The day is warm, and the small window...
The woman lowered her eyes to grind ink, while the man picked up his brush to write. The wind blew and pear blossoms fell like snow. Looking at this scene, the couple looked very well-matched, making it hard to look away.
So much so that when Hongrui brought in the tea, she couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.
Their conversation shattered the beautiful moment.
because……
They are plotting how to extort money.
"Extorting her own husband?" Xiao Zhongxuan was full of surprise.
"What? You don't dare?"
He wrote the extortion letter; a simple handwriting comparison would make him culpable.
Extorting the heir of the Marquis of Xuanhua's household is a serious crime if caught. Moreover, Shen Zhiyi and he are deeply in love, so even if he confesses to being the mastermind, probably no one will believe him.
This matter...
Even if I'm completely screwed over by him.
With this leverage in her hands, Shen Zhiyi could manipulate him and make him work for her.
Xiao Zhongxuan simply smiled, tilting his head slightly to look at Chen Zhiyi, "Madam, how much money do you want to extort?"
"Fifty thousand taels."
"Can he really come up with that much money?"
"This is not your business."
Xiao Zhongxuan nodded and picked up his pen to write a letter. Shen Zhiyi gave him some pointers from the side, "Just say that I know what you did. The fire last time was a gift to you. If you don't get the money, I will tell your wife about this."
"That fire?" Xiao Zhongxuan raised an eyebrow. "You even set him on fire?"
"It's none of your business."
Shen Zhiyi glanced at the letter and handed it to him, saying, "Send it to the Marquis's residence secretly three days later."
"I'll deliver it?"
"Don't you know some martial arts?"
"I'm injured."
"Then we'll send it in seven days, once you've recovered a bit."
"..."
Xiao Zhongxuan finally understood.
The Crown Prince's wife was determined to tie him to her pirate ship.
If the truth comes out, arson, extortion,
It's all his fault.
When Shen Zhiyi left the manor, she instructed Lühe, "Go to the Duke's mansion and find two capable people to secretly follow him and tell me his daily whereabouts, especially who he is in contact with."
Green Lotus nodded. "Miss, this Young Master Xiao looks frail. Is it appropriate to entrust this extortion to him?"
"Give it a try."
She needed to find someone with a clean background and no connection to the Duke's mansion to do this, and that person just happened to appear.
If he has other intentions, then pin the blame on him completely.
After she left, Xiao Zhongxuan stood under the pear tree, gently crushing the petals in his hand, a slight smile appearing on his lips...
It is said that the Zhenguo Duke's family looked down on the Song family back then.
It's understandable. The Shen family has been meritorious for generations. The Duke of Zhenguo had three sons and one daughter. Shen Zhiyi was the only daughter. With the power of the Shen family, she could have married into the Eastern Palace, but she chose a low-ranking family instead.
It is said that when she fell from her horse, Song Yuxiu almost lost his life trying to save her.
Their loving marriage was a celebrated story in the capital.
Unexpectedly...
This couple, one was having an affair and keeping a mistress, the other was extorting money and committing arson.
That's quite interesting.
**
Xuanhua Marquis's Residence
After spending several days at Dajue Temple, upon returning home, her mother-in-law complained of aches and pains all over her body. Lin Yaoyao helped her massage her shoulders and back, and she kept praising her for being filial and sensible.
He didn't forget to kick Chen Zhiyi while she was down: "Look how sensible Yao Yao is."
“Madam, the young master’s wife is the daughter of the Duke’s family. She comes from a noble family and has been living a life of luxury since childhood. Unlike me, I am destined to serve others.”
Song Ruoying frowned, "Sister Lin, please don't say that!"
“What are you saying? You are my benefactor. Living in the Marquis’s mansion is a blessing.” Madam Chen patted the back of her hand and then looked at Chen Zhiyi. “Yaoyao has worked hard with us in the mountains these days. Summer is coming soon. Go and get a thousand taels of silver to buy her some clothes.”
"Madam, this is unacceptable! You have been kind enough to me!"
Lin Yaoyao quickly declined, "At the Marquis's residence, the food, clothing, and daily necessities I had never dared to dream of before, how could I let you spend any more money?"
"Because you are my benefactor."
After her mother-in-law finished speaking, seeing that Shen Zhiyi hadn't reacted for a long time, she frowned and said, "What are you still standing there for!"
Shen Zhiyi just smiled and said, "Since she is my mother-in-law's benefactor, then take some money from your private treasury to buy her some clothes."
"What?" The mother-in-law immediately became agitated. "What do you mean? We've been married for two years, and I haven't blamed you for not being able to have children, but you're eyeing my secret stash of money?"
"Ever since Yao Yao came to our house, I've felt something's off about you!"
Lin Yaoyao felt smug seeing this.
Even a daughter of a noble family like her still has to endure conflicts with her mother-in-law.
“Madam, please calm down. Perhaps I did something wrong that displeased the young mistress and made her dislike me.” Lin Yaoyao looked at Shen Zhiyi. “Young mistress, please point out where I went wrong and I will correct it.”
"Yaoyao, you did nothing wrong. You don't need to be subservient to her!"
"Sister Lin, don't be sad. It's obvious that your sister-in-law is deliberately targeting you. She's the one who's mean." Song Ruoying sneered.
Shen Zhiyi's lips curled slightly. "Miss Lin, I really don't like you."
“You…” Lin Yaoyao was stunned.
He seemed surprised that she would be so direct.
"You're not gold or silver jewelry; you can't be liked by everyone. Is it wrong for people not to like you?"
Lin Yaoyao paused, her expression stiffening. "How could you be wrong?"
"Mother, there's no money left in the manor," Lin Yaoyao confessed.
"What!" Upon hearing this, Madam Chen slammed her hand on the table. "How could there be no money? Could it be that you've embezzled it all?!"
“Last time you wanted to buy tonics for your husband, you took five thousand taels, but someone robbed you. You wouldn’t let us report it to the authorities, so the money was never recovered and all the silver went down the drain.”
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