Mrs. Fang glared at him, "You are confused again! Where have you seen a family rush the groom’s family to break off a marriage!" And with the status and appearance of the Shi family and Shi Fengju, if even the Shi family were rejected, who else would dare to marry her? There must be suspicions that this woman must have some unspeakable flaws, otherwise, why would she destroy such a good marriage opportunity that takes eight lifetimes to cultivate? Fearing a cousin who is destined to be a concubine, such a reason is ridiculous and nobody would even want to hear it! Which son of a prominent family does not have several wives and concubines?
Mrs. Fang glared at her husband and was dissatisfied with Sang Wan, "Even so, you didn’t need to be so virtuous! Couldn’t you have let her enter the family a year or two later? Why rush now? You, you’re just embarrassing yourself!"
Sang Wan gave a bitter smile and sighed softly, "Sister-in-law, I’m not so confused to that extent! Even if I lose face, I cannot let the Sang family lose face! But it’s my mother-in-law—"
Mrs. Fang and Sang Hong exchanged a glance, both understanding Sang Wan’s meaning.
"They go too far!" Mrs. Fang gritted her teeth, "Your mother-in-law seems nice to you, never would I have thought she’d be so wicked inside! Oh, I say, she must be pretending in front of us!"
Sang Wan shook her head and gently said, "Mother-in-law is quite good, just easily influenced. Also, Gu Fangzi is not getting any younger, so—"
"There’s no need to be so impatient!" Mrs. Fang scoffed, "No matter what, I can’t swallow this insult!"
"Sister-in-law!" Sang Wan squeezed Mrs. Fang’s hand forcefully, gratefully saying, "I know you care about me, I—I wish I could show you my heart to see how grateful I am to you! But I, I—"
Sang Wan was anxious and distressed, fearful that Mrs. Fang would be annoyed with her and ignore her from then on, and couldn’t help but burst into tears.
Mrs. Fang, seeing her , also felt tightly uncomfortable and softened, gently patting her back and said softly, "Alright, no more crying! It’s not worth crying over such repressed matters! I shouldn’t have spoken like that, you also have your difficulties! Since things have come to this, more talk is useless, just let it be! Once she enters the door, you can assert yourself as the main wife and deal with her properly!"
Sang Hong couldn’t help but interject, "I think Fengju is quite decent, and the mother-in-law is not insincere to you, and after all, Gu Fangzi is her closely related niece, Miss Wan, you should also consider the old lady’s feelings, being too rigid isn’t good for you."
"What are you talking about!" Mrs. Fang said angrily, "After being bullied to this extent and you still say they are good, and asking Miss Wan to endure! If you ask me, we shouldn’t be courteous to her!"
Sang Hong frowned and said, "You don’t understand! Miss Wan has to live her life, it’s easy for you to create a scene now, but how will she live her days in the future!" Then he sighed and said, "There’s no hope for me, but hopefully your second brother can pass the imperial examination this time, and even get the title of Jinshi later. By then, not to mention Gu Fangzi, no one in the Shi family would dare to mistreat you!"
Mrs. Fang was momentarily speechless, then nodded and said, "That last sentence sounds about right! If the second brother becomes an official, let’s see who dares to look down on our Sang family!"
Sang Wan felt an indescribable sense of emotion and warmth in her heart, gratefully saying, "Big brother, sister-in-law, thank you! I will live well in the days ahead. I know what to do; I have a sense of measure! As long as I am in the Shi family for one day, I will never disgrace the Sang family!"
"Good, good, it’s good to see things this way!" Sang Hong’s brow slightly relaxed.
Mrs. Fang smirked again, "When is the wedding date set? I want to attend and have a drink too!"
"Don’t cause trouble again!"
"Relax, I know where the line is!" Mrs. Fang said with a cold laugh, "If I don’t show up, the Shi family will think the Sang family has no one!"
Sang Hong said no more.
"August 6th. I will send someone to pick you up, sister-in-law," Sang Wan said.
"Good! I’ll be waiting!" Mrs. Fang clapped and laughed.
Sang Wan felt a bit more at ease, believing that the presence of her natal family would at least compel the Shi family to give a proper explanation, and the slaves of the Shi family would not dare to look down on her!
It’s easier to dodge King Yan than to fend off a troublesome ghost; no one understands this better than Sang Wan, who has lived more than one lifetime.
As they spoke, they heard the courtyard door being vigorously pushed open, as if someone walked in. Mrs. Fang got up, about to speak, only to hear a woman’s voice cautiously trying to please with a laugh, "Cousin, cousin-in-law, I’m here!"
"It’s Sang Rou!" Mrs. Fang frowned, "Why has she come!"
Sang Wan quickly picked up her handkerchief to dab the tear stains from the corners of her eyes and also stood up.