Shen Yunhuai: …
Shen Yunxi: “You—”
She refused to accept it!
“You must be eyeing the Marquis household’s wealth, that’s why you refuse to leave, right? I already heard from Mother—you’re pregnant with an illegitimate child! You want my eldest brother to be tricked into raising someone else’s child? You should look at who my brother is! When he returns, you’re definitely getting divorced!”
Shen Yunhuai took a deep breath.
Forget it.
When she’s paralyzed in the future, he’ll just assign two maidservants to help her with everything.
If he even lives that long.
As her brother, this is all he can do.
He rubbed his temples.
[What a pity, little crab—you probably don’t know this sister here is rolling in wealth. The Marquis household’s little fortune? I don’t even care. Once I bring my rich mother back, this is all pocket change.]
Pfft.
Shen Yunhuai let out a soft laugh.
Little crab.
That nickname actually fits.
Shen Yunxi was the youngest in the family, and both he and his elder brother had always spoiled her. She had been domineering since childhood—she really did act like a little crab, walking sideways through life.
Shen Yunxi’s face flushed, whether from anger or embarrassment.
Who’s a crab?
She wasn’t a crab!
Just because the other party was flattering her in her mind didn’t mean she would accept her as sister-in-law!
[The Marquis wants to raise someone else’s child? I don’t even want to give him the chance. You so-called “supporting characters,” after you die there won’t even be anyone to mourn you. How pitiful.]
Shen Yunxi: …
Shen Yunhuai sighed and glanced at his sister.
Didn’t I tell you not to provoke her?
“You’re simply—”
[Is little crab going to cry? I haven’t even really started and she’s already tearing up? Are young girls this emotionally fragile?]
Shen Yunxi was truly on the verge of crying from anger.
No wonder Mother couldn’t deal with her. She was too sharp-tongued—even their eldest brother might not win against her.
Others insult people out loud.
She insults people in her mind.
And it’s even worse—because it’s completely unfiltered.
So infuriating!
“So, little sister-in-law, if you want the Marquis to divorce me, just tell him when he returns.”
Wen Jiushu glanced at Shen Yunxi and said calmly.
Then she turned to Shen Yunhuai.
“Third brother, since you’re in charge of your duties, I have something to tell you.”
“Please speak, Sister-in-law.”
“I want to cut off the funds going to Qingyun Alley, starting this month.”
Shen Yunhuai froze.
Qingyun Alley?
That sounded familiar.
“Elder Sister-in-law, I think you really do want my brother to kick you out. Those funds—you can’t just touch them. That’s the pension money personally arranged by my brother.”
Shen Yunxi snorted.
“Do you even know how much my brother values the comrades who fought and died with him? The families they left behind are struggling—you can’t even imagine how hard their lives are!”
“And now you want to cut their pension? How cold-hearted can you be!”
Typical merchant’s daughter—small-minded and greedy. Doesn’t even know what money can or cannot be touched.
Shen Yunhuai frowned slightly as he recalled.
Qingyun Alley housed the orphans and widows of soldiers who had died in battle under his eldest brother.
If Wen Jiushu wanted to cut that money, his eldest brother would definitely not agree.
He said carefully, “Sister-in-law, that money is for the families of fallen soldiers. Our household isn’t short of silver—why do you suddenly want to stop it? Is there a reason?”
He leaned in mentally.
Let me hear it.
Is there some hidden reason?
She didn’t seem power-hungry, and she hadn’t even abused her authority against Mrs. Meng.
So this sudden decision felt… unusual.
Wen Jiushu frowned.
Something’s off.
Shen Yunhuai perked up.
[How do I explain to them that the 200 taels sent out every month isn’t going to the soldiers’ families at all—but to the illegitimate child raised by their stepmother outside?]
Shen Yunhuai’s expression shook.
So that’s it!
The stepmother’s illegitimate child is being raised in Qingyun Alley?
Wen Jiushu really is the guiding light of the Shen family.
Shen Yunxi, meanwhile, was completely confused.
What “raised outside”?
What is Mother keeping outside?
[Two hundred taels a month—that’s enough for an ordinary family to live on for two years. Yet Mrs. Meng has embezzled far more than that. She’s probably already hollowed out the entire Shen family estate.]
Shen Yunhuai’s eyes darkened.
Shen Yunxi: ??
What is she even talking about?
How could Mother possibly embezzle the family’s wealth?
Let alone empty the storerooms.
[Even your late mother’s belongings have been sold off by Mrs. Meng. Sigh. Though it has nothing to do with me—I’ll eventually divorce the Marquis—but since I’m currently the mistress of the household, I can’t tolerate fraud and deceit.]
[I checked the accounts last night and was honestly furious.]
[Kitchen purchases: cabbage—1 tael of silver. Tofu—2 taels. One pound of meat—10 taels!!]
[Is that even meat? That’s human blood they’re eating. And that tofu—it might as well be bought for people to smash their heads against and die.]