"Naturally, it’s to propose marriage to Miss Jiang!"
Lady Sun looked as if it was only right and proper, her expression filled with an undisguised disdain.
As if to say:
Your young lady’s reputation is so poor, I’m willing to propose marriage and already giving you face, yet you still hesitate to agree?
Although Madam Shi couldn’t understand what she was saying, she was somewhat annoyed.
"I don’t know what you’ve heard outside, but coming empty-handed like this isn’t proper!"
After speaking, she scrutinized Lady Sun from head to toe, her gaze equally sarcastic.
"Moreover, when did I ever hint that I wanted an alliance with your family?"
Lady Sun suddenly sneered.
"Oh! What’s this about?"
"Madam Shi, don’t blame me for speaking harshly! Your young lady’s reputation is already that bad, if she doesn’t marry my son, who else could she marry?"
Madam Shi was shocked.
"What about her reputation? You tell me, how has Wanrong’s reputation been tarnished?"
Lady Sun was not one to hold back and immediately dropped all decorum.
"Now everyone in the streets knows that your Miss Jiang is already my son Liangliang’s woman!"
"As a mother-in-law, I’m willing to come propose marriage to give your family face!"
"In fact, according to my family’s matriarch, a woman who lacks virtue wouldn’t even be given the position of a legitimate wife!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Shi was furious, but she managed to compose herself. Her voice trembled with agitation.
"Nonsense!"
"Wanrong is a well-bred, unmarried woman from a reputable family. How could she already be a part of your family?"
"What evidence do you have to say such things? Or could it be... these rumors were spread by your Lv family?"
She didn’t even bother to address them as the Fuguo Duke’s Mansion anymore, directly calling them the Lv family, indicating Madam Shi’s anger.
In her heart, a family that used such despicable means did not deserve to be addressed as the ’Fuguo Duke’s Mansion’.
She even felt that this family lacked the virtue to deserve their status!
Lady Sun was somewhat complacent.
"Who spread the rumors isn’t important; what’s important are the facts!"
"If Madam Shi doesn’t believe it, you can find out for yourself outside, why waste your anger on me?"
"We’re both the same kind of people; how could I be at fault!"
As she spoke, she fiddled with an exquisite sachet.
The sharp-eyed Madam Shi instantly recognized it as the fish-shaped green sachet that Wanrong had worn on her belt that night.
How did this item end up in Lady Sun’s hands?
She began to waver but still sneered.
"How are you at fault? You’ve believed the rumors and sullied my niece’s reputation, so tell me how are you not at fault?"
Seeing her stance strong, Lady Sun didn’t want to say more, and she put away the sachet and stood up.
"It seems Madam Shi hasn’t grasped the situation, never mind, I won’t argue with you!"
"In any case, I’ve proposed; remember to send over Miss Jiang’s birth details later... I’m leaving!"
After speaking, she led her maidservant out in a huff.
Leaving only Madam Shi in shock.
In her haste, she quickly sent someone outside to gather information.
The maidservants around her were puzzled, for the Madam had never shown interest in outside matters before; why suddenly now...
But everyone still followed instructions, quickly going out to gather information.
Upon returning, they reported everything they had heard to Madam Shi.
"It is indeed being said throughout the Capital City that the young lady is already Lv Zhaoliang’s woman!"
"Even the details of the supposed secret tryst between the young lady and Lv Zhaoliang on the night of the Qiqiao Festival are explicitly detailed, down to actions and looks, almost enough to compile into a storybook!"
The truth of these claims aside, just hearing such things for the first time left Madam Shi beside herself with rage.
"What is going on?"
Remembering the Qiqiao Festival, Wanrong indeed went out alone and inexplicably got separated from the servants.
But she clearly said she got lost and it was Lingling who passed by and found her, bringing her back!
How could all this rise from that?
She was aware of Wanrong; initially, she had feelings for Lingling, but now those feelings were entirely dispelled. She was just a well-behaved young girl.
On the night of the Qiqiao Festival, even if she was interested in someone, it absolutely couldn’t have been Lv Zhaoliang.
So where did this scandalous claim of a tryst come from?
More critically, how did that fish-shaped sachet end up in Lady Sun’s possession?
The only explanation is...
Madam Shi summoned Jiang Wanrong, dismissed the servant and sat on the main seat, watching her with a serious expression.
"Wanrong, do you know why your aunt called you here today?"
Jiang Wanrong was clueless and frightened, shaking her head repeatedly.
Madam Shi’s gaze fell on her waist, where that sachet was frequently worn, yet today it wasn’t there.