The Marquis doesn't support his beloved wife's ambitions, so I'll take the imperial e

She absolutely cannot admit defeat, otherwise, the road ahead will be much more difficult than she imagined.

So what if he's rebellious? Let's see how he treats himself in the end.

Details reveal character. Even if things come to a head, we'll fight to the death later. In any case, we can't let the other party have an easy time.

The business at Qingyun Pavilion is even more intoxicating than the strongest liquor in Yunyang County.

Jiang Zhenxue's move to raise prices did not scare away customers; instead, it was like pouring a spoonful of water into a pot of boiling oil, completely igniting the competitive spirit of the young masters of the prefecture.

If you deposit 100 taels today, I'll deposit 500 taels tomorrow. If you get a copy of the "Internal Reference for the Prefectural Examination" today, I'll ask Manager Jiang tomorrow if he has an even more valuable copy of the "Top Secret Prediction Questions for the Provincial Examination".

For a time, being able to enter the private room of Qingyun Pavilion and drink a cup of tea costing fifty taels of silver became a symbol of status.

"Xue'er, you're amazing!" Kang Mingyan exclaimed, his hands trembling as he held the account book. "At this rate, we'll be able to drive all the bookstores in Yunyang County out of business in less than six months!"

Jiang Zhenxue simply flipped through a newly arrived storybook without even lifting her eyelids.

She knew this was just the calm before the storm.

Today is the third day. It's the final deadline Xiao Qingyan gave her.

As night deepened, Qingyun Pavilion saw off its last guest. The staff tidied up the hall and dispersed.

Kang Mingyan looked at Jiang Zhenxue with concern: "Xue'er, why don't you... not stay here tonight, but go hide in my family's villa? I came here with you to study properly. My father bought me a very big courtyard. There will be someone to watch over you there, so nothing will happen."

"Hiding?" Jiang Zhenxue closed the book, looked up at him, a hint of sarcasm on her lips. "Can you hide from tonight, or from tomorrow? Mingyan, go back. This is none of your business."

"But……"

"Go back." Jiang Zhenxue's tone left no room for argument.

Kang Mingyan wanted to say something more, but in the end he just sighed dejectedly and walked away, looking back every few steps.

In an instant, the vast Qingyun Pavilion was left with only Jiang Zhenxue.

She didn't light a lamp, but sat alone behind the counter by the moonlight streaming in from the window, playing with the "Jiang Xue Man Ting" stone seal that Shen Yu had given her.

After an unknown amount of time, a dark figure appeared silently at the doorway.

The man made no sound, but the innate, aggressive sense of oppression was more unsettling than any sound.

"Looks like you haven't had enough fun yet."

Xiao Qingyan's voice, as cold as ice, echoed in the empty hall.

Jiang Zhenxue slowly raised her head, put the stone seal back into her sleeve, and showed no surprise on her face.

"Your Excellency, have you come to seize my shop, or to retract the ultimatum issued three days ago?" Her voice was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Xiao Qingyan walked in slowly, the moonlight outlining his slender silhouette behind him. He glanced around the extremely elegant Qingyun Pavilion, his gaze finally settling on her, his eyes full of mockery.

"You'd rather go against me just for this run-down shop?"

"A run-down shop?" Jiang Zhenxue laughed. "In the Marquis's eyes, this is a second-rate, run-down shop. But in my eyes, it is my livelihood, the foundation that allows me to stand firm and not be trampled on by others."

"Confidence?" Xiao Qingyan seemed to have heard a joke. He approached step by step, his imposing aura overwhelming. "Isn't all your confidence given by me? Without me, you'd still be begging in some corner right now!"

"So, I should be grateful to you, wag my tail, and obediently go back with you to continue being your pet?" Jiang Zhenxue stood up and confronted him, her aura no less imposing.

Xiao Qingyan's face darkened. He had already walked to the counter, only a step away from her.

"Jiang Zhenxue, stop testing my patience."

