Upon hearing Qiao Yujing’s request, everyone was taken aback.

No one expected him to propose such a condition!

Not to mention that his words went against filial piety, but considering the identities of the young masters and misses of the Bo family, even the most wronged sons and daughters of concubines would never think of giving up their status.

Because a noble identity is incredibly important for the young ladies and gentlemen; whether they live well after marriage largely depends on the support from their maternal families.

The Duke of Yongchang was even angrier, “Unfilial son, this is a great act of disrespect!”

Even if he didn’t like this son, he never thought of driving him out of the house. If word got out that his son had a bad reputation, he, as a father, would also be discussed.

After all, how terrible must parents be to make their son choose to leave, even at the cost of being unfilial?

Since the words were out, Qiao Yujing wouldn’t back down an inch.

Feeling disheartened, he scoffed.

“There’s an ancient saying: ‘A kind father leads to a filial son.’ If parents are loving, children will be filial. Does my father really not know about my situation in the house over the years?”

“Being a legitimate son, you all willingly offer everything good to my second brother, while I have to fight for everything myself. My mother insults and belittles me every day…”

“Since you don’t like me, I originally just wanted to distance myself, but you keep plotting against me. Now you want me to suffer this kind of grievance. What have I done wrong to deserve being a stepping stone for others?”

“Since you are heartless, why should I be righteous?”

The Duke of Yongchang was furious, “But the Bo family raised you! This is repaying kindness with enmity!”

“What if I am repaying kindness with enmity? What good are you? The retribution arranged by heaven for you is me; this is the way of the wicked.”

Qiao Yujing didn’t want to waste words with them. After all, the grievances of three generations in the Bo family were just a muddled account.

Impatiently, he said, “Stop talking nonsense with me. In short, if you want me to suffer grievances, it’s impossible.”

“Will you agree to my request, or will I turn against you and seduce the old emperor to become a disaster-causing concubine, destroying the entire Bo family? You choose.”

“You, you shameless…”

Zou Shi trembled with anger, pointing her finger.

Qiao Yujing shot a murderous look at her, “If you insult me again, I’ll expose your secret and make sure you have a bad end!”

In his previous life, he hated this biological mother the most.

If she didn’t like his father, why provoke him?

If she didn’t like him as a son, why give birth to him?

If she hated him after giving birth, she could just ignore him. Why treat him as a tool for venting her anger?

In the end, she even killed him and used his identity to harm his biological father?

The mother-son bond between him and Zou Shi had long been severed in his previous life. This heartless and foolish woman could forget about controlling him even a bit.

The murderous intent in Qiao Yujing’s eyes was frighteningly real.

Everyone felt a chill in their hearts; it seemed the third brother was truly pushed to the edge!

Zou Shi was also frightened, her expression flustered and panicked, “What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean. If you don’t want to lose everything you have now, keep your mouth shut.”

Qiao Yujing naturally wouldn’t answer her. After the threat, he turned to the Duke of Yongchang coldly, “I’ll ask one last time, how will you choose, Father?”

What choice did the Duke of Yongchang have?

His youngest son had a stunning appearance as a powerful weapon. As long as he didn’t directly kill the other party, it would be him who would end up suffering.

And could he make the other party “pass away” now? Clearly not possible.

His youngest son was smart and capable; if he tore their faces apart, wouldn’t he have a backup plan?

In the end, with no other options, the Duke of Yongchang could only say the most cowardly words in the fiercest tone.

“Fine, if you want to be adopted, then be adopted!”

Everyone: …

Only then did Qiao Yujing show a satisfied expression.

He knew this fake father was just a spineless coward who wouldn’t dare truly tear their faces apart.

His real father was better; even if he became a eunuch, he was still a real man, with blood and capability. His mother’s judgment was truly too poor.

…

Since they agreed to the adoption, Qiao Yujing wouldn’t drag it out.

The next day, he forced the Duke of Yongchang to invite the clan leader to oversee the adoption process.

After hearing the reasons from the Bo family, the clan leader was completely stunned!

He never expected that this generation’s Duke of Yongchang would be so useless, turning the family into this state, forcing his own son to choose to be adopted and leave rather than be unfilial.

It’s worth noting that the old Duke of Yongchang and the even older Duke of Yongchang were both figures of great beauty and talent!

Now, the current Duke of Yongchang and his children had neither good looks nor brains; the future of the Bo family was worrying…

The clan leader sighed and grumbled inwardly.

He didn’t really want to get involved in such matters; after all, having such a rebellious junior in the clan didn’t look good.

But when he saw Qiao Yujing remove his disguise and reveal his true appearance, the clan leader instantly changed his mind.

The reason was simple.

It was because Qiao Yujing’s looks were too similar to his grandfather and great-grandfather!

The current Bo family was a mess, and the younger generation didn’t seem promising. It was hard to come by someone with both looks and talent, resembling the previous two generations of Dukes of Yongchang.

