When Liu Yunshuang heard this, disappointment flashed across her face, but she still refused to give up. She stepped forward half a pace, about to say something more.
“Oh, if she’s sick, then what else is there to discuss?” Shen Jinghong suddenly cut in from behind, his hands still tied. “Mother, Father, you both heard it. The Grand Tutor himself said the marriage is off, and the young lady agrees too. Isn’t that the best outcome for everyone? I never liked this marriage in the first place. You insisted on forcing me to marry a… marry a…”
He glanced at Fu Mingyuan’s expression, swallowed the words invalid girl that had nearly slipped out, and quickly changed his wording.
“…marry a young lady I’ve never even met. How can that work? A forced marriage never ends well. The Grand Tutor said so himself just now!”
As he spoke, he even lifted his chin toward Fu Mingyuan and grinned.
“Grand Tutor, wouldn’t you agree?”
Fu Mingyuan’s face remained stern. He did not answer, but he gave a slight nod. The courtesy that had been present in his demeanor was nearly exhausted.
Shen Dingjiang’s face had already gone from red to purple, then from purple to green. His chest heaved violently.
“You!”
Still oblivious to the danger looming over him, Shen Jinghong continued rambling.
“It’s true! I’m the legitimate son of the Northern Frontier General’s Manor. What kind of girl couldn’t I have? Why insist on finding some sickly”
“SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!!”
Shen Dingjiang’s furious roar shook the entire courtyard. Even the myna bird under the eaves flapped wildly and screeched:
“Shut up! Shut up!”
The windows of the main hall buzzed from the force of the shout. Several passing servants jumped in fright, nearly dropping their tea trays.
Shen Jinghong shuddered and instinctively retreated half a step behind Liu Yunshuang.
Shen Dingjiang felt his temples throbbing. Pointing at his son with a trembling finger, his lips quivered several times before he finally managed to force out a sentence.
“You… you… you unfilial wretch!”
He shoved Liu Yunshuang aside and raised his broad palm high, ready to strike.
“Husband!”
Liu Yunshuang hurriedly grabbed his arm and held on tightly.
“We’re in the Grand Tutor’s residence. Mind your conduct!”
Shen Dingjiang’s hand hung in midair, his entire arm shaking. In the end, he withdrew it fiercely and slammed his fist onto his own thigh with a dull thud.
“I, Shen Dingjiang, spent a lifetime building my reputation…”
Closing his eyes, he struggled to steady his emotions.
“How did I end up raising something like you?”
Shen Jinghong pursed his lips. The carefree grin finally faded somewhat. He lowered his eyes and fell silent, even stopping his habit of grinding pebbles under his foot.
Liu Yunshuang released Shen Dingjiang’s arm, turned to look at her son, and finally could only let out a weary sigh as she rubbed her brow.
At that moment, a series of hurried footsteps came from behind the screen wall.
A maid dressed in a goose-yellow vest came running over in quick little steps. Her round face was flushed from exertion. It was Xiaodie, Miss Fu’s personal maid.
She ran to Fu Mingyuan’s side and whispered something in a low voice, then timidly glanced at the Shen family.
After listening, Fu Mingyuan frowned slightly and asked quietly,
“Did she truly say that?”
Xiaodie nodded.
“Miss said… there’s no need to force the matter. She sent this servant to retrieve the birth card and return it to the Shen family. This marriage should be canceled.”
She paused, her voice growing softer.
“Miss also said that her health is poor and that she is unworthy of Young Master Shen. She doesn’t want to delay him from finding a better match.”
As Xiaodie spoke, her eyes reddened, as though she felt deeply wronged on behalf of her mistress.
The words were graceful.
So graceful that no fault could be found with them.
Yet the more graceful they were, the deeper they cut into people’s hearts.
Liu Yunshuang’s face instantly turned pale.
Shen Dingjiang clenched his fists so tightly that the veins stood out. His Adam’s apple bobbed twice, as though he had just been slapped hard across the face.
But Shen Jinghong saw nothing wrong with it. Instead, his eyes lit up.
“Great!”
