She mistakenly got into the bridal sedan chair and married a sickly but powerful minister, becoming

Shen Qingtan withdrew her gaze, passed through the hanging flower gate, and caught a glimpse of Shu Yue's fleeting figure.

Liu Yue looked in the direction Shu Yue had left and lowered her voice to say, "Miss, Shu Yue sent me to Wanfeng Pavilion. Are you going to punish her?"

Shen Qingtan said indifferently, "No need, it will be useful."

Liu Yue asked worriedly, "Aren't you afraid of leaving a hidden danger?"

“It wasn’t Lady Chengen who arranged for Shuyue to lead you to Wanfeng Pavilion; she was following orders from Mama Wei. If it were Lady Chengen who gave the order, she would probably be in Furong Garden right now.” Shen Qingtan saw through Liuyue’s thoughts and said cryptically, “Shuyue is more afraid of Lady Chengen finding out than I am of this matter. She was also involved. If Lady Shen finds out, she will never let Shuyue live.”

Liu Yue felt uneasy: "But..."

“Shu Yue will cover this up, and is even afraid that you will reveal it. We have a handle on her.” Shen Qingtan said quietly, “My relationship with the Lady of Chengen Marquis has long been irreconcilable. Even if Wei Mama’s death has nothing to do with me, she will not let me go. She knows that I set Wei Mama’s death up, but what can she do? She will not break ties with me, but will only trip me up in secret.”

Tingxue and Liuyue were stunned.

"So, what does it matter whether she knows or not?" Shen Qingtan pushed aside the peach blossom branch that stretched out in front of her, took a handkerchief and slowly wiped the black ash off her fingertips, and smiled slightly: "As long as we don't leave any evidence, why should we be afraid of her?"

Looking at Shen Qingtan's fair hands, Liu Yue felt a chill run down her spine.

She recalled a rumor that circulated in the manor after Shen Qingtan's wedding: "Miss, are you not the mother's child?"

Otherwise, why would Madam Shen want to harm Shen Qingtan?

Shen Qingtan replied indifferently, "Hmm."

The rumors were confirmed, causing a storm of emotions to churn in Liuyue and Tingxue's hearts, but it also explained why the Shen family deliberately switched the marriage.

The two of them dared not ask any more questions, and looking at Shen Qingtan's slender and frail back, they felt particularly sorry for her.

Her closest relatives now want to kill her.

The son-in-law she married was a useless, sickly man who couldn't protect his master.

If it weren't for their master protecting them, they would have been the ones to die in the river.

The two secretly vowed in their hearts that they would never betray their Lord in this life.

-

Zhao Yi stood in the front hall waiting for Shen Qingtan. When he saw her return with her maid, he bid farewell to Marquis Chengen and returned to his residence.

The couple sat facing each other in the carriage. Shen Qingtan was a little tired and wanted to lean against the side of the carriage. But she saw the man opposite her, his posture was upright, and his blue brocade robe was clean and smooth without a single wrinkle.

She immediately behaved herself.

Zhao Yi caught a glimpse of her slightly hunched back, almost touching the car wall, when she immediately straightened up and sat very upright when she caught sight of him.

A slight smile curved his lips as he fetched a large pillow and handed it to him: "It'll be another quarter of an hour before we get back to the manor. You've been busy all day, so rest for a while."

Shen Qingtan looked at the soft pillow handed to her, her gaze falling on his cool and aloof face. The faint smile on his lips had not yet faded, reflecting the bright spring light and exuding a gentle warmth.

She subconsciously took the soft pillow, hesitated for a moment, then tucked it behind her back to lean against it. Her sore muscles and bones relaxed a little, and drowsiness washed over her.

Shen Qingtan rested her head against the car wall. The man held a book in his hand, flipping through it. His features were relaxed and carefree, drawing people's attention to him.

For some unknown reason, she inexplicably started a conversation: "Do you know what happened at the Marquis's residence?"

