Side story

"If you two uncles truly wanted to share my burden, why wouldn't you help me manage the shops instead of insisting on taking the property my late husband left to me and our children? This is our family's estate. There is no reason to hand it over to anyone else!"

Since her husband's death, Madam Zhao had argued with them over this countless times, and she had learned how to fight back.

"If it's the family estate, what's wrong with us, his uncles, managing it on your behalf?" The two men remained utterly shameless.

"You..."

"Madam," Magistrate Zhang suddenly said with a genial smile.

"I recall that your eldest daughter is twelve now, isn't she? In another two years, it will be time to find her a husband. Brother Zhao Cheng, you have a grandson around that age too, don't you?"

Madam Zhao felt as though she had been struck by lightning. She shot to her feet. "How dare you!"

Shen Lantang frowned as well. To set their sights on a twelve-year-old girl—how shameless.

Madam Zhao swayed on her feet. "How dare you! I will never allow it! Never!"

The man named Zhao Cheng said smugly, "Don't reject the idea so quickly, my dear niece-in-law. Given the ties between our families, a Qin-Jin Match between the children would only bring us closer. It would be a wonderful thing."

Madam Zhao screamed in fury, "I will never allow it!"

From beside them, Magistrate Zhang said meaningfully, "Then there's nothing to be done. After all, once the two families become one, this estate will belong to the same family. It all depends on what you decide, madam."

"You... you..."

Magistrate Zhang was forcing her hand: either she surrendered the family estate to the two men, or they would force her daughter to