He hopped forward excitedly, the ropes behind him swinging.
“Isn’t that the end of it? The young lady herself said not to force it. Then why are we still standing around here? Let’s exchange the birth cards and be done with it!”
Turning to Shen Dingjiang, he smiled brightly.
“Father, you heard her, right? She’s the one who doesn’t want to marry me not me refusing to marry her. If word gets out, nobody can blame me!”
Shen Dingjiang said nothing.
He merely stared at his son.
There was anger in his eyes.
And disappointment.
Under that gaze, Shen Jinghong finally felt a little guilty. His smile stiffened.
“…It’s true, though.”
Fu Mingyuan remained silent for a moment before slowly nodding, as though he had finally made up his mind.
“In that case,” he said calmly, “we shall follow my daughter’s wishes.”
He turned and walked toward the main hall.
His pace was neither hurried nor slow, his back straight and proud. The stone-blue robe he wore swayed lightly in the breeze.
When he reached the threshold, he paused briefly, as if remembering something. Then he stepped over it and entered the hall.
Seeing him leave, Shen Jinghong immediately shouted after him.
“Grand Tutor! Is the birth card on the east side or the west side? Don’t take the wrong one mine has a bow drawn on it!”
Fu Mingyuan did not look back.
His figure disappeared into the shadows of the hall.
Shen Jinghong was about to shout again when Liu Yunshuang suddenly covered his mouth.
“Mmph! Mmph!”
Her hand clamped tightly over his mouth with such force that the back of his head was pressed against her shoulder.
“If you dare say one more word,” she whispered so quietly that only he could hear, “when we get home, I’ll have your father lock you in the ancestral hall for three days and three nights. You’ll kneel until your knees rot.”
Shen Jinghong’s eyes widened.
He shook his head frantically, muffled sounds escaping from behind her hand, whether in protest or pleading, it was impossible to tell.
Meanwhile, Shen Dingjiang stood where he was, staring toward the main hall.
Suddenly, he strode forward.
“Brother Fu!”
His voice was urgent and heavy, as if he feared it would be too late if he delayed even a moment.
Taking the stairs in two large strides, he stopped abruptly at the threshold and faced Fu Mingyuan’s back.
Fu Mingyuan halted and slowly turned around.
A small sandalwood box had appeared in his hands.
The box, about the size of a palm, was carved with twin lotus blossoms. It was the very box used when the two families had exchanged their birth cards years ago.
One hand supported the box.
The other rested upon its lid.
“Brother Fu,” Shen Dingjiang said, enunciating each word, “three months.”
Fu Mingyuan’s hand paused on the lid.
Shen Dingjiang drew a deep breath, as though pushing all his chips onto the table.
“Please give us three months.”
His voice lowered, so low that it scarcely sounded like a second-rank general speaking. Instead, it sounded like a father pleading.
“Within three months, I’ll make this unfilial brat turn over a new leaf. If he’s still like this afterward… I’ll break his legs.”
Behind him, Shen Jinghong’s eyes bulged at those words. Still gagged by his mother’s hand, he struggled furiously, his neck turning red.
Liu Yunshuang tightened her grip, her fingernails nearly digging into his cheeks.
Shen Dingjiang never looked back at his son.
He only stared at Fu Mingyuan.
“I know the things he said were hurtful,” he said quietly, gritting his teeth. Even his beard trembled slightly.
“And I know a simple apology can’t make up for it. But I’ve spent twenty years fighting on the frontier. I’ve never begged anyone for anything.”
His voice became hoarse.
“Today, I’m begging you for these three months.”
When he finished speaking, silence fell over the courtyard.
Only the wind could be heard.
Standing inside the doorway, sandalwood box in hand, Fu Mingyuan gazed at Shen Dingjiang.
His eyes lingered on Shen Dingjiang’s face for a long while before moving past his shoulder.
He looked at Shen Jinghong, bound tightly with ropes.
He looked at Liu Yunshuang, still covering her son’s mouth.
He looked at this family of three disheveled, stubborn, and unwilling to yield.
Then he let out a soft sigh.