These words were too harsh, cutting off all of Liu Yufu and her son’s hopes. Shen Yi’an’s face turned pale, and outside the door, Liu Yufu was also on the verge of collapse, almost unable to kneel. She couldn’t help but defend herself, “I followed Boye since I was a pure courtesan, my body is clean and pure, and Song’er is indeed Boye’s flesh and blood!”

Eunuch Zhang’s smile faded a bit, and he pulled out a handkerchief, waving it to cover his mouth and nose, “Boye, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but who you favor behind closed doors is none of my business. However, this Liu Yiniang of yours is quite out of line. How can a concubine come to the front hall and interrupt in front of guests? And dare to contradict the emperor’s decree?”

Shen Yi’an felt embarrassed and quietly reprimanded Liu Yufu, “Step back! How dare you be so presumptuous in front of the middle official daren!”

Seeing Shen Yi’an’s constant winks, Liu Yufu, despite her grievances, dared not argue further. She sobbed a few times and reluctantly retreated.

“Actually, it doesn’t matter how low the birth of a concubine is; what’s important is to discipline them well once they are taken in, so they understand the rules of a noble household.” Once Liu Yufu had walked away, Eunuch Zhang removed the handkerchief from his mouth and nose, “Boye, you are too kind-hearted, spoiling her too much, which has led to today’s trouble. I heard that the household management in your residence is actually in the hands of a concubine?”

Shen Yi’an didn’t want Eunuch Zhang to bring up the household management issue again and awkwardly said, “After my wife passed away, I couldn’t find anyone to take over for a while… so I let her manage it for now, as our household is simple…”

“Boye, you are confused,” Eunuch Zhang said, “Household management is not just about the daily life of a few masters in the residence. The shops in the city, the estates outside the city, the marriages and funerals among the nobility, the exchanges during festivals… Noble daughters learn these from a young age, and even with the help of several maids and attendants, they dare not claim to manage a household flawlessly… What do the women from the pleasure houses learn from a young age, and how can they manage such a large residence?”

Shen Yi’an remained silent, his head lowered. His feelings for Liu Yufu were beyond mere affection; he saw her as his soulmate. Even though Liu Yufu’s management of household affairs wasn’t perfect, Shen Yi’an didn’t want her to suffer grievances. He thought she could learn slowly.

“Boye, think carefully, in recent years, which noble families still associate with Duke Fuchang’s Residence?” Eunuch Zhang adjusted his collar, “Forgive me for speaking out of turn, Boye. The emperor is waiting for me to report back, so I won’t stay any longer… Tomorrow, I expect Guifei will send someone to your residence. Several of the consorts have been implicated by this matter and are not pleased. If they find out that the household management is in the hands of Liu Shi, a concubine… hehe, Boye, you better keep Liu Shi in check tomorrow, and don’t let her speak out of turn again. It’s one thing to contradict me, but the consorts are not so easy to deal with.”

Shen Yi’an was already drenched in cold sweat and hurriedly said he wouldn’t dare. He thanked Eunuch Zhang profusely for his advice and saw him out. When he returned to the inner courtyard, Liu Yufu was lying on the bed, crying like a tearful mess. Upon seeing him, she said, “I have been with An Lang with a pure body, always devoted to An Lang without a second thought, An Lang knows this!” She was full of grievances, but having been reprimanded by Eunuch Zhang, she learned her lesson and dared not show any resentment towards the emperor’s will, only crying more fiercely.

If Shen Yi’an were a normal marquis, any slightly intelligent retainers would advise him to quickly let Liu Yufu “die of illness,” so the consorts wouldn’t have to send people to reprimand them tomorrow, and the matter would be resolved.

At the very least, she should be driven out of the residence, and Shen Song’s name should be removed from the family register to show the emperor.

But he was not a normal marquis, nor did he have any retainers. At this moment, he was filled with heartache, quickly holding Liu Yufu in his arms, “I know, I never doubted you.” The two of them wished they could cry together.

After a long time, Liu Yufu finally looked up, tears streaming down her face, “It doesn’t matter how wronged I am, but is Song’er’s future really going to be ruined like this? An Lang, you have to think of a way!”

