I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?

Chapter 487: How About We Three Share a Family Tree 3

Seeing this, Lady Gao rushed to the Prime Minister’s side.

"Whatever the cost of the horse and carriage, the Prime Minister’s manor will not short you a single coin." Though furious, Prime Minister Gao saw he had no choice but to protect his wife.

"Prime Minister Gao is most generous." The middle-aged man bowed and stepped aside.

Lady Gao was fuming.

Prime Minister Gao grabbed her and roughly dragged her before the Crown Prince of Xi Yan.

"Your Highness, this is all my wife’s fault. I beg for Your Highness’s forgiveness," Prime Minister Gao said with a bow.

Xiliu Yuan ignored Prime Minister Gao, turning instead to Ye Qianning. "I have misunderstood you, Miss Xiang. I will be sure to visit tomorrow to offer my formal apologies."

Prime Minister Gao’s expression turned ugly. But since the Crown Prince of Xi Yan was showing Ye Qianning such deference, he knew this matter wouldn’t be resolved if he didn’t soften his tone.

"Miss Xiang, this is entirely the fault of the Prime Minister’s manor. I, too, will visit tomorrow to apologize. I hope Miss Xiang can be magnanimous."

Ye Qianning cleaned her ear with a small hand. "That’s not what you were saying just a moment ago, was it, Prime Minister Gao? Weren’t you going to report this to the Emperor? Why have you lost your nerve now that it turns out to be your own family’s fault?"

"I was merely joking with you, Miss Xiang."

"Judging by your firm attitude, it didn’t seem like a joke. Isn’t that right, Lord Li?" Ye Qianning glanced at Lord Li, who had been enjoying the show.

One moment, Li Zhonghuai was mentally criticizing the Prime Minister’s manor; the next, he was being called out. He quickly stepped forward. "Prime Minister Gao’s tone was indeed a bit harsh. However, Miss Xiang, the Emperor is occupied with many affairs. The thief who robbed the Imperial Palace still hasn’t been caught. We shouldn’t bother His Majesty with such a trivial matter, should we?"

"Lord Li is right. Miss Xiang, today’s incident is the fault of my manor." As Prime Minister Gao spoke, he kicked Lady Gao. "Hurry up and apologize to Miss Xiang."

Revulsion was written all over Lady Gao’s face, but she had no choice but to comply. "Miss Xiang, it was my negligence that caused this disturbance. Fortunately, you weren’t injured. Otherwise, even cutting the driver into a thousand pieces wouldn’t be enough to compensate for a single hair on your head."

The middle-aged man grew more incensed the more he listened. "It was clearly caused by Your Ladyship’s perfume! Don’t you dare try to push all the blame onto me."

He knew everyone here was a powerful noble. If he took the fall for this, his fate would be grim.

Hearing this, Prime Minister Gao cursed his wife’s stupidity under his breath.

’She’s suffered so many losses at Ye Qianning’s hands. Does she really think she can shift the blame with just a few words?’

"Stop twisting the truth! I’ve never heard of a horse that can’t stand the smell of perfume," Lady Gao retorted angrily.

"Well, my horse can’t! I told you when it smelled the scent on you, but you insisted on getting on the carriage and wouldn’t get off." The middle-aged man took two steps forward and knelt before Ye Qianning. "Miss, please see the truth. This truly wasn’t my fault."

"Don’t you worry. I’ve heard and understood the whole story. This matter has nothing to do with you." Ye Qianning hopped down from her chair and reached out to help the middle-aged man up by his arm.

The middle-aged man was shocked. He scrambled to his feet and took several steps back. "My clothes are dirty, don’t soil your hands, miss."

"If they get dirty, I can just wash them. It’s not like some people, whose hearts are filthy no matter how clean they look on the outside. You can never wash that clean." Ye Qianning’s childish voice was surprisingly pleasant to the ear.

The middle-aged man froze, staring at the little girl before him. ’To think someone so young could say such things.’

