Chapter 49 A wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a stolen affair.
Holding two thousand taels of silver notes, Sheng Huai'an left Rongshou Hall and returned to his study in the front courtyard, closing the door behind him.
Originally, Jia only gave him a thousand taels of silver, but he said he needed to investigate the shop and needed the money, so she gave him another thousand taels.
He put 1,500 taels into his money box, intending to give 500 taels to Liu Rumei to cheer her up.
Today, Jia Shi has indeed gone too far. It's no surprise that Liu Rumei must hate Jia Shi to death now.
But on one side is his biological mother, and on the other is the woman he loves. What can he do?
I can only try my best to appease both sides.
Before entering the secret passage, he sighed softly, turned around and took out another five hundred taels from the money box, then picked up the lantern and hurriedly walked into the dark secret passage.
...
When Sheng Huai'an arrived at Qinghui Garden, he saw a magpie winking at him as soon as he entered the room.
He went into the inner room and saw Liu Rumei lying listlessly on the bed.
She didn't cry, but her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and glistening tears welled up in her eyes, making her look even more fragile and pitiful, which tugged at one's heartstrings.
"Sister-in-law!" Sheng Huai'an quickly stepped forward and hugged her. "You've really been wronged today."
Liu Rumei smiled through her tears and shook her head: "If Mother takes the money away, she should give you some of it. I've come to terms with it."
Sheng Huai'an quickly took out the silver notes and said gently, "My mother gave me a thousand taels. I was afraid you would be upset, so I didn't keep any for myself and gave it all to you."
"I don't want it." Liu Rumei pushed his hand away and said softly, "You keep it."
That's what she said, but her eyes were full of disappointment.
How could Sheng Huai'an take it seriously?
He said, “This is the money you’ve saved with great difficulty. I couldn’t persuade your mother, but I feel even more sorry for you. Take this first, and I’ll think of another way to make up for your deficit.”
But no matter what he said, Liu Rumei refused to accept it.
Having no other choice, he went to the door and called for Magpie to put away the silver notes before returning to the bedside and embracing Liu Rumei.
With such a warm and soft body in his arms, Sheng Huai couldn't help but feel his heart flutter.
After Liu Rumei finished crying and seemed to be in a better mood, even though it was daytime, he couldn't help but pull at her strapless bra.
"Sister-in-law, I'm thirsty." He lowered his head to kiss her, whispering impatiently, "Take care of me."
Liu Rumei turned her face away and gently pushed him away.
Sheng Huai'an was pushed twice by her, and he knew that she was unhappy because of what happened today, but he was also annoyed by being pushed.
He was still upset about the jade pendant.
He said coldly, "Sister-in-law, I saw your jewelry box! You kept my brother's jade pendant so carefully, but you just threw the jade pendant I gave you into the box... They were both tokens of our love. You only have my brother in your heart, and you don't care about me at all, do you? Is that why you don't want to be close to me and keep resisting me?!"
“…What?” Liu Rumei was surprised at first, then said sadly, “No, you misunderstood.”
"Misunderstanding?" Sheng Huai'an grew angrier as he spoke. "You're always saying this isn't right, that isn't right, nothing is right. I didn't care before, I kept telling myself I'd give you time, but today I just couldn't hold back anymore!"
“My mother brought up the matter of marriage with me, and I initially refused, but now I feel I should agree. She's not good at managing the household, and the family needs a capable matriarch, plus you're like this... My marriage would be good for everyone!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Sheng Huai'an turned around angrily.
Liu Rumei cried out "Huai'an," and he paused for a moment before walking away without looking back.
This is the first time he's been this angry.
Magpie entered the inner room and asked worriedly, "Madam, Second Master used to only have you in his heart, so why did he fly into a rage today and say he wanted to get married? Is he really angry and won't come to see you anymore?"
"How could that be?" Liu Rumei scoffed lightly, wiping away her tears.
Today, she was robbed by Jia, suffering a heavy loss, and her heart was bleeding with hatred. She pinned her hopes on Sheng Huai'an, but he only brought her back three thousand taels of silver and even tried to smooth things over.
She was in a bad mood and didn't want to deal with him.
