Chapter 14: Under the pressure of death, no one is allowed to withdraw from the marriage!

As soon as Duan Zhineng hurried in, sweating profusely, he looked at Zhou Shi. "Now there are widespread rumors outside that Qingyun had a late-night private meeting with several men!"

Zhou Shi's face changed, hastily pushed Duan Qingyun aside and stood up, "How could this happen?!"

"Isn't it almost midnight now?"

So late, don't these people sleep?

What kind of rumors are spreading?!

"It's all gossip, regardless of the time."

Duan Yingning said leisurely.

Zhou Shi couldn't be bothered to deal with her, "And I have already ordered the servants to keep quiet. How could this news spread in such a short time?"

"The servants can keep quiet, but those few men who met with the third sister won't."

Duan Yingning added.

Zhou Shi couldn't bear it anymore, "Shut up!"

Duan Yingning finally stopped adding fuel to the fire and stood aside, enjoying the show.

Duan Zhineng also looked grim, "I have already sent people to investigate the whereabouts of those men! Once we catch them, we'll find out why they tarnished Qingyun's reputation and if they were instigated by someone."

With that, he gave Duan Yingning a meaningful glance.

She shrugged, showing no change in her expression.

"The top priority is to make these rumors disappear quickly! Otherwise, even if Qingyun's reputation remains intact, her name will be ruined!"

Duan Zhineng said in a deep voice.

"Then why are you here? Husband, quickly order the servants to take care of it!" Zhou Shi urged anxiously.

As the sister of the current Prime Minister, with numerous protégés in the court and even the current emperor's high trust, Zhou Shi held a critical position. Duan Zhineng, on the other hand, only had a title without real power as the Marquis of Ningyuan. He was almost stripped of his title by the emperor for a major mistake in the past, only to be saved by Zhou Shi's support.

It can be said that Duan Zhineng owes his current position to the patronage and support of the Prime Minister. In front of Zhou Shi, he couldn't help but feel inferior.

"I have already instructed people to handle it. Don't worry, my lady." Duan Zhineng hurriedly reassured, "I came here for another matter..."

He glanced at Duan Yingning, "Today, Rong Shizi came to annul the engagement, and I heard that you agreed readily. You even said that you would personally go to the Duke's manor to annul the engagement tomorrow?"

"Is there a problem?" Duan Yingning yawned.

"Why can't it be annulled?" Duan Yingning stood up straight, frowning at Duan Zhineng, "Rong Shizi personally came to annul the engagement. Can I still stubbornly refuse?"

Although Rong Shizi was of noble status and not bad in appearance, he was not among the gentlemen that countless young ladies in the capital wanted to marry.

But that didn't include Duan Yingning!

Now that she had money and a son, that was enough!

Why should she depend on a man?

"If you don't want to get married, then you go and get married!" Duan Yingning glanced at Duan Zhineng.

She had no feelings for Rong Shizi and hadn't even seen him once. Why should she marry a man she didn't know? Was there no one who wanted her?

"You..." Duan Zhineng's face turned pale with anger, "I am a man! How can you marry Rong Shizi?"

"If you can't, then let Mother marry, since you both are so keen on climbing up the ranks of the Duke's mansion."

Her words of defiance made Zhou Shi's eyes roll back, almost fainting.

"Nonsense! It's all nonsense!"

Zhou Shi was so angry that she stomped her feet, "What are you saying?!"

If she were twenty years younger, she would surely want to marry Rong Shizi... but now she was a middle-aged woman, a mother of several children, and Rong Shizi was still her son-in-law!

This foolish girl dared to say anything!

"I am your mother!"

"I am still your daughter! Why do you insist on forcing me to marry?"

Duan Yingning refused to back down.

"It's great to marry Rong Shizi, isn't it? The engagement between you and Rong Shizi was arranged since childhood! You really think you can cancel it just like that?"

Duan Zhineng glared at her.

Originally, he felt reluctant to refuse when Rong Shizi came to annul the engagement today, as it was their family's fault that this disobedient daughter was pregnant.

In the end, it was the fault of their Duan family.

But after tonight's incident with Duan Qingyun, although they had managed to contain the situation, who knew if they could stop the spread of those rumors? Public opinion was hard to control!

If Qingyun's reputation was tarnished, even marrying into the royal family or a noble household in the future would be difficult. Duan Zhineng had to redirect his attention to Duan Yingning. Once she married into the Duke's manor smoothly, those who want to criticize the Duan family would not dare to act too recklessly. With the relationship with the Duke's manor, it would be easier for Duan Qingyun to find a good husband in the future.

Duan Zhineng was indeed a sly old fox, able to think so thoroughly within the blink of an eye.

It's true that experience is the best teacher...

Zhou Shi quickly understood the crux of the matter.

She took out a handkerchief and began crying and making a scene.

She sat on the ground, covering her face and started crying, "Why is my life so bitter! Both my daughters are causing me so much worry. I can't go on living!"

"What will happen if Qingyun can't get married in the future?!"

"Oh, God, why are you tormenting me like this?!"

Seeing Zhou Shi cry and scream, Duan Zhineng quickly gave Duan Yingning a meaningful look. "See how you have upset your mother?"

"Hurry up and agree! Tomorrow, go to the Duke's manor and apologize to Rong Shizi and ask for his forgiveness, and ask him to withdraw his intention to annul the engagement."

How could Duan Yingning not see that this couple was ganging up on her to make her yield?

If she agreed, she'd have to be a fool!

"Since life is so miserable, why not just end it all by smashing my head against something? It's not like it's you guys who will be worried, I don't care if I can get married or not."

Everything they did was all for Duan Qingyun!

Hearing her words, Mrs. Zhou cried even harder!

Perhaps she had calculated it right, Duan Yingning still had feelings for them. Mrs. Zhou gritted her teeth and really smashed her head against the edge of the bed!

Duan Zhineng exclaimed and quickly reached out to pull her.

But he was too slow, Mrs. Zhou hit the edge of the bed, and blood splattered from her forehead!

Even Duan Yingning didn't expect that Mrs. Zhou really dared to confront her with death!

She was startled and looked at Mrs. Zhou in astonishment.

She fell into Duan Zhineng's arms, lowered her posture, and softened her voice, "Yingning, even if it's your mother begging you! Please, please don't act recklessly, if you miss out on Rong Shizi, who else can you marry?"

"With you carrying Tuantuan, who would be willing to marry you?"

"Even if you don't think for yourself, you should think for Tuantuan... In another year, Tuantuan will have to go to school. Do you want him to be pointed at and called a fatherless wild child?"

"I think Rong Shizi is quite good. You should talk to him properly, if he doesn't agree, he can still accept Tuantuan."

At this moment, Mrs. Zhou had a look of "a dying person's words are good."

Listening to her repeatedly mentioning "Tuantuan" and her words, Duan Yingning fell into contemplation.

She could disregard herself, but she couldn't disregard Tuanbao!

Just as Mrs. Zhou said, she could protect Tuanbao by her side for now, but he would grow up and come into contact with the outside world someday...

Rumors are frightening!

She must find Tuanbao's biological father!

Seeing Mrs. Zhou on the verge of death, Duan Yingning couldn't help but soften her heart.

It must be the emotions left by the original owner of this body.

She could only nod and agree, "Tomorrow, I will go to the Marquis's Mansion."