Chapter 224 Running into the Garden, Falling into the Manure Pit
Squeak.
The door opened, and Marquis Changning stood in the doorway, somewhat flustered.
"Yulan, what brings you here?"
Aunt Qiao stared at him intently, tears streaming down her face like pearls.
She pointed to the middle-aged couple inside the room, their necks hunched over, and murmured:
"They just said that you've been eyeing me, this orphan with a fortune, for a long time. The so-called encounter, the hero saving the damsel in distress, the so-called coercion by your clan, the so-called natural progression—was it all a carefully orchestrated scam?"
Marquis Changning's gaze darkened slightly.
Back then, the Marquis of Changning's mansion consisted only of the old lady and him, a widow and her two children. Although he held the title of Marquis, his family was already struggling to make ends meet.
The noble families in the capital were polite to him on the surface, but behind his back they all mocked his impoverished life.
Even at his own family's Ning'an Marquis's residence, whenever he went there to study, he felt that the people there looked at him with disdain, as if they were always mocking him for coming to freeload.
He secretly vowed that he would never live such a poor life again, given the chance.
By chance, he met Qiao Er, a businessman, in Jing County.
I heard that Qiao Er's eldest brother, Master Qiao, and his wife have just passed away, leaving behind only a daughter who has just come of age.
He then had an idea in mind. When he heard Qiao Er complain that the members of the Qiao clan were all like hungry wolves, all wanting to fight for the family property left by their elder brother and all wanting a share of the pie, he proposed to cooperate with Qiao Er.
When Qiao Er heard that he was a marquis, he wanted to make friends with the powerful and wealthy, so he agreed to cooperate with him.
Thus, the subsequent plans came about.
It's true that he meticulously planned the scam, but he can't admit it no matter what.
"Speak up! If you can give me a convincing explanation, I will believe you," Aunt Qiao cried out.
Marquis Changning hurriedly said, "Yulan, let me explain. It's not what you think."
Aunt Qiao suddenly raised her hand to cover her ears, and cried out in pain and helplessness:
"I don't want to hear your explanation, I won't listen, I won't listen, I won't listen."
After saying that, she turned around and ran away crying.
Marquis Changning paused for a moment, then immediately gave chase.
As he passed by Chen Chu, he didn't forget to glare at her fiercely.
"What are you standing there for? Get these people away right now and keep an eye on them. Don't let them go out and spread rumors."
As Shen Chu watched his departing figure, she slightly curved her lips and looked at Qiao Er and his wife, who were peeking in from the doorway.
The two instinctively shrank their necks, like quails whose necks were stuck.
Shen Chu chuckled and whistled.
Hongxiu jumped down from the roof.
Shen Chu nodded and instructed Hongxiu to take the person away and keep an eye on them.
Then he slowly chased after Aunt Qiao in the direction she had run off to.
They chased after them all the way to the garden, and sure enough, they saw Aunt Qiao and Marquis Changning.
The two were still playing a game where she ran and he chased, and she couldn't escape.
Finally, in a moment of panic, Aunt Qiao ran into a secluded alley and was stopped by Marquis Changning, who grabbed her shoulders with both hands.
"Yulan, let me explain, the truth is really not like that."
Aunt Qiao's eyes were swollen from crying, and she looked at Marquis Changning with a broken heart.
"I finally know what kind of person you are. I love you so much, I trust you, and I'm willing to share everything with you."
But how could you do this to me?
Marquis Changning pulled her into his arms and wouldn't let go no matter how much she struggled or kicked.
"It's my fault. It's all my fault for making you sad, but you really can't believe what Qiao Er says."
But all of this is because I love you so much. I fell in love with you at first sight, and I can't forget you. I miss you terribly when I can't see you.
I was heartbroken because I couldn't have you, and I had no other choice but to resort to some underhanded tactics.
Magnolia, please forgive me this once, considering how sincere I am to you.
If you're still angry, hit me, yell at me, I won't complain at all.
As he spoke, the Marquis of Changning grabbed Aunt Qiao's hand and slapped it hard across his own face.
Aunt Qiao exclaimed in surprise and instinctively pulled her hand back.
His fist lightly brushed against the face of Marquis Changning.
Aunt Qiao stared at him blankly, then kept pounding his chest and cried sadly in his arms.
Marquis Changning held her tightly, gently patting her back with his other hand, as if coaxing a child.
Aunt Qiao cried even more bitterly.
Shen Chu felt a tightness in her chest as she read this.
She stepped forward, interrupting Aunt Qiao's sobbing.
Aunt, are you alright?
Upon seeing Chen Chu appear, Aunt Qiao quickly broke free from Marquis Changning and turned her back to tidy her appearance.
Marquis Changning frowned and asked Shen Chu, "What are you doing here?"
Shen Chu said calmly, "I was outside the study just now, and I heard what Father and Mr. and Mrs. Qiao were saying."
As a son, shouldn't I confront my father about how my mother was so deceived?
Marquis Changning sneered, "Question? Is that what you, as a son, should say to me?"
The father and son were locked in a stalemate for a moment.
Aunt Qiao, her eyes red-rimmed, tugged at Chen Chu's sleeve and whispered:
“Ah Chu, don’t be angry. Although the Marquis lied to me at first and the beginning wasn’t perfect, we’re doing very well now.”
Shen Chu frowned. "She lied to you, aren't you sad? Aren't you upset?"
Aunt Qiao sniffed and said softly, "Of course I'm sad. But seeing him so sad and apologizing so sincerely, I can't help but feel sorry for him."
Ah Chu, I truly love the Marquis. Without him, I can't live.
Aunt Qiao held Chen Chu's hand, feeling sad and wanting to cry again.
Shen Chu was so angry she wanted to roll her eyes.
They had already laid out the truth of what happened back then in front of her, telling her that the so-called love and the so-called good man were nothing but someone else's elaborate scheme.
Aunt Qiao actually wants to forgive Marquis Changning?
That's absolutely outrageous.
She wanted to take back her previous assessment of Aunt Qiao.
Phrases like "face is traded for brains" are used to describe this.
Ha, Aunt Qiao has absolutely no brains.
On the other side, Marquis Changning breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Aunt Qiao's words, and couldn't help but look at Chen Chu with a hint of smugness.
"This is a matter between adults. Even your aunt doesn't care. Don't meddle."
"Go away, stop standing here like a statue, hurry up and send the Qiao family away."
Having said that, he waved his hand, took Aunt Qiao's hand, and turned to leave.
Go to hell with you.
Shen Chu rubbed her fingers together, unable to bear it any longer.
She quietly flicked a small pebble away.
Ouch.
Marquis Changning let out a scream, staggered, and slipped on the steps beside him.
The momentum was too strong, and he tumbled down the steps.
Below is the manure pit that the gardener uses to compost fertilizer.
Marquis Changning fell headfirst into the cesspool.
"Oh no! The Marquis has fallen into the cesspool! Someone come quick!"
Shen Chu shouted loudly.
The servants and gardeners who were sweeping the garden heard the commotion and rushed out.
Everyone worked together to pull Marquis Changning out of the cesspool.
Aunt Qiao was dumbfounded when she saw that Marquis Changning's face and body were covered in excrement.
Oh, this...
Is this still her love?
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