Chapter 223 – Marriage Contract Reappeared
It was the marriage contract between Mo Huating and her!
Sure enough, Mo Huating came prepared. Although the Madam Dowager had made her stance clear, he still dared to bring it over…
“Lord Marquis, this is the marriage contract my mother exchanged with Marquise Hua Yang and these are two letters left behind by Marquise Hua Yang on her deathbed. One is addressed to my mother, tasking her to honor the marriage contract at all times. The other is addressed to Zhaoyi Tu, Her Majesty, asking her to help take care of this marriage. Even though my mother…”
Mo Huating seemed to think of his dead mother and he choked for a moment.
Wei Yuewu knew that Mo Huating came with bad intentions, but she didn’t expect that he would be so audacious. Not only did he take out the marriage contract, but he also took out the letters her mother wrote to Marquise Jing Yuan and Zhaoyi Tu.
She held her fingers slightly in her sleeves, but she did not say a word. She wanted to see what trump card Mo Huating had that could make her father directly disobey the Madam Dowager’s words and bypass the Empress’ orders.
Wei Luowen’s fingers trembled slightly, but he still reached out to pick up the letter placed under the marriage contract. Although there was no expression on his face, everyone felt that he wasn’t calm at this moment.
But in the end, he put his hand on the letter and didn’t open it. After pausing for a moment, he looked up at the Madam Dowager and said in a deep voice, “Mother, what happened to Wei Yan? Yuewu’s mother had arranged this marriage for her, Marquise Jing Yuan also agreed to it, and Zhaoyi Tu was the witness of their marriage contract. Why did Marquis Jing Yuan end up getting involved with Wei Yan?”
“Actually, this was also what Yuewu wanted. When Wei Yan was in the Palace, she encountered an accident. Marquis Jing Yuan went into the fire to save her. In that case, if Marquis Jing Yuan did not marry Wei Yan, she would have no choice but commit suicide. Yuewu also agreed at that time, and that was why the Empress canceled their engagement!”
The Madam Dowager hesitated for a moment, but she still gave a brief account of the matter. She did not mention the fact that Mo Huating had an affair with Wei Yan.
Wei Yuewu sneered in her heart. The Madam Dowager really pretended not to know anything and omitted a lot of details, including the fierce quarrel and fight between Wei Yan and Chen Nianshan who competed for Marquis Jing Yuan, which she witnessed in the mansion of Marquis Jing Yuan.
The face of the Madam Dowager was filled with helplessness when she uttered those words. In this situation, it seemed that this was the only way for her to save Wei Yan.
However, although the Madam Dowager gave an almost flawless account of the matter, Marquis Hua Yang was apparently not convinced.
Men were different from women in that they paid more attention to results.
“Mother, now that Wei Yan has passed away, then none of these obstacles exists. Since Marquis Jing Yuan is willing to renew the marriage contract and is now making a proposal in our mansion, the Empress won’t blame us for accepting the proposal. Moreover, Marquis Jing Yuan had to save Wei Yan at that time. Since the situation has changed and the previous marriage contract was canceled, the two families can have a new marriage contract. ”
Wei Luowen thought for a moment before respectfully responding to the Madam Dowager.
The Madam Dowager immediately had an awkward face. Other people didn’t know about Wei Yan’s situation. However, she knew that Wei Yan was currently in Mo Huating’s mansion and was his concubine. If Wei Yuewu really renewed her engagement with Mo Huating, serious trouble would be caused! However, she couldn’t directly tell Wei Luowen about her worry. She could only look at her second son.
“Elder Brother, although Wei Yan let us down, she was still my daughter… It’s better to wait for some time!” Wei Luowu stood up, his eyes filled with sorrow.
Surprisingly, he wasn’t opposed to the marriage proposal. He only asked Wei Luowen to wait for a while longer.
