Five thousand taels wasn’t a small sum for the Changchun Marquis Manor. While it couldn’t be called devastating, it was enough to cause real pain.

The Marquis of Changchun brought Xu Xi back to the manor, feeling both heartache and frustration. When night fell and he retired to rest with Yang Shi, he couldn’t help venting his anger.

“When Miss Luo brought Xi’er to the manor gates, why didn’t you go out?”

Yang Shi’s mood was also poor.

As the lady of the house in charge, losing five thousand taels all at once pained her even more than the Marquis of Changchun.

Though her mood was bad, facing the male head of household, she still had to restrain herself.

Yang Shi lowered her eyelids to suppress her annoyance and said gently: “How could I have known Miss Luo was such an unreasonable person? I thought since the steward had brought so many household servants to handle it, if I also went out and let those troublemaking spectators point fingers and gossip, what would be the point—”

Unfortunately, this time Yang Shi’s gentleness didn’t work.

After all, it was five thousand taels of silver.

“If it had been Nan’er and the others, would you have not gone out?” the Marquis of Changchun asked with a dark expression.

If she had gone out at the time, what excuse could Miss Luo have had to take Xi’er back to the Grand Marshal’s Manor? If Xi’er hadn’t been taken away by Miss Luo, how would he have ended up paying five thousand taels to ransom him back?

Yang Shi’s eyes flew wide open: “Cousin, are you saying I’m biased?”

All these years, my lord had only praised her as virtuous and pure-hearted, treating her stepson and biological sons equally—he’d never accused her like this before.

She never imagined that after Miss Luo caused this commotion, he would vent his anger on her.

“Whether you’re biased or not aside, ultimately it was because you failed to do what you should have that gave someone a handle against us.” The Marquis of Changchun’s tone was poor.

This time, even calling him “cousin” didn’t work.

Though Yang Shi was a second wife, apart from being cautiously careful the first two years after marrying the Marquis of Changchun, she had since lived in pampered comfort.

For many years she’d had her mother-in-law’s protection, her husband’s love, and the servants’ respect. Her gentle, docile manner was merely a mask she’d grown accustomed to wearing—in essence, she had long since become completely different from that compliant cousin of over a decade ago.

Being repeatedly accused by the Marquis of Changchun, plus feeling heartache over the five thousand taels he’d written away with a stroke of his brush, Yang Shi could no longer suppress her anger.

“I know being a stepmother is difficult. Over the years I’ve treated Xi’er even better than Nan’er and the others, yet in the end my lord still thinks I’m biased—”

The Marquis of Changchun stood up, his expression dark: “I don’t want to hear this tonight. You sleep first.”

Seeing him put on his outer robe to leave, Yang Shi was momentarily stunned, not reacting until he was nearly at the door.

“Cousin, where are you going so late?”

The Marquis of Changchun pushed open the door without looking back: “I’m going to check on Cui Niang.”

Watching helplessly as the Marquis of Changchun pushed through the door and left, his footsteps gradually fading, Yang Shi nearly ground her teeth to powder.

She was after all my lord’s wife—just because they’d argued a bit more, he actually turned his back and went to a concubine!

Yang Shi returned to sit by the bed, leaning against the screen, trembling with rage.

She was different from Princess Huayang, and she knew very well what about Princess Huayang had most displeased Cousin.

Therefore, after marrying in, she had very readily promoted her dowry maid to serve Cousin as a bedmaid.

Later, when Cousin became a marquis, someone sent a beautiful concubine as a congratulatory gift. Afraid an outsider would capture Cousin’s heart, she had taken the initiative to seek out beauties to send to his side.

One thing led to another, and Cousin ended up with four concubines, not to mention the bedmaids.

She had never regretted it—though Cousin had so many women, she was still his favorite, and he spent most of his time with her.

But today, Yang Shi felt so stifled she could barely breathe.

She was Cousin’s properly wedded wife, not one of those concubines. Did this mean she couldn’t raise her voice even once, that she had to remain meek and humble her entire life?

