Chapter 6: Guilt and Closed Doors

“I want the engagement nullified. This wasn’t my idea. Big Sister talked me into it. She couldn’t take it when I backed out of her plan at the last minute, so she had Nanny Fang attack me with a pair of scissors! Is she trying to force me to marry him no matter what?” Qin Wanru asked. She pushed Qin Yuru’s hang away and ran into Qing Yue’s arms where she could hide her cold eyes.

Hearing that, all the people watching felt the blood drain from their faces. Qin Wanru was still at the age where she spoke her thoughts openly, so it felt reasonable for her to say something so bold. They all turned to look at Qin Yuru.

Qin Yuru stepped back, face falling.

“W-what did you say, Second Sister?” Qin Yuru blurted, pointing at her sister with a trembling hand. She felt her panic rising.

“What are you saying, Wanru? You forced your sister to let you marry him. How can you say she forced you into it? As for the injury, it’s just an accident! You never change. You always blame your sister when something goes wrong,” scolded Madam Di. She was sitting beside Old Grandma Qin, who was frowning at her.

Madam Di was not Qin Wanru’s real mother. Qin Wanru was merely her legal daughter for protection, though the original Qin Wanru hadn’t known that at age eleven.

“I… why would I be unwilling to marry Brother Tianyu?” asked Qin Yuru. She twisted the handkerchief around her fingers, trying to look like a heartbroken victim. Her eyes were red and Qi Tianyu felt like his heart would break.

Qi Tianyu would never believe what Qin Wanru had to say. He and Qin Yuru had always gotten along well. Growing up, they’d known they would marry, so Qin Yuru had always treated him with kindness. They had secretly kept in touch for years, talking and exchanging gifts.

“Didn’t Grandma Di send men to ask for Big Sister’s hand in marriage to Duke Yong’s son ten days ago? Mother, did you reject the proposal then?” Qin Wanru spoke each word carefully, holding tight onto Qing Yue’s hand. There was a slightly mocking curl to her lip.

The crowd was stunned again.

Even Grandma Qin hadn’t heard about Duke Yong’s offer. Her brows knitted and her chest tightened.

Qi Tianyu was not a dull young man. He was stunned for a moment, then recovered, looking at Qin Wanru sharply.

“Is that true?”

He’d thought it sounded unbelievable. How could Qin Yuru not want to marry him? They’d met just last night, and she’d cried in his arms. She’d told him that she’d wanted to marry him, but Qin Wanru had refused to back down. Their grandmother always played favorites with Qin Wanru, and Qin Yuru’s pleas had been ignored.

She’d claimed that she’d even jumped into the river, hoping to die, but had been pulled back to shore. After that, she’d fallen ill and been kept under close watch. She’d had to distract the maid watching her and sneak out to see him.

Her words had been so sincere and earnest, but she’d never mentioned a proposal from the capital city. That made Qin Yuru’s betrayal a lot more believable. Qi Tianyu was, after all, a scholar.

“I… I haven’t heard of anything of the sort!” Qin Yuru cried. She was pale, still backing away, but she reacted quickly. She lowered her head and wiped her eyes with her handkerchief. “How would I know about that?”

Inside, she tried to figure out how Qin Wanru had known about the proposal. Who had leaked the information?

Still, she couldn’t deny it outright. After all, she really would be engaged to the son of Duke Yong.

“So it’s true?” asked Qi Tianyu, shooting a killer look at Qin Yuru. He clenched his fists.

“Big sister didn’t know? Even mother didn’t know? Mother, are you sure big sister won’t marry Cousin Yong?” Qin Wanru looked up, fixing her eyes on Madam Di.

How could Madam Di respond. It wasn’t as if she could keep the engagement a secret forever.

“I… I’m not aware of any letters from the capital. Where did you hear of such a thing? Or are you just trying to get Yuru in trouble again?”

Now everyone’s attention was on Qin Wanru. Madam Di was certain no one had access to the letter.

“Brother Qi, how could you still have doubts about me?” Qin Yuru asked. With tears in her eyes, she looked to Qi Tianyu imploringly, then turned to leave.

Qin Yuru and Madam Di made a convincing pair. Everything that had happened today seemed so unbelievable. First, Nanny Fang had stabbed Qin Yuru with scissors. Then she’d brought up the engagement to Di Yan. Madam Di’s defense and Qin Yuru’s heartfelt display had helped put people at ease, but she still worried about the letter hidden in her room. She had to check on it to be sure.

Seeing the love of his life distraught, Qi Tianyu’s anger faded, turning to guilt.

“Sister Yuru, I… I will definitely break this engagement. I will never marry just a spoiled and stubborn girl. She’s trying to hide that she’d in a secret relationship with Second Brother Qi.”

Before, this was the casual statement had made the world think Qin Wanru was no longer a virgin. It was another push that had brought her close to that horrible fate, being left vivisected at the gates of the capital, a scapegoat for someone else’s sin.

“Please be reminded, Master Qi,” Qin Wanru said coldly, “of your status as a respected scholar. What you say must be backed up with evidence. Do not pass your casual judgement as fact. You may have only seen what other people wanted you to.”

She looked so frail, about to fall, but her voice was confident and sharp.

As Qin Wanru scanned the crowd who followed Qi Tianyu here, her lips curled into a sinister smile. She knew Qi Tianyu had brought these men as witnesses to her humiliation. However, it seemed that these witnesses were not just his anymore.

"Follow me and I'll show you the evidence!"

The young girl scanned her eyes across the faces of the spectators until she faced Qi Tianyu. She smiled so spitefully. The hatred in her eyes was far too great for a child. It hurt the people around to see a girl so young so angry.

"What nonsense are you spouting now, Wanru?" roared Madam Di. She walked briskly towards Qin Wanru, intending to grab her.

"Will Grandma please ask Mother to step aside," said Qin Wanru as she stepped back to dodge Madam Di’s hand. She lifted her eyes to look at her grandmother expectantly. She was the only one here who could keep her mother at bay.

Old grandma looked at Qin Wanru, who was still struggling to stay upright, her gritted teeth, the bloodstain on her bandages.

It was a painful sight. She sighed and instructed a nearby maid to hold back Madam Di.

"Since the Qi's have falsely incriminated Wanru, you should at least give Wanru a chance to explain herself. I'm sure justice will prevail."

She tried to sound as equivocal as possible, but she’d reached out to protect Qin Wanru from Madam Di.