The male supporting character was actually myself.

Manager Lin tried to dissuade you two, but you insisted on selling your bodies instead of your skills. Then be more professional!

Look at how self-disciplined the girls in that building are. They work so hard even though they only earn a few dollars a day. Meanwhile, you guys are well-fed, well-dressed, and only serve one guest a day, yet you're so lazy and unambitious.

Let me tell you, the boss has spoken—if any more customers complain that you're not putting in enough effort and that you're not worth the price, you two are in big trouble.

How much money did the Paramount Ballroom spend to promote and build your brand? Not to mention the special Qinxiang Xiaozhu (a private residence) they specially set up, providing you with the highest level of service. If they couldn't recoup all the money the boss spent, they might as well just sell you all into military prostitutes!

Ruan Xiangyun, unconvinced, wanted to glare and retort, but Ruan Xiangqin stopped her, saying softly and sweetly, "We sisters are not feeling well today..."

"Stop trying to pull that on me, you bastard. There's no such thing as a sex worker having to deal with all that. As long as you're not dead, you have to make sure your customers are satisfied."

This is a big spender—a fur merchant. He'd easily tip tens of silver dollars if he was in a good mood. I'm telling you, if you don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for being impolite..." The manager gave them a sinister look, his tone cold, and after threatening them, he turned and left.

How could a manager who frequents brothels all year round not even have the means to manage two young girls?

A stream of tears streamed down Ruan Xiangqin's cheeks. "Xiangyun, listen to me, endure a few more days. No pain, no gain. The hardships we are going through now are just the trials that will lead to a better future. We sisters will eventually overcome the thorns and usher in the light!"

"Yue~" The fluffy ball acting as the monitor clutched its chest and almost vomited upon hearing this. "It's disgusting! It's disgusting to the core! God, please open your eyes and take these two menaces away! I really can't stand it anymore. Even taking away their protagonist halo feels dirty!"

It hopped over to Lieutenant Li and listened for a moment, then wandered around the Marshal's Mansion, looking around and paying close attention to everyone's every move.

Some were happy that night, while others were sad.

Jiang Chen officially took control of the military and became the young marshal of Shanbei, second only to the emperor.

Li Dongchen longed for his wife, but unfortunately, he was too poor to afford to visit her and couldn't muster any interest in her. He spent the whole night listlessly sighing in his room.

The Ruan Xiangqin sisters finally suffered the harsh realities of society.

The guests were very dissatisfied with their performance and soon stormed off. The manager was so angry that he called over an old woman who used needle torture on them. The silver needles, as thin as embroidery needles, pierced their flesh, causing the two sisters to turn pale, tremble all over, and scream until their voices were hoarse, yet there was not a single mark on their bodies.

After falling into depravity, the White Jasmine sisters, who had been living a life of ease and comfort, finally witnessed the terrifying fangs hidden in the night, and finally understood why Red Rose and the others were so obedient and well-behaved, and never even talked back.

However, they found out too late, and the price they paid was a bit too high.

That evening, the manager arranged new customers without stopping. The two sisters took some painkillers to endure the discomfort and diligently went back to work, trying their best to please the customers so as to get a good look from the manager and avoid being beaten after the service was over.

Time flies, and this day is already the day before the Beginning of Winter.

Early in the morning, Zhang Ziqiu received an invitation, signed by Mrs. Qiao, inviting her to meet in a private room at the Crescent Moon Teahouse.

"Mrs. Qiao? Is that Xiuer?! She hasn't left Yucheng yet?" She opened the invitation and looked at the signature for a while before she remembered that Xiuer had said she married a businessman surnamed Qiao. Mrs. Qiao must be her.

After a few days, Li Dongchen had returned to his old ways, ignoring her. With no one to offer advice, she didn't know how to keep her husband's heart in her grasp. Xiuer's sudden invitation was a lifesaver!

