《Have You Written Your Will Today?》 Chapter 1 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation 17th year of the Jiayou Era. A biting cold wind blew through the end of the tunnel. White lanterns and mourning banners swayed on the ground, while the window ledges clattered loudly. Shen Hua knelt in front of the spirit, dressed in her white robe. A high-pitched voice sounded in her ear. ¡°Your father was a heartless person. If he¡¯s gone, he¡¯s gone. Shen Hua, be obedient to me and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± Her stepmother, Madam Shen Xue, was secretly delighted. She stood at the side condescendingly and pretended to cry loudly a few times, not showing any real pain of losing her husband. When Shen Wei was still around, she played the role of a loving mother and put on a virtuous front every day, but Shen Hua still would not get close to her, nor did she ever receive a good word from Shen Wei. Now that she was in charge, it was a great thing. Shen Hua¡¯s eyes trembled as she continued to burn the paper money. She watched unblinkingly as the paper was devoured by the flames and turned into ashes. Madam Shen Xue was furious when she did not receive a response. She stretched out her finger and roughly poked Shen Hua¡¯s skinny back. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you. Are you deaf?¡± Shen Hua¡¯s body was weak, and she almost fell to the ground from that. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead and her pale lips were tightly pursed. When Madam Shen Xue saw this, the turmoil in her heart turned into relief. ¡°A sickly person who relies on medicinal herbs¡­ Your father is the only one who treats you like a gem.¡± Now, she was still at her mercy. Shen Hua struggled to get up and looked straight into Madam Shen Xue¡¯s eyes. Her pale lips curled up into a faint and cold smile. ¡°Ever since you entered the sect, Stepmother, you have never received any favor from my father. Until now, you have not given birth to any children. It¡¯s inevitable that you would feel resentful.¡± This was prodding Shen Xue¡¯s sore spot! ¡°You!¡± ¡°Father left too soon. He only regrets that our First Branch doesn¡¯t have a son. I heard that Stepmother is planning to adopt a bastard son from the Second Branch?¡± Her tone was calm, without the slightest fluctuation. Her pitch-black eyes seemed to bear a sadness that others could not understand. Madam Shen Xue was shocked. She felt goosebumps all over her body from the gaze of this girl who had yet to reach adulthood. Shen Hua was well aware of Shen Xue¡¯s. After Shen Wei died, Shen Xue¡¯s family was desperate to have children. However, she did not understand why they would choose Shen Qu from the Second Branch, who was a year older than her. Madam Shen Xue glanced at her from the corner of her eye and was rather impatient. ¡°If we don¡¯t adopt, who will handle your father¡¯s funeral? How could the First Branch not have any descendants?¡± Shen Hua withdrew a handkerchief from her sleeve. The pattern sewn on it was of a magnolia. It was a color she had only liked three years ago. She was in a daze for a few seconds before wiping away the cold sweat on her forehead. Her thin lips parted slightly as she said three words, but it was powerful. ¡°I forbid it.¡± She had turned the world upside down. ¡°What did you say?¡± Shen Xue rolled her eyes furiously. ¡°This was set by the Elder of the Shen Family! The Second Branch has also approved of it. How can you make your own statements? ¡°Your father dotes on you so much, but you¡¯re an ingrate! ¡°Shen Hua, you¡¯re engaged to someone else. In a few years, you¡¯ll be a married woman of the He family. What about the Shen family? What does this decision have to do with you?¡± Shen Hua was physically and mentally exhausted, but she patiently listened to her stepmother¡¯s raised voice. Her attitude was rather strange. When she the He family was mentioned, disgust and repulsion were seen in her eyes. The girl was in a sickly state, but her back was upright. ¡°After Grandma passed away, Second Uncle married the daughter of the magistrate. He stubbornly ignored Father¡¯s advice and insisted on leaving the family. He was afraid that our First Branch would take his good fortune. ¡°After that, Shen Wei had worked hard and relied on his business acumen to make a name for himself in the embroidery business. He became the richest merchant in Fengzhou. ¡°But what about Second Uncle? He doesn¡¯t have any achievements, but he thinks highly of himself and looks down on merchants. He even thinks that Father stinks of money. Despite that, throughout the years, whenever he lacked money, he would borrow from Father and never return it. Who knows what kind of wishful thinking goes on inside the mind of a despicable and shameless person like him!¡± Shen Qu was currently 15 years old and was already at a mature age. If he entered their family, the family business of the First Branch might fall into the hands of the Second Branch one day. Shen Hua continued in a sincere tone, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you can¡¯t find any younger sons in the side branches. Even if there are five servers, they¡¯re from the same sect. Anyone is more suitable than Shen Qu.¡± She hoped that Madam Shen Xue would change her mind. She wanted to take advantage of the fact that the family tree had not been changed yet. After all, no matter how incompatible she was with Shen Xue, the women of the First Branch should stand in the same boat in this matter. Shen Xue was slightly startled. She did not know if she was feeling guilty or not. Then, am unknown fire rose within her. ¡°Are you telling me how to do things?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just asking my stepmother to reconsider.¡± Shen Hua looked at her quietly. However, even if she were to point out the flaws, she was only a girl who had yet to reach adulthood. She had no power. As expected, Madam Shen Xue waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Girl, you¡¯re confused from illness. Keep that in check for me.¡± Before Shen Wei could be laid to rest, Madam Shen Xue could not wait to bring all the people from her family over. That nephew of the Xue family kept trying to get close to Shen Hua with that chubby face of his. It was obvious what he was thinking. When the servants in the household saw the change in the Shen family, they immediately changed their expressions and followed the flow. They all listened to Madam Shen Xue¡¯s orders. The entire Shen family was about to bear the surname Xue! As soon as she gave the order, four or five old maids walked toward Shen Hua. Without any explanation, they picked up the noblest girl in the family. Shen Hua¡¯s body was very weak and she could not struggle at all. She could only be dragged away. Soon, she was thrown out of the mourning hall. ¡°Mistress!¡± The maidservant, Yi Cui, who was extremely anxious outside but could not enter the hall, cried out in shock and hurriedly rushed forward to support her. She was so angry that her face flushed red. When she saw the mark on Shen Hua¡¯s wrist, she wanted to shout at these old women who did not know how to control their strength. Shen Hua leaned against Yi Cui weakly. ¡°Let¡¯s go back for now.¡± Her head hurt so much it felt like it was going to explode. Her chaotic thoughts were like a dense net that bound her mercilessly. Scenes appeared in front of her frame by frame. There was Second Uncle Shen Hewen¡¯s despicable greed, Shen Qu¡¯s wolfish ambition, and the cold ruthlessness of the eldest son of the He family who was engaged to her. Other than that, she was also sent by Shen Hewen to serve the provincial judge¡¯s father-in-law. She had vomited blood in anger and died. However, she returned to the timeline three years ago. All of these scenes have yet to happen, but she was about to repeat the same mistake. Yi Cui helped Shen Hua back to the courtyard and took her to rest. Through the curtains hanging above the ground, one could vaguely see the thin figure of the woman in the bed. Shen Hua was so fragile that she seemed to shatter with the slightest of touches. Her situation would probably become more and more difficult. Her vision was blurry. She remembered that in her previous life, Yi Cui did not have a good ending. In order to protect her mistress, Yi Cui was defiled by Zhu Zheng. Yi Cui was about to get married at that time. Shen Hua propped herself up. Her throat was extremely dry and itchy, and she could not stop coughing softly. Seeing this, Yi Cui hurriedly brought another cup of warm water. Shen Hua took a few sips of water to absorb some warmth before tightening the blanket around her. She looked around with an obscure expression, but did not see the other servants working in the courtyard. Noticing what Shen Hua was looking at, Yi Cui was so angry that her eyes turned red and she stomped her feet. ¡°Those fence-sitters have all gone to the stepmother¡¯s courtyard to get on her good side.¡± Chapter 2 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The sky gradually darkened as dusk fell. It had started snowing outside at some point, the snowflakes fluttering down the sky. After a night passed, a thick layer had accumulated on the branches, which had bent down into a strange arc as though they could not handle the weight. Shen Hua leaned against the bed and lowered her gaze, thinking to herself. However, her heart was already burning with anxiety. ¡°Mistress, why don¡¯t we plead with the elder? He¡¯s the fairest person and has taken good care of you in the past. I think he can make the right decision.¡± Yi Cui lifted the curtain and served the medicine sent by the chef. The black medicinal liquid looked bitter. The corners of Shen Hua¡¯s mouth twitched, showing a hint of mockery. Fair? The elder had colluded with Shen Hewen a long time ago. It was inevitable that the two of them would add fuel to the fire. As for taking care of her¡­ In her previous life, when she was imprisoned, Shen Hewen seized control of the lifeline of the First Branch and targeted her. Shen Xue did not save her. Shen Hua risked everything and pleaded with the elder. The elder turned his back on her and sent her back to Shen Hewen. His face was as amiable as ever, but his words were heartbreaking. ¡°Yangyang, listen to your Second Uncle. He¡¯s your father¡¯s brother. How could he harm you?¡± ¡°Shen Qu regards you as a sister. You¡¯re the daughter of the Shen family. Your marriage prospects have long been ruined. Moreover, you¡¯re still suffering from a lingering illness and your days are getting shorter. It¡¯s better to be obedient and take the sacrifice for your Second Uncle and Second Brother. It will be worth it.¡± ¡°Listen to the elders and stop fooling around. When the time comes, no one will be able to keep their dignity. The family just has to be harmonious.¡± He called her by her pet name with the attitude of an intimate elder, but his words were vicious. Shen Hua took a few sips of the medicine. She did not take the sweet candy that Yi Cui had prepared. After drinking this medicine, there was no real improvement to her condition, but it was better than nothing. Seeing Shen Hua¡¯s lifeless expression, Yi Cui found some good things to say. ¡°After the mourning period, Mistress will enter the He family and be protected by Young Master He. With him around, you won¡¯t have to suffer.¡± Yi Cui thought that these words would comfort Shen Hua. However¡­ Shen Hua merely let out a low laugh. Her smile was mocking, but it was also firm. ¡°He Chu will come to annul the engagement.¡± Yi Cui¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No¡­ that won¡¯t happen. Young Master He received the obituary yesterday and was in a hurry to pay his respects. Every word he said was about you, Mistress. ¡°The wedding date of the two prefectures has been set long ago. How can he go back on his word and do something so heartless?¡± Pay respects? It was nothing more than an opportunity to find out the truth about the Shen family. That considerate He Chu was just a hypocrite. The He Family was engaged to her for no other reason than money. The First Branch¡¯s momentum was gone, so the He family would naturally distance themselves in a hurry. They did not even forget to sell them out to the Second Branch. She was afraid that if she was a step late, she would have to become the He family¡¯s lapdog. Who could she plead with? Even if she reported it to the government, she would be ignored. Shen Wei would be buried soon. To stop the establishment of a successor was unfilial and disobedient. It would be seen as a huge crime. Her current self was weak and could not take down the Second Branch. This was an indisputable fact. ¡ª Shengjing Marquis of Yangling The lights in the room were already on, and it was as bright as day. Smoke was curling upward. It was extremely faint but elegant. It seeped out from the incense burner and filled the room. Cui Yun sat upright, her expression cold and indifferent. As she flipped through the scrolls, the bearing of a member of an aristocratic family could be seen. Suddenly, his fingertips moved and he looked up at the window. Then, with a soft sound, someone broke through the window. He did not panic at all and calmly retracted his gaze. Cui Yun put down the book in his hand, but she did not seem interested in entertaining the person. ¡°What a rare guest.¡± The man¡¯s voice was extremely cold. It was as cold as snow, matching his appearance. If not for his cold personality, the women in Shengjing would have been all over him. Xie Xun raised his eyebrows and stepped forward. Standing across the table from Cui Yun, he did not look embarrassed at all. Cui Yun and Xie Xun were not really friends. However, Xie Xun had something important to ask of him. ¡°Young Marquis Cui.¡± ¡°I want you to help me pick up someone. It is Shen Hua, the daughter of Shen Wei from the Shen family¡¯s embroidery workshop in Fengzhou.¡± Xie Xun received the imperial edict and promptly ordered troops to suppress the bandits. He did not waste any time and spoke in a straightforward manner. He cupped his fists and bowed to Cui Yun. However, his tone was filled with disappointment. ¡°Her brother passed away at an early age, but she has a relationship with me. I hope that Young Marquis can settle her down properly. When I return, I will definitely thank you properly.¡± Xie Xun thought that he would have to spend a lot of effort on this trip to convince the man. However, Cui Yun looked at him for a few seconds. ¡°Very well.¡± Xie Xun, who had already prepared a long speech, ¡°¡­¡± Cui Yun frowned. ¡°But¡­ ¡°You¡¯re best friends with Prince Gong. Why are you asking me for help?¡± Xie Xun paused slightly. He said angrily, ¡°That Ji Huo is famous for being a playboy. He can¡¯t move when he sees a beautiful lady. Shen Hua¡¯s health isn¡¯t great. What if she gets frightened? I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll return, so how can I be at ease?¡± Xie Xun glanced at Cui Yun. In the end, he was just asking for a favor, so he decided to butter him up. ¡°But Young Marquis Cui, you¡¯re different. Everyone in Shengjing knows that you¡¯re as cold as the moon and won¡¯t lay your hands on a woman. ¡°All the young masters of those aristocratic families have spread the news in private. Even if the Goddess is standing naked in front of you, you won¡¯t fall in love. ¡°You¡¯re the most suitable candidate right now.¡± This did not sound like a compliment. Instead, it was an insult to the man. Cui Yun¡¯s expression remained unchanged. After Xie Xun left, Ji Qing, who was waiting outside the room, entered respectfully. ¡°Master, you may have to investigate the background of the Shen family¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Although Xie Xun had been outside for many years, he was a member of the Fuguo Public House. How could he not have enough connections? What was he afraid of? Xie Xun¡¯s words just now were full of logic holes; they did not make sense. However, Xie Xun had already guessed that there was no one in the entire Shengjing who was more tight-lipped than him, Cui Yun. Cui Yun had no interest in Xie Xun¡¯s secrets, nor did he have any intention of prying into them. Ji Qing said, ¡°Fengzhou is a long way away. If you plan to stay in Shengjing, I can go in your stead.¡± ¡°No.¡± Cui Yun continued to pick up the book. His fingertips rubbed against each other as he flipped a page. His gaze landed on the densely packed scriptures, and his voice did not fluctuate at all. ¡°I¡¯ll go personally.¡± He had never made a losing deal. With just a little effort, he could make Xie Xun, the son of the Duke of Fuguo, owe him a favor. That was enough. It was late at night. Cui Yun rose to his feet, a plan forming in her mind. He walked out of the courtyard. The night was quiet, and Ji Qing was holding a lamp to illuminate the place. ¡°Cousin.¡± A woman¡¯s gentle voice came from not far away. ¡°I made some sweet soup and brought it here on the old lady¡¯s orders.¡± The woman bowed shyly. Cui Yun frowned. There were many relatives who had come to the Cui Residence to seek refuge. He had never paid much attention to them, so he naturally could not tell who this person was. However, his aristocratic blood and self-restraint prevented him from scolding her. However, his words were cold and emotionless, exposing her intentions and extinguishing the young lady¡¯s burning passion. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the study. No one shall disturb the quiet. It¡¯s late. Cousin, please show some self-respect.¡± Chapter 3 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Early the next morning. At this moment, the sound of the night watch came from outside the street. The sky was not bright yet, and the lights inside and outside the Shen residence were lit up as bright as day. Shen Wei was to be buried today. It was not appropriate for the ceremony to be too grand, but the necessary procedure was indispensable. Among the ancestral halls dedicated to the ancestors of the Shen family were those for Shen Hua¡¯s biological mother, Shen Chun, and her elder brother, Shen Zhi, who had died early. They followed the customs of Fengzhou. With the Shen family head as the witness, Shen Qu kowtowed to his ancestors and offered incense to Shen Chun and Shen Zhi. Only then did he serve tea to Shen Xue and sign a few agreements. Standing at the side, Shen Hewen hid the ecstasy in his eyes and pretended to be sad and frustrated as he gave Shen Qu another reminder. ¡°Since you¡¯re now the son of the main branch, you must be filial to your mother. This heavy responsibility lies with you. You can¡¯t slack off and let down the elders¡¯ efforts. You also have to let your father rest in peace.¡± Shen Qu bowed and said respectfully, ¡°Yes, Second Uncle.¡± When Shen Hua heard the form of address he used, the corners of her lips curled into a cold smile. However, at this moment, the elder led Shen Qu to her. His tone was as amiable as ever. ¡°Yangyang, Qu is your brother now. Now that he¡¯s under your mother¡¯s name, are you happy?¡± Shen Hua said coldly, ¡°I hate it.¡± Elder Shen, ¡°?¡± Shen Hua said indifferently, ¡°My body is already like this, and now I have to see him every day. I don¡¯t think I can live for long. Everyone says that the elder dotes on me. This time, I don¡¯t see it at all.¡± Elder Shen did not expect Shen Hua to be so resistant. In any case, it was true that Shen Hua¡¯s health was poor. She had been drinking medicine all year round and was spoiled rotten by Shen Wei. The girl¡¯s voice was calm, making everyone¡¯s expressions turn ugly. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see Second Uncle¡¯s sons during festivals. I think all of them have outstanding literary talent and are going to be top scholars in the literary star examination. I don¡¯t know why such people are lowering themselves to be my elder brothers now. ¡°Then again, the First Branch doesn¡¯t have much else, but they have a lot of silver. The Second Branch doesn¡¯t lack anything but silver. ¡°Don¡¯t look at how magnanimous some people used to be. Their insides have long turned rotten.¡± The elder¡¯s expression darkened as he barked, ¡°Shut up! What are you saying?!¡± Shen Hua paused and looked at him in confusion. ¡°I was not talking about you, Elder. Why are you so jumpy?