"Originally, I felt sorry that Sister Ruyi, such a good person, had to marry Song Chi. Now it seems they are quite well-matched," Ruining said, as she had a good relationship with Li Ruyi and had hoped she would find a satisfactory marriage after her previous unsatisfactory engagement.
"Indeed, Ruyi is not a weak or indecisive girl, nor are Lord Li and his wife parents who would disregard their daughter's happiness. Their agreement shows they are satisfied with Song Chi," Qi Zhenzhen chimed in. "So, this is a good thing."
Ruining, Jinrong, and Yan Qi all nodded in agreement with Qi Zhenzhen.
"Speaking of which, there was an interlude. Do you remember Lu Xiangxiang?" Ruining continued.
"The name sounds familiar, but I can't quite place her," Qi Zhenzhen replied.
As a princess, Jinrong was accustomed to the daughters of families eligible for palace banquets, and Yan Qi's social circle did not include anyone by that name. For a moment, none of them could recall who she was.
Ruining reminded them, "The one who had a conflict with my cousin Xu Qingrou at the Lotus Appreciation Banquet."
With that reminder, Qi Zhenzhen remembered. Lu Xiangxiang had been so provoked by Xu Qingrou's words that she left early. At the banquet, she and Madam Da Qin had even argued with Lu Xiangxiang's mother, Madam Lu.
So, was Ruining mentioning Lu Xiangxiang now because she was related to Li Ruyi and Song Chi's engagement?
"The Lu family wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Song family, and their target was Song Chi," Ruining said mysteriously. "The Lu family has a daughter married into a collateral branch of the Song family and, hearing they were on good terms, they thought of arranging a match between Lu Xiangxiang and Song Chi. Lu Xiangxiang, despite her minor flaws, had a generally acceptable reputation. Madam Song was somewhat inclined, but such matters are not publicized until they are finalized, to avoid harming the young lady's reputation. The Lu family was very optimistic about the Song family's status, but Lu Xiangxiang was so proud. How could she possibly look favorably upon Song Chi, who was known for his indulgence in pleasure and idleness? As a result, the Song family did not publicize the matter, but Lu Xiangxiang herself did, declaring she would never marry a good-for-nothing like Song Chi, who was all show and no substance."
Qi Zhenzhen and the others exchanged glances. This...
"Isn't Lu Xiangxiang publicly disparaging Song Chi? Even if she was unwilling, she could have privately expressed her wishes to her parents. Why did she have to do it like this? Declaring she would never marry him, isn't that ruining Song Chi's reputation?" Yan Qi, as always, spoke quite directly.
"Exactly. During that period, Song Chi's reputation hit rock bottom," Ruining pouted. "Madam Song doted on Song Chi, but she was a gentle person and wouldn't do anything to cause a complete falling out. She merely asked the daughter of the Song collateral branch, who was married into the Lu family, to convey a message to Lu Xiangxiang's parents. She said that the Song family dared not take in someone like Lu Xiangxiang, who openly defied her parents' wishes. Somehow, this message got out. Marriage is a serious matter, decided by parents. Someone like Lu Xiangxiang, regardless of her past conduct, was clearly lacking in filial piety and obedience to her parents. If she couldn't be filial to her own parents, how could she be expected to be filial to her in-laws? Therefore, Lu Xiangxiang's reputation suddenly took a nosedive."
Was this a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on one's own foot? And she had dropped it so hard. A woman's reputation was important. If her skills in zither, chess, calligraphy, and embroidery were lacking, it wasn't the end of the world, as not all families were picky about these. For embroidery, wealthy families employed seamstresses, so the mistresses themselves didn't need to be exceptionally skilled. Thus, a woman's character was more highly valued. For instance, filial piety towards parents was crucial.
Lu Xiangxiang had personally destroyed her reputation in this regard. Her intention might have been to belittle Song Chi and enhance her own value, but the result...