Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 1005: Delivering a Letter to Qin San Lang
Zongzheng Ya asked again, "Are they truly betrothed?"
The Shadow Guard Captain nodded, "I dare not deceive you, Second Miss. The engagement register at the Prefecture Government Office indeed contains the engagement letter for both of them."
As he spoke, he handed over a copied engagement letter.
Yun Qing took it, walked behind the screen, and passed it to Zongzheng Ya.
Zongzheng Ya accepted this engagement letter with suppressed anger, examining it closely. Surprisingly, the date was ten days ago, and the letter bore the names and fingerprints of the elders from both families, with the matchmaker being an official matchmaker.
With both parental consent and the matchmaker’s words established, Zongzheng Ya angrily tore up the copied engagement letter.
They were actually betrothed!
How could there be a mistake?
Clearly, the previous three major events were all correct, precise to even the hour, yet when it came to this issue concerning her status, it was wrong.
One must know that with the engagement letter registered at the government office, the only thing left to become a real married couple was the wedding ceremony. Even if she became Empress, she would still rank below the Gu Family’s daughter in terms of status.
At that time, those officials who adhere to lineal and concubine etiquette would nitpick, declaring that she was not the true official wife, and during the succession ceremony, New Year’s Day, and sacrificial ceremonies, they would have her use the concubine’s rituals.
Hahaha, it’s simply a slap in her face!
She, the legitimate daughter of the Zongzheng family, the granddaughter of the Shangguan family, actually had to endure such humiliation!
Zongzheng Ya, despite all her cultivation, nearly let out a scream of rage.
Beside her, Nanny Zong listened, also trembling with anger. With even the engagement letter registered at the Prefecture Government Office, even if Great Chu collapsed and a new dynasty was established, as long as people didn’t die out, the fact that her young mistress was not the official wife would be brought up to talk about.
Nanny Zong was quite distressed, "Second Miss..."
Zongzheng Ya raised her hand to stop Nanny Zong from speaking, "Let me be quiet."
She sat behind the screen for over a quarter of an hour before she managed to suppress her inner anger and regain her calmness... Could it be that the gentleman was deceiving her?
Faced with the facts, Zongzheng Ya couldn’t help but suspect.
Previously, what he said was so accurate, yet this crucial event was drastically wrong, off by almost two months.
If this event was wrong, what about future events? Would they continue to be wrong? Would following that gentleman’s words blindly continue to harm her?
It must be said that Zongzheng Ya was wise. These years spent learning the ways of family power struggles were not in vain. She knew that staking everything on this "True Dragon" was a fatal mistake for her, the Zongzheng family, and the Shangguan family.
The Central Plains Zong family, the one whose name differed by just one character from the Zongzheng family, the one that shocked the world by making Hai Xian Sauce, was destroyed during the Late Great Zhou and the establishment of the former dynasty due to mistakes, reduced to a pitiful state that couldn’t even make it onto the family tree of noble families.
No, she couldn’t put all her chips on that gentleman... While his foresight could be useful, she absolutely could not let him lead her by the nose!
Zongzheng Ya was now clear-headed, but since her journey here wasn’t easy, she wouldn’t leave quickly. Having just been rescued last night, leaving so soon would arouse suspicion.
Since that was the case, she decided to wait a little longer.
Zongzheng Ya asked the Shadow Guard Captain, "What about the Tianfu County Government?"
The Shadow Guard Captain replied, "Reporting to Second Miss, someone has already been sent, but Tianfu County is a bit far from here, and even at the fastest pace, it won’t be possible to return until tomorrow."
The person was riding fast horses taking shortcuts, but even if they rode the horse to death, it couldn’t be so quick.
Zongzheng Ya said, "Mm, keep it clean, go."
"Yes." The Shadow Guard Captain complied and left quickly without lingering.
Zongzheng Ya stayed in the room for a moment before dictating a letter for Yun Qing to write, which Yun Qing then gave to Daqing to deliver to Qin San Lang.
The reason she had Yun Qing write it instead of doing it herself was the concern that the Gu Family’s daughter might get her hands on the letter and use it against her reputation in the future.
Though she acted headstrong, as long as no evidence was left, even if the Gu Family’s daughter spoke of it, she had ways to refute it.
Nanny Zong said, "Second Miss, aren’t you giving up?"
Second Miss was actually trying to lure Qin San Lang for a personal meeting, which indicated she still had hopes for him.
Zongzheng Ya said, "Nanny, although the gentleman was wrong about Qin San and the Gu Family’s daughter being betrothed, as long as Qin San is the True Dragon, it’s beneficial for us to make an early connection."
Last night, with the Gu Family’s daughter present, Qin San was very cold towards her. By calling Qin San over, she had two objectives: one, to see if Qin San really cared for the Gu Family’s daughter; two, to see if Qin San truly possessed great abilities.
If Qin San cherished the Gu Family’s daughter and lacked remarkable abilities, then such a flawed individual would be easier for her to discard.
Nanny Zong sighed, knowing well the nature of the Second Miss; it was useless to obstruct her, so she remained silent.
After Yun Qing finished writing the letter, she quickly found Daqing and said respectfully and happily, "Sister Qing, thank you for your hard work last night. My mistress is very grateful, and asked me to give Sister Qing a silver note as a token of appreciation."
With that, she handed Daqing a silver note of a thousand taels.
Daqing smiled. This young lady of the Zongzheng family was indeed generous. She accepted it freely without refusing.
The Young Master said, if someone gives you free silver, it would be foolish not to take it.
"What else do you want? Speak up." Daqing asked directly after taking the silver note.
The Young Master also said, if someone gives you silver suddenly, they must have something to ask of you.
Yun Qing was taken aback by Daqing’s directness, but she smiled and explained her purpose, and added, "Please, Sister Qing, help me out. If the letter is successfully delivered to our benefactor, my mistress will express her gratitude heavily."
Daqing didn’t refuse, but asked instead, "How much is the heavy gratitude? Too little wouldn’t be enough to share, as I have many people under me."
Yun Qing gritted her teeth, thinking how this maid from a nouveau riche family was so shameless in demanding money!
But she could only smile and say, "If it’s done, there will be another gratitude of a thousand taels."
Daqing nodded in satisfaction, "Alright, let your mistress wait for it."
After saying that, she left the house.
...
Gu Family, after having breakfast, Gu Jinli followed Qin San Lang to Gu Jin’an’s courtyard, to tell Gu Jin’an about what happened last night.
Gu Jin’an frowned and asked, "The Second Miss of the Zongzheng family, I believe Brother Shangguan mentioned her once, saying she was the cousin from the Capital visiting his grandmother. It must be this Zongzheng Ya. But how did she run into you two? The coincidence seems highly suspicious."
Gu Jinli nodded, "We think so too, which is why we’re investigating. But truly, the bodies we found had ties to two different factions."
As she spoke, she handed Gu Jin’an a copper seal.
Gu Jin’an took a look and was shocked, "This is the Duke Yuan family’s copper seal."
The Duke Yuan family is the Empress’s maternal family. Could it be that Zongzheng Ya is indeed being pursued by the Empress?
