A few days later, Zhiben Hall's ancestral hall was restored. On an auspicious day, Wei Qi held the worship ceremony in Zhiben Hall with his "sick body" and then continued to be "sick."

Half a month later, His Majesty's permission of Wei Qi's retirement also came to Fengzhou.

The news was that after Wei Qi's retirement, the Royal Court would make his lineal second son inherit his position in line with the routines, showing the preferential treatment. Besides, there was another two good news for Ruiyu Hall: first, the vice-premier candidate Wei Yu recommended by Wei Qi was probably adopted; the second was related to Song Zaishui.

During the period of rebuilding the ancestral hall, Wei Huan had proposed that Wei Yu should serve as vice-premier, which was then consulted with Wei Qi repeatedly. It also served as the balance point between Ruiyu Hall and Zhiben Hall.

His Majesty had a good impression of Wei Huan and Wei Qi. Wei Qi said, “I have been old. I returned home to repair the ancestral hall. The journey was torturing, and I was ashamed to disturb the ancestors in the hall. So I have been sick since I arrived in Fengzhou. I would like to retire." His Majesty felt very sorry for him. Wei Yu, who was always upright, wasn’t appreciated by His Majesty. But according to Wei Qi's recommendation, the loyal messenger said that His Majesty had decided to promote Wei Yu before he left.

This matter had little to do with the rear courtyard.

Wei Changying dismissed it because the grandfather would worry about it. What she cared about was, of course, Song Zaishui.

Wei Changying and her brothers once sent Song Zaishui out of the city for 30 miles. She had been eagerly looking forward to the news along the way that whether the marriage would be canceled and whether the Deng family was credible or not. But after the assassination on the way back, a series of things had diverted her attention from Song Zaishui.

Unexpectedly, this time the loyal messenger happened to bring the news.

The result was neither good nor bad.

If it was bad news, Song Zaishui could finally break off the engagement.

If it was good, the engagement was broken off because Song Zaishui's forehead had been scratched. On the eve before she came back to the capital city, her carriage plunged into a roadside ditch because the horses suddenly got crazy. Song Zaishui had a fall on the carriage, and the hairpin of a maidservant scratched her forehead.

Since these days, the Song Family and the palace had been secretly asking for medicine and treatment. Not long ago, the scabs of the wound fell, and the traces exposed were distinct. The doctor was helpless.

The Eastern Palace had reached 20 years old, two years older than Song Zaishui.

In addition, among the small infantas of the Eastern Palace, the eldest one was five years old. Although there were female officers in the palace, and the Empress could also teach them, His Majesty thought that Crown Princess should marry into the palace now.

But the Crown Princess, who had already been settled, hurt her appearance at this time. So Honored Consort Deng said, "Three years ago, someone said to His Majesty that the fate of Crown Princess was not suitable for His Royal Highness. His Majesty was suspicious and postponed the marriage because you loved His Royal Highness. Now it seems that His Majesty is absolutely right!”

According to the Song Family's agreement when taking the gold-inlaid Ruyi jade, Song Zaishui was about to marry into the palace when she turned fifteen. However, Song Zaishui hadn't been asked to get married in the capital until the beginning of the year when she was eighteen. Because on the eve when Song Zaishui turned fifteen and Royalty were about to prepare for the wedding, the palace was on fire. Although the fire didn't burn anything critical because of the timely rescue, it ignited one of His Majesty's favorite pavilions.

His Majesty became infuriated and dispatched people to investigate it. Someone had found a diviner, who said the fire was related to Song Zaishui, whose fate was unmatchable with that of the Crown Prince. His Majesty was dubious and postponed the marriage after deep consideration.

Now, however, three years later, when Song Zaishui was about to marry into the Royalty, she was in trouble!

After two incidents, His Majesty was even more dubious because he had some faith in fate. After hearing the words of Honored Consort Deng, he felt that there were many young ladies who could be the Crown Princess in the country, so there was no need to marry Miss Song. Then, His Majesty decided to let the Song Family return the gold-inlaid Ruyi Jade to the Royalty on the grounds that their fate was not suitable.

Although Song Zaishui was free from the title of the quasi-Crown Princess, she was still very embarrassed in the capital.

Originally, she was already eighteen years old, and her marriage was just around the corner. Now that she had broken off the engagement, there was no doubt that her future marriage would be even more troublesome than that of Wei Changying.

Although the Royalty took the initiative to reclaim the gold-inlaid Ruyi Jade, she used to be the quasi-Crown Princess. The heir of the Gentlefolks and the aristocratic family were probably entitled to official positions, so were their wives, who would have to pay their respects in the palace or to attend a feast. If Song Zaishui, the quasi-Crown Princess, entered the palace as a wife of a courtier, it would be very embarrassing.

There would be not only embarrassment. According to Honored Consort Deng, inauspicious things would happen as soon as Song Zaishui was related to the Royalty. For example, His Majesty's favorite pavilion was burnt down because of her.

Therefore, His Majesty made a statement that her fate was incompatible with the Crown Prince. In fact, he meant to make her stay away from Royalty.

