I just got divorced, and this cold, ruthless, and powerful minister is begging for a third child eve

Sword Shadow scratched the back of his head.

"Sir, one man is enough to seize a woman!"

With a loud thud, a book was thrown at him.

"go out!"

Jianying awkwardly turned around, holding the book. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the little trinket his master was playing with seemed to be a small piece of white jade, round and smooth like a water droplet, with an exquisite hook.

He frowned. Was this another new hidden weapon made by his master? He hadn't seen his master tinker with the previous hidden weapons for this long.

He stepped out of the house and quietly closed the door...

Early the next morning.

Not long after Gu Mingshuang got up, Song Linyuan arrived.

"Ming Shuang!"

Song Linyuan's voice made Lingxiang's face turn pale. Thinking of how her mistress had locked the young master out last night, she subconsciously tugged at her mistress's sleeve.

Gu Mingshuang looked at Lingxiang reassuringly.

"I have a few words to say to the Crown Prince."

Lingxiang bit her lip and shook her head, unwilling to let go of her hand.

Gu Mingshuang's gaze was calm as she slowly spoke:

"It's okay, you go and pack your things first."

Hearing her young mistress's words, Lingxiang reluctantly stepped aside.

Song Linyuan walked closer and saw that Gu Mingshuang had changed into a smoky blue long dress.

Her long hair was tied into a round bun with a jade hairpin, yet it exuded a noble and radiant beauty.

With such poise, at first glance she is no longer the bustling shopkeeper she once was, but a graceful noblewoman raised in a wealthy and noble family.

Unfortunately, this is just a facade, all show and no substance.

She actually went so far as to force me to stop taking my medication! This morning my mother stopped taking her medication and is now suffering from such a severe headache that she can't even get out of bed!

Song Linyuan frowned and said:

"You're still sulking over not being included in the family genealogy? You even stopped Mother's medication this morning? Are you trying to force me by threatening Mother's safety?"

Gu Mingshuang's eyes were calm as water, yet they revealed a cold and distant attitude.

"I never acted out of spite, and stopping the medication was simply a reasonable arrangement."

Song Linyuan frowned, his chest heaving.

"Look at yourself now, how have you changed in just six months?"

Gu Mingshuang looked at Song Linyuan in front of her without saying a word, only finding it laughable.

If she has changed, then Song Linyuan is completely unrecognizable!

Seeing that she didn't speak, Song Linyuan's expression darkened even more. He could tolerate her becoming scheming and temperamental like those high-society ladies, but he had his own principles and integrity.

"You know Mother is frail, yet you still subject her to such torment? You're causing her old ailments to flare up; how can you be so heartless?"

Gu Mingshuang raised her eyes sarcastically.

"My mother said publicly in the ancestral hall that her recovery was thanks to my cousin, and that all my medicine was a waste of time. Now that I've stopped this useless medicine, how am I being heartless?"

Song Linyuan frowned, and finally coaxed in a low voice:

"I know that the matter at the ancestral hall wronged you, Mingshuang. I will make it up to you, but please, for my sake, buy back Mother's."

Gu Mingshuang looked away.

"I'm afraid it's too late. I've already used the money for the medicine to buy an apology gift for Duke Anguo."

Song Linyuan frowned.

"How could you include the cost of the medicine in that?"

Gu Mingshuang spoke calmly:

"This matter concerns the Crown Prince's future, and I dare not delay. But which of those rare treasures and precious medicinal herbs doesn't cost a fortune? I've already invested all the silver I have left."

Song Linyuan hadn't expected that she did this for him, and he was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

Although eager, there was also a hint of joy.

She still cares about him.

However, this joy was quickly replaced by sorrow.

"What about Mother's medicine? There's not much money left in the public account, and we still have to maintain the household expenses, as well as my and Ayu's study abroad expenses."

"Mother's medicine and doctor's fees next month will require at least eight hundred taels of silver. Mingshuang, do you have any ideas? Or perhaps we could pawn some of her jewelry temporarily?"

Gu Mingshuang never expected Song Linyuan to say those words. In an instant, a chill and humiliation she had never felt before surged into her heart.

Although she was saddened by the others in the Marquis's mansion looking down on her and scheming against her, she would not be heartbroken to this extent.

She and Song Linyuan have known each other for ten years!

Gu Mingshuang calmed her turbulent emotions and looked up at the man in front of her with a calm expression.

