However, Grace understood, but Tenner didn't.
After returning, he reported all the strange things at the Grand Marshal's Estate, and everything he'd heard from Marquis Manor, to Minister Zhuo.
Minister Zhuo was already suspicious. After hearing this, he invited the best astrologist in Yan City to the manor and matched their birth charts again.
The results were exactly the same as what the astrologist had said before.
In other words, Evan Xiao really might have bribed the astrologist to delay the wedding.
This time, Minister Zhuo was truly worried. He went back to question the astrologist again, but the answers were vague and clearly suspicious.
So, Minister Zhuo was filled with doubt and burning with anger, and arranged to meet Evan Xiao to talk things out.
Before, any important matters between the two were always discussed at Marquis Manor.
But this time, discussing such matters at Marquis Manor would be far too familiar and intimate.
It would seem much too casual and close.
They agreed to meet at Lawrence Pavilion, a famous restaurant in Yan City, to discuss things.
...
Evan Xiao had told Grace that he'd handle things with her father.
Grace wanted to know exactly how Evan Xiao planned to handle her dad.
So, when she learned about the meeting, she didn't stop him and let him go.
She told Tenner to keep an eye on Minister Zhuo, and the moment he came back, to let her know so she could go ask her dad what Evan Xiao had said.
She never imagined, not even in her wildest dreams, that her father would be carried home!
When Grace went to see him, his chest was covered in blood, his pulse was weak, and his injuries were serious.
Grace spent the whole night using her healing skills to save him, and only when morning came did his condition finally stabilize.
At dawn, he finally woke up.
Grace asked her father what happened. He was furious: "It was Evan Xiao who hit me!"
"What?" Grace thought she must've misheard. "Evan Xiao... hit you?"
"He's a scoundrel!" Minister Zhuo spat. "You go to the palace right now and tell His Majesty to break off the engagement! Go, now!"
"Dad, calm down first. Just tell me what actually happened, okay?"
"He told me... his family already has a wife. If you marry him, you'll only be a concubine! So he can only take you in as a concubine, not as his official wife."
Grace frowned, saying nothing.
So this was Evan Xiao's explanation?
"I was so mad I nearly lost it. I slapped him," Minister Zhuo said. "Who knew he'd snap and almost kill me!"
Grace was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up and said, "I'm going to find him and get some answers!"
"Be careful with him!" Minister Zhuo warned.
Grace dashed out of the manor, only to find Evan Xiao waiting at the door.
He was holding a large bag of supplements. Seeing Grace, he anxiously asked, "Grace, is your father alright?"
"Evan Xiao, are you crazy?" Grace shouted. "You nearly killed my dad!"
"Sorry, I had too much to drink last night," Evan Xiao said, looking remorseful. "Is he alright? Let me see him."
"See him? See what?" Grace glared at him. "My dad said you told him you're already married? That I could only be your concubine??"
Evan Xiao lowered his head, deeply apologetic. "I'm sorry."
"So you really are married?" Grace looked at him, puzzled.
"I have no feelings for her; I treat her like a sister! We've never even consummated our marriage! I planned to divorce her and marry you, but my family won't allow it... especially my mother—she threatened to kill herself!"
Looking at Evan Xiao in front of her, Grace felt like he was a stranger.