Lan Ruoting Harms Me

He was barely holding himself together, feeling that enough was enough and that he was on the verge of going mad with anger.

Normally, an attendant mage would be considered a subordinate. Although this particular attendant mage was a bit different, with limited personal strength making it impossible to exert any control or restraint, the formal title was still there. Had he ever seen a subordinate like this? Daring to go and marry his lord without so much as a word, what was the difference between this and selling his lord out?

The personal guard finally understood. It turned out the Prince truly had no idea about this!

Lan Ruoting stroked his beard and pondered for a moment. He waved his hand, signaling the personal guard to retreat before slowly saying, "Your Highness, please calm your anger. This matter is likely related to borrowing troops!"

Shang Shuqing also nodded slightly, "Brother, Mr. Lan is right. Getting married and borrowing troops are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they might even be beneficial. Do you remember he said before he left that you might have to endure some hardship? Perhaps this is it!"

Shang Chaozong tried to calm himself down, his anger gradually subsiding. After regaining a bit of rationality, he said in a deep voice, "Feng Ruonan is one of Feng Lingbo's main generals. How can she be easily married off, let alone to me? To marry someone's daughter and then borrow their troops, do you think that's possible?"

This matter did seem a bit strange to the two of them. To marry someone's daughter in order to borrow troops, Feng Lingbo wasn't a fool. Moreover, given Shang Chaozong's current situation, how could Feng Lingbo possibly marry her daughter to him? An impossibility plus another impossibility equaled an absolute impossibility. The matter was utterly baffling and incomprehensible.

Shang Shuqing pondered, "Logically, Feng Lingbo would absolutely not marry her daughter to Brother. But looking at the people who have come from both sides, even Feng Manor's butler has personally arrived. It seems quite possible."

If it were impossible, then it would be fine. What Shang Chaozong feared was this possibility. Wasn't this a joke? Gritting his teeth, he said, "Has any of you seen Feng Ruonan? I heard this woman is even more imposing than a man. I wonder if it's true."

Lan Ruoting's lips twitched unnaturally. Shang Shuqing softly asked, "Brother, is appearance really that important?"

"..." Shang Chaozong was stunned and quickly explained, "That's not what I meant. I just think Feng Lingbo wouldn't agree." He was filled with self-reproach, regretting his words and forgetting his sister's feelings. After all, his sister's appearance...

After much speculation, they couldn't figure out the truth. The group decided to go to the commandery city to get to the bottom of it.

The people and horses were assembled. After paying their respects at the new grave together, they, along with Shou Nian and others, left the mountain, got onto the official road, and galloped away.

All the way, Shang Chaozong was filled with melancholy. In truth, he didn't really care about Feng Ruonan's appearance. Of course, if he were to marry, who wouldn't want a beautiful wife? The key was that he knew his own standing. At his current level, he no longer had the luxury of being picky. As long as he could lead everyone forward, provide them with a way to live, and secure a future for them, his personal gains and losses were no longer important. His romantic desires had long since been abandoned.

The anger had passed, and upon calming down and thinking, he now rather hoped that Niu Youdao would not disappoint him. As long as the matter could be accomplished, even if he had to marry a shrew, he would accept it!

Amidst the rumbling hoofbeats, Shang Shuqing, her body swaying on horseback, occasionally glanced at her melancholic brother.

She also understood that if Feng Ruonan was truly as rumored, then for her brother's background, it was indeed a compromise. However, she didn't try to persuade him, comfort him, or express sympathy. This was because she knew very well that neither she nor her brother had many choices left to reach this point. It wasn't just about the two of them anymore; the people following them had entrusted their lives and fortunes to them. They were not ordinary citizens, and personal honor was no longer important. Let alone her brother marrying Feng Ruonan, even if Feng Lingbo wanted to take her as a concubine, she would grit her teeth and accept it. It was just that her "ghostly face" could ward off evil; lifting her veil would startle people. She doubted any man would be interested in her!

Shou Nian, who was escorting them, occasionally looked back. Following behind the group were about twenty monks, all in plain clothes with felt hats to conceal their shaved heads. Each carried a large bag of scriptures. He couldn't help but wonder why Shang Chaozong was bringing this group of monks.

After a long journey, halfway through, they met five hundred cavalry sent by Guangyi Commandery to escort them. The two groups merged to form a larger cavalry formation.

Shou Nian also noticed that occasionally, scattered subordinates of Shang Chaozong would emerge from the forests on both sides and join them.

The progress of this journey was clearly slower than Shou Nian's rapid journey with constant horse changes at post stations.

As it was getting late and the Prefect's Mansion was lit up, upon receiving the express report that Shang Chaozong's group would arrive at the commandery city in about two hours, Niu Youdao decided to go to the city gate to meet them in advance. It was better to discuss some matters outside the Prefect's Mansion with Shang Chaozong and the others. If Shang Chaozong stubbornly refused, he would have to find a way to escape. Being confined within the Prefect's Mansion, with its many experts, would make escape difficult.

He sent someone to request permission from Feng Lingbo. It was proper for an attendant mage to welcome his lord, and Feng Lingbo did not object.

With permission granted, as Niu Youdao and Yuan Gang walked out of the guest courtyard, they saw a group of people blocking their way. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Peng Yulan, leading several people.

"Greetings, Madam!" Niu Youdao greeted cheerfully.