A crowd had gathered by now, and they were also stunned to hear her words. Which child of an official family didn’t act high and mighty when they went out?

This young girl was not only friendly, but her words were also astounding.

’That’s right. Dirty clothes can be washed, but what can you use to wash a dirty heart?’

For a moment, everyone wondered which family this little girl belonged to.

"Lady Gao’s apology was so very sincere." Ye Qianning’s words were undoubtedly a slap in Lady Gao’s face.

Lady Gao’s expression was utterly foul, but under Prime Minister Gao’s furious gaze, she didn’t dare say another word.

"Miss Xiang..."

"Enough. I’m not the type to be unreasonable when I have the upper hand. As long as the Prime Minister’s wife gives this driver a sincere apology and fully compensates him for his losses, as well as for the damage to the other vehicles here, I will consider the matter settled." Ye Qianning had just become a model citizen in the Capital City; she naturally had to build up her image in front of everyone.

Prime Minister Gao froze for a second, then turned to glare at his wife. "Do as Miss Xiang says, now!"

Lady Gao was used to being arrogant. The thought of suddenly apologizing to a mere driver was too humiliating. "I’ll pay him double whatever it costs."

"It costs what it costs. I speak with a clear conscience and will absolutely not take a single extra coin from you, my lady," the middle-aged man said, showing he had some backbone.

"Apologize already!" Prime Minister Gao wanted to strike her.

"My lord."

"If you don’t apologize, you need not return to the Prime Minister’s manor," Prime Minister Gao said, exasperated with her.

Lady Gao was stunned. "My lord... what do you mean?"

"The Prime Minister’s manor has no need for such a tyrannical matriarch."

He meant to divorce her.

"My lord, you’re going to divorce me?" Lady Gao couldn’t believe that after half a lifetime together, he would divorce her over such a trivial matter.

"You’ve done wrong, yet you show no remorse and instead make such a scene. It’s utterly shameless." Prime Minister Gao was growing anxious. ’This is something an apology could solve, what is she still dawdling for?’

"I did wrong? Who was I doing it for? I did it all for the Prime Minister’s manor! If it weren’t for your daughter, would I have snuck out to come here?" Lady Gao was overcome with grievance.

"I don’t care what it was for. When you cause trouble, you take responsibility. Apologize to the driver immediately. The Prime Minister’s manor will compensate for all damages here today." Hearing her words, Prime Minister Gao could guess why she had snuck out of the manor.

’The matter of the Gu family’s inheritance!’

"Apologize? You want me to apologize to a carriage driver? Heh." Lady Gao began to laugh, but the laughter died on her lips, replaced by a ferocious expression. "In your dreams."

Although she wasn’t from a noble family, her father was the lord of a city in Shu. To make her apologize to a low-class driver in front of these commoners?

’Never!’

Prime Minister Gao had never seen such a resolute expression on Lady Gao’s face and was somewhat surprised. He was in a difficult position.

On one hand, there was Miss Xiang and the Crown Prince of Xi Yan. It was all his fault for speaking so arrogantly to Ye Qianning earlier. Who could have imagined this whole mess was caused by his own wife!

On the other hand, he was in front of the people of the Capital City. His wife was openly defying him. If he didn’t deal with her, how would the people and officials of the Capital City view him?

An apology and compensation was likely the lightest punishment possible, but who would have thought his wife would suddenly decide to be so stubborn.

’If she’d had this much backbone when Ye Qianning came to attack our manor, would she have taken such a beating?’

Even Ye Qianning hadn’t expected Lady Gao to be so adamant. For once, she couldn’t be bothered to press the issue, but the woman didn’t know what was good for her.

"You’ve caused such a huge commotion, and now a simple apology has become a matter of impassioned principle. Lady Gao is truly... admirable," Ye Qianning said lightly. "If this had been anyone else, even if they knelt and apologized, I imagine Prime Minister Gao would have skinned them alive."

