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

Bai Ruoshui held onto Shang Sheyu's hand tightly, refusing to let go.

"Good sister, come visit us often in the future. I don't like to deal with those shady people, but for you, the gates of this official residence are always open for you."

The "disorderly people" referred to here are naturally people like Shang Pengyue.

Shang Sheyu smiled and agreed, "Definitely."

When I came out of the mayor's residence, the snow had stopped.

The train carriage was quiet on the way back.

Shang Sheyu leaned against the car window, watching the night view flash by outside, feeling quite pleased.

Tonight's battle was brilliantly fought.

Not only did she humiliate Shang Pengyue and Shang Li, but she also successfully obtained the mayor and his wife as her trump card, which will be of great help to her business in the Northern Territory in the future.

It was already late at night when I returned to the Quan Mansion.

The lights were still on in the main hall.

Si Nan sat upright in the grand chair at the head of the table, holding Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, while Granny Yan stood by her side serving her.

Upon seeing the two enter, Si Nan opened her eyes, her gaze sharp and intense.

"You're back?"

Shang Sheyu stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Mother-in-law."

"I just overheard the servants gossiping, saying there was a huge mess at the banquet tonight? Someone actually fell flat on their face in public and completely lost face?"

Shang Sheyu smiled and said, "There was indeed a small accident."

"Oh?" Si Nan looked at her. "What happened?"

Shang Sheyu lowered her eyes, her tone calm and steady, without any embellishment, yet every word was piercing: "They are my eldest brother and fourth sister from my maternal family. They wanted to show off in front of the mayor, but their skills were lacking, and they stepped on each other's feet and fell together."

"At the time... it was indeed a bit indecent."

Upon hearing this, Si Nan paused for a moment, then her lips twitched involuntarily as if she had heard a joke.

"So it's your family from your parents' side."

Si Nan shook her head, looking helpless and disgusted.

"Forget it, those merchants are all the same. As long as you and Lao San aren't involved, it's fine."

She looked at Quan Tuo and Shang Sheyu and saw that the two were dressed neatly and looked frank. Shang Sheyu, in particular, remained calm and composed despite the embarrassing scandal of her family, without any shame or attempt to cover it up.

This demeanor is increasingly resembling that of the matriarch of the Quan family.

Thinking it over, the old lady turned to Yan Mama and instructed, "Give me the key to the storeroom."

Granny Yan smiled and responded, taking a heavy bunch of copper keys from her waist and handing them over with both hands.

Si Nan took the key, rubbed it in her palm a couple of times, and looked at Shang Sheyu, saying, "You've been married into the Quan family for so long, and I haven't really rewarded you with anything. You've worked hard tonight. Tomorrow morning, take this key to the storeroom and pick whatever you like. Consider it a reward from your mother-in-law."

Upon hearing this, Shang Sheyu's eyes, which had been calm as still water, lit up, as if two stars had fallen into them.

Although she had never been inside the Quan family's storeroom, she had heard Xi'er mention it before, saying that the Quan family's wealth accumulated over generations was stored there.

Antique calligraphy and paintings from previous dynasties, Western clocks, top-quality pearls from Southeast Asia, and crates and crates of small yellow croakers and silver dollars...

That was the place that Si Nan, the matriarch of the household, guarded most closely; normally, not even a fly could get in.

"Mother-in-law..."

Shang Sheyu blinked in disbelief, her eyes revealing a touch of girlish naiveté and an undisguised greed for money.

"Can I really choose anything?"

Quan Tuo was fiddling with a white jade thumb ring when he heard this, and he turned his head to look at her.

Seeing her eyes fixed on the key in Si Nan's hand, a very faint smile appeared on her lips.

He's usually very well-behaved, but turns out he's a little money-grubber.

Si Nan was amused by her straightforward reaction and nodded with a smile: "Of course it's true. As long as you can move it, take whatever you want. This old woman keeps her word."

Shang Sheyu's mind was racing with calculations.

These days, everything else is meaningless; only the money you hold in your hand is real.

Since there's an opportunity, I naturally won't turn down the money.

She subconsciously turned her head to glance at Quan Tuo.

After all, this belongs to the Quan family, and the rightful owner hasn't said anything yet.

Quan Tuo met her bright, sparkling eyes, raised an eyebrow, and said in a lazy tone with a hint of indulgence, "Since Mother has spoken, go and choose. If you can't carry it, have someone help you."

With these words, Shang Sheyu's last bit of concern disappeared.

She stood up, took the bunch of keys with both hands, and bowed respectfully, her voice clear and melodious: "Daughter-in-law thanks mother-in-law and third master."

Seeing her overjoyed expression, Si Nan and Granny Yan exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

...

the other side.

A black Packard sped through the snowy streets, the atmosphere inside the car extremely oppressive.

Shang Li ripped off the tight tie around his neck, leaned back in his chair with a livid face, and muttered under his breath, "Damn it, so damn bad, I've completely lost face tonight."

Shang Pengyue sat to the side, clutching the crumpled handkerchief tightly in her hand, her eyes fixed on the receding street scene outside the window with a sinister look.

Hearing Shang Li's complaints, her anger flared up uncontrollably.

"Brother, how dare you say that?"

Shang Pengyue turned her head, her voice sharp: "At the banquet just now, I asked you to talk to Mr. Charlie, why did you act like a mute? And dancing, weren't you the best dancer before? How come you can't even take a basic step and you even stepped on my foot."

If it weren't for Shang Li's clumsy kick, how could she have fallen so badly and become the laughing stock of the whole place?

Shang Li was taken aback by her shout, and then became even more furious.

"Shang Pengyue, what's wrong with you?" Shang Li stared wide-eyed, looking completely bewildered.

"What do you mean I used to be best at? We studied together at the Medical Academy since we were little. The teachers taught us the Four Books and Five Classics. When did they ever teach us foreign languages ​​or dancing? That was my first time as a young woman getting married. You're trying to push me into a fire pit."

Shang Pengyue choked and froze.

"Then you can't..." She bit her lip, wanting to argue, but found herself speechless.

"What can't I do?" Shang Li was furious and started to speak recklessly: "You still have the nerve to blame me? Look at your reputation now. Didn't you see the way those people looked at you at the banquet? Like they were looking at a rat in a gutter."

"I didn't want to go in the first place. You said you would definitely win the mayor's favor, so I went. And what happened? Not only did I not get to know anyone, but you also insisted on dragging me to dance, making me embarrass myself along with you."

Shang Li grew angrier as he spoke, glancing sideways at Shang Pengyue: "Now everyone's saying that you were defiled by a beggar on your wedding day, that your body is already filthy, and that everyone's calling you a slut behind your back. And yet you still insist on going to those high-class banquets. Do you think the Shang family hasn't lost enough face already?"