Jun Jiuling

er, and there were even two madams coming to meet them.

But they were only two and dressed in a similar ordinary, luxurious style.
Which of them was the Eldest Madam?

{A certain type of owner would have a certain type of servant.
Truly vulgar and disrespectful.}

The Ning Family madams’ eyes glinted with contempt.

“If you have a problem, then you can tell it to us,” said Third Madam Ning.

The young servant girl was about to say something when Miss Jun raised a hand to stop her.

“Okay.” She stood to greet them, while stroking the white silk on the table.

Third Madam Ning and Fourth madam Ning’s brows furrowed.

{She wants to threaten us.}

“Young Miss Jun, we have already made the matter of the betrothal clear.
Your maternal family was also very understanding.
As outsiders, you would not listen to our words.
Go back and ask them, they are your relatives,” said Fourth Madam Ning.

“I am very clear on what you said; I do not need to make any inquiries,” said Miss Jun.
She shook out the white silk on the table that had been originally covering a piece of paper.
“Since we are all very clear on the topic, then we should talk over how to resolve the matter.”

She passed over the paper.

What was this?

Third Madam Ning and Fourth Madam Ning looked at the thin paper.
When they saw the words on it clearly, they were immediately dumbstruck.

A marriage contract!

Third Madam Ning snatched it up, examining it incredulously.

It was a marriage contract with the names of three generations; and marriage relatives’ five grades of mourning clothes, their lands, and their government positions[1] written clearly.

For such a marriage contract to have been written, it could not have been just a slip of a tongue like Eldest Madam Ning had said previously.

Old Master Ning had truly written this marriage contract, seriously agreeing for the two families to become in-laws.
At least, it was genuine and sincere at the time.
But it was unknown when afterwards he had reneged on the deal and sealed his lips,, since Old Master Ning had already passed away.

How come she did not bring out the marriage contract before?

Without a marriage contract, the Fang Family and Miss Jun were just fine.
Whether both parties lived or died could not put any pressure on the other.
However, if there was a marriage contract and Miss Jun genuinely committed suicide, their Ning Family would be troubled.

This, as expected, was a threat.
Third Madam Ning and Fourth Madam Ning exchanged glances.

“Miss Jun, it is not that we do not believe in your marriage contract,” started Fourth Madam Ning.
“It’s just that our family’s Old Master has never brought out this contract and did not mention this betrothal in the last ten years.”

“If you don’t know why you haven’t seen it, then that’s your problem.
It’s unrelated to me,” Miss Jun said while looking at the Fourth Madam Ning.
The girl’s voice was yet soft, without a single undulation in excitement.
It was like her emotions were flat, without waves.

This did not match Ning Yunyan’s description of an unruly, aggressive Miss Jun.

She had been in Yancheng for half a year and had not directly taken out the marriage contract.
Instead, she had been flamboyantly spreading the news, so that everyone knew of it.
Bringing out the marriage contract now would not make it easy for the Ning Family to cover up the matter.

Her conduct was actually planned out so well.

Fourth Madam Ning wanted to say something, but Third Madam Ning stopped her.
She sized up Miss Jun and smiled.

“Young Miss Jun, do you know what it means to marry? Marriage is marriage, not starting a feud[2],” she said.
“Sometimes things can be accomplished by taking a particular action, but other times it cannot.
At times, even if you manage to fulfill your wish, you might still end up being sad for the rest of your life.”

{You might use a thousand different plans to marry into the Ning Family, but if your husband is not happy, your parents-in-law hate you, even if you take the position of the first wife, how could your days be happy? What’s more, there are many ways to take the position of the first wife.}

Third Madam Ning was from Cang Prefecture.
Her ancestor had started out as a bodyguard, but just like the Ning Family, now her family were not simply a merchant family.
The descendants of her ancestor had also studied well and became government officials.
However, they always operated the bodyguard business.
Third Madam Ning’s father was responsible for bodyguard business, so the children of the family also had some training in martial arts as well as scholarly pursuits.

Third Madam Ning had not learned much, but her temper was different from the typical noble girl.
She was much more tyrannical.

If you enter the gates of our family, then we will make your life worse than death.

These words were, no doubt, a naked threat.

“Young Miss Jun, one must be self-aware.
You are not suited to become a daughter-in-law of our Ning Family.” Fourth Madam Ning, who had come from a scholarly family, did not try to intimidate her but spoke clearly.

The girl before them, who had lost her parents and had no choice but to rely on her maternal family, was neither angry nor scared.
Rather, she smiled.

“Since it is like that, then how do you plan to take back this marriage contract, and make me back off the betrothal?” she asked.

Note 1: The family background is not meant to vilify the Chen Family[3].
It is just blatant plagiarism, I apologize.
[Author]

[1] The names of three generations; and marriage relatives’ five grades of mourning clothes, their lands, and their government position were an essential part of an ancient Chinese marriage contract.

[2] In Chinese, marriage and starting a feud sound similar.

[3] The Chen Family and Chen Tingjing are famous for their scholarly pursuits.
The Ning’s family background is almost identical to the Chen Family’s.