Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

In the Shen family temple.

In order to prevent the Buddha and ancestors from being contaminated by the mundane world, the Shen family is not allowed to light open flames in the ancestral temple except for burning incense.

Even cooking had to be done at a farm a mile away from the ancestral temple.

As for heating methods such as ground dragons and charcoal basins, don't even think about it.

"You haven't mopped the floor yet. Don't think about being lazy. If you delay burning incense today, you will suffer the consequences." Mrs. Wang said with a cold face.

Shen Jingwan looked at the old woman in front of her with a face full of flesh, feeling helpless.

She knew that this woman was not easy to deal with, but what could she do?

Shen Jingwan looked down at her hands, which were covered with frostbite and were extremely painful when they touched cold water.

So she whispered to Wang Po, "Look at my hands. They've already got chilblains. If they touch water again, I'm afraid it will get worse."

However, Mrs. Wang refused to give in. She stretched out her hand to show Shen Jingwan and said sarcastically, "You talk as if everyone has frostbite on their hands. The Fifth Young Master said that since you have come to this temple, you are no longer the master, and you are no different from us."

Shen Jingwan knew clearly that Wang Po was not trying to scare her by saying this.

Since coming to the ancestral temple, she had tried to suppress these old women by using her identity as the young lady of the Shen family, but ended up being severely beaten.

Later, she had to take out all the valuable jewelry on her body and hire someone to do the work for her.

Unfortunately, I left the Shen family in such a hurry that I had no other money except the few pieces of jewelry I was carrying.

Moreover, she usually appears to be pitiful and wears some simple and elegant jewelry.

So although she could get people to help her temporarily, it was still far from the effect she wanted of winning people's hearts.

In addition, the ancestral temple was not properly maintained on weekdays, but these old women were greedy and their ever-expanding appetites could never be satisfied.

When Shen Jingwan gave away all the jewelry she was wearing, they became the cold, harsh and insulting people they were before.

At this time, Mrs. Li, the manager of the ancestral temple, walked up to Shen Jingwan and viciously threw a dirty rag into the basin. The splashing water soaked Shen Jingwan's clothes.

She said in a mocking tone: "A bastard born from a concubine, do you really think you are the legitimate master of the Shen family?"

Hearing this, Shen Jingwan was furious, her eyes widened like copper bells, and she secretly swore in her heart that if one day she could leave this place, she would make sure these hateful old women got the punishment they deserved.

Mrs. Li sneered and continued, "Why, do you think I dare not touch you? Look at you now, and you still dare to glare at me! Let me tell you, there is no way you can return to the Shen family. If you really could go back, you would have left long ago. Look at the past month, who has cared about you? Even if you are registered under the name of the Third Madam, you are still a bastard after all."

At this moment, a voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Miss Wan, the old servant is here to take you back to the mansion."

Shen Jingwan's originally dull eyes brightened up instantly, but after a while, she seemed to have thought of something, lowered her head silently, and began to wipe the floor with the rag in the basin.

When Mrs. Li heard footsteps outside, she hurried out to check what was going on.

When she saw who was coming, a flattering smile immediately appeared on her face. She quickly stepped forward to greet her and said, "Madam Ge, thank you for your visit. I wonder what brings you here?"

When Aunt Ge walked in, she saw the scene in front of her and couldn't help frowning.

She turned to look at Shen Jingwan and said with concern, "Miss Wan, I'm here to take you back home. Please pack up quickly and go back with me."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingwan shook her head firmly and replied softly, "Thank you for your concern, Madam, but Wan'er still has unfinished tasks today and cannot delay the incense burning today."

After saying that, she continued to lower her head and wipe the floor.

Seeing this, Madam Ge hurried forward, snatched the rag from Shen Jingwan's hand, and threw it hard on the ground, saying distressedly, "You are a daughter, how can you do such rough work? What if the master finds out and blames you? What will we do?"

However, Shen Jingwan picked up the rag from the ground again, a wry smile on her lips, and said self-deprecatingly: "Fifth Brother said that since I set foot in this temple, my status has been no different from these women. Besides, what kind of a daughter of gold am I? I'm just a bastard born from a concubine."

At this moment, Li Pozi, who had just insulted Shen Jingwan, changed her expression. She quickly raised her hand and slapped herself twice, explaining with regret on her face, "Miss Wan, please don't say that. You are the daughter of the prime minister's family, with an extremely noble status. How can you be treated the same as us servants?"

At this moment, Madam Ge had grown impatient. She frowned and said with some dissatisfaction, "Miss Wan, please hurry up! If you delay any longer, I'm afraid you won't be able to return to the mansion before the city gates close."

Shen Jingwan knew very well that now was not the time to argue, so she immediately stood up straight and said politely to Madam Ge, "Madam, please wait a moment. I'm worried that I won't be able to do the work efficiently, so I've taken off all the jewelry and placed it in the room. Please ask Steward Li to help me get it."

When Mrs. Li heard Shen Jingwan's words, she was stunned and didn't know how to respond.

Because Shen Jingwan's jewelry had long been used to bribe them, and there was no jewelry left in her room.

Seeing that Li Pozi had no reaction, Madam Ge shouted, "Hurry up and go! What? Do you still want the master to go for you?"

Only then did Mrs. Li come to her senses and realized that Shen Jingwan actually wanted to take back the jewelry she had given them.

She cursed inwardly, "This little bastard is so cunning!" and then hurried to the backyard.

While waiting for Mrs. Li to come back, Shen Jingwan asked, "Why didn't the nanny from Grandmother's yard come to pick me up?"

Matron Ge replied respectfully, "Since you left, the old lady has been ill from excessive worry and has been bedridden. The maids at Songhe Hall are all busy caring for her and are unable to leave. Therefore, we can only send this old servant to welcome you back home."

Although Shen Jingwan was wondering what kind of illness her grandmother had, there was no one in Songhe Hall who could be useful to take her back home.

But looking at the look on Manager Li's face, it was clear that Madam Ge was a respected servant of the Shen family.

Moreover, she was holding the Shen Mansion's card in her hand and riding in the Shen family's carriage, so she should not be an imposter.

"Madam, you look unfamiliar. I seem to have never seen you in the mansion before. I wonder where you work?" Shen Jingwan asked.