¡± Right now, she was at the mercy of others. Without a strong backing, she could not do anything to these monsters alone. However, she did not know what would happen tomorrow. Whatever the case, she would not have a good ending. It was better to seek a quick death. Anyway, she was rather arrogant. She still had the ability to annoy people. Elder Shen was furious. Shen Xue raised her hand and tidied the white silk flower in her hair. ¡°Elder, you probably don¡¯t know, but Yangyang¡¯s temper is getting worse. She even contradicted me yesterday. I can¡¯t control her anymore.¡± Shen Hewen stood at the side and smiled without saying a word. He hid the coldness in his eyes. Shen Qu hurriedly came out to be the peacemaker. His voice was gentle and measured. ¡°Father has just departed, so Yangyang naturally feels horrible. That¡¯s why she¡¯s being so harsh. In the future, I¡¯ll be responsible for teaching her. Please don¡¯t worry, Elder.¡± As he spoke, he looked at Shen Hua gently. ¡°This is a greeting gift from me. If it¡¯s not to your liking, I¡¯ll prepare something better for Yangyang next time.¡± Shen Hua stood there coldly, expressionlessly looking at this group of sanctimonious beasts. She really wanted to tear off Shen Qu¡¯s mask and see what was really beneath it. Everyone stared at Shen Hua, afraid that she would do something drastic. Shen Hua knew what was in the box. It was an Eastern Pearl the size of a fist. The production of pearls of this size was extremely uncommon. It was said that no more than ten pearls of this quality were produced every year. Shen Qu had spent a lot of money on this. A dark glint flickered in her eyes. She smiled mysteriously and took it without saying a word. It was really abnormal, but everyone present heaved a sigh of relief. The familial recognition procedure later went very smoothly. The sky gradually brightened. The relatives and friends who came to send Shen Wei off came one after another. Shen Qu was in the limelight. He was busy with the funeral and had to entertain guests. Everyone had to admit that he was filial. On the other hand, Shen Hua, who was already panting after taking a few steps, shook her head. The funeral music played in unison; the sound was poignant. Madam Shen Xue cried her heart out in front of everyone. She threw herself onto the coffin and put on an act to gain a good reputation. ¡°Master, how am I going to live if you leave me?¡± Shen Hua¡¯s eyes were red. She resisted the urge to cry, but she really could not stand Madam Shen Xue¡¯s hypocrisy. Her voice was cold and hard. ¡°Stepmother is so deeply in love. If you really can¡¯t bear to part with Father, you can follow him. I will beg the officials to erect a chastity memorial for you.¡± Shen Xue choked and almost could not breathe. However, at this juncture, someone from the He family arrived. He Chu was dressed in plain clothes, and his face could only be described as delicate and pretty. Not long ago, he had become a scholar. Although he was not at the top of the rankings, he was still considered young and talented. Beside him, Madam He did not smile, and her brows were a little unfriendly. After all, she was the mother of a scholar. No matter where she went, she would be flattered and praised for being noble. She had long been dissatisfied with this marriage arrangement and that feeling was even more intense now. Seeing how sharp-tongued Shen Hua was, she was even more displeased. ¡°Auntie He.¡± Shen Qu hurriedly went forward and bowed respectfully, not forgetting to tell Shen Hua to greet her as well. ¡°Yangyang, come and bow.¡± It could be seen that he was already used to this new identity. Shen Hua chuckled. Shen Qu did not feel embarrassed at all for being ignored. He only said apologetically, ¡°Little Sister has broken the rules. I hope Auntie He won¡¯t take offense.¡± Madam He looked around and knew that even if she offended the First Branch, she could still be on good terms with the Second Branch. ¡°Since the elder of the Shen family is here, he can be the witness. I¡¯m here to break off the engagement.¡± Her words shocked everyone. Before everyone could digest this sentence, they saw Madam He approaching Shen Hua with a condescending look. ¡°Miss Shen, don¡¯t blame the He family for being merciless. Forgive me for being blunt as an elder. My son¡¯s future is limitless. The girls who are the same age as him are all married. I can¡¯t wait for you to pass the three-year mourning period.¡± She glanced at Shen Hua. ¡°A sickly person like you can¡¯t give birth. The He family won¡¯t be dragged down by you.¡± Her He Chu was currently popular. There were many people who wanted to marry into the He family. Anyone would be better than Shen Hua. However, Shen Hua had a crafty personality. She probably could not bear to part with such a good marriage. Madam He was afraid that if she did not agree, this matter would cause an uproar. The He family would be embarrassed. However, in the next moment¡­ Shen Hua cried! The girl wept. She was already weak. At this moment, it was as if she could not take the blow. Her body was swaying. How could someone like Shen Hua cry like this? For some reason, Madam He felt a chill run down her spine. She suddenly felt like the girl was plotting something. Suddenly, she heard Shen Hua speak in a would-be aggrieved voice. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Everyone in Fengzhou City knows that you¡¯re a well-known snob, Madam.¡± Madam He, ¡°??? Huh?¡± Chapter 4 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The woman was dressed in mourning clothes. There were no pearls in her hair, only a pure white silk flower. She looked extremely weak, and even her words were breathless. However, with just a few words, she pushed Madam He into the crossfire. She was just a snob! There was nothing false in what she said. Before the He family produced a scholar, they were just an ordinary family. No matter how unruly Shen Hua was, she was at least the daughter of the largest embroidery workshop in Fengzhou. How could He Chu be worthy of her? In order to gain Shen Hua¡¯s favor, He Chu put in a lot of effort and attentiveness to make the marriage happen. Turning his back on her now was not an action befitting a man. Elder Shen looked displeased. Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, he had no choice but to stand up for Shen Hua. After some consideration, he gave words of reproval as an elder. ¡°Your He family has gone too far!¡± Originally, he just wanted to say a few casual words. After all, Shen Hewen was right. Shen Hua¡¯s looks could be an asset in the future. He could not let a mere scholar hold them back. At this moment, Shen Hua ran up to him as if she was asking for protection. She complained in a muffled voice, ¡°Elder, although Father is no longer around, with you here, the He family is treating the Shen family as if they¡¯re nothing.¡± As she spoke, she raised her chin. ¡°Annuling the engagement is one thing, but you chose to humiliate me specifically today because you want me to go the same way as my father and stepmother.¡± Madam Shen Xue¡¯s breath caught in her throat. Why did you drag me along?! Little brat! ¡°Child, what are you talking about?¡± Shen Hua wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said meaningfully, ¡°Stepmother is right. Most of the people in this residence have the surname Shen. The elder is here, Second Uncle is here, and all the relatives of the family are here. How can they not protect me?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, there was a commotion around them. After all, if Shen Hua actually tried to commit suicide on this day, and if everyone here ignored her, it would be difficult for them to escape the blame. The situation would be ugly both inside and out. Soon, someone finally stepped in to help. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Yangyang being beautiful and kind? Why are you slandering her like this?¡± ¡°You¡¯re even calling out Yangyang¡¯s health is poor. Why didn¡¯t you mention it when you proposed?¡± ¡°Pfft, you¡¯re a dog relying on your power. Do you really think you¡¯re a big shot just because you¡¯re a mere scholar? Go take a walk on Shengjing Street. There¡¯s no lack of high-ranking officials there.¡± Shen Hewen silently helped the elder forward. Even if he was grudging, he still made his stand clear. ¡°The He family was the one who shamelessly begged for this marriage. Now, you¡¯re trying to avoid it. Why? Is it because our Shen family is not in your league?¡± Shen Hua had had enough of this. No matter how disgusting the He family¡¯s mother and son were, they could not compare to these sinister and cunning people in front of them who were trying to take her father¡¯s work for themselves. She turned her head to look at Yi Cui. Yi Cui understood and hurriedly returned the ordinary-looking jade slit ring to Madam He. ¡°Among my mistress¡¯s jewelry, this jade slit ring is the most inconspicuous. However, it¡¯s something the He family left for their future bride when the engagement was announced. We could only throw it in the corner to accumulate dust.¡± ¡°If the He family doesn¡¯t break off the engagement today, I¡¯ll return it to you another day.¡± She was serving Shen Hua, so her words naturally conveyed Shen Hua¡¯s intentions. Madam He¡¯s face darkened. Shen Hua smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not a good marriage for me. I can¡¯t enter a tiger¡¯s den like the He family, right? Madam He, keep the token well. From now on, our two families will have nothing to do with each other.¡± He Chu¡¯s heart tightened. It would be fine if Shen Hua did not agree to the marriage, but Shen Hua even claimed she wanted to immediately cut ties with him, causing his heart to feel hollow. He took a deep look at Shen Hua and went forward to bow. ¡°I am ashamed. I only pray that Madam Shen can find a good husband.¡± Tsk. Why was he pretending to be a gentleman? In his previous timeline, He Chu was the same. He made it sound so nice when he broke off the engagement. Nevertheless, there was no one was to block her path. ¡°Yangyang, it was my mother¡¯s order. I have to obey her as a son, but you¡¯re the only one in my heart. Please give me a few more days.¡± Later on, in the previous timeline, he quickly got engaged to another woman. When he was in the limelight, he came to look for her again. ¡°Yangyang, I didn¡¯t mean to. I have not given myself entirely to the Zhou family¡¯s daughter. I begged my mother and she gave you permission to enter the He family. Although you¡¯ll be a concubine, in my heart, you¡¯re the one I want to marry.¡± Shen Hua felt disgusted. He was the same in the past as he was now. As for getting herself a good husband, she did not even know how many years she could live with this disappointing body. Shen Hua did not want to get married. She did not want to affect other people¡¯s lives; she only wanted to spend all her energy on the Shen family. She glanced at He Chu indifferently. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about my future plans. Young Master He, why don¡¯t you think about this? Once today¡¯s matter spreads, who in Fengzhou City would be willing to entrust their daughter to the He family?¡± She was not in a good spot herself, and she could not bear to see others doing well. He Chu¡¯s eyes turned red as if he was the one getting abandoned. Madam He could not hide it on her face. Since she had achieved her goal, she was unwilling to stay any longer. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath on her. Chu, let¡¯s go.¡± She pulled He Chu along as though she was trying to distance herself from filth. As she left, she looked like she was fleeing. Her lips opened and closed, and words jumped out word by word. ¡°You¡¯re an Elementary Scholar. You¡¯ll be a High Scholar when you succeed in the next examination. If you continue to work hard and enter the capital to take the examination, you¡¯ll get a good ranking in the Spring Quarter Examinations. Certain blind people will regret their actions and rush to win your favor!¡± Her son had no need to worry about not being able to find a good family. The Zhou family¡¯s ancestors had once been government officials. Although they were desolate now, the Zhou family¡¯s mistress could take on Shen Hua with a single finger. She was famous for being knowledgeable and reasonable. The Zhou family had long sent people over to ask about things. Shen Hua scoffed when she heard that. Did she really think that the streets were filled with High Scholars? After the He mother and son duo left, the smell of smoke in the air did not fade at all. Everyone¡¯s gazes darted back and forth between Shen Hua, who seemed to be covered in thorns. Meanwhile, Shen Hua knelt in front of the coffin and silently burned the paper money. She was so well-behaved that she stopped making a fuss. She could not afford to make a scene with the current situation. She could not stop Shen Qu from taking charge of the funeral procedure. ¡°Our dynasty has an iron law. The deceased can only enter the ancestral grave if their son dropped the funeral pot. If they don¡¯t have any descendants, a son will be adopted by the family or replaced by their nephews.¡± In this world, women were treated harshly. His own daughter could only watch from afar. If Shen Hua had a son-in-law for the family, she would fight for him. Now, however¡­ Even without Shen Qu, Shen Changhe had five sons. In the Shen family, apart from Shen Wei, everyone was prosperous. Shen Hua was alone and could not do anything. She just wanted to send Shen Wei off for the last time. The flames devoured the gold ingot and burned it to ashes. At the same time, they shone over the woman, adding a hint of color to her pale face. As long as she was still breathing, she could slowly calculate these other matters. Finally¡­ Shen Qu raised the pot in his left hand high and slammed it to the ground. With a loud bang, fragments were scattered everywhere. Shen Hua¡¯s heart trembled as she heard the cries around her. Even though no one was sincere, she still could not hold back her tears. The Minister of Rites shouted. ¡°Raise the coffin!¡± Chapter 5 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The funeral procession left the Shen family and walked along the embroidery workshop under the Shen family¡¯s name. Finally, they headed up the mountain. Shen Hua¡¯s legs were weak from walking, but she forced herself to hold on. When the procession was over, she stayed alone by the grave for a long time. These were the people closest to her. She kowtowed to her parents. ¡®I¡¯m useless. I swear that as long as I live, I¡¯ll make sure those can¡¯t live a day in peace. I¡¯ll do my best not to let outsiders take advantage of the Shen family¡¯s assets.¡¯ Only then did she look at her brother¡¯s grave and smile desolately. The sky gradually darkened. Finally, Shen Hua followed the path down the mountain. The snow continued to fall without any signs of stopping. The current winter was exceptionally cold. Although Yi Cui was holding an umbrella for Shen Hua, she could not withstand the cold. After walking for a while, her skirt, shoes, and socks were already drenched. It was frigid under her feet. When she got back, she eventually collapsed. A medicine jar was bubbling as Yi Cui was boiling the medicine. From the corner of her eye, she looked around the window and saw a maidservant carrying her bag and preparing to leave the courtyard. Yi Cui¡¯s face darkened as she strode out. ¡°Where are you going?¡± The maidservant, Chao Lu, was slightly shocked, but she did not show any guilt. She glanced at Yi Cui arrogantly, her tone filled with complacency. ¡°With the Madam¡¯s permission, I¡¯ll be going to her place to serve her in the future.¡± Yi Cui was furious. ¡°Has the mistress mistreated you all these years? The sky hasn¡¯t fallen yet! You¡¯re taking advantage of the situation to try climbing up the social ladder!¡± Chao Lu snorted. ¡°Can¡¯t you see the situation? Since the mistress fell, has the Madam ever sent a servant to visit her? If Young Master doesn¡¯t give his approval, do you think anyone would dare to secretly invite a physician?¡± She prided herself on being a smart person. After weighing the pros and cons, he naturally changed her decision to rely on someone else. Being a janitor at Madam Shen Xue¡¯s side was much more glamorous than being a first-class maid for Shen Hua. Yi Cui gave an angry shout of laughter. ¡°Good! ¡°Go! ¡°I won¡¯t stand in your way!¡± Chao Lu thought that Yi Cui was an idiot. If she was in Yi Cui¡¯s shoes, why would she still spend her time boiling medicine at this point? She would have changed her backer long ago. Chao Lu left proudly under the envious gazes of the servants who heard the commotion. The surrounding servants whispered amongst themselves. ¡°Sister Chao Lu is so bold. I heard that she¡¯s seeing Old Madam Wang¡¯s son.¡± Old Madam Wang was the Madam¡¯s subordinate. With this hookup, she would be able to escape a life of misery. ¡°Does Old Madam Wang have any other sons? I¡¯m not bad-looking either. I wonder¡­¡± ¡°The mistress¡¯s body is getting weaker and weaker. When the doctor left, he shook his head and said that her body was lifeless. When Old Master was still alive, he sent over those expensive medicinal herbs as if they were free, but Madam is in charge now.¡± The mistress¡ªthe most honorable lady in the residence¡ªhad become the most disrespected person now. Yi Cui almost snapped the fan in her hand. Shen Hua was unaware of everything that had happened here. Beyond the curtains¡­ The woman¡¯s forehead was burning hot, and her pale face was abnormally red. Shen Hua¡¯s body was as light as a feather. Her drowsiness pulled back her memories from her early years by force. At that time, she was seven years old. Her elder brother and mother were still around. She was the treasure of the entire family. ¡ªDream Dividing Line¡ª ¡°Why is Yangyang sick again?¡± When the young man received the news, he rushed over from the academy. He was wearing a light-colored shirt with a cross-neck. He was dressed like an ordinary student. The servants in the room knelt on the ground, showing their respect for him. Shen Hua mumbled listlessly. ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Zhi responded and sat down in front of the couch. As soon as he sat down, Shen Hua got up and reached out her small hand to clutch Shen Zhi¡¯s arm. She felt a sharp pain in her forehead as she was flicked by Shen Zhi¡¯s slender fingers. ¡°Are you still feeling uncomfortable? Go back and lie down.¡± Shen Hua did not want to. She stubbornly rubbed against Shen Zhi¡¯s body. Shen Zhi could not do anything to her. He restrained the gentle smile on his face and calmly looked at the servant on the ground. ¡°Tell me, how were you serving her?¡± He was only ten years old now, but he looked dignified without being angry. After all, he was the only son of the First Nranch, so he was naturally important. The servants lowered their heads in fear. At this moment, Shen Hua, who was three years younger than him, snorted. ¡°I kicked the bedding on purpose at night.¡± She did not feel that it was wrong at all. Instead, she started to grumble. ¡°My parents left me behind.¡± Shen Zhi was very patient with her. ¡°With the flood in Fengzhou, business is becoming more and more difficult. Father is naturally busy. Mother also heard that the famous doctor in Shengjing has a strange temperament. She was worried about leaving it to others, so she personally went to see him.¡± Yangyang had a health problem since she was in her mother¡¯s womb. She had been weak from young, and catching a cold was very serious. Even the doctor was helpless. Although she survived the cold, the entire family still had lingering fears. Shen Hua was confused and turned to complain to Shen Zhi. ¡°Brother, you haven¡¯t been home for a long time! There¡¯s no one to accompany me to play with paper kites.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m enjoying myself in the academy? Why don¡¯t you look for Second Sister Shen Zhui instead?¡± Shen Hua was unhappy. ¡°She¡¯s a concubine¡¯s daughter and is very petty. There¡¯s a difference between legitimate children and concubines. I don¡¯t want to play with her.¡± Shen Zhui was not Shen Zhi¡¯s biological sister, so he was no close to her. However, his tone became serious. ¡°Although she¡¯s a little dull, she¡¯s still your sister. ¡°You¡¯re a capable girl! You don¡¯t take your body seriously at all! You caught a cold on purpose! Do you think I can¡¯t bear to punish you? Yangyang, you¡¯re seven years old now. You should be more sensible.