CH 67

Chapter 67: Breaking Off the Engagement

Due to Xiao Susu’s sudden awakening, the Xiao residence which had been very silent for many years became lively again.

Although Xiao Susu had been intellectually disabled this entire time, her living quarters were extremely luxurious. These past years, Old Madame Xiao has always given Xiao Susu the best of the everything, regardless of whether it was in regards to her daily necessities or her living quarters.

Her courtyard was the largest courtyard of the Xiao residence, Faith Lotus Courtyard, and it was even the central building of the residence.

It was right next to Old Madame Xiao’s courtyard.

Old Madame Xiao would come to take a look at her every single day. Even if she was just sitting there blankly and staring into space, Old Madame Xiao would still sit down and talk to her for a while. Now that she had woken up, Old Madame Xiao practically spent the entire day with her and would leave very reluctantly.

She still had the same habit of talking to Xiao Susu.

However, she discovered that this granddaughter of hers could actually understand poetry and the four arts of qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Xiao Susu was able to follow up with everything she said.

“Susu… You heard everything that grandma said to you these past years?” Old Madame Xiao suddenly grabbed Xiao Susu’s hands, her expression very moved.

In reality, Xiao Susu was just trying to show her talents to the old madam. She wanted to allow herself to stand out.

She no longer wanted to hide behind others like in the past.

When she heard what Old Madame Xiao said, she was nervous but she still nodded with a smile. This madam had even found an excuse for her. “Yes, Grandma. These past years, Susu just didn’t want to face reality. Everything… Susu was actually aware…”

She had heard about the Xiao residence’s situation from the servants so she wasn’t worried about slipping up.

After all, this body truly did belong to the Xiao family’s granddaughter.

When Old Madame Xiao heard this, she pulled Xiao Susu into her arms as tears streamed down her face. “I just knew that Nuanxin was protecting us even from the grave. I knew that you’d wake up one day…”

Xiao Susu’s heart warmed in the presence of this benevolent madame and the loneliness that once filled her heart vanished without a trace. She could finally enjoy the warmth of family.

Although Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhu were very hostile towards her, they didn’t dare to exhibit it and were very friendly on the surface. This was something that she had never been able to enjoy in the Su residence.

At that time, they couldn’t even bother to give her fake affection.

But on the whole, the Xiao residence was a very warm family.

Xiao Susu was also immersed within it.

“Old Madame, people from Unyielding Clouds Nation have come.” While Old Madame Xiao and Xiao Susu were in the middle of chatting, the manager came in and said this with a serious expression.

Unyielding Clouds Nation and Hundred Flowers Nation were neighbors and have had a friendly relationship for the past hundred years.

This place belonged to the south boundary.

Meanwhile, great Yan belonged to the north desert.

The Lei Clan Stronghold was the border between the north and the south.

The north desert was united by the Mo clan of great Yan while the south boundary was divided into three nations: Hundred Flowers Nation, Unyielding Clouds Nation, and Serene Chaste Nation.

Hundred Flowers Nation, Unyielding Clouds Nation, and Serene Chaste Nation stood side by side and were relatively matched in power. However, above those three nations was Lunar Waters Palace. The High Priest of Lunar Waters Palace was the one that possessed true control of the south boundary.

This High Priest was elected and changed every ten years. The three nations took turns sending over candidates for the priests to choose from.

They had a lot of power and could destroy the entire south boundary with just a sentence.

However, their power was something that the three nations delegated to them.

At the same time, Lunar Waters Palace possessed a lunar yin yang bow that was capable of crushing the three nations.

However, in the past hundred thousand years, no one had been able to pull the bow, so the mysteriousness of Lunar Waters Palace gradually faded away. Their power was also steadily being weakened.

The balance between the three nations was gradually changing.

Hundred Flowers Nation and Unyielding Clouds Nation had signed a treaty of amity for a hundred years with the condition that the two nations were joined by marriage.

Back then, what was arranged was that the third miss of the Xiao family would become the bride of the ninth prince of Unyielding Clouds Nation, but the third miss had a strong personality and disobeyed the female emperor’s imperial decree. She instead, by force, became the wife of the Li family’s main son.

