Wasn't he supposed to be a cold and aloof powerful minister? How come he broke his vows after m

Li Congjin stopped beside Yan Zhao and glanced in the direction the other had left.

"Yes." Yan Zhao didn't intend to hide it.

She said "Oh," and added, "It's really pitiful for Sister Meng to be schemed against like this by her own father."

"You think she's pitiful?" Yan Zhao raised an eyebrow at her.

"Isn't it pitiful that a woman can't choose her own marriage and changes husbands on her wedding day?"

They do have a lot of compassion.

It would be even better if this person wasn't his former fiancée.

He looked at Li Congjin, and after a long while, he sighed helplessly.

Even after being betrayed, they still speak up for others.

What does this kind of mentality have to do with the ruthlessness and treachery that Meng Liyun mentioned?

"Let's go home."

At least Chu Jia was right about one thing: no matter where he went, he had to keep a close eye on his sister, because any cunning cat or dog that passed by could easily lure her away.

In Yan Zhao's eyes, Li Congjin was the same at eight years old, and he will still be the same at eighteen.

The two exited through a side door, and Li Congjin, walking ahead, bumped into someone.

The man was about forty or fifty years old, dressed in a Taoist robe, with a beard, and had a Taoist air about him. However, the sign he was holding that read "Three coins and one divination" made him seem more like a mortal.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, but was stopped by the other person.

"Oh, miss, I see you have beautiful features and a graceful demeanor. Would you like to have your fortune told? I can tell you anything, from marriage to safety."

Yan Zhao pulled her behind him, separating the two of them.

"Oh my, this young master is quite extraordinary. The two of you look so well-matched standing together; you must be husband and wife."

The Taoist priest uttered eloquent words effortlessly, stroking his beard and rolling his eyes: "I have calculated that you two will surely have two sons and a daughter in the future, all of whom will become pillars of society."

Li Congjin listened attentively to the first few sentences, but her expression suddenly changed when he uttered the last one: "Your calculations are inaccurate!"

After saying that, she pulled Yan Zhao into the carriage as if someone had stepped on her tail, leaving the old Taoist priest standing there in a daze.

She remained silent throughout the carriage.

Yan Zhao couldn't understand why the person who was so cheerful just now had suddenly become so downcast.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head: "It's nothing."

"If something's on your mind, just say it. Don't bottle it up."

Li Congjin responded, looked up at him, then lowered his head again, opening and closing his mouth as if considering whether or not to speak.

"That, it's..."

She picked at the pomegranate sculpture with both hands, and before Yan Zhao's patience ran out, she finally said coyly, "It's okay if you can't have children."

???

"What did you say?" Yan Zhao frowned, thinking he had misheard.

She reached out a hand and took his, seemingly to comfort him, saying, "This morning at breakfast, the matchmaker saw that we didn't... you know what last night, and she told me everything."

His eyelids twitched wildly, but she was still trying to defend herself.

"The matchmaker said that you fight on the battlefield every day and are used to life and death, so the pressure must be great, which will also affect that aspect of your life." After saying that, she immediately waved her hand, "I didn't mean anything by it. I can understand you. Although it's more lively to have children at home, it's not that I... necessarily want children."

The last few words were spoken softer and softer, as Yan Zhao's face visibly darkened.

He cherished and pityd her because of her young age, but she repaid him with nothing but retribution.

Yan Zhao closed his eyes, and it took a long time for the pent-up frustration to dissipate.

"I'm fine."

He himself found it absurd after saying it.

Li Congjin was stunned: "Huh? Then why did the matchmaker...?"

"Li Congjin".

This was the second time in two days that he had called her by her full name.

Both times it was for that kind of thing.

Yan Zhao was somewhat tired.

"Don't keep talking about this kind of thing with other people."

"Even a matchmaker won't do?"

"no."

"And what about Mother?"

"That won't work either."

"That……"

"No one else will do."

It means you can only talk to him.

"Oh." Li Congjin nodded. "Then why won't my husband consummate our marriage? Does he not like me?"

Yan Zhao gritted his teeth.

How come he never noticed before that this glutinous rice ball had such an extraordinary talent for making people angry? It could make him feel simmering with rage in just a few words.

He didn't answer, so she looked down at the pomegranate sculpture in her hand: "Does my husband still like Sister Meng?"

"I overheard them talking at Jubaozhai just now, and I know you bought this pomegranate sculpture for me to spite Sister Meng."

The carriage was deathly silent.

Yan Zhao endured it all, but then burst into laughter in exasperation.

Fearing she might feel wronged last night, he spent a lot of money to coax her. He had just said he was the best, but now he's turned on her, claiming no credit for her efforts and even denying her hard work.

That's really great.

How about we make the Meng family pay some compensation?

The carriage stopped in front of the General's mansion. Yan Zhao walked in front, and Chun Tao glanced at him and whispered, "Miss, why does the General look unwell?"

Li Congjin raised an eyebrow.

It would be strange if it didn't get better.

An ordinary man would have to prove his ability if he were provoked like this. She had made her point clear, and I don't believe Yan Zhao could remain unmoved.

The two had just returned to the mansion when Chu Jia invited them to lunch.

She didn't mention anything about what happened last night, but at least she made her stance clear, telling Yan Zhao not to neglect Li Congjin in the future.

Chu Jia made an appointment with Madam Qi in the afternoon, and left the mansion after lunch. Not long after Yan Zhao returned to his courtyard, the Left Prime Minister's residence also sent someone to invite him.

