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

Then the door opened.

Xi'er peeked in, and seeing that no one else was there, she closed the door tightly and walked over.

With a smile on her face, the little girl magically pulled a copper key from her sleeve and slipped it into Shang Sheyu's hand.

"Miss, look what this is."

Shang Sheyu gripped the heavy brass key, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Where did this come from?"

"It was just delivered by Granny Yan, who serves the old lady."

Xi'er lowered her voice: "They said your dowry has already been moved into the small storeroom in the west. This key is for the storeroom. The old lady said that from now on, you can keep control of this storeroom and do whatever you want with it without having to go through the public accounts."

As he stroked the patterns on the key, Shang Sheyu's lips curled into a slight smile.

The mother-in-law appreciated her kindness.

When toasting earlier, she replaced Si Nan's aged Shaoxing wine with red date tea. She noticed that Si Nan had a strong medicinal oil smell on her body, indicating that her left leg was injured in battle.

Shaoxing wine is cold in nature and is not good for treating old ailments.

Exchanging wine in public shows genuine concern.

This key was Si Nan's return gift.

Shang Sheyu placed the key into the dressing box beside her, and Xi'er asked nervously, "Will the young master come again tonight?"

She glanced at the ornately carved bed covered with a bright red quilt draped with mandarin ducks, and said firmly, "They won't be coming."

Even though she had been Mrs. Chi for five years in her previous life, she still harbored a resistance to this kind of thing.

Moreover, the rumored Third Master Quan is a ruthless madman who kills without blinking an eye. If they were to face each other tonight, she hadn't figured out how to deal with it.

It's better if they don't come.

"Wake me up early tomorrow; I need to get up early to pay my respects to my mother-in-law."

Shang Sheyu gave the instructions.

Xi'er responded and left, carrying the wedding dress she had changed out of.

Shang Sheyu simply washed herself with warm water and changed into the cotton pajamas she had brought.

He blew out the kerosene lamp by the bedside, lifted the covers, and crawled inside.

There was an unfamiliar, cold scent emanating from the bedding; it wasn't unpleasant, but it was extremely aggressive.

She turned over, forcing herself not to think about the owner of the bed, closed her eyes, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

The night was deep and the dew was heavy.

In a daze, Shang Sheyu always felt that there was a pair of eyes watching him in the darkness.

She just treated it as a dream.

The next morning.

As dawn broke, Shang Sheyu got up.

According to custom, on the first day after a bride enters the family, she must serve morning tea to her elders.

She chose a pale white cheongsam with wide sleeves, styled her hair in a traditional Chinese updo, and adorned it with a plain silver hairpin, looking neat and tidy.

Upon entering the main hall, one sees Si Nan sitting upright in the main seat, holding Buddhist prayer beads and resting with her eyes closed.

Besides the Third Master Quan, the Quan family also includes two sons from the first branch of the family and a young lady from the second branch.

These three younger relatives are at the age where they are completely out of control. Their collective disappearance today is clearly an attempt to give their new aunt a hard time.

In her past life, she had also heard Shang Pengyue complain that the three younger members of the Quan family had terrible tempers.

She wasn't annoyed. She took a few steps forward and knelt properly on the prayer mat.

"The daughter-in-law greets her mother-in-law."

Si Nan opened his eyes and looked her over, satisfied with her simple attire. He took the tea and sipped it, saying, "You may all leave."

The maids and servants withdrew, and Xi'er glanced at them worriedly. Only after seeing Shang Sheyu nod did she leave.

The door closed, and Si Nan turned the prayer beads.

Do you know why I agreed to this marriage?

Shang Sheyu lowered her eyes: "My daughter-in-law doesn't know."

"The merchant family looks down on you. Your father is scheming and greedy, and I look down on him too. If you weren't the third son, the merchant's daughter wouldn't be able to enter the Quan family mansion."

Si Nan slowly said, "Half a year ago, a wandering monk told the third brother's fortune, saying that he had committed many killings and would face a death calamity this year. The only way to resolve this was to marry a merchant's daughter to bring good luck and to rely on the family's generations of good deeds in medicine."

A slight stirring ran through my heart.

In both her lifetimes, she couldn't understand why the warlord Quan family would propose marriage to the Shang family.

