During the Lu family's recent "visit" to Jiyun Alley, they formally sent a visit card, along with a greeting from Lu Chongyuan.
However, when Lu Chongyuan and Lu Zhinian stepped into the Tang residence, they saw sitting beside Song Tangning the old Madam Fu and the Madam of Wenxin Marquis, as well as Qian Qiyue, the daughter of Qian Baokun, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
It was then that Lu Chongyuan realized he had underestimated the malice of this Song family daughter towards the Lu family.
"Why has Lord Lu come?" Madam of Wenxin Marquis smiled warmly. "I came with Madam Fu to visit the Princess Consort, but I didn't expect to encounter you here, Lord Lu."
Old Madam Fu still wore her usual expression, rarely smiling, and even when faced with the current Minister of the Central Secretariat, she merely nodded coldly in acknowledgment.
Lu Chongyuan calmly looked at Song Tangning. "I specifically came today to seek out Miss Song. I sent the visit card in advance, but I didn’t know Miss Song would have so many guests today."
Song Tangning seemed not to catch the underlying meaning in his words, simply smiling as she replied, "Lord Lu only mentioned he would come today without specifying the reason. I thought you were here to return the things my family had taken from me previously."
"These few are my esteemed elders and guests. It wouldn’t be appropriate to turn them away for such trivial matters. However, Lord Lu, you only mentioned you would be coming but didn’t mention that Lord Lu would also be coming to the residence."
Her smile faded slightly. "If I had known Lord Lu would come, I would have returned the visit card to the Lu residence."
"Tangning..."
Lu Zhinian, even knowing her heartlessness, still trembled slightly at her words.
After all these years of friendship, why was she so merciless?
Song Tangning seemed not to notice his pale expression. "Did Lord Lu come today to fulfill your promise from that day and return the things that your Lu family looked down upon?"
Lu Zhinian’s face turned pale, and he was embarrassed, tightly gripping the silk tassel in his palm.
Lu Chongyuan took a deep breath. "Miss Song, you have been engaged to Sanlang for many years. He has indeed treated you poorly, and my Lu family is willing to make amends for that. However, marriage is a serious matter and not a child's play. Besides, your engagement was granted by Her Majesty the Empress, and it was approved by the late Grand Tutor Rong back then. How can it be said to be nullified? This matter must be discussed carefully..."
He mentioned the Empress and the Grand Tutor Rong, but his gaze was fixed solely on Song Tangning, hoping to pressure her into yielding with her eagerness to break off the engagement.
Unexpectedly, Song Tangning smiled. "Lord Lu makes a valid point. Although there are grievances between Sanlang and me, and he nearly cost me my life, this marriage is not something the Lu family can unilaterally decide."
"I am still injured and worried about the belongings of my late grandfather that were deceived away. This marriage is not urgent; once my injuries heal, I can go to the palace to seek the Empress's help. I believe her kind heart would not want to see me and Sanlang become resentful spouses. If the Empress does not permit it, I will seek His Majesty; I will be able to obtain an imperial edict to dissolve the engagement."
She was incredibly considerate, gentle, and humble.
"Lord Lu need not worry; I will not make things difficult for the Lu family."
Madam of Wenxin Marquis twitched her lips, and even the originally stern Old Madam Fu coughed lightly.
Qian Qiyue beside them covered her mouth with her arm, shaking with laughter.
Lu Chongyuan's expression froze, staring at the gentle Song Tangning, his heart sinking.
She knew.
This young lady knew that those things were not in the Lu family’s possession and understood the involvement of the Empress, which the Lu family could not pay back.
Lu Chongyuan's smile nearly faltered; even with his composure, he was beginning to lose it.
"How can this be considered making things difficult for the Lu family? It was Sanlang's fault that ruined this good match, leading Miss Song to consider breaking off the engagement. It is because I, the old man, did not educate my grandson properly that the Lu family has lost the chance to have a fine daughter-in-law like Miss Song."
"I brought Sanlang today to discuss the matter of breaking off the engagement with Miss Song. If Her Majesty were to blame anyone, it certainly would not be Miss Song."
His tone shifted completely, filled with deep anger as he looked at Lu Zhinian beside him.
"Brat, why aren't you apologizing to Miss Song!"
Lu Zhinian had never been humiliated like this in public. He tightened his grip, his fingertips turning white.
"Tang..."
He wanted to call her as he used to but met her gaze, which was as pure as drifting snow.
"Miss Song."
Lu Zhinian's throat felt bitter, as if he had swallowed bitter herbs, and it pained him to speak, filled with shame and anger as he bowed his head tightly.
"It is Shaozheng's fault for disappointing Miss Song, and he has also let down Her Majesty the Empress and the late Grand Tutor Rong's good intentions. I ask..."
The word "ask" almost stripped him of all his pride. Seeing the blood on his fingertips, Lu Zhinian spoke with a voice that seemed to come from deep in his throat, his eyes misty.
"I ask... Miss Song to forgive Shaozheng's foolishness for the sake of our past friendship."
