Wife, Don't Be Like This!

Chapter 25 - My Fiancée is Gone

Speaking of which, when he married Luo Tianxuan yesterday, he hadn't heard of anyone from the Fang family attending. It seemed the relationship between the Fang and Luo families was not very good.

The three brothers, Song Zhen, Song Yun, and Song Lu, had grim expressions. They considered yesterday's events the greatest humiliation of their lives. In Ningping County, no matter where they went, they were pointed at. Even if the commoners didn't dare say anything to their faces, the strange gazes still made the three brothers' scalps tingle.

They had thought they could find a few days of peace in Song Prefecture, but who would have thought they would run into Song Yan here as well. Perhaps this is what they call 'enemies on a narrow road'? Or a 'lingering ghost'?

Song Yun struck first to gain the advantage, reprimanding him sternly:

"Song Yan, what are you doing here? You just got married yesterday, and today you dare to visit a brothel! You are simply disgracing the Song family's reputation and losing the Song family's face. I will definitely inform Father, and I will absolutely not let you off lightly."

This one is smart; he knows to seize the moral high ground first.

"Song Yan?" Fang Jun frowned and asked in a low voice: "Who is this young master?"

Song Zhen sneered and said sinisterly: "What damn young master? Just a bastard born of a concubine in our Duke's mansion. He just married into the Luo family yesterday, and today he dares to frequent a place of smoke and flowers. Truly unchaste."

Fang Jun was a newcomer and didn't know Song Yan, nor did he know Luo Tianyang. But from what Song Zhen said, he understood. The Ningping Luo family, a little bit troublesome... However, since he was a live-in son-in-law, it was impossible for his wife to be holding the umbrella for him. So this woman was most likely a bed-warming maid or a handmaiden.

As long as it wasn't that consumptive ghost Luo Tianxuan, it would be fine. After all, Luo Tianxuan truly had imperial blood. No matter how arrogant he was, he wouldn't dare to casually make a move on an imperial relative.

But the Ning Emperor probably didn't genuinely pardon Luo Yuheng; he was most likely forced by the Empress Dowager. Thinking this, he became a bit more confident about getting his hands on the woman by Song Yan's side.

To tell a man he was 'unchaste' was truly vicious, the ultimate humiliation.

Sure enough, a rustle of whispers arose from the surroundings. The gazes of many people in front of the Jade Gathering Garden all turned towards Song Yan, most of them filled with contempt.

A mere live-in son-in-law, destined to live under a woman's control for his entire life. He has disgraced all men.

And, a live-in son-in-law dares to visit a brothel?

Who gave him the courage?

Unchaste. Using that to describe this kind of man is rather fitting.

And this was exactly the effect Song Zhen wanted to see. He was not a clever person to begin with, unable to hide his emotions, nor did he have a belly full of schemes like Song Yun and Song Lu. He only knew how to use the most direct and simple method to rip open Song Yan's scars, and that was all.

Luo Tianyang's expression turned grim. Even Gu Banxia, who had always been extremely quiet, had a rare trace of anger appear on her pretty face. She was about to say a few words in defense of her young master-in-law.

Before she could speak, Song Yan's fingers rested on her shoulder:

"It's alright, Banxia. It's alright."

Song Yan's voice was very calm. Even while being condemned by a thousand people, a faint smile still hung on his face. He had never cared what others thought of him. Not before, and even less so now. Of course, this didn't mean he would let himself be slaughtered.

Since he had already left the Duke's mansion, why did he need to endure any longer?

Song Yan raised his head and glanced at the sign of the Jade Gathering Garden, then looked at Song Zhen and slowly spoke:

"Have I gone in?"

Song Zhen froze: "What?"

"I asked, have I entered the brothel?"

Song Zhen opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

That's right. Song Yan was just passing by the entrance of the Jade Gathering Garden. To say he was visiting a brothel didn't really seem to count. Even the other young masters' expressions turned strange. It was indeed inappropriate for a live-in son-in-law to visit a brothel, but if he were just strolling through the night market, then you really couldn't find any fault. No one had ever heard of a live-in son-in-law being confined to the house and not allowed to go out.

"Besides, the one who lost the Song family's face and disgraced the Song family's reputation probably wasn't me, was it?"

A single sentence made the expressions of the three Song brothers change drastically. If Song Yan were to spill the beans about what happened in Ningping County, the trouble would be immense. For a moment, all three brothers stared at Song Yan with tense and warning eyes, threatening him not to speak carelessly.

It's just a pity that yesterday's events had caused too big of a commotion and were known to everyone in Ningping County. And judging by the carriages on the road, there were definitely quite a few people who had come from Ningping County to stroll through the night market... or maybe mainly to visit the brothel. There were quite a few of them nearby.

Song Yan only needed to get the ball rolling; the rest didn't require him to say much more.

"That sounds like there's more to the story. What happened with the Song family?"

"No way, you don't know about this? Let me tell you... it was like this... and like this, and like that... and like that..."

Similar sounds rose from all around. One person told ten, and ten told a hundred. Rumors and gossip, as they spread, they became more and more outrageous.

Originally, the Luo family had sent a betrothal gift worth seventy to eighty thousand taels of silver; it became seven to eight hundred thousand...

