When Xiao Man returned to the side hall, Nangong Yi had already changed his clothes, but his complexion was a bit grim. However, Xiao Zhen's complexion was even grimmer.
"Your Highness Prince Qin, Your Highness Prince Qi, Father." Xiao Man curtsied in greeting, "Third Sister has committed suicide."
Nangong Yi shot up from his seat. Committed suicide! Xiao Ling had taken her own life to avoid disgrace!
If this matter were to spread, his reputation would be more than just that of a dissolute rake!
"Fortunately, the rescue was timely, and she was saved."
Nangong Yi slowly sat down again. He had prepared many excuses, but with Xiao Ling's suicide, he had no room to quibble. After all, the situation at the time was witnessed by everyone present. It was indeed him who had forced himself upon Xiao Ling.
"I will take responsibility for this matter."
Nangong Yu understood that with Nangong Yi's nature, he couldn't have failed to guess that he had been framed. However, with Xiao Ling's suicide now, he was forced to face it and couldn't even pursue the matter.
Otherwise, if Xiao Ling were to be resolute and die again, then Prince Qi, Nangong Yi, would bear the reputation of raping and forcing the death of a minister's daughter. At the same time, if this matter spread, it would also affect Xiao Man. Xiao Zhen would never let it go, and Nangong Yi might even suffer a great loss!
"How does Your Highness Prince Qi intend to take responsibility?"
Nangong Yi's gaze fell on Xiao Man. Her delicate face was filled with indifference. His words, delivered in a business-like tone, made him feel uncomfortable. He stood up and walked towards Xiao Man, looking down at her condescendingly, and said stubbornly,
"However you want me to take responsibility, I will take responsibility!"
"Then I request Your Highness Prince Qi to marry my sister as his wife." Xiao Man's tone was calm and collected from beginning to end, as if she were talking about a stranger.
"Say that again?"
"I request Your Highness Prince Qi to marry my sister as his wife."
Nangong Yi felt a lump in his throat. He was accustomed to their playful banter, to going to brothels and casinos with her, and to seeing her get so angry that she would pound him. He only disliked Xiao Man speaking to him in such a cold tone.
"Xiao Man, do you truly want me to marry her?"
"Does Your Highness have no intention of admitting to what he has done?"
"I dare to do and dare to admit, there is nothing I dare not admit!" Nangong Yi felt wronged. He had been framed in this matter, but he couldn't pursue the person who framed him, otherwise Xiao Ling could threaten him with death at any time.
"Can he marry her as a concubine?" Nangong Yu spoke up. In his opinion, Xiao Ling was not worthy of the position of principal wife.
Xiao Man looked at Xiao Zhen, asking for his opinion. Xiao Zhen remained silent, and Xiao Man hesitated. For her, it didn't matter whether Xiao Ling was a principal wife or a concubine. In any case, Nangong Yi had to marry her. The General's mansion's reputation was already poor enough, it couldn't get any worse.
"As you wish, I will marry her as a consort!"
Nangong Yi's eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Xiao Man. He had been framed, yet Xiao Man didn't believe him and forced him to marry Xiao Ling. He felt wronged, but he didn't want to show weakness.
"Thank you, Your Highness Prince Qi."
Hearing this, Nangong Yi felt as if his teeth were grinding. He shoved Xiao Man aside and strode away, looking somewhat like he was fleeing in disarray. Xiao Man watched Nangong Yi's retreating figure and softly said, "I'm sorry."
She knew Nangong Yi had been framed, but this was the best solution. Nangong Yi had countless beauties around him; even if he married Xiao Ling, it wouldn't affect his pursuit of pleasure. For Nangong Yi, it would merely be adding another beauty to his side. Didn't he love beauty the most?
"I bid you farewell." Nangong Yu stood up to leave.
After everyone had left, Xiao Zhen suddenly swept a teacup on the side to the ground. The events of today had truly caused him to lose face!
"Father, don't be angry. Prince Qi has already agreed to marry Third Sister, so this matter is resolved. Prince Qin is tight-lipped and won't spread it. The two servants who discovered the incident have also been dealt with and won't let it out. Father, please compose yourself and go to the front hall to continue drinking with the uncles."
Xiao Zhen took a deep breath and stood up, "You have been wronged."
"Father, what are you saying? As your daughter, I am not wronged."
Xiao Zhen nodded, composed himself, and then headed to the front hall. Today was a banquet to welcome his eldest son and several old subordinates, and the guests had to be entertained.
"Miss."
"Dispose of Yun Chang and assign another maid to serve her. Until the matter is settled, she is not allowed to step out of her courtyard."
"Yes, Miss."
Xiao Man had a headache. The young ladies in this mansion were truly a handful. Didn't Xiao Ling know that if her reputation was ruined, the General's mansion's reputation would also be destroyed? Yet, she still took a risk to climb higher!
As soon as Nangong Yi returned to Prince Qi's mansion, he became furious and started smashing things. He liked beauties, that was true, but he didn't like being framed, and even less did he like being forced to marry a woman he didn't like!
"She forced me, she actually dared to force me!" Nangong Yi grabbed a jade horse made of emerald and smashed it on the ground, shattering it into pieces. "She knows I was framed, and she doesn't believe me, yet she forces me to marry!"
"Your Highness, please calm your anger."
"Calm my anger? How can you ask me to calm my anger?" Nangong Yi was both angry and annoyed. He grabbed a glazed vase and smashed it on the ground as well. The shards that flew out scratched Zhou Kang's face, but Zhou Kang dared not utter a sound.
"You didn't throw a tantrum at the General's mansion, so what's the use of throwing a fit at home?" Nangong Yu walked in from outside, not even glancing at the scattered debris. "No matter how much you fuss, you still have to marry her. It would have been enough to offer her the position of a concubine, so why get worked up and marry her as a consort?"
"Xiao Man wants me to marry Xiao Ling as a consort," Nangong Yi sobbed, burying his face in his hands. "Fourth Brother, I feel terrible, my chest feels so blocked."
A thought flashed through Nangong Yu's mind, and he immediately shook his head. It shouldn't be. "What's so terrible about it? It's just one more beauty. Are you short of beauties around you?"
"But I don't have to marry them. This one I have to marry, and I'm forced to! That scoundrel Xiao Man, she actually dared to force me to marry her sister!"
"If Xiao Man hadn't forced you, would you have married her willingly?"
"That can't be it either. If it were Xiao Man, I wouldn't mind marrying her, but it's not her!"
Nangong Yu's face darkened. He wanted to marry Xiao Man, had he asked him?
"Xiao Ling is good, marrying her is fine."
"How is it fine?"
"From now on, when you see Xiao Man, you'll have to call her 'sister', isn't that good?" Nangong Yu said softly. "You'll be family from now on, and going to casinos together won't be so secretive anymore."
Nangong Yi thought for a moment, and it seemed to be true. "But I don't want to call her sister."
Then you can call her 'sister-in-law'!
"If you don't want to call her that, then don't. The priority now is to handle this matter. Have you thought about how to explain it to Consort De?" Nangong Yu sighed. Consort De might not be willing to let Nangong Yi marry Xiao Ling as a consort, after all, everyone in the capital knew that Xiao Man was the most influential young lady of the General's mansion!