Su Rong was awakened by a suppressed sob.
She opened her eyes and rubbed her forehead. A sharp pain shot through, and only then did she remember that she had bumped her head. Judging from the pain, it was obviously yet to be treated.
She put her hand down, struggled to sit up, and shouted through the broken door and window, "Yuewan, come in."
Startled, Yuewan ceased crying immediately, wiping her tear-streaked face and walking through the door. Her eyes were red and watery, echoing pathetic sadness, "Miss, are you awake?"
"Why are you crying? I just bumped my head a little, didn't I? Your young lady here is lucky and hearty, even without medical treatment, I won't die."
Unable to hold back her tears, Yuewan let them flow anew, "No, that's not it."
"Then what is it?"
Yuewan, wiping her tears with her sleeve, choked out with difficulty, "Rumors are spreading that a major incident occurred in the Capital City! The Duke Residence's Young Master, and the Prince from the Rui'an King's Residence fought over a woman in public. How could Young Master Zhou fight over a woman?"
Su Rong was astonished, "So, he fought. Why are you crying? How does that affect you?"
Yuewan choked, her fists clenched in anger, "Miss, Young Master Zhou is your betrothed."
Su Rong: "....."
Oh, she remembered. She had a fiancé, the Young Master of the Duke Residence, Zhou Gu. Her mother had mysteriously arranged this before she passed and never explained why.
She, a humble girl from the Governor's Residence of Jiangning County, was engaged to the legitimate young master of the prestigious Duke's Residence. When her mother had mentioned the engagement, she'd been shocked for the span of a cup of tea's preparation time. By the time she recovered and wished to inquire further, her mother had already passed away.
She coughed, and asked curiously, "Did he manage to snatch the woman?"
Yuewan's face fell, "He did."
Su Rong sighed with relief, "Well, that's good. If he couldn't even win over a woman, he would be too useless."
Yuewan, with wide eyes and a shocked face, stared at Su Rong, "Miss! Are you out of your mind? That's your betrothed! If he is behaving so scandalously before you are even married, and word gets around, what will happen when you marry…"
"Do you think this marriage will go through?" Su Rong cut her off.
Yuewan was instantly silenced.
Su Rong gestured to her, "Help me up. We need to fetch a doctor for this injury. If my face is ruined, that would truly doom me to spinsterhood."
Yuewan snapped to attention, promptly assisting Su Rong while lamenting, "The lady of the house said that we have already sent for Master Guang three times this month. If you keep spending this much money on doctors, the entire household savings will be empty. She said that since you're not even going to marry into the Zhou family, and you're destined to be someone's concubine, it's better to just let the injury be. If your face is ruined, maybe you could even become a principal wife."
Standing in front of a damaged mirror, Su Rong took in her ghastly wound. "That won't do. My face is my saving grace. How could I not treat it? Even if I don't marry Zhou Gu, I should still be able to marry a scholar, shouldn't I?"
Yuewan lamented, "There are countless scholars who sell their wives for glory."
Speechless, Su Rong patted Yuewan on the forehead, "You've been reading too many stories. Why do you hold such prejudice against scholars?"
Yuewan, her eyes teary, replied, "You've been unconscious for half a day. I pleaded with the lady of the house for a long while, but she persistently refused to agree."
"What about my father? He cares the most about my face."
"The master is out on official business and is only expected back in three days."
Su Rong stomped her foot, "Let's go, I am going to find the lady of the house."
Enduring her dizziness, she walked out of the decrepit courtyard. It took her the time of two incense sticks burning to finally reach the lady of the house's quarters.
At that moment, the lady of the house's quarters were brimming with laughter.
The sounds made Su Rong's teeth ache. Standing at the entrance, she called, "Mother."
The room instantly fell silent.
Satisfied, Su Rong lifted the curtain and entered the room. In the middle sat the lady of the house, with five or six young girls seated around her. Their appearances were strikingly different from her own soiled clothes and unkempt appearance.
Upon seeing Su Rong, the girls wore expressionless faces.
Su Rong curtsied respectfully and without waiting for the lady of the house's response, stood up. Ignoring everyone else, she walked straight to the lady of the house, showcasing the wound on her forehead, "Mother, the Zhou family has not yet called off the wedding. Even if they want to call it off, and they see me with this face, they may consider the marriage contract and stand up for me. The Zhou's of the Duke Residence have quite the reputation, right? I heard they are so fierce they even dared hit the emperor with a golden scissor. Are you certain you don't want to treat my wound?"