First Young Madam Teng stood there in shock, clutching First Master Teng's sleeve, and said, "Didn't the Emperor always show you favor? Even when you privately conducted maritime business in Fujian, he didn't blame you. The Emperor remembers how we funded his military ventures in the past, valuing old ties. With the Emperor backing us, why should we fear a Xuanning Marquis Mansion?"
"Utter foolishness!" First Master Teng felt he had nothing more to say to her: "Enough, you don't need to go to the Marquis Mansion tomorrow. Return to Tongzhou, stop embarrassing me here." With those words, he called for a carriage. The carriage pulled over, and without a backward glance, he got off and motioned, "Take Madam back to Tongzhou!" He intended to send her back immediately, without a moment's delay.
The carriage, indifferent to First Young Madam Teng's cries inside, trotted towards the city gate.
