My stepsister tried to steal the prince's hand in marriage, but little did she know I had been

Wen Shuyao discerned their plans from the worried looks in the eyes of Old Madam Chu and General Chu.

I'm afraid that if I don't want to marry Prince Jing, my parents will have to risk their reputation to go to the palace and ask for an imperial decree.

However, she was willing to marry Prince Jing.

Under their gazes, she nodded solemnly: "Your Highness Prince Jing is a man of noble character. When a husband and wife live together, the most important thing is character."

For someone like Chen Che, who is two-faced and hypocritical, the so-called Gu family is nothing but a joke.

Instead, she has to rack her brains and worry about managing the Chen family's affairs.

Looking at King Jing again, her shortcomings of being so engrossed in military affairs that he was never home were all virtues in her eyes.

Moreover, Prince Jing was even more handsome than Chen Che; such a handsome man was a pleasure to behold.

Wen Shuyao's expression was sincere, not feigned.

Her appearance left the elderly couple speechless.

Madam Chu was even more worried—she knew how alluring Prince Jing's face was, could it be that Shu Yao, like the other young girls, had been bewitched by that face?

But Prince Jing... he's impotent!

Old Madam Chu had a lot to say, but when she met Wen Shuyao's pure and clear eyes, she could only swallow her words.

Enough, now is not the time to talk about these things.

"Shuyao, come with me." She beckoned to Wen Shuyao. "I came back from the Northwest and brought you a lot of things."

Although the Northwest is remote, its trade routes with the Western Regions have made it a bustling market. Whenever she has free time, she goes there to select gems that she thinks are suitable for Wen Shuyao.

Old Madam Chu held Wen Shuyao's hand. The old woman's hand was rough but warm. Wen Shuyao's eyes welled up with tears, and she responded softly.

How fortunate she was to be able to go back in time and reunite with her family who truly loved her.

This time, she will definitely protect this hard-won family bond.

Just as the two finished speaking, a maid rushed in.

Her expression was one of barely suppressed excitement. Under the watchful gaze of Old Madam Chu, she quickly said, "Prince Jing sent someone with a gift."

"Prince Jing?" Upon hearing this, Old Madam Chu was momentarily dazed.

She frowned. Why would Prince Jing come?

Suddenly, as if struck by a flash of inspiration, she glanced at Wen Shuyao beside her.

"Could it be... that you came here for me?"

If it's for business, why bring a gift when you come to my door?

Ultimately, it's because Wen Shuyao is in the household.

Upon hearing this, Wen Shuyao was also stunned.

She looked up in surprise: "You came to see me?"

The maid blushed and continued, "That's right! Prince Jing also sent someone to deliver a message, saying that he would like to invite Miss Jing to a chat tomorrow."

As she spoke, she handed the gift to Wen Shuyao.

When she received the gift, Wen Shuyao was still in a daze.

After realizing what was happening, Madam Chu's smile broadened.

She smiled at Wen Shuyao and said, "You two are already engaged, so you're just going out for a stroll. There's no need to worry about people gossiping."

"If anyone dares to gossip behind my back..." she sneered, "I'll tear their mouth apart first!"

"Take your maternal grandfather's soldiers to their door again, and see if they dare to say anything more!"

The power of the Chu family is not to be underestimated, even in the entire capital.

Wen Shuyao's eyes sparkled as she smiled and accepted Old Madam Chu's invitation: "Since it is the Prince who has invited me, I will naturally go and keep the appointment."

Her relationship with Xie Jinghan is more than just that of an engaged couple.

Xie Jinghan's invitation must be related to that mysterious tattoo.

After a moment of contemplation, Madam Chu said, "You two are not married yet. Going out like this might cause gossip."

"How about this," she said, "I'll go out with you and bring back some dowry for you."

At this point, she said, "Cuiweifang has recently added a lot of new jewelry. I'll go and see if there's anything suitable for you."

Wen Shuyao's eyes flickered when she heard the words "Cuiwei Fang".

If I remember correctly, the clue Xie Jinghan wanted was right there in Cuiweifang.

And Madam Wen, burdened with debt, will probably have to go to Cuiwei Lane as well.

Wouldn't that kill two birds with one stone?

Wen Shuyao smiled and replied, "Thank you, Grandmother!"

……

In Cuiweifang, you can see crystal-clear jewels and jade everywhere, which is almost dazzling at first glance.

Madam Wen, accompanied by Granny Lin, walked very carefully through the area.

Granny Lin was skilled in martial arts and would occasionally observe the surroundings.

“Madam, everything is as usual,” she said softly.

Madam Wen nodded and immediately stepped into a small alley.

She wore a veil over her face and simple coarse linen clothes, looking no different from an ordinary woman.

Only when she reveals her meticulously cared-for hands does she become different from others.

At this moment, her well-maintained face revealed impatience.

"Why did you insist I come here?" she said impatiently, lowering her voice. "Don't you know I've been trying to find a way these past few days..."

Lin Mama lowered her head and said uneasily, "But that person said that if you don't come, he won't give you the money. You know, we still have a deficit of 100,000 taels of silver."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wen wished she could faint immediately.

"It's all that little bitch Wen Shuyao's fault!" she gritted her teeth. "If it weren't for her meddling, I wouldn't have ended up like this."

One hundred thousand taels of silver!

Where will she get it from?

From the Zhang family?

That's even more impossible. The money she sent to the Zhang family was like sending a bottomless pit; she could never get it back.

Lin Mama felt sorry for her: "Madam, if you don't want to see her, perhaps you should just let it go..."

"See him!" Madam Wen said through gritted teeth, "Why won't you see him?"

After she finished speaking, she walked into the alley.

As Lin Mama watched her retreating figure, she sighed inwardly.

In the shop across the street, Old Madam Chu watched this scene and fell into deep thought.

"Isn't that Zhang Shi? What's she doing here?"

The moment Old Madam Chu recognized Zhang, her heart skipped a beat.

Beside her, Wen Shuyao's eyes flashed with surprise: "Yes... how did she end up here? And dressed like that?"

Zhang's attire today was truly extraordinary. If it weren't for her overly slender hands, anyone who saw her would have mistaken her for an ordinary woman.

"Yaoyao, tell me, why did she come to Cuiwei Fang dressed like this?" Old Madam Chu's eyes flickered as she asked in a low voice.

Wen Shuyao looked innocent and kind: "Perhaps it's to find a way to fill the gaps?"

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Chu sneered: "If she wanted to fill the gaps, she could have just sold off her estates. Why go to all this trouble and deliberately disguise herself like this to come to Cuiwei Lane?"

"I think... she has another secret."

After saying this, Old Madam Chu looked at Granny Yun.

Granny Yun had served Old Madam Chu for decades. The moment the two looked at each other, she knew Old Madam Chu's intention.

She nodded to Old Madam Chu and quickly left.