After being reborn with my scumbag ex-husband, I became his sister-in-law.

As she thought about it, she slowly released her hand from her chest.

Zhao Shuqing swept the items from the cabinet into Zhao Qianlan's arms, then picked her up and threw her onto the bed.

……

The woman was tightly bound, and her shrill screams echoed on the bed, which made Zhao Qingshu feel even more pleased.

As the familiar pain poured down, Zhao Qianlan began to enjoy it, completely forgetting about everyone and everything else.

Seeing her flushed cheeks and enjoying herself, Zhao Qingshu couldn't help but say, "I told you before not to marry Song Juncai. It would have been so much better if you stayed with me for the rest of your life."

"Now that Song Juncai is useless, you still have to come to me for help."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qianlan was caught off guard and realized that she had finally come to the ultimate purpose of her visit.

She laboriously leaned close to Zhao Qingshu's chest: "Brother Qing, no one is taller and more powerful than you... so I have one more request of you..."

The man was unusually agreeable at this moment: "What is it?"

“I need money…and I also need your appreciation for my son-in-law…He Yunze, and then introduce him to Prince Yu…introduce him…He is…talented, but he was terribly harmed by that vile servant Song Xizhi…”

Zhao Qianlan spoke haltingly, her words uttered with great difficulty.

Zhao Shuqing readily agreed: "Sure, I have plenty of money if you need it, but you have to pay me with your body, one hundred taels per time, is that enough?"

Zhao Qianlan was taken aback. Although she felt great at the moment, doing this kind of thing too often would inevitably expose her true colors.

She didn't want to be disgraced.

"Am I that cheap in your eyes? Like a prostitute?" Zhao Qianlan blinked, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

Zhao Shuqing wiped away her tears: "Then two hundred taels, no more than that, even prostitutes outside don't cost that much."

Zhao Qianlan bit her lip tightly, but finally agreed.

The fine imposed on He Yunce by the Jingzhao Prefecture was only eight hundred taels. As for the silver owed to the He and Song families, there was no rush to repay it; two hundred taels at a time, four times would be enough.

After this is over, she'll act as if nothing ever happened; she won't put herself in any dangerous situation.

With this in mind, Zhao Qianlan worked even harder.

Feeling the woman's enthusiasm, Zhao Shuqing was very pleased: "Don't worry, Prince Yu and Consort Liang are just a matter of a word from me. I will take care of whatever you want."

……

When Zhao Qianlan hurried back to her courtyard, her steps were unsteady and she looked somewhat flustered.

Unexpectedly, as soon as they arrived in the courtyard, they bumped into Song Ruoan.

Song Ruoan was carrying large and small bags and luggage, about to move them into the courtyard.

Although men and women don't live together, He Yunze still accompanied Song Ruoan to the courtyard. Song Ruoan looked at Zhao Qianlan, her eyes lit up, and then she was a little puzzled.

"Mother? It's so cold, why aren't you staying inside? Where have you been?"

"You look like you've been crying."

As soon as Song Ruoan spoke, everyone present looked in Zhao Qianlan's direction. Alian, who was holding a bundle to the side, also glanced at Zhao Qianlan silently.

Zhao Qianlan felt a little guilty and flustered, so she just made up a lie: "I was just thinking of going out for a walk to familiarize myself with the way, but the wind was too strong, so I came back around."

Song Ruoan nodded, still holding something in her hand, and entered the house without suspicion: "Come in quickly, Mother! We live in the same courtyard, so we can look after each other."

Hearing Song Ruoan's cheerful voice coming from inside the house, Zhao Qianlan breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, there were no outsiders in the courtyard, and her silly daughter couldn't see anything, otherwise she wouldn't know what to do.

Zhao Qianlan thought to herself and cautiously entered the house again, but she felt weak all over and stumbled, almost falling.

Fortunately, Ah Lian, who was standing nearby, quickly helped her up, saying, "Madam, please be careful."

Zhao Qianlan nodded and then went into the house.