"Someone, prepare a brush and ink," Prime Minister Gao said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, sir."

An attendant hurried into the Mu Sha Boutique to borrow writing materials.

Lady Gao stood frozen in shock, pointing a trembling finger at Prime Minister Gao. "You... you’re really going to divorce me?"

The attendant returned from the Mu Sha Boutique with a brush and ink.

The attendant from the Mu Sha Boutique even thoughtfully brought out a table and placed it in front of Prime Minister Gao.

Prime Minister Gao didn’t want to escalate the situation, but it had come to this entirely because of her. He remained silent for a moment, then took the brush, its tip touching the Xuan paper.

Lady Gao staggered forward a few steps, staring at the characters being written one by one on the paper. She clutched her chest, her face a mask of shock and disappointment...

"Refuses to repent for her wrongdoing and disrespects her husband’s authority, hence divorced from this day." After writing, Prime Minister Gao threw the paper at Lady Gao.

Lady Gao swayed and collapsed to the ground.

Prime Minister Gao turned to Ye Qianning. "Are you satisfied now, Miss Xiang?"

"What a question, Prime Minister Gao. You were the one who wouldn’t let this go, blaming me for offending the Crown Prince of Xi Yan. You even threatened to report me to the Emperor for punishment. But the moment you found out it was your own wife, your attitude completely changed. All I asked was for her to apologize to the driver and compensate for the damage to our vehicles," Ye Qianning said, her voice rising in dissatisfaction. "It was Lady Gao who refused. It was you, Prime Minister, who couldn’t bear the humiliation and decided to divorce her. You’re asking me if I’m satisfied with *your* decision? What? Are you trying to pin the blame for this on a child?"

Prime Minister Gao’s face darkened, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

Everyone present was clear about how things had unfolded. Many had been standing by and watching ever since the carriage was overturned.

They had all heard Prime Minister Gao’s earlier remarks. Now, for him to ask the little girl if she was satisfied... anyone who didn’t know better would think the girl had forced him to do it.

"Prime Minister Gao, we all heard what you said to the child just now! Don’t you go flinging mud at her."

"I heard it too! Prime Minister Gao said offending the Crown Prince of Xi Yan was a major crime and he was going to report it to the Emperor for punishment. He said it right to the child’s face in a fit of anger."

"That’s what he said. The little girl even had her guards investigate to find out the truth. Who would’ve thought the whole mess was caused by the Prime Minister’s wife’s carriage? Isn’t this a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on his own foot?"

"He changed his tune real quick when he saw it was his own family. Begging the girl not to blow things up. If this incident hadn’t involved Lady Gao, the Prime Minister would have looked like he was ready to kill that little girl."

"Prime Minister Gao, the child was frightened but didn’t say much. You were the ones who kept stirring up trouble. Your wife was unreasonable, and now you divorce her and try to drag the kid into it. That’s no way for a person to act."

One by one, the crowd chimed in, and the number of people censuring him grew.

Prime Minister Gao’s face went from dark to pale, then to red. He clenched his fists in anger. But what could he say to refute them?

Lady Gao stared at the fluttering divorce paper, the voices of the crowd ringing in her ears. She wished she could devour these wretched commoners, along with Ye Qianning, alive.

"Someone, take her away," Prime Minister Gao said, admitting defeat.

An attendant went to help Lady Gao up.

Lady Gao glared at Ye Qianning with murderous eyes. She swore she would make her pay.

Ye Qianning had been a victim herself and hadn’t planned to press the matter too hard. She never expected Lady Gao to blame her instead of her own husband.

’If I’d actually done something, I wouldn’t feel so wronged. But the key is, I didn’t do anything, and now I’m being hated like this. How unfair!’

’If I don’t do *something*, I’ll be letting down that murderous glare of hers.’

"Don’t be in such a hurry to leave. We’re not finished yet," Ye Qianning’s childish voice piped up.

It was a pleasant-sounding voice, but to Prime Minister Gao’s ears, it was terrifying.