Volume One, Chapter Eight: Hierarchies of Status and Rank

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Lady Dingyuan glanced at Song Shuyun’s face, which showed no trace of abnormality, and curled the corner of her mouth. She had expected the Song family to cause a scene today—crying, making a fuss, even threatening extreme measures—but it had all passed so quietly?

Quickly, she exchanged the betrothal notice of Song Shuyun and Lin Shaoxuan with Lady Xiao, then returned the engagement letter. She said to Lady Xiao, “Actually, this is for the best. The betrothal between the Song and Lin families was never well regarded in the capital. There were even baseless rumors to tarnish the Song family’s name. Now that the engagement is called off, it clears your name.”

Song Shuning lowered her eyes and curled her lips. Wasn’t this a thinly veiled jab at their family for reaching too high by aiming for the Dingyuan Marquis’s household?

“You are right, Madam,” Song Shuyun smiled and stepped forward to look at Lady Dingyuan, speaking slowly and clearly. “But our Song family is pure and upright; a person with integrity fears no shadow. We care little for what outsiders say.”

“Yun’er,” Lady Xiao tugged at Song Shuyun, then glanced at the slightly changed expression on Lady Dingyuan’s face and said, “Since the engagement between the two families is called off, we won’t see Madam out.”

Lady Dingyuan shot Lady Xiao a look. “Indeed, I still have to accompany the bride to the Minister of Personnel’s mansion.”

Song Shuning couldn’t hold back and jabbed, “Just as the engagement was called off, you go immediately to propose another marriage? Isn’t that unlucky, Madam? Aren’t you afraid of bringing the bad luck of a broken engagement to the next match?”

Lady Dingyuan looked at Song Shuning. “You’re just a child. What nonsense are you talking?”

“The common folk care a lot about such things. Does the capital not?” Song Shuning pursed her lips. “Perhaps this country girl doesn’t understand the etiquette and customs of noble families. Please don’t take it to heart, Madam.”

She then bowed slightly to Lady Dingyuan. “Please, Madam, take care.”

Lady Dingyuan, fuming, flicked her handkerchief and strode away.

As soon as Lady Dingyuan left, Song Shuyun grabbed Song Shuning’s hand and scolded her, “You reckless girl, why speak so impulsively? Lady Dingyuan is not someone to be trifled with. If you make an enemy of her, who knows what trouble she might cause you later.”

Now that she had spent some time in the capital, Song Shuyun realized a woman’s reputation was far more important than her abilities.

Among these noble families, the ladies’ tea gatherings could easily decide a young woman’s reputation. If Lady Dingyuan casually spoke ill of Ning’er or their Song family, the sisters would find it impossible to establish themselves in the capital.

Song Shuning had only reacted out of dislike for Lady Dingyuan’s petty pride and hadn’t thought it through.

“The engagement is broken off now. Our family is led by a fifth-rank military officer; there’s no way we can step into their circles of power. Sister, you worry for nothing,” Song Shuning patted Song Shuyun’s hand to comfort her. “When we came to the capital, Master told me to study medicine well. I’ll go back to my books now.”

“Ning’er,” Song Shuyun held her sister’s hand and whispered, “Are you really determined to become a female doctor?”

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Being a healer was a good choice in their remote hometowns, and female doctors were welcomed, but in the capital, female doctors were seen as mere servants to nobles, despised by the elite.

Since the Song family had come to the capital, they could not slink back home in disgrace.

Song Shuning did not know what was on Song Shuyun’s mind, but whether it was her original self or her, medical skills were all she had. If not medicine, then what else could she learn?

Moreover, through medicine, she could connect with Shen Qiyuan, a powerful and influential villain. Why not take advantage of that?

“Of course,” Song Shuning looked up and smiled at Song Shuyun. “I want to become a female doctor.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being a physician,” Lady Xiao said, stepping in to separate the two sisters as Song Shuyun was about to lecture. She turned to Song Shuyun. “Look how popular Ning’er’s master was in the surrounding villages. Ning’er will surely be sought after as a doctor.”

Then she turned to Song Shuning. “Aren’t you supposed to study your medical books? Go back to your room and read. Your mother will call you for lunch.”

Song Shuning responded and left the main hall toward her room. Watching her leave, Song Shuyun furrowed her brow. “Mother, Ning’er is no longer a child. She should start thinking about her future. The capital isn’t the countryside.”

“Mother knows you’ve stayed in the capital longer and, because of the betrothal with the Dingyuan Marquis’s family, attended many gatherings of noble ladies. You’ve seen and thought a lot. But your sister only knows medicine,” Lady Xiao sighed. “I’ve been in the capital almost a year, and I’m still uneasy every day. Your sister just arrived a few days ago. If you ask her to give up medicine now, she might be scared off to run back to her master.”

Hearing this, Song Shuyun sighed deeply and rubbed her forehead. “I was too anxious.”

Yet in recent days, she had personally witnessed the clear social hierarchy in the capital and how they were looked down upon everywhere. The broken engagement was another example: although the Lin family was clearly at fault, they still arrogantly acted superior and didn’t even apologize!

She felt deeply wronged.

Why should the Song family be humiliated like this?

Song Shuning sat by the window in her room, flipping through her medical books but unable to concentrate. Thinking of everything she had endured since transmigrating, she sneered. Her lowly status meant she dared not speak out even when wronged, lest she cause her family more trouble.

She was determined to cure Shen Qiyuan’s poison and heal his body—only then could he guarantee their family’s steady rise!

Lin Shaoxuan, Lin Shaoyan, Jiang Qingya...

They must be laughing happily now.

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At the Jiang Residence.

Jiang Qingya was locked in her bedchamber. She neither struggled nor cried, instead sending her maid to gather rumors about today and whether the Lin family had come to break the engagement.

Though yesterday’s plans had not gone perfectly—they failed to hold a proper betrothal discussion with Lin Shaoxuan, and couldn’t ruin the Song sisters—they at least managed to force the Lin and Song families to call off the engagement. The Dingyuan Marquis’s household, mindful of the Jiang family’s status, would surely come to propose in person.

“Miss, Lady Dingyuan and the bride have arrived,” the maid’s excited voice came from outside the door. “They should be here to discuss the marriage.”

Jiang Qingya’s face showed no surprise. “Yes, I know.”

As the capital’s foremost talented lady, Jiang Qingya was beautiful and well-born. Originally, she was supposed to marry a noble scion. But the emperor had only reigned ten years; his eldest son was eleven, and the only prince in the capital was a sickly man near death. Her father, wary of the emperor, wanted to marry her off to a poor scholar of humble origins—why?

She had studied music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and now excelled in all. She had earned the title of talented lady and deserved to be someone above others. Why should she marry a nobody, a poor scholar?

If she couldn’t marry a noble prince, she would marry the son of a high-ranking official in the capital—and among those, the Dingyuan Marquis’s family was the best choice. The Marquis had earned merit pacifying the northwest years ago and was now a highly respected military figure in the capital. Lin Shaoxuan was both cultured and martial and would inherit a noble title, standing far above the rest.

Though her scheme hadn’t succeeded perfectly, at least she had tied herself to Lin Shaoxuan. Marrying him, instead of the scholar her father favored, was worth this slap in the face.

Only, her reputation in the capital would likely suffer from now on...

Jiang Qingya’s hands clenched, her eyes flashing with venomous resentment.

Who had knocked them out yesterday? She hoped she never found out—or else that person would pay dearly.

“Find out who else, besides us, went to the Yu Garden yesterday!”

The maid outside immediately replied, “I’ll arrange for people to investigate right away!”