Why?

His wife was upright, kind, and always supported the Qiao family. Otherwise, she wouldn't have used her dowry and betrothal gifts to settle the debts owed.

If it were him, he wouldn't have given so much money to the Qiao family.

He had reservations about Mu Rong, but she was a county princess, and he was merely a fourth-ranked official. He had to be careful, choosing his words wisely.

He was also angry with Yun'er and his wife. His silly wife followed suit and used all the betrothal gifts and dowry without leaving anything behind. What a waste.

If they had assets, he could have used some money to gain favor with the higher-ups. Perhaps his position could have been further elevated.

Thinking about the emperor's obstruction, he could only sigh helplessly.

Why bother making a big deal about going home to pay respects to his birth parents? He could have quietly gone and returned. Why did he have to inform her?