Don't be tempted, sir

Chapter 148

For a moment, the air was quiet except for the peacocks singing in the Hehe Palace. Song Xiaoyuan was sitting there, holding his sleeves and looking into the distance: "Ms. Shen, let's call it quits. I'm sorry, but now I'm breaking off the engagement. I think you like Qiannan azalea. As an apology, Huanyun Pavilion doesn't ask for Miss Shen's forgiveness."

Shen Yining fumbled with her handkerchief. She had known this would happen ever since he coldly refused to accept the ring in the carriage back to Beijing. She wanted to make amends but now that he had spoken, she could no longer pretend to be deaf and dumb.

"Illusion Cloud Pavilion, Azalea Forest... Very beautiful, it's where we started, do you remember?"

"Ah."

"Why did you resign?"

"I'm tired and want to rest."

She still wanted to save the relationship and was reluctant to let go. She looked at him expectantly and said, "Huanyun Pavilion is a good place to rest. We can postpone the wedding date. We can go to Qiannan together. I think the hot springs there are very suitable for the cold poison."

"It's windy, let's go back." Song Xiaoyuan stood up and groped around, and the pieces of letter paper on the table were blown away and scattered on the ground.

"I'll help you back."

"Thank you."

Sent to the bedroom, Shen Yining watched him go in, and stood in the wind for a long time, feeling lonely and desolate. She really didn't mean to do that, and it was useless to explain. Could it be that he really didn't like her anymore...

Song Xiaoyuan couldn't leave the palace, so the next morning she waited for the ministers to leave the court at the front hall. Her white clothes fluttered in the wind, and her eyes were still hazy as she tied a white veil. The court was noisy, and she lowered her eyes to the eunuch beside her and said, "Thank you for finding my father."

"Yes, son."

Everyone knew the imperial decree, and there were many people competing openly and secretly, but the second-rank position was still vacant, and the emperor had no intention of promoting it. After the court was dismissed, many officials still saw the figure in white clothes beside him. Now the figure was haggard and blind, which attracted them to stop.

When Song Jueming saw the eunuch coming, he knew what was going on. He glanced at Shen Rushan's back and walked over to him: "Xiao Yuan."

When Song Xiaoyuan heard her father's voice, she pulled down the white veil tied around her eyes and bowed: "Father, are father and mother well at home?"

Song Jueming watched him become increasingly thin and haggard, waved his sleeves and turned his back, his tone somewhat harsh for a father: "Your mother knows that you have resigned and is still heartbroken, I hope you will not say anything that will make your mother die!"

"I am an unfilial son..." Song Xiaoyuan bowed his head and admitted his mistake.

"Next month is your wedding date with Yi Ning. You should take good care of your injuries in the palace and come back healthy and safe to get married! Don't even think about it. Your father will never agree to it!"

"Father, I will not marry Miss Shen. Please go and persuade General Shen to cancel the engagement. I will take everything I have to Qiannan Huanyun Pavilion to compensate Miss Shen for what she owes me."

Listening to his son's last words, Song Jueming was extremely disappointed: "You don't want the position, you don't want the marriage, are you going to abandon your father and mother next? You insisted on giving up everything after coming back from Qiang, why?"

"It's an unfilial son."

"Okay! His Majesty hasn't agreed to your cancellation of the engagement, and your father won't help you to cancel the engagement. Just take good care of your injuries." Song Jueming waved his sleeves and left. He didn't want to listen to his depressing words anymore. He got on the carriage with heavy steps, and returned to the Song Mansion with a headache.

Although she did not agree to let Song Jueming return home, she still told her wife about this. Song's mother's hand holding the tea cup trembled slightly and the porcelain made a tinkling sound. The old servant hurriedly took it for fear that it would drop and burn his wife.

Mother Song paused for a moment and then said, "Okay, since he doesn't want it... let's not delay Yi Ning. Call the accountant. Take care of everything Xiao Yuan asked for, as well as the tickets, and prepare some gifts... and go to the house to ask for a break from the engagement."

