the future. I don't know what the master likes about him that he wants to marry our young lady to him."
Momo suddenly remembered something when he heard this, and rushed to say, "Oh, I remember now. I think he is really unlucky. This morning when I went to the market to buy needlework, I heard many people talking privately about our master intending to cancel the marriage. Everyone said it in a very serious manner. I think this is probably true. In my opinion, it should be canceled."
"Cancel the engagement?" Yang Zhi and Ruoruo exclaimed at the same time, and then Ruoruo complained: "Momo, why are you always so confused? Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"
"I forgot for a moment, but now I remember what I said."
Yang Zhi didn't bother to blame her and asked anxiously, "Mo Mo, who told you that my father wants to cancel the engagement?"
Momo tilted his head, pinched his pointed chin with one hand and replied, "That's what people on the street say."
"No, this is strange." Yang Zhi frowned slightly, her expression full of confusion, "Mo Mo, please explain clearly, what do others say?"
"Miss, what's so strange about this? There are always rumors in the market. You'd better not listen to them. Some of them are very unpleasant to hear."
"You silly girl, even if my father really wanted to break off the engagement, he wouldn't tell anyone about it. How could such a rumor spread in the market? Tell me what others are saying."
"Oh, young lady, let me tell you something. Some people on the street said that our master wanted to rely on our son-in-law to quell the rebellion, and in order to win over our son-in-law, he betrothed our young lady to him. Now that the rebellion has been quelled, the imperial court's reward has not come yet. Our master thinks that our uncle is just a vacant county magistrate and has no hope of promotion, so he wants to break off the marriage... ... ... Oh, anyway, there are all kinds of rumors. I was so angry at the time. They didn't say anything about our son-in-law doing such a thing for a prostitute, but they had to make up stories about our master."
"Strange, how can there be such rumors out there?"
"Oh, Miss, could it be that the master really wants to cancel the engagement? The master beat my son-in-law severely that day. Could it be that the master is still angry..."
"I've already told you that even if my dad really wants to cancel the engagement, he won't go out and tell anyone about it. There must be something fishy going on. Momo, please tell my dad about it."
After Yang Zhi finished speaking, she dragged Momo, who looked like a porcelain doll, away. As soon as they arrived at the flower hall, they heard the sound of cups being smashed, and then heard Yang Tinglin's angry roar: "How unreasonable, this is absolutely unreasonable! Check it out, check it out for me immediately, I want to see who is gossiping..."
Sima An, Yang Tinglin's aide, replied awkwardly, "Please calm down, Your Excellency. The name of County Magistrate Qin is well known to everyone in southern Jiangxi. People are always happy to spread anything related to him. Now that the whole city knows about this matter, it is impossible to find the source of the rumor."
"It makes me so angry!"
Yang Tinglin was furious. He had never been greedy for money or lustful. He was an upright official. He didn't care much about material things, but he valued his reputation. Listening to these rumors, what kind of person had he become? He was untrustworthy, he broke his promises, and he went back on his word.
He had no way of refutation about this matter. Qin Mu was beaten with a stick a few times that day, and the news spread out, so people believed that he intended to cancel the engagement.
Qin Mu quelled the rebellion in southern Jiangxi, benefiting thousands of families and gaining the love of the people. When the rumor of breaking off the engagement spread, the people naturally sympathized with Qin Mu and slandered Yang Tinglin.
It was over. As the saying goes, "three people make a tiger, and gossip can melt gold." His good reputation was ruined. The more Yang Tinglin thought about it, the angrier he got and he almost choked.
"Dad, what's wrong with you?" Yang Zhi walked to the door of the flower hall and saw that her father was about to fall, so she hurried over to support him.
Yang Tinglin pulled her hand away and said, "What are you doing here? Don't you think Dad is mad enough?"
"Dad, I am an unfilial daughter and I am sorry for causing you trouble."
"You still want to make your father suffer? Go and listen to what the people in the city are saying. I am so angry. I think it is probably your good husband who is behind this. Humph, don't let me find out, otherwise I will skin him alive."
"Dad!" Yang Zhi was a little confused at first, but she would never believe that Qin Mu was the one spreading the rumor behind her back. "Dad, there is always a purpose for spreading rumors. If he really spread the rumor, what good would it do him? I don't believe he would do such a thing that would hurt others and himself, not to mention that it would damage your reputation."
"Benefits?" It would be fine if he didn't mention the benefits. Yang Tinglin got even angrier when he mentioned the benefits. "This matter will benefit him a lot. Silly girl, I'm afraid he has forgotten the old one because he has found a new one. Once this rumor spreads, he will cancel the engagement. The stigma will still be borne by Daddy, and he will become an innocent victim."
Yang Tinglin was probably a little confused by anger. In his intuition, Qin Mu was not a law-abiding person. Last time, he used the relationship between father-in-law and son-in-law to pressure him and beat him hard with a stick. The principles of morality and seniority are the truths followed in the world, and even the emperor dare not go beyond them. He beat him with his status as an elder, and although he couldn't get angry, how could a restless person like him not have some resentment in his heart
I guess he can't wait to get rid of the constraints of this father-in-law and son-in-law relationship.
Once he is freed from these shackles, who in southern Jiangxi can control him
When I proposed to him in the beginning, he was reluctant. It was only after I put pressure on him regardless of my old face that he reluctantly agreed to the marriage. Now that he has married the famous Qinhuai prostitute Li Xiangjun, he is unwilling to be bound by any constraints, so it is not surprising that he is trying every means to cancel the engagement.
He spread the rumor first, and then he canceled the marriage. People in the streets didn't know the truth and thought he was really destroying the bridge after crossing it. In this way, he not only achieved his goal, but also successfully pushed the stigma onto himself... ... ...
"Dad, no, no, I don't believe he is that kind of person. Qiao'er was just a dirty beggar in the beginning, but he was able to share a pancake with her when she was in trouble. Now he treats her like a brother or sister. I have never done anything to let him down. How could he disregard my lifelong reputation and propose to cancel the engagement?"
Yang Zhi's words were more of a comfort to herself than a refutation of her father.
"I hope so." Yang Tinglin looked at his daughter's miserable face and his heart softened. No matter what, he was the one who took the initiative to get married. Even if Qin Mu really had ulterior motives, he was the one who harmed her.
Sima An said, "Master, this rumor is just a rumor after all. It is not difficult to dispel it. As long as the young lady marries Master Qin as soon as possible, the rumors will naturally dispel themselves."
Sima An said this, but secretly gave Yang Tinglin a look. Yang Tinglin knew that he must have something else to say in private, so he said to his daughter: "Zhi Er, go back to your room first. Daddy will handle this matter."
Yang Zhi wanted to say something but stopped herself. Finally, she bowed and retreated with a frown.
Yang Tinglin and Sima An came to the study. As soon as the door was closed, Sima An said, "Your Excellency, in my opinion, this matter may indeed be manipulated by Qin Mu. If it is really him, his purpose is probably not to cancel the engagement, but to get married as soon as possible."
"Oh?" Yang Tinglin was slightly startled, and then a hint of realization appeared. He had indeed been a little too obsessed with a topic just now, and after Sima An reminded him, he couldn't help but lower his head and ponder.
"Your Excellency..." Sima An hesitated to speak.
Yang Tinglin glanced at him and said, "You have been with me for more than ten years. Just say whatever you want to say."
...