¡± Shen Hua was stunned for a few seconds. ¡°Are you trying to lecture me?¡± Without waiting for Shen Zhi to nod, she frowned dizzily and looked up at him in confusion. ¡°Brother, why do you think Yangyang is a reasonable person?¡± Indeed, Shen Hua, the legitimate daughter of the Shen family, was famous for being difficult to deal with and arrogant. Her life had been smooth sailing and she had never suffered at all. Shen Zhi and Shen Chun had both died. After Shen Wei fell seriously ill, he had become even more indulgent toward his daughter. Even when Shen Wei married Madam Shen Xue, he did not treat her badly. Until¡­ In the dream, her brother¡¯s face was replaced. The scene before her was instead Shen Qu¡¯s meticulously calculating dark eyes. He bent down slightly and pinched Shen Hua¡¯s chin with one hand. With a little force, Shen Hua bit her lips and stubbornly refused to let out a painful cry. However, Shen Qu seemed to have gotten a kick out of it. He did not hold back at all as his fingers kneaded the woman¡¯s pale lips. His voice sounded like a cold snake that was flicking its tongue. ¡°Yangyang, you should be more obedient.¡± ¡°You should be glad that Second Uncle and I are nice people and won¡¯t take action about your escape today. No one here will stand up for you anymore. What daughter of the Shen family of Fengzhou? You¡¯re just a pitiful little girl who has to rely on others.¡± Shen Hua still could not believe that Elder Shen was actually in cahoots with these people. ¡°Shen Qu, let go of me. You will suffer retribution.¡± Shen Qu looked at her enchanting face regretfully. Although she looked ill, she also looked pitiful. If it was not for the fact that the state judge wanted Shen Hua, he would have loved to find a dark room to lock her up and put shackles on her. This way, he could do whatever he wanted. He sighed softly. ¡°Yangyang, you¡¯re the one in my heart.¡± With a loud bang, the thunder outside the house made a deafening sound. Lightning streaked across the sky, instantly illuminating Shen Hua¡¯s terrified and helpless face. Chapter 6 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation On the bed, Shen Hua suddenly opened her eyes. Her heart was beating like a drum, beating faster and faster. She had experienced it in the past, but when the scene appeared in front of her eyes, it was as if she was haunted by a nightmare. Shen Hua looked at the top of the bed in a daze. The disgust of being offended spread throughout her body, causing her to sweat profusely. ¡°Mistress, are you having a nightmare?¡± Yi Cui helped her sit up and thoughtfully placed a soft pillow behind her waist. Perhaps she was afraid of scaring Shen Hua; her words were extremely gentle. ¡°The doctor says you¡¯re overworked.¡± She took the medicine bowl that was placed on the coffee table. ¡°It¡¯s still warm. It¡¯s best to take it now.¡± Shen Hua accepted the bowl. Wafts of medicinal fragrance coiled into the air. It was a smell she was most familiar with, but for some reason, her stomach churned, making her retch. ¡°Mistress.¡± Yi Cui panicked. Shen Hua lowered her eyes. ¡°Yi Cui.¡± ¡°Do you still remember when Brother passed away?¡± she suddenly asked dryly. Yi Cui was stunned for a moment before her eyes darkened. ¡°Young Master and Madam passed away two years ago.¡± ¡®Two years.¡¯ Shen Hua thought to herself. Life passed by so quickly. ¡°I remember that Brother had a woman he liked. Back then, he was extremely hardworking in his studies and wanted to marry her.¡± Life, however, was unpredictable. Half a year ago, that woman married someone else. There was a long line of bridal escorts on the street, and the sound of suonas resounded through the clouds. The bride dressed in wedding attire was prettier than a flower. That was the first time Shen Hua had seen her, but she stared blankly at Shen Hua for a long time, as if she was seeing an old friend through her. ¡°Are you the younger sister of the Shen family?¡± That beautiful woman¡¯s eyes turned red the moment Shen Hua nodded awkwardly. Later on, Shen Hua could not help but go to Shen Zhi¡¯s grave. She plucked the grass beside the grave and kept talking. ¡°Sister Xiao is already married.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve helped you take a look, Brother. The groom¡¯s appearance is not inferior to yours. As for his character, I haven¡¯t had the time to find out.¡± Naturally, she received no response. On the other hand, Shen Hua lost control of her emotions. In the empty mountain forest, she asked in a choked voice. ¡°Why are you so annoying?! Don¡¯t you like her anymore? Then go and stop her yourself? Don¡¯t even think about asking me to help you. I won¡¯t.¡± Shen Hua did not dare to think about the past anymore. She perked up and heard from Yi Cui that Zhao Lu had left. Yi Cui gritted her teeth in anger. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Hua replied calmly. Yi Cui, ¡°?¡± She felt even worse now. Her mistress could not afford to make enemies now. She could only suffer in silence. When would these days end? The more Yi Cui thought about it, the more depressed she felt. At this moment, she saw Shen Hua smile. Her voice was cold and lonely. ¡°I want to know how impressive she can be.¡± Instead of being a good person, she insisted on being Shen Xue¡¯s lapdog. ¡°Take this medicine away. It doesn¡¯t smell good.¡± The medicine was bitter, and even the tip of her tongue went numb. After drinking it for so many years, she was getting more and more listless every day. The medicine did not matter to her. She sneezed and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s cold. Prepare another pot of charcoal.¡± Yi Cui stammered. Shen Hua could already guess. ¡°Did they cut off the supply of carbon fire?¡± When she saw Shen Hua looking at her suspiciously, Yi Cui could only sob and tell the truth. ¡°Mrs. Wang came and showed off her authority. She said that the funeral had cost a lot of money, so she said you have to endure it, Mistress. However, her room is as warm as spring and she was burning the best silver bone carbon.¡± Shen Xue¡¯s methods were as ugly as ever. As soon as Shen Wei left, she could not wait to torment Shen Hua. ¡°I¡¯m a delicate person and I don¡¯t want to suffer. Today, the charcoal fire is cut off. Since my stepmother intends to treat me harshly, she might also cut off the medicine tomorrow. Take that pearl and pawn it.¡± Yi Cui, ¡­ Her eyes widened. ¡°So, you¡¯ll accept the greeting gift just to pawn it?¡± Shen Hua did not think much of it. ¡°Shen Qu isn¡¯t a good person, but who can say no to silver? Remember to exchange for as much money as possible.¡± Seeing the odd look in Yi Cui¡¯s eyes, Shen Hua sighed softly and explained. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you to make this trip. Go to Tong An Pawnshop. There are people guarding there at night.¡± Yi Cui understood Shen Hua¡¯s intentions and her eyes lit up. ¡°Yes.¡± After Yi Cui left, Shen Hua was in a daze for a while. In her previous life, she had always been in pain from losing her father and had never quarreled with Madam Shen Xue. It was rare for her to behave; she would usually hide in the house, feeling sorry for herself. It was also because of this that Madam Shen Xue did not have the chance to take her down a notch. Apart from having someone on duty at night, the shopkeeper of Tong An Pawnshop was also a chivalrous person with a loose tongue. If Yi Cui made their plight sound more miserable, the entire Fengzhou would know that the stepmother of the Shen family¡¯s embroidery workshop was unkind and that her stepbrother was sinister. Shen Hua tightened her grip on the blanket. Her body was clearly warm, but she couldn¡¯t help but shiver. The tip of her nose was red, and her eyes were blank. She looked like a pitiful child that no one wanted. ¡­ Early the next morning, a few more people left the courtyard through their connections. The ones who stayed were restless. They were glib-tongued and sneaky. They were not working very hard. When Yi Cui woke up, she was furious. ¡°The snow outside is blocking the road. Do I have to ask you to sweep it?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone send the mistress¡¯s breakfast?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to stay, then get lost. Do you all think you¡¯re the master around here?¡± The servants looked at each other. Mrs. Xu, who was surrounded by everyone, had always been eccentric. Now, she was even more arrogant. ¡°Yi Cui, what are you talking about? The mistress¡¯s health isn¡¯t good, so don¡¯t disturb her. If anything happens to her, we¡¯ll have to beg Young Master to allow her to move to the residence again.¡± She glanced at her surroundings. ¡°In the past, Chao Lu personally went to pick up her breakfast. If she was late, someone from the chef¡¯s side would send it over. It seems that the main residence won¡¯t care much for our courtyard in the future.¡± Some of the servants were more timid and afraid of trouble. They hurriedly went to get shovels and cleared a small path. Mrs. Xu sneered when she saw this. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?! Now that the guests have dispersed and the elders are gone, the mistress is all bark and no bite! How can she dare to speak out against Madam? Just watch.¡± Shen Hua rubbed her sleepy eyes. When she heard the commotion outside, she fell silent for a moment before getting up and putting on her mourning clothes. In the courtyard, Yi Cui was about to scold someone when she heard a creaking sound. The door behind her was pushed open. Shen Hua¡¯s gaze landed lightly on the branches outside that could not withstand the force of gravity and snapped. She smiled gently. Her voice was very soft, but it made everyone¡¯s backs turn cold. Her elder brother and mother had left so suddenly that they did not have time to leave her a trusted aide. The servants in her residence had been changed again and again by Madam Shen Xue. Was Mrs. Xu being so impudent because she was pulled over by Madam Shen Xue? After losing her power, even drinking water would be beyond her control, let alone these servants who were holding her up. However, no matter how down and out Shen Hua was, she still resolved to disrupt the peace in this mansion. How could she let herself be bullied by these people? ¡°Find the slave broker.¡± When Yi Cui met Shen Hua¡¯s indifferent expression, her heart suddenly beat faster. As soon as the words were dropped, everyone¡¯s expression changed drastically. Shen Hua¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°I¡¯m not a forgiving person. After I deal with you guys, I¡¯ll find an opportunity to settle the score.¡± Chapter 7 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Yi Cui was in high spirits and she straightened her back a little. She did not dare to delay and quickly followed Shen Hua¡¯s instructions. Seeing her walk away along the path that had just been shoveled, the servants in the courtyard were finally flustered. ¡°Mistress, are you selling us out?¡± Shen Hua gave the person who spoke a very sharp look. No one dared to breathe loudly. The servants sold to the mansion were lowly servants. How could they expect to have a peaceful life? Mrs. Xu was still standing at the side. She casually glanced at the sickly Shen Hua before lowering her eyes and sneering. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?! Now that Madam is in charge, how can the young mistress sell you off? I¡¯ll go look for Madam to make an inquiry now.¡± Shen Hua was really capable. There was no change in her expression as she watched Mrs. Xu leave. In her previous life, these servants fawningly accepted the silver rewards from Shen Qu while disregarding their past master-servant relationship and firmly kept her detained. These people, led by Mrs. Xu, used harsh words to torment her, pushing her further into the ground. She still remembered Mrs. Xu greedily biting a silver ingot and smiling sinisterly at her. ¡­ ¡°Mistress, although the State Judge is your Second Uncle¡¯s father and it sounds like this relationship is a little messy, there are many people rushing to be his concubine. Why aren¡¯t you satisfied with him?¡± ¡°Who would dare to marry an invalid like you? If the State Judge dotes on you, he might be able to keep you alive with all kinds of precious supplements.¡± ¡­ At that time, other than Yi Cui, who else had helped her? Why should she give these people a way out now? She ignored the servants and turned back to the house. Outside, gossip slowly spread. Shen Qu changed his appearance and went to the embroidery workshop as the owner to handle the accounts. He noticed that more than half of the customers in the past had disappeared. Passers-by would always stop when they walked by and size him up with indescribable gazes. Shen Qu felt that something was wrong. He suppressed his emotions and sent someone out to ask around. His fingertips streamed across the previous years¡¯ books, and his brows were filled with ambition. In the Second Branch, apart from him, Shen Hewen had three other sons. He was the second son and was just an inconspicuous concubine¡¯s son. He had to live under the eyes of his mother, Madam Shen Zhu. Relying on the fact that her father was a judge from a seventh-grade prefecture, even Shen Hewen treated her nicely. Now, however, he had completely made a comeback. Everything in the main branch belonged to him. Wearing gold and silver, he could enjoy the finest things. Even the material on his body was much more expensive than the clothes of the self-proclaimed noble Madam Shen Zhu. The manager of the Shen embroidery workshop stood respectfully at the side. ¡°The Shen Embroidery Workshop is the largest embroidery workshop in Fengzhou. There are more than a thousand embroidered. The different types of embroidery¡ªSu Xiu, Xiang Xiu, Shu Xiu, and Bian Xiu¡ªall have embroiderers who are proficient in them. However, our Su Xiu is still the best.¡± Shen Qu listened carefully. Then, he said gently, ¡°I¡¯ll be in charge of the embroidery workshop from now on, but I still don¡¯t know much about it. I have to learn from scratch. I¡¯ll have to trouble Steward Cheng to take care of this.¡± The steward hurriedly agreed. Soon, the attendant returned in a hurry. Seeing that his expression was unusual, the steward left tactfully. Shen Qu was pleased. ¡°What¡¯s the news?¡± The attendant lowered his head and appeared terrified. He was afraid that he would be implicated, but he had no choice but to make the report. ¡°Everyone is saying that Madam is an immoral woman and that Young Master is unkind and heartless. They say that you look like a good person on the outside, but you¡¯re actually as vicious as a scorpion. They say that you¡¯re secretly ruthless and disregard your kinship, planning to force the only remaining bloodline in the residence to their death.¡± The smile on Shen Qu¡¯s face disappeared. He had already arranged for porridge to be sent to the deceased soul of Shen Wei, for the sake of accumulating good karma. He was waiting to hear the word of his good reputation, but what was this? He held the ledger tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. The atmosphere instantly became icy. After a long while, the wooden chair dragged across the ground, creating a sharp and ear-piercing sound. Shen Qu suddenly stood up with a dark expression. ¡°We¡¯re heading back!¡± ¡­ Ningyun Courtyard was the courtyard where Shen Xue stayed. Since Chao Lu was here, she naturally could not be placed in an important position. However, Madam Shen Xue rewarded her with two taels of silver on account that she was Mrs. Wang¡¯s future daughter-in-law. Chao Lu was not too satisfied. She secretly scolded Madam Shen Xue for being a little stingy. Usually, when Shen Hua was in a good mood, she would bring exquisite golden and silver hairpins to reward people. Despite her thoughts, Chao Lu did not delay in sweeping the floor. With Mrs. Wang around, she would not be sweeping the floor for the rest of her life. Her posture was improper, and the ground was not clean. It attracted the ridicule of the people around her. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯ve never done rough work. Usually, you only have to accompany your mistress to admire flowers and listen to music every day. You must be very happy now. Now that you¡¯ve come to our courtyard, you don¡¯t have to be reduced to an inferior servant girl.¡± Chao Lu took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s my wish to serve Madam. Sisters¡­¡± Before she could finish this sentence, the expressions of these people changed. They all bowed in the same direction. ¡°Young Master.¡± Chao Lu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly turned around to pay her respects. Shen Qu did not have the time to think about it. He headed straight for the main house. Inside the house, Madam Shen Xue was looking at a box of gorgeous and expensive jewelry. She was not particularly beautiful, but she had a flirtatious aura. She picked up a pearl hairpin with her fingertips and examined it carefully. ¡°I haven¡¯t enjoyed myself much in the first half of my life. I¡¯ve always been worried about this and that. I¡¯ve been restrained too much. Today is different. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t wear the new jewelry during the mourning period.¡± Beside her, Mrs. Wang smiled. ¡°But Madam, your good day is finally here.¡± ¡°The entire Xue family has benefited from you. The Xue family is relying on you to move into the Shen family now.¡± Madam Shen Xue beamed as she listened. Who said that she could not succeed? She had finally made it through. Just as she was about to say something, she heard footsteps approaching from afar. ¡°Young Master, wait outside for a moment. I¡¯ll go in and report to Madam,¡± the maidservant outside the house said. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Shen Qu shouted at the servant at the door and strode in with a dark expression. Madam Shen Xue put down the hairpin in her hand and met Shen Qu¡¯s gaze. She frowned slightly, dissatisfied with Shen Qu¡¯s recklessness. However, they were in the same boat now. They were allies. She intended to cultivate a mother-son relationship with Shen Qu, so she spoke with a smile. ¡°Qu¡¯er, you came at the right time. The kitchen just sent over the cloud cake.¡± Madam Shen Xue invited him to sit down and instructed Mrs. Wang to take away the box of jewelry. ¡°Have you just returned from the embroidery workshop? Coincidentally, I¡¯ll introduce you to my family. My nephew, Liang¡¯er, is about the same age as you. He¡¯s not that big of a deal. You¡¯ve been taught by your brother-in-law since you were young. You¡¯re talented in literature and know how to conduct yourself. However, for the sake of your mother, you can bring him along if it¡¯s convenient.¡± Shen Qu suppressed his temper. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Shen Xue smiled sincerely. ¡°Quickly try this pastry. If you like it, get the kitchen to send more to your courtyard.¡± Shen Qu did not want to put on a show of his mother-son relationship with Madam Shen Xue right now. He lifted his eyelids. ¡°What¡¯s the situation with Yangyang¡¯s courtyard? ¡°You¡¯re only giving this to me. How can you show less favor to Yangyang?¡± Chapter 8 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Madam Shen Xue¡¯s smile froze, and her attitude turned cold. ¡°Are you telling me how to do things? That girl has a sharp tongue. What¡¯s wrong with being a little harsh on her? Shen Qu, do you actually think you¡¯re her biological brother?¡± Shen Qu did not say anything, but the servant behind him bent down slightly and repeated the rumors circulating outside. Shen Xue was furious. Shen Qu calmed himself down a little. ¡°We¡¯ve already suffered a setback. Although it¡¯s a family matter, it¡¯s inevitable that people in the business world will laugh at us.¡± Madam Shen Xue frowned. She had accumulated grudges against Shen Hua for a long time. Was it just the lack of carbon fire? To think that Shen Hua had used this opportunity to take her down. It was her lack of discipline and negligence that allowed Shen Hua to take advantage of this loophole. How would she regain her dignity? ¡°All the more reason to punish her severely! She¡¯ll know the pain when she bleeds, and then she¡¯ll be honest.