"This..." The old servant hesitated, and Madam Song waved her hand and asked him to do it. Song Jueming and his mother sat in the hall in a daze and silence.

After leaving the court, Shen Rushan also saw his son-in-law standing beside him in the wind. After returning, he silently looked at Shen Yining, who was also sad, several times during dinner. He wanted to ask what happened after dinner, but before he finished his meal, the servant brought the visiting card of the Song family. Shen Yining raised her eyes to look at the visiting card in her father's hand. She knew what it was and ate silently with her head down.

This was really embarrassing. The Song family avoided everyone and came to visit late at night. As soon as they got off the carriage, the Shen couple greeted them at the door. They thought they were here to discuss the wedding next month and welcomed them with smiles. When they entered the hall, the servants of the Song Mansion brought in many boxes. Shen's mother looked at them and didn't know what was inside.

The waiter poured tea. Shen Rushan sat down and looked at the pile of boxes and asked with a smile: "Brother Song, what is this...?"

The Song family couple smiled in an awkward way. Song Jueming was embarrassed for a while and then said sadly, "Brother Shen, I gave birth to a living Buddha, who is incapable of love and stubborn and difficult to teach. When my rebellious son came back, I asked to resign from my official position, but in fact, I also asked to cancel... the marriage."

Shen Rushan slammed the table: "What!" Shen's mother also clenched her handkerchief.

Song Jueming shook his head and said, "It is true that I came to your house late at night, but it is difficult to tell others about it. His Majesty did not allow me to come and discuss the cancellation of the engagement with Brother Shen, for fear that it would affect Yi Ning's chances of marrying a good husband in the future..."

"Greetings, Lord Jueming and Madam Song." Before Song Jueming could finish his words, Shen Yining came into the hall and greeted them, interrupting the adults' conversation.

Shen Yining bowed but did not stand up: "Father, mother, I don't want to find another husband."

"Yining..." Song's mother couldn't hold back her tears and stood up to help Shen Yining who was lying on the ground. She knew very well that Yining was the only one who could save her son's life at this moment. She was relieved to hear her say that she was unwilling to give up Xiao Yuan.

Mother Shen glanced at the tearful Mother Song, then turned to look at her daughter: "Yining, get up first."

Shen Yining looked at Madam Song who had sadly helped him up, and smiled as he sat down with her. Song Jueming was actually relieved, and apologized to her what Song Xiaoyuan had told him this morning. The servant opened the box in the hall, which contained many house deeds, land deeds, manors, and other treasures. Song Jueming took out a key from his sleeve and handed it to Shen Yining: "Master of Huanyun Pavilion, Yao Yining, these are all that Xiaoyuan promised you."

Shen Yining took the key and held it in his hand. Not wanting to recall the events of the Qiang Kingdom, he looked up at the boxes with a wry smile and said, "Xiao Yuan is like this because I hurt his heart. Your Majesty did not grant his request to cancel the engagement, so the wedding will go on as usual."

Mother Shen frowned and tried to dissuade him: "Yining, he is still so cold after the wedding as scheduled. You can't warm him up anymore. Do you want to live a quiet and cold life?"

"Well, I do." After going through all the hardships in Qiangshui, now is the best time. He was angry with himself for not blaming himself for the situation now.

Shen Rushan remained silent. His son-in-law came back to resign and break off the engagement... Everything in front of him was like a dying entrustment. After sending the Song couple away, they did not take the box away. Now Shen Rushan held his knees and asked earnestly: "Yining, you two came back without saying a word about the Qiang incident. Xiao Yuan also resigned without explaining the impeachment in the court. What exactly happened? You all came back like this. Why don't you tell your parents about it?"

Shen Yining shook his head: "It's nothing, father, don't worry, Yining is very happy about the wedding next month."

Shen Rushan saw his daughter looking up and smiling comfortingly, and did not ask any more questions...