Favoring a Hidden Mistress? Engagement Broken-Chapter 32: Severing the Engagement

"Let go!" Xie Wanqing struggled, seeing he remained unmoved, lost her patience: "Heir Lu may be accustomed to being audacious, but he should know where he is now."

This is the Marquis Xuanping Mansion, aristocratic mansions all have their own household soldiers.

Behind her followed Erqing, and several gatekeepers and guards beside, seeing their own young lady being entangled, all showed unpleasant expressions.

Just waiting for her to give the command, they were ready to act.

No matter how Lu Ziyuan could hold his ground against many with superior skills, what’s the use?

Coming to someone else’s mansion and entangling their lady, even if he is a prominent court minister, he loses reputation wherever spoken of.

Yet Lu Ziyuan remained motionless, looking at her, watching her brows filled with impatience, and said in a deep voice: "Wanwan, how will you agree to speak properly with me? No matter how strong-willed you are, you shouldn’t be so resolute just because of a few reckless words, refusing even the slightest chance for reconciliation."

The gentle early summer evening breeze made the jade beads on Xie Wanqing’s head sway slightly, making her pause for a moment.

Somewhat puzzled by why he is so stubbornly refusing to dissolve the engagement.

Indeed, in his eyes, she should be infatuated with him wholeheartedly, yet just because of a few reckless words, she insists on breaking the engagement, and even though he lowered himself to make peace, she wouldn’t give him a chance to explain.

The difference was too great for him to accept for a while, which is understandable.

Only she knew what happened in those dreams.

She couldn’t point at his nose and tell him she had a dream, dreaming of their future together.

Xie Wanqing sneered: "You want me to ask the question from that day again, want me to speak nicely to you?"

Lu Ziyuan tightened his grip on her hand, seeing her beautiful lips slightly parted, she spoke word by word: "When our marriage is called off, due to the affection of growing up together, perhaps when I see you again, I could have a better expression."

... The marriage being called off.

Lu Ziyuan took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress his emotions, said: "Anything but this, besides breaking the engagement, whatever you want me to do is fine."

"Then there’s nothing to talk about," Xie Wanqing’s face turned cold, unwilling to say more: "Let go!"

Beside them, the guards heard the command and swiftly drew their swords from their waists, only a half revealing.

Lu Ziyuan was oblivious, still staring intently at her, trying to find traces of past admiration on her face.

Even if only a little would do.

After a long while, he released his grip as if lost in thought.

Xie Wanqing withdrew her wrist, without sparing him another glance, and left directly with her maid.

........

It wasn’t until they had walked far away that Erqing patted her chest, still filled with lingering fear: "The maid thought Heir Lu would really clash with our family’s guards."

"What is there to fear?" Compared to her close maid’s fearful heart, Xie Wanqing was calm, saying lightly: "This is the Marquis Xuanping Mansion."

In the dream, she was willing to marry into the Lu Family and suffer because she was foolish, but allowing Lu Ziyuan to bully her at home was not justified.

Erqing looked at her calm demeanor, secretly sighing, these days indeed her lady had changed a lot.

Previously full of sincere affection all tied to Heir Lu, whom anybody seeing her couldn’t help but call her infatuated.

But now facing her former beloved, completely portrayed a heartless gaze, showing no sign of past joy.

Not only Heir Lu but even as a close maid, she was somewhat amazed by this change.

Amazement aside, she couldn’t help but feel heartache.

How much disappointment and grievance her lady must have accumulated to become so resigned.

Xie Wanqing was unaware of her maid’s thoughts beside her, strolling leisurely beneath the setting sun.

Arriving at Brocade Hall to pay her respects to Mrs. Zheng, Xie YanYu happened to be there as well, noticing her entry, his brow moved slightly: "You returned at this time, didn’t encounter someone at the gate, did you?"

Xie Wanqing paused in her steps, looking up and saying: "Encountered him, was it you, brother, who let Lu Ziyuan in?"

The daughter’s complaining tone made Mrs. Zheng smile faintly, "You child, when you liked him, you wished to put him on clouds, now you don’t like him, can’t even bear to see him?"

She reproached: "After all, you still have an engagement, always need to settle it clearly; the betrothal gifts should be returned, even the formal letter needs to be exchanged back. How can you just sever all ties?"

Such is the matter, Xie Wanqing sat beside her mother, then asked her brother: "What did he say?"

"He absolutely avoided talking about breaking the engagement, only said he wanted to meet you once, this time his stance was very low, at least it showed some intention to marry."

Xie YanYu glanced at her, his tone indifferent: "See, if you had this temperament earlier, how could he have kept you in such a hold for so many years."

Aristocratic families usually set two surnames together, speaking of raising a daughter’s head in marriage, and bowing in taking a wife.

If one wants to pursue marrying another’s daughter, they should show the intent to marry, yet back then Lu Ziyuan seldom visited Xie family, instead, Xie Wanqing frequently went to the Wuyuan Marquis Mansion.

Everyone could see she cared more about this betrothal.

Xie Wanqing lowered her head, full of guilty feelings.

It was her fault for eagerly attaching herself, with a burning heart to Lu Ziyuan, causing her brother and parents to be mindful of her feelings by enduring Lu Ziyuan’s cold demeanor. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

In her dream, her brother even proactively sought out Lu Ziyuan to dismiss his mistress but faced rejection.

It was obvious, Lu Ziyuan always stayed cold-hearted, without the pleasantries and manners of young noble sons, his refusal probably wasn’t gentle, likely harsh.

Just thinking about it, she felt apologetic to her family.

Where could Mrs. Zheng have her treasured daughter show such depressed attitude, she glared at her son, and quickly embraced her daughter’s shoulder, coaxing: "Now that you understand, it’s good. My child is honest to others with sincerity, only Lu Ziyuan doesn’t know how to cherish it, how can he blame you?"

Xie YanYu pursed his lips, poured a cup of tea for his sister, handed it over, speaking gently: "When father returns, I’ll confer with him, and soon find time to return the Lu Family’s betrothal gifts intact."

"Will he agree?" Xie Wanqing’s eyes reddened slightly, "When I saw him just now, he didn’t seem willing to break the engagement."

Xie YanYu replied indifferently: "If he wants dignity, he should know what to do."

Their family had made their desire to break the engagement clear, evidently not deliberately making demands.

An alliance through marriage should not be forced; such arrangements are rare among noble families.

Though this is logical, worried about Lu Ziyuan’s recent changes, Xie Wanqing felt uneasy.

This unease, developed into astonishment when the news that the mistress kept by Heir Lu at Wuyuan Marquis Mansion was pregnant, spread throughout the Capital overnight the next day.

She remembered in her dream, she only learned about Liu Manrou’s pregnancy after marrying into the Lu Family.

Calculating the time, the wedding hadn’t occurred yet, yet the news inexplicably spread.

If earlier, rumors of Lu Ziyuan having a mistress spread across Capital, attributed by Xie Wanqing to Liu Manrou spreading it herself, now she no longer thought so.