Madam Chi nodded. "Isn't that exactly right?"

They've already raised the son and grandson of the first wife, so the second wife isn't going to be taken advantage of!

The room was deathly silent.

Even if the eldest son's wife had the thickest skin, she couldn't find an excuse to keep pestering him at this moment.

But those who benefit never feel that they have benefited; they only complain about why those who suffer losses don't continue to suffer losses.

Since he wasn't her biological son, the old lady didn't feel sorry for him at all. Her tone even carried a hint of resentment: "Second son's wife, why are you so particular about family? You're well-off, so it's only right that you help him out. Once Jingyu has established himself in the court, it'll be a piece of cake for him to promote that good-for-nothing of yours."

Madam Chi felt a pang of sadness. Even though she had long known that the old lady was extremely biased, she still couldn't help but feel wronged.

Listen to what kind of talk this is!

Regardless of whether Chi Jingyu will truly promote his brothers in the future, given the arrogant and disdainful nature of the Lady of the Marquis, would she really be willing to help their second branch of the family?

According to the old lady, her son was like some piece of scrap metal. If it weren't for the fact that the atmosphere in the court was not as lax as before and that buying an official position was no longer an option, she would have easily gotten her son an official position and humiliated this family!

Shen Tangning pursed her lips gently, her expression turning indifferent: "Grandmother's words make it sound as if the imperial court is a one-man show by the Chi family, where promotions can be made at will."

Her words were blunt, and everyone's expressions changed.

"Shut up! How could you say such a thing? Don't you want to die?" Lady Hou gritted her teeth, glaring at her with a dark expression.

If these words get out, won't that put her son in the spotlight?

Shen Tangning blinked innocently, looking bewildered: "Isn't this Grandmother's wish?"

The old lady felt a sudden heart attack and her face flushed red: "You scoundrel, that's not what I meant at all!"

“Alright, perhaps my granddaughter-in-law has misunderstood, but even the Lady of the Marquis doesn’t have that confidence, so it’s clear that relying on the Heir Apparent won’t work.” Ignoring the Lady of the Marquis’s pale face, Shen Tangning said slowly, “My husband has been working very hard lately, and I believe that he can make a name for himself through his own efforts.”

Her eyes were filled with longing, as if she could already see herself as the wife of a top scholar. She said in a serious tone, "If my husband becomes an official, he will have to do a lot of favors in the future. It seems that the second wife's money is not very plentiful. We may have to rely on the young master to smooth things over!"

Lady Hou's face turned pale and then flushed, and she blurted out, "You wish!"

How could that good-for-nothing Chi Yan possibly pass the exam?

Did she even want her son to help smooth things over?

Keep dreaming!

At this point, she was completely devoid of reason.

Shen Tangning stared in surprise, her eyes slowly turning to disappointment: "Alright then, it seems the Lady of the Marquis is not too willing."

She finally revealed her purpose: "In short, from now on, the second wife will contribute the same amount as the first wife. If we want the second wife to contribute more money, the first wife should set an example first. Does everyone agree?"

"..."

She was met with complete silence.