Madam Cen modestly replied, “Please don’t praise him too much. He’s a little rascal—if you take your eyes off him for even a moment, he’ll climb a tree.”
“Pfft!” It was Zhao Xiuyun who laughed.
The atmosphere in the flower hall instantly warmed up.
Cen Shaoyuan understood his mother’s intentions.
However, he had no interest in his cousin Xiuyun. Still, since she was here, it wouldn’t be appropriate to show her no courtesy at all.
He could only clasp his hands and bow to Madam Jin. “Aunt!”
He glanced at the young woman in pink standing beside his mother.
“Cousin.”
Zhao Xiuyun hurriedly returned the greeting. “Cousin.”
The more Madam Cen looked at the two of them, the more pleased she became.
“Alright, Xiuyun and your aunt are not outsiders.”
“Hurry and sit down. Standing there like that gives me a headache!”
Zhao Xiuyun knew this was her aunt’s deliberate attempt to create an opportunity for her and her cousin.
She stood up and gracefully walked over to Cen Shaoyuan’s side. “I heard from Aunt that you plan to take the imperial examination?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Cen’s personal maidservant hurried in from outside, approached Madam Cen, and whispered something in her ear.
Madam Cen’s expression changed slightly.
“Is that true?”
Everyone’s gaze simultaneously fell upon Madam Cen.
Madam Cen cleared her throat.
“It’s nothing.”
She said to her younger son, “Your aunt and cousin rarely visit. Help your mother take them for a stroll in the small garden. I’ll go change my clothes and join you shortly.”
Though Madam Jin found this somewhat strange, she did not voice any objection.
Although Father Cen’s official rank was low, he served as an assistant in the Household of the Crown Prince, handling daily affairs of the Eastern Palace.
If the current emperor had sons, even if a crown prince were appointed, the other princes might still have opportunities.
However, the emperor had no sons, and the current crown prince came from the imperial clan.
As long as he did not commit any major mistakes, it was unlikely he would be deposed.
Thus, the Cen family had essentially boarded the crown prince’s ship.
Once the emperor passed away and the crown prince ascended the throne, the Cen family would naturally rise to prominence.
It was precisely for this reason that the Zhao family wanted to marry their daughter into the Cen family.
Although Cen Shaoyuan was only the second legitimate son and held no official rank, it was easier to thrive under the shade of a great tree.
Once the crown prince became emperor, would he still lack opportunities?
…
As soon as Cen Shaoyuan left with Madam Jin and her daughter, Madam Cen immediately ordered her attendants to redo her makeup and hairstyle.
“Make it more elaborate.”
Understanding Madam Cen’s intentions, her personal maidservant instructed the hairdressing maid, “Work quickly. Use that Gold Filigree Gem-Inlaid Sanskrit set.”
Madam Cen remained silent, her gaze fixed on the bronze mirror, watching as the maid swiftly styled her hair in the smooth reflective surface. Once her hair was done, a specialized maid reapplied her makeup.
After her makeup and hairstyle were completed, she changed into a deep cyan beizi adorned with Ruyi and Cloud-Crane Patterns.
The maidservant couldn’t help but whisper, “Why go to such lengths to meet a girl from a humble family?”
Madam Cen snorted coldly. “It’s precisely because she’s from a humble family that we must be elaborate. We must make her understand the gap between her and my son now. She should not harbor any delusions of climbing above her station!”
“She chose to come neither earlier nor later, but at this exact moment. I suspect her intentions are far from good.”
The maidservant could only say, “How wise of you, Madam!”
…
Madam Cen looked at the plainly dressed woman before her, noticing she wore a deep cyan veiled hat. She couldn’t help but frown, feeling that her own elaborate preparations had been wasted on someone who couldn’t even see them clearly. Though inwardly annoyed, she refrained from showing it.
“Why are you wearing a veiled hat?”
Zhou Mingyi replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, “When I was young, I accidentally damaged my appearance. It would not do to frighten people.”
Madam Cen furrowed her brow and exchanged a glance with her trusted maidservant beside her.
The maidservant gave a meaningful look, but Madam Cen shook her head, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief.
She knew her own son best—though Ah Yuan appeared careless and frivolous, he had a deep appreciation for beauty and elegance.
A mother could hardly admit her son was fond of beautiful women.
But ever since childhood, Cen Shaoyuan would only allow pretty maids to hold him; if a woman had a thicker waist or darker skin, he would cry at the sight.
Back then, Madam Cen had laughed at how picky the child was.
