Chapter 593 A Thief Has Broken In?

Shen Guannian's smug face suddenly darkened: "How dare you! How can you, a mere daughter, decide this marriage? Since ancient times, it has always been the parents' decision and the matchmaker's words. I say you have to marry into a certain family, and you have to marry into that family, whether you like it or not!"

"What are you talking about, using bargaining chips? Why are you saying such hurtful things! Aren't I doing this for your own good? Only those who are sincere will treat you well. If I don't test you and just marry you off so easily, you'll suffer in the future!"

Shen Wantang sneered: "Whether Father is doing this for my own good or for my own good, we both know in our hearts. I originally thought Father loved his daughter, but I never expected that his daughter was just a tool for him to get promoted and make money. Father has really disappointed his daughter!"

Shen Guannian slammed his fist on the table in anger: "You still have the nerve to say I've disappointed you? I think you're the one who's disappointed me! I'm your father. Only when I'm doing well can you do well. If I can't get back to my original position, what will you rely on? No matter which family you marry into, they'll look down on you! The higher my official position, the more respect your in-laws will have for you!"

"No matter how high my father's official rank is, can it be higher than that of the Prince of Ning? Or the Duke of Zhenguo? My father only agrees to marry off his daughter if he demands benefits. No matter which family I marry into, my husband's family will not respect me!"

"You unfilial daughter, how dare you talk back to me?! Do you believe I'll call someone to administer family discipline right now and beat you to death!"

Shen Wantang knew that he no longer dared to hit her casually, after all, he still needed her to curry favor with the Prince of Ning's Mansion and the Duke of Guo's Mansion!

She said calmly, "Then Father can just beat me to death. I'm just afraid he won't be able to part with me, his cash cow."

"you!!!"

Shen Guannian angrily pointed his finger at her, but he hesitated to call someone to administer family punishment.

He really couldn't bear to part with this cash cow. Even if he injured it, let alone killed it, it wouldn't work; the Prince Ning's Mansion and the Duke's Mansion would be unhappy.

After watching the drama unfold for a while, and seeing that the father and daughter had almost finished arguing, Madam Qi pretended to step in and smooth things over: "Oh, alright, alright, we're all family, blood relatives, stop arguing, stop arguing."

"Tang'er, you are a daughter, how can you talk back to your father like that? Your father is only doing this for your own good, how can you be so ungrateful? Apologize to your father right now!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Guannian immediately said, "Yes, she just doesn't know what's good for her!"

Madam Qi sighed softly, "Master, it's not that I'm saying anything, but Tang'er has been acting rather out of line lately. It's one thing for her to disregard me, her legal mother, but now she doesn't even respect you, Master. I suppose she thinks that because she can marry into a high-class family, she looks down on us poor parents!"

Shen Guannian's face turned ashen: "She dares to look down on us? I'll kick her out of the house right now! She should thank me for having a high-ranking family take notice of her! Without me, an official, who would care about her? Does she really think it's her own ability?"

Madam Qi quickly said, "That's right, sir. Who does the Shen family's daughter rely on? Isn't it you, sir? But, sir, have you forgotten that we have more than just Tang'er as a daughter? Isn't there also Xuan'er?"

Shen Guannian frowned as he looked at her: "What's wrong with Xuan'er? Has someone from a noble family taken a liking to her?"

"No, but now that two families have come to propose marriage at the same time, Tang'er certainly can't marry into both families. How about—let Xuan'er give it a try too? It's good to keep the good stuff in the family!"

"Xuan'er, can you do it?"

"Why not! Of course it will work! Xuan'er is also Master's daughter, and she was personally taught by him. In every aspect of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, she is better than Tang'er. She is also very much liked by Princess Ning!"

Shen Guannian glanced at Shen Wantang and said with some hesitation, "But, whether it's the Duke's Mansion or the Prince of Ning's Mansion, they're both seeking Tang'er's hand in marriage! If we force Xuan'er to them, will they accept her?"

"How do you know they don't want her if you haven't tried? Xuan'er is the legitimate daughter, only better than Tang'er, no worse than Tang'er!"

Madam Qi pouted unhappily: "Isn't Master being too biased towards Tang'er? Why is he only planning for Tang'er's future and not thinking about our Xuan'er at all?"

"Xuan'er is a year older than Tang'er. Shouldn't Xuan'er, as the older sister, get married first, and Tang'er, as the younger sister, get married later? How can the younger sister get married before the older sister?"

"I don't care! Master has to treat everyone equally. Whatever family Tang'er marries into, our Xuan'er will marry into the same family!"

Shen Guannian couldn't help but rub his hands together. He was actually very tempted. If he had two daughters, one married into the Prince of Ning's mansion and the other into the Duke's mansion, he could live a life of luxury in the capital!

"Then, Madam, which family do you think would be best for Xuan'er to marry into? The Duke's mansion might be a bit difficult! Every time they come to visit, they go straight for Tang'er. If it were Xuan'er instead..."

Madam Qi also felt that the Duke's mansion was difficult to marry into, and she had never met Madam Gu, so she felt it was not safe: "Master, I think it would be good to marry Xuan'er to the Prince of Ning's mansion. Firstly, the Princess Consort likes our Xuan'er, and secondly, that Prince Xiao has met Xuan'er several times. Although he has not spoken much, they are quite familiar with each other."

Shen Guannian's eyes became eager: "Alright, let's plan this carefully and see how to talk to the Prince of Ning's mansion about this!"

Shen Wantang watched the two of them whispering to each other, a mocking smile appearing on her lips.

They must have agreed to this in their past life, right?

Princess Ning originally had her in mind, but they managed to change it to Shen Mingxuan.

The reason Qi used at the time was that she was already engaged and could not marry into the Ning Prince's mansion.

After discussing with Madam Qi for a while, Shen Guannian turned around and saw that Shen Wantang was still there. He said coldly, "What are you still standing here for? Go back to your courtyard! Go back and reflect on your actions. You don't know your place and you dare to challenge me!"

Shen Wantang looked at him calmly: "Father wants to send my good sister to the Ning Prince's Mansion, but he has to see if the Ning Prince's Mansion wants her. Don't make things worse and harm my sister and yourself!"

Shen Guannian glared at him angrily: "Go away, go away! Do I need you to tell me what to do? I would never harm your sister, much less you!"

Shen Wantang didn't try to persuade her anymore, because she knew it was impossible to change her mind.

She turned around and left the main courtyard.

As soon as she returned to her little courtyard, she sensed that something was amiss.

Her maids all seemed busy, but no one knew what they were actually doing, and their eyes looked at her with a pleading expression.

Her heart sank. Had a thief broken in? Had her gold and silver treasures been stolen?!

She asked in a low voice, "Qin Xin, what's wrong?"

Qin Xin didn't dare to speak, but pointed into the house.

Shen Wantang immediately went inside, and was about to open the box to check her treasures when a deep voice suddenly sounded from the side: "Atang, it's me."