Glory

Although she had fought back without suffering any loss in the end, it still left a bitter taste. So she devised a plan to leave the Li residence.

Back in her brothel days, she had already seen through men's true nature. After this incident, she understood even more clearly that someone like her should no longer harbor any expectations toward men.

Song Yifeng might have developed feelings for her, but seeing how he treated the Ye family and his former fiancée Cui Zijin made her completely disapprove of him. She saw through Song Yifeng's intentions as clearly as if looking in a mirror.

Song Yifeng merely wanted to gain both the woman and her wealth without paying any price.

If he didn't know her identity, he might consider taking her as a concubine; but knowing her past, the best outcome would be keeping her as a mistress outside the home. Given his previous poverty, current financial struggles, and the meager salary he would receive even if he became an official, she might still be supporting herself with her own money while he occasionally stayed overnight.

To him, this might be the greatest favor he could bestow upon her, but in Cui Zijin's eyes, this was essentially getting something for nothing.

She would have to be insane to entrust her future to such a man.

When Cui Zijin expressed this, her aunt Cui Mama thought it made sense and sighed, comforting her: "Once we leave this place and move to a southern town, we'll buy a house, start a small business, and find you an honest man who doesn't mind your background to marry and live a good life."

Cui Zijin nodded: "Alright."

With her beauty and skills, winning a man's heart wouldn't be difficult. Although she had long lost faith in men, two women living alone would be too difficult - they would face constant harassment from loafers, and neighboring women would see them as rivals.

So marriage was necessary. With careful selection, she could surely find a moderately suitable man.

When Song Yifeng returned home and explained everything to Yu Shi, she naturally held no goodwill toward Cui Zijin, the woman who had seduced her son.

However, given their desperate circumstances and her unwillingness to spend their limited funds, after weighing the pros and cons, she had no choice but to agree.

After all, her son had promised not to marry Cui Zijin.

So two days later, Cui Mama found a residence, and the four of them moved to a place far from their original home.

At the Ye residence, Ye Yaming was studying Jin Dynasty law when the second-class maid Ziyuan hurried in and reported: "Miss, your maternal grandfather has arrived."

Ye Yaming was momentarily puzzled before realizing Ziyuan meant Yin De'an.

News about Song Yifeng had spread throughout most of Lin'an City, and Yin De'an had apparently heard the rumors and come to the Ye family to investigate.

After some thought, Ye Yaming told Ziyuan: "Since the Old Master hasn't summoned me, it wouldn't be proper for me to go over. You go and find out what my grandfather said."

Ziyuan accepted the order and left.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she returned and reported: "Your grandfather asked our Old Master what had happened. The Old Master told him about Young Master Song coming to break off the engagement that day, and also described the scene when the engagement was terminated."

Mentioning Song Yifeng, she glanced up secretly at Ye Yaming, worried she might be saddened.

Seeing Ye Yaming's calm expression showing no particular emotion, she secretly sighed in relief and continued: "Your grandfather felt very ashamed and guilty after hearing this, repeatedly saying he had misjudged the man and apologizing to the Old Master." The Old Master said it wasn't his fault, as even he hadn't realized Song Yifeng was that kind of person."

Ye Yaming nodded.The scheme she devised to lure Song Yifeng into voluntarily proposing the dissolution of the engagement was partly to seize the initiative and partly to give an explanation to Yin De'an and Yin Shi.

If the Ye family took the initiative to break off the engagement, Yin De'an would certainly not accept it and would demand justice for his student. Yin Shi, too, would entertain all sorts of unfounded suspicions.

But now, with Song Yifeng proving ungrateful and being the first to propose ending the engagement, no matter how highly Yin De'an regarded him or how much he regretted the lost match, he couldn't utter a single word of reproach against the Ye family. All he could do was apologize and blame himself.

"Has my grandfather left?" she asked.

"Yes. After offering his apologies, the Old Master Yin left with a pained expression. He said he had rushed over immediately upon hearing the rumors at the private school, and his family didn't even know about it. Old Master Ye invited him to stay for a meal and suggested that the Madam and you, along with the Fourth Young Lady, go out to greet him and have a chat, but he refused and left directly."

"Very well." Ye Yaming picked up her book again, her gaze falling on the pages as she instructed, "Inform me when the Madam summons me."

"Yes."

Ziyuan withdrew quietly.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before Yin Shi sent someone to summon Ye Yaming, saying she wanted to take her back to her maiden home for a visit.

Ye Yaming frowned and was about to rise when Mei'er, the chief maid from Old Madam Ye's quarters, entered. She bowed to Ye Yaming and said, "When the Madam went to request permission from Old Madam Ye, she was told to return to her maiden home alone and not to bring the Young Lady. Worried that a junior maid might not explain it clearly, Old Madam Ye sent me to inform you personally."

Ye Yaming's slightly furrowed brow relaxed.

It wasn't that she feared facing the Yin family. After all, as the victim in the broken engagement, no one would blame her no matter where she went.

But she truly had no patience for putting on an act. Pretending to be heartbroken and distressed while having to listen to words of comfort or condemnations of Song Yifeng was neither comfortable nor meaningful to her.

Although the matter of Song Yifeng had been entirely handed over to Ye Yaming to handle, Ye Chongming and Old Madam Ye were still uneasy. Though they refrained from inquiring daily, they had instructed Zhou Xiang to report any new developments regarding Song Yifeng.

Thus, on the evening of the day Song Yifeng moved, Zhou Xiang reported the matter to the elderly couple.

The disdain and ostracism Song Yifeng faced at the prefectural school, as well as the gossip the Song mother and son endured in the alley, had already been reported to the elderly couple by Zhou Xiang two days prior.

Now, hearing that Song Yifeng and his mother had moved and were living with Ziyuan and her nephew, Ye Chongming and Old Madam Ye knew that the next step of Ye Yaming's plan had begun.

Both of them were kind-hearted people, and Old Madam Ye, being a woman, was even softer-hearted than Ye Chongming.

She said to Ye Chongming, "Now that the Song family has lost their wealth and Song Yifeng's reputation is in tatters at the prefectural school, isn't this punishment enough? Official Wang has already expressed his disdain for Song Yifeng. Using women to further ruin his reputation doesn't seem to serve much purpose, does it?" After all, when it came to romantic affairs, men tended to understand and excuse each other, not considering it a serious matter.

Besides, Song Yifeng was merely an ingrate—he hadn't committed any truly heinous acts. With his reputation already ruined among officials and scholars, the punishment was sufficient. There was no need to drive him to utter despair.

In his heart, Ye Chongming also felt it was enough.

But he deeply admired and adored his granddaughter Ye Yaming and wouldn't tolerate anyone speaking ill of her, even if it was his own wife.