The aroma of food and wine burrowed straight into his nose, and Censor Ma’s inner struggle grew especially fierce.

One moment he felt Miss Luo’s words made sense, the next moment he felt she was sophistically arguing.

When a steaming hot lamb pot was brought over, the scales of his internal struggle accidentally tilted. By the time Censor Ma came back to his senses, a fragrant, tender piece of lamb was already in his mouth.

Spitting it out was impossible—wasting food was most shameful.

Censor Ma chewed the lamb with a bit of resentment, but the more he chewed, the more fragrant it became, and the more fragrant it became…

And then there was no “and then”—he decided Miss Luo’s words made sense.

Luo Sheng didn’t further disturb the wolfishly devouring Censor Ma and left the private room with a smile.

The row of windows along the corridor weren’t completely closed, allowing a view of the sky filled with flying snow.

In weather with wind and snow, the sky always seemed darker, though the snow accumulated on eaves and treetops brought some brightness.

Luo Sheng breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Having secured Censor Ma, the rest would depend on the Emperor’s will.

However, the Marquis of Changchun’s household shouldn’t have much of a favorable impression with Emperor Yong’an.

The next day, Censor Ma impeached the Marquis and Marchioness of Changchun. The charge against the Marquis was failure to manage his household strictly; the charges against the Marchioness were knowingly breaking the law and having a vicious nature.

Emperor Yong’an was furious.

With the new year approaching, someone was still causing him trouble.

If it had been an important court minister, he might have tolerated it, but it was the Marquis of Changchun, someone who held an insignificant position.

Why tolerate this? Of course he would investigate and prosecute.

The moment the Marquis of Changchun received the news, he collapsed to the ground. Without even waiting to be interrogated, he pushed Yang Shi forward.

The matter had been Yang Shi’s doing in the first place. It was only proper that he sacrifice Yang Shi to preserve the marquis’s household.

The final disposition came down quickly: the Marquis of Changchun would have his salary suspended for one year, and the Marchioness Yang Shi would be stripped of her official title and demoted to commoner status.

The marquis’s household had just lost ten thousand taels of silver, and having his salary suspended for a year was adding frost to snow. And having his wife stripped of her official title was an enormous loss of face—she wouldn’t be able to hold her head up when going out.

The Marquis of Changchun picked up his brush and wrote a letter of divorce, throwing it in Yang Shi’s face.

Yang Shi nearly went mad. She threw herself at the Marquis of Changchun, pleading, “Cousin, you can’t divorce me! If you divorce me, what will become of Nan’er and the others? With a divorced mother, how will the children be able to hold up their heads? In the future, they’ll even have difficulty with marriages—”

The Marquis of Changchun pushed Yang Shi away without mercy and said coldly, “The children already can’t hold up their heads because of you. Why wait for the future? If you know what’s good for you, don’t make a fuss. I’m leaving you a courtyard in the alley outside the marquis’s estate. From now on, live there quietly and properly.”

“Cousin, Cousin, think about Nan’er and the others! I beg you to think about Nan’er and the others!”

The Marquis of Changchun sneered coldly. “You’re the one who should think about the children. If you continue to occupy the position of marchioness without the official title, wouldn’t that make people forever remember they have a mother who knowingly broke the law and has a vicious nature? Yang Shi, don’t be tactless!”

Yang Shi looked at the Marquis of Changchun with tear-filled eyes, her pupils wide. “Cousin, you can’t be this heartless. I’m your cousin!”

The Marquis of Changchun’s face showed no expression. “It’s not that I’m heartless—I failed to see people clearly. I always thought you were simple-hearted and kind. Who knew you had such a heart?”

“Cousin—”

The Marquis of Changchun’s expression grew even colder. “Don’t forget how the princess died. If you don’t know your place, that will be your fate!”

Yang Shi staggered backward, her face shocked, deep fear welling up in her heart.

Before the three children returned from school, Yang Shi was driven from the marquis’s estate and settled in a half-new, half-old residence.

Sitting in the cold, dim room, Yang Shi felt as if she were still in a dream.

This must be a nightmare. How could she have been the marchioness one moment and a divorced woman the next?

Yes, this was a dream. It would be fine once she woke up.

Yang Shi pinched her arm hard, and immediately felt piercing pain.

Before her eyes remained the low, shabby room.

Yang Shi suddenly rushed out and was stopped at the courtyard gate.

“Madam, the marquis has instructed that you cannot go out these days.”

“Who told you to call me madam?” Yang Shi raised her hand and slapped the gatekeeper woman.

The woman covered her face and sneered coldly. “Oh my, do you still think you’re the high and mighty marchioness? Why don’t you think about who stripped your official title?”

That official title of titled lady had been stripped by imperial decree. Could she still make a comeback?

Yang Shi took a step back, staring fixedly at the woman.

The woman curled her lip. “You shouldn’t get angry with me, a mere servant. You should think about your current status. If you anger the marquis—”

The gatekeeper woman’s face gradually blurred in Yang Shi’s eyes, replaced by the Marquis of Changchun’s ferocious visage.

She felt this expression was somewhat familiar.

It couldn’t be. Cousin had always spoken gently to her before. How could she find this expression familiar?

A cold wind struck, and Yang Shi shivered, suddenly remembering.

She had indeed seen this expression from Cousin before. It was twelve years ago, when Cousin pressed a pillow over Princess Huayang’s face—he had worn this very expression.

It was just that she hadn’t felt afraid at the time.

It turned out it wasn’t that she wasn’t afraid—it was that she only understood fear when it happened to herself.

Yang Shi retreated step by step and silently returned to the room.

The room was very dim and very wretched, but she still had her children. Her situation was still much better than Princess Huayang’s.

At least her two sons and one daughter had all grown up and been raised so well.

As long as the children were well, she hadn’t lost!

Thinking this way, Yang Shi actually felt somewhat better.

She would endure, just as she had endured as a young woman living under someone else’s roof in the marquis’s estate, carefully and cautiously.

Who in this world wasn’t enduring? As long as one lived, there was hope. She was still better off than that short-lived ghost Princess Huayang.

Xu Fang practically ran all the way to There Is a Tavern.

It was still early before evening, and the tavern hadn’t yet opened for business. The wooden door was half-closed.

Shi Yan was vigorously sweeping the snow in front of the door.

“Has Miss Luo arrived?” Xu Fang asked.

“She has.” Shi Yan leaned on his broom and glanced at the breathless young lady.

“Thank you.” Xu Fang dropped this statement and lifted the thick cotton door curtain, rushing inside.

Shi Yan shook his head.

Even a young lady looking for Miss Luo was this eager, yet his master still hadn’t arrived as early as her.

Luo Sheng was lazily sitting by the counter watching the proprietress organize the ledgers when she saw Xu Fang hurrying over.

She looked at the newcomer, her eyes composed.

But Xu Fang could not remain composed.

She quickly walked to Luo Sheng, her gaze burning. “Miss Luo, how did you do it!”

She had only just asked Miss Luo for help—how had Father been penalized with salary suspension in the blink of an eye, while Stepmother had not only lost her official title but become a divorced woman?

She was wildly joyful yet didn’t dare believe it. Even having personally witnessed Stepmother being sent away, she didn’t feel secure.

Only by seeking confirmation from this girl before her, who was even younger than herself, could she feel at peace.

“Is Miss Xu referring to your stepmother?”

Xu Fang nodded vigorously.

Luo Sheng smiled. “I told you—one step at a time. This is just the beginning.”

“Just the beginning?” Xu Fang murmured.

Stepmother being divorced was only the beginning?

Joy bloomed in her heart, yet it brought tears to her eyes.