PROOFREAD BY AFREANA

Chapter 24.1

Zong Zeqing nagged: “You didn’t think about this injured leg of yours. Earlier, when you kneeled to Xie Gang, you were also too rash ……”

”It’s got nothing to do with me!” Xie Gang interrupted him.

“I’m not saying it’s your business.” Zong Zeqing reasoned with him, “It’s about Miss An’s leg.”

 “Shut up.” Xie Gang interrupted him again.

 “You are too unfriendly.” Zong Zeqing criticized him and turned his head to An Ruochen, “Don’t look at him acting like this. Actually, his heart is good.”

Xie Gang did not have ears to listen, turned his head, and walked away.

“You will come to know this. They are just too serious. In fact, they are not bad. Their faces are bad, but their hearts are good. Their mouths are full of knives, but their hearts are tofu.” Zong Zeqing supported An Ruochen and chattered happily.

After walking for a while, An Ruochen suddenly asked, “General Zong, is my father still here? Can I see him?”

“See him for what?” As soon as Zong Zeqing’s words left his mouth, he saw Big Long in front of him turn around and say to An Ruochen, “Go to the carriage and wait first.” Then he turned his head and summoned the guards, asking them to find An Zhifu.

Zong Zeqing whispered to An Ruochen, “General Long’s ears are quite sharp, aren’t they?”

An Ruochen felt awkward and didn’t know how to answer.

“Why? Don’t be afraid. Sharp ears aren’t a negative trait. It’s a compliment for the General.” Zong Zeqing said, waiting for An Ruochen to answer with an expectant face.

Big Long seriously replied for An Ruochen: “She is not afraid. She listens to your advice and is reserved.”

“……” An Ruochen’s face turned red.

“……” Zong Zeqing pondered whether the General’s sudden attack of immodesty was to harass him or harass Miss An. He thought it was molesting him. Miss An was female, and General did not know how to tease.

“So, what exactly do you want to see your father for?” Zong Zeqing decided to ignore the Great General Long’s immodesty and satisfy his curiosity.

An Ruochen straightened her back and replied sincerely, “After all, he is my biological father. I have to say goodbye in person.”

Not long after, An Zhifu came. Meeting with his daughter in front of Big Long, he didn’t know how to say anything. He wanted to ask but couldn’t, wanted to scold but couldn’t, wanted to hit but didn’t dare. On the contrary, An Ruochen limped over and stood in front of An Zhifu, softly saying, “Father, I am not filial. I am leaving.”

Zong Zeqing sighed and felt An Ruochen was too kind-hearted and weak. An Zhifu treated her like this, but she still thinks of herself as unfilial.

“You won’t be able to hit your daughter even if you want to in the future.” An Ruochen continued softly, “You are furious, right? If you’re angry, just be angry. That way, you’ll die faster. Don’t forget how you treated my mother. I only hope you can experience the same suffering as she did. But, you have no conscience. How can a person without a conscience suffer to that extent? But it’s okay. I’m not filial. I will think of ways to make you suffer.”

 Zong Zeqing almost choked on his saliva. An Zhifu’s face was as black as charcoal, and he was so angry that he spewed rude air. Although he was furious to the extreme, he still did not lose his reason and remembered to look at General Long.

Big Long stood not far behind An Ruochen, with arms clasped around his chest, looking at him in a leisurely and peaceful manner, clearly supporting her.

An Zhifu was not only vexed, but also shocked. He couldn’t figure out what was going on. He was unwilling to endure it, lowered his voice, and said: ”Don’t be proud, no matter what, you are my daughter, and you will always come back. Just wait.”

An Ruochen whispered: ”Wait until I go back to Master An to clean me up? Master An can wait too. It’s a deal.”

An Ruochen looked straight into An Zhifu’s eyes and watched his anger, resignation, and confusion. She smiled, took a step back, and raised her voice, “General, I am done saying goodbye to my father.”

”Let’s go.” Big Long said concisely.

A guard came over and helped An Ruochen get on the carriage. Big Long and the others got on their horses and set off.

An Zhifu stood there, looking at their backs, and almost vomited a mouthful of old blood.

After standing for a while, he did not know whether he could walk. It was dawn. He was tired and hungry. Jiang Hongqing said he had no business with him for the time being, but An Zhifu’s heart was insecure.

He wandered around outside the courthouse. An Ping led a servant to pick him up, “Master, Master Qian has returned to his residence in Zhonglan City. I heard he was furious and smashed many things.”

An Zhifu was shocked to hear it, did not dare to return home, and headed straight to Qian’s house in Zhonglan City.

However, when he arrived at Qian Pei’s house, he encountered a closed door.

The gatekeeper went in to report and soon came out, saying that the master had gone to bed and would not receive any guests.

Hearing this, An Zhifu felt so aggrieved. How could he fall asleep so quickly? He knew Qian Pei must be annoyed with him for withdrawing from the marriage. But he could not proceed with the wedding, ah. 

He just needs to make amends immediately, right? An Zhifu begged to see the steward and talked nicely to him, asking him to tell Qian Pei that he would visit again in the afternoon.

After tossing and turning, An Zhifu returned home. All the houses were awake, and when they heard An Zhifu return, they all wanted to inquire about the situation, but were driven back by Mrs. Tan. 

Mrs. Tan served An Zhifu with a meal and sleep, taking the opportunity to ask for some details. When she heard the story, she was shocked.

An Zhifu could not mention too many details. The government instructed that the matter of An Ruochen could not be said openly so as not to hinder the General in capturing the criminals. The most urgent thing right now was to appease Qian Pei. Otherwise, the future business would stumble. He asked Mrs. Tan to prepare some additional gifts and return those related with the marriage negotiations. And then, he asked Mrs. Tan to call in the matchmaker and ensure that the process of ending the engagement would be done thoroughly.

Mrs. Tan returned to the courtyard and summoned the maids. She took the treasury list to pick some gifts and sent someone to invite the matchmaker. She also sent someone to her mother’s house in Fu’an County to report the news and ask her mother’s family to keep an eye on the Qian House.

An Ruoxi didn’t sleep soundly that night and rushed to get up as soon as she heard that her father had returned. She saw her mother was busy, so she stood by and listened carefully. When Mrs. Tan finished, she turned to explain the situation to her daughter.

An Ruoxi listened and broke out in a cold sweat: “Big sister’s engagement has been dissolved? What about the fourth sister?”

“Fang’er is nowhere to be found. Your father said the withdrawal letter was written because our family matters could not delay Master Qian. Naturally, both engagements were annulled together. For fear of offending Master Qian, the marriage will be discussed again later, which is also a way to stay alive.”

An Ruoxi’s face was pale, leaving a way to live, whose way did they mean? 

“Mother, you will not renew the marriage and let me marry over, right?”

Mrs. Tan paused and did not answer immediately.

An Ruoxi was so anxious that she grabbed Mrs. Tan’s hand: “Mother, you’re not going to let me marry to calm Master Qian’s anger, are you? If I marry him, he will take it all out on me, and I won’t survive!”

Even if she stays alive, it will be worse than death. She didn’t want to marry that old Qian, even if she died!

“What are you talking about?” Mrs. Tan patted her daughter’s hand, “Your father has not yet seen Master Qian’s face. Nothing has been discussed. He did not say that you should marry. Moreover, your father is not stupid. The matter has come to such a conundrum. How can there be a sound reason to change the daughters involved now to tie the knot? Wouldn’t that be a joke?”

An Ruoxi’s heart was beating fast, somewhat in disbelief. It’s a joke, yes, but her father was unafraid to make people laugh. Her father was only scared of offending the nobleman, unable to have a future.