A few days later, in the capital, Weiyuan Hou Mansion.
Yan Liu walked slowly along the Chaoshou corridor to Ci'an Hall, where he stopped for a long time before turning around and leaving with a sigh.
A year ago, Yan Liu went to Beijing with his seventh aunt, now Mrs. Weiyuan Hou, and accidentally fell into the water and died on the way.
When my grandmother in the capital heard the news, she became seriously ill because Yan Liu was her only descendant.
Yan Liu's biological mother passed away five years ago.
After that, my grandmother left the capital and headed for the northern border, seemingly planning to never return to the capital.
When Yan Liu returned to Beijing, it took some time for the news to be sent to his grandmother.
Yan Liu planned the itinerary in his mind. His grandmother should return to Beijing in two or three days.
Before that, she had to make sure of one thing first.
***
Yan Liu arrived at Mrs. Weiyuan's yard and happened to meet Jiang Changqiu who had just come out of the house.
Jiang Changqiu turned sideways and saluted, without squinting: "Cousin."
Yan Liu smiled and said, "Cousin, there's no need to be so polite. You and I are engaged, so we really shouldn't be so estranged."
Jiang Changqiu pursed his lips and remained silent.
Yan Liu did not let him go as lightly as before this time, saying: "I will hold a banquet at Tianxiang Tower tomorrow, and I hope my cousin will appreciate it then."
Jiang Changqiu said immediately: "I have already made an appointment with my friends, I'm afraid I won't have time to go to the banquet."
Yan Liu said: "What about the day after tomorrow? If not the day after tomorrow, there is still the day after tomorrow, or next month? You can even wait until next year. I wonder when my cousin will have time?"
Jiang Changqiu looked embarrassed and said, "I really have something to do tomorrow."
Yan Liu said: "Then push it forward, you will be my husband, it's time for you to show up in front of everyone, at least let my people know what you look like.
If they don’t know you and you happen to meet each other one day, what will you do if they bump into you? "
Yan Liu calmly adjusted his sleeves and said, "Cousin, are you right? I won't know who I should favor by then."
The tone was soft and soft, but the words were full of threats.
Jiang Changqiu's expression changed slightly and he said: "Since it is a dog that does not recognize its master, it should naturally be taught a lesson."
Yan Liu stopped adjusting his sleeves and said, "I didn't expect my cousin to be such a cruel person.
My cousin is a well-known virtuous person in the capital. You are also from the same mother and father. Why didn't your cousin learn a little bit?
You are so cruel and this is not good. "
A look of humiliation appeared on Jiang Changqiu's face. He took two steps forward in time and used his height to hide the look on his face.
Yan Liu had been paying attention to him with his peripheral vision. Naturally, he saw the change in his expression and laughed slightly in his heart. Can't you stand this?
Jiang Changqiu said: "We are not married yet." So you should leave me alone.
The distance between the two was already very close, but Yan Liu did not retreat but moved forward. She raised her hand to touch Jiang Changqiu's cheek.
Jiang Changqiu felt the softness in his arms, and his heart quickened a little. This cousin's color was extremely outstanding. If he was willing to dress up well, he would be willing to accept the beauty's kindness.
Yan Liu still used the hair crown to tie her hair today. She was wearing an azure-colored robe with dark patterns and no decorations from her daughter's house.
Jiang Changqiu was thinking about Yan Liu's appearance after getting dressed up, when he suddenly felt pain on the left side of his face.
Yan Liu leaned against him and slapped Jiang Changqiu's left face gently and hard. The force was not strong, but it was too humiliating.
Jiang Changqiu looked ugly and stretched out his hand to stop Yan Liu, but heard a crunching sound behind him.
Yan Liu glanced over there and knew that her seventh aunt was watching from behind the window. Not only did she not stop, but she pressed harder.
Jiang Changqiu was also awakened by the sound. His grandmother was coming back soon. He couldn't do anything or cause trouble for his father and brother.
He could only close his eyes and suffer with humiliation.
But Yan Liu still refused to let him go and asked: "Am I strong? Am I not good-looking? Don't we have an engagement?"
So cousin... why are you looking like this?
I think we're flirting. "
Jiang Changqiu finally couldn't bear it anymore and took a few steps back, saying: "Men and women are not allowed to be intimate, so please respect yourself."
Yan Liu took out the handkerchief from his sleeve, wiped his right hand carefully, and said, "So this is how you were taught before?"
Jiang Changqiu said: "I am not rude to you, and there are differences between men and women. You and I should still be careful about propriety before we are married."
Yan Liu sneered: "Don't pretend to be confused because you understand.
