Gu Ying's breathing grew tight.
Reborn into this life, she had gained every advantage.
Naturally she knew that the young master of Yong'an Marquis Manor, Su Huanfeng, would absolutely not be appearing at the imperial Water Pavilion opera house today.
Today was the anniversary of his mother's passing. Every year on this day, he would personally make offerings at the grave of the Madam of Yong'an Marquis Manor.
She lifted her skirt and stepped down from the carriage alone, then thought better of it for propriety's sake. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself with the airs of a young lady, and slowly made her way to stand before him.
Braving the wind and snow, she bowed deeply despite the cold, performing a curtsey to the tall man.
"Gu Ying of Dongping Earl Manor, paying respects to the young master."
The man's aloof and detached gaze was naked and frank as it lingered on her face, as lustrous as the moon. For a long while he said nothing, seeming puzzled and annoyed.
In the snowy mist, Gu Ying's heart thumped erratically.
She knew full well that for a young lady of Bianjing, privately meeting an unrelated man like this went against decorum.
But now, she had no other choice!
"Has the young master forgotten me?"
In the vast snowy veil, Gu Ying beamed the most dazzling and innocent of smiles. She introduced herself again, "I am called Gu Ying. I am the young master's betrothed."
At her words, the young nobleman abruptly knitted his fine brows, "Dongping Earl Manor?"
"That's right." Fearful that he would take offense, Gu Ying hastily fished out a jade pendant from her collar. Carved upon it was a small character, "Feng". "The young master must not have forgotten this! This jade pendant bears your name. It was the betrothal gift given to my mother by the Madam of Yong'an when she was young. If the young master remembers, you should know that we were pledged to each other by our parents."
Having said this, she tore the pendant from her neck. Heedless of the red cord cutting into her tender skin, she persisted in smiling without so much as a wrinkle in her brow, stubbornly holding out the pendant to him.
At her words, the young nobleman's expression grew strange. His sword-sharp brows quirked upwards as he silently accepted the pendant, glancing at the "Feng" character upon it. He gave a light, emotionless laugh.
"Gu Ying, come here."
Gu Ying's heart tightened sharply. Obediently she drew closer to him by a few steps.
She was practically nestled into his greatcoat now. When the wind gusted by, her nose caught a whiff of the faint sandalwood scent upon him.
"Raise your head and tell me who I am."
Gu Ying lifted her chin, gazing at him nervously.
He was tall and straight-backed, lofty as a nine-foot pole. His ink-black embroidered gown was lined with golden thread. Up close his features were exquisitely beautiful. Even having seen countless beauties before, her breath still hitched.
What unsettled her more was his overpowering aura, making it difficult to take him lightly.
In her past life Gu Ying had scarce seen him at all.
She had been preoccupied with Gu Jia for most of that time, her heart devoted only to Jiang Yin. As for what her supposed "brother-in-law" looked like, she had long forgotten.
Not daring to look any longer, she hastily lowered her head again, reining in her uneven breaths. Slowly she spoke, "Young master is Su Huanfeng of Yong'an Marquis Manor."
The young nobleman said nothing. His clear, phoenix-like eyes narrowed faintly, gazing at her flushed cheeks and downy hairline with inscrutable depth.
The bitter chill wind howled. Gu Ying's lips were bloodless and trembling. "Gu Ying comes today because she has a matter to discuss with the young master."
"Oh?"
"The young master has surely heard the rumors about me and the newly appointed top scholar, Jiang Yin."
"Mm." The man's voice was detached, even disgusted. "I've also heard that Miss Gu wants to break off her engagement to the Su family, so she comes today in person to dissolve the marriage - am I wrong?"
Gu Ying silently clenched her fists, sweating in her palms.
Whether in her past life or present, rumors had already spread about her feelings for Jiang Yin.
Today she had to explain clearly to the young master.
"No. What I wanted to say is—" She lifted her head to meet his piercing sword-like gaze. Her small face was stubborn. "This marriage was pledged by both our mothers personally. My father said, sincerity is honor, life and death come easily. As a woman I will do the same! I do not like Jiang Yin, nor do I wish to break off my engagement with you!"
"So you like me instead?" The man's tone was mocking.
"I—" Gu Ying choked, not having expected this supposedly frivolous young master to be so blunt. Her cheeks were scalding in an instant.
"Does the young master want the truth or a lie?"
"Naturally, the truth."
