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

After finishing breakfast, Shen Qingtan was still worried and asked the family physician to take Zhao Yi's pulse.

The physician said, "The Second Master's health is the same as before, but he is somewhat deficient. I will prescribe a medicinal diet to replenish him."

Shen Qingtan said, "Thank you for your trouble."

The physician wrote out a medicinal diet prescription and then took his leave.

Shen Qingtan gave the medicinal diet recipe to Tingxue and asked her to take it to the cook.

Zhao Yi seemed to have anticipated this outcome, his expression as gentle as ever, as he instructed her: "When you return to the Marquis of Chengen's residence, take Jiang Mu and Jiang Chao with you."

“If you leave both of them to me, you’ll have no one to serve you.” Shen Qingtan compromised, “I’ll take one, and you can keep one.”

"I'm on duty in the palace, I don't need anyone with me." Seeing that she was about to say something more, Zhao Yi said gently, "Would you listen to me this time?"

Shen Qingtan pursed her lips and agreed, "I'll have Liuyue serve you." After a pause, she explained, "I'm worried about having no one to take care of you."

Zhao Yi chuckled, agreed to her request, and left the mansion with Liu Yue.

Shen Qingtan then took Tingxue, Jiang Mu, and Jiang Chao to the Chengen Marquis's residence.

Halfway there, Shen Qingtan asked Tingxue, "Did I act crazy last night?"

“Sister Liuyue was on night watch last night. She went back to her room to sleep in the middle of the night, saying that Second Master was taking care of you.” Seeing her mistress’s nervous appearance, Tingxue couldn’t help but laugh and said, “You’re drunk. You’re usually very quiet and won’t cause trouble when you’re drunk.”

Shen Qingtan breathed a slight sigh of relief. If it was just occupying his bed, it wouldn't be so bad, as long as she didn't embarrass herself.

From then on, no matter what kind of alcohol it was or who tried to persuade her, she refused to touch a single drop.

The carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the Chengen Marquis's residence. Jiang Mu carried a wooden ladder and placed it next to the carriage, while Tingxue helped Shen Qingtan down from the carriage.

Shen Qingtan was about to enter the mansion with her entourage when another carriage stopped next to hers. The carriage had a sign that read "Duke's Mansion," so it was obvious that it belonged to Shen Mingzhu.

Sure enough, Shen Mingzhu got off the carriage with only Zhongxia as her maid.

The moment Shen Mingzhu saw Shen Qingtan, a beautiful smile appeared on her face: "Elder sister, you're going back to your parents' home today, why didn't you invite your younger sister to come along?"

She fought with Shen Qingtan several times, but was defeated by Shen Qingtan every time.

She reflected on her actions over the past few days and realized that she was at a disadvantage because she wasn't as good at pretending as Shen Qingtan.

Since Shen Qingtan pretends to be kind and innocent on the surface, but secretly does things that stab people in the back.

Then she followed suit.

Seeing that Shen Mingzhu had changed her attitude, Shen Qingtan realized that she had become smarter.

"Second sister, are you better now?" Shen Qingtan said softly, "You've been recuperating in your room these past few days, and since your second brother is at the Marquis's residence, I haven't asked you to come along."

Shen Mingzhu paused for a moment, then remembered something: her mother had strictly forbidden anyone infected with the disease from being near her second brother.

In her mother's heart, her second brother was the most important.

She tried to pretend she didn't care, but she was still affected a little.

Because she was the stepping stone for her second brother's meteoric rise to power.

"I'm not sick, I'm just taking care of my health." Shen Mingzhu suppressed the turmoil in her heart and affectionately took Shen Qingtan's arm: "Elder sister, let's go into the mansion first."

"Let's go." Shen Qingtan casually placed her arm in Tingxue's hand, avoiding Shen Mingzhu's hand.

Shen Mingzhu's hand missed its target. Gazing at Shen Qingtan's retreating figure, her hand slowly clenched into a fist.

The group went to the front hall, where Madam Shen, Marquis Chengen, Madam Shen, Shen Shaoheng and Shen Shaohuai had already arrived, along with two elderly men wearing square headscarves and cross-collar Taoist robes.

Apart from that, none of the other people came to the front hall.

After exchanging greetings, the two took their seats.

Shen Qingtan and Shen Shaoheng exchanged a glance. Seeing him stroking his chin and smiling smugly, they knew what kind of show they were putting on today.

Shen Mingzhu saw the two refined elderly men and guessed that they were relatives mentioned by her mother in the letter, and that they had come to discuss the matter of requesting the title of heir apparent.

When Madam Shen saw Shen Qingtan, she frowned slightly. Especially when she saw Jiang Mu and Jiang Chao standing on either side of her like two guardian deities, her expression immediately turned cold and stern.

Madam Shen turned her gaze to Shen Mingzhu, who was standing to the side with only a maid. She looked rather lonely and it was clear that she was being neglected in her husband's family.

Madam Shen pressed her lips down, and for the first time, a thought crossed her mind: was this marriage arrangement the right one?

If Shen Mingzhu marries Zhao Yi, it doesn't matter even if Zhao Yi dies young.

They can adopt a son from the clan and raise him to be the heir to the title.

The old Duke and Madam Zhao, Madam Zhao and Master Zhao, and even the nobles in the palace, would feel guilty because Zhao Yi was about to die, and would show more affection to Shen Mingzhu.

Now, Shen Qingtan is enjoying a life of luxury after marrying Zhao Yi.

"Now that everyone is here, let's get down to business," said Madam Shen, taking a wooden box from a maid and addressing the two elders. "I've specially invited you two elders here today to discuss an agreement from last year."

The two elders said solemnly, "When Ziyan passed away, Shaoheng was still too young to inherit the title of Marquis."

You have invited us to be your witnesses that the title of Marquis will be inherited by the current Marquis.

After Shao Heng comes of age, we will request that he be named heir apparent and become the next successor to the title.

"We drew up a written agreement as proof at the time, which was divided into three copies." Madam Shen opened the wooden box, took out the agreement, placed it on the tea table next to her, and said in a calm tone: "One copy is here for me, one copy is for the clan, and one copy is for the Marquis."

One of the clan elders took out the written agreement and placed it next to Madam Shen's written agreement.

“There was indeed such an agreement back then. Our second branch of the family had no intention of vying for the title, so we were willing to sign a written agreement.”

Madam Shen said calmly, "When my elder brother and sister-in-law passed away, Shao Heng was still an infant. How could he inherit the title? According to the normal inheritance system, it should have been our Marquis who inherited it. We can refuse to sign the document."

Madam Shen's face darkened: "Are you trying to renege on your promise?"

“Mother, your words have truly hurt us. Eldest brother is your son, and the Marquis is also your son. They are both your flesh and blood, but you are far too biased towards eldest brother’s branch and blind to the Marquis’s contributions.”

When Madam Shen got to the point of sadness, she burst into tears and said, "When the Marquis inherited the title, did you not know what the Marquis's mansion was like? It was the Marquis who worked diligently and conscientiously to build this huge family fortune."

Her voice choked with emotion as she continued, "If Shaoheng could be as successful as our elder brother, we would hand over the title to him without hesitation. But he is idle and dissolute, associating with all the纨绔 (playboys) in the capital."

At this point, Madam Shen became emotional: "Last year, he drove a respectable woman to her death, and I had to step in to settle things for him. How can we be willing to hand over the Marquis's mansion to such an incompetent person?"

At this moment, someone nearby spoke up: "Not necessarily."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and were all taken aback.