Chapter 33 A slap in the face hurts most when it's done in public.

The two words that Marquis Changning could least bear to hear at this moment were "cut sleeves" (a euphemism for homosexuality).

These two words, like sparks, exploded and instantly overwhelmed the last vestige of reason in his mind.

*Smack*

He raised his hand and slapped Shen Qingshuang across the face.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Can't you see the courtyard full of guests? Aren't you embarrassed enough already?"

Shen Qingshuang covered her face and looked at Marquis Changning in disbelief, unable to believe that her father, who had always doted on her, would hit her.

“I’m not lying. It was that bastard Shen Chu who seduced the Sixth Prince.”

The guests who hadn't yet left stopped abruptly upon hearing this shocking news and all turned to look at Chen Chu.

Shen Chu and the Sixth Prince?

Really?

Oh my god!

Shen Chu's expression was somber. "Just now, Wang Mama, who was by the Madam's side, framed me for drugging her. Now my sister is saying that I seduced the Sixth Prince."

"Are you going to accuse me of taking off the Sixth Prince's clothes again later?"

Shen Qingshuang opened her mouth; she really wanted to say that Shen Chu should take off the Sixth Prince's clothes.

Shen Chu sighed, "Is there any more drama to come? I'm just a top scholar, are my wife and sister so intolerant of me?"

"It's one thing for my sister to say such things, but the Sixth Prince is of noble birth; how can he be insulted like this?"

Marquis Changning's expression changed slightly.

Shen Chu looked aggrieved. "Father, why don't you separate me and my aunt? It would be better than being framed like this every day, with no peace in the house. Father is worried, and I am also living in fear every day."

Marquis Changning frowned. "Nonsense. With our parents still alive, we don't separate the family. Who would dare to separate you from us?"

Shen Chu felt somewhat regretful.

Seeing that Marquis Changning didn't believe her at all, Shen Qingshuang stomped her foot angrily, "Father, Shen Chu is..."

"Enough!" Marquis Changning glared at her fiercely. "Get out of here and stop talking nonsense."

Shen Qingshuang was frightened by the gloom in his eyes, and her lips trembled as she threw herself into Chen's arms in a wronged manner.

"Mother, Father hit me."

Madam Chen helped her up, and hearing the gloomy gaze of Marquis Changning, she said with difficulty, "Qingshuang has been drinking, so she is bound to talk nonsense. I will take her down to rest."

Marquis Changning snorted coldly.

The guests, having not heard the explosive news, all took their leave.

Marquis Changning, with a dark face, saw everyone out of Qingzhu Courtyard, only to find the outside in complete chaos.

His brow twitched, and he couldn't help but yell, "What's all the noise about?"

The steward stepped forward from the crowd, looking troubled. "My lord, the manager of Tonghe Restaurant has come to the manor to settle accounts."

A middle-aged man with a short beard stepped forward, bowed with a smile, and said, "Greetings to the Marquis and his wife. I am the manager of Tonghe Restaurant. Yesterday, the lady of the house made a reservation at Tonghe Restaurant for today's banquet."

Today, ten tables of fine food were delivered to the Marquis's residence, costing two hundred taels of silver per table, plus twenty jars of the finest Qiu Lu Bai liquor, totaling three thousand taels of silver.

The banquet was ready, and I went to the steward to settle the bill, but the steward said he had no money. "My lord, what do you think?"

Marquis Changning frowned deeply and suddenly turned to look at Madam Chen.

Chen's eyes flashed slightly as she glared fiercely at Aunt Qiao.

Tonghelou is a property of the Qiao family. She dared to let Tonghelou send money because she was certain that the Qiao family wouldn't dare let Tonghelou come to her door to ask for money.

Unexpectedly, the Qiao family dared to send people to their door to collect debts.

Isn't this a slap in the face to the Marquis?

Marquis Changning realized that Tonghe Restaurant was Aunt Qiao's property and looked at Aunt Qiao with great displeasure.

Aunt Qiao was also bewildered; she hadn't sent Manager Fan to collect the debt.

I wanted to go forward and speak, but my arm was grabbed.

She turned her head and met Shen Chu's smiling eyes.