Gu Ying dug her fingertips into her palms. The endless hatred she held for Jiang Yin and Gu Jia churned and roiled in her chest, and it took great effort to calm herself.
For the sake of revenge, for the sake of changing her fate, she was willing to do anything.
Therefore, even though she did not care for Su Huanfeng yet, for the sake of the Su family's protection, she still said, "I...do not like you very much yet. But in time, I will try my best to grow fond of you. If I become your woman, I will only remain true to you for the rest of my life."
Snow fluttered down in streams and feathers upon their shoulders.
For a long while the young nobleman was silent, staring at the girl's flushed cheeks and fuzzy hairline. His clear, cold eyes faintly raised at the corners, unfathomable.
"Then how do you know I'm willing to marry you?"
Gu Ying was shocked out of her wits. She blankly gaped at his beautiful brows and eyes, seemingly not having considered this possibility.
The man found it amusing. "You wish to become my woman, yet gave no thought to whether I want to marry you or not?"
"I..." Gu Ying's chest tightened slightly, and a sour feeling welled up. Her eyes grew red in an instant. It took a good while before she found her bewildered voice again amidst the howling wind and snow. "I did not know the young master's heart was already devoted. If that is truly so...this engagement...should still be dissolved. Young master, pretend Gu Ying did not come today."
She was set on having her revenge, but had no desire to be a homewrecker.
Seeing the girl's heartbroken expression, the man's lips curved imperceptibly upwards. "Stand there."
Gu Ying turned back. She staggered a step, quickly recovering from her discomposure. She stood firmly in the snow. "Does the young master have anything else?"
"The manor will naturally dissolve this engagement."
The last flicker of hope in Gu Ying's heart was extinguished. Her eyes took on a tranquil, detached look of one prepared to live or die. "Gu Ying understands."
"However—"
The nobleman's tone turned on a pin. Lazily fiddling with the jade pendant in his palm, he drawled, "Now is not yet the time to dissolve the engagement. Wait three months. The manor will send someone to dissolve the marriage. In these three months, you will remain the fiancée of the young master of Yong'an Manor, the future mistress of the household. If anyone in the clan bullies you, invoke this status to protect yourself."
Gu Ying was confused for a time. She blankly stared wide-eyed. "Truly?"
Gu Ying's breathing grew tight.
Reborn into this life, she had gained every advantage.
Naturally she knew that the young master of Yong'an Marquis Manor, Su Huanfeng, would absolutely not be appearing at the imperial Water Pavilion opera house today.
Today was the anniversary of his mother's passing. Every year on this day, he would personally make offerings at the grave of the Madam of Yong'an Marquis Manor.
She lifted her skirt and stepped down from the carriage alone, then thought better of it for propriety's sake. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself with the airs of a young lady, and slowly made her way to stand before him.
Braving the wind and snow, she bowed deeply despite the cold, performing a curtsey to the tall man.
"Gu Ying of Dongping Earl Manor, paying respects to the young master."
The man's aloof and detached gaze was naked and frank as it lingered on her face, as lustrous as the moon. For a long while he said nothing, seeming puzzled and annoyed.
In the snowy mist, Gu Ying's heart thumped erratically.
She knew full well that for a young lady of Bianjing, privately meeting an unrelated man like this went against decorum.
But now, she had no other choice!
"Has the young master forgotten me?"
In the vast snowy veil, Gu Ying beamed the most dazzling and innocent of smiles. She introduced herself again, "I am called Gu Ying. I am the young master's betrothed."
At her words, the young nobleman abruptly knitted his fine brows, "Dongping Earl Manor?"
"That's right." Fearful that he would take offense, Gu Ying hastily fished out a jade pendant from her collar. Carved upon it was a small character, "Feng". "The young master must not have forgotten this! This jade pendant bears your name. It was the betrothal gift given to my mother by the Madam of Yong'an when she was young. If the young master remembers, you should know that we were pledged to each other by our parents."
Having said this, she tore the pendant from her neck. Heedless of the red cord cutting into her tender skin, she persisted in smiling without so much as a wrinkle in her brow, stubbornly holding out the pendant to him.
At her words, the young nobleman's expression grew strange. His sword-sharp brows quirked upwards as he silently accepted the pendant, glancing at the "Feng" character upon it. He gave a light, emotionless laugh.
"Gu Ying, come here."
Gu Ying's heart tightened sharply. Obediently she drew closer to him by a few steps.
