Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

In the seventh year of Jianzhao, the weather was extremely cold.

Snowflakes drift across the sky, blanketing everything in silver.

His Majesty ordered early in the morning that the Leopard Guards, along with the Imperial Guards, clear the snow from the palace, and that the Five City Garrison be responsible for the streets and alleys of Shengjing City to ensure the daily travel of officials and commoners.

When Xiao Zong left, Yuan Zhi was still dreaming. In her hazy state, she felt someone kiss her forehead. She mumbled something, turned over, and continued sleeping.

As soon as the weather turned cold, she slept especially soundly. If Luo Mei hadn't known she had important business to attend to that day and woken her up, she could have slept until noon.

After she got dressed, Luo Mei draped a red cloak with gold satin phoenix patterns over her shoulders. The brim, cuffs, and lining were all sewn with rabbit fur, making it both beautiful and warm.

"Today, the master's family is hosting a banquet at his residence, inviting relatives from both branches of the family. The eldest son has gone to the palace, and you are going to a restaurant. We should at least inform them so that we are not being impolite."

Yuan Zhi nodded. "I'll go pay my respects to my mother-in-law first, then go to the Marquis's residence with her and Rong'er to check in before heading to the restaurant. You and Chen Qing go to Wei Yan Lou to keep things in order, I'll be there as soon as possible!"

Luo Mei agreed, but still worriedly added, "The road is icy, so no matter how urgent it is, don't rush the driver. Be careful not to slip and fall."

"I'm not a kid."

"Don't think I'm being nagging. As Miss gets older, her temperament is actually getting worse. She's like a firecracker, ready to explode at any moment."

The maids burst into laughter, and Yuan Zhi covered her ears and ran away.

Luo Mei called from behind, "Miss, slow down!"

Yuan Zhi almost slipped and fell, grabbing onto a pillar by the water and waving behind her, "I know!"

In the main courtyard, Granny Li was supervising the servants as they shoveled snow. When she saw Yuanzhi coming over, she quietly pulled her to a corner.

"Young Madam, there is something I must tell you."

"what's up?"

Granny Li rubbed her hands together. "Hui'er suggested to Madam that the Second Young Master be released."

Yuan Zhi was both shocked and furious: "Your daughter has lost her mind! She wants to save a man who wants to kill her!"

"She just felt that the second young master was still her husband, and after being locked up for so long, he had shown remorse. She couldn't let her child be born without ever seeing its father!"

"Ha! Then let me ask you, which of these—eating, drinking, whoring, gambling—can Li Shen give up? He can't give up any of them. You're telling me that a prodigal son's return is more precious than gold? Even plays don't go that far! How can someone like that be fit to be a parent?"

Li Mama hurriedly comforted her, "Young Madam, please calm down. Since things have come to this, what do you think... why not grant Hui'er's wish?"

Yuan Zhi looked her over, wondering if the mother and daughter were plotting against her together.

"When did Zhang Hui mention this to her mother-in-law? Why are you only telling me now!"

“These days I have been following Madam. The only time I was not here was the day Madam made things difficult for you. She sent me to invite the manager of Minghu Tea House. It must have been at that time that Hui’er pleaded for the Second Young Master.”

This morning, Madam instructed me to lift the confinement of the Second Young Master. I only learned of this an hour before Madam did.

Yuan Zhi pursed her lips and said after a long while, "We were both kept in the dark by your daughter before, so I can overlook your mistake. Now that you know, what do you plan to do?"

Granny Li glanced at her face and said, "They've all been released, what else can we do? How about we leave it at that for now?"

Yuan Zhi sneered, "Who was it that knelt before me, crying and begging to surrender? I helped your daughter gain a proper status and prevented you from being expelled from the manor. You and your daughter benefited from this and now you want to kick me aside? There's no such thing as a free lunch."

She and Li Shen had already become enemies. If Zhang Hui was blinded by love and revealed the truth about catching her in adultery on Chongyang Festival, given Li Shen's personality, he would definitely tear her apart!

