all over, but they were ultimately no match for their patriarch's authority. They slunk away, defeated.Fang Jinshi thought about what had just happened and gave Wang Cunzhang a look."Uncle Wang, come...Zongpingchuan pulled Jin Yu away and walked to Muyunhe's face.

"I can't just stand here and watch him hurt you."

"Marrying Yuan was not my wish, but it was the only way to save your lives. Later, I deceived Yuan Xiangli by telling him that you had died in the famine."

"But the matter of having people spread news of my death back home, that was definitely not something I did. It was Yuan Buyu."

He knew you were all alive, but to cut off my escape route, or perhaps to better control me by keeping me by his daughter's side for life, he did this intentionally.

"I truly have no way, if I had even a sliver of a way to send you a message back, would I have kept you all in the dark for so many years"

Zong Pingchuan, as he spoke, also brought a touch of genuine emotion. Mu Yunhe was indeed different from other women to him.

After all, they were husband and wife, the only one he had feelings for since his youth.

"Do you think being the son-in-law of a high official is easy For the first few years, everyone in the capital was laughing at me, saying I was a toad trying to eat swan meat. They all called me a climber, someone who was trying to latch onto power and prestige by marrying the daughter of a high official."

"Who would believe I was forced"

"I endured that life worse than a pig or dog, even the gatekeeper of the prime minister's household could order me around. I gritted my teeth and persisted until now, never stopping to plot."

Gradually, Mu Yunhe also became engrossed in what Zong Pingchuan was saying. His expression didn't seem like an act; after all, the two had been married for so many years, and Mu Yunhe still remembered some of his habits.

When wronged, his eyes would turn red. It was a sign of suppressed anger, but even if they were bloodshot, he would never allow himself to shed a single tear.

Zongpingchuan is a very ambitious person.

"You, what are you plotting"

He saw Mu Yunhe's tone had softened, and his heart felt a little lighter too.

Of course, it's about planning for the day when we can all be together again.

Zong Pingchuan's eyes suddenly changed, becoming fierce and dark.

"As long as I climb high enough, high enough to replace Yuan Buyu, then whatever I do, no one will dare say a word."

"

No one can threaten you anymore.

"

"That's why I dared to go back and find you all, bringing you to the capital to enjoy yourselves."

Seeing Zong Pingchuan's serious expression, Mu shi fell silent.

He thought Mu Shi had softened and wavered, just as he was about to continue outlining his plan, suddenly the voice of Fang Jinxiu came from outside the door.

"Master Zong, what a big mouth you have."

The Yuan family has been a renowned scholarly family for generations. It is only with such a profound heritage that they could nurture a figure like Prime Minister Yuan.

"How dare you, Lord Zong, presume to think you can rise to the same level as Prime Minister Yuan"

"Do you possess the astoundingly rare talent for governing, or has Your Majesty been clouded by lard and overlooked all these illustrious talents from prominent families, choosing instead someone with no foundation"

When Fang Jinxiu appeared, Zong Pingchuan's face visibly darkened. Mu Shi, seeing her daughter-in-law, lowered her head in fear. She hadn't intentionally concealed the meeting with Zong Pingchuan from her daughter-in-law.

If she had known the person waiting in the lobby was him, she would have sent Jin Yu away long ago and wouldn't have come over at all.

Fang Jinshu strode into the living room and walked between her mother-in-law and Zong Pingchuan, placing herself between them.

Even if you were lucky enough to get to that position, Let me know if you need anything else translated!

"Don't you see how old you are now, and how old your mother is How many more years will the whole family have to wait for you"

"Isn't it necessary to wait until the day I lie in a coffin"

"What is the meaning of family reunion and prosperity if this is what it takes to achieve them"

Fang Jinshu spoke with particular venom, leaving Zong Pingchuan with no face to save. Even though his face turned dark with anger, he dared not vent it in front of Mu Shi.

"I, I certainly wouldn't keep you waiting that long!"

Fang Jinxiu raised an eyebrow, immediately continuing the conversation without giving him a chance to defend himself.

"Oh Ten years have passed, if it weren't for me bringing my whole family to the capital, Elder Zong would probably still be unaware of what his twin boy and girl look like now, wouldn't he"

"Who wouldn't say nice things We see that you've been gone for decades, living comfortably in the capital as the son-in-law of a high official, enjoying a life you never dared to dream of."

"Lord Zong, 'No business goes to the Third Treasure Hall without a reason' is an old saying best left for convincing your Prime Minister wife. "

"Since you've come all this way, I'm also curious to hear what important matter concerning the lives of the entire clan you have to say."

It was only after Fang Jinshu's reminder that Mu Shi remembered.

"Yes, didn't you say there was something that concerns the life of our whole family Are you going to tell me or not"e strings behind the scenes, this king can't imagine anyone else being interested in the bodies of those assassins."Fu Shangyuan saw that Yuan Buyu remained impassive even now, a smirk curling at the...