You feel humiliated and dissatisfied with this marriage, so why haven't you resisted before?
Do you want to just abide by the rules on the surface with me?
Hum, Jiang Changqiu, please remember that it is never up to you to decide how we get along.
If you want to treat each other as a guest, it depends on whether I am willing to be distant from others.
My husband can’t be just any cat or dog. If you want to occupy a position and not work, that’s just a dream! "
Jiang Changqiu's face became even more ugly as he listened.
Yan Liu said calmly: "If you don't want to get married, then change someone. After all, you are not the only one in the Jiang family.
If you are willing to get married, learn from your cousin.
Also think carefully about how to please me.
Don't think that it's enough for you to keep the rules on your face and bow when you see me.
I can tell you clearly right now, if you can't please me, it means you are incompetent, which is your biggest fault. "
At the end of the story, Yan Liu was a little angry. She wanted to test Jiang Changqiu, but she also regarded him as her husband. But this man... can't even please me, what use is he?
That’s not what my grandmother wrote to me.
Jiang Changqiu said: "This engagement is not what I want, but does my opinion matter?"
Yan Liu said: "Your opinion is not important, but it is important if you show dissatisfaction.
I have no interest in coaxing my own husband. Since you have objections, it might as well be to call off this engagement.
It was a verbal agreement between the two families, and there was no marriage certificate or token, so let's leave it at that. "
The verbal agreement that was made back then was mainly due to two reasons. One was that he was worried that Jiang Changqiu would not look good when he grew up, or that Yan Liu particularly disliked him, so Yan Liu must not be wronged.
Another reason is that the engagement between Yan Liu and Jiang Changqiu was to give Yan Liu a more legitimate reason to intervene in the Jiang family's military power. It doesn't matter which Jiang family son he is.
As long as Yan Liu's maternal grandmother, Mrs. Liu, is still alive, the initiative in this marriage will be in Yan Liu's hands.
Yan Liu had never met Jiang Changqiu before, but the information he received was that he was a handsome and elegant young man.
Yan Liu never thought that this person was dissatisfied with the marriage. She had never suffered such injustice in her whole life.
She really thought she was tolerant enough.
First, they did not restrict Jiang Changqiu's travel and required him not to go out and contact outsiders at will. Second, they did not require him to abide by the rules when getting along with him, as long as he was gentle and considerate.
He can't even do this, it's so bad.
Jiang Changqiu really wanted to agree and break off the engagement, but he couldn't. He had to worry about his grandmother who was about to return to Beijing. At present, his father did not have complete control over the Jiang family.
Jiang Changqiu has a slender figure, an elegant face, and his peach blossom eyes are naturally affectionate. Even when he is not smiling, he has an indescribable affection.
He had deliberately kept a cold face when meeting Yan Liu before, but now that he relaxed, it felt like a spring breeze, and he wanted to be drunk in the warm spring sun.
Jiang Changqiu said: "My cousin misunderstood. I didn't know that my cousin valued tomorrow's affairs so much. In this case, I will definitely accompany my cousin tomorrow. I don't know when it will be set?"
Jiang Changqiu covered his eyes to hide the ridicule in his eyes.
Yan Liu did not accept this trick. She was used to Xiao Jing's style of banishing immortals. Although Jiang Changqiu was one of the most handsome men in the capital, he was still far behind Xiao Jing.
As for his deliberately soft tone and the seemingly appropriate steps he handed over, Yan Liu was even more disdainful. The people who were serving her now were more considerate than this cousin.
Yan Liu said calmly: "What I said today was not angry words.
You and I are not married yet, so it is better to cancel the engagement now than to become bitter spouses later. "
Jiang Changqiu said: "My cousin is serious, I can only marry you."
Yan Liu's expression remained unchanged and he said, "You can still practice with your hair."
Jiang Changqiu was puzzled.
Yan Liu said: "You don't think you can marry normally in the future, do you? I hope my cousin doesn't hate Buddhist scriptures."
Jiang Changqiu's expression remained unchanged and he said: "My cousin is serious, I am still somewhat interested in Buddhist scriptures.
The marriage contract between you and me was made by our elders, and it should not be broken.
I wonder what time the banquet my cousin has scheduled at Tianxiang Tower is? "
Yan Liu stared at Jiang Changqiu for a long time before saying, "No need."
After Yan Liu left, Mrs. Hou came out of the courtyard, looked at her child with distress, and said, "I have wronged you."
Jiang Changqiu said: "It's okay. It's normal for my cousin to have a bad temper when she is young."
Mrs. Hou said: "If you bear with it a little longer, in a few years, when your father has completely taken control of the Jiang family, he won't have to be angry with those with foreign surnames."
