The merchant's rebirth led to the complete downfall of the Marquis's mansion.

In front of the Marquis's Mansion

Granny Zhao stood ramrod straight. The servant knocked on the door, and upon seeing the scene outside, he closed the door and went to report it.

This is understandable; the Marquis's residence hasn't received this much attention in a long time, and the sudden influx of so many people was simply unacceptable to him.

Many people who are unaware of the facts have begun to inquire about what happened.

Before long, everyone knew that the Marquis's heir had gone to break off the engagement with the Qin family and wanted Miss Qin to be his concubine.

There were many onlookers, but most of them were filled with righteous indignation.

While ordinary people may not know much about the decline of the Marquis's mansion, they are not entirely unaware of it either.

The alliance between the two families was considered a good thing, and those who felt that the Marquis's family was taking advantage of the situation and exploiting the descendants of the deceased were just talking about it in private.

But now, the Crown Prince wants to break off the engagement? If he really does, everyone will praise him as a true man.

But he divorced his wife and then wanted her to be his concubine; that's just too disgusting.

Inside the Marquis's Mansion

The gatekeeper rushed into the inner courtyard, not even bothering to find the steward first, and went straight in.

"Grandma! Grandma!" the servant called out breathlessly from a distance.

The old lady, who was sitting in the main seat, sensed something was wrong when she heard the voice. The nanny she had sent out returned from the side door and whispered something in the old lady's ear.

"Such a lack of manners! What's with all the shouting!" Lady Liu, the wife of the Marquis, put down her teacup and looked at the newcomer with great dissatisfaction.

The servant rushed in and knelt down, his voice filled with fear:

"Madam, it's not that I'm being dramatic, but there are a lot of people gathered outside!"

"Who is it?" Liu sat up straight immediately.

Suddenly, Liu's mind went blank as she recalled the time her family was surrounded by soldiers.

Why is no one from the Marquis's household holding an official position now?

"They are...the local residents!"

Mrs. Liu breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you doing? Trying to freeload?"

He then turned to the old matriarch and said, "Mother! I've gone to send them away! What kind of place is our Marquis's mansion? How dare they come here and cause trouble!"

As she was about to get up and leave, the old lady slammed her hand on the table, successfully stopping her.

"Mother... Mother?" Liu looked at the old lady with a somewhat uneasy expression.

She didn't understand what the problem was, or why he suddenly got angry. Shouldn't she have gone to deal with him? Or shouldn't she have gone at all?

The old lady stood up with the help of the nanny. Just then, the steward came over and, seeing the situation in the room, did not dare to make a sound.

"Where is the Crown Prince?" the old lady asked.

The butler was trembling with fear, as if standing on the edge of an abyss.

"This...the young master hasn't returned since he left! The servant who just accompanied him brought back a message saying...that the young master went to the Vice Minister's residence..."

The steward kept his head down, fearing he would be implicated, something beyond his control! Although he had people following him, the young master wouldn't listen to them.

He was going to the Xia family, and even the servants couldn't stop him!

"That unfilial son!" The old lady clutched her chest, gasping for breath.

This startled the old woman standing nearby, who quickly tried to soothe her.

"Grandma, you must hold on!" If you can't hold on, this farce might really blow up.

“Mother, why get angry! Let’s talk things out…” Madam Liu looked at the old lady with concern.

After all, if the old lady were to fall ill, she wouldn't know what to do.

"Go! Find the young master and bring him back. If he doesn't come back, tie him up and bring him back!" The old lady, having calmed down, then instructed the steward.

The butler immediately bowed and left.

Liu didn't understand, so she could only stand there awkwardly.

After giving her instructions, the old lady asked the nanny beside her.

"Is only Granny Zhao outside? Qin girl isn't here?"

"Yes, only a few servants from the Qin family," the nanny replied.

The old lady pondered for a moment, then said, "Go and invite them in!"

Standing at the gate like this isn't a good idea.

"Please..." the nanny hesitated, "Then Nanny Zhao said that when the engagement was made in the past, it was done in front of the people, and now that the engagement is being broken off, it should also be done in front of the people."

"This unfilial son! Does he even know what he's done?" The old lady gasped, tilting her head to the side.

