Chapter 972 Do You Dare to Go to the Ministry of Justice?
They found this tavern. Coincidentally, the private box next to Liu Xincheng was empty. The three of them got this box.
Right after they entered, they heard some obscene words from next door. He didn’t care about this marriage at all and was still engaged in flirting with those prost.i.tutes.
“Even if I die, I won’t marry him!” Luo Xiaowan bit her lips and said with hatred.
Her previous confidence had been built up by the encouraging words of the Princess of Duke Yangqu’s son. But now, she followed her heart.
In the previous, she could only get the judgment about him from others. It felt completely different when she heard it with her own ears. Luo Xiaowan had been a little uncertain before. Even though she acted firmly, it was all because of the wife of Duke Yangqu’s son.
She embraced the true feelings in her heart. But at this moment, she knew her heart better than before.
Shao Wanru nodded secretly, for she wanted Luo Xiaowan to see her heart clearly and become more determined. By doing so, she would not shrink back when hearing some dejected words from others.
If even the person involved in the engagement backed down, the others’ arduous efforts would be fruitless. Anyway, it’s a thankless task.
It would the best if she could see everything clearly, which could help her make the best decisions.
“Xiaowan, have you made up your mind?” Zhang Qilan also understood her meaning, so she deliberately confirmed it.
“Qilan, I would rather die than marry someone like him!” Luo Xiaowan said firmly. She glared furiously at the next door, twisting the handkerchief in her hand into a ball.
Then she looked at Shao Wanru expectantly but with some hesitation. She was still a little diffident when facing Shao Wanru. Even when it was three years ago, they were not that familiar with each other. Though they had a nice chat, they didn’t talk much. Now that Shao Wanru had become Princess Chen, she was still the Young Madam of Duke Yangqu’s Mansion.
“Sister Xiaowan, do you dare to go there?” Shao Wanru asked with a smile.
......
“I... I dare!” Luo Xiaowan forced herself to calm down.
“Well, do you dare to pour the water on that person?” Shao Wanru pointed to the teapot on the side. There was some tea in it. Although the tea had been there for a while, it was still hot.
“Yes!” Luo Xiaowan said.
“Princess Chen, what do you mean?” Zhang Qilan asked in surprise.
Shao Wanru said lightly, “Sister Xiaowan, if you dare to do that, do it. That person looks very arrogant. When Sister Xiaowan pours the water on his head in front of so many people, he must feel humiliated and fly into a rage. He will hit her!”
“Then what should she do? It seems that this person is not a good person at all. He will hurt Xiaowan!” Zhang Qilan sat up straight in a hurry.
Luo Xiaowan was such a delicate girl. It was obvious that she would be at a disadvantage.
“It’s because I want him to do it. If he does, Sister Xiaowan can escape out of the door. Qilan, does your elder brother know some officials?” Shao Wanru looked at Zhang Qilan with a smile.
“Although my eldest brother is not a very capable man, he knows some people, some of which are officials!” Zhang Qilan said, confidently vouching for it.
Her brother was Prime Minister Zhang’s son, so many people were willing to get along well with him despite the fact that he didn’t even have a decent job. Besides, although this Young Master Zhang had some peculiar hobbies, he was not a playboy. His acquaintance could be regarded as young talents, many of which were working in various departments.
Shao Wanru smiled slightly and said meaningfully, “Ask your brother to invite several good friends here. As Xiaowan stirs up trouble, lead them to her. It will be best if his friends are from the Ministry of Justice. Let’s make this matter known to the Ministry of Justice!”
Zhang Qilan didn’t understand what she meant. She blankly blinked her eyes and turned to see Luo Xiaowan. However, Luo Xiaowan looked even more confused. “How can the Ministry of Justice care about such kind of thing? Even if that person beats Xiaowan, it’s not a big deal. The matter won’t be serious enough to make the Ministry of Justice handle it, right?”
If this matter were reported to the Ministry of Justice, it would be too much of a big deal!
“The Ministry of Justice is our best choice. No matter what, that person will hit Sister Xiaowan on the street. Sister Xiaowan is afraid of this matter being known by the Ministry of Justice. However, since they witness this matter, people from the Ministry of Justice will intervene. Sister Xiaowan, at that time, you can cling onto whoever comes to you!”
“That is to say... report this matter to the Ministry of Justice...” After all, Zhang Qilan was not stupid. After blinking her eyes a few times, she suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly. “Yes, let’s make it a big deal. If he dares to beat Xiaowan now, he will torture her to death after they get married. Moreover, he is with prost.i.tutes... Even if it’s the Empress, she can’t insist on the engagement.”
Shao Wanru smiled without saying anything more.
At this time, the officials wouldn’t smooth the matter over. After all, Luo Xiaowan was a Miss from a prestigious aristocratic family, not a n.o.body.
The Madam of Duke Yangqu and the Old Madam of Marquis Xing’s Mansion kept the matter a secret because they were afraid of offending the Empress. Thus, what they had to do was to make a big thing out of this matter. In this case, people would think this engagement was not as perfect as it appeared. There must be hideous secrets behind it.
“But... but I... I’ll rush into there...” Luo Xiaowan panicked again. She looked at Zhang Qilan and then at Shao Wanru, looking extremely helpless.
