Chapter Seventy: Forced Marriage

  Remember in one second

  。

  At this time, the sky was already bright, and the small courtyard was filled with morning dew. A table was placed in the middle, Zhao Che sat at one end, behind him stood Jian Xi holding a box and four bodyguards, while Lu Xiangyang sat at the other end, his face full of pain. Xiao Mei stood on one side, looking like both sides were stuck in a stalemate, staring at each other with big eyes and small eyes.

  "Second Master, what brings you to my doorstep? I don't think I've done anything to offend the Zhao Manor?" Lu Xianyao finally caught his breath and asked sharply, his piercing gaze fixed on Zhao Chu.

  "No, I didn't come with ill intentions, just wanted to discuss something with Big Brother. It's just that you guys jumped into action and they were so eager to protect their master that a misunderstanding occurred!" Zhao Ye smiled and said, completely immune to Lu Xiao Yao's murderous glare, as if he hadn't seen it at all.

  "Is that so? I don't know what Second Master wants with me." Lu Xiangyao, gritting his teeth in anger, led four personal bodyguards to burst in early in the morning. Outside, there were archers and ambushes laid out, but now under the eaves of the house, he had no choice but to lower his head and took a deep breath before speaking!

  "Lu Dage, are you married?" Zhao asked.

  "Wandering outside all along, still alone till now!" Lu Xiangyao didn't understand what Zhao Che wanted to do, but still spoke the truth.

  "Are you engaged to someone else?"

  "No!"

  "Alright, I have a sister who is as beautiful as a flower. She's like Diao Chan and Yu Ji, even Zhao Feiyan would be ashamed of herself in front of her. Her character is also very kind and gentle, there's nothing to criticize. Although she doesn't have the virtue of Mencius' mother, she's not far off either. She's truly a woman who can excel both in the living room and in the kitchen." Zhao Che didn't have any experience with this sort of thing, so he just knew he had to say nice things. He used up all the praising words he could think of, speaking for over ten minutes without repeating himself. By the end, even Zhao Che's face was a little red.

  No matter how others react, Xiao Mei is enchanted by his words, realizing that she's actually this good. Those idiots who used to scold her as cold-blooded, cruel, devilish, and jinxed must have been blind. Or perhaps it's just her brother being considerate, knowing her, understanding her, and getting her.

  "Second Master, can there be such a woman in this world?" Lu Xiangyang's two eyebrows were knotted together. His sister was the Princess of Great Song, let alone someone as "good" as this, even if she were stupid to the point of being useless, it wouldn't be his turn to marry her. He still had some self-awareness about this. This little scoundrel was probably plotting something again, and he couldn't help but interrupt him to ask.

  Of course

  Zhao Chu looked at Xiao Mei with apricot eyes and spring in her eyes, wiped away the white foam from the corner of his mouth, gritted his teeth and nodded firmly.

  "Second Master, such an excellent woman, I'm afraid I don't have the good fortune to be with her. Please, Second Master," said Lu Xiaoyao, standing up and bowing deeply to Zhao Zhen.

  "Hey, Lu Da, don't be so shameless! The king himself is offering to arrange a marriage for you, what an honor! And yet you still dare to decline with such an attitude!" Zhao Chu's subordinate, Jian Xi, had had enough. The king had wasted half a day on this guy who didn't know how to appreciate the offer, and now he was furious.

  "Hmph!" Pan Long and Zhang Feng also got angry, staring with wide eyes and taking a step forward at the same time. They put their hands on Lu Xiaoyao's shoulders, ready to tear this thing apart as soon as Wang Ye gave them a signal.

  "Mind your own business and back off!" Zhao Zhan shouted sternly, and Pan Long let go of the road and walked back with a swagger.

  "Lu Dage, look at me, I'm also a prince, and the dowry won't be stingy. You don't have to work so hard every day. Wanting to be an official is just a matter of saying it, and wanting to get rich, our mansion has many ways to do so, we won't treat you unfairly!" Zhao Che was quite shameless, introducing someone like this? This is clearly a transactional marriage! Anyone with some backbone wouldn't agree to it. Besides, Lu Xiangyang may be unemployed now, but he still has the title of head of the household!

  "Second Master, please forgive me for not complying. Although I, a humble person, am down on my luck, I'm not so desperate as to rely on women to gain wealth and honor!" As soon as Zhao Yi's words fell, Lu Xiaoyao stood up with a hint of displeasure on his face.

  "Lu Dage, think carefully again, what conditions do you have, I'll definitely make it happen!" Zhao Yan said with a smile and a humble tone, the matchmaker was able to let him reach this level, which is unprecedented.

  "Second Master, don't mention this matter again. Even if the Lu family were to beg on the streets, they wouldn't agree!" Lu Xiao Yao said resolutely.

  "Lu Dage, why must it be so?" Zhao Ye was about to say more, but was interrupted by Xiao Mei, "Young brother, don't say any more. The fallen flower has feelings, the flowing water is without intention, what's the point of asking him!" Xiao Mei smiled miserably and turned back into the house, slamming the door shut with a 'bang'. At this moment, Lu Xiang seemed to have understood something.

  "Hmph, since you're heartless, don't blame me for being unrighteous!" Zhao Che slammed his hand on the table and said, "I've already acknowledged Xiao Gu Niang as my sister. You've done something to wrong her, and today I'm going to get some answers from you, brother!"