Li Congjin went back to his room for a short rest of half an hour. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Chun Tao come in.

"Miss, the matriarch requests your presence."

She raised an eyebrow.

Is that all?

When Yan Zhao left last night, he still looked like he couldn't speak.

Could it be that the fortune teller was some kind of demigod, and that the ritual of bringing good luck really works?

"Hmm, let's get ready."

She calmly tidied her hair, changed her clothes, and scented them. It was already 15 minutes later when she left the hospital.

As soon as she entered the old lady's bedroom, she heard the other woman say, "Now that she's the young mistress, she's quite difficult to invite."

She paused in her steps.

The old lady just celebrated her 60th birthday last year, but her health has been poor in recent years, and she relies entirely on medication.

Perhaps because she was used to wielding great power in the General's Mansion when she was young, she not only failed to see things clearly in her old age, but became even more stubborn. The more than twenty people in the third branch of the family had to do and say everything according to her wishes.

Except for Yan Zhao.

Knowing she couldn't control the true head of the general's mansion, she decided to find him an obedient wife.

Meng Liyun had always been good at making her happy since she was a child, and she was the wife of the General of the North whom she had chosen.

Over the years, Meng Liyun had spoken ill of Li Congjin to her. Now that the Meng family's marriage had just ended, she had taken the position of young mistress, which made the old lady even more opposed and disgusted with her.

Li Congjin curled the corners of his lips and walked straight inside: "Grandmother has misunderstood her granddaughter-in-law. Hearing that you are getting better, I was overjoyed and just now hurriedly brought some of the best tonics."

Her tone was sincere, as if what she said was true.

The old lady leaned against the headboard, glanced at her, and was truly intimidated.

She's just an uneducated and extremely dull little girl. How could she possibly escape her grasp?

Li Congjin stopped in front of her bed and glanced at the two people sitting in the corner.

"Second Aunt, Third Brother."

She greeted people politely.

The second wife's name was Xiuhong, and she was the legitimate daughter of a Jiang family, a merchant family in Jiangnan.

After marrying into the Yan family, she only gave birth to one son, Yan Yaonan, who was the third child in the family.

She nearly exhausted her family's wealth to raise this son, but unfortunately, he ended up being nothing more than a playboy who spent his days fooling around, frequenting brothels and gambling dens.

Seeing that the two men's eyes were somewhat evasive, Li Congjin's eyes flickered, and he roughly guessed what was going on.

"Hmph, those are just nice words, but I'm afraid they've been planning this all along, waiting to exploit the Meng family's weaknesses."

The old lady's words were barbed, but Li Congjin pretended not to understand, making her punch a pillow.

"Sister Meng is indeed in a difficult position; otherwise, with Grandmother so seriously ill, she would never have abandoned you."

She didn't care at all about the accusation of scheming that the old lady had pinned on her. Meng Liyun's breaking off the engagement showed neither respect for the General's Mansion nor concern for the old lady's illness.

If we're talking about being in the wrong, how could we possibly be better than them?

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiuhong immediately said, "Mother! What time is it? How can you still side with that person from the Meng family who stabbed us in the back? How can you be so foolish!"

After she finished speaking, she grabbed Yan Yaonan's hand and took two steps forward: "You must be extremely careful about prioritizing these matters!"

Li Congjin crossed his arms and watched her perform.

The old lady glanced at her, somewhat displeased, but still followed her lead and said to Li Congjin, "I called you here today because of your third brother. He is now of age and needs to make friends around the world. Take two hundred taels from the eldest son's account and give it to him."

The fox's tail was finally revealed, but she really didn't expect these people to be so shameless.

The three branches of the Yan family now live in the Zhenbei General's Mansion, which Yan Zhao and his father fought their way to.

The second wife is idle and lazy, while the third wife is ambitious but has accomplished nothing and has become a parasite on the first wife over the years.

Several years ago, Chu Jia, unable to bear the harassment any longer, gave the main branch's gold seal to Yan Zhao.

Who would dare to approach Steward Yan Zhao now? When he was away from the manor, the golden seal fell into the hands of Steward Yang. If there were any other expenses, Steward Yang would send a letter to the north, and by the time it was sent back and forth, the opportunity would be lost.

Everyone in the manor knew that Steward Yang had been working under Chu Jia, clearly doing it on purpose, but even if they were dissatisfied, they could only endure it.

The fact that the old lady has summoned her indicates that she has already been rebuffed by Steward Yang.

Furthermore, someone had "reminded" them that they could avoid Yan Zhao and go looking for her.

The only person who could offer guidance was Steward Yang.

She realized almost instantly that this was a trial Chu Jia was giving her.

Chu Jia wants her to become the matriarch of the main house, so the first thing she needs to do is learn how to deal with these bloodsucking ghosts.

"Two hundred taels?! How can Third Brother afford so much? Even if we have small gatherings at restaurants every day, two hundred taels would be enough to last for more than a year."

She feigned surprise.

Yan Yaonan grabbed a handful of hair in frustration: "Just give it to me, stop with the nonsense!"

She sighed and said with difficulty, "Third brother, it's not that I don't want to give it, I just really can't come up with that much money!"

"You're talking nonsense!" Jiang Xiuhong shouted. "Don't think we don't know. This morning, Yan Zhao spent three hundred taels to buy you a piece of jade. How come you can't even come up with two hundred taels when it comes to us?!"