Chapter 54 A broken engagement followed by a marriage decree?
A slight smile played on Dou Wenyi's lips. "Young Master Xie, we have broken off our engagement. From now on, we are estranged. I hope you will not bother me any further. I will come to congratulate you when you have found another virtuous wife!"
Her indifferent gaze swept over him as if he were a stranger, without a trace of lingering affection, admiration, or even hatred, treating him like a complete stranger.
But in her dream, she clearly loved him to death!
Xie Guidu swayed, looking at her in disbelief, "Yi'er, no, it's not like that... Let's talk again, you've really misunderstood me..."
Seeing his dejected appearance, Xue felt a dull pain in her heart. She was furious and scolded him, "What are you talking about? You're making a fool of yourself! Xie Guidu, get back home!"
Xie Guidu didn't need to appear at all to break off the engagement; he only brought shame upon himself.
She had originally intended to thoroughly ridicule the Dou family, but now... the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion has completely lost face!
Xie Mengyao was even more stunned. "Dou Wenyi, you...aren't you deeply in love with my brother? Why aren't you crying? Don't you really care about my brother anymore? Aren't you afraid you'll never be able to get married if you're so blind?"
"My older brother is perfectly fine... You'll regret this later!"
Shouldn't she be heartbroken, crying, making a scene, threatening suicide, and desperately trying to keep him?
Why is it that her brother is still so attached to her?
Dou Wenyi glanced at her as if she were an idiot, "If you have a problem with your brain, go see a doctor, stop barking like a dog here!"
"Are you crazy? You dare to call me a dog? A woman with no manners like you deserves to be dumped and remain an old maid for life!" Xie Mengyao was trembling with anger.
Dou Wenyi gave her a cold look, her tone mocking, "What's it to you what I do? You've already bullied me, do you expect me to fawn over you?"
Xie Mengyao could no longer control her anger and almost blurted out, "You lost your virginity at the temple last time, didn't you? A little bit of rouge can be tasted by thousands. If I were you, I would kill myself. It's a good thing my brother didn't marry a filthy slut like you!"
"Shut up!" Xie Guidu's knuckles were turning white, clearly indicating that he was already angry.
Madam Gu and her maids and servants were stunned. She was the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan, yet she could spout such nonsense so easily. Wasn't she afraid of not being able to get married?
Dou Wenyi smiled sarcastically, "Xie Mengyao, my parents are still sitting here, and you dare to spread rumors and slander me. As expected, the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion is a den of wolves."
"I have already passed the preliminary selection for the Imperial Food Bureau and the Department of Medicine. You are spouting nonsense here, deliberately smearing me. Do you not even care about the imperial examination? Or are you questioning His Majesty?"
The faces of everyone around them instantly changed color.
Xie Mengyao had obviously realized what was happening, and gritted her teeth, "I'm questioning you! Don't drag the Emperor into this."
"Besides the people from the Imperial Medical Academy, His Highness the Crown Prince was also in charge of the examination. Are you questioning him?"
Xie Mengyao's face turned pale. She didn't dare to accuse Pei Siyan and was speechless after being rebuked.
Dou Wenyi's eyes flashed with malice as she laughed, "Be careful not to commit a sin of speech, or you'll go to hell and have your tongue cut out."
Upon hearing this, Xie Guidu was suddenly taken aback; she had never spoken so harshly before.
She has really changed; she's become someone else entirely.
"Dou Wenyi, you bitch, how dare you curse me? Even if you get married, you won't be able to have children, and any children you do have will be bastards!" Xie Mengyao's anger reached the top of her head, and she completely lost it.
"A bastard? A lowlife?"
This name is all too familiar.
In her past life, because her reputation was damaged, Xie Mengyao often called her that in secret, and her daughter Nannan was also ridiculed and bullied by the Xie family.
Poor little girl... she only lived to be three and a half!
Dou Wenyi suppressed the bitterness in her heart, suddenly raised her hand, and slapped Xie Mengyao hard across the face.
Everyone was stunned.
Xie Mengyao was stunned by the sudden slap, but quickly recovered and screamed as she lunged at her.
Xie Guidu was faster and immediately stopped her, giving her a hard push, causing Xie Mengyao to stumble and fall to the ground.
He spat out through gritted teeth, "Xie Mengyao, if you dare to cause trouble again, don't blame me for being impolite!"