Back then, the Li family was just as strong as the Xiao family. Because the two families were working together, the emperor didn’t dare to punish them by decree.

After Third Miss Xiao gave birth to a girl, she passed away. The son of the Li family died even more tragically and since then, the Li family and the Xiao family declined by the day. The emperor then took advantage of this time to give another decree and named Miss Xiao’s newborn child the candidate bride of Unyielding Clouds Nation’s ninth prince.

At that time, the Xiao family no longer had the power to resist this.

As of now, Xiao Susu was nearing a marriageable age and the day of the treaty marriage was drawing near.

Now that people of Unyielding Clouds Nation have come, the Xiao residence was naturally filled with worry.

Xiao Susu was naturally aware of this and at this time, got up as well. She turned to the manager and said, “I have yet to reach marriageable age.”

She hadn’t thought about marrying yet.

She was reluctant to leave this place.

Old Madame Xiao pressed down on Xiao Susu’s shoulders comfortingly. “Child, don’t worry. Let Grandma go see them first.”

If it was a blessing, then it wasn’t a calamity. But if it was a calamity, then it couldn’t be avoided in any case. Old Madame Xiao had already experienced many trials and hardships, so she faced the world in a very detached manner and was forever calm.

When Xiao Susu sensed the strength coming from the hands on her shoulders, she calmed down as well. In her past lifetime, she had always forced herself to be unperturbed and accept everything.

But now, due to her environment and the people around her, she lost that unperturbed manner.

She only slowly walked back to her room once Old Madame Xiao vanished from sight.

The coldness in her eyes once again surfaced. In the end, her personality was still cold.

In the main hall.

The ninth prince of Unyielding Clouds Nation, Baili Mo, was sitting in the very center. When Old Madame Xiao walked in, he got up and saluted her politely. His slim face and sharp facial features gave him a baleful air.

“Greetings, Old Madame Xiao.”

Old Madame Xiao had her chin lifted slightly and gave a faint smile. “Ninth Prince is being too polite.”

Then she sat down at the seat of honor.

The Ninth Prince’s attendant, Nangong Mo, took a long look at Old Madame Xiao, seeming displeased.

However, the Ninth Prince sent him a look and indicated for him not to be rash.

“May I ask why Ninth Prince has come all the way here from so far away? Could there be some urgent matter?” Old Madame Xiao got straight to the point. ever since Xiao Nuanxin had rejected the marriage back then, the Xiao family hadn’t been able to keep their head up in front of the imperial household of Unyielding Clouds Nation.

With the emperor’s pressure added on, the Xiao family was in complete decline.

However, Old Madame Xiao possessed a massive military force. She controlled nearly over half of Hundred Flowers Nation’s military power, which was why Hundred Flowers Nation’s imperial family didn’t dare to provoke her.

The Ninth Prince was aware that Old Madame Xiao’s manner of dealing with things has always been swift and decisive and she didn’t like to beat about the bush, so he took the dragon jade pendant from his guard’s hand and got up. He took a few steps forward, then lowered his head slightly, “This one has heard that the Xiao family is unhappy with the treaty marriage between the two nations. We, Unyielding Clouds Nation, naturally wouldn’t force people. I’ve come today to break off this engagement. My imperial father has already agreed to this as well.”

This carved dragon pendant was the item that the Xiao family had given as the engagement token back then.

Now it was being returned, that was practically slapping the Xiao family’s face.

Old Madame Xiao’s facial color also darkened. She was aware that this Ninth Prince held a grudge against the Xiao family for rejecting the marriage back then. And now, the news that Xiao Susu was once dumb had probably spread to Unyielding Clouds Nation.

If it had been ten days earlier, she probably would’ve reacted with rage. However, now, her expression only darkened slightly.

Xiao Susu hadn’t been able to force down her unease and had decided to come take a look at the ninth prince.

The moment she walked into the hall, she heard what he said.

The unease in her heart instantly vanished. She quickly walked forward while pulling down the carved phoenix jade pendant from her waist, then she offered it with both hands to display the most basic respect. “Since the ninth prince has already said this, Grandma, our Xiao family also has nothing to say. This is the token that Unyielding Clouds Nation had given this girl back then. This girl now returns it with thanks.”