So Sudden

Madam Zhao's heart lurched. "That's impossible!"

"Why is it impossible? You'd rather let the business go bankrupt than hand it over to the clan elders. Do you have something else in mind? I hear your family runs businesses too. Are you planning to give them the entire Zhao family business?"

"Of course not!"

"Then why won't you hand it over?"

"You... I..."

By now, their intentions could hardly have been clearer. They pressed her so relentlessly that even the mild-mannered Madam Zhao grew angry. But she had always been gentle and had no idea how to vent her frustration. Just as she was growing frantic, a sharp crash rang out. A teacup struck the floor and shattered into a dozen pieces!

"I'd like to see which of you dares force Madam Zhao to hand over the shops today!"

Everyone turned. Shen Lantang stood there with a cold expression. She pushed past the stunned Fangyun and walked to the center of the hall, slowly sweeping her gaze over the crowd.

"Well, well. The master has barely been gone, and already every last one of you is rebelling, trying to force Madam Zhao to hand over the shops."

"You, you, and you!"

Everyone she pointed at instinctively shrank back and avoided her eyes.

"Which one of you hasn't benefited from the master's generosity? Without him, where would you be now? Rolling in the mud? Sitting in a drafty shack, counting your few copper coins and calculating whether you could afford tomorrow's meal? Without the master and Madam Zhao, none of you would be where you are today. And now that the master is gone, you think you can turn everything upside down and bully his wife!"

"Come on, then. All of you. Steward, open the front gates! Let the neighbors see how