Chapter 338: You're quite good at judging people.

Seeing Xiao Qingyuan's bad expression, Yuan Zheng glared angrily at Gu Qianhan: "Aren't you worried about things not being chaotic enough? Stop trying to sow discord. At least the young master and I have wives. What about you? Do you even have one? Go home right now. You're all alone. How dare you lecture me here?"

After rebuking Gu Qianhan, Yuan Zheng quickly apologized to Xiao Qingyuan: "Your Highness, don't listen to that Gu fellow's sarcastic remarks. He doesn't want us to be happy, but I sincerely hope that Your Highness will be happy. Your Highness dislikes the Princess Consort, and the Princess Consort is not a good person for managing a household, so I told Your Highness to stand up for yourself and take back all the money."

"Your Highness has also seen it. My wife treats me extremely well. Whenever I go out for drinks, she always gives me money on her own initiative."

"Besides, my wife is the daughter of the Minister of Rites, and my father-in-law dotes on her. If she really wants a divorce, my father-in-law would probably agree without the slightest hesitation! How can I give her an excuse or opportunity to divorce? Don't you think so?"

Xiao Qingyuan said with a dark face, "So, you yourself refuse to divorce, but you want me to divorce my wife?"

"Oh dear, Your Highness, what are you saying! I never said that! I only asked you to establish rules, not to divorce your wife or get a divorce. It's better to tear down a temple than to break up a marriage. How could I do such a despicable thing!"

Gu Qianhan sneered: "Haven't you done enough despicable things? Now that you're married, you're pretending to be a decent person."

Yuan Zheng glared at him angrily: "If you keep quiet, no one will think you're mute! You're always so talkative! It's so annoying!"

"Tsk, getting anxious, looks like I hit a nerve."

"you!!"

Yuan Zheng's temples throbbed with anger. It took him a while to suppress his rage and put on a nonchalant expression: "Hmph, Gu Qianhan, you're talking so much today, you must be jealous of me!"

"I'm jealous of you? Jealous of what? Jealous of your looks, or your poor education, or the way your wife treats you like a dog?"

Yuan Zheng gritted his teeth: "Of course you're jealous that I married such a virtuous and capable wife! My wife is the daughter of Minister Cheng, who is only forty years old and is already a minister. He's just around the corner and will soon become a Grand Secretary! As for you, the Liu family doesn't even look at you. The marriage proposal has already fallen through!"

This time, Gu Qianhan remained silent.

He certainly knew the real reason why Yuan Zheng wanted to marry Cheng Zhiyue, and he also knew why Yuan Zheng was controlled by Cheng Zhiyue. It was all because Cheng Zhiyue had a father who was the Minister of Personnel.

Cheng Yunda, the Minister of Personnel, was a favorite of the emperor. He had been by the emperor's side since the emperor was still the crown prince. The selection of officials in the court all required Cheng Yunda's approval.

Yuan Zheng marrying Cheng Zhiyue was a step up for him.

If Cheng Zhiyue hadn't been so focused on marrying the Crown Prince, delaying her marriage until now and getting older, Yuan Zheng wouldn't have had the chance to propose to her.

Even though Cheng Zhiyue was three years older than Yuan Zheng, Yuan Zheng still lacked confidence in front of her—the Wenbo family's title had ended with his generation.

In the capital, money alone was not enough; the social hierarchy was scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant, with merchants at the very bottom.

Yuan Zheng may seem unreliable, but he is more shrewd than anyone else. When choosing a wife, his first consideration is her family background, while he doesn't care about her age, appearance, or figure.

Cheng Zhiyue was only slightly ordinary in appearance, but she wasn't ugly. Yuan Zheng genuinely treated her as a wife to spend his life with, so he didn't care at all when she was being scolded by pulling his ear.

Perhaps he even enjoyed it, otherwise he wouldn't have so obediently knelt down and let Cheng Zhiyue pat his head.

Damn it, Yuan Zheng actually got a wife who suited his taste!

Seeing that the eloquent Gu Qianhan was silent, Yuan Zheng was finally a little happier: "What's wrong, Second Young Master Gu, you have nothing to say? You really are jealous that I married a good wife, hahaha!"

"Hey, tell me the truth, are you jealous that Qingyuan has a wife? Otherwise, why do you always find fault with him? You weren't like this before!"

Xiao Qingyuan interjected, "He's not jealous that I have a wife, he's jealous that I have a woman!"

Gu Qianhan raised her head indifferently: "You two, one is treated like a dog by the madam, and the other is completely controlled by the madam inside and out of the mansion, unable to even take out a single coin. What is there to be jealous of? I am carefree and at ease, which is better than you married people?"

After he finished speaking, he stood up and walked out: "Waiter, put my tea on Yuan Zheng's tab. He's not short of money."

Yuan Zheng shouted from behind, "Gu Qianhan, come back here and settle the bill! I'm not a sucker!"

"I'm happy to let my wife manage everything inside and outside the house, what's it to you? My wife is the daughter of the Minister of Personnel, she's exceptionally capable, you're green with envy!"

"I refuse to believe that after you get married, you'll be the one in charge at home! You might not even be as good as Qingyuan and me!"

Jixiang followed behind Gu Qianhan. Upon hearing Yuan Zheng's words, she couldn't help but glance at her young master, a strange expression appearing on her face.

I must say, although Yuan Zheng is a playboy, he has a pretty good eye for people!

If the second young master could really win Shen Wantang's heart and make her his wife, he would be willing to be scolded every day.

As for the gold and silver in the house... he hadn't even managed to rob Shen Wantang yet, and he was already desperately giving her gold.

Xiao Qingyuan patted Yuan Zheng on the shoulder: "Alright, he's already gone, so there's no point in shouting anymore. It's a waste of your energy."

Yuan Zheng said angrily, "No, I can't let Gu Qianhan live so comfortably. Young Master, let's work together to find him a formidable wife and make him suffer a bit. What do you think?"

Xiao Qingyuan was taken aback: "You know what, that's not a bad idea. But the problem is, even if we find him a wife, will he actually marry her? You don't know, he's obsessed with the daughter of Minister Liu. Since this marriage didn't happen, he's been making trouble for me!"

Yuan Zheng was surprised: "That shouldn't be the case. I know the Duke's mansion wants to form a marriage alliance with the Liu family, but hasn't Gu Qianhan always been lukewarm towards Liu Nanshi? Does he like Liu Nanshi? How come I didn't know that?"

"He's very cunning. Even if he likes Liu Nanshi, he won't show it. But he admitted that he retaliated against me because I ruined his marriage. Do you think he likes Liu Nanshi or not?"

Yuan Zheng touched his ear: "I see. Since he likes Liu Nanshi, why don't we help him?"

"Help him? Wouldn't that just be letting him off easy?"

"Oh dear, Qingyuan, this is what you don't understand. You haven't had much contact with Liu Nanshi, have you? You don't know her personality, do you?"

"Hmm, I've only seen her a few times from afar, I'm not familiar with her. What's wrong with her personality?"

Yuan Zheng smiled mysteriously: "It's not just a problem, it's a huge problem! If Gu Qianhan really marries her, he'll be completely controlled by her for the rest of his life, and he'll lose all his carefree life!"

Xiao Qingyuan's curiosity was piqued: "What exactly is wrong with Liu Nanshi?"