Su Xiuer watched the backs of the Wei family mother and son, and couldn't help but feel a moment of daze.
Those who wronged me will not be spared!
But after all, there was genuine effort put in.
She vaguely remembered that when she married Wei Mingze, the Wei family had not prepared anything.
Instead, she sent the Wei family thirty catties of rice, half a pig, and twenty taels of silver.
It solved the Wei family's urgent need for food, considered a life-saving grace.
But at that time, Madam Zhao's face showed no gratitude; instead, it was cold.
As for the Duan family, it was merely a proposal, and she eagerly clung to them.
"Can't let go?" Shen Hui's voice suddenly sounded.
Su Xiuer's gaze returned blankly: "What?"
Shen Hui's gaze also withdrew from Wei Mingze.
The bundle Wei Mingze dropped on the ground scattered, revealing the millet cakes and steamed buns inside.
Shen Hui's voice, fixed on the millet cakes and steamed buns, was faint.
"Indeed, after three years of marital feelings, it's hard to break. This separation, I fear, will mean not seeing each other for at least three to five years. He was quite considerate, preparing snacks and steamed buns worth a few coins."
The word "considerate" was emphasized.
The daze and confusion in Su Xiuer's eyes dissipated, and she instantly understood what Shen Hui was referring to.
Your position in a man's heart determines how much money he is willing to spend on you.
Millet cakes and steamed buns are the most common and cheapest things.
As Wei Mingze said, he is now the Top Scholar, yet he couldn't even bear to prepare a piece of dried meat for her.
If she were to believe his words again, she would truly be incredibly foolish.
"I can endure hardship, but that doesn't mean I deserve only hardship."
Su Xiuer lifted her foot, kicking the unsightly water pouch and bundle heavily into the grass.
A faint trace of relief flickered in Shen Hui's cool eyes. He placed Su Xiaobao on the ground, took out a white porcelain bottle from his sleeve, and first gave it to Su Xiaobao: "This medicine won't hurt. Twice a day."
He took out another one and handed it to Su Xiuer, his fingertips not touching hers, and said faintly, "Your hand is also red and swollen. Apply this to reduce the swelling quickly. Keep it with you; the journey back to Taolin Village is long, so have more types of medicine on hand, just in case."
How could Shen Hui be so sure she could only return to Taolin Village? Did she really have to fear power and influence?
Su Xiuer took the medicine bottle and glared at Shen Hui: "Who said I'm going back? Don't curse me!"
Her gaze inadvertently met the teasing in Shen Hui's eyes, and Su Xiuer instantly understood that Shen Hui was trying to provoke her into telling the truth.
Thinking of how she had actively lied to Shen Hui yesterday, saying she was going back, Su Xiuer's cheeks began to burn.
She scratched her head: "Well... Wei Mingze still owes me a thousand taels of silver, and you know I'm poor..."
Shen Hui didn't respond to Su Xiuer's words. He turned his face away and said to Su Xiaobao, "When we get to the city, I'll take you to buy sugar cakes."
"Okay," Su Xiaobao nodded obediently. Then he thought of something and flattered, "Uncle Shen is so kind. Even dogs wouldn't eat millet cakes."
Shen Hui's thin lips curved into a smile. He bent down and picked Su Xiaobao up again.
After speaking to Su Xiaobao, he turned back, his tone deepening slightly.
"The Wei family mother and son weren't entirely wrong. It's easier for the Minister's Estate to crush you than to crush an ant."
"Mayor Liu of Jingzhao's wife and Minister Duan's wife are cousins. The ways of collusion among officials in the capital are indeed complicated."
"Furthermore, you don't have concrete evidence of arson. If you go to the yamen with just the marriage-in-law document, you might not even get a hearing. Instead, it will provoke the Duan family to act against you again. This time, it won't be as simple as burning a ruined temple or setting dogs on someone."
Su Xiuer pursed her lips stubbornly, surprised that Shen Hui knew so much and analyzed the problem so thoroughly.
Shen Hui had only arrived in the Capital City the same day as her.
In such a short time, he could know that Mayor Liu of Jingzhao's wife and Minister Duan's wife were cousins.
It seemed her guess was correct; Shen Hui's identity was more extraordinary than she had imagined.
She had no interest in guessing Shen Hui's identity, but his reminder was indeed crucial.
Su Xiuer solemnly bowed: "Thank you."
