Shang Yunruo pursed her lips, fully aware of the duplicity of these people.
Next, it was time for her to present the evidence. In her dream, when she sued the He family, Chu Jinli was extremely annoyed and opposed to it.
If he hadn't rebuked her on behalf of the He family, and if her second uncle hadn't cried to their grandmother, the old lady might have said a good word for her.
Now she wanted to minimize the possibility of the events in her dream from happening.
With this in mind, Shang Yunruo reached out her hand weakly and called out, "Husband? Where are you, husband?"
Since Chu Jinli was fond of soft - spoken words, she would be as gentle as possible.
Sure enough, Chu Jinli immediately walked over and supported her hand, asking with concern, "Are you okay?"
Shang Yunruo gently leaned into his arms. "Husband, although I've got the evidence, I don't want to sue Aunt. Why don't you talk to her and ask her to hand over the seal directly? I really want to save the elders' face."
Feeling the soft hand in his palm and the delicate body in his arms, Chu Jinli was a bit distracted.
She hadn't come to invite him back yesterday. At first, he was so angry that he even thought of ignoring her for the rest of his life. And after hearing Chu Xiuyi's complaint this morning, he had already imagined her as an overbearing and shrewish woman.
Who would have thought that when he came here, he saw a considerate, filial, gentle, and delicate wife instead.
She clearly had the evidence but didn't press hard. She whole - heartedly wanted to save Aunt's face, didn't argue with her, and seemed to respect the elders. This was really rare.
Chu Jinli felt extremely guilty for having believed others' words and wrongly accused her.
He said softly, "Don't be afraid. I'll handle it."
Seeing that the situation was developing far from her expectations, the He family panicked. "Jinli, don't be deceived by her. She's just acting! Look at those boxes. She set a trap for me!"
Chu Jinli said coldly, "Aunt, Yunruo has said that she won't argue with you. Just hand over the seal quickly. Why do you have to make a fuss?"
The He family shook off Chu Bang, who was tugging at her arm. Enraged, she pointed at Chu Jinli sharply and said, "You're unfilial! You say the elder is making a fuss! You're rebelling!"
Aunt had always been kind and lenient to him. Her sudden sharp interrogation left Chu Jinli stunned. He looked at her as if she were a monster, and his voice trembled. "Aunt, do you mean I'm unfilial?"
Shang Yunruo timely intervened to escalate the conflict. "Aunt, Jinli is a marquis after all. It's not appropriate for you to say so."
These words further irritated the He family. Subconsciously, she blurted out what she always said. "The eldest brother is dead. It should have been my husband who inherited the title. How did it end up being Chu Yan?"
After saying this, the He family was stunned. Listening to the lingering sound, she finally came to her senses.
What had she just said?
How could such words come out of her mouth?
Chu Bang had said that such words should only be whispered to the old lady in private to arouse her pity. By saying it in public like this, not only was it unreasonable, but it would also invite criticism that the Marquis Mansion had no rules.
It was all Shang Yunruo's fault! She had deliberately led her to say it when she was irrational!
Who said this woman was stupid? She was almost a spirit!
With a "crack", the sound of a teacup shattering echoed throughout the main hall, startling everyone.
Looking in the direction of the sound, it was the old lady, who had been silent all this time, with a solemn face. Although she had been ill in bed, her words still carried great authority.
"Among the heirs, the eldest legitimate son has the priority to inherit the title. Grandson of the eldest legitimate son inherits the marquis title. Second daughter - in - law, do you have any objections?"
The He family broke into a cold sweat. She quickly bent down and bowed her head. "Mother, I... I didn't mean that. Husband, please say something."
Chu Bang quickly stepped forward. "Mother..."
"Shut up!"
The old lady's words silenced Chu Bang.
"I've always felt indebted to you. I've granted all your requests to make up for you. But what have you done? Do you think I don't know about the bad accounts in the mansion over the years and what your wife has done? I've been in poor health, so I've turned a blind eye. But you really thought I was old and muddled - headed!"
Chu Bang and the He family knelt down with a thud and apologized repeatedly. "Mother, please don't be angry."
