I was pampered like a treasure after being married off to the young marshal, but my father and broth

The next moment, he abruptly withdrew his hand.

Shang Sheyu landed with a thud, not even having time to catch her breath. Taking advantage of the man's momentary daze, she scrambled to her feet, opened the door, and stumbled out.

Xi'er was huddled in the corner of the gate, anxiously peering inside.

Seeing a figure stagger out of the courtyard, she hurriedly went to greet her: "Miss? What's wrong?"

Shang Sheyu clutched his neck, gasping for breath, his whole body trembling violently. His face was even whiter than the snow beneath his feet. He grabbed Xi'er's hand, "Go, go quickly!"

Xi'er stumbled as she was dragged along, barely managing to regain her balance. Seeing Shang Sheyu's state, she panicked for no reason. Glancing at the shocking purplish-blue finger mark on the back of Shang Sheyu's neck, she was so frightened her legs went weak: "Miss! Your neck..."

Shang Sheyu fled in panic, unable to hear anything.

She could feel a gaze piercing through the layers of barriers behind that mottled vermilion door, fixed intently on her back.

The master and servant ran wildly through the snow, their feet sinking deep into the ground.

Inside the dark building, the door was ajar.

The man stood by the crack in the door, his gaze fixed intently on the slender figure fleeing further and further away from him as if her life depended on it.

He glanced down at his palm, his brows furrowing slightly.

It seems... I scared her.

West Garden.

Shang Sheyu slumped in the chair, his hands still trembling.

Touching the burning marks on her neck, she realized she had almost been strangled to death.

Who is that?

Were they detained in the East Garden?

Xi'er squatted down beside her mistress's legs. Seeing that her mistress's eyes were open but unfocused, and she looked as if she had been terrified, tears instantly streamed down her face. "Miss, what's wrong? What did you see? What happened to your neck... Don't scare Xi'er..."

"Stop crying." Shang Sheyu snapped out of his daze, reached out and wiped away Xi'er's tears, his eyes gradually becoming clear and cold: "Listen, what happened today must remain a secret, not a single word can be uttered."

If people find out that she had been to the East Garden, she and her maid will have no place in the Quan family.

Xi'er nodded, sobbing, "This servant knows, I'd rather die than tell, but your neck..."

Before he could finish speaking, a series of footsteps suddenly came from outside.

The two were startled.

Shang Sheyu quickly grabbed the collar of her cloak and pulled it up to cover the shocking pinch marks.

Immediately afterwards, the door was pushed open from the outside, and a cold wind carrying snowflakes rushed in.

Quan Huai'an crossed his arms, leaned against the door frame, one leg straddling him, and scanned the two still-shaken faces with his gaze: "Heh, why were you running away just now? Your faces are so pale, like you've seen a ghost."

He had just seen that wretched master and servant running all the way back from the east in the garden.

They must have been to Dongyuan!

Grandma gave a strict order: the East Garden was a forbidden area, and no one was allowed to go there.

Those who violate this rule will be punished according to family law and expelled from the Quan Mansion.

He finally caught the female merchant red-handed!

Although Xi'er was frightened, she instinctively stepped in front of Shang Sheyu and forced herself to remain calm, saying, "Young Master Huai'an, this is the Third Young Mistress's room. How could you barge in without announcing yourself? That's extremely rude."

Quan Huai'an glanced at Xi'er: "In this Quan Mansion, I am the rule."

As he spoke, his wicked and mischievous gaze swept past Xi'er and fixed on Shang Sheyu.

"I can go wherever I want, and I can go into whose room I want. You, an outsider, dare to talk to me about rules?"

These words were spoken in response to Xi'er, but they were directed at Shang Sheyu.

The implication is self-evident.

"As for you guys, you just... went to the East Garden, didn't you?"

Both of them were stunned. Xi'er's heart was in her throat, and Shang Sheyu's pupils contracted slightly.

They were fleeing for their lives and had no time to worry about being seen.

Unexpectedly, this troublemaker saw them.

Her hands, resting on her knees, gradually tightened, her face still bearing her usual calm smile: "What is Young Master Huai'an saying? I don't understand."

Quan Huai'an's lips curled into a wicked smile: "Don't understand? Fine, then I'll go tell Grandma. She'll definitely understand. You two better pack your things and get ready to leave!"

