Chapter 4 : Rumors
Unexpectedly, Yu Niaoniao said,”I haven’t said a word to the Prince of Lang before last night. How could I possibly think anything of him?”
Dang Gui was even more confused. “Then why did you say that last night…”
Yu Niaoniao pretended to be profound. “That was a convenient plan.” 3
When Dang Gui blinked in confusion, Yu Qianqian explained to her patiently, “Think about it. The rumors came from the Yu Residence. If the Duke Lang wants to investigate, he will definitely find out about the jade pendant…”
A month ago, Yu Niaoniao followed her father into the palace for the banquet and happened to pick up a jade pendant.
She made some effort to find the owner to no avail.
It just so happened that she was short on money recently and needed money to do things, so she took the jade pendant to Fang’s pawnshop and sold it for a hundred taels of silver.
Unexpectedly, the shopkeeper of the pawnshop came to them the next day and said that the jade pendant belonged to Duke Lang. They did not dare to accept it and insisted on returning it to Yu Niaoniao.
Only then did Yu Niaoniao realize that the owner of the jade pendant was actually Duke Lang.
She knew that Duke Lang was not to be trifled with, so she could only return the money. She planned to find an opportunity to return the jade pendant to Duke Lang.
However, recently, Duke Lang had been working elsewhere and was not in the Imperial Capital. Yu Niaoniao was not able to return the jade pendant as a result.
What was even more unexpected was that this matter was spread out and became more and more exaggerated.
At first, it was said that Prince Lang had given his jade pendant to Yu Niaoniao as a token of love.
In the end, it turned out that she was already engaged to Duke Lang and was pregnant with his child! 1
This was a real-life rumor!
Yu Niaoniao felt extremely regretful. If she had known earlier, she would not have picked up that jade pendant no matter what!
“If Duke Lang finds out that I once sold his jade pendant to a pawnshop for money, he will definitely not let me off. With his suspicious personality, he might even suspect that I deliberately stole his jade pendant. At that time, I won’t be able to explain myself.” 1
Dang Gui suddenly understood. “So you made up a lie and said that you liked Duke Lang, in case he continued to investigate.”
Yu Niaoniao’s face was bitter.
“That was all I could think of under the circumstances.”
Dang Gui asked, “What are you going to do now? The emperor wants to give you a marriage.”
It would have been fine if she hadn’t mentioned this matter, but the moment she did, she felt a headache coming on.
She wondered what the Emperor was thinking. He actually believed such exaggerated rumors. Wasn’t this nonsense!
Yu Niaoniao gave a deep sigh.
“I’ll cross the bridge when I come to it. Let me live a little longer today.” 1
With that, she lay down and continued sleeping. 2
At this moment, the door was forcefully pushed open!
Yu Kangtai came storming in.
It was obvious that he had just come out of court. He was still wearing the scarlet official’s uniform that represented his status as the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue. He was holding a feather duster in his hand. After entering the door, he pointed at Yu Niaoniao and scolded her. 1
“You unfilial daughter, you actually dared to sneak out of the house in the middle of the night to meet someone in private and was even imprisoned! If the Imperial Capital didn’t send someone to deliver a letter to me, I wouldn’t have known that you were so capable!”
Yu Qianqian was so frightened that she jumped off the bed. 3
“Father, let me explain. I just wanted to go out and admire the moon last night. I didn’t expect to bump into the soldiers of the Imperial Capital.”
“How dare you quibble at a time like this? I’ll beat you to death!”
Yu Kangtai raised his feather duster and whipped it at Yu Qianqian. 1
He was so frightened that he covered his head and fled. 2
Her mouth did not forget to grumble.
“I’m Duke Lang’s fiancée now. If you break me, how are you going to explain it to him?!” 5
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