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

Qiu Chan knelt in the courtyard, her face pale, blood staining her plain dress and still seeping out.

She collapsed to the ground, looking exceptionally pale and fragile.

Zhao Jue strode across the courtyard to Qiu Chan's side, where she saw two bloodstained shards of porcelain lying where Qiu Chan was kneeling.

Her skirt was ripped in two places at the knees and stained with thick red blood, which looked quite shocking.

Zhao Jue kept a tight expression on his face, not caring about anything else. In front of everyone, he lifted Qiu Chan's skirt and rolled up the trousers that covered her calves.

A hole appeared on her fair knee, the skin and flesh were torn open, and blood was flowing out uncontrollably.

Shen Mingzhu, who was inside the house, was attracted by Zhongxia's screams. When she saw Qiuchan's miserable state, she turned pale with fright.

Shen Mingzhu subconsciously looked at Zhao Jue, only to see his face was ashen and he looked furious. She hurriedly explained, "Third Master, she is clumsy and doesn't serve people well. She is not as efficient as before. It's because she has become the master and I ordered her to follow the rules. She was unhappy and wanted to scald me with hot tea. That's why I punished her by making her kneel down."

At this point, her anger surged, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "Which concubine doesn't serve the principal wife in the main house? Just because the master neglects me, does that mean she can disregard me?"

Shen Mingzhu burst into tears, feeling wronged, and said, "I didn't make her kneel on the porcelain shards; she wanted to kneel there herself."

She never expected that this lowly maid would be so cunning, secretly picking up two pieces of broken porcelain while kneeling down to beg for mercy and plotting against her!

"Third Master, it's not my sister's fault. It's just that I'm too delicate and spoiled by you. I couldn't tell whether the tea was warm or hot, so I offered it to my sister directly."

Qiu Chan gently tugged at Zhao Jue's sleeve, tears welling in her eyes, "I know I've done wrong, so I'll kneel on the porcelain shards and suffer a little pain so I can learn my lesson."

After saying this, she glanced timidly at Shen Mingzhu, afraid that she had said something wrong and angered Shen Mingzhu, and would be punished again.

Shen Mingzhu was so enraged by that look that she was furious.

"Third Master, it really has nothing to do with my sister. This little injury is nothing. I'm used to it. I'll be fine in a couple of days."

The cicada trembled, its eyes pleading: "Harmony is the most important thing in a family. Please don't hold a grudge against my sister, lest it affect your relationship with your husband. If this hinders your future, then it will be my fault."

These words struck a nerve with Zhao Jue, especially since the Marquis of Chengen had summoned him today and implied that he favored his concubine over his wife.

Even if Shen Mingzhu made a mistake, he shouldn't hold a grudge against a woman. He should be magnanimous and give his wife the respect she deserves; only then will his career be bright.

These words sounded like a threat to Zhao Jue: if he did not treat Shen Mingzhu well, the Marquis's mansion would no longer provide him with any support.

Qiu Chan's words were like adding fuel to the fire, igniting his rebellious spirit.

Zhao Jue's face darkened. Did his future depend on Shen Mingzhu?

Shen Mingzhu was furious. What did she mean by saying that this injury was nothing and that she was used to it?

Isn't this lowly maidservant blatantly trying to sow discord between her and Zhao Jue, implying that he is frequently punished by her?

"Third Master..."

"Shut up!" Zhao Jue glared at Shen Mingzhu and said coldly, "She grew up in the Marquis's mansion, how could she not know that a principal wife has a thousand ways to control a concubine? Would she dare not serve you wholeheartedly? Was the tea in the room really scalding hot enough to hurt you? She took it upon herself to kneel on the porcelain shards, blatantly framing you. What awaits her? Is it that you don't understand, or that she doesn't understand the consequences? Does she dare?"

Shen Mingzhu's face turned pale. Before she could explain, Zhao Jue said, "You're just trying to embarrass her because I made her my concubine, because I favor her and neglect you. You're using this as an excuse to make things difficult for her."

"No...that's not the case..."

Zhao Jue said with disgust, "I must be crazy to marry a wicked woman like you who grew up in the countryside. You are both stupid and vicious."