"Take another step forward," Jiang Zhenxue looked at him coldly, raised her hand, and gestured with her palm, "I wouldn't mind making the other side of the Marquis's face symmetrical as well."

The air froze in that instant.

Xiao Qingyan's pupils suddenly contracted, and he laughed, a laugh born of extreme anger.

"You're addicted to hitting me, aren't you?" He suddenly reached out and grabbed her slender neck, lifting her up completely. "It's my fault for spoiling you, for making you this lawless!"

A feeling of suffocation instantly overwhelmed Jiang Zhenxue, her face turning bright red. She struggled, trying to pry his iron-like hands off her.

However, the enormous power disparity between men and women rendered all her resistance futile.

Just when she thought she was really going to be strangled to death by this madman, she suddenly opened her mouth and bit down hard on his wrist that was choking her neck with all her might!

"hiss--"

Xiao Qingyan winced in pain and instinctively released his grip.

Jiang Zhenxue fell back to the ground, leaning against the counter, coughing violently and gasping for fresh air.

"Mind your own business!" She looked up, her eyes filled with pure hatred, a trace of blood from his wrist still clinging to the corner of her mouth, making her look like a vengeful demon. "I don't want to be with you right now!"

"If you insist on forcing me," she said, looking at the clear teeth marks on his wrist, her smile chilling, "then I'll die right in front of you!"

The word "death" was like a needle, precisely piercing a forbidden zone for Xiao Qingyan.

What he hates most is being threatened with death. Especially by her.

The rage in his eyes was gradually replaced by a deeper sinister intent. He slowly raised the hand she had bitten, wiping away the blood with his fingertips, his movements deliberate yet carrying an oppressive aura of impending doom.

"Are you really that keen on opening this shop?" he suddenly asked, his tone eerily calm.

Jiang Zhenxue looked at him warily: "Of course, this is my way of survival, don't even think about stopping me."

"Okay." Xiao Qingyan actually nodded. "I can leave it alone."

Jiang Zhenxue was taken aback, not understanding what he was up to.

"Transfer this shop to someone close to me." Xiao Qingyan looked at her and stated his conditions. "You can run it however you want. All the profits are yours."

"Then, you'll come back to Beijing with me."

"Let's pretend what happened before never happened." He stared into her eyes and said, word by word, "Otherwise, you should know my temper."

After hearing this, Jiang Zhenxue was first taken aback, and then burst into uncontrollable laughter.

She laughed so hard she almost fell over, and tears were welling up in her eyes.

"Xiao Qingyan, what's wrong with your temper? What's it to me?" She wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes, looking at him with eyes full of mockery and pity. "Do you think that everything in the world that you want must have your name engraved on it?"

"I escaped from one cage only to crawl into another cage you chose yourself? Do you think I look that stupid?"

Her words were like a knife, stripping away his pathetic desire for control, leaving it raw and bloody under the moonlight.

Xiao Qingyan's expression turned completely cold.

Just then—

"Stop! Who are you? Why are you being so aggressive!"

A furious shout broke the tense atmosphere between the two.

Kang Mingyan returned after leaving, still feeling uneasy. Unexpectedly, upon entering, he saw Jiang Zhenxue, her clothes slightly disheveled and her face pale, confronting a tall man. The man's aura clearly indicated that he was not a kind person.

Without a second thought, he rushed forward, shielding Jiang Zhenxue behind him like a mother hen protecting her chicks, glaring angrily at Xiao Qingyan.

"In broad daylight... no, in the middle of the night! Why did you break into a woman's shop in the dead of night and even lay hands on her! You... you are utterly shameless!"

Xiao Qingyan's gaze slowly shifted from Jiang Zhenxue to the face of this suddenly appearing, clueless scholar.

He didn't even raise an eyebrow, merely glancing at him indifferently, as if looking at a noisy ant.

Then, he looked at Jiang Zhenxue, a cold, meaningful smile curving his lips.

"Another one."

"Your 'good interpersonal relationships' have truly broadened my horizons."