She expected him to be angry. But she wouldn't take his angry words seriously.
The magpie looked completely incredulous.
Liu Rumei sat down in front of the dressing table, combing her hair as she said lightly, "They say a wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine is not as good as a stolen lover, and a stolen lover is not as good as one you can't have. Don't believe too much in the deep affection men talk about, and don't doubt their inherent flaws."
“He will come looking for me again. The more he cares about the jade pendant, the more he can’t let me go.”
As long as Sheng Huai'an's heart is with her, she can hold him firmly in her grasp.
...
Ye Mingzhu learned from Yanzhi that Jia had stolen Liu Rumei's silver, and her eyes crinkled with a smile.
Hearing the conversation between Jia Shi and Sheng Huai'an, and remembering how they played the good cop and the bad cop in their previous life, coaxing her to take over the management of the household and spend money and effort to manage the Sheng family's affairs, she couldn't help but sneer.
She was right to discipline them!
Anyone who marries Sheng Huai'an will be jumping into a fire pit. She instructed Yanzhi to keep an eye on things and inform her as soon as Sheng Huai'an starts looking for a wife, so that she could stop his marriage in time and prevent him from harming innocent women.
A scumbag like Sheng Huai'an only deserves to be associated with Liu Rumei.
Don't be fooled by his outburst at Liu Rumei today; it's just jealousy of his own elder brother. He won't let go so easily.
As for Sheng Huai'an's claim that he wanted to inspect the shop...
Ye Mingzhu asked Ruixiang, "Was it done cleanly?"
“Clean,” Ruixiang said. “The head chef of the restaurant and the master craftsman of the gold and silver shop have all moved their families to Jiangnan. They changed carriages several times along the way, so Sheng Huai’an will definitely not be able to find them. As for the cosmetics shop, we are in partnership with Madam Qin, so no matter how hard he investigates, he will not be able to find us.”
Yu Fu was a little worried: "I'm afraid that even if Jia Shi can't find any evidence, she will still come to the mansion to make a scene, and then the princess will find out about this."
Baozan was very optimistic and said quickly, "If the Princess knew, she might praise Miss for doing a good job and give Miss some nice things!"
The maids all laughed.
Ye Mingzhu also smiled.
The newly opened cosmetics shop was a pleasant surprise. Sales were excellent, and the income in just a few days was quite substantial, exceeding that of most of her other shops, making it a viable business for the long term.
She instructed Baozan: "The rouge and face powder I developed are truly excellent. Remember to send a portion to Jingchun Residence. If the Princess finds them satisfactory, send more on time from now on."
“Yes, Miss,” Baozan replied crisply.
After dinner, Sheng Yunche returned.
He brought back news that he would be going to inspect military camps near the capital in a few days, a trip that would take about three or four days, and asked her if she wanted to come along.
The Duke of Wei's manor has a mountain villa over there, with lush trees and cool, tranquil streams, perfect for taking her there to escape the summer heat.
Ye Mingzhu's eyes lit up, and she quickly agreed.
The next day, Princess Ronghua learned of the news and asked if she would like to hold a Qiqiao Festival banquet at the manor, bringing Sheng Yunche's half-sister along.
"Wan'er is almost of marriageable age, but her marriage is still undecided. She and her aunt are not in a hurry, but I am very worried about her. However, I am a widow and it is not appropriate for me to take her to banquets frequently. I can only ask you to help me with this matter."
While Princess Ronghua was speaking, Sheng Wan'er stood quietly to the side, her bright, doe-like eyes looking at Ye Mingzhu with curiosity and anticipation.
Ye Mingzhu returned her smile and said to Princess Ronghua, "No problem, Your Highness, please rest assured, I will do my best."
She has been reborn for a month or two, and she rarely goes out to relax.
My younger sister, Ye Baozhu, is not young anymore, so it's a good opportunity to bring her along.
In her previous life, after Ye Baozhu married Sheng Huai'an, she believed that the bastard child he had with Liu Rumei was her child. She devoted herself to the child and was eventually murdered. Her pitiful death has always been a thorn in her heart.
In this life, she is determined to protect her younger sister and ensure her a peaceful and joyful life.
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