While the new emperor's expression remained stiff, Qi Yunxiao seized the opportunity to plead, "Your Majesty, you are also my... elder. Can you bear to see me suffer like this, unable to obtain what I desire?"

New Emperor: "!!!"

The new emperor was completely bewildered.

This… Qi Yunxiao, that brat, wasn't saying those words to "His Majesty the Emperor," but to his father?!

That's right! It's embarrassing to even tell my father about such a private matter, let alone the emperor!

The new emperor's heart softened immediately: "If we don't want a marriage alliance, then we don't want one. A father-in-law is never as concerned as a father. From now on... just be obedient."

At worst, I'll just have to worry about it a little more.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Qi Yunxiao kowtowed decisively.

The new emperor wasn't stupid, but he quickly realized that he had been tricked by Qi Yunxiao.

Although he was still pleased, the new emperor had no intention of giving Qi Yunxiao a pleasant look, so he looked at Qi Yunxiao with a cold face: "Since that's the case, then you..."

When Qi Yunxiao arrived at the palace gate, Shen Qingyu also happened to come out at the same time, and the two met at the palace gate.

Shen Qingyu: "Have you eaten?"

Qi Yunxiao: "No, what about you?"

Shen Qingyu: "I've already eaten... Shall I have another meal with you?"

"good……"

The two of them went to Guiyun Tower in the capital city and had another meal with Qi Yunxiao before preparing to leave.

The innkeeper then came up to report: "Master, the Qingping Marquis's residence has come twice. Once they said they wanted to take over Guiyun Tower, and the other time the second young master of the Qingping Marquis's residence wanted to eat for free and pay the bill..."

Qi Yunxiao: "What was your reply?"

The shopkeeper cupped his hands in greeting: "I'll tell them that this shop never extends credit and has never had another owner."

"Would they be willing?"

The shopkeeper said with a hint of arrogance, "When the Qingping Marquis's mansion wanted to take over Guiyun Tower, I asked them to produce the necessary documents. When they couldn't, I kicked them out."

"If the second young master can't pay, it's even simpler. We'll detain him, make him wash dishes all day, and the Qingping Marquis's mansion will send money."

Shen Qingyu abruptly interjected, "So, how much less should I be paid for washing dishes all day?"

The shopkeeper said, "I gave you fifty taels too much silver."

"Why?" Shen Qingyu was shocked: Does the meal fee count as usury?

A price increase of fifty taels in one day?!

The shopkeeper said, "Because the second young master doesn't know how to wash dishes, he broke three plates. These belonged to three complete sets of porcelain. Now that one is missing, they are unusable. All three sets of bowls and plates are ruined."

"Hiss..." Shen Qingyu gasped!

This shopkeeper is amazing!

No wonder he can be the manager of Guiyunlou in the capital.

Because of this unexpected good news, Shen Qingyu ate an extra bowl of rice with Qi Yunxiao.

Qi Yunxiao could clearly see that Shen Qingyu was in a good mood, and asked with some curiosity, "Why are you so happy?"

Shen Qingyu chuckled: "Of course it's because Qi Yunheng got punished!"

"You have a grudge against him?"

It seems like the two of them haven't talked alone together.

"If he treats you badly, he's my enemy," Shen Qingyu said matter-of-factly, and then ate another piece of meat.

Qi Yunxiao was stunned and looked closely at the woman sitting next to him.

She was intently eating a plate of sweet and sour pork with cherries, her lips smeared with sauce.

She didn't say those words intentionally to please herself; she just said them casually.

But it was this casual remark that warmed Qi Yunxiao's heart.

Unbeknownst to her, she had truly come to regard him as one of her own.

Qi Yunxiao's heart melted instantly.

After finishing their meal, the two strolled back to Xinghua Lane.

As soon as they arrived at their doorstep, they encountered the steward of the Qingping Marquis's residence, who was being blocked outside by the Imperial Guards.

Upon seeing Qi Yunxiao and his wife, the steward slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Young Master, you're finally back! The Marquis sent me to invite you back!"

Shen Qingyu glanced at Qi Yunxiao, whose expression clearly turned cold.

"I understand, you can go back now," Qi Yunxiao said.

The steward wouldn't give up: "The Marquis is waiting at home. If you're done with your work, why don't you leave now?"

Qi Yunxiao's eyes flashed like lightning as he looked at the butler: "Are you teaching me how to do things? Since when have you been able to make decisions for me?"

The steward shivered under the gaze: "This servant dares not, this servant will go back and report immediately."

The steward ran away, and the two returned home. After washing their hands and sitting down, they discovered that there were many food boxes on the table, all containing various foods sent from the palace. Next to them were also many silks, satins, jewelry, and gold and silver.

Clearly, these were all bestowed upon them by the palace.

It's interesting how things work out in the palace; the rewards weren't sent to the Marquis of Qingping's residence, but directly to Xinghua Lane.

Does this tacitly allow Qi Yunxiao and Shen Qingyu to not return to the Marquis's residence?

Isn't this a complete slap in the face for the Qingping Marquis's family?

Shen Qingyu didn't care about any of that. After browsing through the categories in the Enrichment Space Mall, she looked at Qi Yunxiao and asked, "What did you talk about with the Emperor?"

Qi Yunxiao: "..."

By being shameless and thick-skinned, Qi Yunxiao successfully aroused the Emperor's compassion, leading him to decide against allowing Qi Yunxiao, the young master who had just regained his appearance, to marry into another family.

However, His Majesty the Emperor also gave him a new task.

When Shen Qingyu heard that Qi Yunxiao was actually going to be an envoy to the Xia Kingdom, she was excited: "Take me with you?"

Qi Yunxiao was very surprised: "You're not even willing to come to the capital with me, but you're willing to go to such a far place with me?"

Shen Qingyu didn't care at all: "Our place is actually quite close. Going there and coming to the capital are about the same distance."

“But that’s not our territory after all. If you come with me, I can’t guarantee your safety.”

"I'm a doctor, I can treat illnesses and heal injuries! I'm also quite skilled. What do I need you to assure me about?"

Qi Yunxiao thought about it: It seems... there's some truth to it?

However, now is not the time to talk about that. The most important thing to do right now is to return to the Qingping Marquis's residence.

After all, they are the heir apparent and his wife of the Marquis of Qingping. If they don't go back, the Marquis of Qingping's family might really accuse Qi Yunxiao of being unfilial and request a change of heir apparent, which would not look good even to His Majesty.

So Qi Yunxiao, with a dark expression, decided to take Shen Qingyu home later.

As for what to bring back...

Qi Yunxiao pointed to the pastries on the table and asked Shen Qingyu, "There are so many pastries, they'll go bad if we can't finish them. Why don't we take some back to make up the difference?"

Shen Qingyu happily agreed: "Okay!"

Taking leftover snacks from the palace home to curry favor—only Qi Yunxiao would do something like that.

So the two loaded more than half of the snack boxes onto the carriage and headed towards the Qingping Marquis's residence.

At the main gate of the Qingping Marquis's residence, the servants who had been waiting for a long time rushed in to inform Qi Yunxiao as soon as they saw his carriage arrive.

The Marquis of Qingping and his wife were anxiously waiting at home. As soon as they heard that he had returned, they immediately began to inspect each other: his clothes were not messy, his hair was not messy, and his hairpins and ornaments... although the styles were old-fashioned, they were still proper.

The couple exchanged a glance, silently encouraging each other: This time, we definitely will! We'll make that unfilial son pay up!