Chapter Fourteen: Utter Humiliation

Liu Dingkun's face instantly darkened with fury, his gaze sharp as a blade as he stared at Chu Nan, as if he wished to tear him apart alive.

“How dare you!” Liu Dingkun sneered through clenched teeth, his anger boiling over. “Chu Nan, you’re nothing but a mere merchant, yet you have the audacity to speak of divorcing me! To insult the Heavenly Sword Marquis’s household—do you even comprehend the consequences?”

Chu Nan scoffed disdainfully, his demeanor composed as he replied, “Young Marquis, if you look down on me so, then wouldn’t it be better for the Yang family to end this marriage without delay?”

“Therefore, I personally present this letter of divorce, clearing the Yang family’s name. How is this an insult to you?”

His words were calm yet cutting, each one laced with an unshakable certainty.

Liu Dingkun had thought Chu Nan was just a small-time merchant, easy to intimidate. Yet to his surprise, Chu Nan was so resolute—not only unafraid of him, but even daring to mock him openly.

Though Yang Ruyan was but a woman, she was a renowned general, coveted by many who sought to ally themselves with her family. Chu Nan’s words publicly shamed the Yangs and outright belittled Yang Ruyan as second-rate.

Liu Dingkun, proud and haughty since birth, had never been humiliated by a mere merchant before.

But seeing Chu Nan produce the Imperial Merchant’s token, he swallowed his rage, shot Chu Nan a fierce glare, and stormed off.

His fury unquenched, he rode straight to the Yang estate.

Shortly after, Liu Dingkun arrived at the gates of the Yang residence, dismounting in a fury.

The Yang family guards, upon seeing him, rushed inside to report his arrival.

Soon, Yang Ruyan and her father, Yang Tiejin, hastened out to greet him.

Both wore obsequious smiles, respectfully ushering Liu Dingkun into the mansion.

Once seated in the side hall, Yang Tiejin quickly ordered tea to be served, personally holding a cup as he addressed Liu Dingkun with flattering reverence: “Young Marquis, what a rare honor to have you visit our humble abode today. The Yang family is truly graced by your presence!”

But Liu Dingkun coldly snorted, refusing the cup, and bluntly stated, “Chu Nan has truly opened my eyes!”

Yang Ruyan’s face shifted slightly, a mix of anxiety and embarrassment flashing in her eyes as she whispered, “Young Marquis, has Chu Nan displeased you again?”

Liu Dingkun’s expression darkened as he recounted the entire episode.

He had assumed Chu Nan was an ordinary merchant, nothing to fear, and had used his connections in Jingzhao Prefecture to harass him, hoping to force him to back down.

But unexpectedly, Chu Nan received the protection of the Shangguan family, with Miss Shangguan Ya’er personally appearing to rescue him.

“Miss Shangguan?” Yang Tiejin frowned, puzzled. “The Shangguan family never associates with merchants—why would they intervene for Chu Nan?”

Liu Dingkun’s face grew even grimmer. “Who knows! Perhaps Chu Nan put on a good act before Miss Shangguan and won her sympathy!”

“Still, don’t worry. The Shangguan family wouldn’t genuinely oppose me over a lowly merchant.”

Yang Ruyan pursed her lips, her gaze flashing with disdain as she muttered, “That Chu Nan is so arrogant, daring to argue with you, Young Marquis!”

“Does he really think a mere Imperial Merchant’s token grants him immunity?”

Liu Dingkun snorted coldly, slamming the tea cup down, voice thick with suppressed anger. “I kindly stood up for your Yang family, expecting him to sensibly agree to the divorce.”

“But that scoundrel was ungrateful, publicly humiliating me—declaring that if he were to divorce, it would be by his own hand.”

Both Yang Ruyan and Yang Tiejin’s faces darkened considerably.

“That Chu Nan is utterly presumptuous!” Yang Tiejin slammed the table, fury clear in his voice. “He’s just a merchant, yet dares to speak so insolently and disgrace the Yang family?”

“To claim he must personally come to divorce—that’s a stain on the Yang family’s dignity in the capital!”

Yang Ruyan’s face turned ashen, grinding her teeth. “Grandmother agreed to this marriage to strengthen our family’s commercial ties.”

“I thought he was a decent man, but now he’s so brazen and disrespectful. Truly, he has the gall of a dog!”

Liu Dingkun sneered with biting sarcasm. “Even if your Yang family were weak, you wouldn’t allow a merchant to treat you this way!”

“If this isn’t handled properly, who knows what jokes might spread in the future.”

Yang Tiejin frowned deeply, inwardly regretting having agreed to the match so lightly, which had led to this embarrassing predicament.

He murmured thoughtfully, a calculating gleam in his eyes: “Young Marquis, rest assured, I will handle this matter properly and ensure you aren’t insulted.”

The atmosphere in the side hall grew heavy, suffused with a stifling tension.

After a pause, Liu Dingkun slowly spoke, his tone grim: “Head of the Yang family, Ruyan, it seems Chu Nan refuses to heed warnings—he even disregards the face of the Heavenly Sword Marquis’s household.”

“In that case, perhaps we should arrange for him to ‘disappear’ unexpectedly.”

Though spoken lightly, the murderous intent behind his words was unmistakable.

Yang Tiejin hesitated, a flicker of doubt crossing his face.

Though angered by Chu Nan’s insolence, he was wary of striking against an Imperial Merchant within the capital.

After all, Chu Nan’s status was no ordinary one, and he had heard the emperor himself favored Chu Nan.

Acting rashly could provoke the court’s wrath.

Yet Liu Dingkun was clearly prepared.

His gaze was icy, a mocking smile playing at his lips. “Yang Tiejin, your family holds the military command tokens. With troops at your command, who dares to cross you? The emperor would at most reprimand a few words.”

At the mention of the “military command tokens,” Yang Ruyan’s face flickered with surprise, a momentary pause overtaking her expression.

Her eyes darted nervously, her composure briefly unsettled.

Liu Dingkun immediately noticed her unease, raising an eyebrow and coldly inquiring, “Ruyan, what’s wrong? Has something happened with the tokens?”

Yang Ruyan quickly composed herself, suppressing her inner turmoil, forcing a smile. “Nothing, Young Marquis, you worry too much. The tokens are still firmly in my possession…”

For a moment, she faltered, unsure how to continue.

Seeing her hesitation, Liu Dingkun’s expression darkened, his gaze sharp as a hawk’s, voice tinged with a dangerous edge: “Ruyan, those tokens are the Yang family’s lifeblood. If anything’s gone wrong, it’s no small matter.”

Yang Tiejin immediately interjected, “Young Marquis, rest assured, there’s no need to worry about the tokens. The Yang family has always been loyal and would never err.”

Though he spoke calmly, a trace of unease lingered beneath his words.

Liu Dingkun was no fool; he clearly sensed the subtle changes in the father and daughter’s demeanor, sparking suspicion in his mind.

Could the Yang family really have relinquished the tokens?