Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

"Alright, Madam, there's no need to take the rumors outside to heart. I've pretty much finished handling the affairs of the court, so leave this matter to me."

Liu Zhiyi said in surprise,

"So fast?"

"Okay, I'll leave it to you. My husband is the best."

Song Hanchuan thought to himself, if it weren't for Pei Yunchu's reckless handling of government affairs, he could have done it even faster.

Liu Zhiyi didn't know how Song Hanchuan dealt with Shen Ningxue, only that the next day, someone from the Minister's mansion came, kneeling at the door and begging to see the Prime Minister, but Song Hanchuan refused to see him.

Time flies, the years are like a shuttle.

Autumn has arrived in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Shen Erzhuang requested an audience at the entrance of the Prime Minister's residence.

Liu Zhiyi recalled the first time he saw her at the manor, his eyes filled with undisguised joy.

Knowing he was different from others, I went to see him.

At the side gate, Liu Zhiyi said indifferently,

"Get to the point. If you want to plead for your parents and get that estate back, don't even bother, because I won't agree."

Shen Erzhuang looked embarrassed and pursed his lips, saying...

“Little Yi, our family has settled down and we have some money to spare, so don’t worry. I’m so happy to see you’re still alive.”

Don't worry, I'm not here to plead for mercy.

"What Mom and Dad did was indeed wrong, and it's understandable that you're angry. That estate was originally bought by you and your sister, so taking it back is normal. Your older brother and I don't blame you."

Liu Zhiyi's expression softened somewhat.

Shen Erzhuang paused for a moment, then recounted the events of the past three years in fits and starts.

It turns out that when she and Shen Ningzhu suddenly appeared back then, the Shen family was also happy and genuinely wanted to be family with them.

However, the two left again not long after, and there was no news of them. The Shen family was disappointed and sad for a while, and at the same time, they were worried about them.

Later, when he and his elder brother Shen Dazhuang led a dozen or so strong men to the capital to sell agricultural products from their estate, they happened to meet Shen Ningxue, and that's how the two groups got in touch.

In the days that followed, Shen Ningxue visited more and more frequently, always making the two elders very happy. Over time, their affection for Shen Ningzhu gradually faded.

Until one day, the Shen family discovered their estate and began to cause trouble frequently. Every time they came, they caused a huge disturbance and even bribed the local magistrate to accuse Shen Dashan of being unfilial.

In the midst of the crisis, Shen Ningxue suddenly arrived and resolved the situation with a single sentence.

After that, those people never appeared before them again.

From then on, the two elders of the Shen family became even more affectionate towards Shen Ningxue, doting on her as if she were their own precious jewel.

It was said that she was going to marry the Prime Minister and become his wife, but because she was short of money and afraid of being looked down upon, the Shen family unanimously agreed to empty their savings to save face for her.

Everything that followed was what Liu Zhiyi saw.

Liu Zhiyi retorted sarcastically, "So, you're saying your family did nothing wrong?"

Shen Erzhuang shook his head.

"No, it is indeed us who are ungrateful, but little sister, your father and mother are just ordinary peasants. They don't have great ambitions or much sense of loyalty. They just want to live."

“They relied on you before, and then they fawned over Xue’er. They chose Xue’er over you. It’s not that they had no feelings for you. They just wanted to live.”

Liu Zhiyi smiled.

"If I told you that the lawsuit, including the disturbance caused by the Shen family, was all orchestrated by Shen Ningxue herself, would you believe me?"

This was told to her by Song Hanchuan himself, so there's no mistake.

Shen Erzhuang was shocked for a long time before he finally gave a bitter smile.

"Is that so? Yes, Xue'er's intentions were too obvious. My brother and I did have our suspicions."

"But thinking about how much Xue'er has sacrificed for this family since she was little, how she was beaten to the point of near death by the people from the old mansion several times in order to keep the family's food supply, I just..."

So you can't bear to do it, right?

Liu Zhiyi really wanted to tell him that what Shen Ningxue was desperately trying to protect was just her own food supply.

But none of this matters anymore.

“Little Yi, it’s so good that you’re still alive. Don’t worry, I’ll tell my family that I’ll never bother you again.”

After that, he strode away.

……

Two days later, the two of them were both at home, which was rare for them. Song Hanchuan instructed the housekeeper to have the kitchen prepare more of Liu Zhiyi's favorite dishes to nourish her properly.

The steward had just agreed with a smile when the gatekeeper came in with a visiting card and said, "Sir, the Lady of the Marquis requests an audience. This is her visiting card."

Song Hanchuan took a look and his expression darkened.

"What's wrong?" Liu Zhiyi asked with concern.

“It’s alright,” Song Hanchuan said with a complicated expression. “Pei Yun Chu’s mother has arrived and specifically asked to see you.”

Liu Zhiyi was delighted.

"see me?"

"Yes, to be precise, it's to see the young lady from the Prime Minister's residence."

That's more like it. I knew it. With Pei Yun Chu's mother looking down on her so much, how could she possibly want to see her?

However, she was curious about the other party's expression if they knew that the so-called young lady of the Prime Minister's mansion was actually the lowly maid she had always looked down upon.

Tsk tsk, I'm strangely looking forward to it.

When Song Hanchuan saw her like that, he knew she was up to no good, and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.

"Take her to the flower hall. My wife and I will arrive shortly."

"Yes."

As soon as the two entered the flower hall, they saw that the Lady Hou, who had been sitting upright, immediately stood up from her seat, her face beaming with smiles, and warmly greeted them.

"This humble woman greets Your Excellency. Oh, this must be your daughter, right?"

"Look at that face, so pretty, she's definitely going to be a beauty. And that air about her, she's not to be underestimated, she's definitely someone of high status."

Liu Zhiyi raised an eyebrow.

"Madam has a good eye; she can even see my natural features through the veil."

This statement is quite ironic.

Lady Hou's face stiffened for a moment, and she couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.

Can't this brat even speak properly?

It seems that for a woman raised in a remote and impoverished area, noble status alone is not enough; a lack of manners is a lack of manners. In the past, such a woman would certainly not have been worthy of the noble family's prestige.

But that brat went crazy three years ago, making a scene known throughout the city. Now, which respectable family would be willing to marry into the Marquis's family?

"She's finally found someone who's willing to pay her, wouldn't she cling to him tightly?" The Lady Hou suppressed her displeasure and smiled as she spoke.

"That's right. Although the young lady is wearing a veil, her exposed eyebrows and eyes are exquisite and charming. Even without looking, you can tell she is a beauty."

Song Hanchuan threaded his fingertips through Liu Zhiyi's fingers, intertwining his with hers, and led her to sit in the head seat, saying calmly,

"May I ask what brings you here today, Madam?"

Lady Hou was startled, her gaze fixed on the two men's intertwined hands.

"This……"

"Ok?"

"Ah? Oh! No, nothing. The Prime Minister and his sister have a very good relationship, hehe."

Lady Hou smiled stiffly on the surface, but inwardly she was thinking, "What's going on between these two? Could they be up to something shady?"

Whose siblings are so close?