Chapter 233 Gambling
Those who followed Qu Ling's carriage to watch the excitement initially thought they were watching the princess's excitement, but unexpectedly they were watching the Nian family's excitement.
No matter how many people wanted to enter the Nian family’s gate, they couldn’t.
Now, the gate collapsed before their eyes.
Qu Ling did not get off the carriage, but just sat in it.
She could hear the discussions around her clearly.
"What a powerful princess! She even smashed down the gate of the Nian family."
"I think he's probably used to being looked down upon in the capital. Jiangnan is different from the capital. The old gentlemen are highly respected."
"How will this end?"
Nian Zongben came out from the ruins.
"Princess, you have come to visit me. I am sorry that I failed to welcome you. The princess was furious and smashed the door. Now her anger has subsided. So, please enter the palace."
He is indeed a great scholar of our time.
Even facing Qu Ling who smashed the door, he could remain calm and composed.
"I have no intention of entering your house, Nian Zongben, please leave."
Qu Ling's attitude made the scalps of the surrounding students tingle.
No one in Jiangnan dared to speak to an old man like that.
This kind of contempt made Nian Zongben very unhappy.
"Since the princess is not here to see me, may I ask why you smashed down the gate of my Nian family?"
He said meaningfully, "The inscription on the plaque of my Nian family was given by the late emperor. Princess, destroying it without permission is disrespectful."
In fact, he was more heartbroken.
That is the calligraphy of the late emperor!
"It's about saving people. In an emergency, we must act accordingly. The late emperor loved his people like his own children and will definitely not blame me."
Qu Ling spoke to him slowly in an official tone.
"If you are dissatisfied with me, you can write a memorial and submit it to His Majesty."
He then deliberately lamented, "You are not qualified to submit a memorial, but you can ask the Yangzhou Governor Yu Liang to do it for you."
Nian Zongben was very angry, but he didn't want to show his anger in front of everyone.
"It's just disciplining a disobedient youngster. It's not worth the trouble of the princess."
Qu Ling feigned surprise, "This is the first time I've heard of disciplining a young person by beating them to death."
The onlookers pricked up their ears to listen.
Everyone in Yangzhou knows that the Nian family has a strict family tradition.
The girls who got married out of his family were dignified, virtuous, gentle, respectful, frugal, and suitable for the family.
The men in his family also do not take concubines.
Everyone wants to become relatives of the Nian family.
The Nian family had no official title or nobility. Their daughter married a nobleman from a high-ranking family, and their son also married a noblewoman from an official family.
Students all over the world are proud to attend Tongjiang Academy.
No one has ever come to provoke us so blatantly.
"Please be careful with your words, Princess," Nian Zongben said angrily, "My Nian family will never admit to anything that is unfounded."
He said this without any humility.
It is true that Nian Sheng was used to force Nian Sihua to come back.
However, he would not force Nian Sheng to death at this critical juncture.
That will cause gossip.
As long as Nian Sihua comes back, Nian Sheng can't leave.
The rest will come later.
Qu Ling laughed and said, "So, I have wronged you? The servant who reported the news to me lied?"
"Could it be that the princess smashed down the gate of my Nian family just because of a servant's words?"
Nian Zongben's face turned cold, "Princess, you are too impulsive."
Nian Zongben was not happy at all because he was not caught wrong.
Even if Qu Ling apologized to him, the shame of smashing the door could not be washed away.
Nian Zongben was really angry.
The people he dealt with were all upright gentlemen who observed etiquette and had rules in everything they said and did.
I've never seen anyone attack right away like that.
"What are you in such a hurry for?"
Qu Ling waved her fan and said, "I never wrongly accuse anyone."
She ordered the guards, "Go in and see why the person hasn't been rescued yet."
"Please stop, Princess!"
Nian Zongben simply opened his arms and stood in front of the broken door.
He looked agitated, "I would rather die than allow you to humiliate the Nian family like this!"
Just now, Qu Ling refused to come in when he was invited.
Now, no one is allowed to enter.
This is his dignity and bottom line.