¡± Shen Qu quietly glanced at Madam Shen Xue¡¯s ugly expression. Shen Wei was not greedy for women, and he only had Madam Shen Xue and Aunt Liu as his concubines. It was not without reason that Madam Shen Xue had failed to win Shen Wei¡¯s favor after so many years. It was really stupid. ¡°No.¡± Shen Qu reminded her gently. ¡°There are many eyes on our Shen family now. We can¡¯t be in her debt.¡± Madam Shen Xue did not think much of it and thought that Shen Qu was being overly cautious. ¡°If we lock her up in the inner courtyard and punish her, even if she loses a layer of skin, how will the outside world know?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a walking medicine jar, to begin with. So what if she¡¯s gone?¡± Shen Qu¡¯s patience was wearing thin. ¡°You might not know, but Second Uncle and I have a lot of use for her.¡± In business, wine and sex came hand-in-hand. Shen Wei was pedantic, but he was not. Upon hearing Shen Qu mention Shen Hewen, Madam Shen Xue stopped talking. She was so angry that her chest rose and fell slightly. Her breathing was not smooth. She suddenly could not bother to show maternal affection to him. Seeing this, Shen Qu was satisfied. He did not want Madam Shen Xue to ruin the good thing they had going. Meanwhile, Shen Hua would be allowed to live a pampered life, but she could not be too impudent in front of him. A dark light appeared in his eyes, but he calmly took the cloud cake and tasted it carefully. On the other side¡­ Yi Cui led the slave broker into the residence. ¡°Let¡¯s go faster. Don¡¯t make the mistress wait.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all servants who don¡¯t know their place. They only know how to offend people. You¡¯re a smart person. You should know how to deal with them.¡± Hearing this, the broker immediately smiled like a flower. She had been in this line of work before. It was a serious business. She often wandered around Fengzhou¡¯s rich families. With Yi Cui¡¯s reminder, she quickly agreed. She did not forget to flatter her. ¡°These servants have thick skin and need to be taught a lesson. I have a group of honest and obedient servants who are looking for work. They have a clean background and won¡¯t be unsightly. If you trust me, I can send them over at any time.¡± The woman rolled her eyes and began to apply eye drops. ¡°This is my first time doing business with the Shen family. Your family is famous for being kind. Unfortunately, the one who has always been in close contact with the Shen family is that other broker, Broker Cheng. She¡¯s not a good person. ¡°She snatched my man when we were young. Now that she¡¯s so old, she still doesn¡¯t know her place and wears flashy colors all day. The makeup on her face is almost a foot thick, as though she¡¯s an unmarried maiden.¡± Yi Cui smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not doing the Shen family¡¯s business. It¡¯s my mistress¡¯s business.¡± The woman was slightly stunned. She did not care about the rifts in the Shen family and quickly smiled. No matter how powerful the Shen family was, they were only merchants. She had a private relationship with the old woman who served the magistrate¡¯s wife. She was the one who handled the business of the magistrate, so she was not afraid of offending the Shen family. How disgusting! Broker Cheng was a dog! ¡°You¡¯ve found the right person. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do my best to resolve this.¡± The guard shuddered. Seeing that the person had walked far away, he hurriedly pushed out a person to report to Steward Wu. ¡°What? You¡¯re saying that the mistress is going to sell him?¡± Steward Wu was shocked and immediately felt that something was wrong. Was she trying to disrespect Madam Shen Xue openly? ¡°The mistress¡¯s temper is really bad. She doesn¡¯t care about the consequences. She only wants the pleasure.¡± His wrinkled face hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he did not dare to delay and hurried over. Coincidentally, he met Mrs. Xu, who had come to report arrogantly. Those servants were sent over by Madam Shen Xue. Although they were servants in Shen Hua¡¯s courtyard, they did not belong to Shen Hua. Shen Hua made the decision without permission. Did she take Madam Shen Xue seriously? ¡­ The snow did not let up but seemed to be getting heavier and heavier, as if it wanted to cover the entire Fengzhou. Shen Hua¡¯s throat was extremely itchy and dry. She coughed softly, and her face turned even paler. Yi Cui brought over a cup of hot tea and gently patted Shen Hua¡¯s back, but it did not ease her. Shen Hua rested her head on Yi Cui¡¯s body and calmed her breathing. Yi Cui said carefully, ¡°According to Mistress¡¯s instructions, I¡¯ve found this broker who lives near the burial clothes shop in the east alley. She¡¯s waiting outside and deliberately left a message in front of the guards.¡± Those who were sharp would naturally pass the message to Shen Qu. Shen Hua nodded. ¡°Other than you, I don¡¯t trust anyone else in the entire mansion. However, the courtyard is huge. If we don¡¯t take the opportunity to prepare more servants, I¡¯m afraid the Ningyun Courtyard will send more people over.¡± She endured the discomfort and let Yi Cui help her out. ¡°Greetings to the mistress.¡± The broker hurriedly went forward and bowed, but she still sized her up calmly. Everyone in Fengzhou knew that the Shen family¡¯s young mistress was not in good health. The person in front of her was weak and panted every three steps. The broker looked at the unruly servants at the side. They did not care about Shen Hua at all. The contempt was written on their faces. It seemed that the rumors outside were true. The broker cursed in her heart, but she did not dare to look further. The servants pushed each other and finally pushed out one person. ¡°Our indenture is in Madam¡¯s hands. Mrs. Xu has already gone to invite her. The young mistress deliberately did this to scare all of us. Although you are the mistress, you still have to follow the family rules.¡± Shen Hua smiled lightly. She did not put these people in her eyes. She was only afraid that Madam Shen Xue would not come. Madam Shen Xue was stupid, but Shen Qu cared about his reputation the most. Yi Cui brought over a chair and helped Shen Hua sit down. ¡°I¡¯ll hand over the indenture to you later. Remember to send some servants over later. The price is negotiable. If my mistress is satisfied, you will be rewarded later.¡± As she spoke, she took out an ingot of gold and handed it to the broker. The broker¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll send some people over later for you to personally choose.¡± The broker took the gold into her hands and stuffed it into her clothes. She raised her voice and shouted at those people, ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. A lowly slave dares to be so impudent. I always said that Broker Cheng doesn¡¯t know how to discipline people, but she actually dares to send them to the nobles¡¯ families.¡± She was pleased with herself. As soon as she left the Shen residence today, she would spread the news. She wanted to see how many families in those large courtyards dared to trade with Broker Cheng after that. She would not let go of any opportunity to suppress that old broker! ¡°Mistress, you¡¯re so kind-hearted that you can¡¯t bear to punish your subordinates to the point that they dare to shout like this.¡± The broker said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring them back and whip them a few times. They¡¯ll bleed and know how painful it is. They¡¯ll become obedient in a few days.¡± She knew her way with words. Shen Hua met her eyes. She said faintly, ¡°Then show no mercy.¡± Chapter 9 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation As they were talking, they heard chaotic footsteps approaching from afar. Shen Hua¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she looked up. Shen Qu was walking at the forefront. He was also wearing mourning clothes. His appearance was ordinary and there was nothing outstanding about him. However, the material of the mourning clothes was extremely high-quality, making him look elegant. Shen Hua remembered that Shen Qu had a marriage arranged by the Second Branch¡¯s Madam Shen Zhu. Madam Shen Zhu had no feelings for this illegitimate son of hers. The new wife she found for him was not outstanding. She was afraid that Shen Qu, who was good at studying, would be inferior to her biological son. Now that Shen Qu had become the son of the First Branch, this marriage arrangement was canceled privately. In the other timeline, Shen Qu had been overambitious and tried to marry an official¡¯s daughter. How could he be interested in an ordinary woman? Currently, Madam Shen Xue was walking behind him. Her expression was ugly and there was a hint of anger between her brows. Behind them were Steward Wu, Mrs. Wang, Mrs. Xu, and the other servants. ¡°Madam, Young Master!¡± The servants in the courtyard acted like they have seen their savior. One by one, they stepped forward and bowed respectfully as though they have been granted salvation. ¡°Madam, please make a decision. ¡°We¡¯ll¡­¡± Before she could complain, she happened to meet Shen Qu¡¯s gaze, and the words in her mouth inexplicably disappeared. Shen Hua sat steadily, her body slumped against the chair as if she had no bones. She crossed her legs and rested her arms weakly on the handle, vividly showing an aura of arrogance and rudeness. ¡°It¡¯s snowing outside. Why aren¡¯t you staying in the house, Yangyang? Why aren¡¯t you taking care of yourself?¡± Shen Qu walked closer and pretended to be worried. As he approached step by step, Shen Hua secretly tightened her grip on the handle. Shen Qu said, ¡°Last night, you had a fever, but I was busy with work and couldn¡¯t rush over. I¡¯m here to apologize to you. Yangyang, are you throwing a tantrum because of me?¡± As he spoke, he raised his hand to touch her forehead affectionately. The current Shen Hua was still young and had yet to mature. She was sickly and did not have the softness and beauty of a noble girl. At this moment, Shen Qu did not have any other thoughts about her. Shen Hua raised her hand in disgust and slapped it away. The slap made a crisp and ringing sound. Shen Hua¡¯s eyes were fiery and bright. ¡°Stepbrother, don¡¯t blame me. I don¡¯t like outsiders touching me, especially people like you.¡± Her words were not polite at all, but everyone in the courtyard was used to it. The young mistress of the Shen family had been arrogant since she was small! Even Madam Shen Xue choked on Shen Quxin¡¯s behalf. However, Shen Qu acted as if nothing had happened, like a hypocritical snake. His smile did not diminish, as if he was tolerating Shen Hua¡¯s unreasonable behavior. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not hurt.¡± Shen Hua smiled sweetly at him. ¡°Of course. You have thick skin.¡± Madam Shen Xue, ¡°???¡± However, when she thought of Shen Qu¡¯s instructions, she felt extremely aggrieved. She wanted to punch a wall. She walked over stiffly and raised her hand at Shen Hua. The servants who were about to be sold were all excited. ¡°Hit her! Hurry! Hit her!¡± The Young Master was new here and should not administer punishment. The Madam had to quickly teach her a lesson! However, in the next moment, they saw Madam Shen Xue purse her lips tightly. She took out a stack of paper from her sleeve and threw it heavily at Shen Hua¡¯s leg. Was that the indenture that Shen Hua wanted? Shen Hua ignored Madam Shen Xue¡¯s look of exasperation. Instead, she hummed a tuneless song and leisurely lowered her eyes to count. There were fifteen cards; not a single one was missing. Shen Qu suppressed his temper and said gently, ¡°Since Mother sent the servants over to serve you, you can just deal with them if you¡¯re not happy with them. It¡¯s a trivial matter. Although you¡¯re young and inexperienced, you can still make the decision yourself.¡± ¡°With Brother and Mom around, you¡¯re still the most favored daughter in the residence.¡± Shen Hua was useful to him, and he was willing to give her some benefits. She could still live for a few more years if her mental state was fine. If she was angered to death, the gains would not make up for the losses. Madam Shen Xue gripped her handkerchief tightly and smiled insincerely. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Qu deliberately did not want to have a public falling out with Shen Hua. He was willing to act like a caring brother to her. Shen Hua did not bother to look at them. She shifted into a comfortable position and continued to speak. Her words were hard and false. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so touched.¡± Even Shen Qu was slightly stunned. Madam Shen Xue¡¯s eyes twitched in anger. Ahhh!!! This Little b*tch! ¡®Be proud of yourself now. I¡¯ll make you cry one day!¡¯ The air froze for a few seconds. In a moment, panicked pleas for mercy and miserable cries filled the entire courtyard. Not long ago, these servants were still confident that they would be protected by Madam Shen Xue, but reality had turned around and slapped them hard. The fifteen servants fell to the ground, rolling and crawling in fear. The snow was dense, making their bodies sink in, but they did not feel the cold at all. ¡°Mistress, please forgive us. We won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡± ¡°Madam, we¡¯re your people. We¡¯ve worked hard all these years even if we didn¡¯t contribute¡­¡± Madam Shen Xue¡¯s eyelids twitched. She was already forced to lower her head for them. Now, these lowly dogs were still reminding her about it! How embarrassing! She turned around angrily and gritted her teeth. ¡°Can¡¯t you guys move?! Tie these people up and gag them!¡± The steward behind her hurriedly nodded and bowed. He raised his hand and gave an order. Soon, more servants came forward and tied the fifteen people together tightly. Shen Hua¡¯s smile did not leave her face even as the wails were drilled into her ears. Yi Cui took the indentures from her hand and handed them to the broker. The broker took them deftly and verified them one by one. In the end, she bowed to them and led them out. How could the fifteen servants be willing to go quietly? They refused to leave no matter what. However, they were shoved out of the Shen residence by the steward¡¯s subordinates. Seeing that these people were still being insincere, the broker no longer put on a flattering air. Without a word, she used the thin stick she carried with her for many years to ruthlessly whack them. They could not be resold if they were crippled, so the thin stick made a whooshing sound in the air and only targeted the body. Accompanied by a shrill cry of pain, the broker¡¯s hands did not stop moving. She was not moved. She slapped the people a few more times and said with a fake smile. ¡°Over the years, I¡¯ve met more than a hundred stupid people. You¡¯re from a big household. How many beatings can your delicate skin and tender flesh withstand? ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving yet? Do you all not have legs? I¡¯ll go easy on you now! You can beg on the streets if you want. Who asked you not to live such a good life? You brought this upon yourself.¡± If she could not beat Broker Cheng, it was still nice to whip these people. ¡°That old thing came to rob me after her man died? Isn¡¯t it enough that she snatched one man? Now, she even wants to seduce my son. Pfft! Old vixen. ¡°Don¡¯t use your good looks to cause trouble. Do you believe that I¡¯ll sell you men to the brothel to serve men in iron chains? The women can be sold to the poorest mountains. I¡¯m trying to scare you, but all the men in the mountain village can only pool their money to buy one wife. If you can withstand this kind of torture, go on and continue making trouble for me!¡± Chapter 10 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The farce finally came to an end. Shen Xue did not want to stay any longer. She flicked her sleeves and was about to leave. ¡°Stepmother.¡± Shen Hua called out with a smile. ¡°What else do you want?¡± Shen Xue¡¯s tone was very aggressive. ¡°You gave me such a big gift, so I naturally have to be considerate. Mrs. Xu originally served you and was assigned to me. She initially had a lot of complaints. Because she¡¯s really old, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s worth much; selling her would make things difficult for the broker. You should take her with you.¡± Mrs. Xu still hadn¡¯t reacted, but her back was arched slightly. When she heard this, her fingertips began to tremble. She was valued by Madam Shen Xue because she was helping her supervise Shen Hua. However, now that Shen Hua had chased her away, would Madam still be nice to her? ¡°Are you deaf? Follow me!¡± Madam Shen Xue¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You still want me to drag you back?¡± ¡°Stepmother,¡± Shen Hua called out softly again. Madam Shen Xue could barely catch her breath. Her eyes seemed to be filled with fire, and she wished he could devour Shen Hua and burn her alive. ¡®Have you not had enough?!¡¯ ¡°Chao Lu was my most beloved maidservant. She was originally my assistant. It¡¯s a waste of her talent to be a sweeping maid in your courtyard. She¡¯s considerate. Stepmother, you have to treat her well.¡± Yi Cui handed over Zhao Lu¡¯s indenture. Shen Xue, ¡°!!!¡± Got it! As soon as she went back, she would torture that piece of sh*t! Waste of her talent? From today onward, she would make her pour the chamber pot! ¡°Steward Wu.¡± Shen Hua¡¯s gaze shifted slightly. It was not a friendly gaze. Steward Wu started sweating and wished he could disappear. ¡°How many years have you been with my father?¡± He paused. ¡°More than twenty years.¡± ¡°It was 23 years ago. Father picked you up when you were young. At that time, you were on the verge of death. He was the one who hired a doctor and promoted you to become his assistant. Although I was young, I still knew how to write the words ¡®heartless and unscrupulous¡¯.¡± Butler Wu could not say a word. It was every man for himself. Shen Wei had treated him well, so he had served him wholeheartedly for so many years. Shen Hua¡¯s tone was cold. ¡°I heard that your daughter-in-law is about to give birth soon?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to become a grandfather. If I were you, I would accumulate some virtue for my descendants.¡± After saying this, Shen Hua struggled to get up. Without looking at the two of them again, she turned around and was about to return to her room. Shen Qu, who had been quiet for a long time and seemed to be indulging Shen Hua, finally made a move. The smile on his face was mostly gone. ¡°Shen Hua.¡± Finally, he stopped the pretense of calling her Yangyang. ¡°Have you heard the rumors outside? ¡°I won¡¯t believe it if you say you were not involved.¡± Shen Hua deliberately caused a storm in the city to try and make Madam Shen Xue give in. It was like a huge game of chess. She did not even hesitate to ruin the reputation of the entire Shen family. Shen Hua pursed her lips and remained silent. A vicious look flashed across Shen Qu¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve redeemed the Eastern pearl. I won¡¯t hold it against you this time, but I can¡¯t be sure about the next time.¡± His tone was gentle, but he bent down and stuffed the pearl into Shen Hua¡¯s hand without any resistance. Then, he considerately adjusted Shen Hua¡¯s cloak. His hand brushed past Shen Hua. It was clearly warm, but Shen Hua felt a chill that was even more bone-piercing than the cold wind. She accepted his service quietly and abnormally. ¡°I¡¯ve let you vent your anger comfortably. You should be done fooling around. After all, you¡¯re the precious daughter of the family. You still don¡¯t understand the principle of submitting to others.¡± The man had a faint smile on his face, and there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. ¡°Have you said enough?¡± Shen Hua said coldly. She knew that Shen Qu could not do anything to her. Not only that, but he also had to put in a lot of effort to keep her alive. So what if Madam Shen Xue gave in today? Shen Hua had always hated Shen Qu and the Second Branch. She met Shen Qu¡¯s eyes, which were clear and bright. Under such circumstances, she still maintained her usual pride, and her words made Shen Qu¡¯s expression turn horribly dark. ¡°The way you¡¯re coaxing me now is like a dog wagging its tail, desperately to please me.