"Your Highness, I am willing to donate my jewelry to help the Marquis's mansion overcome this difficult time."

Song Linyuan breathed a sigh of relief, but the next moment he heard Gu Mingshuang frown and say:

"But most of these valuable jewelry pieces are with my eldest sister. I only have some worthless items that can't be exchanged for that much silver."

Song Linyuan thought of the huge inheritance he had received back then, and then looked at Gu Mingshuang now, who had even handed over those valuable jewelry pieces to his family.

A pang of guilt rose in his heart, and he no longer had the nerve to ask her to go and ask for it. He frowned and said:

"Okay, I'll talk to my older sister about this."

Just as he was about to turn and leave, his peripheral vision caught sight of several boxes in the middle of the yard.

His eyes narrowed, and he walked over to open the box.

"What are these?"

Gu Mingshuang stopped him.

"I just moved in and am just unpacking some useless stuff."

Song Linyuan breathed a sigh of relief, realizing she had overthought things. She had gone to great lengths to get in the door, so how could she possibly be packing her bags to leave?

So he said gently:

"Okay, then I'll go find my elder sister first."

Watching Song Linyuan stride away, Gu Mingshuang vigorously wiped her sleeves, as if the sleeves he had touched had also become dirty.

Lingxiang, suppressing her sobs, ran back to her master's side.

"The Crown Prince and you were childhood sweethearts, yet now he's just like them, scheming against you at every turn!"

"You spent so much effort and money renovating the Marquis's mansion so that he could live comfortably. Has he forgotten all that?"

"Human hearts are fickle, that's just the way it is..." Gu Mingshuang said with a sneer, raising her eyes calmly.

"Let's go to Shou'an Hall."

When Gu Mingshuang arrived at Shou'an Hall.

Song Lanfang lay on her side on the couch, pointing at Song Linyuan and cursing for a long time.

Song Linyuan frowned and said:

"Elder sister, the Marquis's mansion is in trouble now, and Mother has fallen ill. Mingshuang has already given all her money to help the mansion. Are you not even willing to give up this little bit of jewelry?"

He was too embarrassed to mention that the jewelry didn't actually belong to his eldest sister.

Song Lanfang said with a livid face:

"These pieces of jewelry represent my status in my husband's family, and these jade pieces are for my mother-in-law's birthday!"

Song Linyuan frowned even more deeply.

"Are these vanities and a desire for prestige more important than my mother's medicine money?"

Gu Mingshuang stepped across the threshold and said very considerately:

"Young Master, if Eldest Sister is unwilling, then let it be. I just went to the accounting office and asked. The Marquis's mansion has a piece of land in the suburbs. If we sell this land, we will have enough money for Mother's medicine for several months."

Song Lanfang immediately said:

"Land in the suburbs? Never even heard of it. It's probably not worth much. We might as well sell it to buy medicine for my mother."

Immediately, Song Linyuan's face darkened.

"No! That piece of land must not be touched!"

He had already learned from his mother that the land in the suburbs was ancestral property, to be passed down only to the heir of the Marquis's mansion.

Moreover, he was the only legitimate son in the Marquis's mansion, and all the other fields, shops, and estates belonged to him alone.

After a pause, Song Linyuan said:

"Eldest sister, how could you be so selfish? To sell off the ancestral property of the Marquis's mansion for some empty fame?"

Song Lanfang's face stiffened.

"A hollow reputation? How much dowry did the Marquis's family give me when I married into the Earl's mansion? If it weren't for Mingshuang's embellishment, would I have had any face left after marrying in like that?"

"For the past six months, I've had to manage everything at the Earl's mansion. My dowry money is long gone. Without these jewelry pieces to maintain appearances, I'm not even as good as a concubine!"

Song Linyuan frowned and said:

"Didn't my elder sister just say last time that money is useless to women in the inner quarters, especially the principal wife? Does that mean it applies to Mingshuang, but not to my elder sister?"

Before Song Lanyu could say anything more, Meng Shi's weak yet resolute words came from behind.

"Alright, let's do it Yuan'er's way."

"Fang'er, take out those jewels first. Once the Marquis's mansion overcomes this crisis, and your brother rises to prominence, will anyone dare to look down on you then?"

Song Lanfang's face turned pale, and she gritted her teeth and said:

"Why should I pay for this?"

Gu Mingshuang, standing to the side, sneered inwardly.

