Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

A sinister glint flashed in Yun Chongshan's eyes.

"That wretched girl... well, as long as she behaves herself and waits to be married, there's no need to push her too hard for now."

Aunt Feng pouted, snuggled into the man's arms, and said in a muffled voice, sounding aggrieved.

"Master, those two old women had their teeth broken, and now everyone in the manor looks down on me."

You must do me justice.

Yun Chongshan stroked her hair, the pleasure of the tenderness still lingering on his brow.

"Don't worry, with the master here, who would dare to look down on you?"

Aunt Feng knew that the Duke of Zhenguo had taken her words to heart, so she said nothing more and buried her face even deeper.

The next morning.

In the dining hall of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, the long table was filled with people on both sides.

Yun Chongshan sat upright in the main seat with a displeased expression, with his legal wife, Madam Qin, to his left.

She wore a plain, dark blue jacket, with only a white jade hairpin in her hair, and her eyes were lowered.

Five concubines sat in order on the right.

Aunt Feng, dressed in the most flamboyant attire, was using a silver skewer to pick up crystal dumplings from a plate, her eyes occasionally glancing towards the head of the table.

On either side of the long table, a dozen or so illegitimate sons and daughters sat properly.

The younger children ate their porridge by clinging to the rim of the bowl, while the older ones stood with their hands at their sides, even chewing very quietly.

Yun Chongshan didn't touch his bowl or chopsticks, staring at Qin Shi with a stern face.

"What a misfortune for our family."

His voice, however, was like ice, striking the silent room.

Upon hearing this, everyone stopped eating.

"Qin, the daughter you raised doesn't even understand basic manners!"

Moving to the outer residence already made them lawless, yet they dared to take private punishment against the people sent by the mansion.

Is this a provocation against the family rules of our noble family?

Qin's body stiffened, her fingers clenched the handkerchief tightly, and her fingertips turned white.

She kept her head down, her voice barely audible.

"It is...it is my fault for failing to properly educate her."

"It's more than just a matter of poor teaching!"

Yun Chongshan suddenly raised his voice, his gaze piercing like a knife.

"I don't think you know how to teach at all!"

Born into a merchant family and tainted by money, what sense would he have about rules and etiquette?

If it weren't for back then... humph!

He didn't finish his sentence, but his words carried undisguised contempt.

"Now look what's happened, we've raised a child who has no respect for elders and doesn't know his place."

If word gets out, you and your daughter will utterly disgrace my Zhenguo Duke's Mansion!

Yun Shuwen sat at the end of the long table, gently stirring the porridge in her bowl with a spoon.

Hearing his father's reprimand fall on his mother, he frowned almost imperceptibly, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes.

It's always like this, a merchant by birth! They insist on repeating it over and over in front of everyone.

It was as if he was tainted with the indelible stench of money, making him unable to hold his head high in front of his younger siblings.

Aunt Feng put down the silver token at the opportune moment and sighed.

"Please calm down, sir. Madam didn't mean it..."

However, the young lady's temperament definitely needs to be properly taught.

"So that if she marries into the Marquis's household in the future, people will laugh at our Duke's mansion for having no manners."

"Look!"

Yun Chongshan pointed at Aunt Feng.

"Even your concubine understands more than you! I truly regret marrying you as my legal wife!"

One harsh word after another came crashing down on me, like a poisoned knife.

Qin's shoulders trembled slightly, and stray hairs fell down her forehead, obscuring the expression in her eyes.

She tried to hold back, just like every time in the past thirty years, burying her head even lower and pretending she hadn't heard anything.

But for some reason, her daughter Yun Shuwei's words suddenly rang in her ears.

"Mother, it's easy to back down, but if you back down, you lose a bit of confidence and dignity."

"They look down on your background, but what aspect of this mansion's prestige isn't maintained by the Qin family's money?"

Those words were like sparks falling on tinder that had been piled up for thirty years, and they burst into flames with a "whoosh".

Yun Chongshan was still cursing.

"...If it weren't for the benevolence of our ruler, given your status as the daughter of a merchant..."

