A Beautiful Duchess with a Dark Heart – Chapter 137

Chapter 137

Wen Qian returned to his room, his footsteps heavy.

Yuan Shi had just finished arranging household matters when she saw her husband arrive.

“Daren, is Mother satisfied?” Yuan Shi asked with a hint of worry.

“Very satisfied. Mother isn’t picky, and I’ve told her that although our residence isn’t one of the best courtyards in the capital, it’s considered quite good among my colleagues! There are many officials with higher positions than me who are still renting in the capital!”

“Our Wen family and Daren are not ordinary either!” Yuan Shi noticed the item in his hand. “What is this?”

“Oh, it’s a gift from Wen Yu.” Wen Qian held out the thin blanket in his hand.

Yuan Shi didn’t take it, only smiled. “…… She truly is your biological daughter, knowing to care for her father.”

Wen Qian set the blanket aside and sat down.

Yuan Shi said, “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you. My younger sister-in-law has been managing the household. Do you think we should delegate some of the household duties to her?”

Hearing this, Wen Qian’s mood, which had been disturbed by his mother and Wen Yu, calmed down a bit. “Having a virtuous wife at home is a blessing! It’s commendable of you to bring this up. After all, who would willingly relinquish power once they have it? Let’s discuss this with Mother later, shall we?”

“Didn’t Mother mention it just now?”

“No, she didn’t. Before Mother arrived, we had already sold off some of the family businesses back home. We’re not sure if we should start any new ventures in the capital or who should be in charge. Let’s discuss it once we’ve settled in.”

Yuan Shi’s mind raced. “I’ve heard some things while I was out and about, and they sound quite promising. However, we don’t have much silver on hand, so I didn’t inquire further. Do you think I should gather some information?”

“We don’t know Mother’s thoughts yet. You can gather information, but don’t make any promises.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t make any promises! I’m simply looking for information. Whether we proceed with it, and how we do so, will ultimately be decided by Mother.” Yuan Shi’s tone carried a hint of displeasure.

However, Wen Qian didn’t notice. He took a sip of tea and relayed to Yuan Shi what his mother had said, omitting the parts that couldn’t be spoken. Naturally, he didn’t mention anything about Song Shang, unaware of Yuan Shi’s previous suspicions and actions.

He believed it was something that couldn’t be spoken of.

As Yuan Shi listened, her gaze drifted towards the narcissus on the windowsill…

Her face remained expressionless, but her heart was filled with intense hatred. Prince Wu’s Residence… So, Wen Yu was in such high demand!

“The matter of Prince Wu’s Residence is just Mother’s speculation and cannot be taken as fact. This concerns the imperial family, so we must be cautious with our words.” Wen Qian cautioned.

“I understand.” Yuan Shi composed herself.

“The marriage proposal from the Qi family might be her good fortune, but there might also be details we’re unaware of. Since things have come to this, let’s leave it be. Besides, Wen Yu has a few concerns she’s afraid to directly address with you, fearing you wouldn’t agree. So, she approached Mother and me. Firstly, she wants to start a business in the capital, which requires her to go out frequently…”

Yuan Shi’s brow furrowed slightly, but she remained silent.

“There’s no need to arrange a carriage or servants for her. She has quite a few people under her command. She just needs convenience in entering and exiting the city once she has a place in the capital…”

“Daren, it’s not that I’m against it, but this is the capital! The Wen family has some meager fame in Jiangzhou, but in the capital, we’re insignificant. How can a young lady roam freely throughout the city? Such a thing is unheard of!”

Wen Qian nodded.

“Then, what are your and Mother’s thoughts?”

“My thought is, regardless of her future, we don’t expect anything from her, nor can we help her. So, let’s minimize her influence on us as much as possible! I’ve already told her that she’ll bear the consequences of any trouble she causes.”

“That’s not right! Husband, she’s a daughter of the Wen family. Regardless of the issue, big or small, people will directly come to you!”

“……” Wen Qian was speechless.

“Husband, do you always feel indebted to her?! Is that why you make exceptions for her in everything?!” Yuan Shi suddenly became agitated.

“Xijun…” Wen Qian tried to comfort her.

“It was the same with the previous incident! At that time, I owed her a favor, so I yielded to her. But that matter was your idea, wasn’t it?! Regarding Wen Yu’s marriage, you and I agreed: before Mother arrived, we would marry her off to the Zhang family. That’s why we didn’t even prepare a room for her!

As a result, I was caught completely off guard! Huan’er and I were scrambling to tidy up, but you pretended to be oblivious!