"So what if she's a princess? Does that mean she can act recklessly and frame others?"
A young man in white stepped forward from the crowd and stood in front of the old man.
He spoke passionately to Qu Ling's carriage, "The old gentleman is a pillar of the country and a teacher of education. The princess is so arrogant because of her favor that she smashed the door and insulted the teacher. How is she any different from a scoundrel in the market?"
"As a princess, you should be a role model for the world. Now you are violating etiquette with violence, relying on your royal status to trample on the teachings of sages. You use your status to bully the virtuous and use force to suppress reason. How can you be called a princess? You are nothing but a disgrace to the royal family's reputation."
One after another, people stood up, all of them speaking up for the Nian family.
The guards became alert and surrounded the carriage to prevent anyone from rushing over.
"What's your name?" Qu Ling raised his fan and pointed at the young man in white who was in the lead.
"Come closer."
The young man in white was stunned.
What does she mean?
"The princess wants to see you." Su Shang grabbed the boy's shoulders and pulled him over.
"He has a handsome appearance and an elegant temperament," Qu Ling looked at him, "What a talented young man."
The young talent looked up, caught a glimpse of the princess's face, and couldn't take his eyes off her.
Elegant and noble, like a pearl falling into the mortal world.
It’s a pity that he is a domineering person.
"The princess asked what your name is?" Su Shang pushed him.
The young man came back to his senses and said, "Young Master, this is Ma Xiao."
Two suspicious blushes appeared on his cheeks.
It seems that after being lectured by him, the princess realized her mistake.
Qu Ling raised his eyebrows. "You said that I wronged the Nian family. Do you dare to make a bet with me? Let's bet on whether the Nian family is really that upright."
"What do you mean, Princess?"
Qu Ling looked at him and said, "I really don't like you. I wanted to kill you with a single blow, but I was afraid that the people would accuse me of killing innocent people. So, I have to find a reason to do so."
Ma Xiao's previous affectionate thoughts disappeared, and his face turned extremely pale.
He wanted to escape, but was held down by the guards and made to kneel in front of Qu Ling.
"I don't bet with the princess."
"It's not up to you."
Qu Ling raised her voice so that everyone around her could hear, "Mr. Ma is willing to use his life as a guarantee to restore the reputation of the Nian family."
"He made a bet with me. If I wrongly accuse the Nian family, I will depose myself from the princess's throne. If I do not, he will pay with his life for his outrageous words."
The crowd was in an uproar.
Betting so hard?
"Who can help me write a gambling agreement?" Qu Ling asked.
"I'll do it." It was a female voice.
Qu Ling looked up and saw that he was wearing coarse linen clothes, and his cheeks were sunken, but he looked tough.
"Can you write?"
"yes."
"Okay," Qu Ling smiled, "You can write it."
The bet was quickly written. Qu Ling took a look at it and thought the handwriting was beautiful. He couldn't help but look at the woman a few more times.
Ma Xiao was forced to sign his name and began to panic.
The princess didn't need to play with him like this.
He felt something was wrong.
I couldn't help but look at Nian Zongben.
The princess gambled her own title. Was she certain that the Nian family was hypocritical?
He saw Nian Zongben's expression change slightly, and his heart felt even colder.
broken.
Things seem to be out of control.
"Princess, it's time for you to make enough noise," Nian Zongben snorted coldly, "Please go back."
Qu Ling signed the bet without hesitation, and he felt a little nervous.
"Don't worry, my maid is still in the Nian family." Qu Ling smiled cunningly.
Nian Zongben immediately thought of the two unfamiliar maids and bowed, "Princess, I am very grateful that you personally escorted me back home."
He wanted to give Qu Ling a way out.
Let's end this matter here to avoid embarrassment to everyone.
He turned around and wanted to ask the housekeeper to ask the maids to come out, but he saw Nian Sihua coming out.
She didn't just come out.
There was a knife in his hand, placed on Nian Zhaoyun's neck.
"My father tricked me into coming home so he could kill me. I'm afraid he can't do that anymore."
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