Xue Zhen rode his horse out of the Capital City overnight. By dawn, the murderous Imperial Guards outside the Dingguo Mansion had changed shifts, still surrounding the mansion like an iron barrel.
Inside the mansion, people were in a panic; the servants walked on their tiptoes, afraid of making the slightest sound.
Xue Tingxue's courtyard, however, was an exception.
After finishing her breakfast, she sipped half a cup of tea in a leisurely manner before giving instructions to Bi Tao, who was beside her and burning with anxiety.
"Prepare the carriage; I am going out."
Bi Tao's eyes widened like copper bells: "Miss! What time is it now? Where are you going? The outside is full of Imperial Guards; they won't let anyone leave!"
"They are surrounding the Dingguo Mansion and blocking Father, but they never said they wouldn't let me, a daughter waiting to be married, go out." Xue Tingxue set down her teacup and stood up.
"Besides, I haven't been convicted yet. On what grounds can they stop me from going out?"
The leader of the Imperial Guards was a Commandant who recognized Xue Tingxue. Seeing her in casual clothes and intending to leave, he looked troubled.
"Eldest Miss, this... the higher-ups have ordered that no one from the Dingguo Mansion is allowed to leave."
Xue Tingxue glanced at him, her tone indifferent. "Is it written in the Imperial Decree?"
The Commandant stumbled: "This... it is not."
"Since it is not written in the Imperial Decree, then by stopping me, you are falsely conveying an Imperial Decree." Xue Tingxue stepped toward the carriage. "Can you bear the weight of that charge?"
Sweat broke out on the Commandant's forehead. He watched helplessly as Xue Tingxue boarded the carriage, not daring to stop her again.
Just as the carriage left, a luxurious carriage pulled up to the entrance of the Dingguo Mansion.
Fu Nanli stepped down from the carriage, looking at the Imperial Guards standing solemnly before the gate with a proud smile on his face.
He smoothed his robes and swaggered inside.
The Imperial Guard Commandant stepped forward but was blocked by Fu Nanli's follower.
"Your Highness Prince Yu is here to visit his father-in-law; do you dare to block him?"
The Commandant did not dare to offend a Prince, so he had no choice but to let him pass.
Duke Dingguo was in his study, wiping the sword that had been with him for thirty years. Hearing that Fu Nanli had arrived, he did not stop his movements, nor did he look up.
Fu Nanli stepped into the room and scanned the simple study, a look of contempt curling his lips.
"Father-in-law has a refined taste, having the heart to wipe a sword when disaster is imminent."
Duke Dingguo finally looked up, his gaze as sharp as a sword.
"Is Your Highness Prince Yu here today to mock my Dingguo Mansion?"
Fu Nanli sat down in the lower seat and poured himself a cup of tea.
"Father-in-law, you speak too seriously. After all, Tingxue was once my fiancée. How could I stand by and watch when the Dingguo Mansion is in trouble?"
He took a sip of tea and spoke slowly: "You should have heard about the matters in the Imperial Court. Marquis Zhongyong and the others are holding onto the issue of the military equipment, and the Father Emperor is furious. I fear this will not end well."
Duke Dingguo snorted coldly and continued wiping his sword.
Seeing that he was not taking the bait, Fu Nanli decided to speak plainly.
"However, if Father-in-law is willing to nod and lend me a hand, I will certainly intercede for you before the Father Emperor and ensure the Dingguo Mansion remains safe and sound."
Duke Dingguo sheathed his sword, producing a crisp hum.
He stood up and walked in front of Fu Nanli.
"Your intention is to have my Dingguo Mansion betray its master for glory and act as your pawn?"
Fu Nanli frowned: "Father-in-law, that is incorrect. This is called a wise bird choosing a tree to perch on."
"Get out." Duke Dingguo pointed at the door, his voice suppressing anger.
Fu Nanli's expression darkened instantly, and he stood up abruptly.
"Xue Yuan! Do not be ungrateful! Do you think you still have a choice? Besides me, who else would dare to protect you!"
"My Dingguo Mansion has been loyal for generations; we walk upright and sit straight, we do not need anyone's protection!" Duke Dingguo said word by word. "As for you, consorting with treacherous officials and framing loyal ministers, are you not afraid of retribution?"
Fu Nanli laughed: "Retribution? I only know that those who follow me prosper, and those who oppose me perish! Just wait, when your entire Xue Family is executed, do not come begging me!"
He flung his sleeves and left, but stopped at the door, turning back to mock him.
"By the way, I heard that Tingxue went out shopping early this morning. With the Dingguo Mansion in trouble, your daughter is truly carefree, rushing to find herself a new path!"
Duke Dingguo's face turned livid, and he picked up the paperweight on the table and smashed it toward him.
Fu Nanli dodged in a flurry, and the paperweight smashed against the door frame, shattering into pieces.
"Old thing!" Fu Nanli cursed and stormed off in a rage.
In the Capital City's largest fabric store, "Jinxiu Pavilion," there were throngs of people.
Xue Tingxue's appearance was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing a huge stir.
"Isn't that the Eldest Miss of the Dingguo Mansion? How does she still have the mood to come out and buy fabric?"
"Don't you know? It is said that Duke Dingguo is about to be charged; I fear the confiscation of his property is not far off."
"Tsk tsk, she doesn't even know she's at death's door; how pitiful."