That's enough.

A very soft sound froze the clamor in the hall.

Qin slowly raised her head.

Her face was still pale, but her eyes, which were always filled with timidity, were now filled with only coldness.

She slowly stood up, her movements unhurried, yet carrying an unprecedented resolve.

The concubine's children on both sides of the long table were stunned, and even Aunt Feng was taken aback.

Qin said nothing, but slammed the bamboo chopsticks in her hand heavily onto the rim of the celadon bowl with a "smack".

The crisp sound sent a shiver down everyone's spine.

Qin silently turned around, her back ramrod straight, and walked out of the dining room step by step.

The dark blue skirt swept across the ground without lingering.

Zuo Shuwen's eyes were filled with astonishment, and she almost dropped the spoon.

Mother... how dare she throw down her chopsticks?

He stared blankly as the dark blue figure disappeared through the doorway, his heart pounding wildly.

For thirty years, my mother has not even dared to speak loudly, yet today she defied my father in front of the entire household.

He subconsciously turned his head to look at the head of the table, and met his father's eyes, which reflected a shock that even he himself did not realize.

Yun Shuwen's Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't dare to make a sound.

Yun Chongshan froze completely in his seat, his face still contorted with anger, his mouth half-open, as if he had been slapped hard across the face.

Thirty years have passed.

From the day she married Qin Shi, this woman was like a piece of soft dough that couldn't be broken.

Never fight back when hit, never talk back when insulted, always keep your head down, always be subservient.

He had never seen Qin look at him like that before, as if she were looking at a stranger.

"Sir!"

Aunt Feng was the first to react, her voice filled with panic.

"Madam...she actually dared to leave like that? You haven't even finished your reprimand! She clearly doesn't respect you at all!"

Yun Chongshan couldn't listen to anything at that moment.

His gaze was fixed on the direction Qin Shi had disappeared from the dining room entrance.

That dark blue figure, those cold eyes, pierced my heart like a needle, bringing a sudden, inexplicable panic.

The next morning.

Yun Shuyao's newly renovated grain shops have put up signs.

"Buy old rice at high prices, and get preferential treatment for large quantities."

The news spread quickly, and within half a day, seven or eight grain merchants came to the door.

"Boss Yun, your price is high, but where do you find so much old grain?"

A grain merchant with a goatee rubbed his hands together and laughed.

"New rice is in season, who would hoard old rice and take up space? It's easy for it to mold if not stored properly, and nobody wants to do a losing business."

Another short, stout grain merchant chimed in.

"Exactly, who can store several thousand bushels of old rice? Unless they have already found a way to sell it, they wouldn't dare to risk hoarding it."

Zhou Heng wrote down their names one by one behind the counter and politely saw them out.

After the last person left, he turned and walked into the back hall, addressing the two people behind the screen.

"Miss, Young Master, I've asked them both, and they both say they don't have a large quantity of old grain on hand."

Yun Shuyao held the teacup, her fingertips tracing a circle around the rim.

"Those who made the note of it have all been targeted by Prince Xiao's men."

Xiao Fang nodded.

"It's all arranged."

Over the next two days, several more grain merchants came to the grain shop.

Their explanations were all similar: old grain was difficult to store, and the quantity was small and the price was high; none of them could provide a large supply.

On the afternoon of the third day, a middle-aged man wearing a blue cloth gown walked into the grain shop.

He looks like an accountant, but he speaks with a confident air.

"I heard Guibao is buying old rice?"

Zhou Heng went to greet him.

"Indeed, may I ask how much stock you have, sir?"

"Not at the moment."

The middle-aged man sat down, took a sip of tea, and slowly said:

"I just sold a large batch of goods a few days ago, and now I'm broke."

"But if you really need it, give me half a month. I can have as much as you want, and the price is negotiable."

Behind the screen, Yun Shuyao paused, her hand holding the teacup still.

Just sold a large batch?

She looked up at Xiao Fang, meeting his gaze. A knowing look flashed in both of their eyes.