Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

After a moment of stunned silence, Gu Jinghuai could no longer suppress his anger; he disliked this inexplicable feeling of losing control.

He took two steps behind, ignoring the servants still in the courtyard, and called out to the slender figure:

"Yun Shuyao, you're forcing this young master to embarrass you!"

Fine, keep making trouble! I'm leaving right now, let's see how you explain this to your elders!

But remember just one thing: don't involve Yu Yan! Don't let this young master grow tired of you!

Yun Shuyao heard it clearly. Did they want her to ask the elders to cancel the wedding and make her bear all the blame?

Gu Jinghuai remained as irresponsible as ever.

Yun Shuyao took a deep breath, but she still couldn't get rid of that suffocating feeling. She really felt sorry for herself!

Gu Jinghuai probably doesn't know yet that their Marquis's mansion has long since become an empty shell.

She can still spend money like water now, all thanks to the profits from her shops.

It seems that neither he nor the people of the Marquis's mansion will wake up until they are forced to return to their impoverished lives!

Yun Shuyao went back alone, and didn't say much when asked by her elders.

Just as Gu Jinghuai had predicted, if she unilaterally proposed to annul the engagement today, everyone would think that she was immature, disregarded the dignity of both families, and acted willfully.

Yun Shuyao sat in the chair, quickly calculating the possibilities of persuading her father.

A servant ran in and relayed a message from Gu Jinghuai.

"The young master said he had some matters to attend to at home, so he returned first."

The marriage was entirely decided by the elders; he had only one request: the marriage should be arranged as soon as possible.

Upon hearing this, the two families exchanged a knowing smile and then happily resumed their discussion.

Yun Shuyao secretly resented Gu Jinghuai, who was indeed trying to force her to accept a punishment!

Lord Gu and his wife did not leave until after they had finished their meal.

Yun's father and mother, who had just seen someone off, were stopped by Yun Shuyao.

"Father, I did not mention breaking off the engagement in public today because I was concerned about the relationship between our two families."

Now that he/she has passed away, the daughter wants to formally inform her father and mother.

It's impossible for Gu Jinghuai and I to get married. He doesn't have feelings for me, and I don't want to force him.

"Let the two elders see how to speak to Lord Gu."

No sooner had she finished speaking than a crisp slap landed hard on Yun Shuyao's face.

"How dare you! I think you've been spoiled rotten!"

"Get back to the ancestral hall and kneel there! You can come out again when you've figured things out!"

Yun Shuyao was not surprised. She covered her burning cheek and looked at her father without saying a word.

A moment later, with a resolute expression, he walked towards the ancestral hall.

Looking at her furious husband, Qin dared not utter a sound.

She wanted to say a few words on behalf of her daughter and also to persuade her husband to calm down.

But she has always been like this, always following her husband's lead and never daring to disobey his orders.

But Yun Chongshan was clearly not appeased. He suddenly turned to look at Yun Mu and angrily scolded her:

"After all, he comes from a merchant family and doesn't even know how to raise a daughter. Look at what she looks like now."

"She throws tantrums all the time; is marriage some kind of children's game?"

Qin's face was ashen, her eyes red-rimmed, but she silently endured it without uttering a word of protest.

She had been too naive back then, thinking that Yun Chongshan's welcoming her into his mansion was a genuine way of repaying the life-saving grace he had shown her years ago.

Although her husband married her and the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion gained a reputation for benevolence and righteousness, Yun Chongshan always despised her background.

The servants in the mansion were used to this; everyone did what they were supposed to do.

It seemed that it was not unusual for the mistress of a household to be reprimanded in this way.

Seeing Qin's aggrieved expression, Yun Chongshan's face darkened even more, and he spoke in a cold voice.

"Recently, I have been staying at Aunt Feng's place to help Yun-ge with his studies."

Even a concubine is better at raising children than you are; look at the two children you've given birth to...

What can I say about you?

The Duke of Zhenguo's face showed extreme annoyance. He waved his sleeve and walked away with a sullen expression.

After Yun Chong'an left, Yun's mother thought about it and decided to try to persuade her daughter.

ancestral hall.

Qin pushed open the heavy door of the ancestral hall and saw Yun Shuyao kneeling upright with her back straight.

Judging from her demeanor, she shows absolutely no remorse.

Madam Qin sighed softly and turned to instruct Liu Ma, who was following behind her.