¡± ¡­ A low-key carriage slowly drove out of Shengjing City. The snow made a soft squeaking sound under the wheels. The carriage looked ordinary but it was completely different from regular ones. It was spacious and bright inside. There was a purple tea set with plum blossoms on the table, and a few white jade chess pieces were placed on the pine chessboard. The curtains of the carriage were made of gold and purple brocade, and the carpet was made of tiger skin¡­ Cui Yun sat upright, his eyes cold and distant, the demeanor of a gentleman fully displayed. He held a book in his well-defined hand and flipped to a page from time to time. ¡°Cui Yun, have you seen Ji Teng?¡± The person who spoke was Ji He, who was sitting lazily opposite him. He did not blame Cui Yun for not responding. Instead, he continued, ¡°He¡¯s dull and thin. How can they say he looks like a prince? At first glance, I thought he was a monkey. He¡¯s been a hostage for eight years and finally returned, but Father didn¡¯t like him at all. He just found a lousy mansion and sent him away.¡± He did not feel good about this. His biological mother was a young and talented person. After giving birth to him, she died from the difficult labor. She had never been conferred a title. It just so happened that he was born during the Ghost Festival. The Emperor hated him for having unknown birth roots. He was never close to him and Ji He had long been expelled from the palace to a separate residence. He was not allowed to wander around. However, compared to Ji Teng, he was already lucky enough!! ¡°His courtyard is leaking, and there are no servants in the mansion to serve him. I can¡¯t find even half a copper coin to his name. I secretly saw him eating grass last time.¡± As Ji He sighed, Cui Wei flipped another page of the book. ¡°By the way, why are you going to Fengzhou suddenly?¡± Thousands of guesses flashed across his mind. Suddenly, he sat up straight. Fengzhou¡¯s Hundred Flowers Pavilion had recently produced a courtesan who was both beautiful and skilled! He had also heard of her in Shengjing. He could not help but raise his voice. ¡°You¡¯re really something¡­ ¡°I knew it. There¡¯s no such thing as a man who doesn¡¯t lust after women. It turns out that your self-cultivation in Shengjing City is just an illusion. Your wild side prefers to travel thousands of miles to play with a woman. It must be hard to put on this act.¡± Why did he not think of this method!!! Look at how successful Cui Yun was. Who in Shengjing City did not look up to him? Cui Yun¡¯s gaze never left the book as he flipped to another page. Ji He held his breath and lunged over. With a bang, he closed the book in Cui Yun¡¯s hand. ¡°What kind of attitude is this? I¡¯m talking to you!¡± He had been talking all the while! His mouth was already dry! Cui Yun frowned slightly and looked at Ji Wei in confusion. Only then did he raise a hand and slowly remove the soft earplugs made of cowhide. They were bulging inside and were wrapped in thick cotton. ¡°You, you, you¡­¡± Cui Yun¡¯s lips moved. There was not the slightest bit of shame on his face. ¡°Seventh Prince, please repeat yourself.¡± ¡°Why should I say it again?¡± It turned out that he had made a fool himself and had been talking to himself the entire way. Cui Yun was sitting there, all calm and composed, but did not hear a single word. Ji He, ¡°Wonderful. I deserve it.¡± Chapter 11 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Although Ji He was not favored, he was of the royal bloodline and had been flattered outside the palace. Under such circumstances, how could he possibly not be angry by this humiliation? However, it just so happened that the other party was Cui Yun. The entire Cui family was firm and unyielding. Nowadays, most of their male members had died on the battlefield, leaving only this noble Second Son. Even the Emperor had to give him some face on account that he was a member of the Cui family. ¡°I¡¯ll be accompanying you the whole way. But you ignored me as soon as you got into the carriage. Is that appropriate?¡± The Cui Family was strict. Cui Yun had been personally taught by Old Master Cui since he was young and followed the rules. However, the arrogance in his soul could not be hidden. As a result, Ji He lost face in front of him once. ¡°Seventh Prince, you might have forgotten that you forcefully followed me. Such a thing¡­¡± He pursed his lips, not revealing his emotions. His voice was still cold. ¡°Cui Yun is a man of few words. He has never invited anyone, much less dared to stop me from coming.¡± ¡®Forget it!!! ¡®The moment you saw me, you wanted to throw me out!! ¡®You¡¯re just lazy!! ¡®You can¡¯t be bothered to give instructions. You can¡¯t be bothered to make a scene in front of the Cui family¡¯s house in Shengjing.¡¯ Ji He was so angry that smoke was almost coming out from his throat. He was the same age as Cui Yun. One was a mediocre descendant of the royal family, while the other was an outstanding descendant of the Cui family. In the past few years, he had heard countless things. People were always degrading him and praising Cui Yun. Even when the Emperor announced that he was sick and appointed the Crown Prince to supervise the country, the fourth prince was the one assisting him. Ji He was not mentioned at all. He also felt a bit relieved. However, the Crown Prince was outstanding and was the heir apparent. How could he still be lower than Cui Yun?! What was wrong with having a man who was inferior to Cui Yun? There were crumbs at the corner of Ji He¡¯s mouth and his palms were greasy. ¡°I don¡¯t like what you¡¯re saying. It¡¯s as though I¡¯m clinging to you.¡± Cui Yun knitted his brows and lowered his gaze. He looked at the book that he was reading¡ªthere were still Ji He¡¯s handprints on it. He remained silent and did not say a word. There was no disdain on his face either. However, he promptly wiped it three times! Ji He, ¡°¡­¡± He closed his eyes and fell back. ¡°To be honest, Ji Teng is really pitiful.¡± Of course, Cui Yun did not dare to casually talk about the imperial family¡¯s secret affairs. He only quietly listened to Ji He¡¯s complaints. ¡°Second Brother is a fool, but because of the power of his birth mother¡ªConsort Jing¡ªhe was able to ride over Ji Teng¡¯s head. Back then, he deliberately barged in unreasonably, but no one dared to stop him. There were even more people watching the show. It was as if his life meant nothing. ¡°Ji Teng became a hostage when he was eleven years old. It¡¯s been eight years since then. His sacrifice has become a given matter in the eyes of outsiders.¡± Cui Yun was still as handsome as a jade tree, but his appearance was cold as ice. One could not see any compassion¡ªonly cold-bloodedness and indifference. ¡°Lightning, rain, and dew are all the grace of the Lord.¡± Tsk! He rolled his eyes. If he had not personally witnessed Cui Yun kicking the Crown Prince into the water when he was five years old, he might have believed it. This madman even dared to kick the crown prince! After kicking him, he made a show of saving him with a bamboo pole. ¡°Crown Prince, grab this.¡± In the water, the crown prince desperately grabbed a corner, but before he could hold it firmly, the bamboo pole was silently raised a little, as if he was playing with a pet. He also did not forget to use the bamboo pole to secretly poke the person in the water. The fool Ji Cong, who had heard the commotion, ran over. When he saw the Crown Prince screaming for help in the pool, he clapped his hands and cheered. He even picked up a rock and threw it into the water. Clearly, there had been grievances for a long time. Little Crown Princess Ji Zhui did not know if it was Cui Yun¡¯s ruthless actions, thinking that it was the work of the idiot Ji Cong. After being rescued back then, perhaps because he was frightened, the Crown Prince thanked Cui Yun with tears of gratitude. He even had snot and tears on his face as he knocked Ji Cong down, wanting to beat him up. Amongst the three of them, Cui Yun was clearly the youngest, but he often toyed with the two of them. He had predicted that the Empress and Consort Jing were not on good terms, and their sons were also united against a common enemy. This little b*stard was only five years old back then! At that time, Ji He was lying on the rockery and his heart was pounding as he watched the two brothers fighting crazily. ¡°Seventh Prince, does it look good?¡± A soft voice startled him and he suddenly met Cui Yun¡¯s gaze. Cui Yun should be the one with a guilty conscience, but Ji He was the one who ran away. He had just jumped down from the rockery when Cui Yun blocked his way. He was dressed in scholarly attire and a suitably round-necked shirt. His exquisite face still had some baby fat and looked very harmless. ¡°Seventh Prince, did you see anything?¡± He stumbled over his words. ¡°I saw it all!¡± Soon, he came back to his senses. Why was he panicking? He had something on Cui Yun now. He curled his lips and placed his hands on his hips. He opened his mouth and said, ¡°How dare you push the Crown Prince? You¡¯re finished! I¡¯ll get someone to chop off your head.¡± He had not put in work to improve himself, but Cui Yun was already able to recite the entire book. He could not wait to trample on the annoying Cui Yun. Soon, the two princes were pulled away by the eunuch. He went to complain to the Emperor, but no one believed him! ¡°How can I not trust Cui Yun? But here you are, slandering him just because you¡¯re not as knowledgeable as him. It seems you have been addled by all the reading.¡± Ji He, ¡°??¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s face was bruised and swollen as he questioned him angrily, ¡°Seventh Brother, are you deliberately covering up for Ji Cong?! Do you think I¡¯m stupid and can¡¯t tell who harmed me?¡± ¡°??¡± The second prince, Ji Cong, was indeed a fool. He sniffled and said ruthlessly in front of the Emperor, ¡°Yes, I did it. I wanted to smash you to death. Go on, bite me!¡± ¡°???¡± All of a sudden, the emperor¡¯s face darkened. Upon hearing the news, the Empress and Consort Jing rushed over, each protecting their children. Immediately after, another big display happened. The Crown Prince was the only son of the Empress. She had doted on him since he was young and was afraid of even bumping him. Now, the Crown Prince was humiliated by that foolish child. She was furious and said coldly, ¡°Consort Jing, you should have raised a good prince! How dare you harm the Crown Prince?¡± Consort Jing was not someone who took things lightly. Without another word, she pulled Ji Cong to kneel in front of the Emperor, revealing her fragile and pale neck. She bawled her eyes out. ¡°Your Majesty, why do you have to poke my heart again and again? Who did this to Cong¡¯er? Even if others have forgotten, how can you forget? I¡¯ve endured so much humiliation until now for the sake of the Imperial Family¡¯s reputation. I can only swallow my grievances¡­¡± The two women were not easy to deal with, so he had to appease them. In the end, he punished Ji He, who had been gossiping and provoking the prince, then made him reflect on his actions for more than half a month as a punishment. Ji He was aggrieved. ¡®I¡¯m always the one who gets hurt.¡¯ As for Cui Yun, he had received a reward for ¡®saving the crown prince¡¯. He walked over to the stunned Ji He with small steps. ¡°I¡¯ve already stopped you, Seventh Prince. Why didn¡¯t you listen?¡± At that time, Cui Yun was really evil! Right now¡­ Ji He sized him up from head to toe. Ever since his father and brother died in battle, Cui Yun¡¯s temperament had changed drastically. He kept to his own etiquette and acted like the old-fashioned people in the censorate. However, Ji He was certain that the little rascal¡¯s heart was twisted, and he was in reality just a big jerk. Chapter 12 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Shen Hua¡¯s expenditure had returned to the usual standard and perhaps was even better. With enough silver bones and charcoal fire, the room was as warm as spring. She no longer had to worry about freezing at night. After that incident, in order to show off her ability, the broker was extremely meticulous in choosing servants. The ones sent over were indeed honest and dutiful. Shen Hua glanced over and rubbed her brows tiredly. She was very vigilant. The main maidservant she had was still Yi Cui alone. However, the vacancies for the second and third-grade servants have been filled. The courtyard was filled with vitality again and was not as lifeless as before. She memorized these unfamiliar faces one by one. ¡°Your monthly silver won¡¯t go to the accounting office. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± She had money in her hands. It was left behind by her biological mother and Shen Wei. That huge sum of money was all stored in the bank. In her previous life, something happened behind the embroidery workshop and she needed a large sum of silver to settle it. No matter how annoyed she was, she did not want to watch the workshop fall and easily let Shen Qu take everything¡­ How silly. Yi Cui could not help but hit the new servant. ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re serving?¡± ¡°Those who served my mistress in the past were blind and black-hearted. They couldn¡¯t recognize their master. They bared their fangs and brandished their claws, thinking that they could borrow someone¡¯s power to ascend to the heavens in a single step. They were stupid and ignorant. ¡°Be on duty and keep your loyalty. If I find out who¡¯s a traitor¡­¡± Yi Cui paused. She raised her chin and prepared to snap the thin stick in her hand into two to threaten him. Under the gaze of seven or eight pairs of bright and slightly frightened eyes, she held herself back. Whoosh! !!! The stick did not budge. However, her arm was about to collapse. Shen Hua, ¡°???¡± She felt embarrassed for Yi Cui. The new servant was trembling. ¡°Sister Yi Cui, do you need help?¡± Yi Cui had miscalculated. The corners of Shen Hua¡¯s lips curled up. It was undeniable that things were getting better. The snow had yet to melt, but today was a rare sunny day. The light quietly shone on the sickly and pale side of the girl¡¯s face. Shen Hua took the warm bowl of medicine and drank it all. After the wind blew, Shen Hua¡¯s mind became groggy. She was about to return to the courtyard when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. The best embroidery was closely related to the embroidery base, embroidery thread, needle method, and pattern. The embroidery base mostly consisted of silk, satin, velvet, make-up flowers¡­ The uses were different, and the fabrics were worlds apart. The Shen family¡¯s embroidery workshop was famous and had a good reputation. Many nobles paid a deposit in advance without hesitation and waited for the finished product. As a layman, Shen Qu was short-sighted. He only cared about the immediate benefits and disregarded the rules and principles of the embroidery workshop that had been running for many years. He did not listen to advice and insisted on doing things his own way. The prices of the fabrics varied. Some were expensive, while others were cheap. However, he made a large sum of money by selling them as inferior goods. Ordinary customers came to buy, but they did not know how deep the art was. Because the embroidery material was good to the touch, and the embroidery looked exquisite, most of them were fooled. In the end, you reap what you sow. Eventually, this matter was exposed by experts. Most of the embroidery workshop¡¯s orders were returned, and many customers asked for refunds and compensation. There were even some who caused a scene at the entrance of the embroidery workshop. Even the ill-gotten gains from the difference in price would not be enough for Shen Qu to settle the compensation. There was still a year before the embroidery workshop would get in trouble. However, Shen Hua did not want to wait a year. She would not live long and the First Branch would have no descendants. Instead of letting the Second Branch take advantage of her, she might as well destroy everything herself. She wanted to see Shen Qu¡¯s helpless state with her own eyes. ¡°Yi Cui, prepare the carriage.¡± The sky and earth were wrapped in silver, along with the white silk hanging from the eaves, making the surroundings seem even more cold and desolate. Shen Hua loved the snowy scenery very much. In the past, she would always spend a lot of money during this season to buy all kinds of furs and go to all kinds of fancy events. When they met the people from the Second Branch, they immediately started arguing. Third Lady Zheng of the Daheng Rice Shop had never gotten along with Shen Hua. Last time, she spat and scolded her for being a sickly waste of space and forcing her mother and brother to die. She was so angry that her eyes were dark. Without another word, she collapsed on the spot to extort money. ¡°I¡¯ve always been in poor health. Third Lady Zheng might be involved in a murder lawsuit this time.¡± Shen Hua¡¯s temper was extremely unreasonable. She was barbaric and crafty. She did not hesitate to admit that she was about to die. As long as she breathed, she was alive. Why not live a little more shamelessly before the end of her life? She would not be restrained by the rules and would be happier. Shen Wei always held her carefully as though worried she would melt. What right did these people have to criticize her? She left the house in a hurry. She did not have time to prepare a heater. After leaving the courtyard and walking on the narrow path, her hands were about to freeze. The cold wind blew against her, and she pressed her head down, burying it in her furry scarf. She had bought this fox fur scarf with the extorted silver. After wearing it for the first time, she went to show it off in front of Third Lady Cheng. She openly hinted at the latter¡¯s generosity, causing her to be incredibly furious. Yi Cui said, ¡°Mistress, are you cold?¡± Shen Hua¡¯s teeth chattered. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m cold.¡± Yi Cui frowned fiercely and secretly criticized herself for being careless. ¡°You should have put on another cloak. I¡¯ll go back and get one now.¡± They had already walked halfway. Even if Yi Cui returned, she still had to wait here for a while in the cold weather. Shen Hua lowered her head again, leaving only a pair of bright eyes to look at the road. As the mistress and servant were talking, they bumped into Aunt Liu, who was in a state of worry. She was Shen Wei¡¯s only concubine. After losing her youngest daughter, it was difficult for her to get pregnant again. She had become virtually invisible in the residence. She looked miserable. ¡°Mistress, you haven¡¯t recovered yet. How can you wander outside?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, her timid face turned pale, afraid that Shen Hua would be displeased. Shen Hua looked at her with an odd expression. ¡°Hanging is an ugly way to die. Poison can invade your internal organs, making you vomit blood and foam. If you jump from a building, your blood might splatter, and it will be difficult for your bones to remain intact.¡± Aunt Liu, ¡°???¡± Terrifying! She clutched the handkerchief timidly. Shen Hua asked unhurriedly, ¡°Do you wish to die?¡± Her tone was exactly the same as usual. When Yi Cui saw this and saw Aunt Liu¡¯s miserable expression, she could not bear it. She could only persuade her softly, ¡°Mistress, Concubine Liu is a pitiful person. You¡¯ve been on good terms with her for many years¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, she heard Aunt Liu¡¯s low response. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± She was indeed considering which way to die was the most suitable. Yi Cui, ¡°?¡± Shen Hua expressed her understanding. ¡°Since I¡¯ll die no matter what. It¡¯s not bad to freeze to death. Let me use that hand heater.¡± Aunt Liu passed over her heater in a daze. The moment her fingertips touched the scorching warmth, Shen Hua wrapped it in her arms and let out a comfortable sigh. She walked past Aunt Liu and took a few big steps forward. Soon, she frowned. She actually felt guilty about Aunt Liu. She also remembered that Aunt Liu would follow Shen Wei not long after his death. ¡°Hey.