Spoiled and mad critic of powerful ministers

"Father..." Shen Qiongju's heart clenched, and she quickly stood up, walked to Shen Huaifeng's side, and gently patted his back.

Shen Huaifeng grew angrier as he spoke, his chest heaving and his eyes reddening. He gripped Shen Qiongju's hand tightly: "Qiongju, isn't it good for us to stay at home? Dad will take care of you."

Shen Qiongju patted her father's back to calm him down, "Father said you can say whatever you want to your daughter, don't be angry. There's a reason I stayed in the Pei family, I'll tell you in detail tonight."

"Your daughter is hungry now, can you give her a bowl of rice first?" Shen Qiongju exaggeratedly clutched her rumbling stomach.

"Alright, alright, the food has been set out for a while now. Let's go eat. My daughter, whom I've been raising so well, has become as thin as a sesame stalk at the Pei family's house."

The three of them then walked toward the side hall.

At the dinner table, Shen Huaide looked at the father and daughter sitting close together, and Shen Qiongju was smiling.

Shen Huaide held his wine glass, his voice tinged with sarcasm: "Daughters are so understanding. If it were a son, he would have been driven away by your scolding long ago."

"This is my daughter, not yours, what are you so jealous about!" Shen Huaifeng proudly placed a large pork knuckle on his daughter's plate.

Eat more.

Shen Huaide lost his son early in life and had no wife or daughter. When Shen Huaifeng said this, he didn't say a word, but glared at the two dim-witted father and daughter.

The two old men, whose combined age was nearly a hundred, were quite a sight. One was so angry that he was blowing his beard and glaring, while the other was as awkward as a child.

Looking at this scene, Shen Qiongju felt both heartache and amusement, and finally let out a helpless sigh.

She knew that these two old children wouldn't give up until she made things clear today.

"Father, Uncle," she poured two more cups of hot tea and handed them to the two men, "calm down and listen to me."

Seeing that the two elderly people were holding teacups and looking at her reluctantly, she slowly opened her mouth.

"I stayed in the Pei family not because I was stubborn, nor because I wanted to remain faithful to my husband."

Her voice was calm, yet it carried a clarity beyond her years.

"Father, Uncle, think about it. We are merchants. No matter how good our wine is, we are just wine sellers. Any constable in the county government can come to our house and buy on credit."

"The government wants to raise taxes and collect some kind of 'administration fee,' and we have nowhere to reason with them. Why?"

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the two elders, "Because we have no one behind us."

"But do you remember when I first married into the Pei family, in those three months? Several families sent people to settle those old debts on their own initiative."

"The street ruffians all avoid our shop's employees. That's because I've become 'Lady Pei's wife'."

"I know the Pei family has fallen, but even a wrecked ship has three pounds of nails."

Next, Shen Qiongju presented her most crucial reason.

"The second son of the Pei family, Pei Zhihui, is an extraordinary talent. The Pei family's return from exile was orchestrated by him behind the scenes. He has been known as a child prodigy since childhood, and he is definitely not someone to be underestimated."

"I'll stay with the Pei family now, helping and supporting him. When he passes the imperial examinations and becomes a high-ranking official, as the matriarch of the Pei family and her elder sister-in-law, will our Shen family still be afraid of being bullied by those small fry?"

"This isn't suffering, Dad, this is gambling."

She looked at Shen Huaifeng and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I am a widow, after all. Although the customs in the border region are open and do not restrict women from remarrying, if I do not return to the Pei family, the best outcome is that I will marry a widower who can be my father."

"To have to put up with other people's attitudes, to be someone's stepmother. My daughter doesn't want to live that kind of life."

"Instead of doing that, I'd rather stick to my identity as the eldest daughter-in-law of the Pei family, helping the Pei family and paving the way for our Shen family's future; at the same time, I can also legitimately help manage our own winery."

"As long as we have money and power, we can live with our heads held high."

His words laid out all the pros and cons that were worth considering, dissecting and explaining them thoroughly before the two old people.

Shen Qiongju felt that, based on her understanding of her soft-hearted father and stingy uncle, they could accept this reason.

She had to clean up the mess she made at the Pei family's place.

A long silence fell over the room.

Shen Huaifeng and Shen Huaide both lowered their heads, looking at the cup of tea in their hands that was gradually getting cold, their expressions changing constantly.

