Chapter 6 Useless Son "Your Majesty, I would rather stay a nun for the rest of my life than marry a man who treats me with such contempt. I beg you to grant me my wish!" Her voice struck like iron, and she slammed her forehead against the floor with brutal force. It was a sign of a humble plea. Her unshaken resolve gave the emperor a pounding headache. He had hoped to grant her a way out, yet she was stubborn and unyielding. At the root of this mess, it was the Li family's disgrace that had led to this mess. The more he thought about it, the colder his gaze on Li Han became. What a fool , he regarded. "It was my mistake to grant you this marriage. I never thought it would bring such shame to you." His tone was calm and almost casual, but Ma Ting felt her back grow cold. She caught the meaning beneath his words. The emperor allowed no defiance. Today, she had forced his hand by leaning on her family's past service, and he was displeased with it. If she failed to show proper loyalty, her entire family would pay for it-with or without marriage. Silence filled the hall until the emperor gave a sharp laugh. His voice dropped low and bitter. "Since you insist, I cannot refuse the cancellation. But if every person asked me to take back decrees of marriage, my authority would crumble." He paused, then said, "Very well. I will give you one month. If no noble son stands by your side at the Mid-Autumn banquet, then remember the imperial tomb still lacks a guardian nun." Ma Ting lowered her eyes, a shadow flashing across them. Noble sons? He was forcing her to choose from among them. And the tomb's guardian nuns... Once they entered the tomb, they would spend the rest of their lives there. The tombs never lacked guardians. This was punishment, plain and cruel. If she could not find a husband in one month, the emperor would never let her live in peace. She had wounded his pride. Ma Ting shut her eyes, then opened them with steady resolve. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for granting me this chance. I will not fail you." Seeing her acceptance, the emperor's expression softened slightly. Then, he turned to Marquis Sunfair. This is all your son's fault! You failed as a father! he thought. "Marquis Sunfair, what's your opinion?" He knew that ending this engagement would make the marquis' household the laughingstock of the capital. Under the emperor's sharp gaze, Marquis Sunfair dared not reveal any displeasure. He forced a quick reply. "Your Majesty, I will follow whatever you decide." "Good." The emperor nodded with satisfaction. "Then, everyone may return home." Only when Eunuch Pang's cutting voice rang out did the crowd finally release the breaths they had been holding back. With Ding Jie steadying her, Ma Ting rose to her feet. She ignored the venom in Li Han's glare and slowly shifted her eyes to Marquis Sunfair. Her voice was cold and distant. "Tomorrow, I ask that you return my family's marriage contract along with the betrothal jade." Marquis Sunfair's face twisted with rage, and his stare clung to Ma Ting like a snake ready to strike. "You have nerve, Ms. Ma. You live up to your family's name." The sarcasm in his words cut deep. Ma Ting's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Such praise is wasted on me, Marquis. My family may be small now, but we still know how to act with honor. We would never let the daughter of a servant rise above the daughter of a noble house." She gave him a pointed look. "The ways of your household put me to shame." "Why you..." Marquis Sunfair's hands trembled with fury. Ma Ting gave him a soft, mocking smile, then straightened her back and left with Ding Jie. ... Li Han's expression hardened as he stormed after her, determined to demand answers. Marquis Sunfair drew in a long breath, his anger boiling. His eyes locked on He Xinying, who still knelt trembling on the floor. As the thought that this entire disaster began with her reemerged in his head, his face grew even colder. "Take this disgraceful woman back! Do not let her shame us any further!" He Xinying tried to cry out for Li Han, but a servant clamped a hand over her mouth and dragged her into the Marquis' carriage. While waiting for her own carriage, Ma Ting noticed Ding Jie suddenly step back two paces. The maid placed herself behind her mistress like a shield and called out firmly. "It's not right for an unmarried man to encroach on an unmarried woman's personal space. "Mr. Li, please mind your manners!" The words hit Li Han like a slap across the face. His jaw tightened so hard his teeth threatened to crack. His eyes burned as he glared at Ma Ting. "Ma Ting, if you had a problem with my plans, you should have told me! Why humiliate me in front of His Majesty? "His Majesty already calmed the matter. I was even willing to give you the grand wedding you wanted. Why insist on breaking the engagement? Do you think my family is nothing to you?" Ma Ting's expression stayed calm and cold as winter ice, even as he shouted in fury. Before she could answer, a short laugh came from nearby. She turned and saw Qi Rong, the same man who had spoken up for her earlier in the hall. "Lord Zhu, allow me to greet you." Ma Ting lowered her head respectfully, though unease stirred inside her. Why had he appeared here today? At the sight of Qi Rong, Li Han's rage vanished, fear flickering in his eyes as he bowed. "Lord Zhu, why are you..." Qi Rong ignored him. He walked straight to Ma Ting. "You dropped something in your haste to depart, Ms. Ma." Confused, Ma Ting looked at what he held. It was the red bridal veil. She quickly took it and handed it to Ding Jie. "Thank you, Lord Zhu." Qi Rong's gaze lingered on the veil before flicking to Li Han. His voice sounded casual but carried a sharp edge. "Mr. Li, instead of wasting time here, perhaps you should hurry home. I believe the lovely lady you brought with you was just dragged away by your furious father." Xinying? One name echoed across Li Han's thoughts. Li Han froze. His heart jolted, and without hesitation, he spun around and sprinted toward his carriage. As he vanished into the distance, Ma Ting felt relief spread through her chest. Thank goodness the engagement was finished. If not, her future would have been nothing but suffering. Noticing her lighter expression, Qi Rong raised a brow, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "It seems your carriage is late. Why not allow me to take you home, seeing as I'm already on my way?" Ma Ting turned around when she realized he had not left. He was openly offering her a ride. Mindful of propriety, she stepped back. "I appreciate your kindness, Lord Zhu, but my carriage..." Before she could finish, a sweaty servant from her household ran up in panic. "Ms. Ting, something happened on the road. The wheel came off the carriage. It will take a while for the thing to be fixed." Her words stuck in her throat. The Ma Residence was far from the palace, and with her dressed like this, walking home was impossible. As she hesitated, Qi Rong's smile deepened. "Ms. Ma, standing at the palace gate in bridal attire will draw gossip. His Majesty asked me to see you home safely. No one will start any gossip even if they saw me taking you home." She had not expected him to think of everything. With the crowd staring, she finally nodded. "Sorry for the trouble, Lord Zhu. I will repay your kindness someday." Qi Rong stopped suddenly and studied her face. "Do you mean that, Ms. Ma?" Her tone was steady. "Of course." "Good." His smile widened. He extended his hand to help her into the carriage. "Then, I shall mull over the very many options I have." When she saw the sly curve of his lips, Ma Ting felt as if she had walked straight into something she never would on a normal day. Avoiding his hand, she let her maid help her into the carriage instead. Qi Rong's eyes darkened briefly before he mounted his horse in one smooth motion. "Let's go."