Chapter 147

Chapter 147: It Has Finally Come

“Thirty thousand taels is simply too much. Ten thousand—no more than that!”

“Forty thousand!” Shang Hang Yu immediately raised the price.

Madam Liu nearly fainted from anger. “Twenty thousand!” she said desperately.

“Fifty thousand!” Shang Hang Yu’s demand soared again.

“You—” Madam Liu glared at Shang Hang Yu with murderous eyes. After a long silence, she ground her teeth. “Fine, thirty thousand then!”

To protect her daughter’s reputation, even if it meant emptying her secret savings, she had to accept this.

“Oh no, thirty thousand was the price before Madam Liu started bargaining. Like I said, now it’s fifty thousand,” Shang Hang Yu shook his head calmly.

Madam Liu swayed, breathless with fury.

Shang Xiu Yuan never expected things to get so far.

It was only a bit of gossip. Shang Hang Yu’s reputation was already terrible, beyond redemption. It was like throwing more mud at a stone already stuck in a cesspool—utterly pointless!

Yet here he was, demanding not thirty thousand taels, but fifty thousand!

He had truly gone mad. If he really accepted this money, the Shang family and the Liu family would become mortal enemies!

“Xing Yu, enough!” Shang Xiu Yuan scolded. “Madam Liu is your elder, how can you treat her this way?”

“Oh,” Shang Hang Yu looked somewhat hurt and glanced at Sheng Zhi Wan. “Then I’ll just have to go out and explain everything myself.”

Without another word, he turned and headed straight for the door.

“You—you stop right there!” Madam Liu turned her rage onto Shang Xiu Yuan with a fierce glare.

She couldn’t provoke Shang Hang Yu—he was completely unreasonable. But today’s humiliation, she would never forget. The Liu family would remember this insult!

From now on, the Shang family was Liu Residence’s greatest enemy.

“Is Madam Liu going to pay the fifty thousand?” Shang Hang Yu didn’t turn around fully, only glanced back, clearly ready to leave if she said no.

Madam Liu swallowed her anger, tasting blood. “Yes! Fifty thousand!”

“Madam Liu truly dotes on her daughter. I shall wait here then—please hurry and fetch the silver.” Shang Hang Yu smiled, finally turning around again.

Madam Liu struggled not to faint from anger. “We don’t have that much silver ready immediately.”

“Hm…” Shang Hang Yu nodded thoughtfully. “That’s easily solved. Just write an IOU. With Princess Ning here, she can serve as witness.”

Shang Hang Yu’s hopeful gaze turned eagerly to Sheng Zhi Wan.

It was the first time Sheng Zhi Wan had seen him acting so shamelessly brazen.

She coughed gently and nodded, “Very well.”

Madam Liu could only swallow her pride, write the IOU herself, sign her name, and press her thumbprint under Sheng Zhi Wan’s watchful eyes.

Shang Hang Yu cheerfully tucked the note into his robe. “I hope Madam Liu will quickly gather the fifty thousand taels, or I fear I won’t be able to keep my mouth shut.”

Madam Liu could say nothing.

She couldn’t stand the sight of him any longer and hurried to send them out. After resolving the matter, Sheng Zhi Wan naturally had no reason to stay.

Together with An Zhi and Ting Lan, who carried the same box they’d brought along earlier, Sheng Zhi Wan approached the waiting carriage.

Before stepping into the carriage, Sheng Zhi Wan paused.

Shang Hang Yu and Shang Xiu Yuan stood side by side, respectfully waiting for her to leave first.

Sheng Zhi Wan turned toward Shang Xiu Yuan, calmly speaking, “Eldest Young Master Shang, please pass along a message to General Shang and Madam Shang. Second Young Master Shang lost his mother early and has no one to protect him. But since he saved my life, from now on, I will personally look after his matters.”

Shang Xiu Yuan froze. Beside him, Shang Hang Yu’s eyes glittered with joy.

