The reborn girl always wants to escape, but the abstinent marquis hugs her and coaxes her!

Chapter 14 No One is Happy, All is Sad

That night, another person who was also full of resentment was Lin Jiaoyue.

Mu Rong's heartless words kept echoing in her ears.

She returned to the Lin Mansion in a daze, and with the help of her maid, she entered the inner courtyard with a pale face.

Lin Han had received the news long before and had been waiting here. Due to her frail health, she was unable to accompany the father and daughter to the palace banquet, but she could not hide such a major event as the Marquis of Weiyuan's request for an imperial decree to grant the marriage.

"Jiaojiao, what exactly is going on? Why would the Marquis marry someone else?"

Lin Jiaoyue bit her lip and shook her head.

Lin Han asked her husband again, "Master, where did Xu Chaoqian come from? How did a figure like Xu Rongrong suddenly appear in the capital?" Lin Zhihen also frowned, his face full of impatience, "A sixth-rank official of the Ministry of Rites, he doesn't even have the qualifications to attend the court meeting. This is the first time I've seen him today."

After a pause, he caught a glimpse of his daughter's dejected face, and his expression became even uglier. "What's going on? Didn't you already have Mu Rong under control? Today's incident shows that he's probably not on the same page with you. Without his help, it will be difficult for the Fourth Prince to succeed."

Lin Jiaoyue felt a dull pain in her heart, and she felt even more embarrassed when she heard Lin Zhihen's words: "Don't worry, father. I will definitely find out what happened tonight."

Lin Zhihen left after saying "You'd better figure it out."

After he left, only mother and daughter were left in the room.

Lin Han brushed her daughter's hair and sighed, "Jiaojiao, why are you doing this? You and the Marquis have been childhood sweethearts, and he has a special fondness for you. You told him to go east, but he never went west. You told him to keep the secret between you two, and no one in the capital would know about your relationship. If you hadn't listened to your father and insisted on getting involved with the Fourth Prince, you might even have a child with the Marquis by now."

"Mother, your words are quite shortsighted. I've always aspired to be the greatest woman in the world! Marrying Mu Rong would be wonderful, but I'm just another member of his household. At best, I could earn a second-rank imperial decree. But if I help the Fourth Prince succeed, he'll definitely rely on us, as he has no powerful maternal family. In the future, the entire Great Zhou will be under the control of my Lin family."

"But you were trying to win over the Marquis while also using him to help the Fourth Prince. How could he not have noticed? Now that the Marquis has married someone else, Mother is afraid that you'll end up losing both your status and your position."

Lin Jiaoyue was deeply moved by her mother's words.

It was hard to tell which one hurt her more: losing Mu Rong as a person or losing Mu Rong as a helper.

She gritted her teeth and said, "I will definitely make him change his mind."

……

Mu Rong was also very busy that night. The marriage proposal came suddenly, and thinking back on Xu Rongrong's reaction, it was clear she was reluctant. He wanted to guide her slowly, but tomorrow's military inspection of the western suburbs was a must, so all arrangements had to be completed tonight.

In Mu Rong's study, the chief secretary Mu Yi stood at the lower left, the deputy general Mu Ai stood at the lower right, and the other guards lined up in front of his desk.

They were not surprised that their Lord Marquis had chosen his wife after attending the Qixi Festival banquet. After all, the Lord Marquis was already twenty years old, and the Marquisate could not remain without female members.

But they were very surprised to find out that this marquis' wife was not Princess Qingyang Lin Jiaoyue but the daughter of a sixth-rank official whom they had never heard of.

"Master, this Miss Xu...did she use any means..." the chief clerk Mu Yi asked tentatively.

"I used some tricks." Mu Rong replied.

…Everyone looked at Mu Ai, asking with questioning eyes: You are the only one following tonight, what's going on? Mu Ai spread his hands calmly: I know no more than you, and I am too tired to talk at the moment!

However, I personally went to the Xu Mansion but was turned away by Miss Xu. I can explain this to everyone later.

Mu Rong was naturally well aware of the eyelid disputes among his subordinates.

He said seriously:

"Don't speculate! What happened today wasn't a momentary impulse on my part. I'm truly seeking your hand in marriage. As for the reason..."

Everyone pricked up their ears.

"There's no need for me to tell you."

Everyone: "..."

"Just remember, since Miss Xu was obtained by me at the request of His Majesty, she will be the mistress of the Weiyuan Marquisate in the future. You must not neglect her!"

"Yes!"

Mu Rong then arranged the tasks at hand one by one, and waited until dawn in the east before he ordered everyone to leave.

For the first time, he wasn't so eager to return to the barracks.

……

Yesterday's banquet consumed a lot of Xu Rongrong's energy and physical strength.

When she woke up in the morning light, she was still in a daze.

Luo Shu was waiting outside the house. When he heard the noise, he came in to serve.

After a relaxing cup of tea, Xu Rongrong regained some energy and asked Luo Shu, "How's your brother doing?"

"Brother's chariot shop has a branch near the Honglu Temple, which is very close to Luming Street. After I told my brother what the young lady wanted to know, he asked the shopkeeper for a transfer to work at that chariot shop. He should be able to get the news soon."

Luo Qiu was quick-witted. This way, if there was a house for sale on Luming Street, Xu Rongrong would know immediately. She nodded and said, "Okay, I'll find a way to make it easier for you to come and go."

The maids around the female members of the family were not allowed to leave the mansion at will, and Xu Rongrong was about to get married, so the people around her had even less freedom. It was difficult for them to come and go freely to pass on messages.

She rubbed her forehead.

Luo Shu brought tea and said, "I heard... that you were betrothed to General Mu, Marquis of Weiyuan, at the banquet yesterday?"

Hearing the words "Marquis Weiyuan", Xu Rongrong's head hurt even more. She muttered, "Hmm."

Luo Shu was puzzled: "Isn't this a good thing? The young lady has been in love with Weiyuan Hou for so long, so why is she unhappy now that His Majesty has granted her marriage?"

Xu Rongrong laughed at herself and said, "That was because I was blinded by greed before. Now... well, let's not talk about it!"