20
Abortion?
Tang Cheng’s almond-shaped eyes widened in shock. The person who had once been the strongest opponent of her abortion was her marquis father. Now, the one supporting it was also him.
Back then, when she had suggested breaking off the engagement and finding another father for the child, hadn’t he agreed as well?
What was going on?
“Cheng’er, I was wrong. The Zhen’s estate is not the best place for you. There’s no need to keep this child.”
The Duke of Zhen and his son might be fine men, but with a future mother-in-law like the Duchess who openly loathed his precious daughter, who knew what kind of torment she would put her through? The Marquis of Nanyang had conveniently forgotten that Tang Cheng was not the kind of person who could endure hardship.
“Father, I’m keeping this child.”
Tang Cheng’s expression was firm.
In her eyes, abortion was an act of cruelty. Even though she now had the highly coveted ability to conceive easily, making children no longer out of reach, she would not treat this life so lightly.
The Marquis of Nanyang was stunned. His precious daughter had once been desperate to get rid of the child, yet now she was adamant about keeping it. Could it be that she had taken a liking to that brat, Wen Huai’an?
A sour feeling crept into his heart, making him dislike Wen Huai’an even more.
“Cheng’er, the Duke of Zhen’s household has gone too far. Keeping this child will only invite ridicule and tarnish your reputation. I can’t bear to see you suffer.”
“Father, do I even have a reputation left?” Tang Cheng looked up at him and asked.
The Marquis of Nanyang fell silent.
“If my reputation is already ruined, what could be worse than this?” Tang Cheng stated matter-of-factly.
Once again, the Marquis found himself at a loss for words.
“Father, if I keep this child, will you stop loving me?”
Tang Cheng’s beautiful almond-shaped eyes gazed at him with grievance.
“Of course not! You will always be my most beloved daughter.” The Marquis of Nanyang immediately reassured her.
“If you want to keep the child, then so be it but you’ll have to cooperate with me and put on a show.”
Seeing his precious daughter insist on keeping Wen Huai’an’s brat, he felt a pang of jealousy but had no choice but to compromise. Internally, he made another note to settle the score with the Duke of Zhen.
Tang Cheng’s face instantly lit up with a smile as she affectionately clung to his arm, her voice sweet and coquettish. “I knew Father treats me the best! Tell me, how do you want me to cooperate?”
The Marquis sighed, a helpless yet doting smile tugging at his lips.
“In a few days, we’ll announce to the public that you’ve lost the child.”
Since it was all just an act and not real, Tang Cheng couldn’t be bothered by other people’s gossip. With a carefree nod, she agreed, “Alright!”
The Marquis of Nanyang smiled in satisfaction.
Once the news spread, and the duke’s wife realized she had indirectly caused the loss of her only grandchild, he was eager to see how the Duke of Zhen would react.
Let them taste the consequences of making his precious daughter suffer.
He was certain the duke’s wife would be most pleased with the “gift” he had prepared for her.
As for the truth being exposed in the future? The Marquis of Nanyang decided to leave that problem for another day.
The four maids, who had been silently blending into the background: “…”
Why did it feel like the Marquis’ smile was a little… cold?
“You four, go stand guard at the door,” he ordered, waving them away as another matter came to mind.
As the maids quietly left, the Marquis silently added another mark against Wen Huai’an in his mental ledger.
If it weren’t for that brat requesting an imperial physician to examine him, how would His Majesty have taken an interest in his daughter’s strengthening tonic? And if that hadn’t happened, why would the emperor suddenly want to see her?
Once the maids had exited, leaving only father and daughter in the room, the Marquis finally revealed the news.
“Cheng’er, tomorrow, I will take you to the palace. His Majesty wishes to see you.”
Tang Cheng pulled her father down to sit beside her on the couch, casually pouring him a cup of tea as she processed his words.
“The emperor wants to see me—it must be about the strengthening tonic, right?”
Tang Cheng spoke with absolute certainty.
The Marquis of Nanyang took the teacup from his daughter and sipped leisurely.
“That’s right. There’s no hiding the fact that you have the tonic. Bring some with you when we enter the palace tomorrow.”