They were well aware of the benefits of power and influence, but they didn't want their daughter to suffer any injustice.

As businessmen, they understood these principles all too well.

They were also worried that it would be difficult to find a good family for their daughter, but they had looked at many people these days and none of them were suitable.

However, her daughter is just as opinionated and thoughtful as her mother.

Well, she's still young. It's good for her to try her hand at business. Maybe she'll meet the right person someday.

When it comes to their children getting married, parents often have a stubbornness that is hard for others to understand.

After a long while, Shen Huaifeng finally raised his head and looked into his daughter's clear and determined eyes. "Qiongju, all I want is for you to be alright..."

"Father," Shen Qiongju interrupted him, a slightly relieved smile finally appearing on her face, "Only by securing a bright future for our Shen family can I truly live a good life."

She slept soundly at the Shen family's house, and when she woke up the next day, she felt a long-lost sense of relaxation.

After having breakfast, Shen Song hitched up a mule cart and prepared to go to Shen Family Tavern.

She accepted the land deeds and shop deeds given to her by the Pei family, but only intended to manage them. The Shen family's estate was the foundation for her livelihood.

She not only wanted to reopen that tavern, but also to renovate and expand it, so that the rich aroma of Jingbian Spring would fill the entire northern frontier.

The mule cart creaked as it drove through the streets of Wuxian County.

Shen Qiongju lifted a corner of the curtain, looking at the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar street scene outside, silently planning the blueprints for renovating the winery.

"Xiaosong, turn left at the intersection ahead and take that alley; it's closer."

"Alright, Sister Qiongju, please sit tight!"

Shen Song responded crisply, skillfully flicked the reins, and the mule cart turned into a quiet, narrow alley.

The alley was lined with high walls that blocked most of the light, making it appear somewhat dark.

Just as the wheels had rolled halfway, a dark figure suddenly appeared from the corner of the wall ahead, standing directly in front of the mule cart.

"Who goes there!" Shen Song exclaimed in surprise, and suddenly pulled on the reins.

The man moved extremely quickly. Before the mule cart had even come to a complete stop, he pushed off the cart shaft with his foot, lifted the curtain, and slipped inside.

A smell mixed with cheap liquor and sweat instantly filled the small carriage.

Shen Qiongju's heart sank suddenly.

She looked up.

The newcomer was dressed in a slightly worn brown short-sleeved shirt, with a sword at his waist. The style of his clothes... he was a centurion.

Wen Xiujie?

However, the Wen Xiujie before her was completely different from the always impeccably dressed and arrogant commander she remembered.

He had lost a lot of weight, his eyes were sunken, and there was a bluish stubble on his chin. He looked like a destitute and fierce man.

His eyes, which were always filled with a fake smile, were now bloodshot, staring intently at her as if he wanted to devour her alive.

"Xiao Song," Shen Qiongju said loudly to the car window, not intimidated by him, "go buy me a pack of plum blossom cakes from Li Ji's shop at the street corner ahead. I'm a little hungry."

Shen Song, who was anxiously waiting outside the car, was taken aback when he heard this, but immediately replied, "Yes! Sister Qiongju, I'll go right away!"

He couldn't wait to leave and get reinforcements.

"You seem to have a lot of free time."

He spoke, his voice hoarse, filled with a gnashing hatred.

Shen Qiongju's hand, which was resting on her knee, subconsciously clenched slightly.

It wasn't out of fear, but rather an indescribable shudder mixed with hatred and pleasure.

He's getting his comeuppance.

In his previous life, he rose rapidly through the ranks and enjoyed great success thanks to Pei Zhichao's life and that blueprint.

In this life, however, he was directly demoted to the position of centurion.

That's so... satisfying.

"Commander Wen," she began slowly, her voice devoid of emotion, "what are you doing, trespassing on a woman's carriage in broad daylight?"

Upon hearing the term "hundred households," Wen Xiujie's eyes flashed with embarrassment and malice.

He leaned forward and grabbed her wrist. "Your hands are much rougher than before."

His gaze fell on the chilblains on the back of her hands that hadn't completely healed, his fingertips maliciously rubbing the rough skin, his eyes revealing undisguised amusement and insult, as if he wanted to get revenge.