After the arranged marriage, I pampered the sickly regent.

"Second Miss, the young master has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingzhu's face darkened. What was he doing here? Just as he was about to make an excuse, he saw that the servants had brought Jiang Wenjin here.

"What are you here for?"

Ye Qingzhu looked at Jiang Wenjin with impatience in her eyes.

Jiang Wen was helpless. His wife could speak properly outside the Duke's mansion, but once she returned, she was a completely different person. Even when there were outsiders present, she showed him no respect whatsoever.

Given his current status, even if he participated in the scientific expedition, he would still need Ye Xuan's guidance. Before things reached a certain point, no matter how Ye Qingzhu treated him, he would have to treat her like an ancestor.

Jiang Wenjin was well aware of this, so when facing Ye Qingzhu, he suppressed his displeasure and said, "Wife, didn't I promise not to bring Mother here? Why did you come back to the Duke's Mansion again?"

When he returned from school and saw the empty house, he immediately realized that Ye Qingzhu had returned to the Duke's Mansion.

Ye Qingzhu snorted coldly and said dismissively, "So what if you agree, Jiang Wenjin? This is my family home. I can go back whenever I want. Are you going to stop me?"

"My lady, that's not what I meant, it's just that your current status..."

Jiang Wenjin had intended to offer some gentle advice, but Ye Qingzhu exploded upon hearing the word "identity." She shook off Jiang Wenjin's hand and angrily rebuked him, "Jiang Wenjin, don't try to remind me of those rules and regulations."

"If it weren't for me, you probably wouldn't even be able to get through the gates of the Duke's mansion."

Ye Qingzhu grew angrier the more she thought about it. If it weren't for her past life experiences, how could she have married such a poor, pedantic scholar?

Thinking of that dilapidated courtyard, compared to the Duke's mansion, it was like comparing heaven and earth, utterly incomparable.

Ye Qingzhu's outburst quickly attracted the attention of the surrounding maids. Although they all knew what kind of person this second young lady was, it was the first time they had ever seen a newlywed woman belittle her husband so much.

With so many people watching, Jiang Wenjin's face grew even uglier, while Ye Qingzhu was smug. She wanted to let Jiang Wenjin know that without her, he was nothing but a scholar.

In order to prevent him from doing anything that would betray him if he became the Grand Secretary in the future.

Seeing the commotion ahead, Su, who was passing by, looked displeased and asked, "What's going on over there?"

"Replying to Madam, the Second Miss is reprimanding her son-in-law."

"Scolding?" Madam Su sensed something was wrong and quickly scolded the maids around her. When she saw Ye Qingzhu's arrogant attitude, she frowned and said, "Qingzhu, how dare you speak to your husband like that?"

As she spoke, Su turned to Jiang Wenjin, who was standing there silently, and said, "Wenjin, Qingzhu has been willful since she was little. Please be more tolerant of her and don't take it to heart."

"Mother-in-law, you flatter me. Qingzhu is my wife, and it is only right that I tolerate her."

Madam Su was clearly satisfied with Jiang Wenjin's answer. She waved to the people she had brought and said, "You few take the young master for a walk around the mansion. I have something to say to the second young lady."

"Wenjin, you don't mind, do you?"

Jiang Wenjin cupped his hands in greeting, glanced in Ye Qingzhu's direction, and left with his attendant.

“Mother, why are you being so polite to him? He’s just a scholar, and besides, he needs to rely on our Duke’s Mansion. Even if he’s angry, he doesn’t dare to say anything.”

Looking at Ye Qingzhu's indifferent expression, Madam Su said helplessly, "Qingzhu, no matter what, you are now married. As the saying goes, a woman follows her husband after marriage. Even if you are from a noble family, you shouldn't act like this."

"Later, you can follow Wen Jin's lead."

"No!" Ye Qingzhu refused outright. "That place is too dilapidated, it's practically uninhabitable. Mother, I didn't marry him to live a life of hardship."

Looking at Ye Qingzhu's unreasonable and argumentative behavior, Su felt a headache coming on.

"Here's what I'll do. I have ten thousand taels here. Take it to buy a new house, and while you're at it, go to the slave trader to buy some servants. Use the rest to furnish the mansion properly."

“She runs back to her parents’ home all the time when there’s nothing to do. People will laugh at her if word gets out.”

Upon hearing that there were ten thousand taels, Ye Qingzhu finally relented and reluctantly agreed after spending some time at the Duke's mansion.

Just as he was about to go find Jiang Wenjin, he saw him talking to Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan's face was very unpleasant. He didn't know who he had offended in court these past few days, but he had been severely reprimanded by the emperor. He was already holding back a lot of anger, and now seeing Jiang Wen wandering around the mansion, he vented all his anger on him.

"Wen Jin, what's wrong with you? The imperial examination is just around the corner, and instead of preparing properly, you're wasting your time here. If you don't get first place this time, don't tell anyone outside that you're my student. It's utterly shameful!"

Jiang Wen kept his head down, feeling only humiliation at Ye Xuan's reprimand and insult.

"Father-in-law is right, I'll go back now."

Upon hearing these words, Ye Qingzhu, who had just arrived, was immediately dissatisfied and stepped forward to confront Ye Xuan.

“Father, Jiang Wenjin is still my husband no matter what. How can you say such a thing about him?”

"Moreover, my husband is extremely talented in studying, and I believe he will definitely be the top scholar this time."

Jiang Wenjin was stunned, clearly not expecting that Ye Qingzhu, who had just been disrespecting him, would actually speak up for him in front of Ye Xuan, making his feelings even more complicated.

"The top scholar?" Ye Xuan sized up Jiang Wenjin, clearly with doubt, and flicked his sleeve. "It had better be that way."

"Only the top scholar in the imperial examination can be worthy of being the son-in-law of our Duke's family."

Ye Xuan said coldly that he could not afford to offend that prince, but it would be easy for him to control a mere scholar like Jiang Wenjin.

"Alright, you two hurry back." Ye Xuan said impatiently, unwilling to talk to the two any longer.

After leaving the Duke's mansion, Jiang Wenjin still looked at Ye Qingzhu with disbelief, "Wife, do you really think I'll be the top scholar?"

"Did your father-in-law say something to you?"

In Jiang Wenjin's view, the only thing that could make Ye Qingzhu so certain was something Ye Xuan promised.

Ye Qingzhu looked smug and had no time to listen to Jiang Wenjin's next words, so she directly agreed, "Of course."

"Didn't my father just say that only the top scholar in the imperial examination is worthy of being the son-in-law of the Duke's mansion?"

"Look what these are." Ye Qingzhu took out a silver note with ten thousand taels of silver.

the other side.

"Your Highness, is this the medicinal herb you wish to purchase?"

Leng Feng came out of the pharmacy and presented the medicinal herbs he had bought to Ye Qingwu.

Ye Qingwu nodded and then glanced at Zhan Sijing, who was waiting there.

"Husband, let's go back."

"it is good."

Upon hearing the word "husband," a smile appeared on Zhan Sijing's handsome face.

A gasp of surprise came from all around. Ye Qingwu glanced around and then noticed that many women were looking in their direction.

I have to admit, her husband is really handsome.