The Princess had not only defended him today but also openly promised to protect him.

Though truthfully, he didn’t need her protection. After all, he’d survived and even thrived in the harsh Shang household for years. He knew very well how to deal with Shang Tian Hao and Liang Rao.

Yet just knowing she was willing to stand up for him was enough to make him wake up smiling from a dream.

Sheng Zhi Wan got into the carriage and departed without another word.

Shang Xiu Yuan had never imagined Shang Hang Yu would be so fortunate. Merely saving Princess Ning once had earned him such devoted protection.

“Elder Brother, you can go back first. I still have things to handle, so I won’t be coming home tonight,” Shang Hang Yu mounted his horse swiftly. Before Shang Xiu Yuan even reacted, he left only a cloud of dust behind.

But Sheng Zhi Wan did not return directly to Duke Qi’s mansion. Instead, she went to meet Shopkeeper Lin.

Even though Shang Hang Yu himself didn’t mind his reputation, it was still better if she improved it for him.

She instructed Shopkeeper Lin to spread the word: Shang Hang Yu had saved the Liu family’s Second Young Lady using only his whip, and the young lady had fallen seriously ill due to nearly drowning. The Liu family’s visit to the Shang residence was simply to express gratitude—there had never been any marriage proposal.

Only after arranging all this did Sheng Zhi Wan finally return home.

Throughout the journey, Ting Lan was bursting with curiosity, wanting desperately to ask why Princess Ning had gotten involved. But remembering An Zhi’s warnings, she swallowed her questions down.

An Zhi had said she was wonderful in every way, except for her insatiable curiosity…

But she simply couldn’t help it!

Two days later, Sheng Zhi Wan asked someone to inquire. As expected, the gossip against Shang Hang Yu had significantly decreased.

With Shopkeeper Lin gathering eyewitnesses from the scene, many people had even started to praise Shang Hang Yu’s actions:

“Even though his reputation isn’t good, he truly saved someone. There were many others present—why didn’t anyone else step up?”

“He was considerate too. He didn’t personally pull her out of the water, he used a whip. That way, he protected her dignity.”

As these comments spread, others started wondering—if a simple incident like this could be twisted so badly, could it be that past rumors were also exaggerated?

Gradually, doubts arose about the earlier scandals involving the Second Young Master Shang.

Satisfied with these outcomes, Sheng Zhi Wan asked Shopkeeper Lin to continue spreading these clarifications.

But that afternoon, Duke Qi’s household received an imperial eunuch with a royal decree specifically requesting both Qi Shu Xian and herself to receive it.

At that moment, Sheng Zhi Wan was leisurely brewing tea with An Zhi, Ting Lan, and Liu Shang. The gentle fragrance of tea filled the room.

Upon hearing the announcement, Sheng Zhi Wan paused.

The chance she’d waited for so long—the chance to finally leave this marriage—had arrived.

She asked Ting Lan to bring her a soft, lake-blue dress. With just a hint of rouge and powder, her already flawless skin seemed even more luminous. Her flowing black hair was elegantly pinned up with a jade phoenix hairpin. Wrapped in a white fox fur cloak, her delicate features appeared even more beautiful.

The rest of Duke Qi’s household—except for the bedridden Madam Cui—had gathered neatly according to their ranks, waiting in the Flower Hall.

As Sheng Zhi Wan walked gracefully toward them, many forgot to breathe, stunned by her beauty.

Only after Sheng Zhi Wan stood beside Qi Shu Xian did he regain his composure. “Please announce the decree, Eunuch.”

As she expected, the decree declared that the Emperor would reopen the Imperial Hunting Grounds tomorrow. All officials and nobles ranked third-class or above were summoned to accompany him to the Training Field Detached Palace to attend.

No doubt, Qi Shu Xian would again be tasked by the Emperor to impress and intimidate the Northern Di envoys.

But this time, Sheng Zhi Wan would not lift a finger to advise him…