Although Ruyi had borrowed Liu Ruyi’s body and knew all her stories, she was not the original after all. So when facing Wen Zhenxue and He Zeyou at the inn, she had only felt it absurd and amusing.

One who stole another’s love, one who broke faith and forgot his vows – two shameless people getting together and still wanting to scheme against her shop?

But now, as this resentment surged up, Ruyi belatedly realized that Liu Ruyi had been heartbroken when encountering such things. She had already lacked her mother’s love and was not favored by her father, so she could only place all her emotions on her friend and lover. Yet these two had joined hands to betray her.

Liu Ruyi naturally also hated her father for killing his wife to seize her wealth, and wanted to seek justice for her mother. But if speaking of the most stubborn wish in her heart that she wanted to fulfill, it must still be related to Wen Zhenxue and He Zeyou.

Realizing this, Ruyi straightened up.

Wen Zhenxue, in front of her, looked somewhat hysterical: “Barely balanced your resentment? Do you know that it was exactly those eight thousand taels that caused me to fall into this state? If those eight thousand taels were still there, how could such a grand marquis’ manor have come to…”

“That money should have been mine to begin with.” She smiled as she interrupted her. “He Zeyou, a person of military background, only received a few acres of poor land when enfeoffed as marquis. It was I who helped him acquire estates and gave him shops to manage, making him wealthy and noble. Of this grand marquis’ manor you see before you, I own eighty out of every hundred tiles. I was merely reclaiming some loose change, and you gave it voluntarily at that. Yet you still blame me?”

“But, but…”

“Everything you’ve said today is simply hoping I’ll lend a helping hand.” Ruyi adjusted the magpie hairpin on her head. “True, I do have money, but I’d rather give those gleaming silver coins to beggars than to you.”

“You!” Wen Zhenxue angrily shed more tears and was about to curse when she saw Old Lady He suddenly appear in the back courtyard.

“Oh my, I wondered why the magpies kept chirping today – turns out Ruyi has come!” The old lady completely changed from her usual arrogant manner, taking small steps as she walked over and warmly took her hand. “Haven’t seen you for some time, and you’ve become even more radiant.”

Before Ruyi could react, Wen Zhenxue’s face turned iron-blue first: “Mother, shouldn’t you be entertaining guests in front?”

“Do I need you to teach me what to do?” Old Lady He glanced at her with displeasure, muttering under her breath, “If not for you, our family’s banquet today wouldn’t be so shabby. All you know is to send money to support your natal family – you’re about to bankrupt our household.”

After muttering, she didn’t look at her reaction but turned to smile at Ruyi: “What luck! Today, the kitchen has your favorite crystal buns. Come sit with me – the women of the He family haven’t seen you in so long, they miss you terribly.”

Ruyi touched her earlobe.

This scene was so familiar. In the past, Liu Ruyi couldn’t get any favor from her, while the occasionally visiting Wen Zhenxue would be warmly pulled by the hand for conversation, introduced to the family, and even seated beside He Zeyou for meals. And now?

She glanced at the expression of the person across from her.

Wen Zhenxue felt extremely wronged. What she sent to her natal family were just letters hoping her father would promote her husband – where was there any money? All the manor’s expenses still came from her dowry. Today they sold a vase, tomorrow they sold a jade lock – who knew when this life would end?

She had endured and endured, but still couldn’t help speaking: “Mother, since you say so, then I won’t hold these household keys anymore. Tomorrow I’ll have someone send them to your room.”

The old lady’s brows immediately furrowed upon hearing this: “What? Seeing I’m old, you want to work me to death so you can be a free daughter-in-law without a mother-in-law? I tell you, no way! If you can’t manage the household well, I’ll have someone write to ask your mother how the prestigious Wen family raises their daughters!”

A breath was stuck in her throat, unable to go up or down, and Wen Zhenxue’s face turned somewhat purple.

According to Great Qian’s rules, daughters-in-law could not contradict their mothers-in-law. Even if the mother-in-law was completely wrong, she could only endure it.

Ruyi watched carelessly and suddenly felt that Liu Ruyi was also fortunate. If she had married into this marquis’ manor, with a fickle husband and a harsh, wasteful mother-in-law, where a whole manor of people lived off the daughter-in-law’s dowry, it truly wouldn’t have been good fortune.

Few women in Great Qian could earn money and be independent outside. The vast majority of women still had to spend their lives in the inner quarters. Those who encountered good men were precious few – more encountered people like He Zeyou, where calling to heaven brought no response and calling to earth brought no answer. But Wen Zhenxue had chosen this path herself, so she wouldn’t sympathize with her.

Ruyi fanned herself once and stood up: “This is family business between you two. This young woman won’t interfere. I’ll take my leave first.”

“Ah, Ruyi, Ruyi, don’t rush to leave.” The old lady hurriedly came to take her arm with an apologetic smile. “Without you here, I haven’t had Dragon Ball Supreme Snow tea in ages. I also don’t know what new things Baozhai Hall has recently – tell me about it?”

Ruyi didn’t really want to talk, but catching sight of Wen Zhenxue’s malicious glare, her eyebrows moved, and she smiled as she spoke: “What a coincidence – a few days ago at Baozhai Hall, Lady Xu inside was still thinking of you, old lady. She said you haven’t been there in a long time, and she’s saved quite a few fashionable fine fabrics for you, along with several rare hairpins and bracelets.”

Looking somewhat embarrassed, the old lady said vaguely: “I was going to go, but this unfilial daughter-in-law…”

Ruyi lowered her eyes and didn’t nod in agreement, only describing in detail the various new treasures at Baozhai Hall, mentioning several items that perfectly matched her tastes and made her eager to move.

Seeing the old lady’s mind becoming active, she slipped a small token over: “That shopkeeper has some business dealings with me. Take this token, and you only need to pay eighty percent of the silver. But this token can only be used once, and only before the end of this month – after that it’s void.”

Old Lady’s eyes lit up: “No matter how much I buy, I only pay eighty percent?”

“Yes, the more you buy, the more you naturally save.” Ruyi covered her face with her fan, her smiling eyes curved.

Wen Zhenxue was behind them and couldn’t hear clearly what they were whispering about. Seeing her mother-in-law’s joyful expression, she breathed a sigh of relief, thinking there might be fewer arguments today.

However, after the banquet ended, Old Lady He was nowhere to be found.

Wen Zhenxue was exhausted and had no energy to care. She had just finished seeing off some guests when her husband came over with a dark expression.

“Lord Shen brought His Majesty’s edict saying that civil and military officials at court should donate silver for disaster relief.”

Wen Zhenxue wasn’t surprised by this – her father had donated long ago, voluntarily sending it to the Shen manor. For He Zeyou to bring this up now was already rather late.

So she considerately said: “There’s still some silver in the accounts – just go take it.”

But He Zeyou shook his head: “I’m afraid it’s not enough.”