The cousin's family is extremely wealthy; she deserves to be a concubine.

Hua Sirong stood up, clutching a handkerchief in her hands, her head bowed, her body swaying unsteadily, as if she had been badly injured and was about to collapse.

Shen also felt embarrassed by Min's scoundrel behavior.

“Sister-in-law, if you have any complaints, just take them out on me. Rong’er is still a child, what can she understand? First you put a label of being unfilial on her, then you keep saying you’re severing ties with her, how is Rong’er supposed to live?”

Having already harbored resentment towards her father's family, and now having fallen out with her mother's family, if word gets out, Rongjie'er will probably have no choice but to atone with her death.

Upon hearing Shen's words, Hua Sirong wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, and within moments, the tears had soaked the handkerchief.

The suppressed sobs inside the house were so heartbreaking that anyone who heard them would be moved to tears.

Even though Shen's heart was hardened, she couldn't help but speak up to comfort Hua Sirong.

"Don't be afraid, Rong'er. Your aunt is here today, and your maternal aunt won't be able to convict you of such a crime." Hua Sirong took the opportunity to throw herself into Shen's arms and sobbed.

Min was secretly annoyed by her unsuccessful start today, and fearing that she might have truly offended Hua Sirong and wouldn't be able to extract any more benefits from her, she could only force a smile.

"I was just joking. Rong is my third sister's only surviving child. How could I bear to blame her? I was just giving her a word of advice as an elder."

This makes me, the aunt, seem like a bad person. Oh, I deserve a beating. She pretended to pat her own mouth lightly.

Hua Sirong quickly stepped out of Shen's embrace, stood up and bowed, exclaiming softly, "Aunt! You mustn't!"

Taking advantage of the situation, Madam Min said, "Rong'er, don't blame your aunt for speaking harshly. You are young and don't understand things, but you should know one thing: honest advice is hard to hear but beneficial. People who want what's best for you often say things that are hard to hear."

Hua Sirong: "Yes, my niece has learned a lot."

Madam Min smiled again. "Your family has had some trouble, and your cousins ​​in the Shen family are worried about you." And you? Did you even prepare a gift for each of your cousins?

"In a few days, your aunt will ask them to send you an invitation to come over to our house. Don't worry about filial piety; it's your maternal grandparents' home, your mother's home, it's your own home, just come."

Hua Sirong appeared flustered, but still forced herself to say, "Yes, Aunt."

"I heard you also own a general store in the West City?" You gave your aunt two gold shops, and this general store is far inferior. It should be given to your maternal grandparents.

Shen was unaware that Hua Sirong had businesses in the capital, and her eyebrows rose slightly upon hearing this. At the same time, she mentally ruled out Hua Sirong and her servant from being the ones who leaked the information.

For Hua Sirong and the others, it's hard to say whether this was an unexpected surprise.

Hua Sirong was secretly alarmed. No one in the Marquis's mansion had been keeping an eye on the three of them, but the Shen family thought highly of her and had even followed Wang Mama, who occasionally left the mansion, and set their sights on the last remaining private property she had.

At this moment, Hua Sirong still had the mind to joke. Should she be glad that Wang Mama always stayed in the general store and didn't expose the other cloth shop to the public?

Under the watchful eyes of the two mistresses, Hua Sirong slowly nodded, "I probably won't be able to go back to my old home in Xishan in this lifetime. The daily income from this general store is barely enough for the three of us, mistress and servant."

Although I was staying at my aunt's house and everything was very comfortable, I didn't dare to ask my aunt for money from the two maids who served me.

Furthermore, when interacting with the ladies of the household, it wouldn't be appropriate for them to always give me gifts; if I didn't reciprocate, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing so.

Each of these items requires you to have money in your own pocket.

Seeing that Min was still quite embarrassed, Shen asked for the last bit of money the young girl had to survive.

Madam Min: "Oh? Younger sister, Rong'er has been living in your house. I heard that you've been paying her several thousand taels of silver for food and drink over the past three years."

Why do my niece have to pay for all the daily expenses out of her own pocket? You're not a very good aunt either.

The shops in the west city weren't worth much, and it wasn't that she looked down on them, but it was clear that she couldn't openly get them from Hua Sirong.

But Shen owns two gold shops; it's impossible to get rid of her without spending some money.

Upon hearing Min's divisive words, Shen said, "Sister-in-law, you're underestimating our Rong'er. Although Rong'er lives in my house, she's a very strong-willed person."

I'll say it again: although Rong'er took money from the public fund, I, as her aunt, will not accept it. When she gets married, I will prepare a dowry for her myself.”

Min was at a disadvantage; in this respect, she couldn't compare to Shen. How could she prepare such a lavish dowry for Hua Sirong, whom she didn't even know? She might as well have kept that money for her own daughter.

Seeing that Madam Min had nothing to say, Madam Shen secretly felt smug.

She knew perfectly well what a stingy her sister-in-law was.

But she's also a fool. She doesn't know the saying, "You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub." Hua Sirong is a shrewd woman; how could she not have money?

If her sister-in-law had any sincerity, she might actually be able to get some benefits out of Hua Sirong.

such a pity……

After holding back for a long time, Madam Min finally managed to say, "I'm waiting to see the dowry you've prepared for Rong'er."

Shen was so angry that she really wanted to kick this person out.

Seeing that Shen was ignoring him and only talking to Hua Sirong.

Emboldened by the Shen family's influence, Madam Min asked again, "Elder sister, I heard that one of those two prime shops in the capital was left to your family by my third brother-in-law?"

Since it concerned money, Madam Shen strongly disagreed. "Where did you hear that, sister-in-law? Are you so obsessed with money that you've made up such a lie?"

Madam Min: "How is that a lie? It's clearly you, my younger sister, who took advantage of your family."

The family will not hold the shop's previous success against you; consider it as part of your dowry.

But from now on, Mother said that the shop must be returned to the wife's family, in accordance with my third sister's husband's last wish.

Madam Shen was so angry that her chest heaved. Her sister-in-law was shameless; when she couldn't win an argument with her, she would always use her parents as a shield.

Madam Shen didn't want to talk to Madam Min, and only asked Hua Sirong, "You said yourself that the shop was left to Zhang Ge'er and Zhu Jie'er by your father and my third sister's husband. How come your eldest aunt is now saying that one of the shops is specifically to be left to your maternal grandfather's family?"

What else could Hua Sirong do but shift the blame? "I don't usually get involved in anything, I've only heard my father mention it once. Since my aunt helped me, I naturally have to give her something decent as a token of my gratitude."

Ms. Shen expressed her full understanding of Hua Sirong's actions, saying, "You are a grateful person. Don't worry, your aunt won't take your things for nothing. Your aunt will definitely find you a good family and prepare a generous dowry for you."

But Madam Min didn't want the duck that was about to fly away. "My brother-in-law prepared two prime shops for our two families. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they're making a fortune every day."

"Rong's dowry, no matter how it's prepared, will at most cost the equivalent of a shop's annual income."