Only A-Lian remained standing there, recalling the deep wound she had just seen on Zhao Qianlan's wrist, as if it had been bound with something...

She pondered for a moment, looking at Zhao Qianlan's strange walking posture, and then shifted her gaze to the soles of her shoes covered in moss.

He then carried the things he was carrying back into the house.

Inside the room, Song Ruoan and He Yunce were talking to Zhao Qianlan.

Recalling Zhao Qingshu's words, Zhao Qianlan took a deep breath and smiled at Song Ruoan again:

"The things that Ruo'an used to worry about, she doesn't need to worry about now."

"It just so happens that we've come across this Fengshan ceremony. I had a good talk with your maternal grandmother today, and she promised to help Yun Ce settle his past affairs and introduce him to Prince Yu."

Upon hearing this, Song Ruoan was overjoyed.

She knew her guess was right; her mother's position in the Zhao family was indeed not to be underestimated. Even if she wasn't their maternal grandmother, she still had to help them.

Song Ruoan thought to herself, then glanced at He Yunze with a smug look. When she met He Yunze's gaze, she cautiously asked:

"What about the silver? My husband is short of money right now. Mother, could you spare some silver for the emergency?"

Zhao Qianlan felt her daughter's gaze, smiled, and nodded, appearing completely calm and collected.

"The matter of the silver has also been taken care of. It's just a few hundred taels of silver from the government, and we'll give it to you right away."

"Thankfully, this has solved your immediate problem."

Upon hearing this, Song Ruoan finally burst out laughing. She proudly raised her chin and smiled arrogantly at He Yunce: "Husband, what did I say?"

"The Zhao family is large and powerful, and my mother has a lot of influence. They are not like Song Xi's maternal grandparents' family, which is a small and poor family!"

Upon hearing this and seeing Zhao Qianlan's calm and composed demeanor, He Yunze felt a glimmer of hope rekindle in his heart.

He licked his lips, hesitated for a moment, and then cautiously began, "Actually... Mother-in-law..."

Zhao Qianlan looked up at him in confusion: "Is there anything else?"

“I actually owe not only the Jingzhao Prefecture eight hundred taels, but also two thousand four hundred taels of usurious loans. In addition, I also owe my sister-in-law fifteen hundred taels of silver…”

"It adds up to four thousand seven hundred taels... not even counting the money owed to my mother and the money for the shop's renovation..."

He Yunze recited the details with great familiarity, causing Zhao Qianlan's face to turn deathly pale instantly.

"You...you...you actually owe four thousand seven hundred taels of silver? How am I supposed to pay it back?"

Zhao Qianlan's voice suddenly became sharp, and she accidentally fell off the soft couch, her lower body burning with pain.

Seeing her intense reaction, He Yunze knelt down in front of Zhao Qianlan in great pain: "Mother-in-law, I am sorry for what I did. Please think of another way!"

"Do you know what usury means to an official... If he can't repay it, he will be disgraced. And if I can't repay my sister-in-law's money for cosmetics, she will definitely make a scene. When this matter comes to light, Father will have to know the truth!"

"By then, my father will have completely abandoned me, and inheriting the title will be impossible!"

As He Yunze spoke, he crawled two steps on his knees, grabbed Zhao Qianlan's skirt, and his eyes filled with tears: "Mother! I want to call you Mother!"

"Even if it's for Ruo'an's sake, even if it's so that Ruo'an can become the wife of the heir apparent and a first-rank noblewoman in the future! You must save your son-in-law!"

Upon hearing this, Song Ruoan knelt down before Zhao Qianlan, as if grasping at the only straw: "Mother, please borrow some more money from Grandmother!"

"Please, please save my husband! He is my only hope!"

Zhao Qianlan clutched her chest in anguish, the two men's pleas echoing in her ears, and her lips trembled.

Good heavens! Good heavens!

What is all this?

She humbly earned money under that man's body, only to use it to buy cosmetics for Song Xizhi!

One thousand five hundred taels!