¡± Aunt Liu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a while. Since you¡¯re free, why don¡¯t you come with me?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want to go out.¡± Seeing this, Shen Hua made a decision for her. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything else. Just follow me.¡± Chapter 13 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Madam Shen Xue returned to Ningyun Courtyard and smashed a lot of porcelain, but her anger still had not subsided. ¡°In the end, he¡¯s not my biological son. So what if I raise him under my name? His heart is still tied to his biological mother. Shen Hua was so crafty. Look, did he even spare me any face?¡± After all, without her approval, Shen Qu would not have his current glory. He had probably forgotten about that. Mrs. Wang hurriedly comforted her. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re overthinking. Young Master is your support. His biological mother is just a lowly concubine. How can she be compared to you? If he¡¯s really filial to that concubine, why would he come to our First Branch? ¡°Moreover, if Young Master doesn¡¯t care about his biological mother all of a sudden, Madam should be worried about his coldness. That would be a huge problem too.¡± These words were true. If Shen Qu wanted to remain rich and keep his reputation, he could only be on her side. Madam Shen Xue closed her sharp eyes. Seeing that her attitude had softened a lot, Mrs. Wang quickly reported the news of Shen Hua leaving the residence. ¡°She even brought along that blockhead, Concubine Liu. Her father has only passed away for a few days, but she¡¯s already gone out to have fun.¡± The corners of Madam Shen Xue¡¯s mouth curled into a mocking smile, and she felt at ease with Shen Wei¡¯s pitiful state. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the young mistress will cause trouble again. Young Master is not in the residence now. Do you want to send the news over?¡± Madam Shen Xue waved her hand. ¡°What rumors? The more trouble she causes, the more inappropriate it is. Her father is gone, and her marriage is broken off. Now, everyone is scolding me and Young Master for not being nice to her and taking everything away from her. Let the people of Fengzhou see with their own eyes what kind of person she is.¡± Mrs. Wang retreated respectfully. Just as she closed the door softly and took a few steps out, she bumped into Chao Lu, who had a panicked look on her face. The smile on her face immediately faded. She was no longer as amiable as before, but Chao Lu did not notice and only saw Mrs. Wang as her last ray of hope. ¡°Mrs. Wang, I don¡¯t want to pour the chamber pot. You have to help me.¡± ¡°Shut up. How can you reject Madam¡¯s orders?¡± Mrs. Wang pulled her hand away and covered her mouth and nose in disdain. ¡°Alright, I thought that you were a capable person. With my guidance, you will be able to get a good job with Madam in the future. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so disappointing. I think we should forget about your marriage with my son for the time being. I don¡¯t want to have a daughter-in-law who smells like a waste bucket all day.¡± Chao Lu¡¯s face suddenly turned pale. ¡­ The carriage drove at a steady pace. The coachman¡¯s movements were familiar, and there were no bumps along the way. The coachman was a servant in Shen Hua¡¯s courtyard. He had worked in a vehicle shop for a few years. The heavy curtains blocked the cold wind outside the carriage. As soon as Shen Hua got into the carriage, she leaned against Yi Cui¡¯s shoulder and took a nap. Her breathing was shallow. Opposite her, Aunt Liu could not sit still. She carefully glanced at Shen Hua¡¯s sleeping face. She was quiet and not rude at all. ¡°Aunt is staring at me like I¡¯m a flower.¡± Caught off guard, Shen Hua¡¯s pale lips moved. She did not know when she woke up, but she did not open her eyes. Instead, she adjusted herself into a comfortable posture. Aunt Liu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She stammered, unable to say a word. ¡°The residence is filled with bad people. Even the air is dirty. My stepmother is a fool, but she thinks she¡¯s better than others. Her methods are stupid and clumsy. ¡°Shen Qu is short-sighted. Although he¡¯s in the limelight, he¡¯s blinded by benefits and he¡¯s greedy. He can¡¯t wait to scheme against everyone. ¡°As for you, Aunt¡­¡± She opened her eyes and saw that Aunt Liu did not even dare to breathe loudly. ¡°Why are you so nervous? Do you think I¡¯ll sell you away?¡± Aunt Liu had a daughter, Shen Zhui. She was five years younger than She Hua. Shen Hua was used to being domineering since she was young and looked down on this stepsister of hers. She was originally the youngest in the residence, but after Shen Zhui was born, she no longer held that title. How could she be happy about that? However, Shen Zhui followed behind her happily and regularly called out to her sister. ¡°Why are you so annoying? Don¡¯t follow me. I don¡¯t like you!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Shen Zhui blinked blankly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll change. Sis, did you not buy me cream cakes when you went out this time?¡± The nine-year-old Shen Hua¡¯s eyes widened. She raised her head, and the hair knot on her head swayed. She said pointedly, ¡°I¡¯m a noble. Naturally, I can¡¯t go through all those roads to buy it for you.¡± Shen Zhui lowered her head in disappointment, but there was a bag of snacks in front of her. Shen Hua said disdainfully, ¡°I asked the servants to buy these. You¡¯re so annoying. All you know is to eat.¡± Later on, her mother and brother, Shen Chun and Shen Zhi, passed away and she fell seriously ill. It was Shen Zhui who accompanied her every day, quietly joining her to eat and watching her drink medicine. Shen Hua woke up crying for her mother. Shen Zhui carefully crawled onto Shen Hua¡¯s bed and hugged her with her short hands. She rubbed against her body and patted her back in a childish voice. ¡°Sis, don¡¯t be afraid. Zhui is always here.¡± Always? However, not long after, in the snowy winter, Shen Zhui fell into the water and died. Shen Hua, who had received the news, was drinking her medicine at the time. With a crisp sound, the medicine bowl fell from her hand and hit the ground heavily. The dark brown medicinal liquid splattered everywhere, and the medicine bowl shattered into several pieces. Shen Hua sighed softly. Shen Wei did not treat Aunt Liu warmly, but Aunt Liu was obedient and devoted to Shen Zhui. Back then, she had lost her beloved daughter and lost all hope. However, she still lived on like a walking corpse. Shen Hua really did not think that Aunt Liu would die just for Shen Wei. ¡°Aunt, did you encounter any difficulties?¡± Aunt Liu¡¯s eyes darkened, and then large tears rolled down her face. She covered her mouth tightly to prevent her tears from spilling out. Seeing this, Shen Hua¡¯s fingers could not help but pause. She opened her mouth but did not inquire further. After some time, the crying gradually subsided, and the carriage stopped in front of the Shen family¡¯s embroidery workshop. Shen Hua had just gotten off the carriage when she heard Aunt Liu¡¯s hoarse plea. ¡°Mistress, it will be Ah Zhui¡¯s death anniversary in a few days. Can I buy some commemorative items?¡± Shen Zhui¡¯s status was low, and the anniversary of her death was at this critical time. Aunt Liu¡¯s courtyard was filled with Madam Shen Xue¡¯s spies. She could not leave the residence freely, nor could she burn paper in the courtyard. Shen Hua asked the coachman to send her off. Just as Aunt Liu started to thank her, she asked softly. ¡°Aunt Liu, do you hate me? If I had treated her better, she might not have died.¡± When she was young, Shen Hua was very stubborn and fierce. However, she had never framed Shen Zhui. ¡°The weather is so cold. What kind of lousy thing are you wearing? Even a part of your arm is exposed. Those clothes look like they¡¯re from a century ago. Take this. I don¡¯t want it, so it¡¯s yours.¡± Clearly, she had secretly gotten someone to make that dress in Shen Zhui¡¯s size. ¡­ ¡°Hey, I heard that your paper kite broke off. It¡¯s a cheap product, after all. Look at my paper kite. It¡¯s pretty enough, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll give it to you as a gift. Take it and learn new things.¡± However, that kite was clearly a gift from her brother, Shen Zhi. She treasured it very much. Yangyang had never lowered her head to anyone. She was arrogant and awkward, but who knew that she was actually the most soft-hearted? Chapter 14 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Mistress, why are you here?¡± When Shopkeeper Cheng saw Shen Hua walk in, he hurriedly went forward to welcome her with a smile. During these unpredictable times, he was respectful to Shen Qu and his attitude toward Shen Hua remained the same. He was very tactful. Shen Hua glanced at him lightly, but she also knew that Shopkeeper Cheng was now Shen Qu¡¯s man. ¡°Where is Manager Sun?¡± ¡°Manager Sun is busy in the inner office.¡± The embroidery workshop was divided into two sections¡ªthe outer section and the inner section. Shopkeeper Cheng was in charge of the outer section and received guests. He was in charge of all the daily trivial matters and the distribution of transactions. As for the inner workshop, it was much simpler. They people there were only in charge of embroidery, and Manager Sun was in charge. The two of them had their own duties. After receiving a response, Shen Hua headed straight for the inner section. She often came here to look for Shen Wei. The path she was walking now was so familiar that she could navigate with her eyes closed. ¡°The county magistrate¡¯s daughter is going to be married. Her wedding clothes have specifically been requested to be sewn by our embroidery workshop. It¡¯s a little rushed, so everyone needs to keep their spirits up. Our Su embroidery is beautiful and elegant. The needlework is sharp and we have to pays attention to the fineness and smoothness of the embroidery. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it in detail again. Red veils, wedding handkerchiefs, belts, and cloth boots have to be matched with festive patterns like mandarin ducks, auspicious clouds, cranes, peonies, and pomegranates.¡± Steward Sun looked tired. She kept walking back and forth, checking the embroidery products that the embroiderers had rushed to make. From time to time, she would stop to give pointers. ¡°Aunt Sun,¡± Shen Hua called out. When Manager Sun saw who it was, she quickly put down the work in her hand and quickly walked forward. Without waiting for the greeting, she led Shen Hua to the storeroom used for resting. She closed the door and blocked the curious gazes from outside. Only then did she size Shen Hua up worriedly. ¡°I¡¯ve finally got to see you, Mistress.¡± The Shen family¡¯s First Branch had a small population, but their stepmother, Madam Shen Xue, was not easy to get along with. The He family, who had broken off the engagement with the young mistress, had visited the Zhou family many times in just a few days. Shen Hua was still young. How could she stand it? Manager Sun felt uneasy. She went to the Shen family¡¯s gatekeeper many times to ask for an audience, but no one responded to her. She was left alone for two hours. ¡°Auntie Sun has a deep relationship with my mother. You¡¯re like sisters. Now that you have a new grandchild, I naturally have to come and congratulate you.¡± While they were talking, Shen Hua took out a golden lock. It was in the shape of a round gold ingot with the word ¡®fortune¡¯ engraved on it. A bell hung on it, and when it shook gently, it emitted a crisp sound. It was suitable for young children. ¡°You flatter me. Back then, there was a drought and people were starving everywhere. Some died with their families and some were sick. If not for Madam¡¯s promotion, I would not be here today.¡± However, at the mention of the child, Manager Sun¡¯s expression turned gentle, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes also became lighter. ¡°That child was born at dawn. This is a good time. It¡¯s just that my daughter-in-law lost a lot of blood during delivery. Fortunately, the doctor came in time and saved her. She has to recuperate now. ¡°My son is out on an escort mission and hasn¡¯t come home yet. Now that my daughter-in-law can¡¯t get out of bed, I have a lot on my plate. How can I serve both the mother and son? I¡¯m about to invite my in-laws over to take care of her. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of being laughed at. I¡¯m old and my eyes are damaged. I¡¯ve long thought of returning home, but I can¡¯t bear to leave the embroidery workshop.¡± She also could not bear to part with Shen Hua. If she stayed, she might be able to help the young mistress. Shen Hua knew Manager Sun¡¯s recent situation better than anyone else. She became a widow in her early years and raised her son by herself. It was not easy. ¡°Auntie Sun, I won¡¯t stand on ceremony with you. ¡°After all, it¡¯s not a long-term solution to have the in-laws come over. You¡¯ve suffered all these years. Now that your son is successful and your daughter-in-law is filial to you, in my opinion, why don¡¯t you just relinquish the position as manager and go back to be with your son and play with your grandson? You will be more satisfied. ¡°Of course, during this time, I will send someone to deliver Auntie Sun¡¯s compensation according to the embroidery workshop¡¯s manager¡¯s salary.¡± Steward Sun, ¡°???¡± Was she asking her to continue taking a salary and return home without doing her job? If she left, the embroidery workshop would¡­ Manager Sun¡¯s mind was abuzz. Her tone was deep and her expression was serious. ¡°Mistress, do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Shen Hua met her gaze. A faint smile suddenly appeared on her sickly face. It did not matter if she was burning her bridges or that she was being rebellious. Once Shen Hua set her mind on something, she would go through with it. ¡°Yes.¡± One word was enough to cause a shocking wave in Manager Sun¡¯s heart. The mistress had her own plans since she was young. She had a bad temper, but she would never act recklessly. She was such a filial person. The old master¡¯s body had yet to turn cold, but¡­ In the entire Shen family, no one was richer than Shen Hua. Every year, Shen Wei would directly deposit 30% of the embroidery workshop¡¯s dividends into a bank under Shen Hua¡¯s name. !! Madam Shen Xue must have been greedy for the money that the mistress usually needed to spend. If the bank had not closed at night on the day the mistress fell sick, why would Yi Cui have to sell jewelry to buy medicine? Everything made sense now. The deceased Madam¡¯s only bloodline was suffering! In an instant, Manager Sun thought of many things. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, mistress.¡± After a moment of silence, she asked again, ¡°Most of the old embroiderers in the market have exquisite embroidery skills and have also received Madam¡¯s favor. Those who enter the market have all signed contracts.¡± ¡°Where are those deeds now?¡± ¡°Originally, it was kept by Madam. After Madam and Young Master passed away, Old Master couldn¡¯t take the blow. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he had to take care of you, he would have gone with her. At that time, Old Master didn¡¯t have the strength to manage the embroidery workshop, so he handed the duty to me.¡± Later, Shen Wei did not take it the position back. However, Shen Qu had pressured her many times over the past few days. After all, it belonged to the main family. Although Manager Sun was careful, she only hung on for Shen Hua. If Shen Hua had not come today, she would not have been able to withstand the pressure and would have given it to him. If it really fell into Shen Qu¡¯s hands¡­ Manager Sun walked away with a heavy heart. When she returned, she was carrying a small box in her arms. Shen Hua opened it and took out a thick stack of contracts. She rubbed her fingertips slowly. Her eyes curved into crescents. These were all the most experienced embroiderers. Shen Hua could already imagine Shen Qu stomping his feet in anger. ¡°We don¡¯t have to work and we have money. I don¡¯t think anyone can refuse. I¡¯ll have to trouble Auntie Sun to pass the message.¡± She had plenty of money. She was just afraid that she would not be able to squander it before she died. After settling the matter, Shen Hua left the embroidery workshop in satisfaction. She was just waiting for Auntie Sun¡¯s reply in the future. Shen Hua stood under the signboard of the Shen family¡¯s embroidery workshop. The streets were noisy with the sounds of people hawking their wares. Yi Cui looked around but did not see their carriage. ¡°I bought some sacrificial items, but I can¡¯t see anyone. Why is there a delay?¡± Shen Hua was not in a hurry to go back. She was about to go to a nearby restaurant to warm herself up. ¡°I was wondering who it was. It¡¯s little sister Shen.¡± A voice came from the right. Shen Hua looked over and saw a strange face. Whoa. An old acquaintance. Shen Hua suddenly broke into a smile. ¡°Sister Mi.¡± Third Lady Zheng, who owned the rice shop, had a dark expression. ¡°What do you mean Mi? My surname is Zheng. Are you ill? You call me by the wrong name every time.¡± Shen Hua would torment her whenever she saw her. She did not show any mercy at all. She could not even remember her surname! Shen Hua shot her a look that was not at all gentle. ¡°I¡¯ve always been sick.¡± Chapter 15 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Among all the girls in Fengzhou City, Shen Hua was the one Zheng Qianyu looked down on the most. They were both daughters of merchants, and neither of them was more noble than the other. However, Shen Hua¡¯s arrogance was greater than anyone else¡¯s. Every time they clashed, she would always gain the upper hand. Why was she still so arrogant when her family was about to perish?! ¡°Shen Hua, you should be aware of how annoying you¡¯ve been.¡± These words were true. Shen Hua hugged the still-warm heater and nodded at her adorably. Zheng Qianyu choked. ¡°???¡± The girl was being so smug. She was so angry that her entire body was trembling. When she thought of the purpose of coming here, she suppressed her emotions, lowered her voice, and gritted her teeth. ¡°Do you know the Dong Family who is in the porcelain business on Chi Dong Street? Their son died a few years ago.¡± When Shen Hua heard this, she said unhappily, ¡°Although I¡¯ve done all kinds of bad stuff, I¡¯ve never been involved in evil deeds. If someone from the Dong family died, it¡¯s not like I killed them.¡± What did it have to do with her? However, Zheng Qianyu was obviously implying something. If it was in the past, she might have asked Zheng Qianyu about it. It was basically like gossiping. Who asked the Dong family¡¯s son to be an undisciplined hooligan? In the early years, he was ruthlessly convicted of murder and sent to jail. He was supposed to be beheaded in public, but the Dong family spent all their wealth and connections to plead with the magistrate. The Dong family¡¯s son was eventually imprisoned for a few years before he was released. Shen Hua did not know how he died later, but his death was deserved. Currently, Shen Hua had a bunch of trivial matters to deal with, so she could not be bothered to comment on these things. She frowned and walked away, clearly not wanting to chat with Zheng Qianyu. Zheng Qianyu was unwilling to let her leave. Seeing this, she grabbed Shen Hua¡¯s arm and stopped talking in riddles. She said each word clearly. ¡°Who told you that? ¡°Although the news of the Shen family and the Dong family¡¯s engagement hasn¡¯t spread, I¡¯ve still heard about it. Don¡¯t play dumb.¡± She spat it out quickly. ¡°Your Shen family is vicious. How much did the Dong family offer you to agree to such a thing? You¡¯re truly wicked.¡± Shen Hua was stunned. ¡°Ah, but I¡¯m not dead.¡± She did not want to marry a dead person even if she died. Zheng Qianyu said angrily, ¡°What¡¯s going on? You¡¯re sometimes smart and sometimes muddle-headed. Who said I was talking about you?!