Originally intended to ward off disaster.

"Once she's married into the family, it doesn't matter if she's the third or fourth son, as long as she's a merchant's daughter."

Si Nan leaned forward, her eyes sharp: "But there's one thing I need to clarify. I heard your birth mother's death was suspicious; you sent her to her death with a bowl of poisoned porridge. What do you have to say about that?"

Shang Sheyu remained calm.

"Mother-in-law, even tigers don't eat their cubs, and lambs know to kneel to suckle."

"A month ago, my mother did die from poisoning after drinking porridge. Who handled the porridge, who tampered with it in the kitchen, and why my father rushed to suppress the news of his death are all questions that my daughter-in-law has not yet investigated."

Si Nan stared at her for a long time, his sharp gaze gradually softening.

The woman's eyes were clear and her reasoning was sound; she did not seem like a malicious person.

Get up.

Shang Sheyu stood up and stood firmly.

"The third brother is busy with military affairs and probably won't be able to come back for the next few days." Si Nan's tone softened slightly, with an apology: "It's the Quan family's fault for leaving you alone in your room on your wedding night."

"Third Master is concerned with the safety of the northern border and naturally prioritizes military affairs." Shang Sheyu bowed respectfully and said, "Now that your daughter-in-law has married into the Quan family, she knows what is important and will not feel wronged."

A look of satisfaction flashed in Si Nan's eyes.

"Go to the ancestral hall at the back and pay your respects. Now that you've entered the family, you should see the ancestors of the Quan family."

"Yes."

The Quan family ancestral hall is located in the bamboo grove in the backyard, with blue bricks and black tiles, solemn and dignified.

As you push open the door, a strong sandalwood scent hits you, and your eyes are immediately drawn to the densely packed memorial tablets.

From the great generals of the Qing Dynasty to the young master who died in battle a few years ago, behind every name lies a story of blood and tears.

Shang Sheyu knelt on the prayer mat, kowtowed three times, and then walked to the long table to the side.

On the table were writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, used for copying scriptures.

She rolled up her sleeves, ground the ink, and picked up her brush to write.

Xi'er asked softly, "Miss, what are you doing?"

Copying scriptures.

"This copy of the Ksitigarbha Sutra was made on behalf of the ancestors of the Quan family. May the deceased rest in peace."

After finishing one sheet, a new sheet is laid out.

"And this one?"

"Give this copy of the Diamond Sutra to Third Master. The sutra can eliminate karmic obstacles and ensure his peace and well-being."

Outside the ancestral hall, at the corner of the corridor.

Si Nan held onto Granny Yan's hand and listened quietly to the conversation inside.

The early spring wind is cold, and the bamboo leaves rustle.

"She's thoughtful."

The sternness in Si Nan's eyes and brows dissipated considerably.

"The third son is cold-hearted and doesn't know how to feel warmth, plus that illness... I was worried that the merchant's daughter wouldn't be able to handle it, but now it seems she knows how to feel warmth and cold."

Granny Yan nodded: "The Third Young Mistress is composed and does not seem like a frivolous person."

Si Nan remained silent for a moment, recalling Shang Sheyu's actions when toasting last night, and asked in a low voice, "How old is the Third Young Mistress?"

Seventeen years old.

She was only seventeen, in the prime of her youth.

"Go to my room and bring me the sandalwood box."

Upon hearing this, Granny Yan was taken aback, and her expression changed slightly.

"Madam, the jade bracelet in that box was part of your dowry from the Grand Madam; it is very valuable."

"Go get it."

Si Nan's gaze fell on the door of the ancestral hall.

The business owner is a heartless person, treating his daughter like a pawn and manipulating her, even smearing his own mother's death.

This child probably didn't have many comfortable days at her parents' home.

Now that she's entered the Quan family, as long as she behaves herself and is sincere towards the third son, she will protect him.

Seeing that the old lady had made up her mind, Granny Yan said no more and quickly went to fetch it.

The day of returning to one's parents' home.

The old black Ford was parked steadily in front of the store.

As soon as Shang Sheyu got out of the car, before he even stepped across the threshold, he heard a heart-wrenching wail coming from the west wing.

"I don't want to live anymore, just let me die!"