Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at the box in Jiang Yaojie's hand. Sure enough, leaving it at the county government office was the safest option.

Jiang Yaojie bowed to everyone, placed the box in Jiang Ling's hand, and then tactfully left the room.

"What...what is this?" Shen Qianhe asked, looking at the object in Jiang Ling's hand.

Jiang Ling didn't speak, but handed the box to Shen Congxin, patted Shen Congxin's shoulder and said softly, "Congxin, do you remember what I told you before?"

Shen Congxin nodded, opened the box, and placed the paper inside in front of Shen Qianhe, saying, "Father, this is the evidence that my stepmother made me marry Wang Xiu! It's Wang Xiu's dowry list, with my name on it and Wang Xiu's seal at the end! If you don't believe me, you can go and ask him!"

When Madam Shen saw the list of betrothal gifts, her heart pounded wildly. She suddenly remembered that she seemed to have heard from the servants that a thief had broken into the house, but it seemed that nothing was stolen. So she didn't pursue the matter any further.

Thinking of this, Madam Shen immediately knelt down and begged Shen Qianhe. Shen Qianhe had already clenched the betrothal gift list into a ball. His anger made his whole body tremble slightly, and the knuckles of his clenched fist gradually turned white.

"You bitch!" Shen Qianhe kicked Madam Shen hard.

Madam Shen was kicked to the ground, looking extremely disheveled.

"You wretch, what else do you have to say?" Shen Qianhe glared at Madam Shen with bloodshot eyes and scolded her.

"Master! Master! Please forgive me this time! I was truly blinded by greed! Please, for my sake and for Xiao Bao's sake, please!" Madam Shen pleaded desperately.

Shen Qianhe wanted to get angry, but this wasn't his own home. He ignored Madam Shen's pleas and turned to the servant outside the door, shouting, "Take Madam to the carriage!"

Madam Shen was thus carried away from Jiang Ling's house by four servants.

Shen Qianhe took out several silver notes from his pocket and handed them to Jiang Ling. He sighed and said to Jiang Ling, "Madam An, thank you for taking care of Congxin during this time! If Congxin hadn't met you, his life would have been ruined! Don't think this money is too little! Take it!"

Jiang Ling waved her hand and didn't accept the money. She looked at Shen Congxin and said to Shen Qianhe, "Master Shen, isn't this just being distant? Meeting Congxin is fate, and I really like this little girl Congxin!"

Shen Qianhe still insisted on placing the silver notes on the table. Seeing this, Jiang Ling didn't want to offend Shen Qianhe any further, so she simply put the silver notes away.

"Congxin, remember what I told you! Don't be soft-hearted again, understand?" Jiang Ling reminded Shen Congxin again when she sent him back.

Shen Congxin nodded repeatedly. After getting into the carriage, Shen Congxin's gaze fell on Jiang Yaojie. His gaze was intense and sincere, making Jiang Yaojie blush.

Looking at the stunned Jiang Yaojie beside her, Jiang Ling couldn't help but start to think. Perhaps some things really needed to be put on the agenda.

After Chen Congxin left, Jiang Yaojie's mood clearly dropped, and he even lost interest in arithmetic, which he usually loved most.

After dinner, Jiang Ling walked over to Jiang Yaojie, pointed to the door and said, "Want to go for a walk?"

"Mother, I'm a little tired and want to rest for a bit," Jiang Yaojie said dejectedly, refusing Jiang Ling's request.

Jiang Ling was also helpless. Others couldn't offer much advice on this kind of thing, and she could only worry helplessly.

The next morning, Jiang Ling dragged Jiang Yaojie, whose dark circles could make him look like a panda, out of bed, and they rode back to Pingxi County in Uncle Lu's oxcart.

The mala tang shop was delayed for several days because of the trip to Yecheng, and many customers left disappointed when they saw the shop was closed.

Jiang Ling got up very early today, bought a lot of fresh vegetables and meat, and opened her doors to welcome guests early.

At noon, Zhao Qianyu came running over after smelling the aroma, and he skillfully picked up the plate and started picking up the food.

After the meal, Zhao Qianyu noticed that Jiang Yaojie was in low spirits. He went up to Jiang Ling and asked, looking at the sighing Jiang Yaojie, "Auntie, what's wrong with Yaojie?"

Jiang Ling smiled mysteriously and whispered something in Zhao Qianyu's ear.

Zhao Qianyu's lips suddenly curled up, and he nodded repeatedly to Jiang Ling, saying, "Don't worry, Auntie, leave this to me!"

As he spoke, Zhao Qianyu strode over to Jiang Yaojie's side and suddenly whispered to her, "Miss Chen!"

Jiang Yaojie suddenly looked up and glanced around, muttering to himself, "Where? Where?"

"Just kidding! Look at you! You look so unhappy. Did you go crazy after Miss Chen left?" Zhao Qianyu teased Jiang Yaojie, patting him on the shoulder.

"Zhao Qianyu, you're talking nonsense! I'm not crazy!" Jiang Yaojie's mood plummeted again after realizing he'd been tricked, and he even lost his competitive spirit!

"Hmm, so you don't like Miss Shen? Very well, I'm about the same age as you, and my father is the magistrate of Guangping County. Miss Shen is more than enough for me. I'll have my father go to the Shen residence to propose marriage tomorrow!" Zhao Qianyu stroked his chin and pretended to be deep in thought as he muttered to himself.

Jiang Yaojie panicked upon hearing this. His face flushed red as he earnestly said to Zhao Qianyu, "You dare!"

"Tch, what am I afraid of! Didn't you say you don't like Aunt Shen..."

"When did I say I didn't like her!" Jiang Yaojie realized he had acted impulsively and covered his mouth, sitting in the chair without saying a word.

Jiang Ling nodded to Zhao Qianyu, signaling him to leave first. Zhao Qianyu chuckled and disappeared from the shop in a flash. She walked to Jiang Yaojie's side and asked softly, "Yaojie, is what you said true?"

Jiang Yaojie hesitated, scratched his head, blushed, and finally nodded gently.

"Alright, since you're interested in Miss Chen, then I'll support you!" Jiang Ling said with a smile.

"But...but Mother, I...I feel I'm not good enough for Miss Shen. She's the eldest daughter of the Shen family, raised on a life of luxury, while I..."

If Jiang Yaojie had said this before, Jiang Ling would definitely have had some reservations, but now all her businesses are on the right track, some nascent businesses are about to emerge, and she has even been granted the title of Lady.

If it were a match of equal social standing, I wouldn't be inferior to the Shen family.

She gently patted Jiang Yaojie's shoulder to comfort him, saying, "Yaojie, don't underestimate yourself..."

"Excuse me, is this Madam An's shop?" Before Jiang Ling could finish speaking, a young man who looked like a servant appeared in front of her.

Jiang Ling sized up the servant's face; he was a stranger. She asked him somewhat warily, "That's me. What do you need me for?"

Upon hearing this, the servant took out a red invitation from his pocket and said respectfully, "Madam An, I am a servant of the Shen family. Our master invites you to a banquet at the Shen residence tomorrow. Please keep this invitation safe!"

Jiang Ling opened the invitation and glanced at its contents. The gist of it was that the invitation was to express gratitude and invite Jiang Ling to a meal.

Jiang Ling nodded, took out one or two taels of silver from her bosom, placed it in the servant's hand, and said, "You must be tired from your journey. Go back and tell your master that I will visit on time tomorrow!"