Lady Anguo frowned, glared at her good-for-nothing son, and scolded him.
"What mother? This Jiang Ruzhu knows you are her future brother-in-law, yet she deliberately associates with you. She's obviously up to no good. Are you really going to abandon your fiancée for someone like her?"
Chu Lianxin was naturally displeased to hear the Duchess of Anguo belittle her daughter like that, so she retorted: "Duchess, please watch your words. My daughter has only just reached the age of coming of age this year, while An Yuanxiu is already a man who has reached adulthood. If he hadn't deliberately flirted with her, how could my daughter have lost her heart to him at such a young age!"
The implication is that your son is no good.
Lady Anguo was no pushover either. She sneered at Chu Lianxin and began to expose her past. "Stop throwing mud at my son. Does your daughter, Chu Lianxin's daughter, need anyone else to provoke her?"
"After so many years of living a life of luxury, you've probably forgotten how you got this position, haven't you?"
"How did you become this second wife? Do you really think no one knows?"
Chu Lianxin turned pale at her words, her face burning with pain.
The words of the Duchess of Anguo were like a series of slaps, leaving Chu Lianxin pale and drained of all color.
Her fingers, hanging by her sides, were slightly cool. After a long pause, she said with trembling lips, "Madam Duchess, please watch your words. Aren't you afraid of making a fool of yourself by spouting such nonsense?"
"I'm talking nonsense?" The Duchess of Anguo scoffed, looking down at her as if she were an ant.
"Who do you think you are, to dare to be deigned by the Duchess of the State and demeanor to slander me?"
"Should I call over all those who knew about this back then, and then say it in front of everyone, so we can see who ends up losing face?"
She raised her voice and said, "As the saying goes, dragons beget dragons and phoenixes beget phoenixes. You used all sorts of means to climb the social ladder, and now you're letting your daughter follow suit. Am I wrong in any way?"
The Duchess's words made Chu Lianxin and her daughter feel utterly ashamed.
Chu Lianxin dared not utter a sound, afraid that if she said too much, this crazy woman would reveal even more of her past scandals.
Upon hearing his mother's words, An Yuanxiu immediately recalled the scene when he first met Jiang Ruzhu.
On that occasion, when he came to the Jiang residence on business, he happened to catch a butterfly while passing through the garden. Jiang Ruzhu, who was chasing butterflies, happened to catch one on him.
He used to think it was a coincidence, but now the more he thought about it, the more suspicious he felt, and his gaze toward Jiang Ruzhu began to show suspicion.
"Brother Yuanxiu, you believe Zhuer... I didn't!" Jiang Ruzhu looked at the man with tears streaming down her face, trying to explain.
An Yuanxiu looked away, and Jiang Ruzhu felt a chill in her heart.
However, the thought that she still had a bargaining chip made her feel slightly more at ease.
The Duchess here didn't let Chu Lianxin off the hook. Seeing her wearing a veil, she took the opportunity to ridicule her again.
"What, so you know you've done too many bad things and are too ashamed to face anyone, that's why you brought this handkerchief!"
"you...!"
The woman's merciless words made Chu Lianxin's face turn pale and then red.
Beneath the veil, she bit her lip hard, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her nails almost digging into her flesh.
Over the years, she has worked hard to cultivate a reputation for virtue and kindness, and it has been a great effort to make people forget her past.
If those old stories were to be brought up again, not only would it be difficult for the daughter to find a husband, but the son's future would also be ruined.
For the sake of her child, Chu Lianxin had no choice but to grit her teeth and swallow her anger.
Jiang Luoxue stood to the side, arms crossed, watching with great interest.
Seeing Chu Lianxin's angry expression but her reluctance to say anything more.
It seems that her stepmother's rise to power was indeed quite remarkable.
Some even speculated that it was related to the old story of Liu's death during childbirth.
They might all be hiding secrets that can't be brought to light!
It seems I'll have to investigate this properly later.
She was just planning how to investigate Liu's difficult childbirth when she didn't expect that the Duchess of Anguo would suddenly turn her attention to her.
"Luoxue, what are your thoughts on the marriage agreement I just mentioned?"
Jiang Ruzhu was terrified that Jiang Luoxue would agree, so she stared intently at her, so nervous that she almost tore her handkerchief to shreds.
Chu Lianxin couldn't help but hold her breath, fearing that her daughter's marriage prospects would be ruined.
Jiang Luoxue originally wanted to agree first, so as to disgust Chu Lianxin and her daughter.
However, the thought of having to bear the disgusting title of being An Zha Nan's fiancée immediately made her give up the idea.
Forget it, let's just break off the engagement first. Anyway, Chu Lianxin and her daughter are right under my nose, I have plenty of ways to deal with them.
Let's break off the engagement with that scumbag An Yuanxiu first!
Jiang Ruoxue looked at the calculating-looking Duchess of Anguo and a cold smile appeared on her lips: "Duchess of Anguo has such a quick mind, it's a real pity she doesn't go into business."
"You're really good at this, the abacus beads are almost hitting my face."
"What, now that I saved the old lady of the General's Mansion, you think I'm still of use to you?"
"So you're trying to use your son's marriage to tie me down, and then use that to climb up the ranks to the General's Mansion?"
Lady Anguo's thoughts were exposed, and her face immediately stiffened. She smiled awkwardly and said, "Luoxue, that's not how it works. Your marriage to my son was already arranged. How can you say that you're using him?"
"Besides, once you marry into the Duke's mansion, we'll be family. Why distinguish between you and me?"
Jiang Luoxue coldly curled her lips: "Don't give me that, I'm not buying it."
"Just one question: are you going to dissolve this engagement or not?"
"Jiang Luoxue!" An Yuanxiu's temples throbbed with anger. "Don't push your luck!"
After being repeatedly rejected for marriage, the man was completely humiliated.
He was, after all, the heir of the Duke of Anguo's mansion. To be forced to break off his marriage by the daughter of a third-rank official—where would he put his face if word got out?
Jiang Luoxue chuckled softly, her eyes sweeping over his angry face, her voice laced with malice: "I don't want it anymore, so what are you going to do about it, Prince An?"
Jiang Ruoxue calmly straightened her cuffs. With Ye Xuanchen as her backer, even if she trampled their faces in the mud today, they wouldn't dare to say a word.
Lady Anguo glanced at Jiang Luoxue, who was unwilling to back down, and then at Ye Xuanchen, who seemed to be protecting her.
Then look at Jiang Yucheng, who is hiding to the side, pretending to be a quail and not daring to speak.
I know that this marriage is now irreversible.
She suppressed her anger and said to her son in a calm voice, "Alright, Xiu'er!"
"Since Miss Jiang is unwilling to continue this marriage, then my Duke Anguo's mansion will not force her. We will return each other's belongings, and the marriage is hereby called off!"
An Yuanxiu wanted to say something more, but after being glared at by his mother, he immediately fell silent.