Chapter 73 Loss of Face
She took a deep breath, suppressed her anger, and decisively ordered the servants around her to take out her precious dowry silver. She also sent the clever servants to ride the fastest horses to the famous restaurant nearby to buy back the finest delicacies at all costs to solve the urgent problem.
The servants were overjoyed when they got the silver. They ran out of the door as fast as the wind.
Guo slightly adjusted her sweat-soaked collar and gently wiped away the fine beads of sweat on her forehead with her sleeves.
Recalling the early morning, she had specially burned incense and bathed, changed into carefully selected new clothes, and was looking forward to the smooth progress of the dinner.
However, ever since that bath, her body began to feel inexplicably hot, a feeling that made her confused and uneasy.
After hastily tidying up, she returned to the front yard and faced the high and mighty Emperor Xuan. She tried to keep her tone as calm as possible and reported respectfully, "Your Majesty, there was indeed an accident in our kitchen. Please be patient, Your Majesty. We will immediately change the dishes to ensure the quality of the dinner."
After she finished speaking, she winked at the servants beside her without making any expression.
Immediately, the dishes that emitted a strange smell were quickly and silently removed. However, the awkwardness in the air and the whispers behind the scenes were not so easily eliminated.
Several prominent officials openly mocked Lord Zheng: "Oh, I heard that Lord Zheng now has to rely on his daughter-in-law's dowry to live. I thought it was just a rumor, but it seems to be true."
Another person continued, with obvious sarcasm in his tone: "My Lord, you know that only the most worthless men in this world would touch a woman's dowry. Don't lose face by doing this."
Lord Zheng's face turned from pale to ashen in an instant. He had wanted to use the opportunity of hosting Prince Liang to win people's hearts, but he ended up making things worse and lost face, putting himself in an unprecedented predicament.
Old Madam Zheng and Mrs. Wang also looked pale and lowered their heads even more. They wished they could disappear from this embarrassing situation immediately.
Su Wanyu sat quietly among the group of female relatives, her drooping eyelashes hiding the complex emotions in her eyes, and the sake gently shaking in her hand seemed sweeter than usual.
She secretly sighed in her heart, thinking how glorious the Zheng family was in the previous life. The second young master won the top spot in the imperial examination, became a new noble in the court, and ascended to the position of prime minister step by step.
The third young lady even married into the royal family and became the queen, and Marquis Zheng was also promoted as a result. The glory of the entire family seemed to reflect the glory of their Su family.
Now, all of this has become a thing of the past, and the Zheng family has become a laughing stock among people.
At the critical moment, King Liang stepped forward to mediate. His voice was gentle but powerful: "There are so many trivial matters at home, and it is inevitable that we may be careless occasionally. Since Madam has prepared the dishes again, we don't need to pursue it any further."
The officials present looked at each other in bewilderment. Although they said no more, their sarcastic laughter continued one after another, cutting into Lord Zheng's heart.
He has always attached great importance to his reputation. After this incident, he will probably never be able to hold his head high in the court again.
Fortunately, Emperor Xuan and the Regent were in a good mood today and did not delve into the matter. Although the banquet did not end successfully, it did come to an end.
The original purpose of visiting the Zheng Mansion was to give the father and son a warning. Now the purpose has been achieved. As for the Zheng family's face, let them restore it themselves.
Just when Lord Zheng thought the storm had settled, Guo's attention was suddenly attracted by a servant who came to deliver food.
The boy's face was surprisingly similar to that of an old friend in her memory.
If you don't look closely, her fair skin really looks a bit like her former lover...
The effect of the drug in Guo's body finally reached its peak, and she couldn't help but call out: "Chen Lang!"
"Chen Lang!" Guo's voice was filled with irrepressible excitement. She stood up, complex emotions surging in her clear eyes. Ignoring the surprised looks around her, she lifted her skirt and walked towards the boy gently and eagerly.
This morning's bath, the incense was mixed with strong aphrodisiacs, and the amount of herbs in the bath was several times more than usual, making Guo feel as if she was completely wrapped in a strange fragrance.
As time went by, the effect of the drug gradually took effect. Her cheeks flushed unnaturally, her consciousness became blurred, and her sanity was almost lost.
When she saw the young man recommended by Su Wanyu, her defenses completely collapsed.
When Lord Zheng heard the call, he put down his wine glass in confusion and looked at the servant: "Madam, who are you calling?"
Guo seemed not to hear the commotion around her. She stood up suddenly, ignoring the surprise of the guests in the room, and walked quickly to the servant: "Chen Lang, is that you?"
The servant looked confused, turned around and bowed respectfully: "Madam, what do you want from me?"
Mrs. Guo grabbed her gorgeous coat, took a few steps forward eagerly, opened her arms and hugged the servant tightly: "Chen Lang, it's really you, you came to see me."
This scene shocked everyone present. Even the noble eldest princess widened her eyes and was speechless for a moment.
The servant was frightened by the sudden hug and turned pale. He hurriedly tried to break free: "Madam, did you recognize the wrong person?!"
Guo's eyes were blurred. She kept pulling at her clothes and holding the servant's arm tightly with both hands: "Chen Lang, it's me, I'm Yu'er, don't leave me, okay, Chen Lang."
As her outer garment slipped off, her snow-white shoulders were exposed in front of everyone, and only her tight-fitting skirt was left on her body. This scene shocked all the ministers and guests present.
The chopsticks in Zheng Houye's hand fell with a snap, his face livid. He didn't care about the presence of the emperor and the regent. He quickly stepped forward, picked up the clothes on the ground, and hurriedly put them on Guo: "Someone, come quickly! Take Madam downstairs to rest!"
Upon hearing this, the maids hurried forward and helped Guo along.
Guo's eyes were blurred with tears, but she still stared at the servant whose figure overlapped with the one in her memory. She pushed away Lord Zheng behind her and threw herself at him again, crying, "Chen Lang, take me away. I don't want to be the lady of the marquis's mansion. I just want to be your wife."
Lord Zheng's face was as dark as the dark clouds before a storm, and his hands, which were usually dignified and steady, were now shaking uncontrollably.
"Mom!" Zheng Chengyan was extremely anxious. He tried to break through the crowd several times, but was held tightly by the old lady Zheng's hand, which was full of traces of time. The old lady's eyes were stern and determined: "Don't go over there. Don't embarrass the Zheng family here!"
Some of the guests around were laughing secretly, while others were whispering and talking among themselves.
Among them, one voice was particularly harsh: "My Lord, it seems that the Madam is not satisfied with this position!"
There was a hint of gloating in his words.