The long night was lonely. Yang Shi lay with her eyes open, unable to sleep for a long time, experiencing many emotions she’d never had before.

Compared to the oppressive atmosphere at Changchun Marquis Manor, the Leisurely Cloud Courtyard shrouded in night was, true to its name, relaxed and comfortable.

Kou’er removed Luo Sheng’s hairpins and ornaments, casually mentioning the day’s events: “Miss truly has a knack for making money.”

Hong Dou nodded proudly: “Of course. Kou’er, you didn’t see the Marchioness of Changchun with that delicate, fragile manner—one look and you could tell she was two-faced, full of schemes.”

Kou’er immediately protested: “What’s wrong with being delicate and fragile? Who did being delicate and fragile offend? Hong Dou, I’ve told you so many times, you can’t judge people by appearances…”

“Alright, stop lecturing. I wasn’t talking about you. You’re genuinely delicate, okay? The Marchioness of Changchun is clearly a black-hearted stone covered in rotten moss—it’s all an act.”

Only then was Kou’er satisfied. She smoothed Luo Sheng’s hair: “Does Miss dislike the Marchioness of Changchun?”

“Mm.”

“This servant made inquiries—the Marquis of Changchun cherishes his wife very much. The couple has never even had a quarrel.”

“This time is different.” Luo Sheng opened her half-closed eyes, gazing at the long-haired young lady in the vanity mirror and said indifferently.

“How is it different?” Kou’er asked casually.

The corner of the mirror-reflected young lady’s mouth curved up, her smile cold: “It’s five thousand taels of silver.”

In daily matters involving no interests, naturally everyone gets along, raising the tray to eyebrow level in mutual respect.

Five thousand taels of silver might be nothing to Miss Luo who played with pearls as marbles, but it was no small sum for any household.

She’d demanded five thousand taels from the Marquis of Changchun—equivalent to biting off a chunk of his flesh.

When it hurt, anger arose.

With anger, naturally one needed someone to vent it on.

Thinking of Changchun Marquis Manor, Luo Sheng couldn’t help thinking of Xu Xi. Thinking of Xu Xi, her mood sank somewhat.

The smile faded from the young lady’s mirror reflection, her eyes deepening.

She didn’t expect her little nephew to become a dragon among men, but at the very least he couldn’t muddle through life in confusion.

Fortunately, there was still time ahead.

After several days, Luo Sheng took Hong Dou and the others out, heading to check on the tavern converted from the cosmetics shop.

Regarding the remodeled tavern, Luo Sheng was fairly satisfied, while Sheng Sanlang was even more enthusiastic.

“Cousin, is the tavern about to open?”

“We still need to wait a while.”

Sheng Sanlang looked around, his face full of confusion: “Why wait? I think it looks about ready.”

He could wait, but the glutton in his belly couldn’t!

“I’ve brewed several jars of wine. They’ll need some more days to be ready.”

“Cousin can brew wine too?” Hearing this, Sheng Sanlang’s eyes lit up.

What man doesn’t love good wine!

For Cousin to prefer delaying the tavern’s opening for the sake of a few jars of wine, the wine must be delicious.

Seeing Sheng Sanlang’s eager expression, Luo Sheng smiled: “How can a tavern have no wine?”

Sheng Sanlang excitedly clapped his hands: “Right, how can a tavern have no wine? So when exactly will our tavern open?”

Hong Dou couldn’t help reminding him: “Young Master Cousin, you’re the waiter.”

It’s clearly Miss’s tavern—how did it become “ours”?

Sheng Sanlang completely ignored the little maid’s nonsense, eagerly waiting for Luo Sheng to give a definite answer.

“The eighth day of next month then.”

The eighth of next month?

Sheng Sanlang hurriedly began counting on his fingers.

Days felt like years—he needed to calculate how many years he’d have to wait before eating Cousin’s cooking.

“Excuse me, are you Miss Luo?” As Luo Sheng and her group exited the tavern, a maid-dressed young girl cautiously approached them.

“I am.”

The maid curtsied slightly: “My young lady is in the teahouse across the street and would like to invite you for a cup of tea.”