Zhang Ziqiu couldn't wait to go to the appointment. As soon as he entered the private room, he saw Xiuer sitting there slowly drinking tea.

"Xiuer, it's so good to see you again!"

"Why are you in such a hurry? Sit down and have some tea, then we can talk slowly. We were originally planning to go north, but my husband had something come up and we couldn't set off. I was worried about you, so I asked to meet up to chat. How have you been lately?"

"Not good!" Zhang Ziqiu rushed forward and recounted the situation since their meeting in detail, then eagerly asked, "What should we do now? I think Dongchen really lived up to your words—it's better to steal than to steal what you can't have!"

He's lost all interest in anything now, like a cat on a hot tin roof, constantly thinking about finding his lover.

He had no money but still asked me for it. If I didn't give it to him, he would find fault with everything I said.

"Good girl, you have to think of something quickly! If this keeps up, he'll be completely bewitched!"

Xiuer carefully recalled the young marshal's instructions, pondered for a moment, then shook her head and said, "It's better to guide than to block. You've made a mistake in this step."

If he wants to find prostitutes, he needs money. If he doesn't have money, he'll make excuses to ask you for it, and you won't give it to him. In that case, Li Dongchen will definitely target his resentment towards you.

He thinks that as long as you give him money, he can sleep with his lover. If you don't give him money, then you're the worst woman, a sinner for all time!

First, you can't take the blame for being the bad guy yourself; this matter should be handled by outsiders. If others oppose you but offer support, Li Dongchen will naturally resent the outsiders and will instead remember your kindness.

Secondly, you need to give him a chance to make mistakes in order to move on to the next step of the plan.

"Li Dongchen is like a dog locked in a cage with its teeth pulled. He doesn't bite or make mistakes, so how can you seize the opportunity to manipulate him?"

Zhang Ziqiu listened, seemingly understanding but not quite, looking completely bewildered. "Then, if we do as you say, I have to give him money when he goes to see his lover? Dream on! No way, I can't do that, I really can't swallow this insult."

"If you can't swallow this insult, then just let it drag on. When the Marshal gets old and the Second Young Master sets up his own household, no one will be able to control or manage Li Dongchen. He'll not only go looking for prostitutes, but he'll also bring one concubine after another to the Marshal's mansion."

Xiuer sipped her tea and smiled slowly, "Anyway, he hasn't touched you since he got married not long ago, and you can't have a child anyway."

The master and mistress have gone south to the City That Never Sleeps to do business again, and it seems they won't be returning to Yucheng.

I've heard that our young master is highly valued by the young marshal's side, and he certainly won't be relegated to a small place like Yucheng in the future. You, a woman without children, lacking the skills to win favor, and without any powerful family backing you, will eventually be squeezed out by the concubines and unable to survive.

"I, I..." Zhang Ziqiu instantly recalled the jealous tactics of the newly arrived concubines in the mansion. If it were her, she would definitely be completely taken advantage of!

She was so anxious and angry that she was almost in tears. "Xiuer, please help me one more time! I'll listen to whatever you say, just don't let me end up like that. You know I can't fight anyone and I don't want to. I just want to keep Dongchen by my side, sob sob sob..."

Xiuer couldn't help but facepalm. She really couldn't understand how her young mistress, whom she had grown up with and who seemed like a good person, could be so short-sighted and lacking in social skills.

"Don't cry. Since I asked you to come out and talk, I'll definitely help you." She thought for a moment and earnestly advised, "You need to approach this from two angles to protect your position."

I heard that the Commander-in-Chief has put you in charge of acting as the principal of Yucheng No. 1 Primary School? Then do a good job, not just going through the motions, but treating it as a serious career. That way, even the Commander-in-Chief won't easily take away your position as principal.

A woman naturally gains status when she has a career. Being a school principal is a great opportunity to build a good reputation, not to mention that you have some money in the account that you can spend freely, which is very important!

Furthermore, you have to give Li Dongchen money.