Now, it seemed like a blessing.
This young lady from the Zhou family had a flawed appearance.
She had been worrying about how to break off this engagement.
When Zhou Mingyi’s father was alive, he had been a classmate of Father Cen’s. Both had passed the imperial examination in the same year, with Zhou’s father ranking even higher than Father Cen.
The two had gotten along well and thus arranged a marriage alliance between their children.
However, Father Cen and Madam Cen had no legitimate daughters, and it would not have been appropriate to marry off a concubine-born daughter to the Zhou family.
So they betrothed their second legitimate son to Zhou Mingyi, the youngest daughter of the Zhou family.
Who could have expected that the Zhou couple would be unlucky and die young, leaving the family in decline?
Father Cen paid no attention to such domestic trivialities, and Madam Cen naturally looked down on Zhou Mingyi, whose family had fallen from grace.
Last year, when Zhou Mingyi came of age, as prospective in-laws, Madam Cen should have sent congratulatory gifts.
In the Great Zhou dynasty, women could marry normally after coming of age.
The Cen and Zhou families already had a marriage agreement and were only waiting for Zhou Mingyi to come of age before formally sending betrothal gifts.
But Madam Cen was unwilling, so the matter was delayed.
Just as Mingyi had thought, Cen Shaoyuan, being a man, could afford to wait, but Mingyi, as a woman, could not.
The Cen family simply waited for Mingyi to grow impatient and take the initiative to break off the engagement.
Or they could outright ignore the agreement, arrange another marriage for Cen Shaoyuan, and once the new bride entered their household, what could the Zhou family do?
Thus, upon learning that Mingyi had come to visit, Madam Cen felt as if facing a formidable enemy.
“A woman’s appearance is of utmost importance—what a pity.”
Zhou Mingyi’s expression remained unchanged.
“I have come today to break off the engagement on behalf of my parents.”
“When my father was alive, he arranged a marriage between me and your second son. Now that I am unworthy, I naturally cannot trouble your family.”
Hearing Zhou Mingyi’s humble words, Madam Cen was momentarily at a loss for what to say.
“May I ask the reason?”
“Our Cen family honors its promises, but my son once said, ‘How can a man establish a family before establishing a career?’ I’m afraid we have delayed you for a year.”
She thought for a moment and asked, “Is it because your brother offended His Majesty in the Golden Hall?”
“I did hear my husband mention this matter.”
“Your brother’s righteous words were commendable, but they were perhaps too impulsive for a young man.”
Father Cen served in the Office of the Imperial Household, so he was well-informed about court affairs.
But he was unwilling to offend the emperor for the sake of a prospective daughter-in-law who was not yet part of the family.
Thus, he feigned ignorance.
Moreover, he had received some whispers through special channels, learning that Zhou Mingchong had not actually offended the emperor but had instead caught the eye of Princess Zhaoyang…
A Tanhua from the Hanlin Academy being forced to become a princess’s paramour was a tremendous scandal.
Since it concerned the royal family’s dignity, as long as it was not brought into the open, these old foxes naturally pretended not to know.
It was an unspoken understanding.
Through her veiled hat, Zhou Mingyi’s gaze turned icy.
This Madam Cen was a master of veiled words.
In her previous life, when Mingyi came seeking help, Cen Shaoyuan arranged for her to stay in the rear courtyard of the Cen residence. It was Madam Cen’s people who toyed with her until she was utterly confused, and in the end, a bowl of sweat-inducing aphrodisiac sent her to the crown prince’s bed.
Madam Cen’s handiwork was undoubtedly involved.
However, the Cen family was still unaware that my brother had been released?
It was clear the Cens did not hold the Zhou family in any regard.
Mingyi’s tone remained gentle. “Yes, thank you for your concern, Aunt. I will certainly advise my brother.”
Madam Cen nodded and gave a meaningful glance to her trusted maidservant.
The maidservant immediately understood. “Miss Zhou, what is the purpose of your visit today to break off the engagement?”
Zhou Mingyi lowered her gaze slightly, her voice subdued. “I am aware of my plain appearance and am unworthy of being a suitable match for Young Master Cen. I voluntarily withdraw from the engagement.”
Madam Cen nearly laughed aloud.
“Good child, why do you belittle yourself so?”
Zhou Mingyi was thoroughly weary of Madam Cen’s manner—clearly eager to break off the engagement yet pretending reluctance.
After several such exchanges, she finally ordered someone to fetch the betrothal token from years past.