The next day, after breakfast, Shen Wan took Yinshuang back to the Pingyang Marquis's residence.

The carriage stopped, and the gatekeeper eagerly helped to move a footstool. Yinshuang got off the carriage first, and then helped Chenwan down.

As soon as Shen Wan entered the second gate, she saw Shen Wei running towards her from afar. Upon seeing her, Shen Wei smiled brightly and waved repeatedly, "Big sister..."

As she approached, Shen Wan chuckled and said, "Why are you running so fast? Aren't you afraid of falling?"

Shen Wei affectionately took Shen Wan's arm, "I was thinking of going to the Ling Prince's Mansion to find my eldest sister, but I didn't expect her to come back first."

Shen Wan smiled and said, "Since my fourth uncle has been promoted, I will definitely come back to congratulate him."

Shen Wei said, "It should be my father who goes to thank Prince Ling."

Shen Wei's face was beaming with smiles, and she felt an indescribable gratitude towards Shen Wan. Her elder sister had saved her from disfigurement, helped her get engaged to the heir of the Duke of Wei, and even stood up for her. She had even informed the four branches of the family about the division of the family beforehand. Now, she had even helped her father get promoted. Getting promoted one rank was already difficult enough, but she never expected to get promoted two ranks at once. It was like a dream.

Shen Wan smiled and said, "Your fourth uncle is now a fourth-rank official, and you're engaged to the heir of the Duke of Wei. You can't let anyone bully you anymore."

Shen Wei nodded repeatedly.

The two walked towards Qinghui Courtyard. Shen Wei whispered, "Prince Ling recommended my father to the Emperor, but my second uncle failed. The old lady is very unhappy..."

Shen Wan could guess that the old lady was unhappy, but she didn't know that the old lady had been disappointed yesterday.

Prince Jin helped the Second Master secure the position of Director of the Arsenal. Of course, Prince Jin was also helping the Second Master for his own sake. The Old Madam was certain that Prince Jin would be made Crown Prince sooner or later. With Prince Jin's unwavering support for the Second Master, the position of Director of the Arsenal was surely within the Second Master's grasp.

In the Marquis's mansion, it wasn't just the old lady who thought this way; everyone thought this way, including the fourth branch of the family.

A servant from the palace came to the Marquis's residence to deliver good news, saying that the Emperor had appointed the master of the household as the Director of the Arsenal. He did not specify which master, but the servants of the Marquis's residence assumed it was the Second Master. They couldn't wait to report this good news to the Old Madam. The Old Madam was overjoyed and rewarded everyone in the Marquis's residence with two months' wages.

After the rewards were distributed, the Ministry of Personnel's appointment letter arrived. The Second Master rushed to receive the letter, only to find that it was not for him, but for the Fourth Master.

The Fourth Master was also present at the time, and he was completely dumbfounded.

The Fourth Master suspected that the Ministry of Personnel had made a mistake; how could it possibly have been given to him?

The third master said, "Is there any mistake?"

The Vice Minister of Personnel laughed and said, "This is no small matter; how could we possibly make a mistake?"

The second master's face turned slightly pale. "I wonder who recommended my fourth master of the Pingyang Marquis's mansion?"

The Vice Minister of Personnel did not hide anything and truthfully replied, "It was recommended by Prince Ling."

Then, he congratulated the Fourth Master, saying, "Congratulations to Fourth Master Shen on your promotion of two ranks."

One sentence caused both the second and third masters to change their expressions.

The second master is a fourth-rank official, the third master is a fourth-rank official, and the fourth master is a fifth-rank official. This has not changed for several years.

The second master was transferred to a lateral position, but he couldn't get a more powerful one. As a result, the fourth master was promoted two ranks and became the director of the Military Equipment Bureau, putting him above the second master.

With outsiders present, the second and third masters tolerated it, but the fourth master accepted the letter of appointment, invited the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel to have tea, and then saw him out of the mansion.

After the Ministry of Personnel left, the Second Master also turned and left. Apart from the Fourth Branch, in the entire Marquis's mansion, only Shen Jing was genuinely happy for the Fourth Master.

