Ning Nuo watched Madam Wen nod her assent and, without lingering, walked out of the room with her maid following close behind. Outside, Wen Ningchen and Li Yuzhen immediately stood up upon seeing her emerge.

Ning Nuo didn't even glance at Li Yuzhen, offering only a brilliant smile to Wen Ningchen before departing with her maid. Inside, Wen Ningchen was utterly captivated by that smile; long after Ning Nuo was out of sight, he still stood staring blankly, grinning foolishly at her receding back.

Li Yuzhen, watching him like that, felt a surge of fury. She jumped up from her chair and snapped, "It looks like you two have been colluding for ages. Last night probably wasn't your first time, was it?"

Wen Ningchen was startled back to reality by Li Yuzhen’s shout and replied with clear annoyance, "If you need to throw a tantrum, go do it at home. Don't cause a scene in Mother’s courtyard."

Seeing how impatient Wen Ningchen was speaking to her, Li Yuzhen immediately grabbed him and started hitting him, yelling all the while, "You good-for-nothing Wen Ningchen! After doing such a shameless thing yourself, you dare talk to me like this? What do you intend to do now, marry that hussy into the household? I warn you, you can have her enter this house only over my dead body."

Wen Ningchen shoved Li Yuzhen, who was attacking him, away and said with disgust, "Then go ahead and die." With that, he moved to walk out.

Li Yuzhen grabbed him again as he tried to leave, demanding resentfully, "Where do you think you’re going? We haven't settled this matter today, and you think you can just walk away?"

Wen Ningchen was utterly fed up with Li Yuzhen. Just as he raised his hand to strike her, Madam Wen stepped out from the room, calling out, "Chen'er, Yuzhen. Talk things through properly. Shouting in the courtyard like this is unbecoming."

Wen Ningchen lowered his hand, and Li Yuzhen immediately let go of him when she saw Madam Wen appear. She rushed toward Madam Wen, crying out, "Mother, you've finally come out! You promised you would uphold justice for me today. What did you just say to that little slut? Did she agree to leave? When is she going?"

Madam Wen shot Li Yuzhen a look of faint distaste. How can this daughter-in-law be so utterly dense? She’s been married here for quite some time and follows me around watching household matters daily. How can her mind still be so simple? This situation has escalated this far; do you really think sending the woman away is a simple solution?

However, Madam Wen showed none of this on her surface. She gently patted Li Yuzhen’s hand to soothe her, saying, "Don't fret yet. Let's discuss this calmly. This matter is indeed Chen'er’s fault, and I will reprimand him. You go back first; you’ve been making noise all morning and must be tired. Rest for a while, and I need a word with Chen'er alone."

Madam Wen gave Wen Ningchen a meaningful look. Wen Ningchen knew his mother must have something to discuss privately with him. And truly, he also wanted to confer with her about how to deal with Ning Nuo, but first, Li Yuzhen had to be dismissed. Thinking quickly, Wen Ningchen instantly softened the impatience on his face, pulled Li Yuzhen’s arm, and spoke more gently, "Mother said she will stand by you, don't worry. You go back first; I just need a few words with Mother, and then I’ll come right back to be with you."

Li Yuzhen was the type who responded better to soft words than hard ones. Seeing both her mother-in-law and her husband speaking to her so mildly, even though she deeply disliked leaving first, she still nodded in agreement. She then told Wen Ningchen, "Alright, I'll go back first and have the maids prepare some food for you. Come back as soon as you’re done talking with Mother; I’ll wait for you to eat together."

Wen Ningchen gave her a gentle nod. Li Yuzhen paid her respects to Madam Wen and left with her maids. Once Li Yuzhen was out the door, Wen Ningchen hurried to sit in the chair next to Madam Wen and asked anxiously, "Mother, how should we handle this? We need to decide quickly, or if Father and Grandmother find out…"

Before Wen Ningchen could finish, Madam Wen cut in, "The situation has already become this messy. Do you really think your father and Grandmother can remain ignorant? Have you become so dull-witted from spending too much time with that fool, Li Yuzhen?"

"Mother, you mean…" Wen Ningchen didn't finish the sentence, simply staring at Madam Wen.

"There's no other way now; we must marry Ning Nuo into the family," Madam Wen said with a sigh of resignation. "First, we need to figure out how to explain this to your father and the others, and second, how to explain it to Ning Nuo’s family."

"Mother, why do you sound so troubled? I had already intended to marry Ning Nuo in anyway. Besides, while I have a few parlor maids, I don't actually have a proper concubine yet. Taking a concubine wouldn't be excessive, and I doubt Father would object," Wen Ningchen remarked casually.

"Not a concubine, Chen'er. We must marry Ning Nuo in with the full ceremony, using the eight-bearer sedan chair, to make her the Primary Young Mistress of our Wen family," Madam Wen stated, looking directly at him.

"Mother, I’m afraid that’s impossible. I’m already married to Yuzhen; how can I marry Ning Nuo?" Wen Ningchen asked, momentarily unable to process this.

"Chen'er, you know Ning Nuo’s family has some standing. Her maternal family will certainly never allow her to be a mere concubine. Furthermore, she just informed me herself: unless she receives the position of Primary Young Mistress, she will demand your father adjudicate the matter for her."

"Then, Mother, are you suggesting I divorce Li Yuzhen and marry Ning Nuo?" Wen Ningchen asked uncertainly.

Madam Wen leaned back against the chair, rubbing her temples with a troubled frown. "Yuzhen may not be ideal, but we certainly cannot divorce her now. Not only do we lack justifiable grounds to dismiss her, but we also have considerable concerns regarding Li Yuzhen’s maternal family. If things escalate, it will undoubtedly reach your father’s ears. You know that the majority of our family’s businesses are tied to them. If those businesses suffer because of this, your standing before your father will drop even further. Haven't you noticed how he has been showing distinct favoritism toward Second Brother lately?"

Hearing his mother’s words, Wen Ningchen’s jaw tightened with bitter resentment. "Second Brother, always Second Brother! This mess today is also Second Brother’s fault for involving me!"

"Oh, right, Chen'er, now that you mention it, I forgot to ask. What exactly happened between you and Ning Nuo last night? Why were you in Second Brother’s courtyard?" Madam Wen had wanted to ask earlier, but too many things were happening; only hearing Wen Ningchen mention it reminded her.

Wen Ningchen, hearing his mother’s question, finally recalled the events of the previous night. He had originally been amusing himself by teasing two maids near the rockery when Ling Xiao suddenly appeared before him and said expressionlessly, "Young Master, our master commands that you come see him at once."

Wen Ningchen had always resented Ling Xiao and the others under Wen Ningxuan’s command. In the Wen household, they only obeyed Wen Ningxuan, but in front of others, they carried themselves with more arrogance than the masters themselves. Seeing Ling Xiao now, he was displeased. "For what reason must this Young Master come? If his master has business, he should come find me."