So Song Zaishui would have to marry into somewhere afar, and particularly, she should marry someone that would not be easily transferred back to the capital.

Besides, Song Zaishui was eighteen years old. Not to mention that the man of this age had been engaged or married; even the teenagers who looked forward to making achievements and vitalizing the family would not be willing to get away from the capital after marrying Song Zaishui.

Moreover, Song Zaishui's beauty had been ruined!

Wei Changying sighed when she knew it, "What should she do in the future?"

Old Madam Song also felt sorry for the grandniece who was beautiful and talented, but when hearing her granddaughter saying that, she comforted her, "Fortunately, the child had her idea. She doesn't want to marry into the Eastern Palace. Now she was free. Even if she marries into a lower family, she will not care about it. The most important thing of life is to be happy."

"The cousin said that as long as she didn't marry into the Eastern Palace, she would be satisfied if she married lower," Wei Changying frowned and said, "It's just that the cousin is eighteen years old. Besides, she has ruined her face…."

"She is a little old," Old Madam Song comforted her, "But for a talented person like Zaishui, someone will adore her even she is eighteen. But His Majesty doesn't like her to appear in the capital, so the ambitious man may not be willing to give up the future for her," she continued, "It's not the face, it's the forehead. I don't know how the scars are. If the wound is not too serious, she could cover it up."

Wei Changying said distressedly, "Why didn't I come up with a good idea that could help her break off the engagement but not delay her future marriage?"

Old Madam Song couldn't help but laugh, pointed to her forehead, and said, "Who said that as long as the engagement was broken off, everything would be all right? Several days later, how could you be so greedy to require more benefits?"

Wei Changying refused to recognize, "Oh, there is such a person? So greedy! Who he is?"

"Yeah, who?" Old Madam Song said in a pampering tone, "Let me guess. This person is wearing a green narrow-sleeved shirt and a yellow pleated fairy skirt, with a hibiscus flower on her head!"

This was the dressing of Wei Changying. The hibiscus flower was put on by Old Madam Song. Since Wei Changying wore fewer bead flowers today, Old Madam Son pinched the flower out of the silver bottle and put it on her hair. Hearing that, Wei Changying became mischievous and shouted and shook in Old Madam Song's arms. They got entangled for a while before Old Madam Song laughed for mercy.

They sat down and made their appearance tidy. Old Madam Song said back to the topic, "This matter has already been settled, and the marriage in the future can only be taken one step at a time. The girls of our family have at least one benefit, that is, the dowry will always be essential. If there is someone of the gentry families, who is poor but talented, maybe there will be a good marriage."

Wei Changying understood. Her cousin was smart and considerable, but because she once engaged with the Eastern Palace, now she had to break off the engagement at the cost of damaging her appearance and bearing the rumors that His Majesty hated her.

And her future marriage was unpredictable.

Thinking of that, she was despondent and silent for a while, saying, "I made an appointment with her to reunite in the capital. Now His Majesty doesn't like the cousin, I wonder whether she will return to Jiangnan. Even if she does, I’m afraid that she will not come to our home because of her ruined face. Then after I get married, maybe I won’t see her anymore... I don’t know whether I can meet her again in the future."

Wei Changying was a little sullen and said, "I really want to come to the capital quickly to take a look at my cousin."

Only when the words fell, she heard Old Madam Song laughing aloud.

Wei Changying looked at her confusedly. After Old Madam Song laughed for a long while, she wiped her eyes and said, "Good girl, you can say so to me in this room. Don’t be so stupid to tell it out when you are outside!"

"What!" Wei Changying was stunned for a while and then came to understand. She could go to the capital only when she got married. So the implied meaning of her words was that she was anxious to marry. She blushed suddenly, jumped angrily, and shouted, "Grandmother, you are the worst! I don't mean that! Just worry about my cousin and want to see her! Grandmother, you like to talk nonsense!"

Then, she got out of the room hurriedly. Behind spread the voice of Old Madam Song, "Ah, you are afraid that people will talk about you like that! But your words are misleading, isn't it? Then, if I am talking nonsense, why are you running so fast?"

"Ah!" Wei Changying shouted, raised her sleeves to cover her face, and stamped aloud with her clogs, "Grandma has bullied me! I won't talk with grandma!"

Old Madam Song smiled and said, "Good girl, you'd better come in and talk to me! When you go to the capital, I can't hear your voice!"

Hearing that, Wei Changying's blush slightly diminished, but she suddenly felt grieved. After a moment, she pouted and walked back again, "Okay, but grandma mustn't laugh at me anymore!"

Old Madam Song looked at her lovingly and said softly, "Never! Never! I will not mention other people except you. Let's talk about the things happened to you and Changfeng when you were young. You were so little then, but in a flash, you are taller than me…."

In the soft voice of Old Madam, a beautiful girl tilted her head, supported her cheek, and listened intently. Sometimes, she pouted or stamped mischievously... In the old memories, the time was slow.

Soundless and stirless.