However, you can't just give it to him without asking; you have to make a request to avoid seeming abrupt.

Once he gets the money, he'll be eager to go find a prostitute and spend the night with her.

Since you don't want to pay for his own pleasure, then seize this opportunity to dig a pit for him, so that he can never climb out again..."

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Family's Only Hope

Xiuer's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, then she whispered a few words of advice into Zhang Ziqiu's ear. The other's eyes gradually brightened from blankness to reveal an excited gleam of anticipation!

After she came out of the teahouse, she did not go straight back to the Marshal's Mansion, but instead hailed a rickshaw and headed straight to the school.

Xiuer's analysis is correct. Her biggest advantage right now is the opportunity to become the number one female principal in the entire Shanbei area. Moreover, the school not only provides free education but also provides students with three full meals a day. This is a great opportunity to build reputation and accumulate good karma.

Any measures taken to encourage teachers to teach more diligently and to boost students' enthusiasm for learning will allow newly established schools to easily achieve good results.

In the next few years, the commander-in-chief will be stationed in the north of the mountain and will no longer personally lead expeditions. During this time, he will definitely be able to keep Li Dongchen from acting recklessly. As long as I keep the power of the school in my hands, I will naturally have a say.

If they can achieve even better results, they will gain the support of many students and parents and have a broad base of support in the future!

Not to mention, there are four hundred silver dollars in my account every month. As long as I have a good reason, I can easily save some of it into my own little stash...

After Xiuer's patient explanation and analysis, Zhang Ziqiu suddenly realized how stupid he had been. The commander-in-chief had personally ordered him to act as principal, yet he hadn't even come over to make his presence known!

I was so short-sighted, I was only focused on Li Dongchen at home and didn't think about anything else.

Xiuer is right, you can't make a sale by rushing things!

What is not easily obtained is cherished; I must make Li Dongchen feel a sense of mystery and distance. When he realizes he is no longer revolving around me, the scoundrel's desire to conquer will surge, and he will then pursue me as actively as before.

Just like the prostitutes who bewitched him, they never came to him eagerly. That scoundrel of a man was still thinking about her like a black-eyed chicken, wanting to snatch her away from other men.

When there are too many people scrambling to buy at inflated prices, even a piece of rotten meat tastes delicious.

What she needs to do now is to take advantage of the Marshal's Mansion's momentum to manage herself well. When Zhang Ziqiu becomes the respected Principal Zhang and the face of the Marshal's Mansion's main branch, even Li Dongchen will have to think twice before trying to take her place as the young mistress.

So Zhang Ziqiu carefully reviewed the school's situation and took notes, planning to discuss with the vice principal later to formulate some incentive regulations. Only by combining hard work with rewards could everyone's fighting spirit be activated.

As long as the results can be seen in the first final exam before the holiday at the end of the year, I, as the acting principal, should be able to officially become the principal!

"Dongchen, I bought your favorite osmanthus cake from the market. Come and try it." When she cheerfully carried the paper bag into the house, her spirits and energy were in stark contrast to Li Dongchen, who was listless and huddled in the corner of the kang with his hands in his pockets.

"Where did you go today?" Li Dongchen asked casually, his head drooping, too lazy to even look up.

I've been so bored being stuck at home these past few days. My annoying wife is like a fly buzzing around me nonstop, it's driving me crazy.

He was surprised to find that he hadn't seen her all morning and was quite calm. She only came back after lunch, looking cheerful. For a moment, he even suspected that his wife had been secretly seeing other men behind his back!

"Mrs. Qiao invited me for tea." Unlike usual, Zhang Ziqiu didn't linger or cling to him. She casually tossed the pastries on the table and went about her own business, humming a little tune.

Li Dongchen glanced at her with suspicion, then muttered under his breath: What a shallow woman! What can she do besides drinking tea and playing mahjong with other women? She has no sense of romance, no taste, and doesn't even understand love. How did I get so unlucky to marry such a thing?!

