Chapter 38

Long before Xiao Baoxin barged into the house, Madam Yin and Madam Xie were chatting happily. If it weren’t for the fact that the Duke of Shixing County was fighting on the battlefield and it was inconvenient to carry on with the marriage, they would have already brought forward the wedding date.

Because of Xiao Baoxin’s interference, both parties did not look pleased. Even though Madam Yin tried her best to control her emotions, she would not be pleased with anyone who slandered her son in front of her.

Madam Xie, on the other hand, was very polite and considerate as she sent them out of the residence. When she turned around, she was already sweating profusely.

After what Xiao Baoxin had done, if she failed to marry the Yuan family, her reputation would be ruined even if it was not ruined by the gang fight.

With Xiao Baoxin’s martial arts skills, if she didn’t walk out willingly, it would be a dream for those maids and senior servants to even touch her.

Madam Xie knew what was going on as well. After sending the Yuan family away, she immediately went to find Xiao Baoxin. She acted as if the two of them were going to have a heart-to-heart conversation and chased all the maids and senior servants out of the room.

Before Madam Xie could speak, Xiao Baoxin said, “Mother, you don’t need to say anything. I am definitely going to turn down this marriage.”

Madam Xie choked on her words.

“Why are you turning it down? Don’t be so stubborn. There aren’t many people in Jiankang City who are better than the Yuan family. Let’s be honest, which aristocratic family doesn’t look down on others? How many people are willing to become relatives with a lower class family like us?”

“I heard.” Madam Xie knew that no one was eavesdropping, but she couldn’t help but lower her voice.

“It’s only in the past few years that the aristocratic families have been suppressed greatly. If the aristocratic families were to marry the lower class some years ago, they would have been impeached. Madam Wang, who was a regular servant of the Xi family, heard that a brother of his had been impeached because he married a daughter of a governor. He was even stripped of his official position. Just because they didn’t have matching status and the governor comes from a humble background!”

“Nowadays, it’s all about family background and bloodline. The higher one’s status, the more it’s like this. Didn’t you see how many aristocratic families have formed alliances with each other through marriage? Do you think it’s easy for us to secure this marriage engagement?”

Madam Xie sighed, her face full of yearning. “Even if you don’t think for yourself, you still have to think for your descendants. After they are born, their status will be different. The education in aristocratic families will also be different.”

Xiao Baoxin rolled her eyes.

“That’s right. Now, even if a huge rock is thrown on the streets of Jiankang City and hits someone, eight out of ten times, the person hit is a good-for-nothing and spends their days drinking and playing.”

“You can’t be so extreme.” Madam Xie became anxious. “Isn’t there still a good one? Xie Xian, look at him. He has a good family background, he’s talented, good-looking, and polite. He has an extraordinary aura and manners. He’s such a good person.”

“How many people like Xie Xian are there in this world?” Xiao Baoxin asked.

Moreover, on the surface, Xie Xian was indeed handsome. However, the public’s opinion of him was quite controversial. She knew that even within her little social circle, so the aristocratic families must be even more against him.

It was hard to tell what a person was like from his own eyes and from someone else’s mouth.

Madam Xie didn’t argue with her and only said, “I think Yuan Chen is not bad either. You were so rude today, but he didn’t say anything. After you left, he kept apologizing to me. He said that he wouldn’t let you misunderstand him again. He wouldn’t write poems for others and would definitely be devoted to you.”

“As the saying goes, killing someone is nothing. What else do you want from them?”

In her opinion, she should just give others a way out.

“Could it be that you’re really determined to break off the engagement? With such a character, such a family background, and being so accommodating to us, it’ll be hard for you to find another person like this.”

Xiao Baoxin shook her head, her beautiful eyes glistening.

“That’s right. With their family backgrounds, they have always been high and mighty. Mother, don’t you want to think about why the Yuan family changed from being arrogant to being so respectful?” Her lips curled into a smile. Even if it was a sarcastic one, it did not affect her beauty in the slightest.