“Alright! Mother, Second Younger Brother, give Wei Yan a proper funeral. She is a daughter of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang, and she deserves it.” Remembering that Wei Yan hanged herself, Wei Luowen sighed. Although he didn’t like this niece, he watched her grow up. Now that she was gone, it felt like a dream. Moreover, she was still young. Whatever mistakes she made, bygones were bygones!
“Forget it, it’s not a good thing after all!” The Madam Dowager shook her head and refused.
Of course, she would not allow a funeral for Wei Yan, who was still a living person and would “come back to life” in the future.
“Elder Brother, don’t do it. I can’t afford to lose face!” Wei Luowu also objected with a pale face.
Since his mother and younger brother were both opposed, and Wei Luowen was only Wei Yan’s uncle, he no longer insisted. He turned to Mo Huating and said, “Marquis Jing Yuan, then…”
Wei Yuewu raised her eyes, and her gaze fell on the slightly complacent Mo Huating. The corner of her lips curled into a cold smile. It was clear that her father was going to make a decision for her and agreed to the proposal.
Mo Huating was really good at calculation! Did he think that she, a weak and unmarried girl, dared not oppose her father openly, so that he staged on such a play?
“Father, I don’t agree to this marriage!”
Her eyes looked both cold and indifferent. She looked up at Wei Luowen without dodging. However, there was not the slightest warmth in her eyes that was expected of a daughter who saw her father.
Although Wei Luowen was accustomed to seeing life and death, he quickly avoided Wei Yuewu’s gaze that seemed to be from a stranger. His heart trembled slightly. Her pair of cold and beautiful eyes looked exactly like those of Rui’er, who also looked at him like that after that incident.
Almost at the same time as he dodged Wei Yuewu’s gaze, Wei Luowen woke from the trance and looked at Wei Yuewu. He asked in a deep voice, “Why? Marquis Jing Yuan has a deep affection for you. What happened in the Palace back then was also unavoidable. Could it be that you really wanted to go against your mother’s will?”
“Father, Marquis Jing Yuan once tried to assassinate me. It’s impossible for me to marry him!” Wei Yuewu looked at Mo Huating and said word by word.
She was a daughter of an aristocratic family. Therefore, she could not say that Wei Yan and Mo Huating had an affair in front of so many people, especially considering that there were so many men present. Just now, Wei Yuejiao was reprimanded and ordered to leave because she said that Xie Qingzhao had improper relations with other sisters in the mansion.
“Assassination?” Wei Luowen was surprised.
“Marquis Hua Yang, I am really not to blame for this. When I heard that Sixth Young Lady was entering the capital, I went to pick her up. Who would have thought that I would be late? Sixth Young Lady encountered an assassination. I took Second Young Lady’s maid with me to identify her body. However, Sixth Young Lady jumped out of nowhere and actually accused me of having an affair with Second Young Lady’s maid. She also said that I sent people to assassinate her.”
Mo Huating’s face was filled with sadness and grievance. He talked about the matter with a natural expression, and he also had helplessness and a bitter smile on his face. It was obvious that during this period of time, he had found a way to cover up his evil deeds.
Those words explained almost all of Wei Yuewu’s previous doubts.
It was obvious that Mo Huating had been making preparations for a long time! Today, he came to the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang fully prepared. Otherwise, it was impossible for him to have the letter that was originally in the hands of Zhaoyi Tu.
“Marquis Hua Yang, if you don’t believe me, you can investigate it. The magistrate who handled the case is still there!” Mo Huating looked at Wei Luowen with an upright expression and he even offered to ask Wei Luowen to investigate this matter.
The expression on his face was so frank and honest that Wei Luowen was impressed and looked less serious.
Mo Huating was indeed treacherous. He knew the psychology of people well. After failing to assassinate her, he actually put on a play to show that he was also a victim, as if he was the most innocent one. He tried to make people believe that he didn’t even know what had happened, but he was questioned by her. As for Wei Yan, she was dead. It would be a bit too much to hold a dead person responsible.
Well, if Mo Huating was prepared, how could she not be prepared at all? A strange smile appeared on her cherry lips. Mo Huating, didn’t you bring Wei Yan into your mansion? That was good. I would let you know that you had lifted a rock only to drop it on your own feet!