At this moment, Liu learned what had happened from the maid beside her.

Seeing her mother's angry expression, Liu really didn't understand.

"Mother, the Qin family is just a merchant family. They've already climbed too high for her. It's not unfair for Su-ge to make her a concubine!"

"Besides, the Xia family... if we could form a marriage alliance, it would be beneficial to Su-ge's future!"

"Shut up! You stupid woman! Look at the situation outside, do you think you can just call off a marriage like that?"

The old lady now deeply regrets choosing Liu as her daughter-in-law. Not only is she incompetent at managing the household, but she's also muddle-headed.

Even grandchildren aren't necessarily quick-witted these days!

"Let's go! I'll personally go and meet Granny Zhao!"

The old lady walked in front, and Liu, having been scolded, dared not say anything and quietly followed behind.

The door opened, and the noise outside stopped.

When Zhao Mama came to her senses, she saw the old lady and respectfully bowed.

"Is the matriarch well?"

The old lady waved her hand, offered a helping hand, and then said with a smile.

"Why didn't you come in when you arrived, Granny Zhao? It's not that we're being unhospitable, we're all in-laws, come in and talk! I'll teach that brat a lesson later."

The old lady's words attributed the great battle to the young master's ignorance, and also gave Granny Zhao a way out. If Granny Zhao accepted the situation, it would save face for both families.

Granny Zhao could tell, of course, but she was destined to disappoint the old lady.

She came not only because the Crown Prince had damaged the Qin family's reputation.

"Please forgive me, Madam, but my young lady has no relatives or elders. Today, this old servant will take the liberty of speaking."

Granny Zhao stepped aside and made way for the jade lion that was being carried behind her.

"Old Madam, these are the betrothal gifts that the Marquis brought when he came to arrange the engagement. This is the marriage certificate between the young lady and the young master."

"Today, the young master came to our house and told Miss that he admires Miss Xia and feels that the Qin family's status is not as good as the Xia family's. He asked Miss to ask to be his concubine."

“Although our Qin family is not an official family, we are still a prominent family in the capital. We are unwilling to let someone become a concubine.”

"Thinking of the bond between the two families since the previous generation, Miss asked this old servant to bring these things over and cancel the engagement."

After Zhao Mama finished speaking, she stood up neither humbly nor arrogantly.

The old lady's prayer beads spun even faster.

The surrounding people stared wide-eyed, waiting for the Marquis's next move. Seeing Zhao Mama's disdain for the young master's concubine, Liu Shi felt a surge of anger.

Her son is so outstanding, how could Qin Yao have the right to be picky?

Thinking it over, Liu's words had already slipped out.

"Granny Zhao, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! If Qin Yao misses out on the Marquis's mansion, who knows which impoverished family she'll end up marrying!"

"Liu Shi!" The old lady tried to stop her, but it was too late.

The people below had already begun to discuss it animatedly.

"So the Marquis's residence really had this in mind!"

"That's right. I knew it all along. They looked down on the Qin family."

"But the Marquis wasn't like this back then! And the Marquis's mansion..."

……

"Grandma! Grandma!..."

Seeing the chaos in front of the Marquis's mansion as people rushed to help the fallen old lady, Zhao Mama's eyes remained devoid of emotion.

Just as they were about to enter, Granny Zhao instructed the girl to put her things down.

"Madam Hou! I'll leave the things here! And I ask everyone to bear witness that my Qin family will have no further connection with the Hou family!"

Liu, who had already turned around, stopped.

"Bang!" The jade lion was placed on the ground.

The marriage certificate was also placed on the ground.

The surrounding people readily agreed to testify, and Granny Zhao was very satisfied with the result. She had her servant take out some copper coins and silver coins and scattered them out to thank everyone for speaking out for justice.

Only then did he leave with his men.

"Quickly! Bring the jade lion in!"

Seeing the chaos outside as people fought over money, Liu was afraid that her precious pet would be hurt, so she ordered someone to bring it inside quickly.

This is a gift from the imperial court; we can't let it be wasted!

When the old lady woke up and learned what Liu had done, she was so angry that she almost fainted again.

What does bringing back that jade lion mean? Is Liu's brain filled with straw?