The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 160: The General's Daughter
Judging from her words, Lady Ren was undoubtedly provoking him.

Shang Mingshu looked at the former Second Madam with extreme suspicion, and it was clear that she was genuinely curious about how Shang Mingshu would take back the businesses she had seized.

"To inform Second Mistress so that she can take precautions as soon as possible?" Shang Mingshu smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes.

"Are you afraid I'll be on guard?" Ren Erniangzi rested her chin on one hand, leaned forward slightly, and kept her eyes focused on Shang Mingshu, as if she were investigating Shang Mingshu.

"Did Second Madam invite me to meet just to chat?" Shang Mingshu ignored Second Madam Ren's probing and was unwilling to engage in any pretense with her.

"I had no intention of testing Third Sister," Second Sister Ren said with a faint smile. "I was genuinely curious about how Third Sister would act."

He Sui, standing behind Shang Mingshu, frowned and a thought crossed her mind.

This Lady Ren, relying on her family background, acted so recklessly and aggressively towards her wife.

However, the composure she had developed from following Shang Mingshu kept her head down and she didn't show anything.

Shang Mingshu raised her eyes and met Ren Erniangzi's gaze. She stared at Ren Erniangzi calmly for a moment, then picked up her teacup, took a sip, and let out a soft voice unique to women from Jiangnan: "Why has Ren Erniangzi not been able to marry General Xu as she wishes?"

At twenty-two, many women already have several children, so it's truly rare to see someone still unmarried.

"You—" The maid behind Lady Ren was so angry that her face changed. She gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, but failed to draw it. Lady Ren, who was slightly stunned, pressed her down.

Ren Erniangzi looked at Shang Mingshu with admiration in her eyes, which then turned to bitterness. She lowered her head and took a sip of tea, the bottom of the cup hitting the table with a dull thud, just like the tightness in her heart: "I think I know why he is so fond of you alone."

Intelligent people don't need to be too explicit with each other. Shang Mingshu was answering her persistent question, and also pointing out her weakness.

Why hasn't she married the man she's been pursuing yet? With her family background and looks, Xu Tianxing is now famous throughout the world, but five years ago he was just an orphan who had lost both parents and was nearly driven to extinction by the Xu family, leaving him a lonely man who almost couldn't even protect the position left by his father.

With General Ren's power, there are countless ways he could force Xu Tianxing to marry his granddaughter.

General Ren did not force him. Was it because he did not realize Xu Tianxing's ability to come at the time? Or did he look down on Xu Tianxing back then?

Ren Erniangzi knew that her grandfather had proposed to marry her five years ago. It was at that time that she became curious about this man. What kind of man deserved her grandfather's praise that "this boy is no ordinary person"? She shouldn't have secretly gone to see him. From then on, her heart fell on him and could never be taken back.

"General Ren's reputation is widespread, and half of the peace in Jiangnan depends on him. He is determined to marry his second daughter to General Xu. Unless General Xu resigns from his post and goes into seclusion, how can he escape becoming Ren's son-in-law?" Shang Mingshu said calmly. "General Ren is an upright man. I don't think he would allow his second daughter to make things difficult for an innocent commoner like me because of General Xu's affairs."

Everyone says that officialdom is dark, but there are also true officials who love the people like their own children, such as Prefect He and General Ren.

Merchants are businessmen, not officials; in General Ren's eyes, they are just commoners. In his view, Second Madam Ren's actions were nothing more than bullying others by abusing her power. She didn't need to do anything earth-shattering; she only needed to state the facts and relay today's events to General Ren, and he would force Second Madam Ren to bring the property she had won to his door and sell it to her.

This is why Shang Mingshu didn't compete with Ren Erniangzi in the bidding. After all, General Ren wasn't the type to sacrifice his reputation. He wouldn't allow Erniangzi to give away assets worth tens of thousands of strings of cash to Shang Mingshu. At most, he would offer a discounted transfer to show his sincerity, raising the price so that Shang Mingshu wouldn't be able to afford them when General Ren returned them.

"Should I thank you for your high regard for my grandfather?" Ren Erniangzi forced a smile.

"No need. I'm not flattering you. General Ren is respected because of his lifelong military achievements." Shang Mingshu's tone remained gentle. "Now it's my turn to be curious. Knowing the outcome, why did you come all this way?"

Wouldn't that be a waste of time and effort?

Shang Mingshu's seemingly ordinary question pierced Ren Erniangzi's heart like a sharp sword. Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and she poured herself a cup of tea as if it were wine, then looked up and drank it all in one gulp.

Without directly answering Shang Mingshu, Ren Erniangzi said, "From a young age, I was cherished by my parents. My older brother valued literature over martial arts and devoted himself to the imperial examinations. My cousins ​​either lacked talent or couldn't endure the hardships of martial arts training. Only I admired my grandfather and aspired to become a great hero like him who protected the country. I started practicing horse stance at the age of three... Third Sister is also a martial artist, so she must know how difficult and arduous it is."

Shang Mingshu nodded.

She had thought about giving up countless times, and as a child, she often cried under the covers while practicing martial arts.

With Shang Mingshu's approval, Ren Erniangzi's emotions eased a little: "After growing up, I realized that no matter how well a woman learns martial arts, she can't go to the battlefield... But I have mastered these skills, so how could I give them up? My grandfather loved me very much because of this, saying that he couldn't bury my sincere heart, and that I might be able to marry a husband who was willing to take me to the battlefield. My grandfather carefully selected him for me..."

He was referring to Xu Tianxing.

Initially driven by a deep longing, Ren Erniangzi trusted her grandfather's judgment and began inquiring about Xu Tianxing, even going so far as to test him herself. Little did she expect to fall for him, only to find that her feelings were unrequited...

It's not that there haven't been other fine young men over the years, but with Xu Tianxing as such a gem, all other fine young men pale in comparison in Ren Erniangzi's eyes.

Ren Erniangzi thought that Xu Tianxing was only focused on revitalizing the family business and had no interest in romantic relationships. She believed that sincerity could move mountains and that she would eventually make Xu Tianxing see her. She thought there was no woman more suitable for him than her.

Until Shang Mingshu appeared...

When Xu Tianxing told her that he had found a woman he wanted to spend his life with, Ren Erniangzi knew that Xu Tianxing had become enlightened about love between men and women, but it wasn't her who had made him enlightened.

Reason told her that she should let go gracefully, just as she had imagined countless times, quickly ending her wishful thinking, turning away gracefully, and erasing the name Xu Tianxing from her mind forever.

When the moment came, she realized how difficult and painful it was. She couldn't give up, so she chose to use excruciating pain to sever this relationship.

“After I arrived, I handed the message to him.” Ren Erniangzi’s eyes were filled with tears. “I want to know how he will react to my actions today. He regards military regulations as ironclad rules. Last year, he stayed here for you. I want to know if he will abandon his post for you today.”