Young widow in her boudoir

Shou'an Hall.

Madam Shen, who was about to take a nap, was awakened by the commotion outside.

Granny Rong helped her out of the east wing. The scarlet embroidered curtain was lifted, and the old lady, wearing a bat-shaped green gemstone headband and dressed in brocade, sat in a round-backed chair. "Why is it so noisy outside?"

During this time, a maid came to serve her tea.

Buddha's Hand Longevity Drink, a health-preserving beverage, was a special gift from Second Master Pei Zhiheng to her; it was an ancient formula from the previous dynasty's inner court.

Granny Rong stepped forward and bowed, replying, "Old Madam, the First Madam has sent the Second Madam's men to escort you here. They say you secretly sold your dowry to subsidize your brother's family."

The room was deathly silent.

After a long silence, the old lady finally asked, "Has it been confirmed?"

Rong Mama lowered her head. "According to what the servants on the Second Madam's side said, there are witnesses and physical evidence, and the pawnshop also has accounts to look for."

Upon hearing this, the old lady slammed down her teacup and snorted coldly, "You, Xie Rutang!"

"I was wondering why she hadn't made a move after coming to me to plead for her last time. Turns out she was waiting for me here!"

Even Rong Mama, who greatly admired Xie Rutang, dared not engage in the conversation, much less say a few good words for her.

If the bride's family encounters difficulties, it is an unspoken understanding within the household that they might secretly sell one or two pieces of her dowry to provide some assistance. Ultimately, the dowry is a woman's private property, and it is perfectly reasonable for her to make her own decisions about it.

But once this matter is brought to the forefront and her in-laws seize upon it, this woman's reputation will be completely ruined. From then on, Xie Rutang's life in the Shen family will only become more and more difficult, and she will be manipulated at every turn.

The old lady was furious. "Go! Bring that wretched woman here!"

Having just recovered from an illness, Xie Rutang looked even worse when she entered. She knelt directly on the gold-embroidered carpet, her frail body swaying precariously as she endured her discomfort. Even so, her face still radiant. "Mother, your daughter-in-law has come to apologize."

As soon as she arrived, a teacup was thrown at her forehead, nearly hitting her. Xie Rutang's hand was splashed with scalding tea, quickly becoming red and swollen, followed by several blisters, causing her to gasp in pain.

But Xie Rutang didn't dare to utter a single word.

"How dare you come here!"

The old lady's face was ashen with grief and indignation. She spoke again of her short-lived son, her voice trembling, "I shouldn't have agreed to let Yuan Cheng marry you, you jinx, you money-losing good-for-nothing! What noble family's daughter-in-law would dare to secretly pawn her dowry and do something so scandalous! You, a chaste woman, haven't been provided for enough by the Shen family with fine clothes and sumptuous meals?!"

Xie Rutang's lips curled into a bitter smile as she slowly lowered her eyes. "Your daughter-in-law was simply desperate and had no other choice..."

To everyone's surprise, her explanation only added fuel to the fire, making the old lady's chest heave with anger. Rong Mama hurriedly stepped forward to pat her back and soothe her.

The old lady threw another teacup at Xie Rutang, who closed her eyes and silently endured her mother-in-law's raging fury.

"So, you're blaming me? Blaming me for being heartless and cruel as your mother-in-law, for watching your brother suffer without offering a helping hand!"

The old lady, her face flushed with anger, slammed her hand on the rosewood table, her eyes icy cold, and demanded in a deep voice, "Let me guess again, have you been spreading rumors everywhere, speaking ill of me, your mother-in-law, telling everyone that I deliberately mistreated you?"

Xie Rutang lowered her head, "Your daughter-in-law wouldn't dare."

"I wouldn't dare! You secretly sold off your dowry just to let everyone know that our Shen family mistreated you, our daughter-in-law!!"

Xie Rutang felt cold all over and was powerless to refute.

She smiled bitterly to herself. The old lady was already unhappy that Shen Yuan had married her, and now one accusation after another was being leveled against her. No matter how she tried to explain, the old lady was only willing to believe what she had seen with her own eyes.

Xie Rutang froze. She knelt on the ground, her body exuding a gentle aura. "I dare not harbor any resentment towards my mother-in-law. However, my brother is imprisoned and his life hangs in the balance. As his brother and daughter-in-law, I cannot stand idly by. That is why I had the idea of ​​pawning my dowry."

"But my daughter-in-law only pawned three pieces of her dowry jewelry for emergency use, so how could she disregard the reputation of the Shen family? My daughter-in-law and Yuanlang are deeply in love, and she has long vowed to remain chaste for him for the rest of her life, guarding his memorial tablet and never leaving him..."

A faint trace of sorrow lingered in Xie Rutang's eyes, her slender body trembling pitifully beneath her loose, plain robe. "The missing jade bracelet bearing the auspicious symbols of fortune, prosperity, and longevity was not stolen by your daughter-in-law. I beg you, Mother-in-law, to investigate thoroughly!"

She kowtowed to the old lady again and again until her forehead was red and bleeding. Rong Mama, watching from the side, couldn't bear to see her like this.

She looked at the old lady: "Why don't we help the young mistress up first, so she can stand up and speak..."

The old lady glared at her, and Rong Mama was so frightened that she stopped talking.

The old lady gently stroked the armrest of the chair: "Wanyu has already sent someone to summon the manager of Chengyu Pawnshop to the mansion. The pair of purple jade mandarin duck pendants and the red gold filigree jade butterfly bracelet that were lost in the mansion were all pawned by your maid Jinyue. It is clearly recorded in the pawnshop's ledger."

"Even now, you still want to deny it? Dare to say you didn't secretly take items from the household to help your family?"

Xie Rutang collapsed to the ground.

She vaguely understood that Jin Yue had been followed and used when she left the manor last time.

Just then, the sound of tinkling jade pendants came from outside the hall. Ye Wanyu walked gracefully into the room, her head adorned with pearls and jade, exuding an air of elegance and poise, like the mistress of the house.

Upon entering, Ye Wanyu glanced at Xie Rutang on the ground with a gloating expression. She didn't even address her as "sister-in-law," but instead curtsied to the old lady before urgently saying, "Mother, your daughter-in-law has something important to report!"

Xie Rutang's face was ashen, and the blisters on the back of her hand were still throbbing.

Ye Wanyu waved her sleeve lightly, and Tao Lu presented the men's outer robe embroidered with cloud patterns on a sandalwood tray.

The old lady was scolding her for coming to watch the commotion.

But Ye Wanyu, with a languid and seductive gaze, drawled, "Mother-in-law, you may not know this, but your daughter-in-law has come specifically to report a sordid affair in the household. While my sister-in-law was observing mourning for her brother-in-law, she actually cheated on him!"

"This garment is the adulterer's filthy possession!"