Shen Chu lowered her voice and said, "Auntie, don't show yourself. If you speak, people will know that you are the owner of Tonghe Restaurant. If they know that Father is supported by your business, how embarrassing will that be for Father?"

Aunt Qiao thought it made sense.

The Marquis was a man who cared a lot about his reputation. If people knew that he was spending his concubine's money, he would definitely lose face.

Thinking of this, Aunt Qiao shut her mouth, but secretly gave Manager Fan a look, signaling him not to ask for any more money.

Manager Fan seemed oblivious to her gaze, instead stepping forward and asking with a surprised expression:

"The Marquis's family is so wealthy and powerful, surely they wouldn't try to cheat our humble shop out of three thousand taels of silver, would they? What do you think, Marquis?"

Marquis Changning felt a metallic taste rising in his throat, and his vision blurred, especially when he met the curious gazes of the surrounding guests.

He gritted his teeth and said, word by word, "This Marquis will naturally not renege on his debt."

Manager Fan breathed a sigh of relief and immediately handed over a receipt, "A total of three thousand taels, thank you for your patronage."

Marquis Changning clenched his fist, waiting for Aunt Qiao to say that it was unnecessary.

But Aunt Qiao seemed to have become a mouthless gourd, and remained silent.

Manager Fan pushed the document forward, "Lord Marquis?"

Marquis Changning snorted coldly and turned to look at Madam Chen, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and pay!"

"I'll pay?" Madam Chen was naturally unwilling, pointing at Aunt Qiao and saying, "Tonghe Restaurant is hers, isn't it only right that she delivers food to our Marquis's residence?"

"Mrs. Qiao, how can you be so stingy? You even made the shopkeeper come to your door to ask for three thousand taels of silver!"

Aunt Qiao quickly shook her head, "It wasn't me."

Manager Fan looked surprised. "Madam, you are mistaken. It is only right for me to come and collect debts from your household when you have them on credit. If you cannot pay, you can provide a written receipt."

Otherwise, when I send the final accounts to the Marquis's accounting office at the end of the month, the figures will not match.

Anyone who didn't know better would think that a scoundrel had embezzled public funds.

As soon as he finished speaking, hushed murmurs arose from all around.

"Huh? Why is the concubine's dowry being handed over to the Marquis's household accounts?"

"Does a noble family like ours really need to spend the concubine's money?"

Shen Chu lowered her eyes, concealing the mockery in them.

A slap in the face only hurts when it's done in public. I wonder if this "good father" has the courage to admit that he spent his concubine's money?

Hearing the surrounding chatter, Marquis Changning felt an even stronger metallic taste in his throat.

Without thinking, he blurted out, "It's just three thousand taels of silver. Do you think I would owe you a debt?"

Let's be clear from now on. Your money is given to your employer, not to the Marquis's mansion. Anyone who doesn't know better would think I'm spending your employer's money.

He glanced at Manager Fan with disdain, "It's just a restaurant, how could I possibly look down on it? To say that I'm spending your boss's money is an insult to me."

Aunt Qiao stared blankly at Marquis Changning, suddenly feeling that the man in front of her was a complete stranger.

Beneath his refined and handsome exterior, there seemed to be a strange, ferocious beast about to break free, inspiring fear.

Manager Fan smiled and slapped himself, "Ouch, I'm not good at speaking. The Marquis's family is so big and powerful, they naturally wouldn't care about our boss's little bit of silver."

In that case, please settle the bill as soon as possible, Your Excellency.

Marquis Changning flicked his sleeve, "Can't you see I'm busy seeing guests off? Go ask your wife to settle the bill."

"Everyone, I will see you off."

He straightened his clothes, forcing himself to maintain his usual noble and elegant demeanor, and gestured to the guests to invite them in.

The guests exchanged glances and then left.

Chen Chu pulled Aunt Qiao along, "Aunt, let me take you back to rest."

Manager Fan reached out to stop Madam Chen, who was trying to avoid him, and said with a smile, "Madam, the Marquis asked you to settle the bill for me."

"You heard it too, the Marquis said he wouldn't use our master's money. Today you said you wouldn't settle the bill, so I'll go to the Jingzhao Prefecture to sue you. Anyway, it was your servant who placed the order."