Looking at Xiao Yuanshuang's icy face, Huang Laoba finally realized his predicament.

Humiliated by a maid, he lost his temper and, barely holding his breath, retorted fiercely, "Fine, fine, you've humiliated me, haven't you! Aren't you afraid His Majesty will find out and punish you?"

Cherry scoffed, "Have you forgotten who gave you to me?"

"Let me go back! I am a member of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion. If anything happens to me, my father will not forgive you!"

Xiao Yuanshuang curled her lips into a smile, covered her nose with a handkerchief, and bent down slightly to look at him. "I can let you go back, but are you sure that Marquis Yong'an would dare to defy the imperial decree for you?"

Yes.

He was bestowed upon the Third Princess by His Majesty. When he returned home, his father dared not take him back.

The light in Huang Laoba's eyes gradually faded.

Cherry moved a chair to the steps and invited Xiao Yuanshuang to sit down.

Xiao Yuanshuang spoke slowly, "I heard that the Marquis of Yong'an likes you the most?"

"Yes."

At this moment, Huang Laoba was like a puppet on a string.

"Then why isn't the title of Marquis in the manor yours? It belongs to your elder brother."

"I..."

The Qing Kingdom did not stipulate that titles could only be inherited by the eldest son, and even encouraged those with virtue and talent to inherit them.

Of course, inheriting a title requires reporting to the imperial court and obtaining His Majesty's permission.

If the old marquis really liked him, why wasn't the title his?

For the first time, Huang Laoba began to doubt his feelings for her.

“Your eldest brother inherited the title, your second brother and third sister managed the Marquis’s mansion’s shops, and your fourth and fifth sisters married into other prominent families in other prefectures.”

"The sixth and seventh sons were sent to the most famous academy in the Qing Kingdom."

"It's just you, nothing else."

Xiao Yuanshuang's tone was very calm, but each word was like a heavy hammer blow to Huang Laoba's heart.

He discovered for the first time that this was the truth.

Seeing that he had collapsed, Xiao Yuanshuang stood up and said casually, "Actually, it wouldn't be a bad thing if you were given to me."