The Cousin Is About to Marry，The Abstinent Young Lord Loses Control-Chapter 162: Abandoning Dignity

After sending Ji Mingzhu back to the mansion, he accompanied her for a meal.

As night fell, Xie Yunzhen was urgently summoned to the palace.

He didn’t return for several days.

Rumors were that the Emperor’s condition was worsening, and various factions were stirring.

Even being in the Duke Mansion, Ji Mingzhu could feel the tense atmosphere.

The scandal involving the Imperial Concubine was spreading amongst the noble circles.

Young women from ordinary families needed to keep a good reputation, and the Imperial Concubine was no exception.

Everyone knew that even if the Imperial Concubine was lucky enough to escape this crisis,

it would be almost impossible to regain favor in the future.

Du Peifang knew in her heart what she had done.

Out of nowhere, the Imperial Concubine had gotten involved with a stranger and was caught red-handed by the Empress.

There were too many eyewitnesses for any plausible denial.

Du Peifang had an intuition that the words she said to her aunt when she entered the palace had been leaked.

She pondered endlessly about when the information had been disclosed.

That day in the palace, it was clearly just her and her aunt.

The palace was so vast, and they deliberately lowered their voices. Even if someone eavesdropped, they probably wouldn’t hear much.

In that moment of realization, Du Peifang recalled the night she entered the palace.

That night, the Lord was staying in her room.

Suddenly, someone came from the front yard, saying Xie Yunzhen urgently needed the Lord, and hurriedly took him away.

She had already decided to have a child to secure herself.

So she stayed awake, reading a book while waiting for the Lord to return.

She didn’t know how she had fallen asleep later.

Awakening the next day, everyone was looking at her with curious eyes.

It was only upon asking that she realized she had accidentally revealed her true thoughts.

In front of all the servants, she had cursed the Lord as an old man and lamented her grievances.

It was said that the Lord left with a very displeased expression.

Since then, she hadn’t seen the Lord.

Attempts to find him in the study in the front yard were met with refusal by the servant boys, meanwhile, that vile woman Lin visited there daily, flaunting her femininity!

Du Peifang’s days had been intolerable; saying it was like walking on thin ice was no exaggeration.

Constantly uneasy, she overlooked one question.

That day she hadn’t been drinking or sick, how could she suddenly rant nonsensically in front of the Lord? 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Thinking left and thinking right, Du Peifang felt someone was plotting against her.

She suspected Princess An He, suspected Ji Mingzhu, and even didn’t spare the disdainful concubines in the back yard.

But never suspected Xie Yunzhen.

To Du Peifang, she was merely a housewife.

Even if she had conflicts with the Princess and Ji Mingzhu, they were inner residential matters.

Xie Yunzhen was a man, surely he wouldn’t interfere with women’s affairs.

Now the Imperial Concubine had had her scandal exposed, and the matter was disgraceful.

It was obviously her suggestion pinned onto her aunt.

Only then did Du Peifang realize.

She had been betrayed by Xie Yunzhen.

In this mansion, only he could accomplish all this without anyone knowing!

"I want to go home, I want to see my father! He is Xie Yunzhen’s teacher; once a teacher, lifelong as a father, Xie Yunzhen will definitely give respect!"

Du Peifang was terrified.

Her aunt was in danger, and if she didn’t rebuild relations with her family, she would have no support at all.

Deep courtyards could be devouring; she didn’t want to die.

Neither did she want to be forever suppressed.

If it continued, she would eventually be driven mad!

Xiao Mei stopped her, "The Princess said you cannot leave the yard."

"I want to return to my maiden home, by what right does she stop me!"

Their courtyard had spies from the Princess, but Du Peifang shouted loudly, scaring Xiao Mei to death.

In a low voice, Xiao Mei said, "The Princess is the household’s mistress. If she doesn’t let us out, what can we do?"

After being bullied continually by the Xie Family, Du Peifang cried out, tears flowing.

"Am I doomed to be trapped here all my life, never to leave?"

Xiao Mei pressed her lips together.

Although the lady’s title is concubine wife, there is still a legitimate wife above her, making her situation no different from a concubine.

If the mistress does not nod in agreement, which woman from the back yard can leave?

Unless favored by the man of the house!

But ever since the lady talked nonsense during her fit, she has offended the Lord...

Xiao Mei advised earnestly, "Even if you return home and ask for help, Lord Grand Tutor’s influence doesn’t extend to the back yard of the Duke Mansion. Princess and Ji Mingzhu can easily deal with us."

Du Peifang refused to hear this.

She was the legitimate daughter of the Grand Tutor. Even if relations chilled with her family, it was only temporary.

"Why should Ji Mingzhu be above me?"

Du Peifang’s stubborn mouth contradicted her inner understanding of Xiao Mei’s truths.

In the Duke Mansion, she was no match for Ji Mingzhu.

Even if the woman was just a fallen noble!

After losing her temper, Du Peifang felt even more powerless.

Muttering to herself, "Must I sit and wait to be humiliated?"

"Of course not."

Xiao Mei spoke softly, "As long as you can make the Lord reconsider, won’t you find your chance for a comeback? To be frank, the Princess is getting old; who knows when she’ll be gone, leaving the Duke Mansion under your control?"

"As long as you hold onto the Lord and have a son, you won’t fare poorly even without family support."

She gestured with her chin towards the east courtyard.

"Look at Ji Mingzhu. Even without a family, she relies on a man’s favor to dominate in the mansion."

"Ma’am, you ought to learn the ways of handling men from her."

Du Peifang snapped, "What skills does she have? She’s just relying on that vixen facade to seduce Xie Yunzhen!"

Xiao Mei thought to herself, if given a choice, who wouldn’t want to resemble Ji Mingzhu.

Without needing any effort, she’d have men’s attention aimed eagerly to present her with anything good.

Before came the gifted Yuan Changan from the Yuan Family, followed by the powerful Princely Heir.

No matter who she marries, Ji Mingzhu’s life would be enviable.

"One’s appearance is inherited from parents and cannot be changed, but you can alter your attire. Just look at Lin; her neck is brazenly exposed, and with the heat these days, her clothing is even more outrageous, nearly spilling out her chest, which men must love, and hence, the Lord has been staying in her room lately."

Du Peifang grew crimson with anger, "You want me to imitate that loose woman? My reputation would be ruined if word got out!"

Xiao Mei’s lips trembled slightly, "What to do to win back the Lord’s heart if avoiding unconventional methods?"

Though Duke Xie is aging, he holds a high position, with plenty of women vying for his attention and favor.

Once forgotten, after a few years, as beauty fades, there would be no chance for a comeback.

Du Peifang collapsed onto the desk and cried.

She didn’t understand why everything turned sour whenever Ji Mingzhu was involved.

With her aunt and family unreliable, what self-respect did she have left!

Unaware of how long she cried, Du Peifang made a decision.

"Prepare new clothes for me."

She aimed to reclaim the Lord’s heart.

Otherwise, once Xie Yunzhen was done managing external matters, they might turn again to deal with her.

As long as she could rise again.

She would give up her dignity!