Shen Mingzhu's biggest concern was her background, and Zhao Jue's words were like a sharp knife, stabbing her heart.

His disdainful and hateful gaze, in particular, deeply wounded her.

Zhao Jue didn't bother to look at her again and instructed the two maids serving Qiu Chan: "Help your aunt back to her courtyard and then ask the physician to clean her wounds."

"Yes." The two maids helped Qiu Chan leave.

Zhao Jue vented his anger, and the wound on his back throbbed with pain. He turned around and prepared to go to the study in the front yard.

"You're not allowed to leave!" Shen Mingzhu thought he was going to Qiuchan Courtyard, so she grabbed his sleeve tightly and used her trump card to keep him: "My elder brother has sent word that they will make you the heir of the Duke's Mansion as soon as possible."

Zhao Jue paused, the anger on his face subsided, and his expression softened slightly.

He knew that the Marquis's mansion would not easily give up on him or the benefits that the Duke's mansion could bring.

The Marquis's mansion had given him a heads-up before, and now Shen Mingzhu had given him a definite answer, so he was starting to feel a sense of anticipation.

"Remember, we're in the same boat. My well-being is your well-being." Zhao Jue said this and strode away. He passed through the moon archway and met Shen Qingtan, who was returning from outside.

Her delicate and radiant face, set against the backdrop of a tree full of crabapple blossoms, appeared even more charming and alluring.

Whenever you see her, she is always calm, composed, and wise.

I have never seen her hysterical or with a ferocious expression.

Zhao Jue couldn't help but think that if he had married Shen Qingtan from the beginning, even without the help of the Marquis's mansion, he could have easily obtained a title simply because of her shrewdness, cunning, and wealth.

Originally, this idea was just a small seed planted in Zhao Jue's heart.

Having experienced the reprimand from Marquis Chengen and witnessed Shen Mingzhu's vicious methods, this idea began to take root and sprout.

Zhao Jue moved closer to Shen Qingtan uncontrollably, his gaze sweeping over the expensive tonics that Jiang Chao and Liu Yue were holding: "Tan'er, did you go to buy some nourishing herbs for your second brother?"

"Third brother, I am your second sister-in-law." Shen Qingtan took a few steps back to keep her distance from him, and said with a cold expression, "Even a three-year-old child knows these rules. Surely the third young master of the Duke's mansion doesn't know them?"

Zhao Jue was unwilling to call her Second Sister-in-law, as if by doing so, some things could never be the same again.

"Today, Shen Mingzhu summoned Qiu Chan to establish rules and deliberately punished Qiu Chan."

Zhao Jue subconsciously brought up his worries. He always felt inexplicably calm when he was around Shen Qingtan.

In the past, when the two of them were together, he would tell her everything.

She would occasionally respond, and her responses to his confusion were often insightful and enlightening.

Zhao Jue felt a pang of nostalgia and couldn't help but think that if his wife were Shen Qingtan, with her virtue and magnanimity, she would surely manage the household perfectly and would never do something as unbecoming as fighting with a concubine.

Shen Qingtan asked in surprise, "Third sister-in-law isn't such a jealous person. Could there be some other misunderstanding?"

Zhao Jue's face was grim: "What misunderstanding could there be?"

“Third brother, you’ve been staying in your concubine’s room all day. Your wife is just too concerned about you, which is why she’s resorting to this tactic,” Shen Qingtan advised. “I know you’re angry, but you also need to consider the bigger picture.”

She sighed: "Your career was already going badly, and now you're bullying your third sister-in-law like this. Not to mention the Marquis's mansion, anyone would want to avenge their daughter. If the Marquis's mansion interferes, the obstacles in your career will be even greater."

Then, Shen Qingtan added a word of advice: "Whose room you want to stay in is your own decision, provided that you have the ability to control the other person."

She said all she had to say and left with her entourage.

Zhao Jue frowned, pondering Shen Qingtan's words in his mind. The more he thought about it, the more reasonable she seemed.

Although he was hoping for some help from the Marquis's mansion, he was still constrained by them and felt truly resentful.

To gain control over someone, besides using their status to suppress them, you need to offer them substantial benefits; otherwise... you need to find their weakness and seize their lifeline.