After saying that, he chuckled softly, his handsome seventeen-year-old face beaming with the excited light of a successful prank. He then gave Shang Sheyu and Xi'er a sinister look before turning and striding away.

Xi'er's legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground, clutching Shang Sheyu's skirt and crying, "Miss, what should we do? Young Master Huai'an will definitely go and complain, and if the Old Madam blames us..."

They're finished!

"Don't be afraid."

Shang Sheyu gently comforted her, and then asked Xi'er to take out the Suzhou embroidered cotton-padded jacket with a stand-up collar from the cabinet.

Xi'er wiped away her tears and got up: "Miss, why bother changing clothes now? Let's pack our things and run while there's still time!"

If they had been any slower, and the old lady had found out, they would have been trapped.

Upon hearing this, Shang Sheyu glanced at her and said, "Why are you running? This is the Quan Mansion. Do you think you can escape?"

Since we can't avoid it, we can only face it head-on.

Moreover, she bet that Huai'an had no idea what was hidden in the East Garden.

The young lady is right; they have no way to escape.

Xi'er raised her hand and hastily wiped away the tears on her face before moving to get her clothes.

Half an hour later.

main hall.

The atmosphere was slightly heavy. Si Nan sat upright in a rosewood chair, turning a string of tourmaline prayer beads in her hand, her face revealing neither joy nor anger.

Quan Huai'an stood behind his grandmother with a smug smile on his face, his eyes occasionally glancing towards the door, looking like he was waiting to see a good show.

The curtain was lifted.

Shang Sheyu led Xi'er in slowly.

She changed into a lake-blue stand-up collar cotton-padded jacket with a high neckline embroidered with delicate plum blossoms, which barely covered the scars on her neck.

"Daughter-in-law greets mother-in-law." She walked into the hall and curtsied respectfully.

Si Nan lifted his eyelids and looked her over. "Hmm, sit down."

I thanked the merchant and sat down at the lower seat.

Before he could even settle into his seat, Quan Huai'an couldn't help but jump out: "Grandma, don't let her sit! This woman broke the family rules by trespassing into the East Garden. You should kick her out!"

Si Nan frowned and gave Quan Huai'an a deep look.

Quan Huai'an choked, glared at Shang Sheyu, and then stood obediently to the side.

"Huai'an said you went to Dongyuan? Is that true?"

Shang Sheyu remained expressionless, her eyes showing no fluctuation. She turned her head slightly and looked at Quan Huai'an with a blank expression: "Young Master Huai'an, what you said makes no sense. I went to pay my respects to my mother-in-law early this morning and then returned to the West Garden. I have never been to the East Garden."

"You're lying!"

He had already guessed that the merchant's daughter would deny it. "I saw it with my own eyes. You and that dead maid ran back to the West Garden from the east."

Shang Sheyu sighed softly, as if looking at an unreasonable child.

"Young Master Huai'an should know the layout of the Quan Mansion better than I do. The West Garden is in the west, and the North Garden is in the north, separated by a garden and a covered walkway. I'm going back from my mother-in-law's place, and I'll be passing through the covered walkway on the east side anyway. Is there anything wrong with going back to the West Garden from that direction?"

"You..." Quan Huai'an's eyes widened.

This mansion is indeed large, with winding corridors.

The route from Beiyuan back to Xiyuan does indeed have a section that runs along the eastern side.

"Even if it was on your way, why did you run?" Quan Huai'an clung to the truth he had witnessed: "If you had nothing to hide, why would you run?"

She blinked, looking completely innocent.

"It's freezing outside, and I'm only dressed lightly. Is it a crime to walk faster to get back to my room and warm up?"

"Were you walking faster? You were clearly panicked, like you were running for your life!"

Quan Huai'an panicked and turned to Si Nan: "Grandma, don't listen to her excuses, she definitely went! I saw it clearly from the artificial hill just now..."

"Young Master Huai'an"

Shang Sheyu suddenly interrupted him.

"You said you saw me returning to the West Garden from the east. So, when you went to the West Garden, from which direction did you go?"

Quan Huai'an was taken aback, wondering why the woman was asking this. He instinctively replied, "Of course, you go through the east corridor!"