Originally, Yang Shi had substituted high-priced dowry items with cheap ones; it became eighty-eight carrying poles of completely empty chests...

They even fabricated a plot where Yang Shi had repeatedly instructed Song Yan that after marrying into the Luo family, he should try his best to siphon the Luo family's wealth back to the Duke's mansion.

Muttering and whispering, like a nightmare repeating itself, the three Song brothers felt their heads swim.

It's over. This time, they had lost face all the way to Song Prefecture.

Damn it.

It was all Song Yan's fault.

Seeing that the commotion around them had no intention of subsiding and was instead getting worse, Song Zhen could no longer hold it in and shouted sternly:

"All of you, shut up! What do you know? Who said they were all empty chests? My mother just accidentally mistook coarse cloth for Cloud Brocade..."

The surroundings fell silent.

Immediately after, there was a burst of hisses.

It's confirmed.

A member of the Song family admitted it with his own mouth.

In an instant, all the gazes directed at the three Song brothers were filled with the utmost contempt.

It was an expression of being ashamed to be associated with them.

Is this something to be proud of, that you even have the nerve to shout it out?

You've completely disgraced the face of high society.

Looking at Song Yan again, their gazes turned to pity. To be forced by one's family to marry in as a son-in-law was already a great grievance, and then to have the matriarch fake the dowry. This was simply bullying someone too much.

Look at that aggrieved expression. Yet he feared his legitimate brother and the matriarch. Even after suffering such grievances, he could only swallow his own bloody teeth and didn't dare to say a single bad word about the Song family.

What an honest man.

Even the prostitutes and pimps of the Jade Gathering Garden had faces full of contempt. Speaking of which, they wouldn't use Hell money to visit a brothel too, would they? I heard something like that happened at the Yicui Pavilion in Ningping County. Could it have been these Song brothers who did it?

"After being exposed, they even had the Yicui Pavilion sealed. Pah, shameless."

Song Yun and Song Lu shot Song Zhen a fierce glare. Originally, they could have just been thick-skinned and denied everything. Now look, you've admitted it. What are we supposed to do now?

Just then, Song Yun saw two familiar figures in the crowd, a man and a woman.

Meng Tongfu, Meng Lingling.

The son and daughter of the Prefect of Song Prefecture.

Although that Meng Lingling couldn't compare to Luo Tianyi's stunning beauty, she was quiet, virtuous, and had the temperament of a proper young lady.

Most importantly, that Meng Lingling was already sixteen years of age and was the person Song Yun was discussing marriage with.

The formal marriage process was already halfway through.

He only saw Meng Lingling's delicate brow furrow as if she were contemplating something. After a few breaths, Meng Lingling suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with resolve. She took a step forward.

"Greetings, Brother Song..."

"Little Sister feels she is still young and does not understand the rites. I'm afraid I am not yet fit to be another's wife. Regarding the matter of our marriage discussions, I think it's best we forget about it."

Although Meng Lingling appeared quiet and gentle, it didn't mean she was a fool. From this incident alone, one could see that the Song family's Yang Shi was not an easy person to get along with. If she really married into the Song family, she would surely suffer endlessly at the hands of this mother-in-law.

As a woman, it was extremely inappropriate to show her face in public for this kind of matter. In some families with strict rules, she might even be punished. Of course, even for breaking off an engagement, it was better for the two families to discuss it in private. Only then could both sides maintain their dignity. But Meng Lingling knew even better that if they discussed it in private, she would have no say in the matter at all.

This concerned her lifelong happiness; she had to muster her courage.

Song Yun's expression did not change. He looked towards Meng Tongfu. Since ancient times, marriage had been a matter of 'the parents' command and the matchmaker's words.' Meng Lingling's own opinion was secondary.

"Brother Song, my apologies. My mother also feels that my little sister is too young and wants to keep her at home for a few more days. I believe that with Brother Song's talent, character, and the status of the Duke's mansion, you will surely be able to find another good match. I will have someone return the marriage contract tomorrow."

That Meng Tongfu was clearly also someone who doted on his younger sister. He cupped his fists towards Song Yun and spoke.

In fact, Song Yun was very fond of Meng Lingling. She was a famous talented woman in Song Prefecture, and her appearance, figure, and character were not bad. Who would have thought that just by coming out to stroll through the streets, he would lose his fiancée!

"Hee hee, his fiancée is gone."

"How pitiful."

"Pitiful my ass! Isn't this what he deserves? With a mother-in-law like that Yang Shi, which good family would push their daughter into a fiery pit?"

To have one's engagement broken off in public, under the watch of the surrounding crowd, what kind of humiliation was that? However, Song Yun's face only showed a trace of loneliness.

"In that case, it is I who do not have that good fortune."

Song Yan glanced at Song Yun with a hint of surprise. He hadn't expected this guy to have such forbearance. This temperament was truly extraordinary. Among the three Song brothers, this one was probably the most difficult to deal with.

Fang Jun, at the side, however, had a face full of disappointment. Originally, when Meng Lingling was Song Yun's fiancée, he had felt this woman was quite charming. Now, he suddenly felt she was nothing special.