12dz Chapter 426
Chapter 426
"Father-in-law, what Qingshi said was unintentional. Although the Prince An's Manor is not as wealthy as the Li family, we still have the money to host a wedding banquet. Rest assured, Father-in-law, I genuinely want to marry Zhiwei, and I will definitely not let her suffer any grievances."After thinking it over, Xu Heming decided to use his sincerity to move his future father-in-law.
Otherwise, this misunderstanding would really blow out of proportion.
Besides, he truly had the ability to cover those expenses.
If he used Li Tianyou's money to host the banquet, how would the people of the capital look at him once they found out?
Seeing Xu Heming's persistence, Li Tianyou didn't know whether to believe him for a moment.
"Father, Prince An is a prince after all. How could he possibly be so poor that he doesn't even have the money to marry a wife?" Li Zhiwei caught Xu Heming's gaze and quickly comforted her father.
She only realized from Xu Heming's words just now that her father had actually misunderstood Xu Heming because of what Xu Qingshi said yesterday.
This reason was truly both amusing and exasperating.
"Alright, if he's not short of money, then he's not." Hearing this, Li Tianyou's brows still didn't relax.
However, thinking that he had given him this bank note in front of the Emperor today, it didn't make sense to take it back.
Li Tianyou quickly stuffed the bank note back into Xu Heming's arms and said a bit awkwardly, "Just keep what is given to you."
"Father-in-law, this is inappropriate." Xu Heming felt a bit helpless. He didn't understand why Li Tianyou still insisted on giving him the money even after he had explained things clearly.
"Hmph, this money was given to you in front of the Emperor. What, do you want the Emperor to misunderstand that I act one way to his face and another behind his back?"
Li Tianyou glared at Xu Heming in dissatisfaction and said.
"Just accept what my father gives you. You know the current situation of our manor, and we still hope you can send more people over."
Seeing that Xu Heming still wanted to decline, Li Zhiwei quickly found an excuse to say.
"Don't worry, I will arrange this matter well." Xu Heming felt helpless; this money was like a hot potato.
However, it was hard for him to refuse again now.
After Xu Heming left, Li Tianyou circled around his daughter, inspecting her, and then said dissatisfiedly, "Daughter, that Xu Heming has bad intentions. You aren't even married yet, and he's already getting handsy with you. Why didn't you know to reject him?"
Li Tianyou said, frustrated at her failure to meet his expectations.
"Father, you really misunderstood Prince An. There was a reason for what happened today—" Li Zhiwei quickly explained to her father about Shangguan Mu coming to the manor today.
"You're saying that man is a prince?" Li Tianyou was also a bit shocked upon hearing this.
Thinking about the previous news that the Qinling Kingdom would send people to the capital, his heart skipped a beat. Could it be that the people from the Qinling Kingdom had arrived so quickly?
"Daughter, that man didn't do anything to you, did he?" Thinking that someone had actually taken a fancy to his daughter, Li Tianyou became even more nervous.
If his daughter was really sent away for a political marriage, wouldn't he and his wife spend the rest of their lives longing for her?
This absolutely could not happen!
"No, Father. I was truly terrified at the time. If Prince An had arrived a little later, I was really afraid I would never see you again." Thinking of the situation then, Li Zhiwei couldn't help but secretly wipe her tears.
"Daughter, don't be afraid. Father definitely won't let that brat from the Qinling Kingdom take advantage of you."
Li Tianyou actually felt a bit uncertain in his heart.
His previous smugness about his daughter's good looks was now completely gone.
Meanwhile, Shangguan Mu, who had returned to his temporary residence, was feeling immensely proud of himself.
He felt that his actions today were simply brilliant.
Not only had he planted a seed of doubt in Xu Heming's heart.
He had also found out that the Li family only had Miss Li as their sole daughter.
If he truly married Li Zhiwei, wouldn't all of the Li family's assets become his?
Thinking of this, the corners of Shangguan Mu's mouth curled up slightly.
"What good thing has happened to Third Brother? Why not share it with your sister?" Shangguan Yun looked at Shangguan Mu with some dissatisfaction and said.
"Haha, Yun'er, you're about to have a new sister-in-law." Shangguan Mu fanned himself with a smug look on his face.
"With so many women in your backyard, haven't I had sisters-in-law for a long time?" Shangguan Yun thought about how Shangguan Mu currently had a secondary consort, a concubine of lower rank, and countless other concubines.
She felt no joy at the prospect of having a new sister-in-law.
"That's different," Shangguan Mu said, shaking his fan.
"What's different? Oh, this one is from the Lannuo Kingdom." Shangguan Yun hadn't expected that a girl from the Lannuo Kingdom could instantly captivate her arrogant and conceited third brother.
She was actually quite curious about this girl.
Just what did she look like?
"You don't understand, she is different from others." Shangguan Mu hummed a little tune proudly, thinking to himself that this was the very first girl to reject him like that.
In the past, whenever women saw him, which one of them didn't wish they could throw themselves at him immediately?
But this one was not only beautiful, but also had a strong personality.
In all his life, he had never met such an interesting girl.
"Then Third Brother should let me go out and see how she's different." Shangguan Yun was furious. She was locked up in this courtyard, unable to go anywhere, while he got to go out every day and even took a fancy to a girl from the Lannuo Kingdom.
If he wanted her to enter a political marriage here, he should at least let her go out and choose her future husband.
But every time, his people would stop her.
Shangguan Yun felt like her temper was being completely worn away.
If it weren't for the fact that she had no one to turn to for help in the Lannuo Kingdom, she would have stormed off long ago.
How could she possibly have the time to play along with his charades right now?
"Alright, I'll take you to meet her another day." Shangguan Mu was in a good mood and readily agreed to Shangguan Yun's request.
He thought to himself that if he brought Shangguan Yun along, perhaps the little girl wouldn't be so afraid of him.
Hearing this, Shangguan Yun felt a surge of joy in her heart.
As long as she could get out, she would find a way to escape this demon's clutches.
Shangguan Yun was someone who was used to freedom; how could she obediently let Shangguan Mu keep her locked in a cage? She had to find a way to escape.
Shangguan Mu, on the other hand, was thinking that he had to find a time for Shangguan Yun to meet Xu Heming.
Perhaps, after Xu Heming saw Shangguan Yun, he would no longer decide to marry Li Zhiwei.
Then he could take the opportunity to propose that century-long pact.
The siblings each harbored their own ulterior motives, both plotting against one another.
As soon as Xu Heming returned to the Prince's Manor, he arranged for his men to go to the Li family to protect Li Zhiwei.
"Father, quickly take me to the Grand Princess's Manor!" Xu Qingshi, carrying a small bundle on his back, walked up to Xu Heming and said with a look of anticipation.
After all, it must have been too late when they went to the Grand Princess's Manor yesterday, which was why the Grand Princess didn't let him see Little Dumpling. Today, he had prepared many gifts for Little Dumpling.
These were all good things from his grandmother's place.