The old lady didn't listen to their excuses. She looked at Shang Yunruo. "Yunruo, present your evidence."
Shang Yunruo pretended to hesitate and pinched Chu Jinli's hand. Chu Jinli whispered, "It's okay. Grandmother told you to do it."
Shang Yunruo straightened her posture and pretended to say helplessly, "Chu Yao, go and get it."
The soft body left his arms, and his hand also loosened. Chu Jinli felt his heart empty for a moment.
Before long, several servants carried all the account books up.
The old lady made a decision. "Yunruo, you're in charge of checking the accounts. Tell me how much they embezzled and settle the score with them one by one! Second daughter - in - law, hand over the seal."
Facing the old lady's authority and the condemnation of the elders, and being asked to hand over the silver embezzled over the years, the He family suddenly felt dizzy. Coupled with not eating much in the past few days, she really fainted after a spell of dizziness.
—
Finally, Shang Yunruo won this battle and obtained the seal and the right to manage the mansion. She truly established her authority in the Marquis Mansion.
Chu Jinli helped to invite a doctor for the He family in Jinghuiyuan. After seeing her wake up, he returned to the Marquis Mansion without delay.
But he searched all over Muchenxuan but couldn't find Shang Yunruo.
Shang Yunruo was in Zhuoxi Yuan at this moment, teaching Chu Yan how to make pastries.
She stood under the osmanthus tree in the yard, tying up her wide sleeves with a strap, revealing two fair and slender arms. Her snow - white and delicate fingers were kneading the dough.
A few osmanthus flowers accidentally fell into the dough. She picked them out and placed them on a plate beside her, smiling. "Natural ingredients for osmanthus cakes. We don't even need to buy them."
Chu Yan was sitting quietly on the steps beside her, with a faint smile on his lips unconsciously.
An indescribable possessiveness was secretly growing in his heart. He wanted to isolate everything and preserve this beautiful moment forever.
"Okay, the dough is kneaded. A Yan, you said you wanted to learn. Can you learn just by sitting there and watching?"
Shang Yunruo's gentle voice interrupted Chu Yan's daydream.
He stood up, walked to her side, washed his hands, and then imitated her to flatten and roll the dough. But his eyes never left her.
His eyes finally landed on her delicate hands. He asked, "Is this right?"
Sure enough, Shang Yunruo reached out to touch the dough, but first touched the back of his hand, his fingers, fingertips, and palm.
Shang Yunruo adjusted the dough and asked, "That's right. Do you get it?"
Chu Yan's Adam's apple rolled, and he replied with a hoarse voice, "Yes."
"I used Jinli today. I don't know if he really believed me or just cooperated with my act."
Hearing another man's name suddenly come out of her mouth, Chu Yan's bright eyes instantly dimmed. An unprecedented anger and depression instantly overwhelmed his reason.
Unaware, Shang Yunruo continued, "I was really too overbearing before. Only today did I realize that being weak is actually the way for a couple to get along."
Chu Yan placed the dough that had been crushed in his hand on the chopping board and said calmly, "One can be overbearing only in front of the one who loves them. In front of those who don't love them, they can only be weak. If it were me, I would spoil the one I love so much that she could be domineering."
Shang Yunruo was stunned for a moment, then smiled gently after a while. "You're just a young boy who hasn't had his coming - of - age ceremony. What do you know about love?"
Chu Yan wanted to refute, but Chu Yao came to deliver a message. "Miss, a servant came to report that the marquis is looking for you."
Watching Shang Yunruo's departing back, he unconsciously squeezed his hand hard. The sticky dough on his palm instantly turned into ashes.
Chu Yan looked down at the crushed black powder in his hand, his eyes full of surprise and suspicion.
He had been practicing this internal force that could turn things into ashes, but he had always been a little short of success. Why did he suddenly master it?
That night, Chu Yan had a dream. He dreamed of his coming - of - age ceremony.
After the ceremony, he happily went to look for Shang Yunruo, but saw her putting aphrodisiac powder in his elder brother's food!