Chapter 540 - 280 Hanging_1
A few days ago, Old Duke Liang brought the matchmaker, Prince Consort Pan, to the Qian family, aiming to formally settle the marriage arrangement between Liang Jinzhao and Qian Yixiu.
Prince Consort Pan sneered, "Old Duke Liang, your family is of noble and wealthy heritage, and your granddaughter-in-law is the esteemed daughter of the Cui family. The Qian family, on the other hand, are peasants from the countryside with no foundation, and my Pan family is almost of commoner status. My granddaughter is not good enough for your grandson."
Liang Zechong was taken aback. How had the matter he’d been so confident about taken such a turn? He said angrily, "Are you thinking of calling off the engagement?" Then he asked Qian Sangui and Qian Manjiang, "Do you share this view?"
Qian Sangui said, "I can’t bear to let Xiu’er marry into hardship."
Qian Manjiang also said, "Xiu’er has already suffered so much. I can’t bear the thought of her suffering for the rest of her life."
"What do you mean by that?" Liang Zechong asked again.
Prince Consort Pan scoffed, "Don’t play dumb. Haven’t you heard the gossip going around? They’re saying the Qian girl is vulgar and still dreaming of climbing up to marry into the Liang Mansion of Duke Weiguo. My granddaughter isn’t even formally engaged to your grandson yet, and she’s already being slandered like this. If they were officially betrothed, wouldn’t she be drowned by the spit of gossip?"
Liang Zechong reflected and understood. Among his family, only his eldest daughter-in-law had no dirt on her and disliked the idea of a Qian girl as her daughter-in-law, it must have been her spreading improper remarks. He then said, "If someone from my mansion has been spreading rumors, I will surely discipline her when I return and explain it to both your Pan family and the Qian family. But us old folks, including Zhaozhao, are sincerely wishing to ask for Miss Qian’s hand in marriage."
Having heard this from Liang Zechong, Prince Consort Pan found it difficult to directly dismiss the engagement they had previously agreed upon. He simply stated they should wait longer, as they were to form a kinship, not enmity. He didn’t want to send his granddaughter to another family to endure mistreatment. They could officially settle the engagement when the elders from both families agreed, it wasn’t too late. He believed that if Liang Jinzhao, being of age already, saw that Old Fox Liang was unwilling to wait, his family would take the initiative to end it. Then the engagement would be called off.
However, to his surprise, Liang Zechong agreed to wait, even saying that his grandson would marry no other than the Qian girl.