The fourth wife respectfully kowtowed three times.

"Grandma, I know you watched my husband grow up, and you once had high hopes for him, but... but, well, it's alright with me, I'm just a lowly person, it doesn't matter if he beats me, I wouldn't regret dying anyway, but Shushu, she's the most beloved grandchild!"

"Grandma, please spare her life!"

"I'll do anything as long as she lives!"

“A woman’s life is one of obedience to her father at home and to her husband after marriage. I know that I have committed one of the seven grounds for divorce by framing my husband. Whether you want to divorce me or throw me into the family temple, I will accept it! I will accept it!”

"Please, just spare Shushu's life, I beg you... I beg you, I'm kowtowing to you..."

"I'd rather die than let Shushu live..."

"Please, old lady..."

As the fourth wife spoke, she kowtowed, and she kowtowed so hard that her head bled after a few times. Old Madam Pei gritted her teeth and personally helped her up.

"You love your daughter dearly, what crime have you committed? It's the fourth son who's a good-for-nothing. Let's do everything as Wan'er says."

"Grandma, you absolutely mustn't..."

Before Wen could finish her objection, she was forced back by a murderous glare from Old Madam Pei.

The third wife also sided with the fourth wife.

Knowing that there was no way to change the situation, and that further opposition would only annoy people, Madam Wen moved her lips but dared not speak. She could only shrug her shoulders and retreat unwillingly.

The next day, Pei Shushu's name appeared on the talent show list.

The next day, the news that the fourth master of the Wenyuan Marquis's mansion, jealous of the eldest master's rise to power, had sent his own daughter to the imperial concubine selection became the talk of the town, and there was much discussion about it.

"I always said that brothers in big families fight to the death for property and rights. The Marquis's mansion has been harmonious for so many years, and now we can finally see them make a fool of themselves."

"Who can disagree? This Fourth Master is quite a talent. He's usually quiet, but he managed to outmaneuver the Old Marquis at a crucial moment."

"You know, the old Marquis's own daughter, Pei Jing, who married into the Liu State Duke's family, was not even sent to the imperial concubine selection."

"If the Fourth Miss is chosen and becomes His Majesty's concubine or is favored by a prince, goodness, the Fourth Branch will immediately suppress the First Branch."

"Being a member of the royal family, one is naturally superior to others."

"Moreover, if the fourth daughter is pregnant and gives birth to a son or daughter, the fourth branch will enjoy endless wealth and honor."

"Fourth Master is truly remarkable. He remains silent until he makes a stunning statement. But I heard that the old lady of the Marquis's mansion sent Fourth Master to his hometown in the countryside overnight to guard the ancestral fields?"

"What? Is that really true? What's the difference between that and giving up?"

"It seems that the old lady still values ​​the main branch more. It's no wonder that the fourth master is causing trouble in secret. They are all sons of concubines. Why should the old marquis be able to inherit the title? Anyone would be insanely jealous in that situation."

"We're all illegitimate sons, so why are you superior? If you don't have a chance, fine, but if you do, why don't you try to climb up?"

"The old lady was decisive. The scandal of the brothers fighting had just happened, and she sent the fourth master away right afterward."

"I think the only way for Fourth Master to return is if Fourth Miss is chosen..."

People gossiped and speculated about it in the streets and alleys. They would never know that the Fourth Master they were talking about was just a scoundrel who only knew how to drink, gamble, and beat his wife.

He will never be able to return to the capital or the Marquis's mansion in this lifetime.

A discarded son of a noble family, nothing more than this.

This matter also reached Pei Jing's ears.

Pei Jing listened to the rumors outside in disbelief.

"What? Pei Shushu is going to participate in the talent show?"

"That's outrageous! Back then, when I wanted to hold a selection of concubines, both the madam and the old lady disagreed, and they wouldn't even tell me why. It's so hateful! What right does Pei Shushu, a mere fourth wife's daughter, have to do this?!"

"Moreover, if Pei Shushu is selected..."

"God, am I going to have to kneel down to her again?"

Pei Jing's face turned deathly green.

The front courtyard of the Marquis's residence.

Jiang Shuwan sat in a chair drinking tea, her mind still replaying the scene of the Fourth Master being gagged and sent outside by the Old Madam.

The old lady was truly decisive and efficient. She had just spread the word when she beat the fourth master half to death and then sent him directly back to his old home in the countryside.

Now it's a done deal that the Fourth Master secretly sent his daughter to the imperial concubine selection, and this scandalous affair of brothers fighting amongst themselves in the Marquis's mansion will inevitably become the subject of gossip.

But at least Pei Shushu was saved.

"No wonder he gave me his own daughter!"

"I knew it! How could a noble family like ours sell their daughter for ten thousand taels of silver!"

"So this marriage was never going to work out in the first place!"

Seeing the bald, lame man smashing pots and pans in the house, Jiang Shuwan declined her third uncle's offer to protect her.

She beckoned, and the maid brought over thirty thousand taels of silver notes.

"I heard that your fourth uncle owed you 10,000 taels of silver, so he wrote a marriage contract to give you your fourth sister as payment."

"To be honest, we've all been deceived by him. He seemed like an honest man, but we never expected him to be a wolf in sheep's clothing, always thinking about that enormous wealth. Now, our Marquis's mansion is helpless, since my fourth sister is this year's imperial concubine, and no one can touch her. We can only compensate you with silver."

"Consider this 30,000 taels of silver as compensation to you."

"Of course, if you insist on marrying me, we will have no choice but to take this to court and ask the Prefect of the Capital to make a decision."

"After all, even if you dare to marry him, we wouldn't dare to marry into this family."

After hearing Jiang Shuwan's words, the cripple's spirits plummeted to rock bottom.

He thought he had finally gotten a chance to play with a noble lady, but it turned out to be all for naught.

But what could he say? No one dared to touch the contestants, so he could only reluctantly accept the silver notes and leave in a huff.

He even spat on the Marquis's residence when he left.

"Miss, this man is too arrogant!" Qingxing was dumbfounded. In the little maid's mind, the common people should never fight against the officials.

Not to mention a mere merchant. Although the cripple has the Chen family behind him, in the end, the power of the Marquis's family is much greater than that of the Chen family.

Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—how could a noble family like hers be so blatantly bullied by a mere merchant? Heavens above, she wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes.

"Miss, who gave this cripple all that confidence?!"

"You're right, I'm also wondering who gave him that confidence."

The common people can't fight with officials. Ordinary people feel inferior to officials even when they see them doing nothing. But this cripple always acted arrogantly.

In the previous life, it was understandable that the old Marquis resigned from his post to observe mourning, but in this life, the Marquis's mansion is at its peak. How dare this cripple be so bold?

Who gave him the audacity? Was it Marquis Chen, who had just been demoted from the Duke's mansion?

That's impossible. Although Marquis Chen has a bad relationship with the Marquis's Mansion, he was just demoted and should be keeping a low profile.

Could it be someone else? But she had people investigate for several days without finding anything.

"Qingxing, tell someone to follow that cripple."

After a cup of tea, Qingxing ran in in a panic.

"Miss, all of our men have been knocked unconscious."