Chapter 45 Engagement

Qu Mingyue looked at the old lady falling on the maids and servants, feeling a little bit unbelievable.

Is mother planning to ignore her?

It was my mother's idea to use Xu Zhaoyue's dowry to fill the hole.

Should we put all the blame on her?

"What else are you checking?" Qu Mingyue rushed to the old lady's side, "Hurry and call the imperial physician!"

She tried to fish in troubled waters and push it away.

The Song family did not give up this opportunity

"Come, help mother back home and go to the palace to get the imperial physician," she looked at He, "stay with mother. I will give an explanation to the wife of the Duke of Dongyang."

He was eager to leave this place of trouble.

He hurriedly directed the maids and servants to help the person away.

The ladies who came to the banquet exchanged glances.

"We'll take our leave first."

Someone said the first sentence, and the others stood up one after another.

No one tried to keep them, and no one came to see them off.

He was an uninvited flatterer, and when he left, his face looked a little embarrassed.

Qu Mingyue was at a loss, not knowing whether to escape like the old lady or stay and defend herself.

Or, shift the blame onto others.

"Go and ask the Junior Minister of the Dali Temple," Zhao Yuanrong said in a forceful tone, "I want to see what the Marquis's Mansion is hiding."

If it were someone else, I'm afraid they wouldn't have the ability to force the Marquis' Mansion.

But Zhao Yuanrong can do it.

She is the daughter of the eldest princess. The emperor loves her, and even the prince... pays special attention to her.

Even if she forced the Marquis's Mansion's warehouse to open, the Censorate would not really blame her if they reported her.

"No need to ask the Dali Temple for help." Qu Li hurried over with a gloomy face, followed by his two sons, uncle Dongyang and his son, and the furious Liu Xuan.

Pei Jingming did not leave, but followed.

Qu Lianzhi's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Mom, are you okay?" Liu Xuan strode to Qu Mingyue's side.

Qu Mingyue seemed to have found her backbone and half leaned on her son.

Liu Xuan was very reluctant to come. He didn't think a birthday party required him to do anything.

"What does it mean when the Marquis says no need to invite?" Zhao Yuanrong raised his eyebrows.

Qu Xin strode forward, his voice as cold as steel, his gaze finally landing on Qu Ling. "Today is Ah Ling's sixteenth birthday, and I had been planning to give her the dowry today."

He turned to the wife of the Duke of Dongyang and said in an unquestionable tone, "Since Madam has determined that there are deficiencies, it is time to investigate. However, the Marquis's family affairs should be resolved by the Marquis's family themselves."

He then instructed Song, "Since mother is ill, you will be in charge. Check the dowry carefully with A Ling."

Song's face suddenly changed. Just as she was about to speak, Qu Xi glared at her, cutting her words off in her throat.

"My Lord," Song frowned, "A Ling is still young..."

"Not young anymore," Qu Xi said seriously, "she's old enough to get engaged."

He said in front of everyone, "Her marriage with Axuan was previously discussed with Duke Su. We had hoped to celebrate it at the birthday banquet, but unexpectedly, someone messed it up."

"I don't..." Liu Xuan was horrified.

When did he get engaged to Qu Ling?

"Shut up!" Qu Xi said with unprecedented sternness. "It's your parents' order and the matchmaker's words. If you don't agree, go back and your father will teach you a lesson."

Liu Xuan stood there in a daze, too shocked to know what to do.

A trace of heartache flashed across Qu Mingyue's eyes.

Such a good son had to marry a woman like Qu Ling because of the mistakes made by the Duke's Mansion.

"Ah Xuan, your father did tell me about this," Qu Mingyue said, her heart aching, but she still had to persuade him, "You know your father's temper."

Liu Xuan was filled with rage and didn't know how to vent it. He glared at Qu Ling fiercely and walked away in anger.

Qu Ling had no expression on his face.

The wife of the Duke of Dongyang felt like the sky was falling.

Are you engaged just like that?

Wouldn't that be all her work in vain?

Her eyes involuntarily glanced at Song.

Song was quite calm and broke the deadlock with a smile, "This is a good thing, it's just a little sudden. As long as Ah Xuan understands it, it's good."

Pei Jingming, who had seen enough of the show, spoke up at this time, "This is truly a triple blessing. Princess, Princess, it's time for us to go back."

Zhao Yuanrong ignored him and asked Qu Xin, "In three days, I will come to the Marquis' Mansion to help A Ling count the dowry. Will the Marquis think I'm meddling in your affairs?"

Since I have said that I will return the dowry to Qu Ling, I can't go back on my word.

Qu Xi's eyes darkened. "It just so happens that in three days, the Marquis's Mansion and the Duke's Mansion will hold an engagement banquet for the two children. It would be great if the princess could attend in person."

It is inappropriate to talk about marriage in front of a girl, but the girl present is of extraordinary status, so there is no need to be so cautious.

What Zhao Yuanrong meant was the same as what the Princess's Mansion meant. Qu Xin knew that words once spoken could not be taken back.

Xu Zhaoyue's dowry can only be kept by Qu Ling personally.

"Dongyang Marquis' Mansion, is there anything else?" Qu Chen drove the guest away without any courtesy.

The Dongyang uncle and his son have always listened to the Dongyang marquis' wife. They were forced by the Dongyang marquis' wife to come and make such a scene today.

"Then these dowries..."

"The matter of the dowry is a family affair of the Marquisate!" Qu Xi repeated, "If you are dissatisfied, just report it to the Dali Temple."

He glanced sideways, "However, you'd better be sure that my mansion really did as you said and touched the dowry money. Otherwise, you can really bear the consequences of falsely accusing the mansion."

The Duke of Dongyang was already sweating profusely.

He didn't want to cause a scene, but his wife insisted that this was to take back something that originally belonged to the Dongyang Earl's Mansion.

Qu Yu was indeed an important official of the imperial court, and he was full of momentum. "See the guest off."

Song looked at the wife of the Duke of Dongyang calmly and swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth.

As the Dongyang Earl's family also left, the originally lively banquet was left with only the Marquis' family.

"Ah..."

Qu Mingyue was a little afraid to look at her younger brother.

He knows everything.

From the moment Lady Dongyang arrived, the old lady asked Cuilu to find Qulu.

"Your brother-in-law will remember your kindness." Qu Mingyue burst into tears, feeling depressed.

The crooked beard trembled, and he said in a bad tone, "What on earth happened in the Duke's Mansion?"

Cui Lu only said one sentence, "The old lady took the late lady's dowry to make up for the deficit of Duke Su's Mansion, saying that if the eldest daughter married the prince, it would not be considered misappropriation."

Qu Xi was shocked and angry, and then he realized that what Dongyang uncle and his son said was not false.

Selling off Xu Zhaoyue's dowry is enough to make people laugh out loud.

The incident happened suddenly, so we had to send the outsiders away first.

The marriage was promised in order to help Qu Mingyue cover up.

Qu Mingyue just cried without saying a word.

"Come with me to the study." Qu Xin felt nervous.

Qu Mingyue left with him.

No one cared about Qu Ling, not even asking her if she was willing to marry, even though she was already a county lady.

Engagement banquet in three days?

No, it was Liu Xuan's funeral banquet.