After being forced into a marriage with a wealthy family, the virtuous wife caused a huge uproar.

"No, he went to Liaocheng. Why are you asking this?" Rong Yingluo was delighted by the loophole in the imperial edict and was thinking of writing a letter back to her parents tomorrow.

"It's nothing." Gu Ce's eyes darkened. She knew so much about where that person had gone, which showed how important that person was to her.

After so many days, the secret guards still haven't been able to find out the man's identity, only some superficial information. He's just a simple businessman, and one who only emerged in the last two years.

How could a century-old family like the Rong family possibly marry their daughter to a businessman with little background?

Silent all night.

The next day.

Rong Yingluo went to the main courtyard to pay her respects as usual.

She arrived early and, taking advantage of Su Jingyi's act as a kind mother, went directly into her inner room.

She saw a maid combing her hair.

"The daughter-in-law greets her mother."

"Why are you here so early, Liuli? I just got up." Su Jingyi turned around with a smile.

"I slept well last night, so I got up early. Mother, let me comb your hair. I often comb your hair when we're at home. You always praise me for how well I do it." Rong Yingluo smiled and stepped forward, taking the comb from the maid's hand.

She glanced at the ground and saw a lot of hair lying there, which made her feel even better.

At this rate of hair loss, all the hair will fall out in three months at most.

Before she falls out of hair, it will be time for her to negotiate terms.

Rong Yingluo moved nimbly, combing the hair all the way through, and lost quite a bit more hair.

She quickly styled Su Jingyi's hair into a bun, consulted her opinion, and chose suitable jewelry for her to wear.

"Liuli, I'm planning to host a chrysanthemum appreciation banquet, but we don't have enough chrysanthemums in the Gu family's flower room. Could you ask your father to help us buy some? I've invited many noblemen and ladies from the capital. Your mother and elder brother can also come to our residence to make more friends." Su Jingyi spoke very eloquently.

"If my elder brother takes a fancy to a noble lady, can we ask Mother to arrange the marriage?" Rong Yingluo wanted to hear if she was willing to put aside her pride.

"Well... Liuli, since ancient times, it has always been about marrying down to marry up. With your older brother's status, it might be a bit difficult for him to marry a daughter of an official. However, it would be good for him to make some friends." Su Jingyi's face stiffened.

She had already shown immense respect by inviting the Rong family's son, yet the Rong family still dared to covet her elder brother marrying a daughter of an official.

The noble lady invited by the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is at least the daughter of an official of the fifth rank or above. How dare a mere merchant like him disrespect her? He is truly ignorant.

"In that case, my elder brother doesn't need to come. But my mother can come and keep me company." Rong Yingluo wanted to take this opportunity to spend more time with her mother.

This also lets her mother know that she is doing well at the Gu residence, so that her mother will worry less.

"Then I'll send an invitation to your mother."

"Alright, then I'll take care of buying the flowers on behalf of my father. But Mother still needs to specify the amount so that my father has a clear idea of ​​how many flowers to buy and what kind of flowers to buy. Appreciating chrysanthemums shouldn't be limited to just chrysanthemums; other flowers are also needed for decoration." Rong Yingluo made it clear beforehand, not wanting to be taken advantage of.

Su Jingyi froze again.

Rong really doesn't know how to read the room. Her family is the richest in the capital. Can't she even afford this little bit?

What use are these in-laws then?

The reason they chose Rong Shi was because she was wealthy, and they requested an imperial decree to grant her a marriage.

If you can't get any benefits at all, you might as well find a commoner woman.

"Liuli, although your Rong family are merchants, if you are willing to spend money, you can donate for a minor official position. Our Zhenguo Duke's Mansion can act as guarantor for this," Su Jingyi tempted.

Rong Yingluo was stunned.

The Su family will stop at nothing to make money.

If she wanted to donate her official title, her father would have done it long ago; there was no need to wait until now.

The Emperor has already sent the plaque recognizing Rong as a loyal and righteous merchant to the Rong family, so there's no need for them to donate any honorary official titles.

Based on that plaque alone, the Rong family's status in the capital is not low. Now that she has married into the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, no matter what the reason, she is also the wife of the heir.

"Mother, are you looking down on our Rong family because of our low social standing, and want to help us out?" Rong Yingluo's smile remained unchanged.

"It's good that you understand your mother's good intentions. You can tell your father what I mean. As long as he's willing to spend 500,000 taels of silver, I guarantee I can get him a Xuandelang rank, a seventh-grade official." Su Jingyi made an outrageous demand.

"Mother, our Rong family might not be interested in Xuandelang. If you could help my eldest, second, and third brothers obtain the title of Imperial Academy Student, my father would offer 600,000 taels of silver, 200,000 taels for each of them." Rong Yingluo added another 100,000 taels.

She knew that since the founding of the Southern Xia Kingdom, the rule of purchasing a place in the Imperial Academy with money had been abolished.

Although official titles were not completely prohibited, they were not so easy to obtain through donation.

She wanted to see if the Su family had the ability, or rather, if the Crown Prince behind her had the guts to commit a crime under the Emperor's nose.

"Liuli, aren't you making things difficult for your mother? You know it's forbidden to donate to become a student of the Imperial Academy, yet you still make such an unrealistic request." Madam Su's smile was about to crumble.

"In that case, Mother, please give me the money. I'll take it to my father and ask him to help me buy flowers." Rong Yingluo's smile had vanished.

She couldn't keep up the act any longer.

"Liuli, you don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household. The Rong family is related to our Gu family by marriage. If we help them out, they'll have our Zhenguo Duke's Mansion protecting them in the capital. Won't their business be even easier?"

"You must know how to repay kindness. If our Gu family says that we have a bad relationship with the Rong family, I don't know how many people in the capital would want to kick the Rong family while they're down." Madam Su also put away the smile she had been putting on.

"Mother, since we've come this far, let me also say what's on my mind."

"Since my daughter-in-law is the wife of the heir apparent, the management of the household will inevitably be handed over to her sooner or later. If you wish for the Rong family to assist the Duke's mansion, that's not impossible. As long as you entrust the management of the household to my daughter-in-law, I guarantee that the Rong family will spare no effort to assist the Gu family; supporting the Gu family wouldn't be a problem. Including my second brother's marriage and my sisters' weddings, I can handle them all perfectly," Rong Yingluo declared confidently.

"You...you want to take control of the Gu family?" Su Jingyi was shocked.

Rong has only been in the manor for a month, yet she already harbors such ambitions.

She only took over the reins of the Gu family five years after marrying into it, and she's only thirty-five now. How could a mother-in-law so young hand over the reins of the household?

"Yes, didn't you ask the Rong family to help the Gu family? But I need to have a legitimate reason. Now that Mother is in charge of the household, it's natural for Mother's family to help. If the household is in financial difficulty, I will naturally ask my family to help." Rong Yingluo spoke logically.

Su Jingyi's chest heaved with anger.

Rong's mouth is truly silver-tongued.

Of all the noble ladies she had met in the capital, none were as eloquent as her; she could talk the dead back to life.

Married the wrong person.

"You're still too young. I'll hand over the management of the household to you in a few years." Su Jingyi waved her hand, dismissing her.

Out of sight, out of mind.

A few more years? Hmph, let's see if we live that long.

Rong Yingluo returned to Yinliu Courtyard in a wonderful mood. After having breakfast, she was about to continue making clothes when a maid came to report that the Second Miss had arrived.

Gu Qingyin?

It seems her words that day had an effect; he dared to come and visit her.