Chapter 81 The Yongning Marquis's Residence
"Boss! It was them..." Wang tried to explain.
"Shut up!" the boss rudely interrupted her, pointing his finger at her nose and yelling, "I don't care about any cause and effect! Offending a distinguished guest is your fault! This teahouse is too small to accommodate a big shot like you! Get out now! No wages! Get out immediately!"
"What?! You...you want to kick me out?!"
Wang was struck dumb. Although the teahouse and woodshed were dirty, at least they were places to shelter from the wind and rain!
If they are driven out, they will have no place to stay!
She suddenly threw herself at her boss, pleading incoherently, "Boss! Boss, please have mercy! Give me another chance! I... I'll work hard! I'll definitely serve the customers well! Please don't fire me! Please don't fire me!"
The boss disgustedly flung away her hand that was gripping the hem of his robe, as if shaking off a dirty rag: "Get out! If you don't get out, I'll have someone throw you out!"
Wang glanced back at the several pairs of onlookers in the private room, her gaze finally settling on Xie Sangning's expressionless face.
She felt dizzy, a metallic taste rose in her throat, her vision went black, and she fell straight backward, crashing heavily onto the greasy floor, unconscious.
"Bad luck! What bad luck!" The boss spat and quickly ordered his two employees, "Quick! Drag this crazy woman out! Throw her far away! Don't let her die in my doorstep!"
Xie Rubao pouted: "What a disappointment."
Xie Sangning walked to the window, lifted the bamboo curtain, and looked down at the bustling crowd in the West Market.
Wang was left on a street corner, like trash.
Just as Wang was being driven out of the teahouse, Xie Wulu was standing in front of the gate of the Yongning Marquis's mansion.
He was still wearing that worn-out gray cloth gown, which, though starched clean, could not hide his dejected state.
The past few days of wandering and immense mental stress had left his eyes sunken and his face ashen.
But in those deep-set eyes, a desperate flame was burning.
He raised his hand and knocked on the cold, animal-head door knocker.
"Tap, tap tap."
The sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet alleyway.
A moment later, the small side door next to it creaked open a crack.
A gatekeeper poked his head out, looked Xie Wulu up and down, and immediately frowned in disgust: "Where did this beggar come from? Get lost! How dare you stand in front of the Marquis's mansion?"
Xie Wulu suppressed the humiliation in his heart and tried his best to make his voice sound calm: "Please announce that Xie Wulu requests an audience with Lady Hou."
"Xie Wulu?" The gatekeeper sneered, his voice filled with undisguised contempt.
"Oh! So this is Xie Wulu, the one who was expelled from the clan by the General's Mansion and stole silver? Ha! He should take a piss and look at himself in the mirror to see what kind of person he is! How dare someone as filthy as you enter the gates of the Marquis's Mansion? Get out! Don't defile the Marquis's Mansion!"
The doorman was about to close the door.
This blatant humiliation caused a flash of ferocity in his eyes. He took a step forward and used one hand to firmly hold onto the closing door!
The doorman was startled!
"What are you doing?!"
"I'll say it again," Xie Wulu's voice, like a venomous snake chilled to the bone, pierced the gatekeeper's ears with each word, "Go! Announce! Things! Otherwise—"
He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, "My older sister, Xie Wuyou, is also of marriageable age."
"She is still engaged to your esteemed fifth-rank cavalry general, Lord Wei Zikai!"
"What? Does the Marquis's mansion want my sister to be dressed in her wedding gown right now, immediately, and carried into the mansion with great fanfare, so that the whole capital can see how the Yongning Marquis's mansion keeps its promises and doesn't look down on my Xie family's current tarnished reputation in order to marry this good daughter-in-law?!"
"You...you dare!"
The doorman's face turned deathly pale instantly!
Xie Wuyou's reputation is now the biggest joke in the capital!
If we really let her marry into the family under the pretense of marriage... what will become of the Marquis's family's reputation?!
"Do you think I dare?"
Xie Wulu released his grip. "Go and inform the Lady of the Marquis that I will be waiting here."
The gatekeeper dared not delay any longer. He glared at Xie Wulu, slammed the door shut, and scrambled to the inner courtyard to report the news.
The main courtyard of the Yongning Marquis's residence.
Lady Wei, the wife of the Marquis, was sitting upright on the wooden couch, holding a string of warm and smooth jade prayer beads in her hand, but her face was so gloomy that it could drip water.
Her well-maintained face was now filled with worry and anxiety.
"Madam! Something terrible has happened!"
A trusted nanny rushed in and repeated what the gatekeeper had said, embellishing the story.
"You scoundrel! You despicable wretch! How dare he threaten the Marquis's mansion?!"
Wei was so angry that she trembled all over, and her face twisted instantly!
She stood up abruptly, her chest heaving violently.
"Please calm down, Madam!"
The old woman quickly supported her: "But Xie Wulu is now fearless, having nothing to lose! He really dares to cause trouble! If Xie Wuyou really marries into the family despite the marriage contract... our Marquis's mansion... our young master's future... will be completely ruined!"
How could the Wei family not know this?!
She knew better than anyone that this marriage had become the biggest hot potato for the Marquis's family!
Break off the engagement? The Marquis's family has a century-old reputation and values face above all else. Once they are branded with the stigma of kicking someone when they're down and betraying their promise, they will never be able to hold their heads high in the circle of nobles again!
The spittle of an imperial censor could drown a person!
Could he marry Xie Wuyou, who was expelled from the clan and whose reputation was utterly ruined?
That would be an utter disgrace!
It's like bringing a stink bomb that could explode at any moment into your home!
Wei Zikai's future is irrelevant; it will be completely ruined!
After all, she was Wei Zikai's legal mother, so this matter could only be handled by her. If she handled it improperly, the Marquis would only blame himself!
If Wei Zikai were to marry Xie Wuyou, his own son would not be able to find a good marriage!
We can't advance, we can't retreat!
This damned marriage contract is like a noose around the neck of the Marquis's mansion!
Wei felt a wave of dizziness and slumped back onto the couch, clenching her palms tightly to force herself to calm down.
Xie Wulu must have something to ask for if he dares to come!
"Go!" Madam Wei gritted her teeth and squeezed out the two words, "Take that... Xie Wulu to the side hall! I want to see what tricks this stray dog can still pull!"
The light in the side room was rather dim.
Wei sat upright in the main seat, her face covered with a thick layer of frost, scrutinizing Xie Wulu standing below.
The dejected and down-on-his-luck aura emanating from him filled her with disgust.
“Young Master Xie,” Madam Wei’s voice was icy and condescending, “the threshold of the Marquis’s mansion is not so easy to cross. Today, you have used the marriage agreement to force your way into the Marquis’s mansion. What do you want?”
Xie Wulu took a deep breath, bowed deeply to Madam Wei, and said in an extremely humble manner: "Wulü dares not force his way in. Today, I dare to request an audience with you, Madam, to resolve a troublesome matter concerning the Marquis's residence."
"Oh? Worries?" Madam Wei sneered. "What worries does my Marquis's mansion have that require your help to resolve?"
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