  "Second Master, I have always treated my fellow sister with courtesy, the word 'offense' doesn't even come into play!" Lu Xiaoyao thoroughly understood that the princess in Wangye's mouth was actually his own fellow sister, not some kind of princess.

  。

  "You'd better not treat me with courtesy, it's a waste of my time!" Zhao Yi cursed in his heart, but this couldn't be said out loud. He could only treat him with courtesy too, so he asked with a straight face: "Do you and Mei have an engagement?"

  "No, we've always been like siblings." Lu Xiangyao shook his head in confusion, wondering why Zhao Che asked that.

  "You're not even engaged, so why do you want to address each other as husband and wife and live together? Isn't this ruining her reputation? How is she supposed to face the world in the future?" Zhao Yan banged on the table, scolding loudly.

  He heard that the road is carefree and immediately sweated from the tip of his nose, his face flushed red. He and Xiao Mei were both Jianghu figures, not particularly concerned about these things, but they still understood the principle of men and women not being intimate. Now that Zhao Che had said it out loud in public, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

  "You tell me, is a real man afraid to take responsibility for what he's done?" Zhao pressed his advantage, step by step.

  "Second Master, this little brat just said he wouldn't rely on women to gain wealth and honor, but now look at him, he's just a pretty face who eats off women, what kind of great man is that? Bah!" Pan Long cursed loudly.

  "What a little white face, I think he's just a glib-tongued scoundrel who specializes in deceiving good girls and stealing their hearts. He even dares to say he's a figure on the rivers and lakes? What a shame! I, Xue Bao, have always been one to fight anyone I see!"

  "Second Master, this kind of scoundrel who cheats people out of their money and seduces women will bring disaster if he stays in the mansion. It's better to break his legs and throw him out!" Zhang Feng said.

  "We are not a couple, we are fellow disciples, temporarily staying in the mansion and addressing each other as husband and wife for convenience. We haven't done anything improper!" Lu Xiaoyao hastily explained with a red face, but who would listen to him?

  Zhao Che looked at them coldly, his heart burning with anxiety, realizing that he might have messed things up. But after today's incident, Lu Xiang would definitely leave in anger, and wouldn't that make him a villain who had ruined a good thing and become the one who beat the mandarin ducks? How could he face Xiao Mei then? "No way, now I can only use my last resort. No matter what, I have to keep him here!" With this thought, Zhao Che decided to play his trump card.

  "See Xi, how much does he owe us?" Zhao Yan waved his hand to stop the protests of several people and said to See Xi.

  "Second Master, he owes us a total of 6,233 taels and 8 cents for medicine, food, and lodging!" Jian Xi immediately replied.

  "Hmm, since you don't agree with this marriage, shouldn't you pay back the debt then?"

  "Ha ha! Take a look at these and see if they're yours. Count them yourself, so you won't accuse me of cheating you later!" He put the box from Xian Xi's arms onto the table.

  "Not bad, these are all written by me." Lu Xiangyao said with a wry smile as he flipped through them.

  "My lord's current finances for repairing bridges and roads are a bit tight, but Second Master Lu doesn't care about this small amount of money, so just settle it!" Zhao Che said with his arms crossed.

  "This is a problem!" Lu Xiangyao was in a dilemma. If the Night Gate were still around, he wouldn't have cared about this small amount of money. But now that his home had been looted, this sum of money had become an astronomical figure.

  "Lu Dage, I know you have the ability. How about this? If you can help me accomplish three things within three years, we'll consider the account settled. What do you say?" Just as Zhao Chu had expected, he couldn't come up with the money right now.

  "Alright, but you mustn't ask me to do things that go against the code of chivalry, nor make me do impossible tasks, nor restrict my freedom!" Lu Xiaoyao said after some thought.

  "Alright, I promise you, but you also can't do anything that harms the interests of the Wang estate!" Zhao Yan nodded and said, pulling out a piece of paper from the box and handing it to him. "No empty promises, written evidence is proof, take a look and sign if everything is in order."

  "Cut it out, you little white-faced foodie who only knows how to eat soft rice, what are you talking about chivalry? You think you're some kind of king or something, deceiving people like that and still having the nerve to look at him!" Pan Long said disdainfully as he saw Lu Xiaoyao pick up the document and prepare to study it.

  "What's the saying 'to measure a gentleman's heart with a small person's mind'? Now take a look and you'll understand. The prince has always been one to spit out words like nails, when has he ever deceived anyone? If you're familiar with this kind of person, you'll be angry to death sooner or later!" Song Huwen, who had not spoken until now, grumbled two indistinct sentences.

  Listening to their words, her face turned white and red, where did she still have the heart to look at it? She took over the pen handed over by Xian Xi, signed her name, pressed her handprint, and returned the document to Zhao Yi. Seeing Zhao Yi quickly rolled up the document and put it in his arms, he felt uneasy in his heart. This little devil said that he was talking about marriage, how could he bring these things with him? Did he expect that she would not agree, and had long been prepared?

  Zhao Mou let out a subtle sigh of relief, glancing at the two bodyguards beside him who were still whispering to each other. He was secretly delighted that these two guys had unintentionally helped him out, otherwise it would have been hard to get away with it. He made a mental note to reward them handsomely when they got back, thinking to himself that being kind to people really doesn't lose out anywhere!

  "Cough" Zhao Ze coughed a few times, just about to speak, the tightly closed door was pushed open, Xiao Mei walked out with a bundle on her back, "Younger brother, let them withdraw for a moment, I have something to say to you!"