“What? An engagement? Me and Cheng Sinian?”
Jiang Wan was so shocked by the news that she couldn't recover for a long time.
Chen Yuezhi smiled and nodded, "Yes, you and Sinian. You are of similar age and grew up together. Moreover, your Aunt Cheng regards you as her own daughter, so your father and I are very pleased with this engagement."
Jiang Wan felt a vein throbbing on her forehead, "Mother, when you were pleased, did you ever think to ask for my opinion?"
Seeing her unhappy, Chen Yuezhi felt a little uneasy, "But aren't a child's marriage matters decided by parents and arranged by matchmakers? Besides, Sinian grew up with you, you know him inside and out..."
Jiang Wan's face darkened, "Mother, marriage is a major life event, it's not just about whether you think it's suitable. After all, I'm the one who will be living the married life, and whether it's good or not, I get to decide. Cheng Sinian is a good person, and Aunt Cheng is also very kind, but I never thought of marrying Cheng Sinian!"
Chen Yuezhi knew she was determined, so she cautiously persuaded her, "Wanwan, when a girl grows up, she has to get married. Although I didn't ask for your opinion beforehand on such matters, the Cheng family is truly the best family that your father and I can think of to marry you into. You will be happy if you marry them."
It wasn't that they, as parents, were being overbearing and not asking their daughter's opinion, but rather that the Cheng family was truly the family they felt most at ease marrying their daughter into.
The Cheng couple treated Jiang Wan as their own daughter, and Sinian was someone they watched grow up. He was polite and well-mannered, and his surroundings were clean. The Cheng family's inner courtyard was simple and quiet, and the two families had deep affection for each other. Such a family was truly hard to find even with a lantern.
Given their current status, their daughter naturally had to marry into a family of similar standing. And the situations within those households, weren't they all filled with troublesome matters?
So Chen Yuezhi explained to Jiang Wan in a gentle tone.
But Jiang Wan couldn't hear it.
She hadn't even considered getting married, and she absolutely couldn't accept her parents arranging an engagement for her without a word.
"Mother, either you go and tell Aunt Cheng that I disagree, or I will go myself."
Chen Yuezhi was distressed, "Wanwan, that would offend your Aunt Cheng. She's been waiting for almost half a year..."
Jiang Wan stood up, "Since you're unwilling to go, I'll go myself. I won't sacrifice my future just because I'm afraid of offending her."
Chen Yuezhi rushed to stop her, "My dear ancestor, can you calm down a little? What's wrong with Sinian?"
"He's good in every way, but I never thought of marrying him. In my heart, he's like my few brothers. Forcing me to marry my own brother is such a monstrous thing, I can't do it!"
Jiang Wan suppressed her anger and said, "Also, Mother, don't forget, I am already betrothed. A woman should not marry two husbands. Aren't you making me break faith by doing this?"
Chen Yuezhi was stunned for a moment before remembering the engagement she mentioned, "Wanwan, that engagement was fake from the start. It was a temporary measure thought up to prevent rumors, and it can't be taken seriously."
Jiang Wan said, "But the people in the small mountain village all know that I am engaged to him. Whether it was a temporary measure or real, in short, Gu Chenzhou and I are nominal fiancés."
"If you want to arrange another engagement for me, then go to the Gu Prince's mansion and break off this engagement first. After all, this engagement has been officially recognized by the Emperor."
Now it was Chen Yuezhi's turn to have a headache.
That so-called engagement back then was indeed just a temporary measure. She had even thought Gu Chenzhou was dead, so she had completely forgotten about it.
Who knew that Gu Chenzhou not only wasn't dead, but had avenged the Gu family, achieved great merit, and was now enfeoffed as a prince, a rising star in the capital.
However, before this, she had never worried about that engagement.
After all, it was clearly stated back then that it was a temporary measure.
But now that Jiang Wan insisted on holding onto it, it was becoming difficult.
To break off the engagement? That would be tantamount to admitting that Jiang Wan and Gu Chenzhou were indeed engaged. But if the engagement wasn't broken off, Jiang Wan could simply say she was already betrothed, and then arranging another marriage would be breaking faith, which also wouldn't work.
Chen Yuezhi was so angry she had a headache.
Thinking that Madam Cheng and Cheng Sinian were still waiting outside, Chen Yuezhi felt a splitting headache.
But she couldn't keep them waiting indefinitely.
So Chen Yuezhi had to brace herself and go out to Madam Cheng, "Good sister, do you still remember what happened between Wanwan and that child Chenzhou back then?"
Madam Cheng was also stunned for a moment before remembering, "You mean that so-called engagement back then?"
Chen Yuezhi nodded helplessly, "The Emperor knows about this matter."
Madam Cheng exclaimed, "But wasn't that a temporary measure?"
Chen Yuezhi looked troubled, "Wanwan said that the Emperor knows about this engagement, and if we want to arrange a new engagement, we have to formally break off the engagement with Prince Gu. But... how can we break it off? If we go to break it, won't that be admitting the engagement?"
Madam Cheng also began to feel troubled.
Cheng Sinian was anxious, "Then let's break it off. I don't care about this."
Chen Yuezhi and Madam Cheng exchanged glances, both knowing that this matter was not that simple.
Gu Chenzhou was now a prince of a different surname, a favored official in front of the Emperor, and this engagement was not so easy to break off.
Cheng Sinian said, "If all else fails, I'll go find Brother Chenzhou myself. The matter back then was just a temporary measure, he will surely understand."
Madam Cheng said, "You calm down for now. This matter needs to be discussed properly."
Saying that, she turned to Madam Chen and discussed, "Why don't we let the men sit together and talk? They are sworn brothers, it would be better to talk face to face."
Chen Yuezhi nodded, "Alright, let them go and talk."
So Jiang Pan and Lord Cheng both received their wives' instructions and prepared to go to the Gu Prince's mansion to drag Yan Li into a restaurant for a good drink first.
However, before Jiang Pan could even set off, someone from the palace arrived.
It was a nanny from the Empress's side, saying that Chen Yuezhi was invited to the palace to speak.
After Wang Hongye became Empress, she changed greatly. Wearing the Empress's phoenix robe, she exuded a certain dignity when she sat there.
Chen Yuezhi was about to perform the customary courtesies, but Empress Wang personally stepped down to help her up, "Sister Yuezhi, why are you being so formal with me?"
Empress Wang pulled Chen Yuezhi to sit down and said with a smile, "I called you here in such a hurry today because there's something I need to discuss with you."
Chen Yuezhi found it a bit strange, what matter required the Empress to discuss with her?
Empress Wang smiled and said, "Sister Yuezhi, you know that the Crown Prince has not yet married a principal consort. Before, in Jiangnan, thinking that the Emperor's great cause was not yet settled, it might not have been a good thing to marry him to a principal wife early, so we kept delaying it. Now that he has been established as Crown Prince, the matter of the principal consort should naturally be put on the agenda."
Chen Yuezhi smiled and asked, "So you called me here today to help you find a suitable candidate?"
Empress Wang smiled, "Yes and no. Sister Yuezhi, I won't beat around the bush with you. The Crown Prince Consort candidate that the Emperor and I favor is your Wanwan."