In these years, she had lowered herself too much, so it was natural to be looked down upon by others.
Not to mention the Lu Family, even she herself might not have been able to firmly decide to let go of Lu Ziyuan without repeatedly confirming that the dream was real.
Mrs. Zheng, somewhat frustrated, tapped her forehead, "If only you had understood sooner."
"It's not too late now," Xie Wanqing smiled gently, squeezing her mother's shoulders, "Rest assured, Mother, your daughter will never let herself be manipulated like this again."
It took a near-death experience to realize the regret; those dreams were like personal experiences, constantly reminding her how wrong she had been in the past.
"But don't overcorrect," Mrs. Zheng affectionately patted her daughter's hand and said warmly, "Our Wanwan is perfect in every way. Lu Ziyuan doesn't know how to cherish; he's blind. There are good men in the world like your father."
She worried that her daughter might become overly stubborn and end up in another extreme.
Xie Wanqing gently murmured, nodding obediently.
Mrs. Zheng continued, "The Lu Family has been rejected for three days in a row; they must understand our determination to end the engagement. Let's see how they plan to respond."
"Regardless, I will not marry Lu Ziyuan," Xie Wanqing said firmly, holding her mother's hand and sitting down, "even if he agrees to send away that mistress."
The situation had taken a different path from the dream; the Lu Family refused to annul the engagement, and Lu Ziyuan even visited personally, making Xie Wanqing worry that he might actually send Liu Manrou away to appease her parents.
"This is your marriage, as long as you're unwilling, neither your father nor I will force you," Mrs. Zheng assured her daughter's unwillingness, "I just hope the Lu Family will maintain their dignity and not continue entangling us, and return the marriage contract promptly."
...
Wuyuan Marquis Mansion, main courtyard.
On the square table lay three returned invitation cards, and the atmosphere in the hall was tense.
Old Madam Lu leaned against a soft pillow, looking unpleasantly at her eldest daughter-in-law seated below, "Does Yan'er still refuse to send away that woman of unknown origins?"
"Well…" Madam Lu's expression wasn't much better, "You know, since young, Yan'er has been quite determined; no one can persuade him on things he doesn't want to do."
She never imagined that her son, who was indifferent even to his fiancée, would someday ignore the words of his mother and grandmother for the sake of a woman of unknown origins.
He even hid her so carefully; she personally went to that courtyard to see what kind of fairy was bewitching her son, but couldn't even get through the gate.
How could she not be angry!
Her anger was not directed at her own son but at the vile woman who seduced him.
"Go," Old Madam Lu instructed the maidservant with legs hanging down, "Go wait in the front courtyard, and summon the Princely Heir as soon as he returns."
As it happened, Lu Ziyuan, who had been busy day in and day out since returning to the Capital and hadn't touched ground, returned early today. Hearing his grandmother's summons, he went straight to the rear courtyard without even changing his official attire.
Upon his entrance, Old Madam Lu slowly sat upright, her murky eyes looked at her sole grandson for several breaths. Ultimately, her affection won over; she couldn't bear to reprimand him.
She sighed gently, "If you truly cannot let go of that vile woman, then let go of your marriage with Wanwan. The Xie family is strong and won't let their daughter suffer grievances; your grandmother can find you another noblewoman with a lower status and a gentler temperament, to treat your mistress kindly."
Until now, the Lu Family's wives hadn't considered that the decision to annul the marriage was made by Xie Wanqing. They unanimously believed it was the Xie Family who wouldn't allow their daughter to be snubbed by her future husband and had forbidden her to accept the invitation to the Lu Mansion again.
Old Madam Lu, full of affection for her grandson, saw him unable to part with that mistress and was willing to fulfill his wishes. She expected her grandson to gladly accept, but was shocked when he stood up abruptly, eyes raising to look over, "The wedding date has been set; how can it be annulled just like that?"
This reaction surprised the women of the Lu Family greatly.
Madam Lu said, "You haven't married yet but have kept a mistress, and everyone knows about it. The Xie Family is upright and won't allow you to treat their daughter so negligently. They approached us days ago to discuss annulling the marriage; you knew this well. It's been several days, yet you haven't sent away the mistress. As your mother, I thought you'd made your choice by now. Why are you so surprised?"
She pointed at the three gold-embossed invitation cards on the small square table, "Three consecutive days of sending invitations to Wanwan, all returned without even a hint of concession. Do you think the Xie Family's discussion about annulling the marriage was a joke?"
Outside, the spring rain drizzled, and inside, the maids and matrons were silent as the grave.
In the silence, Lu Ziyuan's dark eyes fell on the invitation cards, brows slightly furrowed, "I'll go to the Xie Residence and speak to her."
"Please rest," Madam Lu called out to her son, laughing with frustration, "Is your mind made of elm wood? The Xie Family is upset because you disregarded their daughter's dignity by keeping a mistress before marriage. If you don't deal with that vile woman, how do you expect to get through the gates of the Xie Residence?"
Clearly a young talent praised many times by the Holy Emperor, expected to be a pillar of the future, yet so oblivious in matters of the heart.
Looking at her son's somber face, Madam Lu wondered aloud, "My son, are you thinking that if you don't dismiss that vile woman, the marriage will still remain unaffected?"
She didn't oppose her son's desires to have both, but the wife's dignity should still be maintained.
The wedding is just over a month away. In other families, even if there was a chambermaid early on, she would have been sent away by now to make the bride happy for her entrance. But her family, contrary to expectations, was clean before, now entangled in this way with a vile woman instead.
And it was a public scandal, not to mention that it had tarnished the Lu Family's reputation.
Lu Ziyuan closed his eyes, lost in thought.
Old Madam Lu noticed the scene, believing her dear grandson was unable to make a decision. She couldn't bear to see him so troubled and softly suggested, "Since you can't part with either, then move that mistress to another place and publicly say you've dismissed her. After Wanwan enters the family, you can reconsider."
......
That afternoon, news of Lu Ziyuan dismissing his mistress reached the Xie Family.
Xie Wanqing was quite surprised, then smiled bitterly.
…It turns out that by maintaining a firm stance and refusing to accept Liu Manrou, Lu Ziyuan would indeed relent.
Even if it was just a delay tactic.
Indeed, Xie Wanqing didn't believe at all that Lu Ziyuan would truly be willing to let go of Liu Manrou.
Despite their tender affection, by timing, Liu Manrou surely bore his first child.
But in the dreams, he wouldn't even pretend to dismiss her despite her brother speaking to him, remaining unwilling to compromise.
Because he had absolute confidence in her affections for him.
He relied on her love, feeling secure with impunity.
Now, after letting go of all her obsessions, Xie Wanqing could see things clearly.
However, the clearer she saw, the more she felt unworthy, and the colder her heart became.