These past few days, while waiting for the results to be released, Lu Yunxing went home after the exam and brought autumn harvest fruits every day. Every time he looked at Qin Xiaozhou, he seemed to want to say something but hesitated, while Qin Xiaozhou pretended not to notice.

Li Ji would deliver milk every morning, but Li Yang never came with him again. It seemed that the marriage was suddenly put on hold, and there was no further news.

Qian Sheng often wandered around the county town, mostly going to the trading market to ambush Qin Xiaozhou. The trading market had many merchants, selling everything from food and drink to clothing, and gradually it became the liveliest place in the county town.

That evening, on his way back to Yifanfengshun Store, Qin Xiaozhou was stopped by Qian Sheng in a side alley. "Manager Qin, I'm going back tomorrow."

Qin Xiaozhou was wary, but remained outwardly calm. "I wish Young Master Qian a safe journey."

Qian Sheng hesitated for a moment, but then seemed to have made up his mind: "Miss Qin, come with me."

"Huh?" Qin Xiaozhou asked, puzzled.

Qian Sheng spoke with deep affection, yet feigned shyness, "To be honest, Miss Qin, ever since I saw you at the entrance of the trading market that day, I have been haunted by thoughts of you, longing for you day and night. I know you are already married and shouldn't harbor such feelings, but I can't control myself. The thought of leaving Fenggu County and not being able to see you often makes me restless and unable to eat or sleep..."

Qin Xiaozhou: ……

This person is insane.

Qian Sheng continued, “Miss Qin, as a woman, and a woman of outstanding beauty at that, you should marry, have children, and spend your life in the inner courtyard, being a virtuous wife and loving mother. But you actually go out and do business, which is a disgrace to your reputation. If you come with me, I will give you a courtyard, bigger than your Smooth Sailing Mansion. You can just live a life of luxury and ease in the courtyard, enjoying wealth and honor. Only incompetent men need their wives to earn money to support the family. If you come with me, you won’t have to worry about making money…”

The more he spoke, the more smug he became. So many women wanted to become his concubine in the Qian family. Now that he had promised such a condition, no woman could resist. After all, marrying a good husband was every woman's dream. The transformation from a village woman to a concubine in the Qian family was a temptation that no woman in the world could resist!

This person is really seriously ill. Qin Xiaozhou looked at him as if he were a lunatic and took two steps back. "Young Master Qian, please have some self-respect. I am already married."

"What's the harm in that?" Qian Sheng said confidently. "I'm willing to give your husband one hundred taels, and he'll naturally be willing to let me take you away."

One hundred taels of silver is enough to remarry and take four or five concubines. If one wife is replaced by four or five women, any man would choose the latter.

Qin Xiaozhou almost burst out laughing. "Young Master Qian, I own the Xiu Lou and Hua Xiang Rong shops, as well as the property deeds for the trading market. What makes you think I'd go with you?"

Doesn't this person even know how to look at himself in the mirror? He's ten years older than her, doesn't look much richer, and has an ordinary appearance. Qin Xiaozhou must be crazy to give up her hard-earned fortune and abandon Lu Yunfeng to go with this guy surnamed Qian.

Although she only wanted to make money and didn't have much affection for Lu Yunfeng, they had worked hard together all along. Besides, Lu Yunfeng would never control her according to worldly standards, and she was prettier than the man surnamed Qian. It seemed better for her to stay in the Lu family.

Qian Shengzhi said with a smug look on his face, "I will take care of you. I will manage your boudoirs and shops for you. From now on, you only need to enjoy the tenderness and affection of a woman, and you will no longer have to worry about these mundane things."

"Hahahahahahahahahahaha!" Qin Xiaozhou couldn't help but burst into laughter, this was truly the funniest thing she had ever heard!

Qian Sheng's expression slowly changed from arrogant to annoyed. "What are you laughing at?"

Qin Xiaozhou laughed until her stomach hurt, then barely managed to suppress her laughter. "Young Master Qian, you don't think I'm so poor that I can't afford to hire someone to take care of my daily needs and live a life where I can do whatever I want, do you? Do you need to give me these things out of charity?"

Seeing that the path of romance was not working, Qian Sheng sneered, "Can the money you earn be the same as the money I give you? The money I earn is clean and honest, while you are a woman. Who knows if that money is clean or not? Women should stay in the backyard to take care of their husbands and children. I don't mind that you are out in public every day, but you..."

Qin Xiaozhou, too lazy to listen to his outburst, turned to leave, but Qian Sheng grabbed her wrist tightly, his voice angry and cold, "Don't be so shameless, you shameless slut. You only have people fawning over you because you're good at making money, otherwise you'd have been thrown into a pig cage long ago..."

"Let go." Qin Xiaozhou wasn't one to back down easily, and punched him. "Get lost."

Qian Sheng covered his face, rushed out of the alley, and pointed at Qin Xiaozhou on the street, "It's her, she seduced me and even asked me to meet her in the alley."

In Fenggu County, everyone knew Qin Xiaozhou. Soon, people on the street looked at each other, then looked down on her, whispered among themselves, and pointed at her, saying, "She's not a virtuous woman. It's one thing for her to show her face in public every day, but she actually meets with other men in broad daylight. Shameless!"

"Shameless, slut. She should be staying home, taking care of her husband and having children. I never thought she'd be doing business in someone else's bed. I'll be too embarrassed to buy anything from her now."

"Pah, the world is going to the dogs... I knew it! How could a woman run such a big business, with a dessert shop, an embroidery shop, and now a trading market? So that's what she's been up to in the dirty business behind the scenes."

Qian Sheng became smug. As long as he could use his reputation to control Qin Xiaozhou and take over the embroidery shop, he would have no worries about selling his silk and would also gain a free embroidery shop and store.

Qin Xiaozhou wasn't someone who would be defeated by a few words about reputation. "Qian Sheng, I'm going to sue you for defamation. Let's go to the yamen."

Standing in the courtroom, Qian Shengdu was still filled with disbelief. He couldn't understand how this woman dared to actually come to court. Shouldn't she be so frightened that she would hide away and be afraid to see anyone?

Qin Xiaozhou knelt respectfully before Magistrate Sun, saying, "Your Honor, Qian Sheng wanted to seize my family property and tempted me to elope with him. When I refused, he accused me of seducing him, trying to ruin my reputation and destroy my name. I beg Your Honor to do me justice."

The gavel slammed down, and Magistrate Sun frowned. "Qian Sheng, tell me, is this matter true?"

"I'm innocent, Your Honor!" Qian Sheng cried out in despair. "She seduced me, trying to get cheap silk from me so she could make a bigger profit. I have a virtuous wife and beautiful concubines at home, and I refuse to get involved with this woman who shows her face in public. So she threatened me, saying..."

Qian Sheng glanced timidly at the magistrate and shut his mouth.

"What did you say?" The magistrate slammed his fist on the table again.

Qian Sheng knelt down and said, "She has a close relationship with the county magistrate, and she is not afraid even if I take her to the yamen."