"Yao'er—"
Madam Xue exclaimed in astonishment. She had suffered a series of setbacks recently, and her own son was even siding with outsiders, publicly defending that bitch.
She was absolutely furious. "Our Xie family believes we have never wronged Dou Wenyi. It was you who insisted on breaking off the engagement. Let's wait and see. My son, Xie Guidu, was personally appointed by the Emperor as the top scholar, while your Dou family's Dou Mingxiu has now become a prisoner."
"Relying on someone else's daughter to enjoy wealth and status, you think that will last? Bah! I think you're about to face disaster, how long can you remain so arrogant!"
Madam Gu and Dou Bochang turned pale and red-faced, completely at a loss for words.
Just then, the gatekeeper rushed in, "Master, Madam, the imperial gifts have arrived."
Madam Xue was both shocked and resentful. The Dou family must have been incredibly lucky; they had stumbled upon a treasure.
Everyone looked at each other in surprise. Dou Bochang asked in astonishment, "Is it for Mingyan?"
The steward shook his head. "They said it was for the Fourth Miss, a reward from Consort Zhang."
Madam Xue's face turned extremely ugly, and she gritted her teeth in anger, "Let's go!"
They had barely broken off the engagement when she couldn't wait to get back together. That slut probably already had an affair with the young master of the Zhang family.
Consort Zhang's current bestowal of gifts upon her is nothing short of blatant support; could it be that she also intends to request an imperial decree for a marriage?
She really is a jinx; whoever runs into her is doomed!
Xie Guidu swayed, enduring the metallic taste in his throat, until he walked out of the main courtyard, at which point he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Watching them leave, Dou Wenyi sincerely hoped that she would have no further connection with the Xie family.
This farce finally came to an end, with Dou Mingyan disappearing perfectly, innocent and blameless, and no one willing to drag her into it.
Dou Wenyi frowned slightly. She had lied to Dou Bochang last time, saying that Consort Zhang was interested in a marriage alliance. She hadn't even had a chance to discuss this with Zhang Chengxian yet, so why was there a reward?
Yilan Courtyard.
Manager Chen spoke sincerely, “The Consort Shu often mentions you. If you have time, Fourth Miss, you might as well submit your nameplate and go to the palace to chat with her more often.”
Dou Wenyi presented her with an extremely heavy red envelope and tentatively asked, "I wonder why Your Majesty is bestowing this upon me?"
"Her Majesty has said that she has been grateful for your help several times, which has allowed the Zhang family to escape danger. She has long wanted to reward you. In addition, Tianning City is becoming increasingly turbulent. Now that Fourth Miss has broken off her engagement, there is no rush for her marriage. Once this troublesome matter is over, things will surely go smoothly in the future."
Manager Chen stopped there.
Zhang Chengxian will soon be going to the frontier for training. Consort Zhang intends to ask the Emperor to arrange a marriage, but she really wants Zhang Chengxian to gain military merit so that the marriage can be arranged smoothly and look better on the surface.
At the same time, Consort Zhang wanted to find out what she thought about marriage.
Dou Wenyi had no plans for marriage and was overjoyed, saying, "I've been too preoccupied with marriage lately."
Manager Chen smiled with satisfaction and reminded him, "Your brother's matter is somewhat complicated, and there will inevitably be people who take the opportunity to cause trouble. You, especially Lord Dou and others, must not lose your composure and fall into someone else's trap."
Dou Wenyi frowned slightly, lost in thought, sensing that a storm was brewing.
She suddenly thought of Pei Siyan. Dou Mingyan was his Crown Princess, and the Dou family naturally belonged to the Crown Prince's faction.
When leaving the palace, Pei Siyan was almost smeared, but he was one step ahead and managed to turn the tables.
According to Dou Mingxiu's confession that day, he did not intend to kill her.
He didn't participate in the hunting traps, but Prince Duan was hit by a poisoned arrow. After being injured in his previous life, Prince Duan was completely ineligible for the throne.
...Could it be that Prince Rui's people want to use Dou Mingxiu's crazy horse incident to drag into the factional struggle?
Did they falsely accuse Pei Siyan of eliminating dissidents and plotting to murder the emperor's younger brother, Prince Duan?
As night fell and all was quiet, Dou Wenyi inevitably thought of her daughter, Nannan, from her past life...
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