“Making such a big fuss will do no good to your reputation, but... since you’ve heard their filthy words and is furious, you can go over and pour some tea. It’s not too much!” Shao Wanru said slowly.
Although she could offer some ideas, she couldn’t make the final decision for Luo Xiaowan. If Luo Xiaowan still held a suspicious att.i.tude, they could not accomplish it!
This time, she could help Luo Xiaowan, but she could not help her for the rest of her life, nor could she bear all the following consequences for her. However, since Luo Xiaowan didn’t fear death, she could handle other things. The wife of Duke Yangqu’s son was also a dominant person and would definitely protect her daughter.
Under the strict restrictions of filial piety, she was tough enough to keep her daughter by her side for three years.
However, though the wife of Duke Yangqu’s son was strong-willed, her daughter was fragile. Luo Xiaowan had just said that without hesitation, but she became a little hesitant after a while.
She had to goad her into being strong.
“Xiaowan, if you don’t do this, your marriage will be settled. Even worse, the Old Madam of Marquis Xing’s Mansion can even bring it up again in the palace. If you want to cancel the engagement, you can’t just inform the Empress about it. You may have to ask for an imperial edict from her! You will have to marry that man no matter what!”
Zhang Qilan also saw Luo Xiaowan’s hesitation and became unhappy. “If you think it doesn’t matter, Princess Chen and I won’t make you lose face in public. You have to depend on yourself to deal with such a big thing in your life. We won’t do it for you if you can’t, for our a.s.sistance now may hurt you!”
Her words were a little harsh, but she and Luo Xiaowan had grown up together, so they maintained a firm friends.h.i.+p. Others might not be able to say that to Luo Xiaowan, but Zhang Qilan could.
“Qilan, I was wrong. Well, I’ll do it. I’m not afraid of anything!” Hearing their words, Luo Xiaowan realized that she had hesitated and said with shame.
She stood up and bowed deeply to Shao Wanru and Zhang Qilan. “Princess Chen, Qilan, it’s my fault. Since this matter can’t be settled peacefully, let’s make a big thing out of it!”
“Sister Xiaowan, have you really decided?” Shao Wanru raised her watery eyes and asked.
“Yes, I’ve decided!” Luo Xiaowan gritted her teeth.
“In that case, you’ll have to provoke him to be angry and hit you. Can you?”
Luo Xiaowan was shocked. After all, they barely discussed the violent details before, but then she nodded firmly. No matter what, she had to do it!
Seeing that she had made up her mind to face the harsh reality, Shao Wanru nodded, and they went to make arrangements separately.
Zhang Qilan went to discuss it with her Eldest Brother, and Shao Wanru returned to the mansion. Because she was now Princess Chen, she’d better not show up. Zhang Qilan and Luo Xiaowan advised her to go back first, leaving only Luo Xiaowan and two servant girls here.
When the others left, Luo Xiaowan sat in the private room and listened to the man and woman next door chat and joke together. The more she listened, the angrier she became. When the appointed time had come, she gritted her teeth, stood up, and picked up the teapot on the table. The flames of anger had already burnt up her fear.
From time to time, they would make off-color remarks about her. She was a Young Madam of Duke Yang’s Manor, but in their eyes, she was not as good as a prost.i.tute. Luo Xiaowan wiped her tears with bloodshot eyes and walked out. Even if she had to die today, she would lose face together with this man.
If she couldn’t stop this marriage, she would b.u.mp into the pillar and kill herself in the hall of the Ministry of Justice.
With such steely determination, she was no longer a timid and weak girl. The two servant girls also went furious when they heard those shameful words. So, they followed Luo Xiaowan to the next door in anger.
The man next door was in high spirits, talking about the prost.i.tute’s figure while groping her. Meanwhile, he didn’t forget to tease Luo Xiaowan. He said that Luo Xiaowan didn’t have a good figure, nor did she have a beautiful face. What’s worse, life with her would be no savor. He knew that her face would turn pale with fear if he approached her. How disappointing would that be!
“A joyless and useless woman! My father insists on me marrying her, saying he won’t allow me to break the engagement between the two families. If it weren’t for him, I would rather die than get such a woman as my wife. I don’t want her even if I can marry her for free! Would you want such a woman?” Liu Xincheng, already a little drunk, gabbled.
“Of course not!”
“No one wants such a woman!”
“There are so many beauties here, and every one of them is better than her!” Immediately, many people echoed. When men were together with prost.i.tutes, they could say whatever dirty words they liked. No one cared what they said at this time, as long as they could be happy.
“Master, is she not as good as me?” One of the prost.i.tutes joined in their conversation.
“Of course not. I bet she would be as lifeless as a dead fish in bed. She must be dull and dry. How can you be so sensible as you?”
Liu Xincheng started to tease her. He reached out to pull the prost.i.tute over and kissed her, putting his hands all over her!
The door was violently pushed open. Luo Xiaowan entered with a kettle in her hand. There were two maids behind her. Everyone in the room was shocked when they saw how furious she was.
Before they came to their senses, Luo Xiaowan had already recognized Liu Xincheng, who was sitting on the right. She came over, picked up the kettle in her hand, and poured the water on his head. With anger, she shouted, “Let me clean your mouth!”