Wen Daren, I’ve known you for so many years, this isn’t how you usually handle things!”

Wen Qian was also helpless, allowing Yuan Shi to vent her anger.

“Now that I’m managing the household, I won’t use Mother’s status or my authority as the mistress to restrict her. But at least we should treat everyone equally, right?! What were your requirements when Huanhuan visited her friends? Why, when it comes to Wen Yu, is it acceptable for her to go out whenever she pleases? Husband, she’s just entered the household! Does she intend to cause discord between us as husband and wife already?”

Yuan Shi inwardly seethed: Mother-in-law and Wu Shi haven’t even made their move, and yet this little girl is already causing trouble!

Wen Qian said in a low voice, “Xijun, Mother explained Wen Yu’s marriage situation in detail. It truly exceeded everyone’s expectations. So, I don’t want any unexpected incidents with Rui…”

“I just thought, let her do as she pleases. If we try to stop her, with her tenacity, she’ll definitely find another way and keep bothering us. Why bother?”

✿✿✿

“That’s ridiculous! I’ve never seen a daughter who disobeys her elders and gets her way simply through tenacity! It was a settled matter, but not only did Mother not hasten the engagement with the Zhang family, she even took her around to socialize, practically inviting trouble! And now, Mother is still not intervening! After all these years, could it be that I’ve misjudged her methods?”

“Xijun!” Wen Qian snapped.

Yuan Shi was startled, realizing she had gone too far. However, she couldn’t bring herself to back down and maintain her pride, so she stood up and left.

The curtain dropped with a clatter, leaving Wen Qian stunned.

✿✿✿

Madam Qi went to her maternal family’s residence today to see Yuanyuan because Yuanyuan was very sad.

The little rabbit, Tuantuan, had fallen ill, possibly from overeating.

Her younger sister-in-law, County Princess Huiyi, was straightforward and, fearing that Yuanyuan would be devastated if the rabbit died, wanted to send Tuantuan away to be treated by a doctor.

But how could Yuanyuan bear to part with her beloved rabbit?

Thus, County Princess Huiyi requested Madam Qi to return and persuade her daughter.

Madam Qi went and pondered for a long time before telling Yuanyuan: don’t let Tuantuan’s illness affect Huanhuan and Xixi.

Only then did Yuanyuan agree, doubling her efforts to care for the two little turtles.

Madam Qi inwardly praised Wen Yu for her thoughtfulness in gifting the turtles. That girl was truly meticulous!

She lingered for a while before returning home. Learning that her husband and eldest son had returned earlier, she first went to see Old Madam Qi. Afterward, her son left with Xu Shi, while her husband went to the Minxiu Courtyard.

Her heart remained calm as she removed her jewelry, changed her clothes, and freshened up in her room.

Then, she heard someone say from outside, “Madam, the General has returned.”

Madam Qi stood up as Qi Youyi entered, his face expressionless.

“General, you must be tired from your journey.” Her etiquette was impeccable.

Qi Youyi sat down imposingly.

“How did things go back home?”

Madam Qi recounted the details of the house renovations, road repairs, donations to the clan school, and the restoration of ancestral tombs. Then, she emphasized the elaborate Buddhist ceremony she had arranged for her mother-in-law.

It sounded very grand, making Qi Youyi feel a bit guilty. He said, “I should have handled these matters personally. However, as the saying goes, one cannot serve both their country and their parents fully. It would have been impossible for me to take such a long leave to attend to Mother’s tomb. You and I are one, so it was good of you to go in my stead. But what’s with the rumors circulating?”

Madam Qi replied calmly, “I haven’t heard any rumors during my long journey to and from home. You’ve only been back for a short while, and you’ve already heard them?”

“……”

Qi Youyi didn’t answer, prompting Madam Qi to ask, “What do these rumors say?”

“……” This woman!

Yesterday, a few of the stinky treasures got angry, their breasts even hurting… They said they’d come back to watch when the bad guys get their comeuppance…

Thinking about the bad guys and bad things that will happen later, I’m feeling uneasy.

So, should I continue writing like this, or should I continue writing like this?

Please don’t abandon me, my dear treasures. Each and every one of you is precious to me.

The bad guys won’t be whitewashed, but they will be complex and multifaceted.

I believe that many bad guys are simply bad, not stupid.

Take Tan Shi, for example. Could she have risen from a village girl to her current position without some cunning?

She still has a ways to go!

My dear treasures… Don’t leave!