The clan leader felt he had to protect him because he had a good relationship with the old Duke of Yongchang.

After some back and forth, the clan leader finally decided to adopt Qiao Yujing under a branch of the family that was closely related to the Duke of Yongchang but no longer had elders or descendants.

In this way, he could leave the Bo family without worrying about any trouble after the adoption.

“Thank you, clan leader. In the future, if Yujing becomes successful, I will not forget the clan’s support.”

Qiao Yujing was overjoyed and very grateful to the clan leader.

The clan leader stroked his beard and sighed.

“It’s nothing. With your father being such a fool, as the head of the clan, how can I stand by and do nothing? Your looks and talent are so much like your grandfather’s; if you are driven out of the family, your parents will definitely regret it.”

Next to him, the Duke of Yongchang: …

Did I drive him out of the family? He clearly wanted to leave!

And he was already in his thirties; this old clan leader actually dared to publicly criticize him, it was truly infuriating!

After the adoption was completed, the Duke of Yongchang was as angry as a pufferfish.

Qiao Yujing didn’t care about him and happily returned to his courtyard to prepare for his engagement and marriage.

Still, the same saying: the second brother hasn’t married the crown prince yet, and for the future of the Bo family, his tantrums in the house absolutely cannot be leaked out.

So there was no need to save face; he wouldn’t suffer grievances.

---

On the Bo family’s side, the work of using marriage to block rumors was completed.

Meanwhile, on the side of Young Master Chu and Xie Wenyuan.

Xie Wenyuan naturally didn’t care; he was definitely willing to agree to the marriage.

But Young Master Chu was different!

Although he was willing to accept his mother’s proposal to marry a wife as a decoration for the sake of his true love and his illegitimate children, the premise was that this wife must come from a lowly background and have a soft personality; in other words, someone easy to control.

Only then would his true love and illegitimate children have a good life.

But did Qiao Yulan meet this condition?

Clearly not!

Young Master Chu was making a fuss at home.

“Mother, I don’t want to marry that illegitimate daughter from the Yongchang Duke’s residence! Although she is an illegitimate daughter, who doesn’t know that her aunt is favored? She lives at home better than a legitimate daughter, and when she goes out to attend banquets, she is arrogant and domineering, with a terrible temper.”

“If I marry her, won’t Rou Niang and her son be bullied to death by her?”

“Rou Niang is so pitiful and weak; how can she handle her? Did I save the wrong person when I rescued someone from drowning? This is repaying kindness with enmity; who knows if her falling into the water was a deliberate design to cling to me… She’s truly a shameless, vain, and malicious woman!”

Young Master Chu scolded fiercely.

The Princess Consort: … What kind of scum man is this?

And the one who is the most vain and scheming to cling to the powerful is your poor and weak Rou Niang!

Although the Princess Consort wasn’t a good person either, she had to admit that her son was truly a scumbag.

But what could she do?

He was her only son; no matter how angry she was, she had to help clean up the mess.

Moreover, she was very satisfied with the background of the fourth miss from the Yongchang Duke’s residence.

She was a bit concerned about her reputation; unless absolutely necessary, she didn’t want to marry a low-ranking official’s daughter and lose face. The identity of a future daughter-in-law from the Bo family was quite good.

“Son, listen to your mother; this fourth miss from the Bo family is really suitable for you…”

The Princess Consort earnestly advised.

After wasting half a day’s worth of words, she finally managed to convince him after explaining everything in detail.

“Fine, I can marry that malicious and vain woman, but I want Rou Niang to enter the house on the same day of the wedding. Otherwise, Mother, even if you beat me to death, I won’t marry!”

Young Master Chu continued his scumbag talk.

Cui Er, my head hurts!

The Princess Consort pressed her hand against her temple, weakly nodding, “Alright.”

After all, once her son’s scandal broke out, it would be embarrassing, so losing a little more face didn’t matter.

As long as she could trick the daughter-in-law into the house, it would be fine.

Otherwise, if that courtesan became the daughter-in-law of the Duke’s residence, the Duke’s residence would truly have no face to see anyone.

The idea was good.

But whether life would develop as planned in the future was hard to say.

After all, Qiao Yulan was not the gentle little official’s daughter who married into the Duke’s residence in the previous life…

Both parties had no objections to the marriage.

Thus, the news of their engagement preparations quickly spread throughout the capital.

It also reached the palace.

Because the Prince of Yi was the current emperor’s half-brother, his nephew was getting married, so this royal uncle naturally had to pay attention.

And the chief eunuch Wang Cheng’an, who was serving nearby, naturally also heard the name Qiao Yujing.

Wang Cheng’an was instantly furious in his heart!

His son, who was so obedient and smart, with the surface identity of a noble son from the Bo family, was actually matched with a poor scholar.

He must have been harmed by someone!

The author has something to say:
—
Ding, Mr. Xie Wenyuan, your father-in-law has logged in, please pay attention to receive him~