The Old Madam was furious and scolded Yao Suyi: “Idiot! Do you want my son to lose his footing in court?”

“But we owe so much—150,000 taels! Mother, even if we sell the entire Prime Minister’s residence, we couldn’t repay it.”

“What do you know…”

The residence could stall repayment, but if creditors started going to the noble families they’d gifted, or to Princess Yunshang herself, their reputation would be utterly ruined.

The Old Madam ordered the steward to rush to the palace and find Fu Zhang.

When Fu Zhang heard that so many shops had suddenly come to collect years of unpaid debts, he thought for a moment and then exploded with rage.

“Someone must be orchestrating this behind the scenes!”

“Yes—Madam Yao even suggested asking Princess Yunshang to cover the debt. The Rongbaozhai manager called the Prime Minister’s residence shameless, leeching off a fiancée…”

“She said that in public?”

“She did. She was trying to protect the residence’s reputation—after all, the gate was swarmed, and those unruly commoners wouldn’t leave.” Steward Bai was beside himself.

Fu Zhang held immense power, but even he couldn’t withstand so many shops demanding payment at once—especially when they blocked the gate. The public fallout was disastrous.

“You even hit people?”

“They wouldn’t leave…”

“Idiots! Fools! Get out!” Fu Zhang was dizzy with rage when he heard Yao Suyi had publicly told creditors to seek out Liang Youyi and had even assaulted them. His face darkened. “Were any censors present?”

“I didn’t see any.”

Steward Bai thought, With all the chaos, who had time to check for censors?

Fu Zhang reviewed the accounts and found massive discrepancies. He immediately ordered Steward Bai Yan beaten and had his quarters searched. He then forced Yao Suyi’s brothers to cough up the silver they’d embezzled. All the usable silver, jewelry, and valuables in the residence were gathered to pay the debts, but it still wasn’t enough.

Fu Zhang had no choice but to promise each shop that he would raise the funds and settle everything before the New Year. He had money, but not enough to pay it all at once. His annual salary was just over a thousand taels—where would he get 150,000?

After the creditors left, Fu Zhang smashed up his study in fury.

Yao Suyi timidly brought him a bowl of hot porridge. “Zhang Lang, please eat something.”

“This is how you manage the household?” Fu Zhang looked up at her, his eyes cold and cruel. “How stupid must you be to publicly suggest Princess Yunshang pay our debts?”

“Zhang Lang…” she stammered.

Zhang Lang, Zhang Lang—anyone listening might think he was some filthy cockroach scuttling in the dark.

“Don’t call me Zhang Lang! How many times have I told you—no one can know I’m maintaining two households. And you flaunted it right in front of her! Who gave you the nerve?” Fu Zhang roared.

Yao Suyi dropped to her knees, crying. “I—I didn’t know she’d be at the dock.”

“You didn’t know? You wanted her to know! You think having four children gives you control over me? Planning to make her the lesser wife once she marries in? Bully her? Undermine her?”

“I didn’t! I wouldn’t dare!”

“You think I’m blind? Always whispering in my ear, hoping I’ll break off the engagement, hoping I’ll stay single so you and your children inherit everything!”

Yao Suyi crawled forward, clutching his robe. “Zhang Lang, you know I’ve always put you first. I’d never think such things!”

“You’d better not! Remember this—we’re uncle and sister-in-law. You will never be my wife. If you harbor any delusions, you’ll be sent back where you came from.”

His words were ice.

Yao Suyi felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her. All her hopes and fantasies were shattered. “I understand,” she whispered, trembling.

“She’s suspicious of me now. Though she hasn’t broken off the engagement, I can’t treat her as casually as before.”

“She’s too clever. Not like me—stupid and ignorant, with only you in my heart.”

Her meek, devoted words pleased Fu Zhang. His tone softened. “We’ve supported each other for fifteen years. How could she compare to you? But right now, I need her help. The two treasures at the Qilin Pavilion auction, the connections, the public reputation—she can help me. You can’t.”

He wanted to become the young emperor Xiao Qiance’s imperial tutor, but first he had to win over the Grand Empress Dowager. With that title, once the emperor came of age in eight years, Fu Zhang would be the closest person to the throne—able to influence court decisions. By then, the Empress Dowager and Grand Empress Dowager would be irrelevant. For now, he needed those treasures and a spotless reputation—no censure from officials, no public scandal. His anger subsided. He noticed Yao Suyi covering her face with a veil.

“What happened to your face?”

“N-nothing.”

“What is it?” He reached to remove the veil.

Yao Suyi dodged, crying. “Zhang Lang, you mustn’t look…”

“Was it the creditors?”

“It was the Princess. I’m just a lowly woman—of course, she looks down on me. I just didn’t expect her to carry a punishment paddle.”

She sobbed. “Now I’m disfigured. I fear I can’t serve you anymore.”

Fu Zhang forced her to remove the veil.

“It’s just surface wounds. You’ll heal in a few days.” Her face was bruised and swollen, but nothing permanent.

She covered her mouth with her sleeve, tears falling again. “She knocked out my front teeth.”

She was three years older than Fu Zhang. Now, missing her front teeth, she looked ten years older. How could she still serve him?

Fu Zhang saw the gap where her neat teeth had been and suddenly lost interest.

“I’ll have the palace doctors fit you with silver teeth. You have children—your looks don’t matter.”

“I don’t mind the pain. But Zhang Lang, don’t you think today’s events were strange? The tavern, the bookstore, the fabric shop—they’re all connected to the Princess. They never dared demand payment before. Why now, and all at once?”

Yao Suyi gritted her teeth, trying to shift blame onto Liang Youyi. In the past, even a small grievance would earn her Fu Zhang’s sympathy. But now, his heart seemed to lean toward Princess Yunshang.

“You’re right,” Fu Zhang mused. “She must’ve grown suspicious at the dock.”

Yao Suyi clenched her teeth. Why does he keep bringing up the dock?

Fu Zhang warned her, “You must find a way to get along with the Princess. Never let her discover our relationship. If you do, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Remember—whether or not she becomes the mistress of the Prime Minister’s residence, you never will.”

Yao Suyi dug her nails into her palms, pain sharp and deep, but she bowed her head and said obediently, “Understood.”

Their relationship could never see the light of day. Her children weren’t legitimate sons of the Prime Minister’s residence, nor were they even recognized as concubine-born. They were just poor relatives living under borrowed status.