"Sigh... these days are really hard to bear..." The more he thought about it, the more upset he became, and he couldn't help but sigh.

Being confined at home with a boring woman as annoying as a fly is a waste of life. If Xiangqin were at Qinxiang Xiaozhu right now, she would probably be tuning her zither and singing a melodious tune in her soft voice.

Xiangyun should also serve herself a cup of hand-ground coffee, along with some delicate afternoon tea snacks, listen to some tunes, chat about poetry and songs, and discuss the meaning of life. That's the kind of refined life a young master should have!

The more one desires something but cannot obtain it, the more one yearns for it. Li Dongchen frowned and sighed even more heavily.

"Alright, I know you've been upset these past few days, stop sighing at home." Zhang Ziqiu composed herself, holding an exquisite money bag in her left hand and a stack of papers in her right, and came over with a smile, saying softly, "The second branch is so smug, it makes our first branch look so worthless."

There's nothing we can do about it; what can we do when your brother is good at fighting and leading troops?

They gained favor through genuine talent, we can't compare! As long as you change your habit of going to dirty places from now on, and my husband and I work together to run the school well, sooner or later we'll impress Father-in-law.

I understand that you are upset.

Staying home all the time isn't a good idea. I can use some of my savings to help out. You could invite some friends out for drinks and a chat; that would cheer you up a bit, wouldn't it?

Upon hearing the words "secret stash of money," Li Dongchen's eyes lit up immediately. "What? You're really willing to give me money?"

Hehe, my wife is the best, she knows how to cherish me the most. How much money is this? Let me see!

The next second he saw the money bag in his wife's left hand, and jumped up to grab it.

Zhang Ziqiu reacted swiftly, dodging his grab, and raised the paper in her right hand with a light smile, saying, "If you want my secret stash of money, you'll have to put in some effort, won't you?"

If you help me copy all these school rules and regulations and famous quotes, I'll give you twenty silver dollars. That should be enough for you to go out and have fun with your friends for a long time, right?

"Oh, when did you learn this trick?" Li Dongchen shook his head with a teasing smile after failing to grab it twice. "You want your husband to do things for you to earn money? Fine, you've got a novel idea. I'll give in to you today. Brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, please!"

Zhang Ziqiu put away the money bag, slapped a thick stack of papers on the kang table, and brought him a pen, ink, paper and inkstone. She didn't forget to flatter him, saying, "I have no choice. My father-in-law insists that I become a school principal. How could I possibly know how to do that?"

I was forced into this situation and couldn't refuse, plus my handwriting is terrible, so I had to ask you for help. Look at my husband's beautiful handwriting, who wouldn't be envious?

Li Dongchen, as smug as a peacock with its tail held high, shook his head and laughed, "That's right! It's a waste for the school to copy all this with my beautiful handwriting, but since you've asked me for a favor, I'll reluctantly help you out."

For twenty silver dollars, he diligently wrote at his desk until midnight.

Zhang Ziqiu continued copying until late at night, and went to bed in his bedroom; only the night watchman was left outside, and the entire mansion was immersed in peaceful sleep.

Li Dongchen breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the task that was about to end, and murmured, "Tomorrow is the Beginning of Winter, a wonderful day for families to reunite and eat dumplings..."

The saying goes, "On every festive occasion, one misses their loved ones even more." On the day of Lidong, a festival for family reunion, the Xiangqin sisters must feel even more desolate.

While everyone else is celebrating the festival with their families, they are now homeless and without parents. It is easy to imagine that the sentimental Xiangqin will be silently weeping as she looks out the window at the desolate winter scenery, missing her parents, relatives, and the Qinya Manor that was destroyed by fire.

If she hadn't been deliberately provoked by Li Jiangchen and set the fire, they wouldn't have ended up without a home.

There's no way that guy would let Yuqin Mountain be divided up so easily!