Chapter 146

Chapter 146: Even Less Impressed

First Madam Liu’s eyes went dark. [As expected… as expected!] She wanted nothing more than to slap Shang Xing Yu in the face in front of everyone.

[How dare this wastrel? How dare he?]

Liu Yan’s tears spilled out at once. She had been pampered from birth, and her father and mother always said she would enter the palace as a noble lady someday.

Liu Yan wanted to stand above others. How could Liu Yan marry Shang Xing Yu? What was he, anyway?

Then Liu Yan remembered First Madam Liu’s earlier hint. Liu Yan clenched her teeth and staggered toward the pillar outside the flower hall.

First Madam Liu and Shang Xiu Yuan understood Liu Yan’s intent immediately.

First Madam Liu shouted to the servants outside, “Quick, stop her!”

Shang Xiu Yuan also rushed forward.

But Shang Xing Yu, the very person who had caused all of this, did not move at all. He stood where he was and spoke lightly, finishing the rest of his sentence.

Shang Xing Yu said, “Of course, I looked down on First Miss Liu even more.”

Liu Yan’s stumbling steps twisted to the side. For a moment, Liu Yan thought she must have heard wrong.

Even Shang Xiu Yuan froze mid-motion.

First Madam Liu stared at him in disbelief.

Liu Yan had only been acting and had never intended to die, so the servants stopped her easily.

With a deathly pale face, Liu Yan stared at Shang Xing Yu. Liu Yan needed to know whether she had truly heard him correctly.

What did he mean, he looked down on her even more? Liu Yan was the Liu Manor’s legitimate daughter. What gave him the nerve to look down on Liu Yan?

Shang Xing Yu did not even look at Liu Yan. He only kept talking.

Shang Xing Yu said, “Princess may not know this, but before First Miss Liu fell into the water, I saw her putting on a little show with another woman.”

Liu Yan’s tear-filled almond eyes went wide. “You’re lying! What show? I only fell in by accident!”

Shang Xing Yu finally glanced at Liu Yan. The disgust in that look was so obvious that everyone could see it.

Liu Yan felt both ashamed and furious.

Liu Yan’s full, beautiful figure trembled, her eyes wet with tears, her cheeks pale. She looked both alluring and pitiful.

Shang Xiu Yuan did not consider himself a man who loved beauties, yet even he could not help staring.

But Shang Xing Yu, the very wastrel who was known for chasing women, showed no pity at all. He stabbed straight through the disguise.

Shang Xing Yu said, “I saw First Miss Liu try to push that woman into the water. The woman dodged, and then the crowd behind bumped First Miss Liu. She fell in.”

Liu Yan’s mind went blank. Liu Yan had thought Liu Xu was the one who pushed her.

[No… that wasn’t right!]

Liu Yan glared at Shang Xing Yu with hatred.

Liu Yan insisted, “You’re talking nonsense! I didn’t. I only slipped and fell in.”

Shang Xing Yu smacked his lips. “Fine, fine. You didn’t harm anyone. You didn’t push anyone. Your legs were bad, your eyes were bad, and you insisted on charging forward and falling in. Is that better?”

Liu Yan could not take it anymore. She covered her eyes, broke down, and ran out sobbing.

First Madam Liu ached to chase after Liu Yan, but there were still outsiders present, and First Madam Liu could not move.

Watching Shang Xing Yu, Sheng Zhi Wan almost laughed. So this was how he usually acted outside.

His mouth was sharp, and he gave the Liu family not even a scrap of face. No wonder people called him a wastrel.

He really was easy to hate. At least today, First Miss Liu must have hated him to death.

Yet it still was not over. Shang Xing Yu clasped his hands toward Sheng Zhi Wan with a deeply wronged look.

Shang Xing Yu said, “Princess, I still want you to help me. I only saved someone out of kindness, but a bunch of scoundrels latched onto me and insisted I marry their daughter.”