When Madam Xie saw this, she couldn’t help but sigh in her heart that Yuan Chen had picked a big bargain. It wasn’t that she was boasting, but her daughter was indeed beautiful. She was beautiful from every angle, and every expression of hers was beautiful.

Xiao Baoxin, who was being held tightly by Madam Xie, was speechless.

Based on what she heard from her mother’s inner thoughts, she didn’t take what she said seriously. She came here to comfort her. No matter what she said or did, it wouldn’t affect her final decision.

However, Xiao Baoxin was not someone who gave up easily. She still had to say what she needed to say.

“Mother, if the Yuan family was still the Yuan family from back then and was still an insufferably arrogant aristocratic family, they would not have agreed to this marriage at all. After such an incident happened, they even took the initiative to come and apologize.”

“It’s just that their family can’t make it anymore. They don’t have any face in front of the Emperor, and they also don’t have the capability to earn an official title to present themselves among the aristocratic families. They are obviously eyeing my father for his outstanding military achievements, and for being respected by the Emperor. That’s why they rushed over.”

It was not that she wanted to say it, but the things she said in front of Madam Yin were things that most people would not be able to stand. Yet, she was able to endure it. One could imagine the current situation of the Yuan family. Any person with the bearing of an aristocratic family would scold her back on the spot and break off the engagement. Xiao Baoxin even felt some respect for her persistence.

Hearing this, Madam Xie nodded her head repeatedly. It was a fact that her daughter was beautiful and her husband was capable.

“Isn’t this good, my daughter?” Madam Xie looked like she was caring for a retard. “The more scruples they have and the more they beg us, the better it is for us. When you get married in the future, they won’t dare to bully you!”

“Silly! It’s better than them not taking you seriously, marrying you and bullying you all the time. You aren’t even married yet, but your future in-laws have personally come to apologize to you, and your future husband has also lowered himself. Daughter, this marriage is just right!”

Madam Xie said earnestly, “You should be thankful!”

What kind of strange thinking was this?

Now that such an incident had happened and caused such a huge commotion, her mother was even more determined to marry her into the Yuan family.

“A family like this would chase after fame and fortune, like a housefly chasing after a dog. When our family is doing well, he might still have some scruples. If one day something bad happens, he will be the first to hit us when we are down—”

“Touchwood. Children’s words don’t mean anything!” Madam Xie felt that it was bad luck and spat a few times. She only stopped when her mouth was dry. “Even if you don’t want to get married, please leave some kindness in your mouth and don’t spout nonsense— our family is doing well, there’s no bad times!”

Madam Xie glared at Xiao Baoxin begrudgingly. “You’re deliberately making me unhappy.”

Xiao Baoxin said, “Mother, this marriage would make me unhappy for the rest of my life. I only made you unhappy for a while. It’s ultimately my loss.”

“How did I make you unhappy? Is it because he’s not a good person, or is it because his family background isn’t good? Forget it, you have already decided that there’s nothing good about him and his family. I don’t even know what you’re thinking every day. A noble young lady should follow the orders of her parents and the words of the matchmaker just like everyone else. But you’re the one who’s causing trouble and picking on others!”

“I’m not being picky. No matter how I look at them, I can’t find anything good about him and his family. It’s just that he has an undeserved reputation because of his ancestors.”

Xiao Baoxin could not be bothered to mention Yuan Chen’s female and male confidante. Her mother might not believe it even if she heard it, and she might not take it to heart even if she did. Even if she did, she would think that all men in the world were the same. It was just that as a woman, her fate was not good.

This sort of bone-deep acceptance had always been treated as fact, so how could she be shaken?

She knew that her mother was doing this for her own good. She thought that she had calculated everything, but everyone had different perspectives. Her mother’s attitude in life did not represent her.

“Then what exactly do you want?” Madam Xie was frustrated.