What good solution could Shen Yi’an think of? The matter of inheriting the title depended entirely on the emperor’s decision, and as a subject, he could only endure and reflect. If the emperor was pleased, it might be possible to inherit the title at the same level; if he displeased the emperor… like Duke Sheng’s Residence, the heir was the legitimate son of the original wife, with an impeccable background.

But because the title of Duke Sheng was earned by following the regent in battles in the early years, the request to confer the heir was approved by the regent before the emperor took power.

When the regent fell, Duke Sheng died in fear, and the request to inherit the title was left unapproved, leaving Duke Sheng’s Residence with an heir but no duke for fifteen years.

Shen Yi’an’s mouth was bitter. His wife, Guan Yunying, was from Duke Sheng’s Residence. He once resented and mistreated his original wife because her family lost power and almost implicated Duke Fuchang’s Residence, which led him to seek pleasure outside and meet Liu Yufu. He also looked down on his wife’s family because Duke Sheng’s heir couldn’t inherit the title for a long time.

He never expected that one day, he would face a similar situation!

At least Duke Sheng’s Residence still had an heir, but would Duke Fuchang’s Residence really end with him?

Shen Yi’an closed his eyes, and after a long time, he said with difficulty to Liu Yufu, “First, bring the account books and keys to the storerooms and tokens…”

Liu Yufu stared at him blankly, her face slowly turning pale, “An Lang?”

Shen Yi’an still had a bit of sense. Why did Eunuch Zhang suddenly bring up household management? Even though he acted improperly, why would a high-ranking eunuch meddle in the internal affairs of a noble residence and risk being disliked?

This was likely the intention from above, either from the emperor or a consort who was displeased.

After the empress passed away, the emperor never appointed a new empress. The highest-ranking person in the palace was Guifei, but the emperor didn’t let Guifei manage the phoenix seal; instead, he asked the nurturing and kind Grand Consort Xuan to manage palace affairs.

If the consorts can’t manage palace affairs as concubines, why should Liu Shi?

Shen Yi’an smiled bitterly, “Didn’t you hear what Eunuch Zhang said? Starting tomorrow, the consorts with royal sons will send people to reprimand you and your son, reminding you to adhere to the virtues of a concubine… If the female officials and eunuchs find out that household management is in your hands, it will be even more disadvantageous for you. Rest assured, no matter what happens in the future… I will not let you and our child suffer, I will do my best to protect you…”

Liu Yufu’s nails dug into her leg. She dared not hand over the account books and keys to the storerooms, but she was equally afraid of the consorts’ reprimands tomorrow. Everything that happened today was far beyond her understanding.

She really didn’t understand why people she had never met, far away in the palace, cared about their residence’s affairs and why they were against her! All her years of planning and hopes were about to turn into bubbles.

Liu Yufu couldn’t accept it all and threw herself onto Shen Yi’an, crying. Shen Yi’an sighed and patted her back, calling to the maid outside the door, “Go get the account book keys, and… go to Ganlin Courtyard and call the eldest gongzi.”

Shen Yi’an was also unwilling, his tone carrying a hint of sarcasm, “Isn’t it said that the residence mistreated him? Why not let him manage the household? Whoever wronged him or deducted from him… he can investigate himself.”

He didn’t notice that upon hearing his words, Liu Yufu, who was crying on him, trembled even more.

According to the rules, if there was no mistress or elder lady in the residence, and the younger generation had not yet married, the eldest gongzi or miss should temporarily manage the household, returning it when a new wife enters. Except for those who married a humble wife during difficult times and later became prosperous, with the wife lacking the ability to manage the household, they had to take in a capable concubine to assist—officially, the wife managed the household, and the concubine only had an auxiliary title, never directly managing the household.

And since the emperor favored the late empress and crown prince so obviously, even if Shen Yi’an was unhappy, he had to hand over the household management to his eldest son to get through the consorts’ reprimands in the coming days.

Who knew the maid would return alone, trembling and kneeling on the ground, stammering, “The eldest gongzi said… said he won’t come. The eldest gongzi said he’s still sick and needs to recuperate, has no time to take over a mess. He also said if Boye finds someone else to take over, remember to settle the accounts and send the three months’ allowance owed to Ganlin Courtyard.”

