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

Si Qing managed to shut his mouth with difficulty, and his gaze drifted away; he dared not look at the man's face any longer.

It's easy to guess what kind of expression the man had right now...

No man would be happy to hear rumors that he is impotent.

Miss Wen is far too audacious. How dare she be so presumptuous in the palace?

From a man's perspective, he could see Wen Shuyao's bright, sparkling eyes clearly.

—She was genuinely happy that her future husband was impotent.

A woman's clear voice rang out: "This is wonderful! Prince Jing is never home, so I don't have to serve my husband. Guarding the vast Prince Jing's mansion is like guarding a mountain of gold and silver..."

Magpie was speaking of her sorrows when she heard this and paused, looking at Wen Shuyao with teary eyes. She assumed Wen Shuyao had gone mad with anger and cried, "But Prince Jing is impotent... You have no children to rely on in this life, what will you do if they all bully you?"

"With Prince Jing here, who would dare to bully me?" Wen Shuyao raised her beautiful eyebrows high, with the charming coquettishness unique to young girls. "Moreover, a woman's ability to stand in the world is not solely based on her children!"

"Let's not talk about anything else, just take Princess Zhaoyang and Lady Wen as examples. The princess has no children, while Lady Wen has two sons and two daughters. But look at them, who has a higher or lower status?"

“Naturally, it’s Princess Zhaoyang.” Magpie said, still confused. “But she’s a princess, Miss…”

"The current emperor has nine princesses. Do the other eight all have the same status as Princess Zhaoyang?" Wen Shuyao asked in return.

Magpie silently shook her head, and then Wen Shuyao continued, "Princess Zhaoyang relied not on her father, husband, or children to establish herself in the world, but on her own abilities. Other princesses do not have Princess Zhaoyang's ability to lead troops into battle, nor do they have her courage and perseverance."

“Although I don’t have Princess Zhaoyang’s amazing skills, I do know how to do business.” Wen Shuyao said, happily making plans. “Once I marry Prince Jing, I will take good care of the shop my mother left behind.”

In her previous life, she was able to manage her shop successfully even in a poor family like the Chen family, let alone with the powerful Prince Jing as her backer.

"Don't cry." Wen Shuyao wiped away her tears, her beautiful brows furrowing slightly as she instructed, "Now you should think about what my dear stepmother is planning today."

On the surface, Madam Wen is a considerate and kind stepmother, but over the years, she has made things difficult for Wen Shuyao under the guise of doing what's best for her.

First, he took all of his deceased mother's dowry into his own hands, claiming that Wen Shuyao was too young to manage a household.

Then, citing Wen Shuyao's frail health, he always kept her at home.

Since Madam Wen entered the manor, Wen Shuyao has almost never attended any banquets, big or small, in the capital—unless her maternal grandparents' family came to the capital to report on their duties, in which case she could leave the manor openly.

Then, on the grounds that Wen Shuyao was dull, stupid, and unambitious, she was forbidden from learning manners from the governess and was also driven away by the female teachers who taught music, chess, calligraphy and painting, saying that she had angered them away.

Madam Wen is a wicked woman, so how could she just stand by and watch the good marriage that Madam Wen had arranged for Wen Yitong fall into her own hands?

She's probably holding back something big for this palace banquet.

Wen Shuyao narrowed her beautiful phoenix eyes, her slender fingers caressing the cool jewels on her head.

Moreover, Madam Wen is not the biggest variable in this marriage.

The biggest variable in this marriage was Prince Jing.

"I need to think of a way to make Prince Jing satisfied with me," Wen Shuyao muttered to herself. "Not only will I not mind his impotence, but I can also manage his family business for him... This is a win-win situation!"

Although the magpie was worried, it immediately flattered her: "Miss, you are as beautiful as a fairy, every man would be captivated by you!"

“That’s natural.” Wen Shuyao raised an eyebrow, her phoenix eyes shimmering, but after a moment, she lowered her head and sighed deeply.

But King Jing is impotent. Even if she stood naked in front of him, he wouldn't be moved. We need to find another way.

All three people present could hear the regret in her sigh.

I'm afraid it will never be satisfactory...

Si Qing muttered to herself, then subconsciously looked in the man's direction.

He was stunned when he saw it.

The man's lips curled up, and a faint smile appeared in his usually indifferent eyes.

He found it absurd and blinked instinctively.

Is this still the prince he knows?

He froze like a statue again when the man beside him casually glanced at him.

"My brother is still waiting."

A deep male voice sounded, and the man took a long stride, his tall, dark shadow, cast on the ground along with the artificial hill, disappearing from sight.

The master and servant below were completely unaware that the people on the artificial hill had come and gone.

……

The time was almost up, and the Wanchun Palace was already full of people.

Wen Shuyao lowered her head, but her back was straight, and she walked over and sat down next to Madam Wen with practiced ease.

Seeing her like this, Madam Wen felt very uncomfortable.

That brat! It's one thing to be at home, but to be born in the palace, in front of so many ladies and noblewomen, she still has to put on such a timid act, as if she's afraid others won't know that she's been wronged in the Wen family!

"When you're out in public, you should act with grace and poise." Madam Wen said softly, ignoring the scrutinizing gazes of the other ladies. "Have you forgotten the manners your nanny taught you?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Shuyao looked like a startled rabbit, her eyes turning red.

“But…” Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone in the circle to hear, “That governess stayed in my courtyard for half a month, and before I even had a chance to learn, you sent her to my second sister’s courtyard.”

She glanced around, and amidst Madam Wen's stiff smile, added in the same soft voice, "This is also my first time in the palace, I hope Mother will forgive me."

Wen Shuyao possessed an exceptionally beautiful appearance, and when she showed such a wronged expression, she was truly pitiful and endearing.

Madam Wen almost lost her smile. When she opened her eyes, she saw the dazzling jewelry on Wen Shuyao's body. When she closed her eyes again, she saw the strange looks from the other ladies around her.

She regretted it greatly.

She shouldn't have given in to the master and brought that brat Wen Shuyao out!

Wen Shuyao continued to chatter on, her clear voice still ringing in her ears.

“Mother, you have no idea how happy I am today. I’ve only ever seen these pieces in your dressing box before, and then I saw you wearing them every day. I never expected you to return them to me! And you even let me choose a few more pieces!”

"You're so kind! No wonder everyone in the manor says that you're managing my mother's dowry for me. By the time I get married, that dowry will have multiplied several times over!"