Chapter 371: Forced Marriage? The Betrothal Gifts from Prince Su's Manor Have Arrived!

Li Qingluo looked startled and honored.

Then congratulations to Third Young Master Zhuang, congratulations to the Old Lady, and congratulations to the Zhongyi Hou Fu on this happy occasion.

But, Luo'er doesn't understand... what does this have to do with Luo'er?

Who would pretend to be clueless while knowing the truth?

The old lady of the Zhongyi Hou Fu is not a good person either.

She, Li Qingluo, is ultimately a young lady of the inner chambers.

Although she has severed ties with her parents, her grandmother is still alive; how could an unmarried maiden discuss her own marriage in front of her elders?

Moreover, the Zhongyi Hou Fu old lady never explicitly mentioned the marriage on the surface, but given what happened between the two families and the meaning behind every word, anyone who isn't a fool can see what she means.

Clearly, the Zhongyi Hou Fu old lady is digging a pit for herself.

She wants to find fault in her lack of upbringing and virtue to embarrass her grandmother.

Thus she thinks she can thereby control her own marriage?

This is the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu; although she and her grandmother are weak and isolated, it's not a place just anyone can come and tread upon!

Sure enough, Pei Lao Furen saw Li Qingluo's reaction and nodded slightly.

Obviously, she was very pleased with Li Qingluo's answer.

And she gave her a look.

The Zhongyi Hou Fu old lady immediately turned her gaze to the matchmaker beside her.

The matchmaker then waved her handkerchief, approached with a beaming smile, and said, "Miss, great joy!"

"Miss, Third Young Master Zhuang has taken a liking to your character and appearance... isn't he... coming to your door today to propose again?"

"It's what the Old Lady said, to let you come and see for yourself, and let you make the decision yourself."

Li Qingluo said anxiously, "This must be a misunderstanding. How could I dare decide my own affairs? It's all up to my grandmother."

"Please, Old Lady, don't make fun of Luo'er."

Zhuang Wei couldn't help but stand up and say, "Miss Li, this is no joke..."

The Zhongyi Hou Fu old lady: "Third Young Master! Sit back down for me!"

"Today you have no right to speak! Shut up!"

The warning in her grandmother's eyes forced Zhuang Wei to continue enduring.

But in fact, he was about to die of anxiety.

Will she agree or not?

Could she still be holding a grudge?

He had indeed once been devoted to Liu Qiongzhu, but he had long seen through her true nature and had already given up.

Moreover, he had long realized that she was the truly pitiful one among the false and true heiress.

He saw her resistance against unjust fate.

He saw her noble quality.

He saw her struggling and striving in the mire, and he himself had come to this day.

If not for fate's trickery, the childhood sweethearts who grew up together ought to have been them!

Zhuang Wei is not someone who values only appearance.

He pities her, admires her, and is gradually drawn to her.

So he wants to give her a proper place where she can return to the happiness she rightfully deserves...

After striving for so long, he can finally stand before her openly and honorably.

He proposes again.

Zhuang Wei's heart surged with excitement.

His hands resting on his knees involuntarily clenched slightly.

Seeing his pathetic state, the Zhongyi Hou Fu old lady sighed inwardly.

What kind of grudge is this?

Never mind, never mind.

Just as the Zhongyi Hou Fu old lady was about to lower her posture to speak properly again, Li Qingluo suddenly said, "Damn thing!"

"What place is this, allowing you to spout nonsense here?"

Li Qingluo gave Zheng Mama behind her a look.

Zheng Mama stepped forward and slapped the matchmaker across the face.

"With the elders present, even if it's a proposal, how could one run up to the miss and shout?"

"What joy?"

"Where does the joy come from?!"

"If this gets out, will our miss still be able to face people?"

"The Zhongyi Hou Fu has been ruined by matchmakers like you, stupid and ignorant, destroying the reputation of the Zhongyi Hou Fu—you deserve to die!"

Zheng Mama's tirade left the matchmaker, covering her face, dazed.

The Zhongyi Hou Fu old lady's face turned green then pale.

She felt that Zheng Mama was scolding her.

"You..."

She had just directly asked her own miss, and the matchmaker was acting on her suggestion—so isn't this a public slap to her own face?

The Zhongyi Hou Fu old lady, furious, said, "Pei Xiuzhen, are your household's servants always behaving like this?"

Pei Lao Furen grabbed the Zhongyi Hou Fu old lady's hand: "Oh dear. This is someone from Luo'er's household, who usually looks after this girl the most."

I already said that, didn't I?

This girl is grown now; I can't make decisions for her. But this marriage—really, which matchmaker would just go straight to the girl and say that?

I don't want to do this, but I have to.

You're getting old and confused, aren't you?

The Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu finally realized she had been duped by this old coot!

The grandmother and granddaughter have teamed up to trick me!

After years of close friendship, she actually gave me the cold shoulder!

You!

The Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu sprang to her feet, pointing at Pei Lao Furen and trembling as she shouted: "Pei Xiuzhen, who in Jinling City still wants to associate with you? Besides me, who would even look up to you?"

Thirty years east, thirty years west—you're no longer the famed female general of old; now you're just a widowed old lady!

I gave you face, and you're so ungrateful!

