CHAPTER 53: CHAPTER 53: WHY SO LATE?

"Now, for that Yilan, I have no feelings at all. If I hadn’t been drugged and lost control, how could I have acted this way," Xiao Fengxing said. "Qingqing, this matter is my fault to you. But I promise, I will never touch Yilan again and will not do anything to hurt you."

"Now, countless eyes are watching me, so I can’t deal with Yilan," Xiao Fengxing continued. "Once this matter gradually fades, I will no longer keep Yilan by my side."

Moved by his words, Lin Qingqing softened, "Really?"

"Naturally!" Xiao Fengxing promised earnestly, "Qingqing, from beginning to end, there’s only you."

"Then in the future, you must not touch Yilan again," Lin Qingqing said. "Even if you marry Fu Mingzhu, you must not..."

"I will not consummate the marriage with her," Xiao Fengxing quickly said. "I only have you."

With these words, Lin Qingqing felt much better.

After parting with Lin Qingqing, Xiao Fengxing turned and went to Fu Mansion again.

However, he couldn’t even get through the main gate of Fu Mansion and was stopped by the gatekeeper.

Helpless, Xiao Fengxing took out a letter, "Could you give this letter to Mingzhu?"

"Madam and the young lady both said they won’t see you, nor accept anything from you," the gatekeeper said.

Xiao Fengxing said solemnly, "So be it. If Mingzhu refuses to see me, I will wait here."

"I was also set up by a villain, otherwise I would never have done such a thing," Xiao Fengxing said dejectedly. "I hope you can pass this message on."

The gatekeeper did deliver his message.

But it was said to Madam Fu.

Madam Fu sneered and sent Nanny Yu out.

Nanny Yu came to the entrance and, seeing that Xiao Fengxing was indeed still there, said loudly following Madam Fu’s instructions, "Second Young Master, you and our young lady have already broken off the engagement, so don’t seek her out anymore."

"Our young lady is not one to be unaccepting," Nanny Yu continued, "but a prestigious family must maintain its rules. As Second Young Master comes from a marquis family, you should do the same. Even if you wish to take a concubine, it should be handled after the main wife’s entrance by her, rather than seeking the maid from your sister’s birthday banquet to make a mess."

With just a few words, Nanny Yu made Xiao Fengxing’s situation clear.

Sure enough, the onlookers immediately understood.

It wasn’t that the Fu family’s young lady was unaccepting; it was just that Xiao Fengxing acted improperly and without etiquette.

Noble families value protocol above all.

Now this young man is acting recklessly; who knows how he’ll behave in the future?

No one expected that this Xiao Fengxing, who usually had an excellent reputation, would be so wanton underneath it all.

"Our Fu Mansion and our young lady once believed the Second Young Master to be an upright gentleman, but now it seems that our young lady is unworthy," Nanny Yu said.

Though she said so, everyone knew it was giving Xiao Fengxing face.

In fact, who is unworthy of whom is hard to tell.

Even if Xiao Fengxing is known to be the next Marquis Changping.

But, as long as he hasn’t inherited the title, variability is possible, isn’t it?

"We hope that the Second Young Master can find someone of equal standing who can tolerate you raising a concubine before marrying a wife and possibly having an illegitimate eldest son first from a noblewoman," Nanny Yu said coldly.

The crowd: "!!!"

The nanny’s words made sense.

With such circumstances, what noble lady would want to marry him?

The Marquis Changping’s household may be a family of rules, but Xiao Fengxing is not!

What if his concubine really gives birth to an illegitimate eldest son?

Never mind the herbal decoction to avoid pregnancy.

The maid who could seduce Xiao Fengxing at Miss Xiao’s birthday banquet could certainly ensure an illegitimate eldest son is born first. There’s no shortage of means.

In the future, when the legitimate wife enters, dealing with such a concubine will be more than troublesome.

Isn’t Xiao Fengxing’s concubine just an example?

When the Old Marquis was alive, who didn’t know how formidable Concubine Liu was, that her status in the household even overshadowed the legitimate wife’s?

With such a precedent, who would dare to marry their daughter into that family?

Xiao Fengxing also picked up the implications in Nanny Yu’s words and was filled with resentment.

The Fu family intends to destroy his prospects for future marriage!

In fact, Madam Fu’s thinking is simple, since Xiao Fengxing likes Lin Qingqing anyway.

If other people don’t want Xiao Fengxing, Lin Qingqing will.

Someone like Xiao Fengxing shouldn’t ruin other girls, and should just spend life after life with Lin Qingqing.

Xiao Fengxing called out loudly, "Things have reached this point and are irreparable, but I only want Mingzhu to know that in my heart, there’s only her. There was a reason for what happened that day, and I too was set up. I will not raise Yilan as a concubine nor a chambermaid. She has taken a decoction to avoid pregnancy, and I will not see her again. I have already found a match for her and plan to marry her off. Besides Mingzhu, there will be no one else in the future."

Xiao Fengxing said, "I hope the household can forgive me this time."

Hearing these words, the crowd felt that Xiao Fengxing handled the matter quite well.

Xiao Fengxing has already done this much; if Fu Mansion insists on breaking the engagement, their demands might be too high.

Nanny Yu’s face turned red with anger at Xiao Fengxing’s words.

His words in turn put Fu Mingzhu in an awkward position, didn’t they?

"Second Young Master Xiao, do you truly care for my sister and cherish her in your heart?" Fu Shinian then stepped forward.

Xiao Fengxing saw Fu Shinian and his heart skipped a beat; he almost couldn’t hold back from cursing out loud.

He now had a psychological shadow about Fu Shinian, sensing nothing good ever came out of seeing him.

Xiao Fengxing replied cautiously, "Of course."

"Then why act this way?" Fu Shinian asked curiously, "After the incident yesterday, you didn’t show up. Today, when the Old Madam of the Marquis household visited, you didn’t accompany her. It was only after both families returned their engagement tokens, and the engagement was formally broken, that you came professing deep feelings?"

The crowd, upon hearing this, realized what’s going on indeed.

In this light, the second young lady’s words made sense.

What was Xiao Fengxing doing earlier?

"Our family gave you the chance; it was you who didn’t want it," Fu Shinian said, "Or do you think my sister should wait expectantly for you, forgive any absurd things you do, and that’s why you didn’t hurry to apologize?"

"I didn’t!" Xiao Fengxing exclaimed, "There were too many affairs at the household, and I only managed to free myself now!"

"What household matters could be more important than the Old Madam?" Fu Shinian retorted easily, "Your visit now is either out of concern that our family is serious, or worried about your reputation getting harmed, thus putting on a pretense at our doors, while your earlier explanation is merely shedding responsibility rather than sincerely apologizing."

"Second Young Lady, please do not harbor malicious assumptions about me every time," Xiao Fengxing gritted his teeth and said.

Fu Shinian smiled nonchalantly, ignoring his words, and simply said, "In any case, our two families broke off the engagement this morning. You are late, and no matter what you say now, it’s useless. Our family is not one to go back and forth on decisions."

Xiao Fengxing was about to say something more when the Lady Yong’an came over with her eldest daughter Yu Jingyun.