"If my eyes aren't playing tricks on me, take a look yourself." Peng Yulan casually shook out a piece of paper and had someone next to her hand it over to Niu Youdao.

Niu Youdao took it and looked at it under the lamplight, breaking out in a cold sweat. Wasn't this the gambling agreement between him and Feng Ruonan? It had his, Feng Ruonan's, and Yuan Gang's signatures on it. He had a copy of this wager. Without thinking, he knew Feng Ruonan must have told her mother everything. He had hoped Feng Ruonan would have some regard for her reputation and be too ashamed to tell others, but he didn't expect that large woman to be so shameless!

Yuan Gang glanced at the handwriting and recognized it as well.

Niu Youdao said cheerfully, "Your daughter is truly mischievous!"

He casually reached out to put the gambling agreement away, but Peng Yulan beckoned him. Niu Youdao had no choice but to return it obediently. Daring to be forceful in front of her would likely result in a beating. A wise man knows when to retreat.

Peng Yulan waved the gambling agreement and asked coldly, "I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen anyone as shameless as you, doing something so utterly disgraceful!"

After learning the truth from her daughter, she was shocked. She actually used her daughter's money... no, she had tricked her daughter out of money to buy betrothal gifts to propose marriage to her daughter. The story itself was convoluted, yet someone had actually done it. How could a person be so shameless? Feng Ruonan herself was filled with shame and indignation, wishing she could die, but her great revenge was yet to be achieved. Dying now would be too easy for that scoundrel!

Feng Lingbo learned of this later and told Peng Yulan to let it go. Compared to what needed to be done for the alliance, this sum of money was nothing. Men were generally more broad-minded. However, Peng Yulan couldn't swallow her anger. She had already wronged her daughter enough, so how could she marry her daughter off like this? She had to help her daughter seek justice.

Niu Youdao sighed, "Madam, it was truly unavoidable. You must have heard of the Prince's current predicament. He is truly short of funds. Yes, short of funds, and it wasn't good to propose empty-handed. Mr. Lan could only resort to this stratagem!" Earlier, Feng Lingbo had asked him if it was Lan Ruoting's plan, and this was the benefit of not stealing the limelight and being low-key. Now he could push all the blame onto Lan Ruoting.

Peng Yulan's face turned cold. "I don't care if he's Mr. Lan or Mr. Purple. Whoever signed the gambling agreement, I'm coming after them. When are you going to give me these hundred thousand gold coins and him..." She gestured towards Yuan Gang with her chin, "you plan to give them to me?"

If it were just about the money, Niu Youdao could have pushed it onto Shang Chaozong. But asking for Yuan Gang was something he couldn't agree to. He had to be shameless again and immediately put on a stern face, "Madam, if you say it like that, it's a bit unreasonable."

"Oh?" Peng Yulan chuckled coldly, shaking the wager in her hand. "I'm unreasonable? Is this piece of paper with black and white writing false?"

Niu Youdao waved his hand, his expression solemn. "It's not false, but the problem is, if we were to follow the wager strictly, I haven't lost. Who can say I can't return the money within an hour? The key point is, the hour hasn't passed, and I've already been brought to the Prefect's Mansion. If your daughter and the Prefect's Mansion conspired together like this, it would indeed be a situation with no possibility of losing, but no logic would support it, wouldn't it? It's simply too bullying!"

He had originally intended to use these words to guard against Feng Ruonan reasoning with him, but he hadn't expected to use them against Feng Ruonan's mother.

"..." Peng Yulan was momentarily speechless. She thought about it, and it was indeed logical. But then she felt it was wrong. This was clearly a trap. In a flash, she became furious and laughed, "Alright, let's not talk about the wager. What about the ten thousand gold coins? Are you planning not to return those either?"

Niu Youdao nodded repeatedly, "How could I not return it? I will return it, I will definitely return it!"

Peng Yulan demanded, "When will you return it?"

Niu Youdao decisively replied, "I'll have the Prince return it immediately after he arrives!" He had no intention of taking on this debt himself.

"Fine! I'll be waiting. Try to break your promise and not return it!" Peng Yulan spat out a harsh threat and turned to leave. She was certain that the other party couldn't afford it at the moment. If they could produce this money, they wouldn't have resorted to such despicable means. She planned to use this to shame that scheming Lan Ruoting. Whether to return the money immediately or extend the time according to the wager was their choice! With her watching, she guaranteed that no one in the entire Guangyi Commandery would dare lend money to Shang Chaozong. She was determined to stand up for her daughter and couldn't stand this injustice. It felt suffocating; it was too much of a bullying!

She left, but Bai Yao, holding a sword in his arms, remained. He casually tilted his head and gestured, "I heard you were going to meet the Commandery King. The Prefect asked me to accompany you." This was both for protection against any malicious actions from the Song Family and for surveillance. After all, this fellow was Dongguo Haoran's disciple, and might be helpful in finding those hundred thousand Crow Generals.

Niu Youdao saw the contempt in the other's eyes and chuckled dryly, "It's truly that poverty limits ambition. You've made a fool of me, senior."

Bai Yao said calmly, "It is indeed a bit shameless!"

"Alas! Lan Ruoting has wronged me!" Niu Youdao shook his head and smiled bitterly, making a gesture of invitation with his hand. The group departed.