"Go and prepare a charcoal stove for the young lady. The ancestral hall is cold and damp; kneeling there for too long will make her sick."

"Mother."

Yun Shuyao turned her head upon hearing the sound and saw her mother, who had a worried expression, slowly walking towards her.

"Shu Yao..."

"Mother, you don't need to persuade me."

As soon as Qin Shi opened her mouth, Yun Shuyao interrupted her, as it was not hard to guess her mother's purpose.

It's simply about making her consider the bigger picture and advising her not to act recklessly.

In her previous life, she listened to her mother's teachings and thus restrained her original temperament, devoting all her energy to managing the Marquis's mansion and serving her husband and parents-in-law.

But the result?

"You're such a willful child! Such a wonderful marriage, why are you still making a scene?"

Everyone thinks she's just making a scene?

Unfortunately, Su Yuyan had just arrived in the capital and didn't really have any substantial interaction with Gu Jinghuai, so her father simply wouldn't believe her.

"Mother," Yun Shuyao said tentatively.

"My daughter has indeed heard that Gu Jinghuai and his cousin are secretly in love. Do you think my daughter should marry a man like that?"

"really?"

Seeing her daughter's solemn expression, Madam Qin's face darkened as well.

"How could my daughter lie to you?"

When Yun Shuyao heard her mother ask this question, she thought that she might get her mother's support for breaking off the engagement.

This is something that would be very difficult for any woman to accept.

Yun Shuyao guessed correctly. In Yun's mother's opinion, Gu Jinghuai's entanglement with her cousin was indeed disgusting.

Although her husband also had five concubines, no matter how many years passed, she still felt a lump in her throat whenever she saw her husband's concubines.

For example, today, the Duke of Zhenguo deliberately mentioned Consort Feng. After all, they had been husband and wife for thirty years, and he knew best how to make her feel the most uncomfortable.

But after pondering for a moment, Madam Qin sighed and, in a hoarse voice, advised:

"It's common for men to have multiple wives and concubines, as long as you secure your position as the mistress..."

"Is Mother comfortable in her position as the matriarch?"

After being interrupted, Qin was completely unable to continue speaking.

She just stared blankly at her daughter, remaining silent for a long time.

"Mother, I didn't mean to upset you, I was just stating a fact."

"But...don't all women...go through this?"

Yun Shuyao shook her head with a resolute expression.

"Only married women would do this."

In her past life, she had met a divorced woman named Shen Re Niang. That woman was skilled in both medicine and poison, and also had excellent swordsmanship. She lived a very carefree life.

Although I cannot experience it firsthand, I cannot suppress my longing for it.

Unfortunately, she couldn't let go of her responsibilities until her death, and was deceived by the sweet vows she made in her youth for the rest of her life!

"You're really going to talk nonsense."

Qin's words interrupted her thoughts.

"You've already gone against all tradition by saying you want to break off the engagement today, do you also intend to never marry?"

"Does a woman have to depend on a man to survive?"

Under Qin's astonished gaze, Yun Shuyao continued:

"Women are human beings too, why can't they choose the life they want?"

Why are we born to learn female virtues and precepts, to do needlework, to manage the household and keep accounts, as if we are merely tools to serve men?

Not only do we have to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to managing the household affairs for our husbands, but we also have to watch them embrace other women and endure their self-righteous betrayal!

Yun Shuyao's voice became somewhat shrill as she spoke.

"My daughter doesn't want to live like this for even a single day!"

Her voice trembled slightly.

"Mother, this is not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a well-thought-out one."

I will never marry Gu Jinghuai in this life, and I will never accept my husband having a harem of wives and concubines.

If she can't find a man who will stay with her for life, her daughter would rather remain unmarried!

Yunmu snapped out of her daze and became somewhat angry. She stood up abruptly and spoke with an unusually stern expression.

"I think you've been spoiled rotten. How long are you going to stay so immature?"

You have to get married, whether you like it or not!

Qin thought that Yun Shuyao was just being temperamental and would be fine after a while.

There's no need to make a fuss, and there's no need to listen to her nonsense.

As soon as she stepped out of the ancestral hall, Qin bumped into the maidservant beside Aunt Feng.

Yunmu's heart skipped a beat, and she knew in her heart that something was wrong; Yunmu must have heard what she just said.