Song Tangning looked at the young man standing before her with his head bowed.
He was the one she admired in her youth, the one she desperately pursued, the bright sun she thought she would spend her life with.
But it was also he, together with Song Jinxiu and the others, who ruined her life, causing her to die alone, choked to death in that abandoned courtyard, without ever understanding what she had done wrong.
She tilted her head slightly, looking at Lu Zhinian, who seemed to have endured great humiliation, and suddenly smiled.
"Lord Sanlang, do you wish to use your apology to offset the things your Lu family took from me?"
Tangning turned to Lu Chongyuan:
"Lord Lu, if the Lu family truly feels regret, shouldn't you first return my grandfather's belongings?"
Lu Zhinian looked up at Song Tangning in disbelief. He had already endured such humiliation; why was she still pushing him?
Lu Chongyuan hadn't expected Song Tangning to still cling to those things. His expression darkened. "Those will definitely be returned by the Lu family; we will not owe Miss Song anything..."
“Then let’s wait until the Lu family returns what they owe before discussing my relationship with Lu Zhinian.”
“Miss Song…”
“Lord Lu, please leave.”
Song Tangning’s face turned cold as she directly dismissed them. She turned to Madam Fu and the others and said, “Aunt, she must have woken up by now. Madam, Aunt Jun, and Madam Qian, let’s go.”
“Tangning!”
Seeing Song Tangning trying to leave them behind, Lu Zhinian couldn’t hold back any longer and reached out to grab her arm. But this time, Song Tangning didn’t indulge him at all; she kicked him hard on the shin, making a loud “pop” as she shook off his hand.
As Lu Zhinian stepped back in pain, she coldly raised her gaze at Lu Chongyuan, saying, “Is this what Lord Lu calls the Lu family's apology?”
“Sanlang!” Lu Chongyuan frowned, his expression dark.
However, Lu Zhinian couldn’t care about his past composure; he looked at Song Tangning with unyielding resentment.
“Song Tangning, we have been engaged for many years. I admit I have neglected you, but I have never had any other thoughts. Even though everyone says we are not well-matched, I have never thought of breaking off our engagement.”
“I made a mistake? Just one mistake, and you want to deny all the feelings we shared in the past?”
Lu Zhinian looked at her with red eyes: “You said that I treated you like this because of Song Shulan, and that you’ve been brooding over it and holding a grudge against me until now. But I have never had feelings for her, and I have never crossed any lines with her.”
“I am willing to admit my mistake, willing to repent, and willing to treat you sincerely as you once treated me. I’ve humbly asked you this way, and even after all these years we’ve known each other, why can’t you be forgiving just this once?”
Song Tangning found Lu Zhinian’s aggrieved and resentful look laughable. Her voice turned extremely cold: “Lu Zhinian, are you admitting your mistake because you regret it, or because the Lu family can’t pay back what they owe?”
With just one sentence, Lu Zhinian's face turned pale.
“Everyone says I am not worthy of you, and even you think we are not a match. But have you forgotten, I am the legitimate daughter of a Duke, of the Rong family bloodline. My grandfather is a prominent scholar; why wouldn’t I be worthy of you?”
“This engagement was sought by the Lu family from the Rong family, not me, Song Tangning, begging you!”
Song Tangning couldn’t help but laugh when she saw the fleeting panic and helplessness on his face.
“You say you’ve never had any other thoughts, but that’s because you enjoy the admiration of others brought on by my kindness. You, the legitimate son of a Duke, have gained self-satisfaction because I, a legitimate daughter, disregard my status and cling to you. Half of the glory you have is earned through my tarnished reputation over the years.”
“You haven’t broken off the engagement not because you care about me, but because you know that besides me, this brainless fool, you won’t find another girl in the capital so easily manipulated, who can wholeheartedly devote herself to you!”
Her tone was full of sarcasm, each word like a blade, slicing away at Lu Zhinian’s hypocrisy.
“You were wrong about Song Shulan, but have you ignored my situation all these years? Isn’t it also wrong for the Lu family to fan the flames of those rumors?”
“I have been humiliated for years, endured for you for years. Do you think a mere ‘you were wrong’ is enough to make up for that? If you want me to forgive you, then just like I once knelt before you pleading for a glance back, kneel down and compensate me for the feelings I’ve invested in you over the years, then tell the world with your own mouth.”
“It’s you, Lu Zhinian, who has wronged me, Song Tangning. It’s not I, Song Tangning, who has wronged you. It’s your Lu family who owes me!”
Lu Zhinian staggered back two steps, made awkward by Song Tangning's words.
Lu Chongyuan was furious: “Miss Song, the Lu family approached you with good intentions. Are you truly going to be this aggressive?”
“She can be aggressive; what can you do?”
The room fell silent, and outside, footsteps echoed as Xiao Yan swiftly approached Song Tangning, his robe fluttering slightly.
Frowning, Xiao Yan coldly asked, “Why are your eyes red?”
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You can read ahead to chapterr 182 here
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