Shen Yi’an felt a blockage in his chest. He thought giving the household management to his eldest son was a favor, but who knew this ungrateful son would be so unappreciative! He couldn’t help but angrily say, “Rebellious son, I, as his father, can’t even command him! What is the eldest gongzi doing now?!”

The maid trembled even more, “The eldest gongzi is in the garden, tying up the girl Pan’er from his courtyard and throwing her into the lake, ordering everyone in Ganlin Courtyard to watch… saying… saying everyone should see the consequences of betraying the master!”

She was forced to stay and watch for a while by the eldest gongzi. When Pan’er was fished out, she was barely breathing. The eldest gongzi didn’t allow anyone to call a doctor, ordering her to be carried around the courtyard before being sent back to her parents’ room.

Now all the servants in the residence knew what happened to those who offended the eldest gongzi.

Shen Yi’an was almost spitting blood, “Brute! Brute!” How could he have such a violent son? Why did the emperor’s decree favor this violent brute and be so harsh on his gentle and helpless beloved! “Tomorrow, the consorts will send people, and if a corpse is carried out of the residence at this time, the emperor will reprimand me for not managing the household strictly… What does he want to do with the entire marquis residence?!”

The group from Ganlin Courtyard finished their gathering by the lake and walked back together. Zhan’er hesitated for a long time before stepping forward quickly, “Gongzi, the lord finally wants to hand over the household management to you, do you really not want it?”

Li Xun: “What do I need that for? To clean up Liu’s mess and be ready to take the blame at any time?” With Shen Yi’an’s bias, if any deficit was found in the accounts, he probably wouldn’t believe it was his beloved’s doing, and balancing the accounts would be exhausting, not to mention being framed.

Besides, after so many years without thinking of giving it, now that a middle official came to reprimand, he wants to give it, obviously out of desperation. Li Xun didn’t want to please Shen Yi’an, even if he were to manage the household, it wouldn’t be so easy for Shen Yi’an!

Zhan’er didn’t understand, “But before, Furen was the one managing the household…” In her mind, managing the household meant being the head of the family, able to lead the whole family. Look at how powerful Liu Yiniang was with the household management? All the servants in the residence obeyed her, bowing and scraping.

Not to mention the prestige, life would be much better, and no one would dare to neglect or bully.

Shen Qian, on the other hand, shook his head, “If Furen had just passed and the household management went to gongzi, that would be a good thing, but in the current situation, it’s better not to get involved.” He also considered that with Liu Yufu managing the household for years, there must be many issues.

From today’s observation, it seemed that Duke Fuchang himself had no intention of coveting the original wife’s dowry and was confident in the family wealth of Duke Fuchang’s Residence, which was interesting.

If the household management was in Liu Yufu’s hands, without the emperor’s decree intervening, the entire marquis residence’s wealth would eventually belong to Shen Song. Shen Yi’an was confident in the vast wealth of Duke Fuchang’s Residence, and although the original wife’s dowry of hundreds of thousands of taels of silver was substantial, was it necessary to kill for it?

Of course, it’s possible Liu Yufu was just greedy and ruthless. But Shen Qian leaned more towards the idea that during these years, the household management in Liu Yufu’s hands had issues, either with a particularly large deficit, too big for her to confess to Shen Yi’an, or there were other reasons, making her more desperate to obtain the original wife’s dowry.

Before the situation was clear, it was indeed the wisest choice not to get involved.

Li Xun ruffled Shen Qian’s hair, the texture was average, and he retracted his hand, “This one is a bit smart. You guys, your vision is too narrow, what does the household management in this residence count for? To put it bluntly, how long can I stay in this residence? Can Shen Yi’an keep me unmarried until I’m twenty? At most, it’s a year or two, and won’t the household management have to be returned, letting others use it for free!”

It would be best if he could sleep tonight and return to his original body. Although he knew the possibility was slim, he really didn’t want to stay in this damned place for another day.

With the time spent working for free, it would be better to think about how to return. He came here because of falling into the water, does he have to jump again?

Shen Qian protected his ruffled hair, looking at Li Xun with a sullen expression.

Why did this person bring up marriage again, how eager was he to get married?