152: Chapter 85: Competing for a Husband_4 152: Chapter 85: Competing for a Husband_4 Ji Shuran, who had heard the news and rushed over, quickly pulled her up.
Madam Jiang the Elder frowned and said, “Lady Ji, how did you take care of Youyao?
How could you let her come in?”
Ji Shuran, completely at a loss, only said, “Mother, Father, Youyao is excessively grief-stricken; she nearly fainted several times before…
Youyao is truly pitiable.
With Prince Zhou behaving like this, isn’t he just driving needles into our Youyao’s heart?”
Jiang Yuanbai lowered his head to look at his younger daughter, Jiang Youyao, who was clearly truly heartbroken.
With her normally delicate demeanor, she now couldn’t care less that her tears had ruined her makeup, and her lips were as pale as paper.
Jiang Yuanbai, too, couldn’t help but feel heartache.
In his view, Jiang Youyao was the one who was most harmed in this matter.
After all, she had done nothing wrong, yet had suffered betrayal by the man she loved.
Jiang Yuanbai, trying to keep his patience, said, “Youyao, stop being willful.
With Zhou Yanbang committing such a deed, how could he become a son-in-law of the Jiang family?” He glanced again at Youyao’s indomitable expression and continued sternly, “Zhou Yanbang, being with Jiang Yue, obviously has no place for you in his heart.
If he had even a shred of concern for you, he wouldn’t have done something so shameful.
I cannot marry you off to a man who lacks responsibility and doesn’t cherish you!”
“No—” Unexpectedly, upon hearing Jiang Yuanbai’s words, Jiang Youyao was not persuaded but became even more obstinate as she retorted, “Prince Zhou does have me in his heart, and the reason he was with Jiang Yue is because…
it’s because Jiang Yue seduced him!
Jiang Yue is the one who harmed him.
Yes, it was all Jiang Yue’s act.
Jiang Yue has long wanted to steal Prince Zhou, so she resorted to such despicable means.
It’s not Prince Zhou’s fault, Father, it’s Jiang Yue’s fault; what you should be doing is not canceling my engagement with Prince Zhou, but severely punishing that vile woman, Jiang Yue!”
Upon hearing this, Ji Shuran internally cried out that it was bad.
Jiang Yuanbai was shocked as he looked at Jiang Youyao.
In Jiang Yuanbai’s heart, Jiang Youyao had always been a naive and cheerful little girl, but the woman now before him, ranting frenziedly and spouting obscenities, was utterly unfamiliar.
Ji Shuran quickly tried to laugh it off, “Youyao is just too angry.
Before this, she also heard some rumors that Yuer…” She too intended to splatter the mud onto Jiang Yue, perhaps not entirely unjustified in her mind.
To Ji Shuran’s view, Jiang Yue’s ending up with Zhou Yanbang might not have been without her own encouragement or even outright conspiracy with Jiang Li.
“Nonsense!” Madam Jiang the Elder, who had been watching with a cold eye, rebuked sharply, “If Jiang Yue led Zhou Yanbang astray, what about Shen Ruyun?
The Assistant Head Writer’s sister would hardly need to take the initiative to entice Zhou Yanbang!”
If Jiang Li had been there to hear Madam Jiang the Elder’s words, she probably would have burst into laughter.
Because, according to the absurdity of Madam Jiang the Elder’s statement, wasn’t the Assistant Head Writer’s sister actively trying to entice Zhou Yanbang?
She was even willing to sacrifice her own reputation just to claim Zhou Yanbang “made advances” on her and to marry into the Zhou family!
Jiang Youyao was stunned.
Indeed, Jiang Yue could be said to have led Zhou Yanbang astray, but what about Shen Ruyun?
The past relations between Shen Ruyun and Zhou Yanbang could be described as that between strangers.
And unlike Jiang Yue, once the Shen family demanded Zhou Yanbang take responsibility, there was no doubt, just as Princess Yongning had said, Zhou Yanbang would certainly have to marry Shen Ruyun.
Even though she herself was dignified as the Grand Secretary’s daughter, what could she do?
Unless the person Zhou Yanbang had “taken liberties” with that day was herself, maybe then she could compete with Shen Ruyun and see who Zhou Yanbang would ultimately choose.
Seeing that Jiang Youyao seemed to be affected, Madam Jiang the Elder continued in a cold voice, “Moreover, no matter what ends up between Jiang Yue and Zhou Yanbang, our Jiang family will never allow the scandal of sisters sharing a husband.
Zhou Yanbang cannot possibly become your husband.”
Jiang Youyao’s body went limp, and she slumped to the ground, unable to utter a word, only sobbing softly.
She knew that what Madam Jiang the Elder had said was true.
She and Zhou Yanbang had no chance of being together at all!
She had painstakingly plotted, snatching this marriage proposal from Jiang Li’s hands, happily waiting for her beloved to welcome her into his family
, just waiting for next winter, by then, she would have been the rightful wife of the Princely Heir.
But all her efforts came to naught just as success was within reach; she had worked hard only to make a wedding dress for someone else!
In Jiang Youyao’s heart, there was a gray despair.
Just then, the sound of a woman’s sobbing, drawing closer from afar, reached them.
Someone from the Jiang family’s third branch had come to the Night Wind Hall.