Chapter 651 A Win-Win Solution

Shen Guannian's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly apologized: "It's all my fault. I didn't discipline my daughter well and caused the prince to be disturbed. Don't worry, prince, I will never let her appear in front of the tenth prince again!"

Xiao Qingyuan snorted coldly: "You'd better keep your word!"

After he finished speaking, he turned and left.

Upon seeing him leave, Shen Guannian, who was inside the room, slumped into a chair.

It took him a while to recover.

Once he recovered, he stepped forward and slapped Shen Mingxuan hard across the face: "Who told you to come?! I was so happy to finally get my job back, but you ruined it all!"

"You're a jinx! You're the one who brings all the bad luck to the family! You're always running around doing nothing but causing trouble!"

"You've lost your integrity time and time again, aren't you ashamed enough? You still dare to come and embarrass yourself in front of Prince Xiao. You've completely disgraced the reputation your sister earned for me!"

"I've spoiled you for so many years, and in the end, I can't count on you at all!"

"Originally, we had two daughters, one to marry into the Duke's family and the other into the Prince of Ning's family, which would have been perfect. But you're both stupid and wicked, and now I only have one daughter left! The two families can't divide her up!"

Shen Guannian grew angrier as he spoke. Seeing Shen Mingxuan sitting on the ground crying uncontrollably, he couldn't help but slap her again: "Get back to your courtyard right now. If you dare to sneak out again, I'll have someone send you to the manor outside the city!"

Shen Mingxuan's cheek stung from the blow, and her gaze toward Shen Guannian was filled with fear and hatred.

She dared not linger any longer and quickly got up and left.

Even after Shen Mingxuan left, Shen Guannian's mood did not improve at all, because although he had been reinstated, the position he obtained through Xiao Qingyuan was very unstable and he was at risk of losing it at any time.

The only way to keep his official position is to marry Shen Wantang to Xiao Qingyuan.

But what about the Duke's mansion?

Although he spoke confidently in front of Shen Wantang, only he knew how panicked he was inside. He didn't admit to Shen Wantang that the reason he agreed to the marriage with the Duke's family was not because Gu Qianhan hit him, but because Gu Qianhan had fatal evidence against him for his many years as an official!

If he dares to break off the engagement, Gu Qianhan will probably hand over all the evidence to the Dali Temple immediately. At that time, he might not even be able to keep his life, let alone become an official!

Shen Guannian was like an ant on a hot pan, pacing anxiously around the room. By the time he finished pacing, his head was about to explode, but he still couldn't come up with a solution that would satisfy both sides.

He gritted his teeth and had no choice but to go to Shen Wantang's courtyard to find her.

Not long after Shen Wantang returned to the courtyard, she saw Shen Guannian coming to find her. She immediately became wary: "If Father is here to persuade me to marry Xiao Qingyuan, then you don't need to say anything. Go back. There is no way I will marry Xiao Qingyuan."

Shen Guannian sighed deeply: "Tang'er, I gave birth to you and raised you, how can you be so indifferent to your father's life and death? Do you think I want to cancel the marriage with the Duke's mansion?"

"Since Father doesn't want to back down either, then why not just not back down?"

"But Prince Xiao insists on marrying you. If you don't marry him, I will lose my official position! Do you want me to be a commoner for the rest of my life?"

"If you can't keep your official position, it's because your father is incompetent. Since your abilities are limited, there's nothing wrong with being an ordinary citizen."

"No, I won't be an ordinary citizen, I want to be an official! I have the ability, I'm just unlucky!"

Shen Guannian pleaded, "Tang'er, I know you are just as intelligent and resourceful as your aunt, otherwise you wouldn't have attracted the attention of both Young Master Gu and Young Master Xiao. Please help me, help me think of a way that satisfies both sides, so that we can neither offend the Duke's Mansion nor Young Master Xiao."

Shen Wantang looked at him with a mixture of amusement and exasperation: "Father is really giving me too much credit. What way could I possibly have to satisfy both sides? I don't have the ability to be in two places at once, to marry into two families!"

“I advise Father not to be greedy. One cannot have everything; one must always make choices. Since you have already agreed to the marriage with the Duke’s family, you cannot agree to the marriage with the Prince of Ning’s family.”

"Otherwise, even if you manage to become an official, you will be ridiculed in the future. People will laugh at you, because you obtained this position by breaking your promise and breaking your engagement. No one among your colleagues will respect you in the future!"

Shen Guannian's face turned pale and then red as she spoke. He knew all too well what she was saying.

But the temptation of becoming an official was just too great, so great that he was willing to sacrifice everything for it!

He had long been fed up with the days of being idle at home, and every time he saw his former colleagues going on and off duty, he felt an indescribable envy.

He's a man. How can a man just stay at home all day, eating and waiting to die? He studied so hard, wasn't it all so that he could make a name for himself in the officialdom and earn everyone's respect?

Originally, it should have been a good thing that his daughter was being sought after by many suitors, but now it has turned into a dilemma. He feels like he is swallowing a bitter pill, unable to express his suffering!

Wait a minute!

Shen Guannian's eyes suddenly lit up: "I have a way! I have a way to offend neither Young Master Gu nor Young Master Xiao! Hahahaha!"

Shen Wantang frowned, looking at his maniacal laughter, and wondered if he had gone mad: "Father, what's your plan? Tell me."

"Well, you don't need to know that. Just relax and wait to get married. Whether you marry into the Duke's family or the Prince of Ning's family, it's all the same to you. You'll be enjoying a life of happiness!"

As Shen Guannian spoke, a hint of jealousy flashed in his eyes: "You girl are quite lucky to have been born into my Shen family and have lived such carefree lives for so many years."

"You don't have to do anything, and you can marry Prince Xiao and become his wife, or marry Gu Er and become a daughter-in-law of the Duke's mansion."

“Unlike me, who is exhausted every day, trying to please Prince Xiao one minute and Gu Er the next, humbling myself and losing all my dignity.”

"You really should thank me. Without me carrying the burden for you and sheltering you from the wind and rain, you wouldn't have such a prosperous future."

Shen Wantang was taken aback. What burdens had he carried for her? What winds and rains had he sheltered her from? Weren't the winds and rains brought by him?

"Father, stop being so self-satisfied. You know better than I what kind of life I led before, having been born into the Shen family! Father, tell me what method you've come up with that will allow you to offend neither side."

"Since I said I had a way, then I naturally have a way, and it's a perfect solution! However, knowing too much won't do you any good. If you know nothing, your acting will be more convincing!"

Shen Guannian was in a good mood at the moment and didn't care about Shen Wantang's cold tone. He flicked his sleeve and walked out smugly: "I, Shen Guannian, am indeed wise beyond my years. I can even think of such a method. I am a genius!"