“Call off the engagement? Hah!” Mo Lingzheng laughed. “Fine! Whoever doesn’t call it off is a turtle’s grandson!”
Just then, Da Niu and Er Niu returned to the courtyard with the four servants who were “redeeming themselves through meritorious service.”
Mo Lingzheng beckoned to the four of them. “You’ve come just in time. Throw this thing that barged into the general’s residence out!”
“Yes!”
After escorting Yu Shi and Qin Wanxiu, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair, back to their courtyard, the four servants had personally watched as the Yahang took away all the servants in the residence. They didn’t know how many cold sweats they had broken out in fear. Now, hearing Mo Lingzheng issue another order, they hurriedly stepped forward, lifted Zhou Rongkai by his limbs, and ran off with him.
“How dare you! You lowly slaves—” Being carried like a dead dog was undoubtedly a great humiliation for Zhou Rongkai. He struggled and roared hoarsely.
But the more he struggled, the harder the four servants gripped him, and the faster they ran!
Da Niu stepped forward holding a small box and said, “Miss Mo, this is the register of the servants sold and the silver notes. Please check them.”
Mo Lingzheng took it and smiled at the tall sisters. “Thank you for your trouble. I’ll treat you to a big meal another day!”
…
Qin Wanxiu and Mo Si’an, mother and daughter, were in Yu Shi’s room. The three generations took turns cursing Mo Lingzheng several times over.
Mo Si’an viciously suggested, “Grandmother, that bitch Mo Lingzheng dares to show such disrespect to her elders. Why don’t we just hire someone to kill her?”
Although Yu Shi was furious with Mo Lingzheng, her anger hadn’t clouded her judgment. Hearing her granddaughter’s words, she shook her head with a grim expression. “Your uncle brought us to the capital to take care of her. If she suddenly dies, even if it can’t be traced back to us, your uncle will become estranged from us.”
Mo Si’an retorted, “Grandmother, so what if he becomes estranged? You are his mother. Would he dare not acknowledge you? If he dares, then he is committing a grave offense against filial piety!”
Yu Shi shot her an annoyed glance. “Do you want to ruin his reputation? If his reputation is ruined, what good will it do us? The Mo family finally produced such a powerful and influential official. We rely on him for our prosperity. Are we to sacrifice the wealth and glory of our entire Mo family just so you can vent your anger?”
Qin Wanxiu also quickly signaled her daughter and tried to calm her. “An’er, your grandmother is right. Our family’s luxurious life depends entirely on your uncle. Ruining him would be cutting off our own path to prosperity.”
Mo Si’an gritted her teeth resentfully. “But I just want that bitch Mo Lingzheng dead! If she dies, my brother and I could be adopted by Uncle. We could take care of him in his old age and handle his funeral arrangements!”
Qin Wanxiu tapped her forehead firmly. “Do you think you can be adopted just because you want to? Your uncle hasn’t even reached forty yet. With Mo Lingzheng around, he might refrain from remarrying easily for her sake. If Mo Lingzheng were gone, who knows when he might remarry? If a new wife gives him a son in his later years, she might be even more favored than Mo Lingzheng!”
Yu Shi nodded and said to her granddaughter, “Your mother is right. Someone like your uncle, with his high position and great power—if he weren’t often away from the capital, if he stayed home all year, matchmakers would probably wear out his doorstep. It’s only because that little bitch Mo Lingzheng is around that your uncle won’t remarry easily.”
“But that bitch is opposing us like this. Do we just have to endure it?” Mo Si’an still refused to accept it.
Qin Wanxiu was growing impatient. “An’er, I know what you’re thinking, but I’ve already told you—you must be patient. Wait until your uncle returns to the capital and arranges her marriage to the Zhou heir. Once she enters the Pingnan Marquisate with her dowry, you can enter the marquisate as a concubine. Then, within the Pingnan Marquisate, we can act. I have a way to make her transfer all her dowry to your name before she dies, while also ensuring the marquisate elevates you to the status of wife. If we eliminate her now, given the pride of the Pingnan Marquisate, they would never marry you with the full honors of a formal wedding.”
Yu Shi also comforted her granddaughter. “An’er, your mother is right. You must be patient!”
Mo Si’an snorted. “That wretch has already sold off all the servants in the household. Now there isn’t even anyone to attend to us. Weren’t you both angrier than me just a moment ago?”
At the mention of this, Yu Shi and Qin Wanxiu’s faces turned livid again.
Yu Shi cursed, “It’s all because of that wretch Madam Nangong. Before she died, she actually gave all the servants’ indentures to her daughter!”
Qin Wanxiu said bitterly, “I’ll go find a human trafficker to buy new servants right away! From now on, the servants’ indentures will be in our hands. Let’s see how that little wretch can stir up trouble then!”
…
Meanwhile, Zhou Rongkai dragged his aching body back to the Pingnan Marquisate and immediately sought out the Marquis of Pingnan, Zhou Hui, and his wife, Madam Dai, clamoring to break off the engagement.
But as soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Hui slapped him without even asking for an explanation—
“You fool! Do you think marriage is a child’s game? Who gave you the audacity to break off the engagement?”
“Master, calm down!” Madam Dai quickly pulled him back and frowned as she asked her son, “Kai’er, what happened? Why do you want to break off the engagement out of the blue?”
Zhou Rongkai recounted how Mo Lingzheng had sold off the household servants and attacked him.
Of course, he embellished the story, portraying Mo Lingzheng as utterly cruel and violent.
After hearing this, Madam Dai was the first to show disbelief. “Kai’er, what nonsense are you talking? Lingzheng is so gentle and reserved—how could she attack you? Besides, with the old lady in the general’s household, how could Lingzheng sell off the servants without considering her feelings? Have you lost your mind, making up such stories?”
Before her son could speak again, Zhou Hui couldn’t help but slap him once more, furious. “You idiot! Did that little wretch from the Mo family’s second branch incite you to slander Lingzheng? You blind fool! You don’t know how to cherish the treasure right in front of you, yet you’re bewitched by that lowly little wretch who can’t even show her face in public. Do you want to drive us to our graves?”
“Father!” Zhou Rongkai covered his face, both angry and aggrieved.
“Silence!” This time, Madam Dai did not defend her son. Instead, she glared at him and scolded him sternly. “We’ve warned you repeatedly not to associate with that little wretch Mo Si’an. Why won’t you listen? Do you know how much effort we’ve put into arranging your marriage with Lingzheng? If you break off the engagement, do you know what our marquisate will face?”
“Mother…” Seeing that even his doting mother was no longer on his side, Zhou Rongkai gradually calmed down, the anger on his face slowly fading away.
Zhou Hui pointed at him sternly, “Our Pingnan Marquisate has a hollow reputation without real power. We finally managed to align ourselves with the Seventh Prince. If the Seventh Prince hadn’t already married the Grand Tutor’s daughter, do you think you’d have a chance to marry Mo Lingzheng? You ungrateful fool, how many times must I tell you? As long as you marry Mo Lingzheng, help the Seventh Prince win over Mo Wubo, and secure the support of both civil and military officials for the Seventh Prince, then when the Seventh Prince ascends to the throne in the future, our Pingnan Marquisate will have the merit of supporting the rightful heir. We are bound to soar to great heights and enjoy endless power and wealth! But look at what you’re doing now? Breaking off the engagement? Listen carefully: if you dare to break off the engagement, then don’t even think about remaining the heir. Our Pingnan Marquisate has more than one son!”