In the main hall of the Duke of Zhennan's Mansion.
The two families wore different expressions.
The Lady of Marquis Pingning glared at Lady Lu, who was sitting in the upper seat, with annoyance. "Sister, you invited us here for a discussion but keep silent. Is this how your family treats guests?"
Lady Lu had always respected and feared her older sister, the Lady of Marquis Pingning. Being questioned like this, she didn't even dare to breathe loudly.
A sharp sneer came from outside the door.
"I didn't know that aunt had the habit of accusing others first when she's in the wrong!"
Lu Huaizhou strode in and stood in front of Lady Lu to protect her. "Aunt, could you please explain how to settle the score of cousin spending the wedding night with the bride the emperor bestowed on me last night?!"
"Huaizhou, don't talk nonsense!" The Lady of Marquis Pingning flatly denied it. "It was just an accident last night. Besides, didn't you also have something to do with Miss Jiang?"
Lu Huaizhou stared at her blankly for two seconds and clicked his tongue repeatedly. "Aunt is really getting old. Not only has she picked up the bad habits of common women, but her eyesight has also gotten worse!"
The Lady of Marquis Pingning was so angry that she was speechless. "Huaizhou, I'm your elder. You—"
"Words are useless. Please open your eyes and take a good look at the woman beside cousin." Lu Huaizhou tilted his mouth, hinting at something.
Following his words, the Lady of Marquis Pingning's face suddenly darkened.
There was a prominent purple hickey on Jiang Fuyue's neck.
There was no need to ask what they had done last night.
Lu Huaizhou didn't forget to add fuel to the fire. "I was completely innocent with Miss Jiang last night. I'm willing to invite the old maids to testify for Miss Jiang. Is cousin willing?"
Pei Qing'an's gentle face crumbled for a moment.
Last night, he and Fuyue had made the best of a bad situation. He had thought that the weak and submissive Lu family would swallow this humiliation, but he didn't expect today...
A pair of watery autumn eyes landed on the intertwined hands of Pei Qing'an and Jiang Fuyue.
A low sobbing sound came from behind Lu Huaizhou.
Jiang Fuying covered her face with a handkerchief, her eyes tearful. "I've become a laughingstock for marrying the wrong person on my wedding day. Now, my sister and Prince Pei are deeply in love, but they still slander my innocence out of thin air!"
"In this case, I have no choice but to prove my innocence with my death!"
Saying that, she grabbed the handkerchief and rushed towards the pillar.
Lu Huaizhou quickly stopped her and questioned the Lady of Marquis Pingning. "Aunt, do you and the Marquis of Pingning's Mansion really want to force Miss Jiang to death?"
"It's a marriage bestowed by the emperor. Cousin was the first to mistake the bride. He can't escape the blame!"
"If anything happens to Miss Jiang, will aunt and cousin take full responsibility?"
Pei Qing'an's heart tightened, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on his palm.
Going against a marriage bestowed by the emperor was already a serious crime. If he forced Jiang Fuying to death, the emperor would never spare him lightly.
Hearing his words, the Lady of Marquis Pingning quickly said, "Huaizhou, considering that our two families are in-laws, why don't we just let this matter go?"
"Aunt is wrong! If you say so, how will Miss Jiang be able to hold her head up in the future?"
As he said, he winked at Jiang Fuying.
Jiang Fuying understood his meaning.
It was her turn to add fuel to the fire!
"Madam only talks about letting this matter go. Have you ever thought about me?" Her voice was full of accusation, and she cried sadly. "I've lost the marriage bestowed by the emperor and my innocent reputation. How can I have the face to live on?"
Lu Huaizhou clicked his tongue secretly.
Miss Jiang has such good acting skills!
Not to be outdone, he put on an unyielding look.
"The bride bestowed on me by the emperor had an affair with cousin. I'm also a victim!"
"I'm putting it clearly today. If aunt and cousin can't give Miss Jiang and me enough compensation, I won't let it go!"
The Lady of Marquis Pingning and Pei Qing'an looked extremely ugly.