¡± Shen Hua came back to her senses. Her body stiffened and cold sweat broke out on her back. Soon, it spread to her limbs and bones. All the confusion suddenly cleared up. Marriages in death had been against ethics since ancient times. No wonder Aunt Liu wanted to choose death. She was just a concubine who could not even enter the family tree. How could she make a decision for Shen Zhui, who had long been buried? In her previous life, she had fallen into misery. The Shen and Dong families were afraid that the world would gossip about the ghost marriage, so they hid it very well. Shen Hua¡¯s ears buzzed, and her vision turned black. ¡°Hey!¡± Zheng Qianyu gripped Shen Hua, who had gone limp, and her face turned red with anger. ¡°Shen Hua!¡± ¡°You¡¯re extorting me.¡± She pretended to faint at the slightest hint of an argument. ¡°Mistress.¡± Yi Cui was shocked and hurriedly went forward. Zheng Qianyu hurriedly transferred Shen Hua into Yi Cui¡¯s arms. Shen Hua panted a few times. Her face was completely pale, but she grabbed Zheng Qianyu¡¯s sleeve. ¡°How did you know about this?¡± Zheng Qianyu said, ¡°I heard what the Dong family¡¯s mistress said when she was drunk. ¡°If the Dong family¡¯s son was a good person, I wouldn¡¯t be so indignant. Shen Zhui didn¡¯t have her way when she was alive. Don¡¯t tell me you won¡¯t let her rest in peace even after she¡¯s dead?¡± After a few breaths, Shen Hua regained her composure. She had made things difficult for Shen Qu. He had been busy with Shen Wei¡¯s funeral and had even agreed to such a detrimental matter in order to use the Dong Family to get involved with the magistrate. Madam Shen Xue could not help but involve herself in this matter. She seemed to be mocking him. Although her tone was light, her words were clear. ¡°No matter what, Shen Zhui is still part of the Shen family¡¯s bloodline. As long as I¡¯m around, I won¡¯t let anyone humiliate her like this. She¡¯s already dead. How can she break out of the coffin and move her bones to be buried with that Dong family¡¯s son?¡± Was the Dong family even compatible? Shen Hua was not in the mood for pleasantries. She took a deep look at Zheng Qianyu. Zheng Qianyu¡¯s hair stood on end from her gaze. ¡®What are you looking at?¡¯ Just as she was about to make another sarcastic remark, Shen Hua¡¯s pale lips curled into a smile. ¡°Thank you for telling me, Sister Mi.¡± Zheng Qianyu turned around and left angrily. ¡®Why don¡¯t you try saying that again?¡¯ ¡­ ¡°Mistress, this matter must be the work of the Second Branch and the stepson. If the stepmother is also involved, how will you deal with it?¡± Yi Cui frowned tightly. Shen Hua let out a long sigh. ¡°Isn¡¯t this also a weakness that we can use? ¡°Those people are worse than animals.¡± Aunt Liu and Shen Zhui were innocent. ¡°Stepmother is great at putting on an act. She did all sorts of mean things in the name of virtue. Previously, Father thought highly of me, so she didn¡¯t dare to do anything to me. She even tried to get on my good side. She was considerate in everything. ¡°But let¡¯s not talk about anything else. The winter clothes she sends to Aunt Liu¡¯s courtyard every year have all been changed to low-grade cotton wool. How can she avoid the cold? ¡°In the past, I thought that she was only a little greedy. Now, it seems that she and Shen Qu are biological mother and son.¡± The carriage of the Shen family arrived. Shen Hua got into the carriage with Yi Cui¡¯s help. The driver pulled the reins tightly and gave a shout. The wheels rolled. There were all kinds of paper money and gold ingots piled up by Aunt Liu¡¯s feet. She retracted her legs uneasily. The sacrificial items did not take up much space, but she was still worried about angering Shen Hua. With her thoughts a mess, the memories of the past slowly filled her¡­ Shen Zhui had fallen into the water after coming out of the young mistress¡¯s house. That year, Shen Hua had a verbal dispute with Third Lady Zheng. She was so anxious to return to her residence that she was coughing out blood. Her Shen Zhui received the news and went to visit her in a hurry. Shen Hua was the delicate rose of the residence. The servants who served her filled the room. Shen Zhui did not get to see her, so she could only walk back worriedly. The sky was as dark as ink. The maids serving her were from Madam Shen Xue. How could they be trying their hardest? ¡°Second Lady, please walk faster. After I send you back, I still have to get some wine to warm my body. But I¡¯m puzzled. Why are you rushing to please her? You even made me follow you for nothing.¡± Shen Zhui was a little afraid. She carefully observed her expression. ¡°I can go back myself.¡± The old servant walked off arrogantly with the only source of light in her hand. Shen Zhui could not see well at night. When she passed by the small pool, she slipped and fell into the water. By the time someone fished her out, she was already dead. She could only blame Ah Zhui¡¯s bad fortune. As her biological mother, she could not protect her. How could he blame Shen Hua for this? They moved in silence. When the carriage stopped, Shen Hua lifted her skirt and stepped out of the carriage. ¡°Aunt.¡± Shen Hua turned around. ¡°If retribution doesn¡¯t follow me like a shadow, there must be something between heaven and earth. ¡°But I firmly believe that hiding in the dark will always backfire. Why should you die now? Rather, you have to live well for her sake.¡± She enunciated each word clearly. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I acknowledge Shen Zhui as my sister.¡± Chapter 16 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The Shen family¡¯s residence stretched a long distance from north to south. It was narrow from east to west. The place and lengthy and angular. It was clear they had gone through great efforts to make money. Other than the main courtyard, Shen Hua¡¯s courtyard had the best feng shui in the mansion. The snow on the main road had long been cleaned up. When they passed by the rockery at the Qushui Tower, an untimely voice sounded. ¡°Cousin Shen.¡± After Yi Cui recognized the owner of the voice, her face darkened. Xue Muliang walked quickly toward Shen Hua. His body was plump, and his eyes were narrowed slits on his big round face. As he walked, Shen Hua seemed to be able to feel the vibrations on the ground. Xue Muliang stood still. On his stubby hand were three glittering golden rings. ¡°I¡¯m living in the Shen residence now and have been looking forward to visiting you. However, Aunt said that you were seriously ill recently. I was also afraid that I would catch your illness, so after some thought, I had to give up.¡± The aunt he was talking about was Madam Shen Xue. Xue Muliang carefully examined Shen Hua¡¯s pale face. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seen you, I think you¡¯re looking better.¡± Shen Hua looked at him silently. Xue Muliang was not discouraged by the lack of response. He was used to it. In the past, when he came to the Shen Residence to stay for a while, he had always been obedient to Shen Hua. Even if he was essentially facing a brick wall, he could only swallow his anger. He was afraid he would get chased out if he offended someone. At that time, Shen Hua was very crafty. Her words were always sarcastic. ¡­ ¡°Do you think you have the right to call me Sis? ¡°Who allowed you to enter my brother¡¯s house? Is it my stepmother who made the decision? What a joke. She¡¯s a secondary wife. She lives in my mother¡¯s courtyard and uses my mother¡¯s bed. She calls herself my Mom all day long. She¡¯s shameless, to begin with. I hate her and I hate you even more. Put that down. That¡¯s my brother¡¯s book. No matter how good the book is, it¡¯s not yours. You¡¯re not allowed to touch it. ¡­ He had to apologize softly every time, but things were different now. Xue Muliang put on a haughty air. ¡°Cousin, you look like you¡¯ve just recovered from a serious illness. It makes my heart ache.¡± Perhaps it was because she had suffered too much these few days, but Shen Hua was somehow able to remain calm when facing Xue Muliang. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve learned your lesson these few days. Cousin Shen has humiliated me in the past, but your brother did not care for me. Naturally, he can¡¯t bear to scold you. Have you considered what I said the day the He family broke off the engagement?¡± Shen Hua¡¯s tone was indifferent. ¡°You want to marry me?¡± Xue Muliang raised his thumb and pointed at himself. ¡°Although the Xue family is small, I¡¯m still a dragon among men. Of course, I have to marry a gentle and virtuous woman. Someone like you is more than enough to be a noble concubine.¡± Shen Hua was so angry that she laughed. ¡°Being illiterate is a transgression. But some cannot do anything.¡± Xue Muliang did not understand. Shen Hua continued, ¡°The Xue family is a small family, and the He family is also a small family. None is nobler than the other. However, with their wicked attitude, I¡¯m afraid that the two prefectures will fight to the death.¡± Yi Cui spat, ¡°You¡¯re aiming over your league. Never mind my mistress, even I don¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°How can you brazenly say you want a wife? How shameless.¡± Xue Muliang, ¡°???¡± He flew into a rage. ¡°Shen Hua! You can¡¯t even protect yourself, so why are you still showing off? It¡¯s already an honor to be taken as a concubine. Otherwise¡­¡± He laughed ambiguously as his fat body moved closer. He had never failed to get what he wanted. Madam Shen Xue regarded him as her son and would grant all his requests. In the past, it was because of Shen Wei that he did not dare harbor any intentions. Now, however, with just a word from his aunt, Shen Hua was the one who did not want to face him. With such a status, it would be a waste to die a virgin after death. His gaze turned into one of blatant darkness. ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s fine. Sleep with me for a night and this matter will be over.¡± He smiled sinisterly and raised his hand to touch Shen Hua. ¡°Stop!¡± Madam Shen Xue shouted anxiously. Shen Hua was a tool to be used by Shen Qu. Although Madam Shen Xue was not too worried, she knew what was at stake. She doted on her nephew, Xue Muliang, the most, but Shen Qu was the one who would take care of her when she was old. She also wanted Shen Qu to promote Xue Muliang so that she could get a share of the Shen family¡¯s embroidery workshop. However, their relationship was weak, to begin with. If Shen Hua was in the Shen Residence, Xue Muliang would try to have his way with her under everyone¡¯s nose. Never mind Shen Qu, even his second uncle, Shen Hewen, would not let him off. Shen Hua was indeed untouchable now. That was the position of her and Xue Muliang. When Xue Muliang saw that his support had arrived, he immediately complained. ¡°Aunt, you came at the right time. This little b*tch¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Madam Shen Xue interrupted angrily. ¡°Who do you think you are to Yangyang?!¡± Shen Hua, ¡°Wow.¡± Xue Muliang, ¡°?¡± ¡®Weren¡¯t you the one who bad-mouthed her first?!¡¯ ¡°Liang¡¯er, although I¡¯m your aunt, I¡¯m also Yangyang¡¯s mom.¡± Shen Hua, ¡®Who cares?¡¯ Xue Muliang, ¡°?¡± It was not like she was her biological daughter! ¡°Yes, the He family has broken off the engagement, but so what? Yangyang is such a good girl, why would she be afraid of not being able to find a good husband? Her brother will handle that. What does it have to do with you?¡± Xue Muliang, ¡°???¡± A few days ago, she clearly said that Shen Hua was all his to play with! ¡®Aunt! Are you possessed?¡¯ Steward Cheng was watching from not far away. He was Shen Qu¡¯s eyes and ears. Madam Shen Xue¡¯s words were specially spoken for Shen Qu to hear. ¡°I¡¯ll say this today. If you continue to spout nonsense and act rashly, don¡¯t blame me for chasing you out of the residence, regardless of our relationship.¡± Xue Muliang was dumbfounded. He looked like a fat chicken that had lost his family. He was no longer as arrogant as before. Madam Shen Xue turned her head and met Shen Hua¡¯s calm and composed gaze. ¡°Good girl, I¡¯ve frightened you. Now¡­¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Shen Hua¡¯s mind was filled with the issue with Shen Zhui. She cut across her without any emotion. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend to be merciful. ¡°You know what kind of person I am. I also know what tricks you¡¯re playing. However, I¡¯m very delicate and thin-skinned. I really can¡¯t get used to you. I always have to pretend to be polite to you.¡± Madam Shen Xue choked. She had already given Shen Hua a way out, but she was insulting her now? ¡°And you, Xue Muliang.¡± Shen Hua was at a loss for words. After all, Xue Muliang was a famous person in Fengzhou City in her previous life. Three months later, he would be making advances on someone in the depths of the alley. He was naked and had a sinister smile on his face. However, he failed. In the end, his exposed manhood was pecked by the white goose that was protecting its owner. Yes, that was his lifeblood. The goose bit down hard and refused to let go. He did not dare to pull it out, afraid that something would break. It was so painful that he kept twitching. With a shocking wail, he kicked the goose away, but his rough actions had the opposite effect. The goose was angered and flapped its wings, its eyes red with anxiety. It chased after him relentlessly, trying to fight him to the death. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± The goose¡¯s feathers flew everywhere, and the goose pecked every spot it could reach. In his haste, Xue Muliang tripped over a stone and stumbled. He could only cover his lower body and endure the pain. He gritted his teeth and ran out in a panic. He later heard that all the people on the street had seen him. Shen Hua¡¯s lips curled up in delight. ¡°You don¡¯t have any children yet, so you should take care of yourself.¡± Chapter 17 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Everyone in the Xue family has settled down in the West Court. Putting aside the fact that Mrs. Xue is an opportunist, Uncle Xue¡¯s third concubine had also come. Last night, a concubine found out that she had a favorable pulse, and Mrs. Xue asked the stepmother for a hundred-year-old ginseng.¡± As soon as the master and servant returned to the courtyard, Yi Cui whispered into Shen Hua¡¯s ear. The Uncle Xue she was talking about was Xue Muliang¡¯s father. ¡°With such a big family, they¡¯re all eating up the Shen family¡¯s food. They¡¯re even deliberately causing trouble for you.¡± Shen Hua looked up at the sky. Her tone was filled with disappointment that she should not have at her age. ¡°If I remember correctly, the Xue family intended to marry Second Sister at first.¡± Although Shen Zhui was the daughter of a concubine, she was still Shen Wei¡¯s daughter. The dowry would definitely be generous. When Madam Shen Xue raised this matter, Shen Wei rejected the idea. Shen Zhui was too young, and Xue Muliang spent all his time with women. Even if Shen Wei did not care about Shen Zhui very much, he would not push her into a pit of fire. ¡°Yi Cui, go and bring Second Sister¡¯s wet nurse over. I have something to ask.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go look for Mrs. Qiu now.¡± Mrs. Qiu was also a pitiful person. She had lost her husband in her early years and could not handle the sorrow. She had already given birth to a stillbirth before that. She was so sorrowful that she almost cried her eyes away. Aunt Liu felt sorry for her. Seeing that she was alone and helpless, she begged Madam Shen Chun to keep her. Because of this, she was the only loyal person by Aunt Liu¡¯s side. In her previous life, before Shen Wei passed away, Mrs. Qiu had once come to look for Shen Hua. However, she was chased away by the complacent Mrs. Xu on the spot. It seemed that Mrs. Qiu had come because of Shen Zhui. However, she had never been able to see Shen Hua as she wished. After Concubine Liu¡¯s death, Mrs. Qiu followed suit. In the end, everyone in the Shen family who had good intentions did not have a happy ending. What awaited them was despair. ¡°Alright.¡± The weather was cold, and there was a charcoal fire burning in the room. As soon as she entered, a wave of hot air wafted over with the faint fragrance of the incense burner. The smell was like the fragrance of spring plums in the snow. The ingredients used for this incense were extremely meticulous. It contained a little of the high-grade dragon brain incense that was as expensive as gold. The various spices were mixed with fine powder, and refined honey, which were evenly distributed. Shen Hua liked this smell. Even her dress had to be smoked with this. It had been like this for many years without changing. Shen Hua narrowed her eyes comfortably. She was used to enjoying herself. The various items in the house, from the accessories and hairpin rings to the decorative vases in the corners, were all carefully selected. Even the soft bells were made of jade. They had a delicate luster and were shaped like small bells. With a slight shake, a crisp sound could be heard. The jade used to make the bells was obtained from her brother, Shen Zhi, back then. At that time, the girl¡¯s warm and bright eyes curved into a bright smile. ¡­ ¡°Brother, this jade isn¡¯t great, but it¡¯s hard to find on the market. Let Yangyang have it.¡± ¡°Use it to make bells. My curtain is made of golden threads, so I can¡¯t use cheap goods on the streets that only cost a few copper coins.¡± ¡­ Shen Hua let out a low laugh, but her expression became a lot more downcast. Without anyone to protect her, she could always taste the bitterness of adversity. She had also gone from being pretentious to being an annoying and resentful woman. Soon, Yi Cui brought the people in. Mrs. Qiu followed behind Yi Cui with her hands tightly placed on her abdomen. She was limping and walked rather slower than ordinary people. Shen Hua had a decent impression of her. She had originally served Shen Zhui with all her might, but her stepmother had sent another woman over to take care of her. She could only abdicate and take care of Aunt Liu¡¯s daily life. Ever since that day, Shen Zhui¡¯s body was no longer as clean and refined. Even her garments had become perfunctory. ¡°Mrs. Qiu, why are you so nervous? I won¡¯t eat you.¡± ¡°No¡­ In fact, I also want to look for you, mistress. Please help her, since you¡¯re her sister.¡± She knelt down with a plop, tears flickering in her eyes. ¡°Yi Cui, help her up.¡± Shen Hua half-leaned on the chaise lounge and looked over with her clear eyes. ¡°As far as I know, the Dong family lost their son five years ago. Although the Dong family and the Shen family are partners, the two families have no business dealings.¡± The Dong Family had a lot of shady dealings. Although they were rich, their reputation was extremely bad. Before Dong Hui was born, the Taoist priest pointed out that his fortune was great. Sure enough, after Madam Dong became pregnant, the Dong family¡¯s business grew bigger and bigger. However, after Dong Hui died, the Dong family¡¯s luck plummeted. In just a few years, dozens of shops under their name had closed down. Even the ships that were transported to other places filled with porcelain had sunk multiple times. They have suffered heavy losses. The marriage could have been earlier or later. There was probably something fishy going on. ¡°Tell me in detail.¡± Madam Qiu was so angry that her body was trembling. However, she seemed to have grabbed onto a lifeline. She did not dare to hide anything and explained everything. ¡°You are right, mistress. Dong Hui died five years ago.¡± ¡°Dong Hui had no wife or children when he was alive, but he had many concubines. After he died, they were all buried alive.¡± Many scholars and calligraphers began to reprimand him, leaving criticisms. Although it was cruel to bury the living, there were precedents in the dynasty. The Dong family used money to compensate those concubines¡¯ families, and this matter was left there. ¡°During the Zhongyuan Festival last year, Madam Dong offered incense as a sacrifice. After that, she often had nightmares and was reminded by Taoist priests. They said that she was plagued by ghosts. When her son died, he was 18 years old. He had no wife and was alone. After his death, he had no temple to enjoy the sacrifices and drifted around. That was why he came to visit her in her dreams.