The merchant's rebirth led to the complete downfall of the Marquis's mansion.

Jiang Liu was dragged to a mass grave and his life was hastily ended.

Qin Yao had someone watching him the whole time, and knowing his fate, she simply shook her head indifferently.

She thought that no matter what, Jiang Liu could cling to Xia Qiutang for a few more days! She never expected that he would be gone as soon as he went in.

Qin Yao flipped through the ledger and casually asked:

Where is Xia Qiutang?

Xiao Liu was quick-witted and replied immediately:

"I haven't heard anything about her! I asked the servant, and yesterday..."

Xiao Liu recounted what happened yesterday. Many servants witnessed the events, so it wasn't a secret; anyone could easily ask him.

After Jiang Liu was beaten to death, he was quickly dragged out, while Xia Qiutang, who had watched the whole thing, returned to her courtyard as if nothing had happened and even ate an extra bowl of food at dinner.

She probably felt that since the person was dead, she was no longer a threat, and her mood improved considerably.

However, she was still not smart enough. Her life was already bad. Without the master's favor, she was just an insignificant concubine, yet she still thought she could do it.

There are plenty of people in the manor watching her, yet she still doesn't know how to restrain herself. By now, someone has already reported her to the authorities.

Qin Yao shook her head after hearing this.

"This little thing isn't enough to bring her down."

The concubine's delight at the execution of an outsider can only be described as heartless, and perhaps even as proof of her innocence.

Even if you sue her, it won't do much good.

At most, she'll get another penalty, but it won't have much of an impact on her.

“Miss, Xiao Liu knows, so…” Xiao Liu chuckled, “Qin Liu used to have contact with Xia Qiutang back in the manor, so these things have to be known to her, right?”

Xiao Liu said with ill intent.

Qin Yao was quite surprised, which made Xiao Liu feel embarrassed.

"I'm just helping him out! Life as a turtle or tortoise isn't easy!"

Qin Yao remained noncommittal.

"That's true! You're just stating the facts... Don't make a big fuss and affect the Princess's affairs!"

Xiao Liu chuckled again, indicating that he knew what he was doing.

Qin Yao waved her hand, telling him to leave.

Xia Qiutang deserves recognition; what she did should be made known to the public.

……

Xia Qiutang's smugness didn't last long before several servants barged in while she was embroidering in the room and invited her to the front hall.

She no longer craves any special affection; she is already content with her current wealth and status.

Spending my days embroidering and reading storybooks is a nice way to pass the time.

She even began to understand her birth mother somewhat. With such a carefree life, who would want to live a life of struggling to make a living?

She was tormented by her stepmother at home and never received many good things. She longed for the status of a legitimate daughter, which is why she so wanted to marry into a high-ranking family and become a principal wife.

Now that she has a better life, she doesn't think that way anymore.

lobby.

Xia Qiutang was thrown to the ground. When she weakly raised her head, hoping to gain some sympathy, she saw two women instead.

These two people were her mother-in-law and wife, whom she had hardly ever met.

Xia Qiutang's surprise was noticed by the two men, who exchanged a silent glance, conveying their message without making a sound.

Xia Qiutang felt a sense of foreboding, and her eyes were filled with fear as she looked at the two of them.

She was a concubine, and the principal wife looked down on her. From the moment she entered the palace until now, she had been exempted from paying her respects, not out of consideration, but purely out of disgust.

Not to mention the mother-in-law, who would find these concubines, whom she had never met, disgusting at first glance. Even concubines with children in the household would not receive her attention.

So, what good could come from their sudden appearance?

"This concubine greets the old lady and the mistress!" Xia Qiutang knelt upright and paid her respects to the two.

In any case, it's always right to keep a low profile and act modestly.

Her mother often did the same thing; she observed a lot and learned quickly.

However, her cleverness did not win the hearts of the two men mentioned above.

The old lady twirled the prayer beads in her hand, closed her eyes, and looked on with reluctance.

It's as if something bad has happened.

Seeing her mother-in-law like this, her daughter-in-law, Wang, turned her gaze to Xia Qiutang's face.

"She's a lovely person; no wonder the master disregarded common sense and insisted on taking you in!"

Wang spoke calmly, as if the matter had nothing to do with her.

The more favored Xia Qiutang was when she entered the family, the more disgusted she felt. But as the legal wife, she could only endure the constraints imposed upon her for so many years.

Fortunately, Xia Qiutang's favor didn't last long, as the master quickly shifted his attention elsewhere.

Her gaze then shifted to someone else.

Naturally, she used the same methods on others as well.

Xia Qiutang, on the other hand, is living a peaceful life.

She didn't actually mind keeping them; she wouldn't hate them as much if they fell out of favor. They could be kept as playthings in the backyard, which would also become an obstacle for the master to take concubines.

After all, we've already taken so much; taking more would damage our reputation.

However, Xia Qiutang was unlucky; her good days were over.

After Wang finished speaking, she stopped looking at her and instead gave a wink to the nanny behind her.

The old woman immediately understood, nodded, and came out.

These kinds of things should be said by her.

“Aunt Xia, we shouldn’t be interfering in your past affairs, but now that you’re a concubine in the household, we have no choice but to take a look…”

Xia Qiutang listened to the nanny's incessant chatter, her eyes filled with confusion, until she heard her say:

"Aunt Xia has a moral failing; she colluded with an outsider and, according to family rules, was sold off..."

Xia Qiutang was stunned for a moment, then came to her senses. They actually had this idea!

Now she didn't care about anything else and stood up immediately.

"No! I'm not a slave who sold myself, why should I be sold? Besides, you're trying to frame me with nothing but empty words? What 'unrelated man,' what 'private morality'? Do you have any evidence?"

They naturally had no evidence.

Regardless of whether past events can be brought up or not, if evidence is found, they simply can't bear the shame of losing face.

They actually took another man's wife as a concubine; no matter who you tell them, they are in the wrong.

As for the other men, Jiang Liu was beaten to death, and the master didn't say anything, so the matter was naturally dropped.

Wang snorted and looked at Xia Qiutang as if she were a rat in the street.

Xia Qiutang is still too inexperienced. For a high-ranking family like hers, is evidence really that important?

"Aunt Xia..." Madam Wang began lazily, "Let's not talk about the past!"

Xia Qiutang breathed a sigh of relief; not talking about it meant they were letting her off the hook. Just as she was about to kneel down again, she heard Madam Wang continue:

"Now let's talk about where you're going!"

Xia Qiutang was confused again, not understanding what this meant!

What about her decision to stay or leave?

The old woman glanced at Xia Qiutang smugly, ignoring her confusion.

He presented a piece of paper to Wang.

"lady."

Wang took it, her smile widening.

"Aunt Xia, there's no need to be so blunt. Your indenture is with me, so you can't stay in this manor anymore. I'll find you a better place!"

Xia Qiutang stared in astonishment at the paper in Wang's hand—her…contract of indenture?

……