One was unyielding, and the other was threatening to die. What could they do?
Looking at Lady Lu in the upper seat, she looked completely at a loss and had no idea at all.
After a long stalemate, finally, Jiang Fuyue took the initiative to stand up and cried to apologize. "Sister, I'm sorry for you. You can beat or kill me as you like. I only beg sister to fulfill me... and my husband."
As she said, she didn't forget to give Pei Qing'an a affectionate look.
Jiang Fuying sneered in her heart.
Her "good" sister still didn't forget to flirt with Pei Qing'an at this moment!
A few clear tears fell from the corner of her eyes. Jiang Fuying seemed like a fluttering dead leaf, on the verge of falling. "When sister and Prince Pei had a night of pleasure, did you ever think about fulfilling my innocence?"
Jiang Fuyue was rendered speechless by her question. She could only bite her lower lip tightly and had no face to speak.
The atmosphere had reached this point, and Lu Huaizhou made another grand entrance. "Enough of the idle talk! The Marquis of Pingning's Mansion is a noble family. Can't they even come up with a little compensation?"
"Aunt and cousin don't have to give if they don't want to!" Lu Huaizhou turned sideways and bowed towards the palace. "I'll just go to the palace and complain to the emperor! Let the emperor decide!"
The Lady of Marquis Pingning and Pei Qing'an were terribly frightened.
"Huaizhou, we're all family. We'll definitely give you compensation."
The Lady of Marquis Pingning paused for a moment and forced out a smile that was uglier than crying. "I just don't know the amount of compensation..."
Lu Huaizhou held up three fingers.
"Three thousand taels?" Pei Qing'an gritted his teeth and confirmed.
This was not a small amount. It was equivalent to his three-year salary!
Lu Huaizhou shook his head, but it was Jiang Fuying who spoke.
Tears gushed out, and she seemed completely heartbroken. "I didn't expect that in Prince Pei's and sister's hearts, the marriage bestowed by the emperor and my innocence are so cheap."
"Fine. I'll fulfill the two of you. I'll just die!"
How could they let her really die?
The Lady of Marquis Pingning made up her mind and stamped her foot. "Give it! Our Marquis of Pingning's Mansion is willing to give thirty thousand taels as compensation!"
"Thank you, aunt."
Lu Huaizhou showed his teeth and smiled. Immediately, he stretched out his hand. "I wonder if aunt is going to give the silver in cash, a banknote, or write an IOU?"
"We're all family. How could aunt deceive you?"
"My sister is connected by blood to me, but she still snatched my marriage." Jiang Fuying added fuel to the fire quietly.
Having lost face and being exposed about the inside story, Jiang Fuyue was so angry that she almost wrung the handkerchief to pieces.
Who was Jiang Fuying?
All she lost was her innocent reputation, but if she left Qing'an, she would lose the only beloved husband in her life!
"Enough!" The Lady of Marquis Pingning was also ashamed and angry. "We can give the thirty thousand taels! But you must go to the palace immediately and tell the emperor, and voluntarily change the marriage!"
As soon as she finished speaking, two voices sounded at the same time.
"If a younger sister goes to a restaurant and steals food from another table, should she also shift the blame?"
"This is an additional price. Aunt has to add more money."
Did they want them to admit the mistake of changing the bride? No way!
The two of them glanced at each other tacitly, and their eyes were filled with satisfaction for each other.
But the Lady of Marquis Pingning was not so satisfied. She frowned tightly and immediately ordered, "Go and get a banknote worth thirty thousand taels!"
After giving the banknote, the Lady of Marquis Pingning angrily flicked her sleeve and left. Before leaving, she didn't forget to leave a sentence:
"Sister, look at the son and daughter-in-law you've raised! The whole family is shameless!"
Lady Lu, who was sitting upright in the upper seat, blinked innocently.
She thought her son and daughter-in-law were the best.
Her son was filial and intelligent, and her daughter-in-law was brave and resourceful. What a well-matched couple!