How dare you speak ill of me!

Madam Wen was shocked. "I arranged for you to marry into the Duke's mansion so that you could help Yunzhou. Tell me, what have you done all these years?"

“As the eldest sister, you watched him go to the martial arts academy without offering any help.”

"What are you saying, Madam? If Wenju's path doesn't work out, is it my fault?"

Pei Jing couldn't stand these words. What did this have to do with her? How could she be blamed?

"How could I possibly help him read and write?"

"Madam, have you forgotten that it was with your help that he was able to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar? Now, my younger brother still doesn't like studying. I see he's having a great time at the martial arts academy these days. Madam, you should let him go."

“He’s confused, and you’re confused too? You’re doing well now, but you’ll suffer later,” Wen said indignantly.

“Madam, you can’t say that. Isn’t Lu Shaogan a graduate of the Martial Arts Academy? Look, he’s already a fourth-rank general, and it hasn’t been that long. In our Great Jing Dynasty, he’s the fastest-rising official. Now, countless people envy the Sun family for having such a fine son-in-law.”

"That's because there was a war in the north. Even if there's no war, he'd have to coil up. How come he's so lucky? And the Sun family too, they've been granted titles and promoted. At first glance, they seem to be more favored by His Majesty than our Marquis's family."

As he said this, Wen's eyes were practically oozing with jealousy.

Their Marquis's family has always been the most favored by His Majesty. Although the Sun family used to be second-rank generals, they were far from the emperor's side and didn't hold any real power in front of him.

Now things are really going well; the Emperor's favor is growing stronger every day. Luckily, the Sun family is far away in the north, otherwise, if they were constantly in front of the Emperor, it's hard to say who would be the most favored minister.

"Since Madam likes it, why not send my younger brother to the border for a few years to hone his skills? In case of war, he'll be able to rise up with the wind..."

"Do you want to kill him? How could I have given birth to such an idiot like you!"

With a loud slap, Wen slapped her across the face.

Pei Jing covered her face, unable to believe that she was living such a miserable life, and that her mother was even hitting her. In a fit of anger, she pushed all the cups and bowls on the tea table to the ground.

There was a crash, and the whole room was filled with shards.

Pei Jing felt that his heart was also like these fragments.

"No this, no that, Madam just wants her younger brother to enjoy wealth and power forever without doing anything, is that it?"

“We are all siblings born of the same mother. I was tormented in the Duke of Liu’s mansion, and the madam did nothing about it. No matter how hard Yan Zhi worked in the court, the madam never asked. I heard that she even made him kneel for most of the night. The madam is truly heartless!”

"So, Yanzhi and I were both born to a concubine?"

"You, you, what did you say! You audacious and rebellious daughter! Have you forgotten that you and Yunzhou grew up together?" Madam Wen was so angry that she almost fainted, pointing at her and trembling uncontrollably, "You two are siblings!"

“Yes, they are indeed siblings. From childhood to adulthood, whatever he wanted to eat or use, he had to give it to. Even her marriage into the Liu family was to help her younger brother in the future. I remember every word my wife said.” Pei Jing said through gritted teeth, his eyes full of resentment.

Are you blaming me?

Wen was furious that she would turn the tables on her.

"Back then, you were the one who took a fancy to that young master Liu, and you cried and begged to marry him. The old lady and the Marquis were both against it. If it weren't for me, would you have been able to marry the person you loved?"

"Isn't that all for my younger brother's sake? If I were to take a fancy to a poor young man, would he be of no use to my younger brother at all? Would Madam allow me to marry him?"

"you……"

Enraged, Madam Wen wanted to hit someone again, but Pei Jing rolled up his sleeves, sobbed, and ran away.

"My wife is biased."

“I’m never coming back. In my wife’s eyes, I’m not even as good as my little brother’s little finger.”

Pei Jing stormed off in a huff.

She wiped away her tears, feeling incredibly wronged and heartbroken.

The personal maidservant, who was waiting outside the door, was shocked to see the slap mark on her face. She quickly ordered a maid to fetch ointment, feeling sorry for her while also trying to comfort her.

“Why should a biological mother and daughter go to such lengths? Madam was already upset about being sent to the estate, Miss should give way to her.”

"I don't care!"

Pei Jing was furious. As he stormed out, he said angrily, "She only cares about my younger brother. She knows I'm having a hard time managing things at the Duke's mansion, yet she still wants me to persuade the old lady. It was my younger brother's own choice to go to the martial arts school. If she's so capable, why doesn't she try to stop him herself?"

"She always wants me to stand up for her. Am I not her daughter? Life is hard enough at the Duke's mansion. Does she expect me to be disliked even at my own family home?"

Pei Jingyue became increasingly angry as she spoke. Instead of returning to the Duke's mansion, she ordered the coachman to change course and go directly to the Marquis's mansion.

Upon entering the second gate, they headed straight for Jiang Shuwan's courtyard.

Inside, a room full of maids and old women were having a great time, laughing and joking. They immediately stopped in their tracks.

"Now that Madam Jiang has established herself in the Marquis's mansion, everyone from the stewards to the servants obeys her orders."

"If I go to her for help, and she can't help me, so be it. But if she can help me, the old lady will be even more at ease entrusting the Marquis's mansion to her. At that time, even if the madam returns from Lotus Manor, she will only be a Bodhisattva who is worshipped and fed."

"At that time, the Marquis's mansion will truly be Jiang's territory!"

Thinking of all this, Pei Jing's tears flowed again.

She hesitated, wavered, and struggled for a long time before finally wiping away a tear.

"Return to the Duke's Mansion!"

"Pei Jing is here? Why didn't she come in?"

When Jiang Shuwan heard the servant's report, she was having a meal. Qingxing served her some food and said, "Who says otherwise? Our young lady never comes to the temple unless she has something to ask. Today, she's already at the door, but she hasn't come in."

"Has Jin Jiaoniang returned from the estate?"

Upon hearing her question, Qingxing immediately went to inquire.

"Miss, it's terrible! I heard that Jin Jiaoniang is pregnant again. Sour for a boy and spicy for a girl. Jin Jiaoniang recently bought a lot of sour apricots in the capital. The young master and the duke's wife are very happy. They not only gave her many things, but also doubled the size of her courtyard, saying that she has many children and they are afraid that she will not have enough room."

"She's pregnant again. No wonder Pei Jing is so distraught."

Jiang Shuwan lowered her eyes and remained silent.

Pei Jing has always been spoiled and proud. He wouldn't have run back to the Marquis's mansion crying like this if he hadn't been pushed to the limit.

Why doesn't she come in?

"Miss, I also heard that the young lady went to Lotus Manor."

"Lotus Manor?"

Jiang Shuwan exclaimed in surprise, then immediately understood, "No wonder she didn't come in even when she got to the door; she was still thinking of Madam."

"The bond between mother and daughter is so deep, it's truly touching!" Jiang Shuwan smiled, a slight upturn to her lips.

"Does Miss think that the mistress is afraid that her affairs will enhance Miss's image and make the household think more highly of Miss, so she hasn't come to ask Miss for help?"