I just wrote a love poem, how did that make me so powerful?

Xu's mother's expression changed.

Of course she knew there was something wrong with the marriage certificate...

Back then, Xu Qing's father and Song Yao's father only made a verbal agreement. After writing down a draft, they hadn't had a chance to formally sign and seal it when Xu's father fell ill and passed away not long after.

The draft marriage certificate only contained names and dates of birth; it lacked signatures from both parties, witnesses from a matchmaker, and official seals.

Strictly speaking, that wasn't a complete marriage certificate.

How could Qian, a distant maternal aunt with whom she had not been in contact for many years, know this?

Xu's mother's heart sank.

Looking at Qian's smug face, she suddenly realized...

Today's farce was probably premeditated.

Seeing that Xu's mother was speechless, Qian raised her chin even higher, crossed her two short, thick arms in front of her chest, and spoke in a sharp, unpleasant voice.

"Hmph, can't produce it now, huh? If you can't, then this engagement is worthless! I decide Yao Yao's marriage!"

As she spoke, she turned her head and winked at the two old women behind her: "What are you all standing there for? Take them away!"

The two old women reached out their hands again.

Song Yao took a step back, squeezing out a trembling voice from her throat, but she stubbornly refused to cry.

"I...I won't leave. I won't marry into any wealthy family, I...I won't go."

Madam Qian's plump face fell: "What do you know! That young master from the city has a solid family background, a hundred times better off than this penniless fellow. Your aunt is doing this for your own good!"

"I'm not going."

Song Yao's voice choked with emotion.

Qian's face finally darkened.

She took a big step forward and reached out her short, stubby hand to grab Song Yao's arm.

Xu Qing raised her hand to block her, pulled Song Yao behind her again, looked at Qian Shi straight in the eye, and questioned her.

"You just said that you have the final say on Yao Yao's marriage?"

Mrs. Qian was taken aback: "What? You want to compete with me?"

Xu Qing didn't respond to her words. Instead, she turned her head, glanced at the neighbors who were watching the commotion, then glanced at Song Yao's main room, and finally her gaze fell back on Qian Shi's face.

"You say that if you can't produce the marriage certificate, it's invalid. Then let me ask you..." Xu Qing's voice was calm, and every word was clear.

"Did Yao Yao's father personally say in front of several elders in the clan that he would betroth her to my family? Did that happen?"

Qian's face twitched; she clearly hadn't expected Xu Qing to bring this up.

The courtyard was quiet for a moment.

Xu Qing continued, "A verbal agreement is still an agreement. If you don't acknowledge it, then we'll ask the elders of the Song clan to judge. You, a widowed former aunt, suddenly come back after so many years to marry off your niece..."

I think that even if you take the matter to the county magistrate, let alone the elders in the clan, he might not side with you.

Mother Xu immediately chimed in, "That's right! I'll go and invite Uncle Song San right now! He was there back then!"

Madam Qian's face had turned somewhat green, but she still forced herself to remain composed: "You... it's no use whoever you invite! I'm her maternal aunt, and I naturally have a share in her marriage!"

Xu Qing smiled coldly, "You say you're her maternal aunt, then let me ask you... according to the laws of our dynasty, since when has it been the aunt's place to decide her niece's marriage?"

Ms. Qian was taken aback.

Xu Qing took half a step forward, looking directly at her, his voice resolute.

"According to the laws of our dynasty, marriages are decided by clan elders or guardians appointed by the government only after both parents have passed away. But now Yao Yao's parents..."

He turned to look at Song Yao, his gaze tender.

"Although they are not by her side, they are still alive and well, not deceased. As long as they are here, you, as their aunt, have no right to make decisions for her."

Qian's mouth opened and closed, as if she had a chopstick stuck in her throat.

Xu Qing continued, "Yao Yao's father offended powerful officials in the court and was demoted to a minor official in a harsh and cold place thousands of miles away. It has been fifteen years since then."

Yao Yao's mother went with her, and although there has been no news of her for years, everyone in the clan knows...

They didn't die, they just can't come back. A girl whose parents are still alive has no right for her aunt to interfere in her marriage.

Upon hearing this, Song Yao suddenly raised her head, and a glimmer of light returned to her eyes.

She knew her parents were still alive, but she had almost never dared to think about it over the years, because thinking about it was pointless...

My parents' return is uncertain...

But when Xu Qing said it, she suddenly felt that the dark cloud that had been weighing on her heart for many years was beginning to dissipate.

The fat on Qian's face twitched a few times, clearly indicating that she hadn't considered this possibility beforehand.

Her confidence stemmed from the incomplete marriage certificate, but she never expected Xu Qing to counter from the perspective of her parents' continued existence.

Her triangular eyes darted around twice, and she gritted her teeth as she squeezed out, "You...you say they're alive and they're alive? Who saw them?"

Xu Qing remained calm: "Several elders in the Song family know about this. Yao Yao's father was demoted, not dead. If you're willing, we can go to the Song clan right now and ask... Do you dare?"

Mrs. Qian was immediately speechless...

The discussions outside the courtyard grew louder and louder:

"Yes, the eldest brother of the Song family was demoted, he's not gone."

"Why is this aunt, who hasn't visited in years, suddenly showing up now?"

"I bet someone offered her something in return!"

Qian's face turned completely black.

She's used to being unreasonable and shrewish; it's one thing for her to be unruly and irrational all the time...

But things are different now. Not only are there more people talking, but the Song family elders are also involved...

In the village, the elders' words carry more weight than those of officials in the city...

She glared at Xu Qing, then turned to Song Yao, her voice suddenly rising.

"Yaoyao! Tell me yourself! Do you really want to live a miserable life with this good-for-nothing, or go to the capital with your aunt to enjoy a life of luxury?"

Song Yao trembled slightly as she was stared at by those triangular eyes.

She opened her mouth, but suddenly another person's name popped into her mind...

Su Man.

The thought of the supposedly beautiful and respectable owner of the top-ranking scholar's residence standing next to Xu Qing was jarring.

She hesitated.

In the blink of an eye.

She glanced at Xu Qing and saw him looking at her, his eyes showing no urging, only patient waiting.

But after that one glance, she quickly lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, and coughed twice.

"Cough cough..."

What is she thinking?

She herself couldn't explain it.

What she feared was that Xu Qing already had someone else in his heart, and that if she insisted on staying by his side, she would end up being seen as ungrateful.

But she clearly remembered his vow that day…

"Today I taste the bitterness of elm bark, tomorrow I will surely taste the sweetness of abalone."

She bit her lip, finally raised her head, and said firmly, "I trust Brother Qing. He won't let me down. I'm not going."

Qian's face fell completely.

She stared intently at Song Yao, then turned to Xu Qing, her eyes filled with a look of utter hatred, as if she wanted to tear a piece of flesh from her.

"Fine! You just wait! This isn't over!"

She flicked her sleeve, turned around, and left.

The two old women looked at each other in bewilderment and quickly followed.

The thugs also sheepishly withdrew from the courtyard.

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away along the alley, eventually disappearing at the alley entrance.

Song Yao stood there, all her strength suddenly vanishing.

She didn't say anything, but tears streamed down her face.

Drop after drop, it hit the hem of my clothes, leaving dark watermarks.

Xu Qing raised her hand to wipe it for her, but she turned her head away and avoided it.

Standing to the side, Xu's mother let out a long breath and patted her chest.

"That fat woman... she's really scary. Luckily you're quick-witted, otherwise things would have been really messy today."

Xu Qing didn't reply. He stood at the courtyard gate, looking in the direction where Qian Shi had disappeared, his gaze turning cold.

How did she know about the marriage certificate?