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Thinking about Consort Qin being within reach, Pang Yuanying felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. After all, having Chen Wenyue personally deliver the beautiful lady to him and getting Consort Qin to fall for him were two different things.
For a moment, Pang Yuanying thought it was enough to achieve his goal without putting too much effort into a mere Villager, yet he still felt a sense of dissatisfaction. If word got out that he, one of the four young masters of the capital, couldn't even handle a rural Villager, it would be quite embarrassing.
No matter how he pondered, he still looked forward to Qin Yaru being delivered to his door. However, after waiting for two days and changing into five or six new outfits, while receiving numerous guests, the beauty never appeared.
Crash!
Pang Yuanying waved his hand and smashed a precious jade cup on the table, feeling that all the carefully selected furniture from the capital, the decorations, and even the gold crown he had picked out—rarely seen in the palace—along with the robes and shoes made from tribute materials, all became glaringly obvious.
This feeling of being slapped in the face was something he had never experienced before; it was indeed unforgettable.
Pang Yuanying's face turned red with anger as he held his breath, unable to exhale, causing the servants in the Surroundings to retreat far away in fear.
Taking a deep breath, Pang Yuanying coldly flicked his sleeves and stormed out. However, just as he was about to leave the courtyard, an elderly man beside him called out.
“Marquis, where are you going?”
Pang Yuanying paused his steps, frowned, and replied coldly, “Du Lao, I’m feeling restless. I’m going out for a stroll.”
This old man’s surname was Du, ranked ninth among his peers, known as Du Jiu. He had served the Pang Family for a lifetime and had followed Pang Yuanying's grandfather when he was young.
In such prominent families, servants in front of elders held considerable status. Pang Yuanying's older brother sent this man specifically to keep an eye on him because he was worried about his younger brother. Even Pang Yuanying dared not act too recklessly in front of him.
Du Jiu sighed, "Marquis, the situation in the capital is not good right now. You should stay low-key and not cause trouble for Da Lang." He had watched Pang Yuanying grow up and understood this tyrant well. He had no hope that he could stay quietly in the countryside without causing trouble. If it were any other time, even if he went to bring back a wife, as long as it didn't result in a death, it wouldn't be a big deal. But now, it was really not the time to stir up trouble.
Da Lang sent him to Wudang County precisely to keep a low profile and avoid causing chaos. Although Consort Qin was not particularly noticeable herself, she was closely associated with Bai Yunsheng. Despite Bai Yunsheng currently being embroiled in lawsuits, everyone knew that this was just the emperor's way of venting his anger and teaching him a lesson; he didn't truly intend to harm him. The Marquis had already made enemies on all sides and caused great trouble. It would be unwise to provoke an even bigger issue over a mere villager.
Pang Yuanying frowned, visibly impatient. "That bastard Chen Wenyue actually dared to play me for a fool. Does he think this Marquis will just let it go?"
His pent-up anger had nowhere to go, making him feel uncomfortable. He gritted his teeth and muttered to himself, "Does he not see what kind of status he has? Just because he got close to Gentle Blue, he thinks he can go against me? Believe it or not, if I quietly send him off to Lingnan, Xiangyang Wang will have to come over and apologize to me; he won't dare stand up for him."
Du Jiu couldn't help but smile wryly but felt relieved knowing that his Marquis was angry yet still understood the gravity of the situation. He chuckled, "Of course I believe it! It's just that if word gets out that a dignified Marquis was played by a poor scholar, wouldn't that be embarrassing for you?"
"If you're truly upset, we have plenty of ways to deal with him discreetly without resorting to open conflict."
As Du Jiu spoke, he noticed Pang Yuanying's mood had calmed down somewhat and continued, "Besides, who are you? With your status, position, talent, and looks, how could Consort Qin not like you? Think about those noble ladies in the capital who seem as virtuous as chaste women; when they see you, don't they become weak at the knees? She probably has long been interested in you but is held back by propriety and her own pride. If you use some clever tactics, why would she not give her heart entirely to you? If you resort to brute force, it only shows that the Marquis lacks appreciation for delicate feelings and doesn't demonstrate your true abilities."
Du Jiu clearly understood Pang Yuanying very well. His words made Pang Yuanying feel much better; his expression softened slightly. Seeing Pang Yuanying deep in thought, Du Jiu sighed in relief and hurriedly coaxed him back inside while calling for several beautiful ladies-in-waiting to accompany him for drinks and entertainment.
He knew well that although Lord Pang could be domineering at times, his pride would not allow him to tolerate being unable to handle even a villager. It was likely that for a while longer, he wouldn't resort to any rough tactics. Once he understood the situation in the capital and passed this hurdle, he could do as he pleased. Du Jiu didn't want to restrict him too much or let him feel wronged.
Indeed, Pang Yuanying had only been furious earlier due to waiting too long with expectations only to be splashed with cold water unexpectedly. Now that his anger had subsided somewhat, the person he hated most was Chen Wenyue for embarrassing him; however, his interest in Consort Qin had only grown.
He wasn't foolish; on the contrary, he was quite clever. He quickly guessed that Chen Wenyue must not have dared to toy with him like this. Pang Yuanying considered himself good at reading people; someone like Chen Wenyue who relied solely on women and sought shortcuts couldn't possibly offend him over a woman. It must have been that fellow who let Qin Yaru play him.
Thinking of this made Pang Yuanying find it amusing: "Fine then, since you want to play games, let's play along."
Lord Pang was furious, and Qin Yaru felt a bit anxious inside. She understood Chen Wenyue; since that person wanted to send her to the Marquis, it meant they had already communicated with the Marquis. Now, she was following the plan, pulling on the Marquis's tiger skin. Not only did she obtain the divorce decree, but she also managed to help Da Lang escape as well. This move was indeed satisfying, but it also brought potential consequences.
However, with things having developed to this point, she had no other choice. Since Chen Wenyue wanted to send her to Lord Pang, what else could she do? If she didn't go through with the divorce, she would truly become a plaything. Regardless of the outcome, she would offend both of these individuals; there was no other path available. She could only strive to find a way out of this desperate situation.
"I just hope that the Marquis doesn't stay in Wudang County for too long."
Qin Yaru sighed inwardly as she glanced at her son sitting straight at the desk, holding a brush and writing large, crooked characters. This sight eased her underlying anxiety. For now, she could only deal with whatever came her way. She wasn't afraid of Chen Wulang; as long as that person cared about their reputation, they wouldn't escalate matters. As for the Marquis, she could only tread carefully and remind herself not to make any mistakes. Fortunately, officials in the Song Dynasty were still quite responsible. The house she bought was well-located, right by the Yamen. No matter how arrogant the Marquis was, he likely wouldn't truly bring people to forcibly seize a common woman.
The worst outcome would be that she and Da Lang would leave Wudang County and hide far away. She was no longer the weak woman who couldn't survive outside her family's protection. She had prepared herself to face difficulties. If it weren't for Da Lang needing to participate in the Keju back home, needing to attend school and have guardianship, after divorcing Chen Wenyue, she would have taken her child and left this place of turmoil behind.
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