TRBDM -Chapter 199 Complete Victory

Dou Shuyao looked at Shen Zhizhi with some surprise; this was the first time she had bowed her head to him.

What goes around comes around—today was Shen Zhizhi’s turn.

For a moment, no one spoke; the room fell into silence.

Dou Shuyao turned to the shopkeeper and asked, “What losses did the rice shop suffer last night?”

The shopkeeper recounted everything truthfully: “The front door of the rice shop was smashed. One of the clerks got tripped while trying to catch the thief and sprained his ankle. The thief stole a total of thirty taels of silver, but since he was caught red-handed, the silver was returned to the shop immediately. Other than that, there were no additional losses.”

Dou Shuyao nodded.

The clerks had done their duty and deserved a reward.

As for the thief, even though he failed to steal anything, the evidence was clear—he deserved to be imprisoned.

Dou Shuyao looked at Shen Zhizhi’s anxious face and felt a pang of pity for her.

After everything she had been through, how could she still be so stubborn?

Shen Tianci would never change. Today he gambled, tomorrow he would steal, and the next time—would it be murder?

Could Shen Zhizhi keep him safe for a moment? For a lifetime?

One day, sooner or later, Shen Zhizhi would be drained dry by the Shen family.

Xie Sheng was a smart man, fundamentally selfish, and having suffered losses twice already, he would never stumble in the same place again.

Dou Shuyao didn’t even need to think long to realize that Xie Sheng would never help the Shen family. That meant Shen Zhizhi had no choice but to show her face and plead humbly.

After years of rivalry between the sisters-in-law, Dou Shuyao had achieved a complete victory.

However, she didn’t feel petty triumph or superiority, because after the second branch of the family separated, there was no longer any entanglement with the main branch.

Once the sisters-in-law parted ways, they should have had no further contact.

Given Shen Zhizhi’s pride, only Shen Tianci could make her bow her head in front of Dou Shuyao.

After confirming the rice shop’s losses, Dou Shuyao already had a clear idea.

“Since my second sister-in-law has spoken, it’s only right and proper to give her face. But you also heard what the shopkeeper said just now: the rice shop’s door is broken, and the clerk hurt his leg and will need medicine and rest for a few days. These losses should be compensated by Shen Tianci.”

Shen Zhizhi nodded awkwardly. “Sister-in-law is right… it should be compensated.”

Dou Shuyao said, “Shopkeeper, calculate how much silver that would be.”

“Ah, yes.”

The shopkeeper took out his abacus and clicked through the calculation, then said, “Madam, the total comes to nine hundred eighty wén.”

Not even a full tael, yet it was enough to slap Shen Zhizhi in the face.

What stung more than the slap was that Shen Zhizhi didn’t even have nine hundred eighty wén to pay right now.

She straightened her back with effort and forced a smile that was uglier than crying. “Thank you, sister-in-law. I’ll thank you on Tianci’s behalf.”

When Shen Zhizhi stood up, she swayed noticeably.

“Wait a moment, sister-in-law. I’ll get the money from the carriage.”

“There’s no rush.”

Keeping her head low, Shen Zhizhi hurried out through the rice shop’s front door.

The elder Shen couple had been watching the door and, seeing her, immediately got out of the carriage and asked, “Well? Did she agree?”

Shen Zhizhi had already been humiliated by Dou Shuyao; now, facing her parents, she showed no better expression. “Do you have the silver? Dou Shuyao said Sheng needs to compensate the rice shop nine hundred eighty wén before they’ll release him.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Shen Zhizhi’s father immediately took out a tael of silver from his sleeve.

“Zhizhi, go deliver it quickly. After that, we’ll go to the authorities and bring Tianci home.”

Shen Zhizhi didn’t take it.

“Father, you go. I’m leaving now.”

For the first time, Shen Zhizhi didn’t obey her father and walked off directly.

Shen Zhizhi’s mother was about to scold her, pointing at her retreating back, but her father stopped her. “Alright, save the scolding for later. Right now, just deliver the silver; bringing Tianci home is the priority.”

