Chapter 861 How deep is this poisoning?!

The steward of the Shang family led the matchmaker into the Changping Marquis's residence, where the Changping Marquis and his wife were sitting upright in the main seats.

The steward stepped forward and bowed, "I am Shang Ming, the steward of General Shang's mansion. I pay my respects to Your Excellency."

Marquis Changping narrowed his eyes, pretending not to know anything, "What brings Steward Shang to the Marquis's residence so late at night?"

Shang Ming thought that the invitation clearly stated that he was there to invite Marquis Changping and his wife to have tea at the Shang family's residence. Did he really not know the truth?

The young master said that his young lady had been returned.

Shang Ming bowed and smiled, "My general invites the Marquis to his residence for tea to discuss the matter of my young master taking the Marquis's adopted daughter into the family."

Marquis Changping clenched his fists, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. When did his daughter become his adopted daughter?

"What do you mean?" Madam Helan couldn't help but interject.

Shang Ming added, "My wife said that since the Marquis's adopted daughter is already my young master's woman, the Shang family will take responsibility. After the young master marries his principal wife, he will take the young lady into the family. Since it's just taking a concubine or a mistress, these are just formalities."

"I've heard that Miss's belly is already showing, so there's no need for further trouble. If she continues to live in the Marquis's mansion, it will be a disgrace to the Marquis. Perhaps I should take Miss away tonight and raise her in the General's mansion's inner quarters. My mistress will certainly take good care of her."

When Lady Helan heard the lowly steward talking about concubines and mistresses, she felt as if her heart was being torn apart. Just as she was about to speak, Marquis Changping suddenly grasped her hand, signaling her to calm down.

Marquis Changping finally understood. The Empress was right. Only if Yanran stopped loving that man could she be free. If she really entered the Shang family, she would probably only be heading towards death.

The merchant's attitude clearly indicated that he was trying to shirk responsibility for his son's actions. If they were to take his daughter away, who knows how they would mistreat her.

No matter how big a mistake a daughter makes, she is still someone you've raised and cherished.

Marquis Changping also hardened his tone, "I have no time to drink tea at General Shang's mansion, and my daughter from the Helan family will never become a concubine for the Shang family. Tell Shang Hong that if he wants to continue as the commander of the Imperial Guard, he should come to my Marquis Changping mansion to apologize. Otherwise, don't blame me for not showing any consideration for our nephew relationship. If this matter is brought before the Emperor, I'd rather give up my status as a marquis than let the Shang family suffer any more."

Lady Changping was surprised that her husband would defend their daughter so much. She said, "My daughter is not going to be given away to someone to be abused. Shang Hong is a beast."

When Shang Ming arrived, he was quite arrogant, thinking that the Changping Marquis family would be afraid and that the Helan family would feel ashamed for their daughter's actions. He never expected the Helan family to have such an attitude.

Shang Ming stopped pretending and mimicked Madam Shang's tone, "The Shang family only accepted your daughter because she's carrying my young master's child. She's unfaithful and seduced my young master. My wife said that if the Helan family wants to settle things peacefully, they should let me take her away. We'll treat her well after she gives birth. If the Marquis insists on keeping the young lady at home, then it's none of the Shang family's business. Who knows whose bastard child she's carrying? The young lady has been missing for so long and was once in the palace, so my young master won't take the blame for that."

My young master said that it was Consort Lan who couldn't bear the loneliness and seduced men. My young master was implicated because of her. He told my wife and husband everything. How could a grown man resist your daughter's seduction? We have evidence of Consort Lan's seduction of my young master. We are not afraid even if we take it to the Emperor."

Lady Helan angrily retorted, "What nonsense is your mistress spouting? Let her come and tell me what despicable things her son has done. Let her come and tell me. Shang Hong isn't..."

Lady Helan was furious.

Families who raise daughters are always considered inferior. Her daughter was also pampered and spoiled like a precious darling. How could she have been deceived by such a beast?

Madam Helan grew angrier the more she thought about it, and picked up the teacup on the table and smashed it at Shang Ming.

Shang Ming reacted quickly and dodged, "You...you are simply unreasonable. I came to pick someone up out of kindness, how could you treat a guest like this? No wonder you can't raise a good daughter."

The front hall quickly became chaotic and filled with smoke, and Marquis Changping and his wife were both quite angry.

Jiang Fenghua and Helan Yanran hid behind and watched the scene in the front hall. She could tell that the Shang family hadn't come to pick people up at all; they had clearly come to infuriate them.

Strangely, after the man in black left, someone from the shop came.

Jiang Fenghua smiled faintly. She felt that she was being too paranoid and could think of anything about herself. The man in black shouldn't be that bored!

She asked Helan Yanran, "Do you still love him? You saw the attitude of the Shang family. Even a servant was treated with such contempt. Do you still expect to have a good life in the Shang family? This matter has probably spread throughout the Shang family. Shang Hong did not hide it from his parents. In fact, in order to absolve himself of responsibility, he may have said some things that did not conform to the facts."

He Lan Yanran shook her head repeatedly, tears streaming down her face. "He wouldn't do this to me. I have to ask him. It must be his family who forced him. They want him to marry the daughter of the Shen family and are using me to coerce him."

Jiang Fenghua was at her wit's end; the poisoning must have been incredibly severe!

“Miss Helan, look carefully. The merchants dared to send someone to pick you up in the middle of the night because they were humiliating you. Before a man sleeps with you, he is all love and affection with you, but after he sleeps with you, you are nothing to him. You are nothing to him. Do you still think this is love? A man who truly loves you would not bear to let you suffer such humiliation. He would not even ruin your reputation or get you pregnant. He just wants to satisfy his desires with you. Wake up!” Lin Yu was also disappointed in her.

He Lan Yanran's belief suddenly collapsed. She only remembered that Shang Hong had told her that he loved her, would love her for a lifetime, and would marry her, not what they said.

She stroked her growing belly, a testament to their love, and said, "I need to go and find out."

Jiang Fenghua stopped her, saying, "Don't you think about yourself or your parents who love you? If you make a scene and everyone knows about it, you'll only end up hurting yourself, not that man." She wouldn't stop her from going to her death, but since it involved Jiang Fenghua, she had to intervene.

He Lan Yanran burst into tears. She couldn't believe Shang Hong would treat her like this, and she was determined to find him and get to the bottom of it.

She suddenly knelt down in front of Jiang Fenghua, "Your Majesty, please teach me, what should I do? You heard what he said back then, how could he treat me like this?"

Jiang Fenghua looked at the woman in front of her, who was troubled by love, and said in a cold voice, "Then you shouldn't love him. Love isn't that important."