Shen Wei's engagement to the heir of the Duke of Wei, making her the future wife of the Duke of Wei, is a hundred times better than Shen Rong's marriage. This already displeased the old lady, and now she has another reason to dislike the fourth branch of the family.

Upon entering Qinghui Courtyard, Shen Wan walked around the screen and went into the room, where she saw the old lady sitting on a daybed, rapidly fiddling with her prayer beads.

Shen Wan stepped forward and curtsied to the old lady. The old lady lifted her eyelids and glanced at Shen Wan. Her gaze was so cold that it sent chills down one's spine.

However, it was only for a moment. By the time Shen Wan wanted to see clearly again, the cold glint in the old lady's eyes had disappeared, but her expression was still not good.

Besides the old lady, there was also the second wife in the room, and even Shen Ying was there, but the way she looked at Shen Wan was like a knife shooting at her.

Shen Wan only curtsied briefly before standing up straight. The old lady looked at her and asked, "Doesn't Prince Ling know that your second uncle is after the position of Director of the Arsenal?"

Although the old lady tried her best to be patient, Shen Wan could still hear the old lady's anger.

Shen Wan said, "No one told me about this."

Although Shen Wan knew, the servant she bribed reported it to her, but the old lady and the second branch of the family did not send anyone to tell her.

Shen Wan feigned ignorance, while Shen Ying was furious. "Even if you don't know, Prince Ling should know!"

So what if I know?

Should she have joined Xie Jingyin in recommending her father?

Where does that audacity come from?!

Shen Wan knew that returning to offer congratulations would invite trouble, but since she dared to come back, she wouldn't be the one to suffer in the end.

Shen Wan glanced at Shen Ying and said, "Isn't it a good thing that the Emperor appointed Fourth Uncle? Second Uncle's appointment as Director of the Arsenal is just a change from one fourth-rank official to another. Fourth Uncle is different. He has been promoted two ranks and has real power in the Arsenal. Our Pingyang Marquis's Mansion has gained an even higher status in the court. Aren't you happy for the Marquis's Mansion, Second Sister?"

Happy?

She was furious!

The appointment of the Fourth Master as the Director of the Military Equipment Bureau is a good thing for the Fourth Branch of the family and for the Pingyang Marquis's Mansion, but not for the Second Branch!

However, Shen Ying couldn't say these words out loud, otherwise it would seem that she was too selfish. This is why the old lady was angry, but she still held back her anger.

As the matriarch of the Marquis's mansion, her primary concern was for the mansion itself, and only secondarily for any particular branch of the family.

The old lady fiddled with the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand and said, "Unexpectedly, the recommendation from the eldest prince and the Prince of Jin was not accepted, but the emperor listened to the recommendation from the Prince of Ling instead."

Shen Wan said casually, "Perhaps it's because Prince Ling has no interest in vying for the throne, and the Emperor has never considered him."

That makes sense to the old lady.

Currently, the Prince of Jin and the First Prince are evenly matched in power in the court. Although the position of the Directorate of Military Equipment is not high, it carries considerable weight. Whichever side the Emperor favors will increase the chances of that side vying for the throne. The Emperor is in his prime and certainly does not want to establish a Crown Prince early, as people are hoping for his death to make room for the Crown Prince.

Although the position of Military Equipment Supervisor still fell into the hands of the Marquis of Pingyang's mansion, in the hands of the Second Master, it was the Prince of Jin's man, but in the hands of the Fourth Master, it could not be considered the same.

The old lady didn't believe that a prince who had been demoted by the emperor to guard the imperial tomb for four years could influence the emperor's decision, but she was still very unhappy that a son born out of wedlock was superior to her two legitimate sons.

Shen Ying clenched her teeth, so angry that her internal organs ached.

She knew that the title of Marquis of Pingyang and the military power would not be easy to obtain, but she was really unwilling to not even get the position of Director of the Military Equipment Bureau.

How dare she, Shen Wan, whisper sweet nothings in Prince Ling's ear and ruin Prince Jin's plans? She'll be at the mercy of the Empress!