Do you still look down on our Zhongyi Hou Fu?

If you don't want it, just forget it—why must you toy with me?

Based on that girl's background, what you can offer her in status—if Sanlang doesn't like her, she couldn't even be his concubine!

The Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu, flushed with anger, spoke without restraint.

She believed that in Jinling City, this grandmother and granddaughter had no support whatsoever and could never make a comeback.

Thus, she appeared ready to force the marriage.

I'm telling you—for your granddaughter's future, you had better...

Pei Lao Furen gave her longtime friend a cold look and asked, "What had better be?"

What are you planning to do?

Are you going to use your Zhongyi Hou Fu's power to suppress me, this powerless old lady?

Your Zhongyi Hou Fu is thriving, while my Xiuli Jiangjun Fu's gate lies deserted, with no one coming.

Could you still be intending to take her by force?

Just then, a thin, sharp voice came from outside: "Who wants to take her by force?"

Immediately after, over a dozen people filed in.

Along with piles of large gifts being brought in at the door, a familiar figure also walked in from outside.

Come, throw all these obstructive things out for our household!

The visitor was none other than Wu Gonggong, whom Li Qingluo hadn't seen in days.

The two exchanged a furtive glance, then pretended not to know each other.

But Wu Gonggong's eunuch attire still gave away his special identity at a glance.

Li Qingluo hurriedly helped Pei Lao Furen up.

Even the Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu and Zhuang Sanlang stood up.

However, the Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu, eager to go out and scold Wu Gonggong, shouted: "Bold! Don't you stop? Who are you, daring to throw our Zhongyi Hou Fu's things out? This old woman sees you as not wanting to live!"

Wu Gonggong: "Yo. Your Zhongyi Hou Fu, what a grand display."

Unfortunately, our fate can only be decided by His Highness Prince Su; we cannot allow the Old Lady to manipulate things.

Prince Su's mansion!?

The Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu had long heard rumors that Prince Su's mansion wanted to befriend Pei Xiuzhen, this old bone.

They have repeatedly helped the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu.

The Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu previously thought it was just a joke.

Pei Xiuzhen is old—what military authority could she possibly offer to help Prince Su?

So after hearing it, she just laughed it off and didn't really take it to heart.

But now, people from Prince Su's mansion have actually brought gifts to her door—could they really be coming to see Pei Xiuzhen?

The Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu felt a jolt in her heart.

That is a prince, a lord, and the fearsome Prince Su known abroad; as a first-rank lady of the Hou Fu, I dare not be presumptuous before him.

However, the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu now has Prince Su's mansion as a backing; for our Zhongyi Hou Fu, this is naturally a good thing to welcome.

Moreover, at this moment the Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu feels even more determined that this marriage must happen.

Today, the only one from Prince Su's mansion who came was a eunuch; the Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu naturally isn't afraid.

The Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu forced a smile and said: "Oh, it's the eunuch from Prince Su's mansion."

But even if it's Prince Su's mansion, they can't be so unreasonable and domineering as to throw our Zhongyi Hou Fu's things out and only bring in theirs.

Moreover, today we from Zhongyi Hou Fu are here in all seriousness to propose marriage. Although letting the eunuch see us made a joke, it was just a misunderstanding; we two old friends merely ended up arguing.

Even so, this matter has nothing to do with your Prince Su's mansion.

Wu Gonggong, hands on hips: "Yo, what a big mouth you have."

A marriage proposal?

What kind of marriage are you proposing?

If I recall correctly, your two families had an engagement before, but your Zhongyi Hou Fu, seeing the girl's reputation tarnished, didn't you yourselves break the engagement first?

Furthermore, back then they never even completed the marriage documents, and Zhuang Sanlang's heart was set on that Liu family's goods—what face does he have to come propose again?

Our Miss Li is not something you can just take back as any old goods.

Besides, your gifts can't compare to ours from Prince Su's mansion!

Saying this, Wu Gonggong continued to busy himself directing: "Come, come, come, quickly throw everything out for our household!"

Who dares to come to the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu to show off their might?

What's so special about a marquisate? The marquisate can force Miss Li to marry—what a joke!

Our prince still hasn't won the miss's favor—how could it be your turn?

Pah!

Quick, make way! Move all the birthday gifts our prince gave Miss Li inside!

Also, over there, go unload everything from the cart and move it over there.

Don't pile it up in this courtyard—it blocks the miss and the Old Lady's view.

Wu Gonggong's words sounded more and more off.

By the time they realized, the Old Lady of Zhongyi Hou Fu and Zhuang Sanlang had both turned pale.

Grandpa, what are you saying?

Your prince? What prince?

Wu Gonggong: "You didn't hear? These are the birthday gifts our prince gave Miss Li!"

Exactly, the whole courtyard is full—all gifts our prince gave the miss.

Zhuang Wei stood up, steps unsteady: "No, that's not it!"

Prince Su, Your Highness, to win Miss Li's favor?

Wu Gonggong: "Hey, ears not deaf yet."

Our prince's feelings for the miss are sincere and single-hearted.

Yesterday he personally went to the palace to ask His Majesty for a marriage edict.

Zhongyi Hou Fu, just get lost back where you came from!

With you lot, you also want to compare with our prince?