Degrading a Wife to a Concubine (3)

The emperor's eyes carried a subtle meaning as they scanned the room, finally landing on Murong Xue. He spoke to her, stating that the marriage contract between her and King Jing was not valid, and he suggested involving their respective parents to dissolve the engagement. The emperor made it clear that he didn't want to interfere in the family affairs of his courtiers.

Murong Xuexue, with narrowed eyes, knew she could convince the elders of the Zhenguohou Mansion to agree to dissolve the marriage. However, she realized that Ye Yichen's parents were far away in their fiefdom, and she didn't want to delay resolving this matter. The emperor, seemingly understanding her concern, promptly ordered a letter to be sent to summon the old King Jing back to Beijing.

Expressing her gratitude, Murong Xue felt a sense of relief knowing that the emperor had personally intervened by calling the old King Jing back. She believed that with his arrival, they could discuss the cancellation of the marriage contract. With a content smile on her face, she left the palace, ignoring Ye Yichen.

Observing her determined figure, Ye Yichen's sharp gaze narrowed slightly. He realized that Murong Xue had changed over the past three years. She was no longer the weak and fawning girl who used to cater to him.

Xu Tianyou, a strategist, approached Ye Yichen and warned him in a low voice that he shouldn't retreat from the marriage with Murong Xue. Their eyes held a solemn understanding. Ye Yichen acknowledged the warning, his deep eyes revealing his thoughts. He decided to send Xu Tianyou to King Jing's mansion to inform the butler to visit Zhenguohou's mansion and proceed with the marriage. He intended to marry Murong Xue as a side concubine three days later.

After giving his instructions, Ye Yichen glanced in the direction where Murong Xue had gone. As the King of Jing and holding military power, he believed that marrying Murong Xue as a side concubine was already a significant promotion for her. He had already fulfilled his promise to Yuyan and had no intention of giving Murong Xue any further status.

Unaware of Ye Yichen's thoughts, Murong Xue left the palace and entered the carriage provided by the Zhenguohou Mansion. The carriage was luxuriously furnished with agarwood wood, containing a wardrobe, jade table, tea set, chessboard, bookshelves, and more. It resembled a small living room with exquisite tableware and a burning purple gold furnace emanating the fragrance of precious orchids. Murong Xue, who preferred a low-key lifestyle, lowered her eyelids, contemplating her situation.

She recalled her previous life when she was invited by her best friend, Ning Qingqing, to visit Hawaii. Unexpectedly, their special plane encountered a severe storm mid-flight. The experienced captain tried his best to avoid it, but the storm destroyed the aircraft, leaving no trace of her or her companion's remains.

She thought she was about to die in that darkness, but instead, she opened her eyes to find herself reborn in this ancient world, which seemed unbelievable.

As she pondered, a girl's uncertain muttering caught her attention. Murong Xue looked up and saw a young boy, around fourteen or fifteen years old, standing near the mansion gate, his face filled with sadness. It was indeed a sight of mixed emotions.

With a slight snort, Murong Xue said softly, "Stop!" The carriage came to a halt, and she extended her hand, helping the maid dressed in red out of the carriage. Ignoring the boy's surprised expression, she walked towards him.

Realizing someone was approaching, the boy turned around hastily and was taken aback by Murong Xue's radiant face. He stammered, "Miss... why are you here?"

Murong Xue raised an eyebrow, urging him to speak up. However, the boy struggled to find his words. Growing impatient, she walked past him and entered the courtyard. In the original owner's memory, Murong Ye, the boy's elder brother, was known for his extravagant lifestyle and often forgot about time. It was common for him to spend nights outside, staying away for most of the month. Murong Xue wanted to meet him since it was a rare opportunity.

Entering the gate, Murong Xue noticed a large open space, similar to a martial arts arena, with dozens of iron cages on the side. Inside the cages were black, white, and gray dogs, while in the center, a circular area fenced in red was occupied by two large dogs engaged in a fierce fight.

A young man in blue stood outside the fence, eagerly watching the vicious battle. He shouted, "Bite, bite hard, Black General! Bite the other one to death!"

The black dog seemed to understand his words and ferociously bit the greyhound's neck, tearing it apart.

The young man in blue laughed triumphantly, mocking Murong Ye, "You lost again! Hahaha... You buy a dog, and it dies. Your taste in choosing dogs is truly something."

Murong Ye's handsome face darkened, his confidence waning. He argued back, "I'll buy a stronger dog next time and make sure it defeats you. Double Happiness, take the money. I'll choose another dog."

Double Happiness, pinching his empty purse, spoke with a bitter expression, "Young Master, we have no money."

Murong Ye frowned, surprised that the five or six thousand taels of silver he had instructed Double Happiness to bring had vanished so quickly. Annoyed, he interrupted, "Enough of your excuses. Go back to the house and get the silver!"

Shuangxi, wearing a bitter smile, replied, "Young Master, you bought four dogs at five hundred taels each, and with each bet, you've lost one thousand taels..."

"Alright, stop with the details. Go back and get the silver!" Murong Ye impatiently cut off Shuangxi's words. He was determined to prove his vision by purchasing even stronger dogs, ensuring victory and making Xu Tianan regret his mocking remarks.