The eldest son of the Yan family's face immediately changed upon hearing that his sister had been divorced and sent home, especially for the charge of lustfulness.
The Yan family could tolerate a divorced daughter, but they absolutely could not have a daughter who committed the crime of lustfulness. He immediately clamored to send Miss Yan to the ancestral temple.
"She is your own sister!" Lady Yan pleaded heartbrokenly.
"Mother, I know she is my sister, but can she blame others for her shameless actions?" Young Master Yan said angrily. "If we don't draw a clear line with her, not only will my children be implicated, but my and Father's futures will also be ruined by her! Do you want Father to lose his official position because of her?"
"Is it really that serious?"
"Mother, you are being foolish!" Young Master Yan stomped his foot. "Father is the Minister of Rites. If it becomes known that the Minister of Rites has a daughter who steals men, his position as Minister of Rites will be over. Hurry and send her away!"
Lady Yan was reluctant, but she also knew that her eldest son was speaking the truth. Moreover, the Tenth Prince was about to marry the Prime Minister's daughter. If any complications arose at this time, it might displease Consort Xian. Thus, she tacitly agreed to send Miss Yan to the ancestral temple.
Miss Yan knew that she had no way to survive in the capital and tacitly accepted being sent to the ancestral temple. However, she was unwilling. She didn't even know how her opponent had made a move before she was defeated!
The Yan family sent Miss Yan away overnight. Upon hearing what had happened to Miss Yan, Xiao Ling's expression turned icy. The note in her hand was already torn to shreds.
"Miss, Madam has been sent away. Do you wish to see her?"
"I will," Xiao Ling said slowly, taking a deep breath. "As a daughter, I must send her off."
The maidservant cautiously looked at Xiao Ling and saw a wicked smile curving on her lips, which looked particularly ferocious on her gentle face. The maidservant was terrified.
"Xiao Man, you truly haven't disappointed me. This is how it should be; otherwise, defeating you too easily would bring no sense of pride to my life."
With the wife of the Protector General's mansion divorced and sent home, many in the capital began to stir. After all, the position of the Protector General's wife was now vacant. Those who wished to gain the support of the Protector General's mansion set their sights on this position.
The old madam's mind became more active, thinking of finding a distinguished noble lady for Xiao Zhen to remarry and bring glory to the General's mansion. She sent people to inquire about any eligible unmarried young ladies to arrange a marriage proposal.
Xiao Zhen, however, was completely unconcerned about this matter. Having been transferred to the Shen Du Camp and residing in the capital, he had to attend court daily. Although he had returned, he remained busy.
The wedding date for the Tenth Prince and Wen Mo Yu had also been set. Perhaps fearing that delays would bring more trouble and that the incident at Gan Ye Temple would spread and ruin Wen Mo Yu's reputation, the wedding was scheduled for ten days later.
Because the Tenth Prince was about to get married, the Emperor bestowed titles and residences upon several adult princes. The Tenth Prince was titled Prince Han, and the Thirteenth Prince was titled Prince Qi. Both moved out of the palace to reside in their own mansions.
The staff in Prince Han's mansion were all old servants who had served the Tenth Prince. They were now busy decorating the new mansion, awaiting the arrival of their mistress.
The Prime Minister's mansion was also filled with joy. Although not many people knew about the incident at Gan Ye Temple, given the gossiping nature of people, quite a few were aware. However, this was a matter between a prince and the Prime Minister's family. Now that the two families were seizing the opportunity to form a marital alliance, it could be said that the Tenth Prince had not only won a beauty but also gained a powerful ally.
Thus, many people turned their attention to Xiao Man. Once this woman lost her virtue, she would undoubtedly follow that person devotedly. If they could possess Xiao Man's body, they would certainly gain the support of the Protector General's mansion.
Xiao Zhen was taciturn in court. Whenever he spoke, he always hit the nail on the head. The military officials in court, upon Xiao Zhen's return, seemed to have found a backbone. They contended with the civil officials, forming a balance of power.
After court, everyone flocked to congratulate Prime Minister Wen on his son-in-law. Xiao Zhen, however, strode out. He found it more interesting to spend time with his daughter at home than to listen to these people flatter each other.
"Great General," someone called out to Xiao Zhen.
Xiao Zhen stopped and looked behind him, only to see Xue Kun, the son of the Duke of State, running up to him. "Greetings, Great General."
"What is it?"
"This subordinate, Xue Kun, is the legitimate son of the Xue family. I admire Miss Xiao and wish to marry Miss Xiao as my wife," Xue Kun said with a smile. He and Xiao Man were arch-rivals, and many people knew this. He decided that if he wanted to win against Xiao Man, he would marry her. Then Xiao Man would be at his mercy!
Before the Duke of State could stop him, Xue Kun had already spoken recklessly. The Duke of State hurried forward, wanting to retract the words, only to see Xiao Zhen's undisguised disdain.
"You? You are worthy!"
Xue Kun stared at Xiao Zhen's retreating back, his eyes wide. What was that look in Xiao Zhen's eyes? Regardless of background, how was he unworthy of Xiao Man? His reputation was not good, but Xiao Man's reputation was not much better either!
The Duke of State also disliked Xiao Man, feeling that she was not worthy of his son. Now Xiao Zhen dared to despise his son, and he was both angry and annoyed. "Old man Xiao Zhen, my son fancies your daughter; that is your good fortune. With your daughter's overbearing and troublemaking nature, who would dare marry her?"
"My daughter, Xiao Zhen's daughter, will only marry a hero who stands tall and upright. If anyone dares to use despicable means to try and marry my daughter, I, Xiao Zhen, will be the first to disagree and will fight them to the death!"
Xiao Zhen's voice echoed at the palace gates, making Prime Minister Wen's face burn. His daughter had her chastity ruined, and he still had to marry her off. Xiao Zhen, however, directly told everyone that if anyone dared to deal with his daughter using despicable means, they would not only fail to marry his daughter, but he would kill them!
Prime Minister Wen clenched his fist, his expression gloomy. A barbarian was a barbarian, unable to weigh the pros and cons! He fiercely flicked his sleeve and got into the Prime Minister's carriage, disappearing into the dust.
The people at the palace gates looked at each other, feeling somewhat awkward, and dispersed. Xue Kun turned his head to look at his father with a look of unwilling persistence.
"Father, am I not a hero who stands tall and upright?"
The Duke of State Xue almost choked on his blood. He fiercely smacked Xue Kun on the back of his head. "Damn you, do you only feel satisfied when you've completely disgraced me?"
Seeing his father angry, Xue Kun dared not speak. While he might not be a great hero, he was at least a man of substance. The Protector General dared to look down on him. Just wait; he was determined to marry Xiao Man!
Xiao Man was completely unaware that she had become a topic of much discussion. Wen Mo Yu, ranked second on the capital's list of prominent women, was about to get married. However, Xiao Man, who held the top spot, showed no signs of marriage. Thus, some busybodies set up a gambling pool, betting on who the eldest daughter would eventually marry.