"Master Fang came to this humble residence in person. It's really rude for me to welcome you from afar." Mrs. Wang raised her eyes and looked at Fang Zilan who was a few steps away. She said her words politely but there was no hint of politeness in her expression.
Fang Zilan bowed and said, "Mrs. Wang, you're welcome." Then she was invited to her seat by Mrs. Wang's personal maid.
After sitting down, she asked the question straight to the point, "I wonder why Mrs. Wang invited me here today?"
"Master Fang has a delicate mind. He must have guessed it a long time ago. I just said it bluntly." Mrs. Wang brushed her sleeves and said in a deep voice: "Our Wang family intends to marry the Ouyang family. As for the Fang family, that's all."
"That's it?" Fang Zilan was slightly startled. She had already guessed that the Wang family despised Fang Lihui, but she didn't expect to give up so directly.
"Didn't Master Fang hear clearly?" Mrs. Wang's voice raised a little, with an air of undeniable aura in her tone.
Fang Zilan was not afraid and said with a faint smile: "Mrs. Wang, can you tell me the reason? So that I can give an explanation to the two young masters of the Fang family."
"The reason?" Mrs. Wang seemed to have heard something funny and chuckled, "The adults at last night's banquet should have seen it clearly, why do you have to tell me?"
"Mrs. Wang said she could see clearly, but do you mean that you and Mr. Wang love your daughter so much that you intend to embarrass Young Master Fang?" Fang Zilan said and took the tea served by the maid next to her. Mrs. Wang sneered, "Fang Lihui's kind A child with a yellow mouth, I don’t even bother to make things difficult for you.”
Hearing this, the smile on Fang Zilan's face became even brighter, "Since she doesn't bother to embarrass herself, Mrs. Wang always has to give a convincing reason, so that she won't lose face to both families."
"Master Fang is so stubborn. I'm afraid that he is not a parent yet and does not understand the parents' love for their son, so he has far-reaching plans." Mrs. Wang's expression softened slightly, but the look in her eyes was still extremely sharp.
Fang Zilan shook her head, sighed softly, and whispered: "They say don't laugh at parents who are crazy and wander around for their children. But children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. Why should Mrs. Wang be like this?"
Mrs. Wang snorted coldly, "Master Fang, are you here to be a lobbyist on behalf of the Fang family?"
"I can't talk about lobbyists, but since Mrs. Wang just said that she wants to plan for the two girls, we might as well talk about it." Fang Zilan put the tea cup in her hand on the table beside her, looking a little more serious. "Let's not mention anything else for the moment. I dare to ask Mrs. Wang, if we reject the Fang family this time, will we be able to find the son of the family to propose marriage in the future?"
"Mr. Fang, are you looking down on our Wang family?" Fang Zilan was not afraid of Mrs. Wang's harsh words, "If she is your granddaughter, Mrs. Wang, there will be a lot of young men from aristocratic families flocking to her, but if she is smart and fair, I’m afraid no one will dare to come to my door again.”
"You!" Mrs. Wang stood up, but she knew in her heart that Fang Zilan was telling the truth.
Lingli and Lingyuan's identity could not be concealed from everyone, but now she could barely hide it because of her identity as Fang Zilan, Duke of the Northern Kingdom and the name of the Wang family's northern family. Who could she deceive in the future?
"Mrs. Wang knows that what I say is reasonable, so why not make a decision as soon as possible." Fang Zilan stood up and bowed respectfully, "Lingli and Lingyuan are well-educated girls, so they will understand Chunhui's painstaking efforts."
"What a reasonable statement, what a decision made early, what Chunhui's hard work!" Mrs. Wang smiled sadly, and each of her three sentences became deeper and deeper, until she finished the last word, she was like a puppet with its strings cut off. He fell straight back to the main seat.
The maid on the side looked panicked. She took a step forward but was repelled by Mrs. Wang. She held the table with one hand, took the tea cup on the table with the other and threw it at Fang Zilan.
Fang Zilan did not dodge. She knew that Mrs. Wang was angry and wanted to vent her anger. She didn't mind being the punching bag. After all, it was better than letting Mrs. Wang vent her anger on the Fang family.
The teacup hit her shoulder, but fortunately she felt no pain, so she didn't even frown, and still maintained her salute, "Thank you, Mrs. Wang, for showing mercy."
"Fang Zilan, do you think that you are in control of the engagement?" Mrs. Wang looked angrily, "Do you think that my Wang family must marry off these two girls?"
"I don't think so." Fang Zilan raised her head and looked steadily at Mrs. Wang on the main seat in front of her, "It's just that this world is really difficult for women."
"No matter how good you are in reading, you can't get a job or become an official. No matter how strong you are in martial arts, you can only protect yourself, and you can't even stop everyone from talking. Apart from getting married, if there is another way, I believe Madam Wang will risk her life and try for them."
Her eyes were full of energy, like a river of stars, but at this moment, they suddenly dimmed a bit, "It's a pity that there is no choice. This world doesn't give women any choice."
Every word Fang Zilan spoke was like a sharp knife piercing Mrs. Wang's heart.
With her age, how could she not understand? In this world, how cautious a woman must be to protect herself, let alone find another way.
Women have to pay a much higher price to prove themselves than men.
Mrs. Wang clenched her fingers tightly, her expression became paler, the light in her eyes gradually dimmed, and she looked so depressed that she seemed to be much older all of a sudden.
She lowered her voice a little and asked slowly: "What about you?"
"Me?" Fang Zilan was confused by Mrs. Wang's question. It took her a while to realize what she meant. She blinked in embarrassment. She couldn't tell her that she was not from this world. She had been educated since she was a child. Men and women are equal, right?
Just as Fang Zilan was thinking hard about how to answer Mrs. Wang, she heard her ask alone, "Do you want to be the second Xiahou Yunzhao?"
Xiahou Yunzhao, why is it her again?
Fang Zilan shook her head helplessly, "I am Fang Zilan, not Xiahou Yunzhao. I have never wanted to be anyone else."
"Have you ever thought about becoming anyone else?" Mrs. Wang sneered, "Master Fang, do you know how many people in the world say that you have obvious ambitions and are trying to become the second Xiahou Yunzhao?"
"How can I control someone else's mouth?" Fang Zilan shrugged helplessly, "No one talks behind that person's back. If I cared so much about what others say, I'm afraid I wouldn't be here today."
"The path chosen by Mr. Fang is not easy to follow." Mrs. Wang calmed down her emotions as she spoke, and sat on the main seat as if nothing had happened just now. The person who lost her composure seemed to be just Fang Zilan's illusion.
Fang Zilan sat back down and said with a slight smile: "Actually, Mrs. Wang, you have already made up your mind. Coming to me today is just adding fuel to the flames, isn't it?"
