Chapter 3

Chapter 3: What Is the Reason, Truly?

Just as Sheng Zhi Wan returned to Pinglan Residence, her maid, Ting Lan, fell heavily to her knees with a loud thud.

“Princess, even if you punish this maidservant, I must speak today!” Ting Lan cried. “The Heir Apparent and Madam have gone too far!”

“You are a princess, born precious and noble. But since marrying into Duke Qi’s household, I’ve never seen you truly smile even once! You constantly worry about the Heir Apparent’s family. The Duke’s residence is just an empty shell, yet Lord Duke and Madam still insist on appearances. They call you their household manager, but really, you’re always using your private fortune to support them!”

“Young Miss constantly commands you around on behalf of her husband’s family. Second Young Lady must wear nothing but the finest clothes from Priceless Cauldron Pavilion. When Second Young Master angered his tutor, Lord Duke asked you to beg Grand Scholar Du to accept him as a student, even bending rules to get him into Azure Cloud Academy. Madam’s illness, too—all her medicines have been personally arranged by you… Just think of all the effort you’ve spent!”

“You always said the Heir Apparent’s family was your family, and that loving him meant loving those he cared for. But now? You haven’t even consummated your marriage, and he already brings a pregnant woman to force you into accepting her child, and Madam even blames you for being childless!”

“Princess… you must not acknowledge this child! If you do, your own future child will never hold the position of firstborn heir!”

Ting Lan had held these words back for so long. Now, having finally blurted them out, she didn’t dare look up at Sheng Zhi Wan’s face.

The Princess could never bear hearing criticism of the Heir Apparent…

“Why are you kneeling?” Sheng Zhi Wan gazed at her with complicated eyes. “All you’ve said is the truth. Why would I punish you?”

“Princess?” Ting Lan lifted her head, stunned.

Sheng Zhi Wan reached down to help her stand, leaving Ting Lan overwhelmed with surprise.

Looking at the maid who, in her past life, had knelt herself to death outside the Palace Gate while begging an Imperial Physician for help, Sheng Zhi Wan said softly, “You’re right. I was blind and foolish before, unable to see the den of wolves that is Duke Qi’s household. But now my eyes are open. Soon enough, we will leave this place forever.”

“Princess… what do you mean?” Ting Lan asked, confused.

“I will ask Imperial Father to grant me a divorce from Qi Shu Xian—but not yet.”

Those who had hurt her in her previous life, she would repay them all before leaving!

Besides, divorcing solely because of Meng Yang—after she had so shamelessly begged for this marriage—Imperial Father would never agree so easily…

“Go and bring me the list of my dowry and contracts for my private property,” Sheng Zhi Wan instructed.

Ting Lan paused. “Those are all kept by Elder Sister Huan Zhu. Oh, where is Elder Sister Huan Zhu? She was here just now.”

Hearing this, Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes chilled slightly. She naturally knew where Huan Zhu had gone.

Fortunately, Sheng Zhi Wan herself had another key. Handing it to Ting Lan, she quickly saw the long list and thick stack of contracts placed before her.

“When you married, the Empress Dowager prepared 168 trunks of dowry, including 166,000 taels of ready silver, eight shops, six residences and six country estates, eighty acres of fertile land…”

Sheng Zhi Wan closed her eyes, slowly absorbing these details.

Had Grandmother anticipated her situation so early?

That must be why she had advised her so earnestly, even emptying her own savings to prepare such a generous dowry—fearing that she would suffer after marriage.

And yet what had Sheng Zhi Wan done? Because of a few simple warnings from Grandmother, it was as if something had clouded her heart, and she inexplicably distanced herself.

In her previous life, when Grandmother had died of illness, Sheng Zhi Wan had even been locked in the ancestral hall, unable to see her one last time…

Sheng Zhi Wan clenched her fingers tightly into her palm.

Only when her breath choked painfully in her throat did she open her eyes sharply, exhaling heavily.

Fortunately, in this life, it was not too late!

Grandmother was still alive, still well, and had not yet been deceived by that suspicious Taoist priest, ultimately dying from an overdose of toxic elixirs.

“In these two years, how much have we given to subsidize Duke Qi’s residence?” Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes shifted to the list.

Ting Lan pressed her lips together. “Excluding the grains, cotton clothes, and medicinal herbs you sent to the Border Pass, and considering earnings from your shops and estates, you have subsidized a total of 23,000 taels of ready silver.”

“In addition, 118 pieces of jewelry, fabric, and decorative arts from your dowry are now in the hands of Lord Duke and Madam. Sixty-three items were borrowed by Young Miss and Second Young Lady, and thirteen famous paintings along with six rare chess manuals have been ‘borrowed’ by the Young Master for observation…”

“Hah!” Sheng Zhi Wan scoffed bitterly. Such nice words—borrowed, observed!

She tapped her finger lightly on the list. “In the next two days, clearly note everything Duke Qi’s household has used, and have someone go through the storehouses again.”

“Yes, Princess.” Ting Lan felt quietly pleased.

The Princess had never cared about lifeless possessions before. But humans change easily, and sometimes these lifeless things could prove most reliable!

…

The rain grew heavier.

Servants bustled in and out of the main courtyard. After nearly half an hour, Madam Cui personally escorted someone out.

“We’ve troubled you greatly today, Imperial Physician Song,” Madam Cui nodded gently as a nanny beside her offered a generous silk pouch.

Imperial Physician Song, his hair already half white, waved it off.

Picking up his medicine box, he climbed into the carriage with the assistance of Young Imperial Physician Song.

Young Imperial Physician Song had long been holding in his grievances. “Father, in such heavy rain, couldn’t I have come alone? Yet Madam insists you visit personally. She said the Heir Apparent Qi had wounds from the battlefield and wouldn’t feel assured unless you examined him yourself. But from what I saw, what injury is that? Any later, and it would’ve healed by itself!”

“And you—coming to Duke Qi’s house every single month—what’s the reason behind it? I refuse to believe it’s only to check Duke Qi’s and Madam’s pulses. When the Third Prince had his leg illness, you never showed this kind of care.”