Chapter 11: Losing Her Purity Before Marriage—Truly Shameless
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Gu Yingying stood stunned for a long moment before she realized this was a sarcastic jab at the Yang family—not only penniless but burdened with a seriously ill member.
Her mind involuntarily conjured the future household she would marry into: a poor scholar, a sickly invalid, bare walls, empty stomachs. Life would indeed be a torment.
“Gu Xingwan!!”
A sharp pain throbbed in Gu Yingying’s head.
She was always clumsy with words, never winning an argument since childhood.
Anyway, Gu Xingwan intended to break off the engagement.
“Fine, break it off! Then marry Lu Lan. When that happens, Lu Lan will bring back a harem to torment you to death!!”
Gu Xingwan smiled without replying.
Gu Zhijing and Lady Song allowed their eldest daughter’s insolence to go unchecked.
It was time to teach the second daughter a lesson.
She hadn’t even married into the Minister’s household yet, and she dared to defy her parents’ wishes—what would happen in the future?
“Stepmother, just take what was said as idle chatter among family at the dinner table. Collect yourself, and after the spring imperial examination, obediently marry Master Mei. Do you hear me?”
The daughter was always timid; Gu Zhijing wanted to suppress her with the authority of a father.
Lady Song smiled faintly—whenever Gu Zhijing was firm, their daughter dared not resist.
It had always been this way—gentle and easy to intimidate.
But soon, all their faces swelled from a beating.
“Father, mother, I have already pledged my life to Lord Lu. This life, I will marry no one else.”
Gu Xingwan lifted her gaze, meeting three pairs of hostile eyes across from her, yet remained calm and composed.
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Pledged her life?
In ancient times, a woman was expected to remain pure before marriage.
Crash!
Upon hearing this, Gu Zhijing raised his palm to strike Gu Xingwan, but in his fury, he kept his head clear and instead overturned the table in a fit of rage.
“How could I have given birth to such a disgrace!”
Despite Gu Zhijing’s roar, Gu Xingwan did not even furrow her brows.
“Shameless, engaging in improper acts before marriage.”
Gu Yingying’s face was full of mockery.
Back then, marriages were arranged by parents and matchmakers.
A woman privately engaging with a man was considered great filial impiety and would disgrace the entire family.
Yet Gu Xingwan was utterly fearless, knowing exactly how to handle these self-righteous people.
If the Gu family were ordinary, it might have been difficult, but they were a scholarly family, each boasting of their purity and gentlemanly conduct, valuing family honor above life itself.
Such a scandal was something Gu Zhijing and Lady Song would never dare let spread, or they would be unable to hold their heads high in the capital.
As for Gu Yingying, there was no need to worry at all.
She was not yet married to Yang Chengyong. If her maternal family was involved in such a scandal, she would lose face and probably more.
Therefore, even if it was rotten and foul, it was only known within the Gu family.
Gu Yingying felt utterly miserable—who understood the suffocating frustration of holding the secret of the person she despised most, yet unable to reveal it no matter what?
“Such misfortune upon our family, such misfortune!”
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Gu Zhijing was so furious that his whiskers bristled and his eyes bulged—he watched helplessly as the prestigious marriage he had secured was ruined, nearly fainting on the spot.
“Master, please don’t harm your health with anger.”
Lady Song rubbed Gu Zhijing’s back. Under normal circumstances, she would have scolded Gu Xingwan mercilessly, hurling every vile word she could think of.
She was no saint.
But Gu Xingwan had chosen the Duke of Yu’s household, which was no small or humble family.
In fact, it was even more noble than the Minister’s household.
Their family had produced a favored consort; Lu Lan was the hereditary heir, with a father and brothers who had earned distinguished military honors, dedicating their lives to the nation.
Truly imperial relatives.
Lady Song was wise—at critical moments, she knew to hold her tongue and not shoot herself in the foot, preserving some dignity for both sides.
Thus, under Gu Xingwan’s steadfast insistence, Lady Song became her strategic spokesperson, quietly analyzing the situation for Gu Zhijing.
The Duke of Yu’s household might lack wealth, but as imperial kin, Gu Xingwan’s marriage there would bring honor to the Gu family at court.
As for that bastard Lu Lan and how he might torment Gu Xingwan in the future, what concern was that of the Gu family?
As long as she lived and stayed in the Duke of Yu’s mansion, even as a mere ornament, she would bring glory to the Gu family.
Having considered all this, that very afternoon Gu Zhijing, accompanied by Lady Song, took the marriage contract to the Minister’s household along with a generous gift, bracing himself to break off the engagement.
The Minister’s wife, Lady Jin, was so furious she nearly spat blood on the spot.