I was so blind back then, how could I have trusted those two ungrateful people!

Seeing the murderous look in her eyes, Granny Li quickly knelt down and kowtowed: "Young Madam has been kind to my mother and me like a second life. Even if I were a bad person, I would never do such a thing as crossing the river and burning the bridge! It's all because I'm clumsy with words and stupid with my brain that I couldn't think of a good solution, which caused Young Madam to misunderstand!"

Yuan Zhi struck the icicles under the eaves, and the cone-shaped icicles fell rapidly, like a sharp blade piercing the heart of the earth.

"If you can't figure it out, I'll teach you!"

Granny Li stared at the shattered ice, trembling all over. She had a premonition that if she said the wrong thing again, the young mistress might really kill her!

Her teeth were grinding together, her eyes unfocused. "Young...madam, please...speak."

*

After dealing with Granny Li, Yuanzhi straightened her clothes and, as if nothing had happened, went inside to pay her respects to Madam Qin.

Qin ignored her and had her maidservant help her comb her hair. Suddenly, news came from outside that the second young master and the third young lady had arrived. She saw Yuan Zhi in the mirror and was stunned for a moment, then the corners of her mouth slowly turned up.

"Did your mother-in-law release your brother-in-law?"

"You have a problem with that?" Madam Qin turned her head to look at her. "My son, whether to lock him up or release him is naturally my decision!"

"Is my mother-in-law releasing my brother-in-law now out of love, or does she think she can't beat me alone and wants to find a helper?"

"Outrageous!" Madam Qin slammed down her hairpin. "My Qin family has been officials for generations, with an upright family tradition. How could we fight endlessly with our daughter-in-law over the power to manage the household?"

Yuan Zhi smiled faintly, his words as sharp as knives.

"Even the most upright seedlings can produce crooked fruits. Chengyi Bo's ancestors were sworn brothers who helped the founding emperor conquer the country, but that didn't prevent him from rebelling later."

This shows that passing down family traditions isn't always effective. If you end up with a wicked and heartless descendant who has the nerve to mention family traditions, they are an unfilial child who brings shame to their ancestors! Mother-in-law, is my daughter-in-law right?

Yuan Zhi's words had a double meaning, insulting both Qin Shi and Xiao Shen.

Qin was furious, grinding her teeth in anger, but she had no choice but to go along with Yuanzhi. The fact that the Marquis of Chengyi had rebelled was undeniable; if she refuted him, she would be siding with the rebels and opposing the court!

She gripped the edge of the dressing table tightly and squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth.

"Correct!"

Yuan Zhixin was very satisfied and unceremoniously picked out candied fruits from the food box to eat, stuffing her mouth full, and greeted Xiao Rong and Xiao Shen who came in by lifting the curtain.

"Little Du, Little Pig, your mother has been waiting for you for so long, her legs are numb from sitting. Quickly help your mother into the carriage, the sooner we go, the sooner we can come back."

When Xiao Shen first entered the room, his eyes were sinister, but his expression changed instantly when he saw his mother. Now that he has a long history of misdeeds, he needs to please his mother so that he can have a chance to make a comeback!

He never wants to go back to that shabby little dark room again in his life!

He and his sister each took one side of Qin Shi and helped her out, with Yuan Zhi following behind. The group then boarded the carriage.

Upon arriving at the Marquis of Qingyang's residence, Yuanzhi explained the situation to his sister-in-law.

Madam Gu generously said, "You don't need to make this trip. It's just a family dinner. If you can't come, just send someone to tell them."

Yuan Zhi said earnestly, "Precisely because we are family, we should value this even more. I wouldn't feel at ease if I didn't come in person."

Upon hearing this, Madam Gu felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey. She had a servant bring some pastries and saw her out.

When Yuanzhi married into the family, she was always worried that the sisters-in-law would not get along well, but now it seems that she was worrying too much.