As for the assassination, it was just a prelude of the real attack!
“Father, I witnessed the assassination at that time. Of course, Marquis Jing Yuan will insist that it has nothing to do with him. However, I heard that Marquis Jing Yuan recently took in a new concubine…” Wei Yuewu paused for a moment. Her beautiful eyes seemed to be able to pierce through the hearts of people as she landed her gaze on Mo Huating and smiled.
Of course, this concubine was Wei Yan, who was known to be dead!
The Madam Dowager and Second Master became nervous upon hearing her words. Of course, the two of them knew the truth very well.
“This… is just an ordinary concubine!” The smile on Mo Huating’s face also stiffened. He did not expect that Wei Yuewu stopped pursuing the assassination and launched an attack by referring to Wei Yan.
Of course, he mustn’t let others know that Wei Yan was still alive.
“Marquis Jing Yuan, you haven’t married yet, but you already have a concubine. This kind of thing shouldn’t be done by someone of your character, right?” Wei Yuewu asked aggressively.
Although the young masters of aristocratic families could have bedroom maids before getting married, they basically wouldn’t give them any official title. A bedroom maid could be elevated to the position of a concubine only after the wife had entered the mansion.
Of course, some dandies were exceptions. But Mo Huating’s reputation had always been very good, and it was impossible for him to have a concubine before getting married. However, he had clearly made Wei Yan his concubine. By doing so, he was trying to convince the second branch of the Wei clan and the Madam Dowager that he did like Wei Yan.
However, he didn’t expect that Wei Yuewu would actually know such a thing.
But Mo Huating reacted quickly. After pondering for a moment, he came up with a solution and said to Marquis Hua Yang with a face full of shame, “This is indeed my fault. After my marriage contract with Sixth Miss Wei was dissolved at the order of the Empress, I… I was so sad that I abandoned myself and casually took in a concubine. However, if I can marry the Sixth Young Lady, I will immediately send this concubine away.”
In other words, Mo Huating had this concubine because of his unhappy marriage. It was an improper act. However, when people thought that he was forced to cancel his engagement with Wei Yuewu and agree to marry Wei Yan at the order of the Empress, they would somehow feel sympathetic to him. After all, he had agreed to marry Wei Yan in order to save her life.
After hearing Mo Huating’s explanation, anyone would feel that Mo Huating had a deep affection for Wei Yuewu!
Seeing that Mo Huating had indeed jumped into the trap, Wei Yuewu raised her eyes and said, “Marquis Jing Yuan, do you dare to let us meet that concubine? I heard that concubine was one of my Second Elder Sister’s maids!”
Wei Yan’s maid? Wei Luowen frowned. What did that mean? Could it be that Wei Yan and Mo Huating already had an affair before what happened in the Palace?
Mo Huating didn’t expect that Wei Yuewu would play such a trick on him. For a moment, he was so shocked that he couldn’t even speak. He looked at Wei Yuewu in astonishment, not knowing how to respond.
The Madam Dowager’s expression darkened and she was about to speak.
However, Wei Yuewu would in no case give her a chance to speak at this time. She stared at Mo Huating with a cold smile and continued, “Marquis Jing Yuan, if you want to prove your innocence, you can send someone to take your concubine here. But it’s best to send people from our mansion along with your people in case no one will be able to explain it clearly!”
In other words, if Mo Huating denied it, he should directly fetch the concubine here so that everyone could confirm the identity of his concubine. This sounded reasonable, but how would Mo Huating dare to fetch Wei Yan here? He was now really cornered!
Although Mo Huating had long recognized that Wei Yuewu wasn’t plain looking and untalented as she was rumored to be, he had never expected that Wei Yuewu would be so powerful that she could make him completely speechless. He had never had such a powerful opponent before, not to mention the fact that she was only an unmarried young lady.
He couldn’t help but turn his eyes to Wei Yuewu and cast a deep look at her.
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