Tang Cheng readily agreed. “Alright! If His Majesty tries the tonic, he’ll definitely reward me. Father, what do you think I should ask for as a reward?”
The Marquis: “…”
His precious daughter sure thought far ahead.
But right now, the priority was to steer her away from this idea.
“Ahem, Cheng’er, when it comes to imperial rewards, you take whatever His Majesty bestows upon you.”
Tang Cheng pouted in disappointment. “So, I can’t ask for something specific?”
“No!”
The Marquis of Nanyang shook his head firmly, determined to prevent his daughter from getting any wild ideas about making outrageous demands of the emperor.
Tang Cheng let out a soft “Oh,” but inwardly, she had already made up her mind to give it a try. Her strengthening tonic was incredibly valuable, if the emperor simply rewarded her with some gold and silver to brush her off, wouldn’t that be a huge loss?
“By the way, Cheng’er, the Emperor might ask you to refine the strengthening tonic on the spot. Do you know how to handle that?”
A man was not guilty, but treasuring a jade becomes a crime.
The Marquis knew all too well how miraculous his daughter’s tonic was. He feared she would recklessly seek the spotlight, drawing too much attention to herself—attention he might not be able to shield her from.
A flicker of worry flashed in his eyes.
Tang Cheng was quick-witted and immediately understood the underlying meaning in her father’s words. She blinked playfully at him and said with a mischievous smile, “Don’t worry, Father. When it comes to refining the strengthening tonic, I can succeed if I want to and fail if I choose to. What do you think, should I succeed or fail?”
Hearing her response, the Marquis of Nanyang felt a wave of relief wash over him and chuckled.
“I think failure would be best, don’t you agree, Cheng’er?”
Tang Cheng tilted her delicate face slightly, a sly grin playing on her lips.
“I think so too. Succeeding on the first try would be nothing more than a lucky fluke. What can I say? I just have good luck.”
The Marquis burst into hearty laughter.
Outside the room, the four maids, who had been listening, exchanged knowing smiles and pressed their lips together to suppress their amusement.
…
Compared to the lighthearted atmosphere in Peony Courtyard, the mood in the Duke of Zhen’s residence was heavy and suffocating, like the calm before a storm.
For the first time, Madam Min witnessed the Duke of Zhen in a fit of rage. The elegance that usually graced her face was now laced with unease and guilt.
Wen Huai’an stood to the side, his expression complicated as he looked at his mother.
“Madam Min, tomorrow you will take the official matchmaker to the Marquis of Nanyang’s residence and ensure the marriage is reinstated.”
After venting his anger, the Duke of Zhen issued the order in an icy tone.
“I won’t go!”
“Tang Cheng doesn’t deserve it!”
The Duchess’s expression changed drastically. She had only just annulled the engagement today—how could she possibly go back tomorrow to arrange it again? How would she keep her dignity?
More importantly, she would never allow Tang Cheng to take what rightfully belonged to Xuening.
The position of the future Lady of the House belonged to Xuening!
“So what if she’s pregnant? Huai’an has always struggled with fertility—who’s to say the child in her belly is even his?”
Blinded by rage, the Duchess lost all restraint, slandering Tang Cheng without thinking.
Wen Huai’an’s face remained expressionless, but beneath his sleeves, his fists clenched tightly. The way he looked at his mother now carried a trace of unfamiliarity, even coldness.
The duke’s face darkened, his expression thunderous.
“Silence!”
The identity of the child in Fourth Miss Tang’s womb was something he had long since verified beyond any doubt.
His disappointment in Madam Min had reached its peak. Since she harbored such disdain for Tang Cheng, then she had no business interfering in the marriage any further.
“Tang Ping, escort the madam back to her family home tomorrow.”
Tang Ping, who had remained inconspicuous until now, respectfully acknowledged the order.
The Duchess shuddered, snapping back to reality. She stared in disbelief at the Duke of Zhen, whose expression was cold and unreadable.
Was he truly sending her back to her maiden home—all for the sake of that arrogant, brainless girl who showed no respect for her elders?
**