Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
That was the story that fascinated the real madams. It served as a stern warning to their husbands, reminding them that they would meet a grim fate if they mistreated their concubines and harmed their wives.
Gathering at the tea house, they eagerly shared the tale from start to finish.
During her visit, the sister of the governor, who was also the wife of the provincial governor, noticed her motherâs improved health and gratefully offered more gifts to Qin Zhenzhen. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Impressed by the delectable flavors of Qin Zhenzhenâs seasonings, she requested an additional bottle, which fortunately was readily available through Qin Zhenzhenâs cousin in town. The governorâs restaurant was already utilizing the first batch of seasonings, signaling its popularity and success.
Recognizing the opportunity, Qin Zhenzhen took the chance to forge a strong bond with the governorâs wife, laying the groundwork for future cooperation.
Her seasonings, including soy sauce and various therapeutic food products, found their way beyond the prefecture, reaching the province, and even extending to the capital.
Due to the proximity of the prefectural city to the province, it took less than a dayâs journey by wagon, attracting numerous wealthy businessmen who had interests in both areas.
Upon learning of the madame of the prefecture presence in the prefectural city, many affluent businessmenâs wives eagerly invited her for tea, aiming to establish strong connections.
Accompanied by her mother, the madam set out for the gathering.
The story they heard was intriguing. Recently, Qin Zhenzhen had inquired with Old Lady about any instances of young masters from noble families running away. Old Lady then recounted the events that took place at the Marquis Mansion.
Surprisingly, the tale narrated by the storyteller mirrored the incidents at the Marquis Mansion almost identically in the first half, sharing the same historical era, names, and the protagonistâs identity. However, the second half of the story aligned with Su Binâs unfortunate experiences, which also led to detrimental consequences for the protagonistâs sonâs future.
Upon hearing this, Old Lady felt compelled to share the revelation with her daughter and son.
Alarmed by the similarity and sensing something amiss, the governor and his wife arranged a meeting with Qin Zhenzhen and Su Bin at the mansion, joined by Qin Silong and Chen Youwei.
In the study, the governor sat down with Su Bin, delving into what had transpired with Su Binâs father over the past year and how he attained the status of a Cultivated Talent.
Su Bin was aware that the governor would inquire about the story shared at the tea house. Thus, he decided to be honest and narrated the truth about his fatherâs life in the Qian Familyâs village and how they were unjustly framed.
Meanwhile, Qin Zhenzhen headed to Old Ladyâs room, where she was directly questioned about her involvement with the tea house story. She nodded and confessed, âMy husband is the one who wrote the story.â
Qin Zhenzhen went on to explain that they had suspicions about Su Binâs father being a wealthy young master who might have had a family conflict, leading him to sever all ties with them.
Intrigued by the events that took place in the capital two decades ago, Qin Zhenzhen inquired further from Old Lady.
Upon hearing Old Ladyâs account of the Marquis Mansion, they started to speculate that Su Binâs father might have similarly left home in anger, much like the heir of the Marquis Mansion.
However, Qin Zhenzhen clarified, âBut that was merely conjecture, so we devised this method of creating a story about my husband to spread it through the storyteller.â
âOur intention was to put a stop to whoever is trying to frame my husband if our assumptions turned out to be true.â
Madameâs gaze locked onto Qin Zhenzhenâs eyes as she confronted her directly, âYou might as well tell the truth. You suspect that Su Binâs father is the Prince of the Marquis Mansion!â
Taken aback, Qin Zhenzhen appeared startled, but she replied with honesty, âWe do have some suspicions, yet we wonât spread any rumors without concrete evidence..â