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墨書 Inktalez
Xuanyuan Rui, though not visible, stood in the corner of the third floor, attentively observing the situation below. When he heard Qiu Mingqi request a royal decree for marriage, his eyes widened in disbelief, wishing he could rush down and take his life immediately. However, seeing Qing Luan remain calm and unfazed, he chose to endure his frustration.
As he listened to Chen Xiaode's shameless words, his fists clenched tightly, feeling a pang of sympathy for Qing Luan. Although her parents had passed away, they had genuinely cared for her, allowing her to experience deep familial love. Even in her mother's final moments, her only concern was for her child. Such affection could never be measured by money.
With a father like that, it was no wonder Qing Luan disregarded familial ties entirely. Xuanyuan Rui even thought she wasn't ruthless enough; someone like him should have been dealt with long ago.
When Qing Luan revealed her trump card, Xuanyuan Rui's tense expression finally relaxed, and a smile crept onto his lips. The temperature around him, which had dropped earlier, returned to normal.
A-Song, who had been silently standing beside Xuanyuan Rui, dared not even breathe loudly for fear of provoking his wrath and suffering the consequences. Now that he saw Xuanyuan Rui smiling, he knew the alarm had been lifted and let out a quiet sigh. In his heart, he lamented: Miss, you may be causing trouble for others, but you've put me in a terrible position. At least give them a hint about your intentions to avoid leaving them in suspense.
Qiu Mingqi was reluctant to leave; he had believed that today would be the day he achieved his goal. Instead, he found himself in such a miserable situation that hatred filled his heart. Yet there was nothing he could do but resolve to clarify matters; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to explain himself to the emperor.
At the Chen Residence.
Huang sat waiting for news, her face beaming with joy as she looked at Yan'er and said, "Let's see if that Chen Qingluan can still jump around now..."
"Mother, do you really think she will leave Jade Pavilion to Father and the Chen Family?" Yan'er questioned. She sensed that things were not so simple; Chen Qingluan had been playing the fool while hiding her true strength. No one knew what cards she held; it seemed she had changed completely from who she used to be.
In fact, Chen Yan'er was one of the few who clearly recognized Qing Luan's transformation. How could a weak and incompetent person possibly possess Jade Pavilion? Even if they did manage to acquire it, without capability, it would have long been taken by others before they could claim it.
"Why wouldn't she?" Huang glared at her daughter, irritated by her pessimism. "Qing Luan is your father's biological daughter. She is getting married; the family will prepare a generous dowry for her. As for the properties before marriage, they naturally belong to the Chen Family. This is something anyone can understand! Ha! The Young Marquis has truly shot himself in the foot this time!"
Qiu Mingqi thought she was unaware of his schemes; however, she was quite clear about them. He wanted to marry Qing Luan not out of love but because of Jade Pavilion. Once Jade Pavilion remained with the Chen Family and Chen Qingluan married elsewhere, she would become insignificant. At that point, the Young Marquis would also come to despise her—a Merchant's Daughter occupying the position of Madam Marquis. Just thinking about that scenario brought her joy.
Chen Yan'er observed Huang's smug expression but felt uncertain deep down. She sensed that things wouldn't go as smoothly as they appeared.
In her view, Chen Qingluan would never bow down because of a royal decree; otherwise, knowing full well the Young Marquis's intentions, she wouldn't simply sit back and accept defeat.
The mother and daughter were locked in a standoff, waiting for Chen Xiaode to return.
"Master," Huang immediately smiled obsequiously upon seeing him, rushing forward to support him as she anxiously asked, "What happened? Did Qing Luan agree to marry?" With the emperor's decree, she wouldn't dare resist!
Chen Xiaode cast a complex glance at her, then shrugged off her support and took his seat at the head of the hall, coldly staring at Huang. His heart was heavy and conflicted—he was pained by the thought that he had lost Jade Pavilion. How much silver had that cost him? Just thinking about it filled him with resentment towards Huang.
If it hadn't been for her words back then, Qing Luan's household registration wouldn't have disappeared, and she would still be his daughter. But now, she refused to acknowledge him; what could he do?
There was no way to argue against this reality!
"Dad, what's wrong?" Chen Yan'er noticed his dark expression and the strange look he cast at her mother, filled with intense hatred. This surprised her, prompting her to ask curiously.
"Master, why are you looking at me like that?" Huang's previously cheerful face fell under Chen Xiaode's strange gaze. She felt a sense of unease and fear creeping in, unsure of what had happened. Why was he staring at her as if he wanted her life? It was terrifying.
"She refused!" After taking several deep breaths, Chen Xiaode finally voiced the words he had been holding back.
"Why did she refuse?" Upon hearing this, Huang could no longer remain calm. She shouted excitedly, "That’s an imperial decree! Doesn’t she know that defying it could lead to execution?"
If that happened, it wouldn’t just be her; the entire Chen Family would be implicated!
"Dad, what exactly is going on?" Chen Yan'er sensed that something was amiss and squinted her eyes in anxious inquiry.
She knew that Chen Qingluan would never submit quietly. A person as arrogant and domineering as her wouldn’t simply obey because of Young Marquis's pressure. It seemed impossible; she couldn't understand what her father and the Young Marquis were thinking.
"She is not a daughter of the Chen Family anymore, so... she won't marry," he said, his eyes filled with pain and sorrow, making him appear much more haggard.
"How can she not be a daughter of the Chen Family? She herself admitted it! She is the fourth daughter of the Chen Family; this is an unchangeable fact!" Huang yelled angrily, feeling that he was utterly useless for not being able to control his own daughter.
"The Emperor's decree states... that the person marrying the Young Marquis is Chen Xiaode's fourth daughter... Madam, who is the Chen Family's Fourth Daughter?" Chen Xiaode asked weakly.
"Of course, the Chen Family's Fourth Daughter is Chen Qingluan. She is in the Chen Family genealogy..." As she spoke, she suddenly froze, her mouth agape, unable to regain her composure for a long time.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Chen Yan'er also sensed something was off and asked in confusion.
At that time, she was only eleven years old and couldn't remember some of the details clearly, so she felt puzzled.
"Her... her household registration is gone; she is considered dead," Huang thought of this and became completely dazed, her face showing unease and fear, her eyes filled with terror.
"Ah?" Upon hearing this, Chen Yan'er exclaimed and anxiously grabbed Huang's hand, asking, "Mother, what on earth is going on? Why does she not even have a household registration? How can she be considered dead?"
"This is all your mother's doing," Chen Xiaode grew angrier as he thought about it and finally couldn't hold back. "Back then, she drove Qingluan to the countryside and insisted that she had died, so she went to the government office to cancel her household registration. Aside from the genealogy..."
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They returned just at this moment; it was already past midnight...
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