Volume One, Chapter 12: Still Not Ashamed Enough?

“Yue Mei is the legitimate daughter of our household, and with Young Master Xiao’s talent and beauty, wouldn’t it be better to make their match official? That way, both our families save face, don’t you think?”

Leng Xuanru was quite angry at Madam Jiang for acting on her own, but on second thought, if it truly worked out, it would be a win-win situation. They could publicly announce the engagement since Young Master Xiao was originally betrothed to Yue Mei.

Leng Yueheng sneered coldly. It was obvious that Madam Xiao looked down on the Leng family’s background; her reputation was merely an excuse. Over the years, their relationship had been lukewarm at best, clearly afraid to go against General Xiao’s wishes.

Now that such an incident had occurred, Madam Xiao had given an explanation to her husband and thus proposed breaking off the engagement.

Sure enough, Madam Xiao dropped all pretenses and said bluntly, “Your Miss Leng is not someone we can look up to. We’ll pay the five hundred taels ourselves!”

With that, she and Xiao Jingyun strode away. Leng Yuemei had already planned with her mother to hide in the back hall, but this outcome was unexpected.

Xiao Jingyun did not spare her a glance. She bit her lip tightly, tears streaming down her face like raindrops on a peach blossom, making her look all the more delicate and forlorn.

“Still not embarrassed enough? Go cry in your own courtyard! From now on, no one is allowed to come out when we have guests unless I say so—including you!” With that, Leng Xuanru swept his sleeve and left, leaving the three women behind.

Madam Jiang stared blankly at Leng Xuanru’s departing back. Was the master telling her not to greet guests anymore? She was the matriarch of the household, overseeing everything...

Leng Yueheng didn’t want to argue with these two fools and turned away, thinking bitterly that this would once again be counted against her.

The next day, the Xiao family sent over five hundred taels in silver notes. Both families returned the engagement tokens, and the matter was settled.

But rumors about the Third Miss Leng’s misconduct spread far and wide, growing worse with each retelling.

Leng Xuanru’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot. He sent people to the countryside village to inquire about Leng Yueheng’s life there.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about the girl. How could a girl raised in a small village be so sharp and composed? Her behavior was hardly that of a rustic country girl.

Though they never skimped on her daily needs, a young lady from a wealthy family was supposed to learn the arts—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine appreciation, flower arranging, and tea ceremonies—but she had mastered none.

Their investigation uncovered only that Leng Yueheng visited Lingyin Temple, five miles from the village, every day to study martial arts under Master Wuchou.

Master Wuchou was a mysterious figure who came and went without a trace. Rumor had it he was a close friend of the renowned healer Zhuo from Ci’en Hall.

He never took in secular disciples, so no one knew what stroke of fortune had made him favor this girl.

Since Leng Yueheng’s return home, one strange event had followed another. Leng Xuanru decided to personally question the daughter he rarely paid attention to.

In his study, Leng Xuanru said, “If your father wants to know something, he can just ask you directly. No need to send spies to Lingyin Temple.”

Leng Yueheng had already received word from the temple that her father was investigating her.

From her observations, the father wasn’t as cold and indifferent as she had thought. The incident of banishing Concubine Tian from the household likely had deeper reasons beyond his control.

“For years, I’ve been trapped by circumstances beyond my will as well,” Leng Xuanru sighed, reluctant to revisit the past.

Leng Yueheng remained patient, waiting for her father to continue.

“One snowy night long ago, I found your aunt in the snow. She was fine until you were born. Then someone bearing Chancellor Zhao’s token came, saying the Chancellor had taken a liking to your mother and demanded I hand her over. The Chancellor’s authority was immense—he was installed by the emperor himself. I dared not refuse...”

“So you disfigured your aunt and sent her to the countryside?”

Leng Xuanru nodded.

“How could Chancellor Zhao have noticed her?”

“I’m as puzzled as you are. Your aunt often acted strangely and never left the mansion. Perhaps the Chancellor only heard rumors.”

Leng Yueheng still felt something was amiss. Why would a Chancellor pay attention to a minor official’s concubine? It must have something to do with Madam Jiang.

“Father, have you investigated Aunt’s background?”

“Yes. She remembers nothing. She hides whenever she sees people and refuses to answer questions.”

A vague suspicion took root in Leng Yueheng’s mind—that those who wished her harm now were the same as those who had harmed her birth mother back then.

The father and daughter fell silent, each lost in thought.

“And you and Prince Ji...” Leng Xuanru hesitated.

“I’ve only met Prince Ji once.”

“And Master Wuchou...?”

“I fell seriously ill shortly after arriving in the village and met Master Wuchou. He summoned Healer Zhuo to treat me and later decided I was suited to martial arts, so he took me as his disciple,” Leng Yueheng revealed without hesitation.

“But please, Father, keep this a secret. Master Wuchou does not take worldly disciples.”

“Father should investigate your good wife in secret instead!” Leng Yueheng advised, then bowed slightly and left.

Leng Xuanru remained behind, bewildered, watching his daughter’s retreating figure.

Over the years, he had his doubts about Madam Jiang, but since her half-sister was Chancellor Zhao’s favored concubine, he had no choice but to turn a blind eye.

Fortunately, after disfiguring Concubine Tian and sending her to the village, the issue had seemingly ended.

Just as Leng Yueheng returned to Bamboo Grove Garden, Nurse Zhuang came rushing in, breathless.

“Miss, just as you suspected, the lady’s favorite herbalist went to Lingyu Pavilion this morning to buy jewelry and chatted with a maid for a long time. I followed that maid, and she entered the Chancellor’s residence through a side gate on the west side.”

“Were you discovered?”

“Don’t worry, Miss. I was careful and wasn’t seen.”

Leng Yueheng poured Nurse Zhuang a cup of tea and pondered:

Indeed, the Chancellor’s residence was trying to frame her. But why would the General’s household want to harm the daughter of a scholar?

Determined, she resolved to investigate the Chancellor’s mansion at night.

As she strode into her chamber to change clothes, she instructed, “Nurse, I’m going out for a while. Make sure no one notices my departure.”