The discussion was not too loud or too soft, just enough to reach Xue Tingxue's ears.
She acted as if she hadn't heard and walked straight to the second floor, where the most precious materials were displayed.
"Bring out the best Yun brocade you have here for me to see."
The shopkeeper recognized her, his face full of smiles, yet he hesitated.
"Eldest Miss, this Yun brocade costs a thousand gold pieces per bolt..."
The implication was: your family is about to fall, can you even afford it?
Before Xue Tingxue could speak, a sharp and mean voice rang out.
"Oh, isn't this Eldest Miss Xue? What a coincidence."
Li Wan walked up with several noble ladies, waving her fan with a look of schadenfreude.
"Some people are about to become prisoners, yet they still have the mood to buy new clothes. What, are you preparing to have a few nice ones tailored to wear in prison?"
The noble ladies behind her burst into laughter.
Bi Tao was so angry her face turned pale; she rolled up her sleeves to step forward and argue, but was stopped by a look from Xue Tingxue.
Xue Tingxue didn't even look at Li Wan, pointing at several bolts of Yun brocade that had just been brought out, and said to the shopkeeper.
"These few bolts, the sky-blue one, the moon white one, and that silver-threaded one, I want them all."
The shopkeeper was stunned.
The people around watching the excitement were also stunned.
These few bolts of Yun brocade added up to at least five or six thousand silver pieces, and she didn't even blink?
The smile on Li Wan's face froze: "Xue Tingxue, what are you pretending for? Where did you get the money!"
Xue Tingxue finally turned her gaze toward her and spoke indifferently.
"Is the wealth of my Xue Family something people like you can imagine?"
She took a banknote from her sleeve and slapped it onto the counter.
"Is this enough?"
The shopkeeper saw the amount on the banknote, his eyes went straight, and he hurriedly nodded and bowed: "Enough, enough! Eldest Miss, please wait a moment, I will wrap them up for you right away!"
Li Wan's face turned blue and white; she didn't believe it.
"You... you are just putting on a brave front! The Dingguo Mansion is finished soon, let's see how long you can remain proud!"
Xue Tingxue picked up a bolt of sky-blue Yun brocade, the material sliding through her fingertips, the texture was excellent.
She instructed the shopkeeper.
"Wrap them up and send them directly to Prince Ning'an's Estate."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire second floor of Jinxiu Pavilion became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Everyone looked at her with the eyes one would use to look at a madman.
Sending gifts to Prince Ning'an's Estate?
And at a time like this?
Li Wan seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world and pointed at her, laughing loudly.
"Hahahaha! Xue Tingxue, have you gone mad? Do you think that by sucking up to Prince Ning'an, he can save your family? Don't forget, he is a Yama who kills his wives! You are delivering yourself to his door, aren't you afraid of being killed by him!"
Xue Tingxue couldn't be bothered to pay attention to this buffoon anymore and just added one more sentence to the shopkeeper.
"Just say it is a gift from me to the Prince for his new clothes. Tell him he must accept it."
After saying this, she took Bi Tao and, under the shocked gazes of everyone, walked downstairs gracefully.
Li Wan's laughter was stuck in her throat, her expression looking terrible to the extreme.
This move by Xue Tingxue caught her off guard, making her feel even worse than if she had been slapped in the face.
..
Prince Yu's Estate.
Fu Nanli had just returned from the Dingguo Mansion, his belly still full of fire.
Xue Manman walked in with a bowl of iced lotus seed soup, persuading him in a soft voice.
"Why does the Prince need to be angry with him? Duke Dingguo is now nothing more than a grasshopper after the autumn; he won't be able to jump for many more days."
Fu Nanli drank a mouthful of the lotus seed soup, and his anger subsided quite a bit.
"You are right. When this king ascends the throne, he will be the first one I make an example of!"
He looked at Xue Manman's soft and beautiful profile, feeling much more comfortable.
"You are still the sensible one. Unlike that bitch Xue Tingxue, who dares to challenge this king even at death's door!"
Xue Manman lowered her eyes and said softly: "Older sister, she was also pushed to the edge. Prince, please do not lower yourself to her level."
Fu Nanli snorted coldly and was about to speak when a follower ran in hurriedly.
"Your Highness! It is not good!"
Fu Nanli frowned unhappily: "So flustered, what sort of decorum is this?"
The follower knelt on the ground and stammered out what had happened at Jinxiu Pavilion.
"...Eldest Miss Xue bought five bolts of the most expensive Yun brocade, and all of them... all of them were sent to Prince Ning'an's Estate! She even said... it was a gift for Prince Ning'an to make new clothes!"
The pride on Fu Nanli's face instantly solidified.
The hand holding the bowl by Xue Manman also trembled slightly.
"What did you say?" Fu Nanli's voice sounded as if it were squeezed out from between his teeth.
The follower repeated it again.
"She has such great courage!"
Fu Nanli stood up abruptly and swept the tea set off the table.
"Clatter—"
His beloved Blue and White Porcelain teacup shattered directly on the floor with a crisp sound.
"That promiscuous bitch! Does she think that by clinging to that cripple Fu Tingyuan, she can contend with me? Dream on!"
He paced back and forth in the room in a rage, his chest heaving violently.
"She is slapping my face! She actually dared to slap my face in front of the entire Capital City!"
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