Slapping her thigh, Shen Zhizhi’s mother exclaimed, “You’re right! Let’s go get Tianci home.”

The couple no longer bothered about their daughter and hurried into the rice shop in a fluster.

Shen Zhizhi, moving in the opposite direction of the two of them, kept walking forward without looking back.

She hadn’t gone far when tears had already streamed down her cheeks.

A simple, unremarkable rice shop had completely shattered her dignity.

Her pride and self-respect were ruthlessly trampled into the mud by Dou Shuyao’s calm, effortless smile.

“Madam, madam,” the maid ran to catch up with her.

“Madam, you’ve been busy all morning and haven’t even had breakfast. Don’t walk any further—take the carriage back to the Xie residence.”

Before the maid could finish speaking, the sound of a carriage came from behind. The elders of the Shen family had taken a carriage to the government office to fetch Shen Tianci.

“Hey,” the maid shouted, “that’s Madam’s carriage!”

The carriage moved quickly, and her voice was drowned out.

It was noon, and the sun blazed down, making it hard for the maid to keep her eyes open.

“Madam, find a place to rest for a while.”

Shen Zhizhi did want to rest—but she didn’t even have money to buy a cup of tea. Where could she possibly take a break?

She couldn’t just sit under a tree like a streetwise woman, could she?

So she stiffened her neck and walked toward the Xie residence.

The maid could do nothing but follow along, suffering silently, while cursing the Shen family in her heart.

At the rice shop, after handling Shen Tianci’s affairs, Dou Shuyao didn’t linger.

Wei Zhaorong had been worried about her health and wouldn’t allow her to leave the residence. She had only gone to another shop that day to check the accounts; otherwise, she wouldn’t have come to the rice shop at all.

Back at the marquis’s residence, after some thought, Dou Shuyao went to Anhe Courtyard to inform Wei Zhaorong about Shen Tianci’s situation.

Wei Zhaorong nodded at her: “You handled it very well.”

Dou Shuyao had given face where it was due and reclaimed the losses she had suffered—Wei Zhaorong felt she had managed things properly.

“Thank you for your praise, Mother.”

With matters settled, Dou Shuyao left Anhe Courtyard.

“Old Madam, how could the Second Madam be so foolish? Even now, she still protects Shen Tianci,” Nanny Qi couldn’t understand. Shen Zhizhi, usually so smart, seemed like a different person when it came to her own brother.

It was as if her mind had been drained, letting the Shen family manipulate her at will.

Wei Zhaorong’s words were sharp and precise:

“She will never be able to give up Shen Tianci in her life.”

The Shen family’s only child had been pampered since birth, raised to have the moon if she wanted the moon, the stars if she wanted the stars.

Shen Zhizhi, as the daughter, had been educated to care for her brother above all else. Twenty-plus years of conditioning had made her completely disciplined; her life would forever revolve around Shen Tianci, until death.

Xie Sheng had already seen through the Shen family. His current downfall was simply him paying for the choices he had made before.

If Shen Tianci continued to act this way, Xie Sheng’s divorce papers would likely be thrown in Shen Zhizhi’s face.

It was her life; Wei Zhaorong would not interfere in the matters of the second branch.

Nanny Qi could only sigh and make a few remarks. Seeing Wei Zhaorong’s lack of interest, she stopped mentioning the second branch.

After a while, someone came running in.

“Old Madam, General Nanyang has sent a letter.”

Wei Zhaorong’s calm expression finally changed: “Quick, bring it to me.”

She opened the letter, and the bold, powerful handwriting of General Nanyang filled her eyes.

Wei Zhaorong furrowed her brows, reading each word carefully.

When she reached the final line, her frown suddenly eased.

As expected, General Nanyang had agreed.

The worry she had carried for days was finally lifted.

She wanted to find an opportunity to meet Zhao Jingheng and show him her loyalty.

“Nanny Qi, I am going to the palace.”