Her enthusiasm instantly deflated. Sui Tan frowned and turned to her father with a disappointed look, as if unable to understand why an outsider like him would object to such a heavenly match.  

“Outrageous!”  

Finally given a chance to speak, the Duke of Qin was seething with anger. He slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair and rebuked, his face—already flushed with irritation from Zhu Yan’s sudden visit—now alternating between green and pale at his daughter’s bluntness.  

“Have you no propriety as a young lady? Shameless!”  

He had a bellyful of reproaches ready, but his peripheral vision caught sight of the imperial guard sent by the Third Prince, who had already caught up and stepped into the room.  

Further away, another black-clad guard with golden embroidery was hiding behind a tree, watching from a distance, slightly hunched with a hand on his sword scabbard—clearly poised to strike at any moment, ready to sever the Duke’s head from his shoulders.  

He paused, swallowing his words with forced patience, and settled for glaring fiercely at his daughter.  

Sui Tan pouted, her wrist swiftly caught by Lin Qi, who pulled her to the side.  

The stage was thus returned to Lord Zhu Yan.  

Having leisurely observed the entire Qin family drama, Zhu Yan chuckled lightly and signaled to the matchmaker waiting nearby.  

The matchmaker, receiving her cue, immediately swayed forward with a beaming smile, resuming the previously interrupted topic.  

“Your Grace, this humble one is here to propose a marriage on behalf of Lord Zhu Yan.”  

The matter had inevitably circled back to this point. The Duke of Qin heaved a heavy sigh.  

Unlike with Sui Tan, he couldn’t afford to be dismissive toward Zhu Yan. He forced a smile—though it looked more pained than pleased—and said,  

“Lord Zhu Yan honors us with your regard, but this old subject is not making excuses—my daughter is simply unworthy of you.”  

“Given your busy schedule, you may not be aware, but my daughter was recently rejected by the Sun family. According to the laws of our dynasty, a woman in her position would be considered a ‘second-marriage bride’ if she were to engage again. At best, she might be taken in as a noble concubine by some family. She truly isn’t fit to be your principal wife.”  

“That’s of no consequence,” Zhu Yan replied indifferently. “I, too, am not one with a spotless reputation. ‘Birds of a feather flock together’—we’d be well-matched.”  

“But she brought misfortune to her mother in childhood and now to her betrothed in adulthood.”  

When one tactic failed, the Duke tried another. Rubbing his hands apologetically, as if ashamed of his poor parenting, he said,  

“Lord Zhu Yan, you are a brilliant talent with a boundless future. Why must you insist on marrying her?”  

Zhu Yan remained unruffled.  

“I lost both parents in my youth. My entire family perished, leaving only me.”  

“Everyone says I’m fated to bring solitude—as a child, I brought calamity to heaven, earth, and my parents; as an adult, I’ll surely bring misfortune to my wife and children. If the Eldest Miss Qin shares such a fate, then we can compete to see who outdoes the other.”  

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review brushed off every objection with effortless ease. No matter how the Duke racked his brains for excuses, Zhu Yan remained resolute.  

Finding no room for negotiation, the Duke fell silent for a moment before suddenly gritting his teeth and deciding to lay all his cards on the table.  

“Lord Zhu Yan, let me speak plainly. My daughter was betrothed to Young Master Sun for so long—who knows if they ever crossed the line? Her chastity—”  

“Father!” Sui Tan abruptly cut in, her voice sharp as she interrupted his baseless slander.  

Unable to hold back any longer, she strode forward, positioning herself between the two men, facing Zhu Yan.  

“Lord Zhu Yan, my father’s grown senile. If it’s about my sister’s marriage, discuss it with me!”  

The deep furrow between Zhu Yan’s brows—caused by the Duke’s deliberate smear—eased slightly at her words. He nodded.  

“That was my intention.”  

“You?”  

The Duke, having been so bluntly sidelined, couldn’t conceal his displeasure. His beard practically bristled as he glared.  

“What right do you have to negotiate your elder sister’s marriage?!”  

“By virtue of being the Third Prince’s consort!”  

“You’re not even registered in the imperial jade records yet. What kind of ‘Third Prince’s consort’ are you?”

The Duke of Qin’s tone was dripping with such undisguised scorn that Lin Qi instinctively frowned and stepped forward—only to be abruptly pulled back by Sui Tan, who yanked him behind her by the wrist.  

She shielded him with most of her body and fired back at her father without backing down:  

“By virtue of being the legitimate daughter of the Duke’s household!”  

Then, she turned her fiery glare toward Zhu Yan:  

“Lord Zhu Yan, may I ask—according to the laws of this dynasty, in the absence of a matriarch, can the legitimate daughter take charge of household affairs and manage the family?”  

Zhu Yan replied courteously, “Indeed, such a law exists.”  

“And if the head of the household is temporarily unable to manage affairs, can the legitimate daughter also arrange marriages for her sisters?”  

This was practically laying all her cards on the table.  

Zhu Yan raised his eyebrows exaggeratedly, straightened in his seat, and couldn’t help but ask with feigned humility, “Please enlighten me, Miss Qin.”  

Lin Qi sighed silently, as if realizing what was coming, and wordlessly positioned himself behind Sui Tan.  

Before him, the legitimate second daughter of the Duke of Qin’s household delivered her argument with impassioned clarity, each word ringing with conviction:  

“I hereby report that my father has suspiciously close ties to Sun Cheng, a suspect in the hunting grounds murder case, and may be involved in the crime. I request the Dali Temple take him in for investigation and release him three days later!”  

Silence. An endless silence spread through the reception hall.  

For a long moment, the Duke—deeply shaken by his own daughter’s righteous betrayal—trembled as he raised a hand, pointing a quivering finger at her, stammering, “Y-you—you—” but was ultimately too furious to form a coherent sentence.  

Sui Tan glared back defiantly, emboldened by the formidable imperial guard standing behind her, making her seem all the more audacious.  

“Truly an excellent suggestion.”  

Even more terrifyingly, Zhu Yan also spoke up. After a moment of contemplation, he actually agreed.  

He signaled for his subordinates waiting outside to enter, then stood and, right in the Qin residence’s main hall, clasped his hands in a perfunctory bow.  

“Your Grace, my apologies for the offense, but you’ll have to come with us.”  

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned to his future sister-in-law:  

“Though, with no elders present at the ceremony, will the Qin family be alright with that?”  

Sui Tan immediately replied, “Three years of mourning are required if parents are deceased. Beyond that, Sister won’t mind.”  

With a few decisive words, the matter was settled. The reception hall was now starkly divided.  

On one side, Dali Temple officers moved in to arrest the head of the Qin household.  

On the other, the matchmaker beamed, ready to exchange betrothal documents with second miss Qin.  

And the very daughter who had orchestrated this entire situation—his own flesh and blood, who had so ruthlessly turned against him—was now tugging at the imperial guard, earnestly declaring that the Third Prince’s retinue should also come to witness the union of the fated couple.  

“…Fine.”  

The outcome was already inevitable.  

Realizing that further resistance would be as futile as a mayfly trying to topple a tree, the Duke of Qin took a deep breath and slumped into his chair in defeat. Just before the Dali Temple officers could lay hands on him, he surrendered dejectedly:  

“This marriage… I consent to it.”