First Madam Liu’s face looked as lifeless as a corpse. [Scoundrels? He meant me?] First Madam Liu almost fainted from anger.

Shang Xiu Yuan barked, “Xingyu! Don’t talk nonsense!”

Shang Xing Yu looked utterly sincere. “How was it nonsense? I’m a wastrel, yes, but I’m a clean wastrel. I did a good deed and got set up. They insisted I marry a woman with a poisonous heart.”

Shang Xing Yu continued, “At first I was too embarrassed to say anything, so I refused. Then the Liu Manor produced a concubine-born daughter who made a scene about dying…”

Shang Xing Yu added, “If I didn’t obey the Liu Manor and marry the concubine-born daughter they arranged for me, she would seek death and use public gossip to attack me.”

Shang Xing Yu beat his chest and stamped his feet like he had been wronged by heaven itself.

Shang Xing Yu said, “I’m fragile. I’m hurt. Without thirty thousand taels of silver, I’ll never get better.”

Everyone was stunned. First Madam Liu was furious beyond words.

Sheng Zhi Wan kept a serious little face, yet she could not help lowering her head to sip her tea. Hidden behind the cup, she let out a small laugh.

When Sheng Zhi Wan set the cup down, she looked like a calm, dignified princess again.

Sheng Zhi Wan asked, “What do you say, First Madam Liu?”

First Madam Liu clutched her chest. “I… I don’t have thirty thousand taels!”

Shang Xing Yu nodded. “Fine. I won’t force you. Since First Madam Liu counts as an elder, I’ll only tell outsiders the truth so they know I’m wronged.”

First Madam Liu’s heart nearly stopped.

First Madam Liu blurted, “…No!”

In great households, when this kind of thing happened, they often handled it the same way First Madam Liu tried to handle it. They did it in secret.

But secret was secret. If it spread, where would her face be? Where would the Liu Manor’s face be? And Yan’er would have her reputation ruined.

Shang Xing Yu looked at her as if he couldn’t believe it. “No to that and no to this. First Madam Liu, don’t tell me you want me to bear all the rumors alone?”

First Madam Liu did not answer, which was the same as agreeing.

Shang Xiu Yuan stepped forward and frowned. “Xingyu, you’re a man. Your reputation is bad to begin with. What’s a little grievance? If you say it out loud, you’ll be forcing First Miss Liu to die.”

Shang Xing Yu’s reputation was already black as soot. A bit of dirty water splashed on him would not even be visible.

Shang Xing Yu stared at Shang Xiu Yuan in disbelief. “Elder Brother, how can you treat me like this? Are you my real elder brother?”

Shang Xing Yu’s voice rose. “Just because I’m a man, I have to give way everywhere? If I don’t, I’m ‘forcing someone to die’? Fine. Tomorrow I’ll find a brothel woman and have her crash into you. If you don’t marry her, she’ll seek death and make a scene. Elder Brother, you’re so softhearted, you’ll marry her, right?”

Shang Xing Yu’s gaze burned. It was like he would really go find a brothel woman the moment Shang Xiu Yuan nodded.

Shang Xiu Yuan snapped, “Nonsense!”

Shang Xiu Yuan fell silent after that.

Shang Xing Yu turned back to First Madam Liu. “First Madam Liu, what will you choose? Will you pay me thirty thousand taels as compensation, or will you let me explain everything to the public?”

First Madam Liu looked at Sheng Zhi Wan with pleading eyes, hoping Sheng Zhi Wan would say something.

Sheng Zhi Wan rose to her feet, her expression solemn.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Young Master Shang Er was right. If someone saved a life and still got slandered and forced, then in the future, when people saw someone in danger, everyone would just look away.”

Sheng Zhi Wan continued, “If Sheng Kingdom commoner all acted like that, what righteousness and morality would be left?”

With just a few sentences, Sheng Zhi Wan turned a private dispute between the Liu Manor and the General Residence into a matter of public virtue.

First Madam Liu’s lips trembled for a long time before she finally looked at Shang Xing Yu.