The Prime Minister Wants a Double Marriage? The Reborn Princess Refuses to Wed
Chapter 10

Fu Hechen’s classmates were all visibly uncomfortable. Though none of them were short on money, they weren’t the eldest legitimate sons of their families, nor were they heirs apparent. Few had monthly stipends exceeding a hundred taels. To suddenly produce nearly four hundred taels of silver—impossible!

Fu Hechen shouted at Manager Song, “Can’t I just sign for it? Why are you demanding cash?”

Manager Song replied, “Because the Prime Minister’s residence has no contract with Yulouchun.”

“I’ve been here many times and always signed for my expenses. Why not today?” He turned to Liang Youyi, eyes bloodshot, and demanded, “Did you say something to them?”

“Yes,” Liang Youyi said, her voice unlowered. “I told them not to put the Prime Minister’s expenses on my tab anymore.”

The group of young men stared in shock.

“No way! Fu Hechen, the Prime Minister’s residence has been charging everything to Princess Yunshang’s account?”

“Your second uncle still hasn’t married—has he been stringing the princess along and spending her dowry?”

“That’s absurd!” Fu Hechen denied immediately.

Trapped in the room by Manager Song, unable to leave and without the silver, Fu Hechen hadn’t yet mastered Fu Zhang’s composure in crisis.

Face flushed, he blurted out, “Princess, don’t forget—I’m the eldest young master of the Prime Minister’s residence!”

“Eldest young master?” Liang Youyi met his gaze coldly. “Are you Fu Zhang’s legitimate son?”

Fu Hechen was both shocked and furious. “That’s nonsense!”

“So you’re just a relative who doesn’t count. Isn’t that right?”

“…”

At that moment, someone came to inform Manager Song, “The Heaven Room is ready. Please escort the Princess.”

Manager Song respectfully invited Liang Youyi to the Heaven Room.

She left gracefully with her maids and attendants. Xu Haonan’s group also tried to leave, but the dozen guards surrounding Tingyu Pavilion blocked them. No one could leave without paying.

Xu Haonan turned on Fu Hechen angrily. “What’s going on? Are we stuck here for good?”

Fu Hechen hadn’t expected that even invoking his second uncle’s name wouldn’t intimidate them. Trying to stay calm, he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll send someone back to the residence to fetch the silver.”

An entire hour passed before the servant finally returned and handed over four hundred taels to Manager Song.

Fu Hechen had hoped for some change back, but Manager Song said, “Change? We’ve been looking after you for an hour—don’t the staff deserve wages?”

With a dozen enforcers standing nearby, the group didn’t dare utter a word.

All this over a single meal—they’d been trapped for a full hour, unable to leave, unable to return home, and even watched when they went to the latrine.

What a joke. That so-called Prime Minister couldn’t even pay for a meal without charging it to his fiancée.

Fu Hechen had lost all face. Gritting his teeth, he snarled at Manager Song, “Just you wait!”

Manager Song smiled and said, “Please pass a message to the Prime Minister: it’s time to settle the outstanding bills. The year’s end is approaching.”

He waved a thick stack of receipts in front of the stunned youths and stuffed it into Fu Hechen’s arms. “Everyone, take a good look—this year, the Prime Minister’s residence spent a total of 24,440 taels at Yulouchun. Even if it was on credit, it’s time to pay up.”

The classmates gasped again. Had the Prime Minister’s residence gone mad? 24,440 taels? Were they eating shark fin and bear paw every day?

Seeing their shock, Manager Song explained, “Madam Yao from the Prime Minister’s residence is very generous. She often hosts birthdays here and regularly orders fine wine, dishes, and pastries to send as gifts.”

Fu Hechen recalled how his mother, too lazy to cook, would order meals from Yulouchun and send carts of gifts to noblewomen and relatives during every festival. So it had all been charged to Princess Yunshang’s account!

Furious, face flushed and neck stiff, Fu Hechen climbed into the Prime Minister’s carriage and roared, “Back to the residence!”

Fang Ling had been watching the whole scene. Seeing Fu Hechen’s face turn liver-colored, she returned to Room One and relayed everything to Liang Youyi, laughing so hard she couldn’t straighten up.

“This is just the beginning, and he’s already falling apart?” Liang Youyi suddenly had an idea. She’d been unsure how to deal with Fu Zhang, but today, Young Master Fu had given her a new angle.

“Fang Ling, notify Manager Shen and Manager Hong—no, starting today, separate all the Prime Minister’s debts. Begin collecting tomorrow.”

“I think everything they’ve eaten, taken, and used for free should be reclaimed.”

“You’re right. From the day of the marriage decree, six years ago, every single debt must be collected.”

Prime Minister’s Residence.

Fu Zhang was in his study handling correspondence when Zhao Hu knocked on the door and reported, “Prime Minister, the Old Madam and Madam Yao are here.”

“Let them in.”

Yao Suyi entered with red-rimmed eyes, choking back tears. “Brother-in-law, please go check on Chen’er. Ever since he returned from Yulouchun, he’s been smashing things in his room.”

“What happened?”

Yao Suyi recounted how Fu Hechen had dined at Yulouchun that day, and Manager Song had insisted he pay in full before returning home.

“Princess Yunshang was there, too. Not only did she refuse to help Chen’er—she even kicked him while he was down.” Yao Suyi clutched her sleeve pitifully, sneaking glances at Fu Zhang. “She may be a high and mighty princess, but we’re still her family!”

“This is outrageous!” the Old Madam barked. “She hasn’t even married in yet, and she’s already siding with outsiders!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll go see him.” Fu Zhang’s injured leg hadn’t healed yet, so he had Zhao Hu help him to Fu Hechen’s quarters at Autumn Maple Pavilion.

Fu Hechen had locked himself inside. The servant paced anxiously outside, racking his brain for words to calm him.

Seeing Fu Zhang approach, the servant bowed with a pained expression.

“Is the young master still throwing a tantrum?”

“Ever since he came back from Yulouchun, he locked himself in… and cried.”

Fu Zhang’s hand clenched. He knocked firmly on the door. “Chen’er, open up.”

Fu Hechen said nothing.

“What are you sulking about? Every problem has a solution. Only cowards resort to self-destruction.”

Fu Hechen flung open the door and shoved the stack of receipts from Manager Song into Fu Zhang’s hands. “Second Uncle, this is the bill from Yulouchun.”

Fu Zhang scanned the pages, his face darkening. “Weren’t we signing for everything? Why are they coming to the residence for payment…” He trailed off.

Spending his fiancée’s money so extravagantly—if word got out, it would be disgraceful. He’d always maintained authority in front of Chen’er. Would this ruin his image?

He quickly changed his tone. “Yulouchun is outrageous! Settling accounts is an adult’s responsibility—why demand silver from a child?”

Fu Hechen had clung to a sliver of hope: that Liang Youyi was just being domineering, trying to suppress the Prime Minister’s household, and that his second uncle still held sway over her. But seeing Fu Zhang’s reaction, he realized the rumors were true. At his age, pride and rebellion ran high. Face was everything. He exploded, shouting, “Has the Prime Minister’s residence been living off Princess Yunshang all this time?”

“Nonsense! I have my salary and stipends—why would I need her silver?”

“But Manager Song said the residence never signed a contract with them.”

“That’s adult business. Don’t concern yourself. Focus on your studies—you’ve got the academy exam after the New Year. That’s what matters most.”

Holding the bill, Fu Zhang felt a heavy dread settle in his chest—part panic, part fury.

24,440 taels. How had they racked up such a debt?

Catscats[Translator]

https://discord.gg/Ppy2Ack9

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