Chapter 1: Broken Engagement
"Sister Shu, please return the jade scepter to me."
As soon as Murong Yunshu entered the living room and heard Fang Hongfei's words, she was stunned for a few seconds before reacting. The jade scepter was the Fang Family's heirloom. Ten years ago, mother Fang had gifted it to her as an engagement keepsake, and yet now, this young man came to demand it back.
"As compensation, I will give you a treasured sword." Fang Hongfei raised his hand and motioned a follower behind him to hand over an open brocade case to her.
Murong Yunshu glanced over the treasured sword, but didn't receive it. She said with a flat tone, "No need. The jade scepter originally belonged to Fang family, so it's only right that I return it back to you."
"But when it comes down to it…I've still caused you a loss."
"You don't have to feel guilty. I'm not taking your treasured sword because I'm blaming you. I'm just worried that one day you'll come with a kitchen knife and exchange it for your precious sword , wasting everyone's time."
Fang Hongfei was embarrassed upon hearing her words. "You– What do you mean by that?"
Murong Yunshu raised her left eyebrow as she asked, "Is there anything else?"
“–No.”
“Then take care.”
"Sister Shu—" Fang Hongfei was about to give chase when Murong Yunshu's maidservant blocked his path.
“Young Hero Fang, the gate is over there.” Lu'er pointed to the door.
“I know that, I just wanted to …”
“Young Hero Fang, have a good day.”
“But I still haven't–“
“Someone, send our guest off.”
"You– Fine! Since your Murong family doesn't place any importance on my Mingjian Manor, don't blame me for ignoring you in danger!" After angrily spitting out those words, Fang Hongfei left in a huff.
"Miss, I'm afraid Fang Hongfei's words before he left has a deeper meaning to it," Lu'er said worriedly.
Murong Yunshu flipped through the account book indifferent with one hand while using the abacus with the other. She spoke nonchalantly, "Let him be. Which dog doesn't bark a few times before biting?"
"That's right, he's just a dog. No, he's even worse than a dog! At least dogs don't come to break off an engagement once their master passes away." Lu'er was filled with anger.
"I also won't be engaged to a dog."
"Kicking a man when he's down is a very common occurrence, there's no need to be angry." Murong Yunshu maintain a calm demeanor as she focused on calculating her accounts, as if nothing else could interest her except for the account book.
Lu'er felt saddened by her mistress' patient endurance. "If only Master was here, no one in Jinling would dare bully our Murong House or our young lady."
Upon hearing that, Murong slender fingers, which were fiddling with the abacus, suddenly paused. She slowly raised her head and looked straight at her with bright eyes as she solemnly spoke, "Even if father isn't here, no one would dare bully our Murong Mansion."
"Miss–" Lu'er eyes shed a few drops of tears. Her young lady finally grew up, she has grown!
Murong Yunshu curiously looked at the tearful Lu'er, then bowed her head and continued to calculate. After working the abacus for a bit, she paused once again and said, "Go and make an appointment with a doctor. If you don't have any money, then take some from the accounts office."
Lu'er scratched her head. "Why should I see a doctor?" She wasn't sick!
"Eye disease."
"…" She didn't have any eye disease, but her internal injuries were severe. Lu'er looked at her honorable master and took a deep breath. The young lady was still the same, even if she had grown up; whatever came out of her mouth was extraordinary.
The Murong family had been running banks and jewelry stores for generations. Murong Yunshu's father, Murong Qing, was an expert in both the legal and illegal business worlds. Under his management, the Murong family's Huifeng banks were spread all over the country, monopolizing the entire market. The jewelry store's signboard 'Qian Bian Wan Yin'** engraved in gold letters, are also well known far and wide, being favored by high-ranking officials and dignitaries.
(**T/N: translates to 'Thousand Changes to Ten Thousand Silvers)
Before Murong Qing passed away, the Murong Mansion within Jinling was a symbol of wealth and power. It was a place everyone flocked to. But just five days after his death, the banks received massive amounts of requests to cash their banknotes, while the jewelry store's management was in ruins. Everyone believed that the Murong Residence would never be able to recover from its downfall, which is why no one came to curry favor, flatter, or offer courtesy like in the past.
From a certain point of view, Murong Yunshu was happy to see this happen. When her father was still alive, she rarely appeared in front of other people. This was one of the reasons why outsiders were so sure that the Murong family would decline. What could a young miss who never stepped out of her mansion possibly accomplish?
However, those from the Murong family knew that this seemingly weak girl was worth more than ten thousand gold coins. The problem was whether or not she was willing to use her wealth and take over the family business.
Murong Yunshu was the kind of person who avoided troublesome things. Her whole life, she only wanted to be a lazy young lady before marriage and a lazy madam after marriage. But the heavens made a joke of her, causing her to lose both her father's protection and her fiancé within a week.
She didn't have much of an impression of Fang Hongfei and only knew that he was the Young Master of the Mingjian Manor, her future husband. If she had not met him this morning, she probably would have sent him her hand-written letter, asking him to take over the Murong House on the premise of marriage.
She really didn't expect him to end their engagement. It had only been five days since her father's passing. Has the Murong family fallen to such a level?
Pulling up her cloak, Murong Yunshu gazed out the window at the night sky and sighed for the first time in her life.
On the 15th of each month, Murong Yunshu would go to the temple to offer incense. This month was no exception. In the morning, she sat in a sedan that bore the Murong family's emblem and headed for Wanyun temple. When passing by Yue Lao bridge, they encountered a large and grandiose escort procession that blocked her path.
"Miss, it's the bride escort procession for the famous Mingjia House," Lu'er said through gritted teeth as she looked through the window of their sedan.
Murong Yunshu frowned as she opened the curtain and asked unhappily, "Haven't we already annulled the marriage?" In the past, she wouldn't object if she was told to marry Fang Hongfei, but now– she would rather marry a dog.
"They must be heading for the Zhenyuan Escort Services," Lu'er whispered as she silently cursed Fang Hongfei for being a heartless and ungrateful man. Treating him as their family's son-in-law all those years was a waste!
Zhenyuan Escort Services was an extremely large and prestigious escort service in Jinling. It was rumored that the head of the business, Lin Zhenyuan, had a beautiful daughter who was known throughout the Jianghu as the "world's finest beauty."
Who knew whether Fang Hongfei pursued Lin Shui'er just recently, or if he had courted her long before he annulled his engagement with Murong Yunshu.