Yes, she also wanted to ask why.

A selfish person will only feel pain when the knife is stuck in their own flesh.

She slowly began to persuade her:

"Elder sister, Mother and the Prince are right. Although you are a married woman, you still have to rely on your maternal family, don't you?"

"It's understandable that you're eager to please Madam Liang, but how can Madam Liang treat you with the same sincerity as your own family?"

Meng frowned and said:

"Yes, Fang'er, you've taken quite a few things from the Marquis's mansion to your husband's family in the past six months. That's really gone too far. Your younger brother is the one you should be supporting with all your might!"

"Furthermore, you mustn't be foolish or do anything stupid. You must understand that if Madam Liang knew you were giving so much money to her family, she wouldn't value you anymore; she would only despise you as her daughter-in-law even more!"

After saying this, Meng glanced at Gu Mingshuang's ambiguous face and felt extremely embarrassed.

The way she said it made it seem like she was insulting herself as well!

Just then, Song Lanfang's face darkened, and she suddenly turned and pointed at Gu Mingshuang.

"Is it wrong for me to subsidize my in-laws? Then why do you allow her to subsidize the Marquis's mansion in every way? And praise her for being generous, while I'm the one who's confused and stupid?"

Madam Meng clutched her chest in anger and said sternly:

"Fang'er! You! Look at you! Where is the demeanor of a proper wife and first wife?"

Song Linyuan, supporting Meng Shi, also blushed.

"Eldest sister! Do you have to make such a scene?"

The argument escalated until Meng snatched the jewelry and handed it to Gu Mingshuang. The three of them argued even more heatedly.

Gu Mingshuang held the jewelry box and sat down to drink tea.

Suddenly, Madam Meng turned to look at Gu Mingshuang, whose expression remained calm. After a pause, as if she had come to her senses, she said sternly:

"Was it you who stirred things up? You deliberately stopped the medication and sowed discord between Yuan'er and Fang'er, causing unrest in the family!"

Immediately, Song Linyuan realized that Gu Mingshuang was indeed the one who had caused this dispute, and given her mindset, she was truly capable of doing it!

He looked over with a stern expression.

"Mingshuang! We are family! How could you be so vicious?"

Song Lanfang gritted her teeth and cursed:

"You actually used your mother's life to scheme against me! How unfilial! Do you have even a shred of conscience?!"

Gu Mingshuang slowly put down her teacup.

"Not being able to pay for medicine makes you unfilial? Then what's the difference between the Crown Prince, my elder sister, and me?"

"If it weren't for your extravagant lifestyles, how could the Marquis's mansion be in such dire straits? If I were malicious, what are you then?"

Song Linyuan's face turned bright red.

"Mingshuang! How can you say that? We're family!"

Gu Mingshuang chuckled softly.

"Being a family member of yours requires spending money and effort, and you also have to bear the stigma of being unfilial and unvirtuous. Being a family member like that is too tiring."

Meng's face stiffened, and she said in a deep voice:

"Gu Shi! How dare you speak to your own husband like that? All you're asking for is some money!"

"As the future mistress of the Marquis's mansion, you should share the mansion's honor and disgrace. If you want to be the principal wife, you cannot be selfish!"

Gu Mingshuang curled her lips in a sarcastic smile.

"Yes, I'm willing to pawn my jewelry to pay for my mother's medicine, but my mother's good daughter won't even give me her jewelry."

"Mother should go out and borrow money as soon as possible to save her life first."

Meng was furious, but she couldn't say a word while pointing at Gu Mingshuang. Finally, she clutched her chest and leaned on Song Linyuan's shoulder, unable to speak.

Song Linyuan said urgently:

"How could you upset your mother like this! What kind of upbringing is this? Filial piety should come first! Apologize to your mother right now!"

Gu Mingshuang turned to look at Song Lanfang.

"Your Highness is foolish. Mother is angry that your elder sister is selfish and refuses to save Mother's life."

When Song Lanfang saw that Madam Meng's face was deathly pale, she was terrified and had no choice but to send two old women to the Earl's mansion to fetch other jewelry.

Upon receiving the jewelry, Gu Mingshuang immediately stood up.

"My mother's illness cannot be delayed. I'll pawn my jewelry now to buy medicine for her."

She heard Song Lanfang's furious voice behind her.

"You must help me find a way to give my mother-in-law a birthday gift! Otherwise, I won't give up!"