夜幕低垂， nestled in the heart of the ancient city, the Wang residence was shrouded in an air of somber contemplation. The old man, Wang Yusheng, the patriarch of the family, sat behind his desk, the weight of the decision resting heavily on his shoulders. His eyes, once sharp as a falcon's, had begun to dim with age, yet the command in them was as unyielding as ever.

"Times have changed, now that the matter concerns the merchants," Wang Yusheng spoke, his voice a solemn reflection of the gravity of the situation. "We, the Wang family, have no grounds to take a stand."

He paused, watching as his son, Wang Zhen, lifted an eyebrow slightly, his gaze steady and resolved. The hurt in his eyes, once raw and unspoken, had solidified into a hard-edged determination.

"I am aware of the considerations in your heart, Father. Yet, this journey to the merchant's estate is one I must undertake," Wang Zhen replied, the steel in his voice a stark testament to the change within him. "The incident on our wedding night has been a demon in my heart, an affront to any man, let alone such a refined young master as myself."

Wang Zhen had appeared mild-mannered to the outside world, but his inner world was far from tranquil. He could mask his emotions in the eyes of others, even present an idealized front to Shang Xueyan, but before Wang Yusheng, he was as true as the blade of a sword.

"Father, I have sacrificed much for the sake of the state and the family. Shang Xueyan may not be the woman I cherish the most, but she is the demon in my heart that has eluded me my entire life."

He had once sought to dispel this demon, with Wang Yusheng's help. The once innocent young slave girl at the Summer Lake Palace was the latter's answer, but this demon had endured, embedding itself deeper into his soul.

"We were never in love from the start."

Their marriage was a strategic alliance between two merchant families, with both parties well aware of their roles. Yet, over time, many events had transpired, altering their characters profoundly.

"Yet, with all that has happened, we have already become irrevocably entwined in each other's lives."

It was not love that kept them from parting, but a tapestry of too many reasons, entangling them into a shared madness.

Wang Yusheng's brow furrowed in憂, a sign of his disappointment. His health had been deteriorating in recent years, and he knew his end was drawing near. The near brushes with death years ago had prompted him to claw back from the threshold of the afterlife, driven by his love for his family and his responsibility to the Wang family.

"If you step out of this door today, you might lose much, including the inheritance of the Wang family."

He was not a domineering father, but his failing health left him no choice but to be direct. He wanted his son to be the pillar of the Wang family, not a follower of passions.

Perhaps, the girl from the merchant family saw clearer than he had, avoiding the Wang residence despite the hints given to her.

"Father, if there is a more suitable heir, I am willing to relinquish this heavy burden."

His threat did little to deter Wang Zhen, who soon made his way to the merchant's front gates, causing a stir in the once tranquil neighborhood. The merchant family's doors stood open, revealing a tense atmosphere. The usually domineering Shang Yiluan had traveled to Fengtong Town, leaving Shang Yige away in the capital with pressing matters. Now, Shang Yiran and Shang Yiming, who stood beside Shang Qinghan, felt an electric sense of unease, the weight of superior authority hanging over them.

The two brothers could not help but feel the gravity of the situation.

They, after all, were not like their older brother, the one chosen to inherit the family business. They had to tread carefully with every decision, unlike the latter's carefree attitude.

"Father, Grandmother has been urging you three times and five times now. She might even go to the front gate herself if you do not show up soon."

Shang Yiran sent a nervous glance at Shang Yiming, who remained silent, stepping forward slightly to act as the messenger.