The other concubines were working together to make sure the party went on without any problems. They seemed to have joined hands in order to deal with an annoying woman named Qu Fei Jiao.

But while she was fine, it couldn’t be said to be the same as Nan Shu Cheng.

His face was black when he looked at the row of the servants in front of him and their reports that were filled with lies. Did they think he was so stupid that he didn’t know when they were lying to him?

He had already faced even more troublesome officials at the palace and had to argue with them a lot. How could he not understand that these women were merely making excuse to cover up what they actually did?

How troublesome.

“Master, about this…”

“Leave them be.” Nan Shu Cheng waved his hand. “Tell them to go back and stop bothering me for the smallest event.”

“Yes, Master.”

Nan Shu Cheng rubbed his forehead and then walked towards his bedroom. He usually stayed here alone if he didn’t want to spend the night with either one of his women. After all, there were also time when he needed to be alone.

He looked around the room before his gaze landed on the book on the table. Just yesterday, he was putting the documents in the library when he saw the pile of books that his wife used to compile for him. He brought one of them back to his bedroom in order to take a look at it.

But now, he felt a bit irritated.

For some reason, he recalled the message that the servant relayed about his first daughter not long ago.

“First Miss Nan said that she’s not feeling well. She asks to be excused from this banquet, Master.”

Not feeling well.

He should be glad to not have to see his daughter again, but for some reason, he felt a bit disturbed lately. When he first denounced his wife, he chose to elevate Madam Qu and made her as his main wife. After all, he wanted both of his sons to have proper identity and not such low identity as concubine born son.

But as he began to lose his feelings for Madam Qu, he began to remember his former wife more and more. And his daughter’s face precisely made him remember his former wife so much that it troubled him.

Nan Shu Cheng took a deep breath.

“Forget it, Shu Cheng. Go to sleep,” Nan Shu Cheng muttered under his breath. He threw the thoughts into the back of his mind as he tried to fall asleep.

It was unknown whether it was because he was thinking about his former wife when he slept, but Nan Shu Cheng found himself inside the garden in his dream. The garden looked quite different from the current garden as it resembled how it used to be many years ago.

Nan Shu Cheng slowly saw himself and Madam Nan. It should be around a decade ago before she completely lost all hope as she looked younger than what he remembered.

“Shu Cheng, didn’t I tell you before that you can’t do it like this? If you continue this way, you won’t be able to fully grasp this promotion chance.”

Promotion?

It was during the time when he was about to be promoted back then. He had been quite stressed because there were so many things that happened and it was Madam Nan who kept on advising him.

The Nan Shu Cheng inside the dream looked at Madam Nan and said in irritation, “Women are nothing more than a tool. I can favor you in one instance but throw you away in the next moment. What right do you have to criticize me?”

Madam Nan looked at her husband and took a deep breath. “It’s true that we have low standing. But my lord, is it because I’m lowly that I’m always wrong or is it because you don’t want to admit that you’ve been wrong?”

Nan Shu Cheng looked at his wife in irritation but he didn’t give any answer. Nan Shu Cheng would never admit it, but he loves and hates his wife at the same time. She’s a person who attracted him in every direction. But at the same time, she’s someone who’s not afraid to voice out her opinion. Even if he didn’t like it as she often gave advices for his decision.

He attributed her courageous behavior with the fact that his father favor her. Because of that, he treated her worse and taken her for granted.

No matter what he did, she’ll definitely stay with him.

That was why he treated her worse and worse. He didn’t listen and simply took what he wanted from her again and again.

Nan Shu Cheng watched as his young self argued with his first wife. His expression was aloof, but he didn’t think that there was anything that was wrong with his decision back then. She’s his property, so she had to do what he wanted and not what his father asked her to do.

It was enough.

‘Ugh’

The image suddenly changed.

He saw his wife cradling his first daughter in her embrace. Looking at the bruises on his first wife’s neck, Nan Shu Cheng could guess when this happened. And Nan Hua was around six to seven years old at this time.

The young Nan Hua stretched her hand towards her mother, “Mom, why do you stay here. Why can’t we leave?”

Madam Nan looked at her daughter and stroked her head slowly. Her tone was sad as she answered, “It’s not like I want to stay here, Hua’er. But even if I want to leave, I have nowhere to go.”