The hall was dead silent. Chief Yi Yang's face frowned when he heard such an audacious announcement from Chief Mu Yat-sen. How can he bear to watch his only daughter be seen as an unwanted young miss?
Yi Cheng, Yi Xing-fu, and Madame Yu's expressions were no worse than Chief Yi Yang's.
Chief Yi Yang was forced to calm his temper. Since it is his daughter's engagement, he wants to know her own opinion about this. If she chooses to keep the engagement, he is willing to threat Chief Mu Yat-sen to accept the engagement no matter what. If she agrees to call off the engagement, then he's happy to cancel it with wide open arms.
With a gentle tone, he asks, "Fang'er, what do you say about this?"
A glint of cold light flashes in her eyes. Yi Lei Fang sneered inside while her face turns pale. She tried to hold in tears and gave Chief Yi Yang a heart breaking expression. "Fu qin, if… if Young Master Mu is the one who wants to cancel the engagement then I am willing to go along with his decision."
Yi Lei Fang turned to Mu Ling. She tried to stay strong, but her body seemed fragile and spiritless like half of her heart has been dug out.
For some reason, Mu Ling felt guilty, wondering if he made the right decision. And when he wants to speak up, Yi Mei anxiously quickly interrupts, "Tang jie, it is not that Young Master Mu don't like you… it's because..." Yi Mei was hesitant to speak further, acting like a caring cousin who cared about Yi Lei Fang's reputation.
"That… that there have been rumors going around the village. Tang jie, I am sorry I couldn't stop the rumors from spreading. It has gotten worse to the point that it's already reached the Mu family and the rest of the other clans."
Yi Lei Fang was in awe at her white lotus performance. If this was a movie, she would have clapped for Yi Mei's acting skills and would personally award her the Oscars Best Actress Winning Award. If she was being really honest with herself, she really didn't mind leaning back and just watching this cousin of her spat out more lies. It was sort of funny.
Of course, you couldn't stop the rumors from spreading because you are the one who spread them in the first place! Yi Lei Fang retorted in her head as she glanced down to block the unconcealed sneer on her face.
Mu Ling was about to speak up but stopped, remembering why he wanted to break the engagement in the beginning. The guilt he felt vanished in mini seconds and was replaced with disgust.
"Young Miss Yi, as you have said you will agree along to my decision. Henceforth, I would not change my mind to cancel the engagement and that is my final answer."
The woman lifted her head and stared at Mu Ling with teary eyes. Trying to hold back her tears, she hiccuped, "Young Master Mu, if that is what you want then I will comply to your decision."
Yi Lei Fang abruptly began to laugh wickedly inside her head. Since Yi Mei wants to be with Mu Ling so badly, why not give her a hand?
Yi Lei Fang masked her thoughts with a panicked face and hurriedly interjected, "But… if the engagement is called off then what would happen with the alliance between the Yong and Miao clan?"
Everyone went silent as they pondered on what other solutions will benefit each other to keep the alliance between the two clans. Then a loud gasp broke the silence.
Everyone turned to Yi Lei Fang, her hands covering her mouth as she had an incredulous look. Madame Yu worriedly ask her daughter once she spotted tears running down her cheeks. "Fang'er, what's wrong!?"
Yi Lei Fang pitifully took a small glimpse at her parents. "Fu qin, Mu qin, I… I know a solution that will keep our alliance… but—but I don't know if it is alright for this unfilial daughter to voice out her mind." She timidly requested.
"Silly child, go ahead and say what you want," Chief Yi Yang gently responded.
Yi Lei Fang appeared to be hesitant but at the same time, determined. She took a bit of time to get enough confidence before voicing out her thoughts. "Yi Lei Fang thinks the only solution to solve this alliance is for Young Master Mu to marry… a Yi daughter."
Everyone in the hall wore an awkward expression. But the indifferent Guan Yu leisurely sipped his tea and watched the show before him. Who knows what he is thinking?
Yi Mei gazes at Yi Lei Fang with a sympathetic look, "Tang jie, Young Master Mu already called the engagement off and you already agreed to it, so please don't make it difficult for bo fu and bo mu."
Yi Lei Fang used her sleeves to dab away her tears. She gazes at Yi Mei with an expression of hurt. "Tang mei, I… I know that the engagement is cancelled but you don't have to-" She abruptly hiccuped and kept crying before whimpering out, "-rub the salt onto my wounds."
The guests couldn't help but watch with pity as more tears ran down the woman's face. "The Yi daughter I was talking about is you."
Yi Cheng and Yi Xing-fu were glaring daggers at Yi Mei as if they wanted to skin her alive for reminding their meimei about her engagement being called off, and for making their meimei cry even more.
The two brothers weren't stupid as they already knew about Yi Mei's jealousy and hatred towards their meimei. They have witnessed the glaring eyes Yi Mei has been throwing at Yi Lei Fang since they were little.
Yi Mei face turned green and then white. "Tang Jie, that… this cousin would not dare to replace you." But the flashes of excitement in her eyes betrayed her words.
While Yi Lei Fang dabbed her tears, she used her sleeve to block her evil grin. Then Yi Lei Fang showed her cousin a warm smile, expressing how Yi Lei Fang felt touched.
"Tang mei, don't worry. You won't replace me. The main wife position can only go to the Chief of the clan's first born daughter. But you are the daughter of fu qin's little brother, and the fact that my engagement is broken, you still have the chance to marry in as a concubine. Therefore, the main wife position will still be open. As long as you marry to Young Master Mu to keep the alliance strong between the Miao and Yong clan, then being a concubine will not matter, right?"
Of course, how could Yi Mei not understand Yi Lei Fang's meaning? Yi Lei Fang is reminding her about her place in the Yi family, making Yi Mei clench her fists in frustration.
Yes, Chief Uncle took her in after her parents were murdered by bandits. Even if she is the first daughter of Yi Jiao Jin, her status is still inferior to Yi Lei Fang. Even more, Yi Lei Fang cornered her to have no choice but to accept the concubine position in the marriage. If she refuses, then she will be the one who caused the war between the two clans and to be an unfilial niece. That means all her work of being a caring, gentle, and innocent girl will go to waste! Nonetheless, she does not want to be the concubine but the main wife of Mu Ling!
Yi Mei's fists trembled under her sleeves. Fine! If she cannot be the main wife then being the first concubine will not kill her. She can always work her way up even if she has to stained her hands with blood!
As she grew even more frustrated, Yi Lei Fang's lips curled into a malicious grin. She wants to take the place as a main wife? Ha! Then Yi Lei Fang will play with her even more!
*Tang jie - older female cousin
*Bo Fu - Uncle, father's older brother
*Bo Mu - Aunt, father's older brother's wife