She was practically nestled into his greatcoat now. When the wind gusted by, her nose caught a whiff of the faint sandalwood scent upon him.
"Raise your head and tell me who I am."
Gu Ying lifted her chin, gazing at him nervously.
He was tall and straight-backed, lofty as a nine-foot pole. His ink-black embroidered gown was lined with golden thread. Up close his features were exquisitely beautiful. Even having seen countless beauties before, her breath still hitched.
What unsettled her more was his overpowering aura, making it difficult to take him lightly.
In her past life Gu Ying had scarce seen him at all.
She had been preoccupied with Gu Jia for most of that time, her heart devoted only to Jiang Yin. As for what her supposed "brother-in-law" looked like, she had long forgotten.
Not daring to look any longer, she hastily lowered her head again, reining in her uneven breaths. Slowly she spoke, "Young master is Su Huanfeng of Yong'an Marquis Manor."
The young nobleman said nothing. His clear, phoenix-like eyes narrowed faintly, gazing at her flushed cheeks and downy hairline with inscrutable depth.
The bitter chill wind howled. Gu Ying's lips were bloodless and trembling. "Gu Ying comes today because she has a matter to discuss with the young master."
"Oh?"
"The young master has surely heard the rumors about me and the newly appointed top scholar, Jiang Yin."
"Mm." The man's voice was detached, even disgusted. "I've also heard that Miss Gu wants to break off her engagement to the Su family, so she comes today in person to dissolve the marriage - am I wrong?"
Gu Ying silently clenched her fists, sweating in her palms.
Whether in her past life or present, rumors had already spread about her feelings for Jiang Yin.
Today she had to explain clearly to the young master.
"No. What I wanted to say is—" She lifted her head to meet his piercing sword-like gaze. Her small face was stubborn. "This marriage was pledged by both our mothers personally. My father said, sincerity is honor, life and death come easily. As a woman I will do the same! I do not like Jiang Yin, nor do I wish to break off my engagement with you!"
"So you like me instead?" The man's tone was mocking.
"I—" Gu Ying choked, not having expected this supposedly frivolous young master to be so blunt. Her cheeks were scalding in an instant.
"Does the young master want the truth or a lie?"
"Naturally, the truth."
Gu Ying dug her fingertips into her palms. The endless hatred she held for Jiang Yin and Gu Jia churned and roiled in her chest, and it took great effort to calm herself.
For the sake of revenge, for the sake of changing her fate, she was willing to do anything.
Therefore, even though she did not care for Su Huanfeng yet, for the sake of the Su family's protection, she still said, "I...do not like you very much yet. But in time, I will try my best to grow fond of you. If I become your woman, I will only remain true to you for the rest of my life."
Snow fluttered down in streams and feathers upon their shoulders.
For a long while the young nobleman was silent, staring at the girl's flushed cheeks and fuzzy hairline. His clear, cold eyes faintly raised at the corners, unfathomable.
"Then how do you know I'm willing to marry you?"
Gu Ying was shocked out of her wits. She blankly gaped at his beautiful brows and eyes, seemingly not having considered this possibility.
The man found it amusing. "You wish to become my woman, yet gave no thought to whether I want to marry you or not?"
"I..." Gu Ying's chest tightened slightly, and a sour feeling welled up. Her eyes grew red in an instant. It took a good while before she found her bewildered voice again amidst the howling wind and snow. "I did not know the young master's heart was already devoted. If that is truly so...this engagement...should still be dissolved. Young master, pretend Gu Ying did not come today."
She was set on having her revenge, but had no desire to be a homewrecker.
Seeing the girl's heartbroken expression, the man's lips curved imperceptibly upwards. "Stand there."
Gu Ying turned back. She staggered a step, quickly recovering from her discomposure. She stood firmly in the snow. "Does the young master have anything else?"
"The manor will naturally dissolve this engagement."
The last flicker of hope in Gu Ying's heart was extinguished. Her eyes took on a tranquil, detached look of one prepared to live or die. "Gu Ying understands."
"However—"
The nobleman's tone turned on a pin. Lazily fiddling with the jade pendant in his palm, he drawled, "Now is not yet the time to dissolve the engagement. Wait three months. The manor will send someone to dissolve the marriage. In these three months, you will remain the fiancée of the young master of Yong'an Manor, the future mistress of the household. If anyone in the clan bullies you, invoke this status to protect yourself."
Gu Ying was confused for a time. She blankly stared wide-eyed. "Truly?"
