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Chapter 514: Chapter 517 Supporting the withdrawal from betrothal_1
Jiang’s Clan said helplessly, "Chao Lian’s birth mother has already agreed to this marriage; I am merely a stepmother, what say do I have?"
"Even if I have to be the villain, there’s no choice, I cannot knowingly invite disaster into our home."
"Isn’t there still Shun Zi? He’s Chao Lian’s birth father, and he could handle the cancellation of this engagement. Besides, how can the wishes of the deceased completely dictate a marriage?"
"It’s been many years since Chao Lian Niang passed away, and it’s inevitable that judgments about people may be biased. If you are not confident, you can invite a Taoist to conduct a ritual, explain the cause and effect to her thoroughly."
The crowd was buzzing with numerous voices, with nearly everyone supporting the annulment of the engagement.
Because everyone looks for a good omen for a wedding, yet what happened at Erhu’s House was bad luck right at the threshold."
"What’s the deal with the chicken?"
Qiao Duo’er hurriedly asked.
"I had reserved it a couple of days ago and only got it this morning; it was still lively and jumping about just a moment ago."
Sun Erhu was a bit panicked; he had checked over and over, so how could such a mishap have occurred?
Tan Zhenghong consoled him, "Keep your wits about you; I’ll see what’s happened."
After saying so, he headed toward the bamboo basket adorned with shuangxi, reached in, and quickly discovered the cause.
The two chickens had been strangled to death, evident by one whose neck had been twisted and broken.
Jiang’s Clan urged, "Head of the family, won’t you say something?"
"Everyone is saying this is an ominous sign; what else could I say? I will go and discuss with Erhu how we’ll call off the engagement," Lin Jinshun said, spreading his hands.
The chicken died by itself; Chao Lian’s mother cannot be blamed.
Tan Zhenghong said in a deep voice, "The chicken was strangled by someone, and its body is still warm."
So, it wasn’t Erhu’s negligence; someone did not want Erhu and Chao Lian to get married.
"What do you mean by that? I haven’t gone out at all today; I didn’t even get close to the chicken when it was brought into the yard; there was no chance for me to act," Jiang’s Clan quickly defended herself.
Qiao Duo’er raised an eyebrow, "Ah Hong didn’t say it was you, what’s your hurry?"
Jiang’s Clan indeed did not have the time to commit the act, but she just couldn’t stand her look of taking delight in misfortune.
"Being a stepmother is hard; besides this incident, you all must suspect me of meddling. Should I explain myself first?"
Jiang’s Clan even wiped away a tear, seemingly truly distressed.
However, no matter how much she cried, no one had sympathy for her; everyone could see how Jiang’s Clan usually treated Chao Lian.
Honestly, Jiang’s Clan really did not have the right to say that being a stepmother is hard.
The man carrying the dowry suddenly realized that the distance from Erhu’s House to Chao Lian’s House was just a few steps; the chicken was fine at Erhu’s House, but dead by the time it reached Chao Lian’s House, which made him the most suspect.
Because only he had touched the chicken along that stretch of road.
He quickly said, "I really don’t know when the chicken died; Erhu and I get along well, I was happy for his engagement and would never harm him."
"I trust Brother Cheng as a person; it’s definitely not him," Sun Erhu said seriously.
Today’s dowry carriers were all personally chosen by him--they managed a certain level of camaraderie with each other.
"So it must have been a dead chicken all along!" Jiang’s Clan scoffed, "Folks, be clear on this, do not betroth your daughters to a man without parents. Bringing a dead chicken for an engagement, he has no sense of propriety whatsoever!"
"Erhu is pitiable, with no parents to help him manage things; it’s bound to be lacking."
"That’s why one must find someone with parents, preferably older people, to help oversee things; then such incidents would never happen."