"Hmm." Zhao Yi looked up at Shen Qingtan. Her slender body sank softly into the pillow, as delicate as a tender branch or leaf, needing to be sheltered under someone's wings. Yet her clear eyes possessed a calmness and clarity beyond her years, revealing a resilience from her very bones. He closed his book and slowly said, "The Marquis said it's a matter of the inner quarters, and it's inconvenient for us to get involved."

His expression was indifferent, as if he didn't care about what happened at the Marquis's residence.

Since she had known him, Shen Qingtan had never seen him show any emotional fluctuations. At this moment, a sudden thought struck her: could someone as indifferent to life and death encounter something that would cause him to lose control?

She shook her head, unable to imagine it at all.

"Second Master."

Zhao Yi put down the book in his hand, looked up to meet her gaze, and asked, "What is it?"

Shen Qingtan probed Zhao Yi's bottom line: "If I have a conflict with the second branch of the family, what will you think?"

Zhao Yi said gently, "You don't need to have any worries. Just do what you think you should do."

Shen Qingtan was taken aback, seemingly unable to understand the meaning behind his words.

“The second wife is my relative, and you are my wife, closer than them. It’s natural for me to side with you, even if it’s based on reason rather than kinship. Even if it’s based on reason rather than kinship, the fault doesn’t lie with you.” Zhao Yi’s eyes were gentle, his voice clear and soothing. “Besides, the second wife is hostile towards the first wife. Even if you weren’t my wife, if you ever have a conflict with the second wife, it would be gentlemanly of me not to kick them when they’re down. Tell me, what should I think?”

Faced with his frankness, Shen Qingtan was surprised and then probed, "You should think about how to push things along so that the second branch of the family will no longer dare to be hostile to the first branch."

Zhao Yi chuckled: "What you said makes some sense."

Shen Qingtan breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Zhao Yi was unwilling to break ties with the second branch of the family, so as not to hurt the feelings of the old Duke and the old lady. Now it seemed that she had been overthinking it.

-

Shen Qingtan returned to Lanxue Garden, summoned Liu Mama, and introduced Liuyue and Tingxue to her: "These two are my personal maids. They are new here and do not know the rules of the manor. I would like to trouble Liu Mama to teach them the rules."

Liu Mama immediately realized that these two maids were valued by Shen Qingtan, and quickly agreed: "Second Madam, you are too kind. This is my duty, and I will do my best to teach the two young ladies."

Liu Yue and Ting Xue greeted Liu Mama.

With a beaming smile, Mrs. Liu led the two out.

Qiu Chan and Chun Jiao stood in the corner, their faces pale, a strong sense of crisis welling up in their hearts, yet they didn't know how to break the situation before them.

Shen Qingtan sat in front of the bronze mirror, and Qiu Chan, being very perceptive, stepped forward to remove the hairpin from her hair: "Second Madam, would you like to take a bath?"

"Hmm." Shen Qingtan took off the bracelet from her wrist and instructed, "Chunjiao, go and get some hot water."

"Yes, this servant will go to the kitchen now." Chun Jiao left in a hurry.

Fifteen minutes later, Chun Jiao prepared hot water and served Shen Qingtan a bath.

Qiu Chan went to scent Shen Qingtan's clothes.

After taking a bath, Shen Qingtan felt completely relaxed and limp from the hot water, and took a short nap on a short couch.

When Liu Yue entered, she saw Shen Qingtan leaning against the couch. Her soft and delicate figure folded out alluring curves, and her fair skin and jade-like bones glowed with a peach-pink hue, exuding charm and fragrance.

Such beauty could only be missed by someone as blind as Zhao Jue.

Liu Yue was extremely unwilling to relay Zhao Jue's message, but fearing she might ruin her master's plans, she suppressed her dissatisfaction and woke Shen Qingtan: "Miss, Third Master Zhao wants to see you."