"Stepmother, is it Ning Nuo who is making things difficult for you? If that is truly the case, then I will not agree to wait for Master Wen to return to settle this matter. I will directly summon my own parents here. Surely, things wouldn't have reached this stage if I had. Furthermore, why do you think I would accept the position of a concubine?" Ning Nuo’s tone was laced with sarcasm.

Madam Wen ignored the biting sarcasm in Ning Nuo’s voice, continuing to speak gently, "Ning Nuo, you know I have always doted on you. Think about it—you have lived in the Wen family home for so long. How have I treated you? I daresay it hasn't been any less than how I treat Qing Mo. If I had the final say, I absolutely would not settle for you to only be Ning Chen’s secondary wife. But, as you know, many matters within the Wen family are not entirely up to me."

"Very well. Since this was ordered by Master Wen, I will not trouble you any further here, Stepmother. I will go find Master Wen directly," Ning Nuo said coldly, looking straight at Madam Wen.

"Ning Nuo, must you insist on this? Do you truly not care for your Stepmother at all?" Madam Wen fixed her gaze on Ning Nuo and demanded.

"Heh, Stepmother, those words are too harsh. For so long, I have indeed been mindful of you, but you have disappointed me too greatly," Ning Nuo dropped this statement and strode toward the doorway.

Watching Ning Nuo’s retreating back, Madam Wen took a deep, steadying breath and spoke in a frigid voice, "Since you insist, I will tell you the truth. The Master gave instructions yesterday: if you were dissatisfied with his arrangement, you could go to him directly. He went to the shop early this morning; you can go there straight away."

Hearing this, Ning Nuo froze mid-step, her face registering profound confusion as she slowly turned back toward Madam Wen.

Madam Wen had shed her earlier gentle demeanor entirely. She merely sat on the chair, glaring coldly at Ning Nuo, showing no intention of preventing her from seeing Master Wen.

Ning Nuo stared at Madam Wen for a long moment before speaking, "You know what I intend to say when I see Master Wen. Are you truly letting me go? Are you not afraid that Master Wen will learn of everything?"

"Hmph, what do I have to fear? I will tell you plainly: because of these matters concerning you, both your cousin Chen and I were punished by the Master yesterday. Chen was given fifty lashes and is currently kneeling in the ancestral hall; he is half-dead from the ordeal. As for me, the Master stripped me of half my authority as the mistress of the household in front of the entire family last night. What do you think I have left to fear? However, do not blame me for not warning you: if you go to the Master, you might not even be allowed past the Wen family gates again. You know how much our Master values his reputation. Do not dream of being able to threaten him," Madam Wen stated coldly.

Upon hearing this, Ning Nuo could barely stand steady. She had always held the matter of Madam Wen poisoning Wen Ning Xuan over her head, believing that no matter what, as long as she held this leverage, Madam Wen would never dare cross her. She never expected that this issue had already been exposed. What leverage did she have left?

Moreover, what Madam Wen said about Master Wen was not entirely unreasonable. Even if she brought everything up before Master Wen, it would yield no real benefit to her; in fact, she might even be despised by him. What if Master Wen, in his anger, rescinded the arrangement for Wen Ning Chen’s secondary wife position? Then, she truly wouldn't know what to do.

Although Ning Nuo’s resolve was severely shaken, she maintained a facade of disbelief, asking, "Master Wen truly knows about you giving Wen Ning Xuan the poison?"

Whether Master Wen actually knew or not, Madam Wen herself was uncertain. Logically, the Master should not know. Although Wen Ning Xuan knew about it, he lacked evidence, and given Wen Ning Xuan’s temperament, he surely wouldn't speak of something unproven. If the Master knew, his punishment toward her would not have been so lenient. Yet, the Master’s words yesterday seemed to imply he did know. In short, Madam Wen could not be sure either.

However, Madam Wen absolutely could not reveal this uncertainty in front of Ning Nuo. Since Ning Nuo always used this leverage to threaten to report her to the Master, if Ning Nuo realized the Master was unaware, she would surely use it to blackmail her frequently in the future. Madam Wen profoundly disliked the feeling of being coerced.

Thus, Madam Wen had to take a gamble to prevent Ning Nuo from going to Master Wen. Madam Wen gritted her teeth internally and sneered, "Hmph, do you think I have nothing else that would warrant such severe punishment from the Master? If you don't believe me, you can ask anyone who was in the main hall yesterday. Besides, given my relationship with Wen Ning Xuan, do you think he would help me conceal such things from the Master? You were also present in Wen Ning Xuan’s courtyard that day; you heard everything he said. Do you truly believe he doesn't know exactly what transpired?" To ensure Ning Nuo believed her, Madam Wen deliberately brought Wen Ning Xuan into the accusation.

As expected, Ning Nuo believed most of what Madam Wen had said after hearing her words. However, Ning Nuo was not without cunning; she was unwilling to yield so easily and insisted stubbornly, "Since that is the case, there’s no harm in me discussing this with Master Wen. I should still go see him. Even if Master Wen doesn't show me respect, he must surely afford some consideration to my father, considering they have ongoing business dealings." With that, Ning Nuo glared fixedly at Madam Wen.

Madam Wen looked at Ning Nuo, knowing that the words Ning Nuo spoke were a test, to see if she was being truthful or deceptive. Madam Wen smiled, her expression perfectly calm. "Well, that is fine too. You must clarify things, and going to the Master is the right course of action. However, the Master dislikes discussing family matters at the shop. Tell you what: if the Master comes to my quarters tonight, I will have Mother Xu send for you. I need to rest for a while now. Ning Nuo, you are free to do as you wish." With that, Madam Wen began to move toward the back courtyard.

Madam Wen was, in fact, feigning indifference. To make Ning Nuo believe her, she had to adopt an attitude of nonchalance. She deliberately started toward the rear courtyard to ensure Ning Nuo completely accepted her story; otherwise, Ning Nuo would certainly not drop the matter.

As for Ning Nuo, watching Madam Wen walk away, she was locked in an internal struggle. She desperately wanted to know if Madam Wen was lying. She knew that if Madam Wen was telling the truth, then she had no choice but to accept the position of a secondary wife; the situation had reached this point, and she had no other options.

Once she became a secondary wife, Madam Wen would be her mother-in-law and the true mistress of the Wen household. If she wanted to live peacefully in the Wen family later on, she absolutely could not afford to fall out with Madam Wen now, or any future endeavor within the Wen family would become incredibly difficult.

But on the other hand, Ning Nuo was deeply unwilling. Her own family held some standing, and now she was reduced to becoming a concubine. She didn't even know how she would face her parents. Moreover, in this entire affair, she had only participated to a small degree, yet she was the one suffering the harshest penalty. Wen Ning Chen, despite being whipped, only suffered physical pain; once his body healed, nothing would be lost.