Triumph in Her Rise and Love

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Even if the Zeng Family's marriage deed is proven to be real, what of it?

Does that mean the Yuan Family's marriage deed is fake?

Though Ninth Master Song of the Song Family is respected and well-informed, he was at a loss when faced with this domestic issue that even an honest official would struggle to resolve.

Concerning her daughter's lifetime happiness, Madam Qian certainly couldn't allow Madam Zeng to have the upper hand.

She pointed at the Yuan Family's marriage deed and said, "I have never heard of the Zeng Family's marriage arrangements, but I was informed about the Yuan Family's marriage by my husband long ago, even Lord Li was specifically invited as a witness. This was to avoid any unforeseen changes as time passed.

"Everyone, look again at the Zeng Family's marriage deed—the witnesses and signatories are all from the Zeng Family's relatives and acquaintances, not even a proper official matchmaker was involved."

When Li Jin served as County Magistrate in Liang County, he was quite accomplished and deeply cherished by the people.

After hearing what Madam Qian had said, everyone naturally leaned toward the Yuan Family's marriage arrangement.

Presently, Madam Zeng looked at Song Jiyun and her mother as if she wished she could swallow them whole to appease her anger.

But now was not the time for settling scores.

She suppressed her raging anger, carefully examined the Yuan Family's marriage deed again, and then looked at Madam Qian with a touch of disdain from a position of superiority.

She asked Yuan Yunzhong, "Young Master Yuan, you are twenty-one this year, aren't you?"

He looked at her indifferently and remained silent.

Madam Zeng was slightly annoyed, but she could only turn around and say to everyone inside and outside the entrance, "As you all have just seen, there is a clause in the Yuan Family's marriage deed that requires Young Master Yuan to marry my granddaughter after his coming-of-age ceremony."

Coming-of-age is at twenty.

The crowd watching the excitement suddenly erupted into chatter.

Madam Zeng glanced at Song Jiyun mother and daughter.

Madam Qian's face turned somewhat pale, but Song Jiyun seemed unaffected, gently patting Madam Qian's hand to comfort her.

Madam Zeng sneered inwardly and said loudly, "We're all neighbors here, so everyone should have heard if not witnessed firsthand the concerns my second son has had for his daughter's marriage since she was twelve years old.

"In Liang County, he has personally considered nearly every eligible bachelor of a suitable age for her.

"This is no secret in Liang County.

"But do you know why?"

The crowd instantly grew silent, and a few inquisitive voices asked, "Why is that?"

After scanning the crowd, she said emphatically, "That is because as early as when my granddaughter was ten years old, we had lost all contact with the Yuan Family."

According to the law of this dynasty, there are three conditions that nullify a marriage engagement: death of either party; if the male party, without reason, neither marries nor returns; or if either party commits adultery or theft.

"That's not true!" Madam Qian said, "Our two families continued to correspond."

Madam Zeng ignored her and continued, "However, my second son is an honest man who didn't want to simply find another match for my granddaughter and was also worried that the Yuan Family would still not fulfil the marriage arrangement by the agreed time. Thus, it was only three months ago, one year after Young Master Yuan reached his majority without proposing marriage, that my second son arranged this match with the Zeng Family for my granddaughter."

The crowd broke into a murmur.

Some sympathetic to the concerns for one's children exclaimed, "That's only right!"

Others, who admired Song Sanliang's integrity, said, "No wonder Second Old Master Song has been able to build such a big and successful business, with his honesty and trustworthiness."

And there were those who were swayed by Madam Zeng's words, "The Song Family should enter into marriage with the Zeng Family."

Madam Zeng stood upright on the steps, her chin raised, glancing at Song Jiyun and her mother from the corner of her eye with an air as if she were not standing at the entrance of the Song Family's home but on the Golden Throne Hall of the emperor.

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Madam Qian tightened her grip on Song Jiyun's hand.

Song Jiyun looked at Madam Zeng expressionlessly, gently supporting her mother and quietly standing beside Song Daliang.

"Mother," she said worriedly, "today grandmother and Third Uncle are arranging a marriage between me and the Zeng family behind our backs; will they tomorrow allow Third Uncle's son to perform the basin ceremony for Father without our knowledge?"

What?! The basin ceremony!

Song Daliang's ears perked up.

Only a son who is to inherit the family business has the right to perform the basin ceremony.

Similarly, only a descendant who has performed the basin ceremony is entitled to dispute an inheritance.

He had been planning for his son to perform the basin ceremony for Second Old Master Song!

Madam Qian sighed and said, "It's not a big deal if Third Uncle's son performs the basin ceremony for your father; what I'm afraid of is that the Zeng family might have the same intention by then!"

Song Daliang suddenly felt as if a light had turned on in his head.

What nonsensical marriage arrangement— the Zeng family must surely be thinking of a son-in-law marriage!

No wonder his mother and Third Brother didn't tell him; could it be that their two families had already agreed on how to split Second Old Master Song's inheritance?

Turns out, he was the only one kept in the dark.

Just moments ago, he was thinking about how formidable Song Jiyun was and that it would be good if his mother and younger brother could figure out a way to marry her off.

He didn't realize that he was also the one being duped!

He strode out from behind Song Jiyun and her mother and saw his mother speaking proudly to Yuan Yunzhong, "Good child, it's not that I disagree with your marriage to my granddaughter. It's just that you've come too late, destined but not fated with our Song family!"

The onlookers echoed with sentiments of "such a pity."

Your mother's 'such a pity'!

Song Daliang, anger rising in his heart, bellowed "Mother" and marched over to face Madam Zeng, loudly saying, "A marriage has been arranged for Second Old Master Song's eldest daughter with the Zeng family, how am I not aware of this?"

"What?!" Madam Zeng's feigned kindly smile froze on her face, her look at Song Daliang as if she had seen a ghost.

The crowd's reaction was like water being poured into a boiling oil pan.

"What's the meaning of this?"

"No idea!"

"Isn't this Great Master Song from the Song family?"

Ignoring those whispers, Song Daliang gazed sternly at Madam Zeng and loudly demanded, "Arranging a marriage is not like raising an illegitimate child, something to be ashamed of. One side is from my uncle's family and the other is my blood brother's; this is family marrying family, yet as the girl's Great Uncle, I haven't seen so much as a packet of tea or a piece of pastry from the Zeng family. What kind of marriage is this being arranged?"

Yuan Yunzhong regarded Song Jiyun with sparkling eyes, filled with interest.

Song Jiyun, feeling his gaze on her, sternly glared back in warning.

The crowd erupted into a cacophony of remarks.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Madam Zeng's voice became sharper than ever as she pointed at Song Daliang's nose and cursed, "Get out of here!"

Song Sanliang, too, with a face as dark as the bottom of a pot, ran over and tugged at Song Daliang, saying, "Big brother, let's talk about this back home later."

Talk about it back home? Would that make things clear?

Song Daliang spat out a "Pah" at Song Sanliang and ran to Ninth Master Song, ostentatiously examining the two marriage documents over and over, saying, "My second brother is a suspicious person; he likes everything to be finalized with a thumbprint and a seal. Just look at his deeds and other documents. He would never leave his seal off his daughter's marriage document!"

He also called out to the stunned Old Master Zeng, "Come and take a look too. Where did you get this marriage document? It doesn't look like Second Old Master's handwriting to me! And this witness and matchmaker, what are these? There's no dignity in it. This doesn't seem like something our Second Old Master would do!"