Marrying Wife and Concubine Together: After Rebirth, I Remarried the Scumbag's Father on the Sp

Su Ningshuang scoffed lightly from the side, feigning weakness as she said, "Miss Zhan, why are you being so aggressive? Jingheng has feelings for me, and this tiger tally is proof of that. He only agreed to the marriage with you out of consideration for the royal family's reputation, so why are you holding onto this so tightly?"

As soon as she heard those words, Zhan Miao felt an even greater pain in her heart. She stared intently at Lu Jingheng, waiting for his answer.

Lu Jingheng suddenly raised his hand and snatched the tiger tally from Su Ningshuang's wrist, slamming it heavily onto the table. The tally hit the jade table with a dull thud.

He stepped forward, reaching out to grasp Zhan Miao's shoulder, his voice urgent: "Miao'er, believe me, the tiger tally was never given to me; she stole it! My encounter with her at the border was purely accidental; we never crossed any lines. The only person I've ever wanted to marry is you!"

His palm was warm, but when it touched Zhan Miao's shoulder, she abruptly pushed it away.

Zhan Miao took a step back, creating distance between them, her eyes filled with unconcealed disappointment: "Steal? Lu Jingheng, do you take me for a three-year-old? Your personal tiger tally, how could anyone just steal it?"

She looked at him, each word spoken with the strength of her being: "If you cannot give me a convincing answer today, then this engagement is off. Although Zhan Miao loves you, he cannot tolerate such contempt."

As soon as the words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent. The princess's expression changed drastically, and she hurriedly stepped forward to take Zhan Miao's hand. Lu Jingheng's expression also darkened instantly, his eyes churning with complex emotions, including anxiety, helplessness, and a hint of barely perceptible pain.

Looking at the girl in front of him, whose eyes were red but whose back was still straight, he felt as if something was gripping his heart tightly, making it hard to breathe.

This chasm was created by Su Ningshuang herself, and he was at a loss as to how to pull her back.

He couldn't bear to part with Zhan Miao. He and she fell in love at first sight. How could they cancel their marriage because of this misunderstanding?

No, he couldn't accept it; he had to explain the facts clearly.

He said in a hoarse voice, "Miaomiao, don't say give up, I can't bear it."

His voice was deep and hoarse, devoid of its usual composure, only genuine panic remained: "From beginning to end, this whole thing was Su Ningshuang's scheme. It was my fault for not handling it well, causing you to suffer injustice and be treated so disrespectfully by her. I'm sorry, it's all my fault."

Zhan Miao looked up at him, the moisture on her eyelashes trembling but not falling.

Her voice remained cold and hard: "Scheme? What right does she have to sow discord with baseless accusations? What right does she have to make you hesitate when you're facing me? Lu Jingheng, what I want isn't your apology, but a convincing reason. Why did you give her the opportunity to smear me in front of everyone?"

Her words were like fine needles, piercing Lu Jingheng's heart again and again. He raised his hand to wipe away the redness at the corner of her eyes, but she turned her head away. That dodge left his hand frozen in mid-air, and the pain in his heart intensified.

He admitted that the pain in his eyes was even more obvious. "She was lying. She was not a good girl from the border at all. She was clearly a female bandit. When I went to suppress the bandits, I was seriously injured and fell into a coma. She kidnapped me to the mountains and stole my tiger tally!"

He paused and then said, "I know you have a strong personality, and the reputation of the Zhan family is your Achilles' heel. She has figured this out and is using you and the Zhan family to pressure me."

Lu Jingheng's voice was filled with regret: "I didn't expect her to be so despicable, making such a scene on the main street today, causing you to suffer such injustice for no reason."

He looked into Zhan Miao's eyes, his words earnest and without any concealment: "You are Zhan Miao, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Zhanyi's mansion. I love you, and I will never tolerate her scheming against you like this. Even if you finally decide you don't want to continue this marriage, I still want you to know the truth!"

The eldest princess, who had overheard everything, couldn't help but interject, "Miaomiao, I see. Jingheng was framed. He stole the Tiger Tally and Su Ningshuang used it as leverage. Luckily, we didn't believe him."

Zhan Miao remained silent, her eyelashes drooping to conceal the turmoil in her eyes, yet she still refused to budge: "Su Ningshuang hasn't spoken yet, how can I believe his one-sided story? Aunt, what do you say?"

The eldest princess nodded: "Meow, you're right. It's time to let Su Ningshuang come up and explain herself, and see what the truth is!"

Just then, a guard's voice came from outside the hall, reporting, "Your Highness, Su Ningshuang has been brought here!"

The tenderness in Lu Jingheng's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling coldness. He gripped Zhan Miao's wrist tightly and said coldly, "Bring her in. Today, we'll settle this once and for all."

When Su Ningshuang was brought in, she still had a tearful look in her eyes. When she saw Lu Jingheng holding Zhan Miao's hand, a hint of resentment flashed in her eyes.

Then she turned aggrieved and cried, "Brother Jingheng, why are you still with her? You promised me you would marry me. I am the rightful Mrs. Lu of your General's Mansion!"

Lu Jingheng interrupted her sharply, his gaze like a cold blade piercing her. "Su Ningshuang, shut up! Even now you still don't know how to repent. You are clearly a female bandit. You stole my Tiger Tally while I was seriously injured, and now you dare to use it to blackmail me into marrying you. Where do you get the nerve?"

Su Ningshuang's face turned deathly pale instantly, and her body trembled violently: "How could you say such a thing? How could I be a female bandit? I am clearly the daughter of a good family. You belittle me just to marry a woman from a high-ranking family. How could you be so heartless?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Jingheng's lips curled into a chilling sneer, a smile full of mockery.

He tightened his grip on Zhan Miao's wrist, as if afraid of disturbing her in the slightest.

His gaze remained icy as he fixed on Su Ningshuang: "A daughter of a good family? Would a daughter of a good family steal when someone is seriously injured and defenseless? Would she use military and national treasures to coerce someone into marriage? Su Ningshuang, your arrogance when you stole the Tiger Tally, and your ruthlessness when you forced me, how are you like the daughter of a good family you speak of? You are more like a bandit, you have learned it to the fullest extent."

His words were forceful and resounding, striking Su Ning Shuang's heart and making her already pale face lose all color. She swayed, but still managed to hold on.

Her eyes were filled with grievance and resentment as she cried out, "I love you! If I didn't love you, why would I do these things? Brother Jingheng, have you forgotten? When you were seriously injured and unconscious, I stayed by your side day and night, bringing you medicine and water, never leaving your side. I did so much for you, how could you turn around and acknowledge someone else, and then slander me like this?"

Lu Jingheng's eyes grew even colder. "When I was seriously injured, I was not in my right mind. You dismissed the guards around me, and you just took advantage of the situation!"

These words struck a nerve with Su Ningshuang. She saw the tenderness that unconsciously flowed in Lu Jingheng's eyes when he looked at Zhan Miao, a stark contrast to the icy coldness he showed towards her. Jealousy instantly burned in her eyes.

She suddenly staggered back two steps, bumping into a pillar behind her, and her hand abruptly went to her lower abdomen.