Shen Hui raised an eyebrow: "Are you still planning to stay in the Capital City?"
Su Xiuer looked in the direction of the Capital City, her gaze firm: "I must stay."
Su Xiuer, along with Su Xiaobao, entered the city this time with Shen Hui and Ye Jiu.
They no longer stayed at an inn but followed Shen Hui to Shen Ji Cloth Shop in Liuyin Hutong.
The front of the cloth shop was for business, and the back was a courtyard house with three main rooms and two side rooms. Two old scholar trees were planted in the courtyard.
Besides Shen Hui and Ye Jiu, there was only a mute servant named Uncle Zhou at the entire cloth shop.
Shen Hui looked at the mute servant and introduced him to Su Xiuer: "This is where I live in the Capital City. You and Xiaobao can stay here for now. If you need anything, instruct Uncle Zhou."
When Uncle Zhou saw Su Xiuer's appearance, he looked at her a few more times before nodding. He then led Su Xiuer and Su Xiaobao to their rooms to settle in.
After Su Xiuer and Su Xiaobao left, Ye Jiu followed Shen Hui back to the front shop and couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Young Master, are you sure Miss Su can still find a way to contend with the Duan family? After all, even the path of reporting to the authorities is blocked. Her confronting the Duan family as a village woman is like an ant trying to shake an elephant."
Shen Hui picked up a feather duster, sweeping dust off the fabric. He stared at the royal blue material, and as if recalling something, a light that even he hadn't noticed flickered in his deep eyes.
"You haven't seen her slaughter pigs and sheep. She has a fierceness that ordinary girls lack. This Young Master believes she can forge a path, no matter how difficult."
Is that so? Ye Jiu was skeptical.
He thought that if he were in Su Xiuer's current position, he wouldn't even understand how to break this deadlock.
But the Young Master insisted that Miss Su could do it.
Even if Miss Su could do it, it should only be limited to Taolin Village and Xiangping Town.
But this is the Capital City, where high officials and nobles are as numerous as cow hair.
There has been no breakthrough in the corruption case so far.
Minister Duan is the Minister of War. To find a breakthrough from Minister Duan, he must first fall into chaos himself, making it easier to expose flaws.
The Young Master wants to use Miss Su as a stepping stone for a breakthrough. For the first time, he doubted his own wise and mighty Young Master.
Ye Jiu looked at the people coming and going on the street and sighed heavily.
Princess Manor.
Dong Mei reported back to Chun Tao.
Chun Tao, the head maid who had managed the Princess Manor for over a decade, was angered for the first time.
"A living person, since they knocked on our Princess Manor's door, how could they suddenly disappear? Continue searching. Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find the person."
Dong Mei and Dong Song dared not speak.
Xia Ju, standing nearby, had also finished listening to Dong Mei's report. At this moment, she thought of something and said.
"Sister Chun Tao, yesterday evening I heard Old Woman Zhang from the procurement say that the newly appointed Scholar Wei colluded with Duan Zhenzhu of the Minister Duan's Estate to attempt to burn his wife to death. Dong Mei happened to find a ruined temple in the suburbs and discovered that the beautiful young lady Dong Song mentioned might be trapped in the ruined temple."
"Do you think that beautiful young lady could be the same person as Scholar Wei's wife? After all, Scholar Wei's wife also came from the countryside and had a child around four years old with her."
Dong Mei's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened, and she said urgently, "Sister Xia Ju, you said Scholar Wei's wife had a child with her? I saw her today, and she is indeed beautiful."
She then looked at Dong Song: "When you went to inquire at the Wei family's gate, did you see the appearance of Scholar Wei's wife?"
Dong Song blinked blankly.
Seeing Dong Song's expression, everyone immediately understood that there had been a misunderstanding.
Chun Tao immediately spoke: "Search. Go and find Scholar Wei's wife immediately."
Dong Mei did not dare to delay for a moment. She led Dong Song and turned to leave in a hurry.
After watching Dong Mei and Dong Song leave, Chun Tao led a group of people, headed by Xia Ju, and performed three kowtows and nine bows to the chipped jade hairpin placed in the jade box on the altar.
She stood up, clasped her hands, and chanted piously.
"Bodhisattva bless us. Nineteen years have passed, and finally, there is a clue about the Eldest Princess. Please do not let it be broken again."
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