Spoiled and mad critic of powerful ministers

He leaned slightly closer, and the bitter scent of medicine wafted over again, carrying a cold, aggressive quality.

"But today, although Zhao De's fake account was not very clever, it was not entirely child's play. My sister-in-law was able to see through it at a glance and launch a precise attack."

"Not to mention the subsequent leases, public warehouses, and recruitment for the winery... The process was clear and the methods were skillful. It was definitely not something that someone who was 'unskilled in administrative matters' could come up with and do overnight."

His gaze traced her features as if they were real, not missing a single subtle change.

The air inside the carriage seemed to freeze because of his sharp question.

Shen Qiongju slowly turned her head to meet his scrutinizing gaze. There was no panic or guilt on her face, but rather a faint, almost mocking smile.

"My uncle is very observant and thoughtful, which is admirable." She spoke in a calm voice, but with a sharp and resilient edge.

"However, has Uncle considered why Zhao De's methods of falsifying accounts seem 'unsophisticated' or even 'childish' in my eyes?"

She slightly raised her chin, revealing the slender and delicate lines of her neck, but her eyes were clear and piercing.

"Because he underestimated me too much," Shen Qiongju said, word by word. "He assumed that I was young and widowed, from a merchant family, and illiterate—at least, that's how your Pei family saw me."

"He thought he could fool or even control me by making up some messy accounts. His ledger was full of loopholes; even a young Fukamatsu could see that something was wrong, let alone me."

She paused, the mockery in her eyes deepening: "As for what my uncle said about 'first entering the Pei family'... what did my aunt put me in charge of back then? It was the constant flow of hairpins and cosmetics for the women in the back courtyard, and the expenses for the flowers on the table at banquets."

"Which of those aunts' stewardesses isn't shrewd? They conspired to set me up, using old, messy accounts and unexplained losses to deceive and ostracize me. What could I, a newlywed with no one to rely on, do besides 'miscalculate' and 'mess things up'?"

Her tone remained calm, yet it conveyed a sense of detachment born from experience.

"My family has been in business for generations. Since I can remember, I've played in our family shop, watching the clerks use the abacus and listening to the manager report profits and losses. The skills of reading accounts, checking goods, and understanding people's hearts are ingrained in my bones."

Their eyes met, and sparks flew between them.

Pei Zhihui felt a tightness in his chest from her words. Every word she said made perfect sense.

But the cloud of doubt in his heart did not dissipate; on the contrary, it became even heavier because of her overly fluent and "reasonable" explanation.

She wasn't this clever or shrewd before; that mature demeanor seemed to have appeared suddenly after her brother's death.

Yes, the Shen family is in business, so she may have been influenced by them from a young age.

But can that composure in the face of danger, that sharp insight into people's hearts, really be explained simply by being "a merchant's daughter" and "concealing one's talents"?

Moreover, he noticed that the Shen family's winery was brewing large quantities of wine, and he also heard that the county's taverns were going to be renovated. The Shen family's tavern had been doing poorly for years, so her actions were undeniably bold.

As he looked into her eyes, which were now shining brightly and without any fear, he suddenly recalled the hasty and cold embrace in the carriage, and a strange, unsettling feeling stirred within him once again.

He abruptly looked away, leaned back against the car wall, closed his eyes, and hid all his emotions beneath his thick eyelashes.

Only a cold sentence remained, unsure whether it was meant for her or for himself:

"Sister-in-law, you are so eloquent. I hope your abilities are as you say, so that your aunt's hopes for you to uphold the reputation of the Pei family will not be in vain."

Shen Qiongju looked at his profile, with his eyes tightly closed and jawline taut, and knew that he had not been persuaded.

A faint sense of weariness and mockery swept through her mind. Fine, let them doubt if they want.

The idea of ​​being reborn is inherently inconceivable.

The mule cart rumbled along, carrying the two men, each with their own thoughts, toward Shen's winery.

.

The mule cart came to a stop on the newly leveled open space at the entrance of Shenjia Village.

As soon as the wheels came to a stop, a smell mixed with damp earth, raw grain dust, and coarse sweat wafted over.

Before me was a bustling construction site.

Several men, shirtless and muscular, were steaming in the thin winter sunlight.

Some were gathering firewood, others were mixing mud to build walls, and still others were working together to erect thick wooden beams.

The shouts, the tamping of earth, and the clanging of wood and stone created a cacophony full of primal vitality.

Pei Zhihui lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, his cool gaze sweeping across the construction site.

His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

There were many people, and they were a mixed bunch.

Those men carried a rugged, hardened air about them, and their gazes were direct and blatant.

Shen Qiongju got out of the car first and patted off non-existent dust from her skirt.

She said to Pei Zhihui, "Thank you for bringing me here today. It's getting late, you should go back to the city first, and drive carefully."

Pei Zhihui got out of the carriage, his figure appearing even thinner in the cold wind.

"Aren't you leaving?"

"I'm not leaving," Shen Qiongju answered decisively. "The distillery has just been expanded, and there are many things to manage. I need to stay here and keep an eye on things."

As she spoke, she walked straight toward the construction site.

Pei Zhihui's gaze followed her retreating figure.

That slender figure, amidst a group of tall, muscular men, resembled a willow branch that could be broken by a strong wind at any moment.

That nameless restlessness welled up in his heart again.

"Sister-in-law."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like ice, piercing through the noise of the construction site.

Shen Qiongju turned around upon hearing the sound, her face showing a hint of inquiry.

Pei Zhihui stepped forward and stood beside her, but his gaze did not look at her; instead, he scanned the layout of the entire construction site.

"This place is a melting pot of all sorts of people. It is unreasonable for a woman like you to stay overnight in the countryside alone, and it will damage your reputation."

Shen Qiongju seemed to have heard something amusing, and the corners of her lips curved slightly.

"Uncle, you jest. I'm the owner of this winery. If I'm not here to oversee it, am I supposed to be embroidering at the Pei family's place?"

Her tone was gentle, but her words carried a subtle undertone.

"Furthermore, my uncle and Shen Song are also here; I'm not alone."

As soon as he finished speaking, Third Uncle came running over with a fawning smile on his face.

"Qiongju, you've finally arrived! I sent Xiaosong to the neighboring county early this morning to buy some Daqu liquor. They said a new batch of top-quality liquor has just come out there, and if he goes too late, it'll all be gone. I reckon he won't be back until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest."

Pei Zhihui's face darkened.

The smile on Shen Qiongju's face faded slightly.

She looked at Pei Zhihui with an expression that seemed to say: Well, even God is on your side.

Pei Zhihui ignored her gaze and turned to his third uncle, his voice cold: "Is there a separate courtyard in the village for people to rest?"