Chapter 1963: Anger Chapter 1963: Anger Editor: Henyee Translations Hadn’t it always been like this since ancient times?

Officials and merchants colludedaEUR”ah, no, they cooperated!

One party provided backing, while the other received monetary rewards.

The Mei Family might not have been the only ones contemplating such actions.

It was just that the Mei Family had acted first.

After all, she was merely a concubine’s daughter.

So what if the process lacked glory?

She was just thataEUR”a concubine’s daughter!

Regardless of a merchant’s power, they remained a merchant.

Offering the daughter of a concubine to an official as a concubine, particularly to a young and promising official with a bright future, wouldn’t bring shame to their family; rather, it would be seen as an honor.

Furthermore, it could yield benefits in the future.

In any case, the Lu family wouldn’t come out at a loss!

They must have presented their proposal to Shao Yunduan, who turned them down.

That was why Qiao Xuan felt reassured.

Now wasn’t the time for jealousy; Qiao Xuan merely voiced his grievances.

The primary concern was how to address this issue.

As a local powerhouse, the Mei Family wielded significant control over public sentiment.

They adeptly manipulated and stoked the flames to ensure events unfolded seemingly naturally, detached from their involvement.

Five days had passed since the incident, and Shao Yunduan and Qiao Xuan had missed the prime window for investigation and clarification.

Even the rowdy individuals implicated in the night’s events likely found themselves swiftly dealt with by the Mei Family and relocated.

With little recourse, Shao Yunduan felt a deep sense of frustration.

His sole solace lay in the fact that his wife remained understanding and refrained from causing a scene, sparing him further trouble.

Expressing his discontent with both the Mei and Lu Families, Shao Yunduan sought to reassure Qiao Xuan.

He vowed to resolve the issue and adamantly declared his refusal to marry the third daughter of the Lu Family.

Come what may in the court of public opinion, he was determined to dispel these rumors!

Even if faced with criticism for not initially addressing the rumors, Shao Yunduan felt compelled to set the record straight.

Upon learning of the situation that day, he resolved not to let the rumors persist unchecked.

Without delay, that very afternoon, Shao Yunduan refuted the rumors and provided a full account of the events from that fateful night.

Simultaneously, he steered and managed public opinion.

As the Prefect Lord, honesty was his cornerstone; there was no need for deceit!

If he truly harbored affection for Miss Lu, who happened to be a concubine’s daughter, he believed that his sincerity alone would suffice to persuade the Lu family to consent to her joining him.

There was no need for him to resort to rumors tantamount to coercion.

Hence, this rumor was undoubtedly unfounded and certainly not of his making!

His prior silence stemmed from his preoccupation with agricultural matters and road maintenance, leaving him oblivious to external affairs.

Similarly, his wife, engrossed in farming, paid little heed to external happenings.

The unfolding of events caught him off guard, and he acknowledged his fault in inadvertently implicating the innocent Miss Lu.

He came forth to testify to Miss Lu’s innocence and expressed his remorse, vowing to compensate the Lu family accordingly.

Should the Lu family stipulate any condition, barring illegal or unethical demands, he pledged to fulfill them to the best of his ability.

This assurance carried weight, for he held the esteemed position of Prefect Lord of Anze Prefecture City.

Failure to uphold his word publicly would tarnish his reputation and jeopardize his future endeavors!