Thinking that she was going crazy, Chen Wenjin had the intention of going straight to her living quarters the minute she passed through the gates of the Chen family residence but just as she crossed the courtyard, Chen Wenjin bumped into her mother.
"My sweet child." Chen Wenjin's mother, Chen Lihua said as soon as she saw her.
"Why do you look so down?" Chen Lihua asked as she looked at her in worry.
"Come tell mother," Chen Lihua said as she steered Chen Wenjin to the family hall.
"Mother will try her best to fix it for you." Chen Wenjin's mother said in a firm tone but Chen Wenjin stopped her with a shake of her head.
"I am just tired, mother." Chen Wenjin said with a sad smile.
"Chen Wenjin didn't mean to trouble mother." Chen Wenjin said but her mother shook her head.
"Silly child." Chen Lihua said with a smile.
"There is no way this mother of yours won't worry about you." Chen Wenjin's mother said as she touched Chen Wenjin's face.
"If it's rest you need," Chen Lihua said as she arranged her daughter's hair.
"I won't hold you." Chen Wenjin's mother said as she let her go.
"What a genuine display of filial love." Shen Xiatang said in a warm tone and Chen Wenjin turned around in fear.
"That voice again!" Chen Wenjin muttered as she surveyed her surroundings twice before giving up.
"Forget it." Chen Wenjin said with a sigh.
"Anymore of this and I will really go crazy." Chen Wenjin thought as she shook her head and walked towards her living quarters.
On her way to her living quarters, Chen Wenjin and Xiao Mei saw a maid slip into her living quarters like a thief in the night.
Xiao Mei, outraged by this, was about to chase after the maid but Shen Xiatang quickly said "Stop her!" and Chen Wenjin held Xiao Mei back instantly.
"Young miss." Xaio Mei said, wondering why Chen Wenjin was stopping her but her young Miss wasn't paying her any attention.
"For a show like this, the best course of action is to watch." Shen Xiatang said with a chuckle and Chen Wenjin relayed the plan to Xiao Mei.
Creeping towards her living quarters softly with her maid in tow, Chen Wenjin and Xiao Mei looked through the gap of the window as the maid stuffed a stack of papers into a vase and slipped out of the room quickly.
Waiting for three then five seconds, Chen Wenjin and Xiao Mei slipped into the room and headed for the vase the maid had tampered with.
Taking out the stacks of papers from the vase quickly, Chen Wenjin and Xiao Mei noticed that they all carried a specific amount of money along with the royal seal.
"Is this not the disaster relief funds his majesty issued to the Marquis to distribute in the south?" Xiao Mei asked in fear.
"Why?" Chen Wenjin asked, not believing what was happening before her.
"Why would they do this to me?" Chen Wenjin asked as tears gathered in her eyes.
"Young Miss, you mean-" Xiao Mei said as she connected the dots on her head.
"Thinking of making me a consort is not enough. They want to make sure that I have no choice but to beg to be a consort by accusing me of criminal behavior." Chen Wenjin said in sadness.
"But young Miss, this plan if executed wrong could get you executed. The South is going through a major disaster. Stealing the disaster relief funds is grounds for treason." Xiao Mei said in shock, not believing anyone would go through such lengths.
"That's why they will bring up the idea of settling it between the family." Shen Xiatang and Chen Wenjin said at the same time.
"Liu Tiancheng will claim to be benevolent, forgiving me of my crime and choosing to keep the marriage contract but his condition will be that I am to be demoted to consort and if my parents refuse, I will be taken to the emperor for punishment." Chen Wenjin said as she sat down in despair
"Having both the fish and the bear's paw." Xiao Mei said, referring to Liu Tiancheng having both Chen Wenjin and Chen Jinyu.
"How could Liu Tiancheng and Chen Jinyu be so vicious?!" Xiao Mei exclaimed in anger before looking at her young Miss.
"Young Miss, what do we do?" Xiao Mei asked as she knelt down before her young Miss.
"Liu Tiancheng and Chen Jinyu have already planned such a huge trap like this." Xiao Mei said in worry.
"How are we supposed to get out of this unscathed?" Xiao Mei asked Chen Wenjin.
"It's simple." Shen Xiatang said with a smile and Chen Wenjin looked towards the voice.
"Tomorrow we are going to put on the greatest show that this era has ever seen." Shen Xiatang said with an evil smile.
The next morning with the sun high in the sky, Xiao Mei burst into her young miss's living quarters.
"Young Miss, the Marquis and his family have arrived." Xiao Mei said and Chen Wenjin rushed to prepare.
Stepping out quickly in a white hanfu with orange embroidery, Chen Wenjin moved as quickly as she could towards the family hall.
The doors opened upon her arrival and Chen Wenjin greeted her parents who smiled at her. Turning to greet her in laws, Chen Wenjin had barely uttered her greeting when the Marquis raised his hand to stop her.
Turning to her father, the Marquis said "I am afraid that we are not here for a friendly meeting."
"What?" Chen Zixuan, Chen Wenjin's father asked in confusion.
"Father." Chen Jinyu greeted, as she came forward.
"I have a matter to report." Chen Jinyu said as she knelt to the ground with both her hands above each other.
"Go ahead." Chen Zixuan said as both he and his wife looked at her in confusion.
"Yesterday I saw sister go into the Marquis office. Thinking nothing of it I chose not to report it thinking that sister must have a good reason for being there but who would have thought that Sister could steal the disaster relief funds needed by the improvised people in the south." Chen Jinyu said in a pitiful tone
"Impossible!" Chen Wenjin's mother said as she raised her voice instantly.
"Chen Wenjin is sensible and well behaved. The Chen family provides her with all she could possibly need. Chen Jinyu, what nonsense are you spouting against your sister?" Chen Wenjin's mother asked in anger.