¡± ¡°Madam Dong believes in ghosts and gods the most. That¡¯s why she has plans to have him married in secret.¡± ¡°Therefore, after the Dong family hired a sorcerer, they secretly asked around about the mother who had passed away in the past three years. They asked about her birth date and characters. On her death anniversary, they even had to look at her bones through a portrait.¡± Shen Hua seemed to be deep in thought as she smiled faintly. ¡°She sure knows how to pick a good day.¡± The Zhongyuan Festival was also known as the Ghost Festival. The people of this part of the world were the most superstitious. Every year, at this time, it was said that the Ghost Gate was wide open and the Yin energy was the densest. On this day, Madam Dong went to Dong Hui¡¯s grave to offer incense. ¡°Second Madam¡¯s birth characters are good, and the person from the Harmony Yard allowed it. Later, he sent the old woman serving him to inform our concubine. When she found out, her chest was heavy and she vomited blood that night.¡± Mrs. Qiu took a deep breath and gnashed her teeth, ¡°But if this is such a shady marriage, then forget it.¡± Was there something else going on? Shen Hua frowned and sat up straight. ¡°After the Dong family decided on our Second Mistress, they decided on another 17 families one after another. There was even a woman who had just died.¡± Shen Hua scoffed in anger. Why did Ah Zhui have to be picked by trash like the Dong family? Just as she was about to spit an insult, she saw Mrs. Qiu crying. Shen Hua paused. Dong Hui died when he was 18. Now, he had to gather 18 women. A wild guess flashed across her mind, but Shen Hua firmly grasped it. She asked in disbelief, ¡°So, the Dong family gathered 18 women who had died within three years under the guise of being illegitimate, cut off their luck of reincarnation, and used witchcraft to defy the heavens, all in order to change the Dong family¡¯s luck?¡± Chapter 18 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation In order to show his filial piety, Shen Qu specially set up a Seventh Feast. Every seven days, he would offer food and wine as a sacrifice, chant scriptures, and exorcise spirits. There had to be seven sets. He had also earned a good reputation as he planned. Shen Hua did not want to look at a hypocrite. On the day of the banquet, she carried her bamboo basket and left. Inside the bamboo basket were the scriptures she had copied these days. She planned to burn them as a memorial to the dead. According to the customs of Fengzhou City, she was not allowed to go to the grave for the first seven days. Shen Hua simply went to the main road in the suburbs. That was the place where Shen Wei had to pass when he went out of Fengzhou City to do business. Because she would leave and return early, she did not bring Yi Cui along this time. The carriage traveled steadily. She sat in a daze. After a long time, she lifted her skirt and got off the carriage. The air in the suburbs was fresh, and Shen Hua¡¯s lips curled into a smile. She turned around and instructed the coachman, ¡°I recall that there¡¯s a peach pastry within a five-kilometer radius of the main road. The stall owner runs an open-air business. Father likes to eat that food. Go and buy some.¡± The coachman hesitated, not daring to leave Shen Hua alone. ¡°Mistress, you need someone to serve you.¡± Shen Hua glanced at the girl who was holding a horse a few feet behind her and poking her head out. She pointed with her fingertip. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know Third Lady Zheng.¡± There were few people in the suburbs. She looked around, found an empty space, and squatted down. The lighter was prepared. Soon, a fire was flickering. ¡°Hello, Shen Hua.¡± The woman with her arms crossed behind her groaned. Shen Hua was not in a hurry to get up. She only looked at the rice paper turned into ashes quietly. Her uneasy heart gradually calmed down with the crackling sound of the fire. ¡°Miss Mi, why did you follow me all the way here?¡± Zheng Qianyu said angrily, ¡°Do you know that Crown Prince He is now engaged to the Zhou family? That Zhou Zhizhi was very boastful at the engagement banquet. Now, everyone knows that she will be the Elementary Scholar¡¯s wife in the future. Alright, she can have fun pretending.¡± In Fengzhou City, she disliked Shen Hua the most, and Zhou Zhizhi was second. If Shen Hua was said to be a sickly and pretentious flower of wealth, then Zhou Zhizhi was a little white lotus who feigned elegance. Sometimes, this little white lotus was even more disgusting than Shen Hua. Was Elementary Scholar He Chu blind? Look at her! Zheng Qianyu! How was she not more suitable to marry than Zhou Zhizhi? ¡°Shen Hua, that Zhou Zhizhi has always been at odds with you. Seeing that the two of them are engaged, are you going to take this lying down?¡± Shen Hua originally could not accept it. As long as she wanted to, she could ruin the He family, but she did not. Crown Prince He was like a villain, and Madam He was shrewd and unreasonable. Perhaps Zhou Zhizhi would not be estranged after marrying for a year and a half, but what if Crown Prince He could not take a step forward from Elementary Scholar? Would Zhou Zhizhi, who thought so highly of herself and wanted to be the wife of a High Scholar, be able to live with this? Zhou Zhizhi did not like doing chores. The He family¡¯s cooking, boiling water, and sweeping were all done by Mother He. After a long time, surely Mother He would complain about her. The He family¡¯s days would probably be chaotic. ¡°This is a godsend.¡± Zheng Qianyu watched in anticipation as Shen Hua pulled out a slender finger. Her eyes finally had the childishness that a fourteen-year-old girl should have¡­ ¡°In terms of looks, it¡¯s me, you, and lastly, Zhou Zhizhi.¡± When Zheng Qianyu heard this, she was displeased. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Shouldn¡¯t I be first?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt!¡± Seeing this, Zheng Qianyu took a step back. ¡°Alright, alright. Zhou Zhizhi, that little white lotus, will still be the last.¡± Shen Hua pulled out another finger. ¡°In terms of knowledge, it¡¯s me, you, and lastly, Zhou Zhizhi.¡± Zheng Qianyu could be self-centered when it came to looks, but knowledge¡­ She cleared her throat guiltily. ¡°That¡¯s a little biased. How can you have the cheek to say that? Zhou Zhizhi¡¯s ancestors were officials. She studied since she was young. If I remember correctly, you were so willful that you made no less than five teachers leave.¡± Shen Hua clutched her chest and asked as calmly as she could, ¡°Are you going to be outdone?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Hence, under Zheng Qianyu¡¯s expectant gaze, Shen Hua pulled out another finger. ¡°In terms of family background, it¡¯s me, you, Zhou Zhizhi.¡± Zheng Qianyu nodded heavily. The Shen family had a lot of money. The Zheng family had rice that they could not finish in their entire lives! What did Zhou Zhizhi have? In the end, Shen Hua stuck out her pinky again. ¡°As for personality, I¡¯m docile and virtuous, and you only have some small problems. As for Zhou Zhizhi, it¡¯s hard to say.¡± This matter-of-fact tone made Zheng Qianyu choke. ¡®Docile and virtuous? You, Shen Hua?¡¯ Also, what did he mean by she had a lot of small problems? As expected, she had her reasons for hating Shen Hua. Under the light, Shen Hua¡¯s thick eyelashes cast a shadow. She was afraid of the cold, so she specially wrapped herself up before leaving. The fur cloak was glossy and thick. Shen Hua¡¯s calves felt heavy and were trembling, and her voice was weak. ¡°Not only did I not stop a person whose looks, knowledge, and family background are inferior to ours from marrying into the He family, I even congratulated them on it. That¡¯s better than harming others.¡± Zheng Qianyu¡¯s pupils constricted as she took a huge step back. Shen Hua, ¡°¡­¡± She did not plan to extort anyone today! Zheng Qianyu was conflicted. ¡°But I can¡¯t just watch Scholar He jump from a sea of fire to a fire pit.¡± Shen Hua, the sea of fire, ¡°¡­¡± She locked her gaze on Zheng Qianyu. ¡°Do you like Crown Prince He? ¡°Do you really think that Chu He is a popular celebrity? ¡°Madam He is domineering and only has this one son, but Crown Prince He is blind and follows without thinking. Although he is a scholar, he is at the bottom of the rankings. What is there to like? ¡°Seeing that my family is in a hurry to break off the engagement on the day my father is buried, it¡¯s obvious that they¡¯re looking for power.¡± Zheng Qianyu frowned and hurriedly defended her sweetheart. ¡°He had no choice but to obey his mother¡¯s orders. Young Master He has always been filial.¡± Zheng Qianyu¡¯s face turned red, but she did not shy away. ¡°He¡¯s a gentle and considerate man, but let me say this first. Before this, I¡¯ve never been despicable and shameless enough to steal your man.¡± However, she wanted to steal from Zhou Zhizhi!!! Zheng Qianyu¡¯s heart was pounding, and her eyes were filled with bright light. Shen Hua, ¡°¡­¡± It was so ridiculous that she almost could not breathe. Seeing that her expression was rather odd, Zheng Qianyu hesitated and stepped forward. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Shen Hua said, ¡°I want to throw up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Bear with it. I¡¯ll help you to the side.¡± Shen Hua did not move and only looked up faintly. ¡°I¡¯m sick of what you¡¯re saying.¡± Zheng Qianyu, ¡°!!!¡± ¡®Will you die unless I choke?!¡¯ She turned around and left angrily. ¡°Wait.¡± Shen Hua frowned and sighed in disappointment. She said baldly, ¡°I sailed the winds for many years.¡± ¡°Speak in human language.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m thirsty.¡± ¡°You really know how to order people around. Do you think I¡¯m a servant of the Shen family?!¡± Zheng Qianyu muttered, but she still went to get the water bag. Zheng Qianyu shook it, but it was empty. She shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s all. Bear with it. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Shen Hua looked up, and the blue sky was clear. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d end like this.¡± Zheng Qianyu, ¡°¡­¡± Shen Hua looked lifeless and on the verge of death. ¡°If I¡¯m guilty, please let the Three Pure Ones punish me instead of some people leaving me in the lurch.¡± Zheng Qianyu, ¡°¡­Who are you mocking?¡± It was just water! She was going to find it!!! Chapter 19 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation There was a water source nearby. It was a living spring that was clean and sweet. It made it convenient for tourists to come and go. Even vendors would come here to get water. Zheng Qianyu remembered this very clearly! This was where she had first met Crown Prince He. Among the group of students, He Chu was the coldest. He was wearing a thin long robe. Although it was washed until it was colorless, it looked refreshing and clean. Zheng Qianyu was illiterate, but she craned her neck to listen to the poems from these people. She was at a loss as she listened, but she increasingly felt that He Chu¡¯s literary talent was outstanding. Until¡­ ¡°Chu He, why are you engaged to Shen Hua from the Shen family? She¡¯s famous for being unreasonable. I heard that she¡¯s so noble that she won¡¯t even walk. She travels outside in a sedan chair.¡± ¡°Brother He, I advise you to reconsider. Marrying a delicate and pretentious woman like Shen Hua will reduce your lifespan by more than ten years.¡± Zheng Qianyu¡¯s heart was broken. ¡®Ahhhhhhhhh! Why is Shen Hua everywhere? She¡¯s haunting me!¡¯ ¡®Still¡­¡¯ She put her hands on her hips. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Shen Hua is indeed arrogant, but she won¡¯t restrain her husband. Pfft! She¡¯s better at slandering and spreading rumors than a village woman. I advise you to take off your student clothes and go home to the farm.¡± So what if Shen Hua went out to make a sedan chair? The Shen family was wealthy. It was not a problem to buy a hundred sedan chairs. Who were they hurting? As for walking without getting off the ground, it was her own fault. She had climbed a tree to pick dates and fell. When Zheng Qianyu found out about this, she went out of her way came to mock her. Shen Hua lay on the couch and stuffed a big and sweet date into her mouth. It was only because of the date that she reluctantly felt sorry for Shen Hua. ¡°The girl is right.¡± At that time, He Chu took a step forward and bowed to Zheng Qianyu. He then said to his fellow students, ¡°Brothers, no one is perfect. Shen Hua might have some small flaws, but in my eyes, she¡¯s frank and flawless. I hope that all of you will show mercy. Those who insult her will be insulting me.¡± Zheng Qianyu¡¯s broken heart pieced together again. She envied Shen Hua. She was so envious that she was about to go silly. Now, however, the person she was envious of was Zhou Zhizhi¡­ Zheng Qianyu really could not understand why a good scholar would be so foolishly filial. Or was Crown Prince He really that blind? Shen Hua¡¯s words just now rolled in her ears. The answer to it was obvious. Thinking of this, the feelings of the girl completely crumbled at this moment. Even when she thought of He Chu, his body no longer emitted the brilliance of attracting the opposite sex. Love came and went quickly. In the end, He Chu was just an ordinary man. She was happy to pick up things that Shen Hua did not want. As for Zhou Zhizhi, she¡­ found it dirty. Shen Hua stood on her tiptoes and looked in the direction Zheng Qianyu had left. There was nothing but a white scene. When she left the manor, it was already snowing. Shen Hua was a little tired. After looking around, her gaze landed on the stone slab on the side of the road. She took small steps forward and pondered for a moment. She raised her hand to brush away the thick layer of snow before sitting down. She covered her frozen palm and exhaled. It had been three days since she went to the embroidery workshop. It was time for Steward Sun to make a move. It had probably been a few days since Shen Qu had questioned her sternly. There was also the matter of Shen Zhui. Shen Hua¡¯s mind went blank. For a moment, she had a headache and felt that it was really difficult to live. ¡­ ¡°Fengzhou City is right ahead. If I continue to stay with a blockhead like you, I¡¯ll go crazy sooner or later.¡± On the official road, the carriage was driving at a leisurely pace. Ji He was complaining non-stop, regretting that he had to come here and travel. Cui Yun was extremely boring!!! Their last conversation was yesterday. ¡°Cui Yun, you and I are already at the age of marriage. If we both like the same woman, I am willing to give her to you on account of our meager relationship in the past.¡± ¡°You¡¯re magnanimous.¡± ¡°Cui Yun, since that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t we talk about our expectations for our new wives in the future? We¡¯re both men; who doesn¡¯t care about looks? I like good-looking people.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Xie Jiao from the Fuguo Public House is not bad, but she¡¯s as timid as a mouse. She would cry from fear just by someone saying something harsh.¡± ¡°You¡¯re correct.¡± ¡°Wei Yingying, the daughter of the Minister of Works, is bold, but she¡¯s abnormally pretentious. Her behavior is hard to tolerate.¡± ¡°True.¡± Cui Yun responded appropriately. However, his responses were stiff and emotionless. Sensing that something was wrong, Ji He tried something else. ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯m a woman! I pretended to be a man for more than ten years. Ha, you didn¡¯t expect this, did you?¡± Cui Yun was not surprised at all. He just followed the conversation according. ¡°Seventh Princess, you must have endured humiliation for many years. It has been hard on you.¡± !!! ¡®Can¡¯t you just die?!¡¯ Ji He lay on the ground, lifted the curtain, and let the cold wind blow in. He looked like he had lost the will to live. Cui Yun seemed to be deep in thought. Currently, there were only three unmarried princes, the second prince, Ji Cong, the seventh prince, Ji He, and Ji Teng, who had been a hostage for several years. Concubine Jing had two sons and a daughter. Although Ji Cong was a fool, the fourth prince, Ji Wang, who was from the same mother, was deeply loved by Emperor Ji. He was the Crown Prince¡¯s strongest threat. Ji Cong¡¯s marriage would be decided by Concubine Jing. There would definitely be many women who wanted to marry him. No matter how much he disliked this son of his, Emperor Qi still remembered that he was at the age where he should choose the Seventh Prince¡¯s concubine. When he invited him into the palace, he felt a chill from this and became more and more certain that Ji He was a bringer of bad luck. His thoughts of choosing a concubine for her were also put on hold. As for Ji Teng, there was even less of a need to talk about him. Even if he died, Emperor Qi would not even look at him. ¡°Stop!¡± Ji He¡¯s low voice rang in the carriage. Ji Qing, who was driving the carriage, slowly pulled the reins. The carriage gradually slowed down. Soon, the wheels sank into the snow and did not move at all. Cui Yun¡¯s sitting posture remained unchanged, and the appearance of a young master from an aristocratic family was revealed. Along the way, Ji He was really noisy, but he was used to it. However, it was different this time. He sat up straight with a swoosh. ¡°Cui Yun!¡± ¡°Look at that! There¡¯s a fat ferret lying there!¡± Cui Wei followed the direction of his finger and saw a furry ball curled up on a stone slab on the side of the road. Its fur was snow-white. If one did not observe carefully, it looked like it had fused with the snow. ¡°I remember that your archery and riding skills are outstanding. Why don¡¯t you catch this ferret and cook its meat?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the creature a few feet away turn over with difficulty. As she moved, the wooden hairpin slipped off and her black hair fell. Shen Hua, who was dizzy and sleepy, was not bothered to pick it up. She was afraid of the cold, so she wrapped her scarf around her pale face a few times. She did not mind suffocating, though. Her entire body was wrapped up without revealing any skin. She was actually a woman. Cui Yun, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s rumored that there are always ghosts in the forest who turn into women just to drain the blood essence of passers-by.¡± As he spoke, he could not help but feel a chill down his spine. Just then, Cui Yun moved. ¡°Cui Yun! Why are you getting off the carriage?!¡± ¡°Humans and demons have different paths. Why are you so eager?!¡± Chapter 20 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Snow began to fall. There was no sign of anyone else on the road. The weather was cold, and it would be New Year¡¯s Eve in half a month¡¯s time. More than half of the escort caravans were gone. Cui Yun walked closer. Even though he had not entered the battlefield before, he still practiced martial arts, so his eyes and ears were naturally several times better than ordinary people¡¯s. The woman¡¯s weak breathing was almost non-existent. It was indeed a little strange to see this in the wilderness. However, Cui Yun¡¯s expression did not change. His gaze lingered on the clumsy fat ferret for a moment before he calmly retracted it. In the carriage, Ji He widened her eyes. Cui Yun bent down slightly and stretched out his well-defined hand. Ji He was shocked! When he was an inch away from Shen Hua, Cui Yun moved straight down. He accurately picked out the gap between the rocks, taking out a mushroom the size of a fingernail that was covered in snow. Ji He, who had been watching, ¡°???¡± ¡®No way, no way. You got off the carriage to pick mushrooms?¡¯ Cui Yun took out a thin handkerchief and kept it properly. Last time, Prince Gong was poisoned by this. He flipped through the Compendium of Materia Medica, but there was no record of it. Since he coincidentally found it, he naturally had to keep it. As for this half-dead woman¡­ Dizzily, Shen Hua struggled to raise her hand and touched a corner of his shirt. It was smooth and shiny, and it was obvious that the silk was of high quality. She grabbed it without hesitation. Cui Yun lowered her eyes and suddenly tensed up. Her face was covered in frost as waves flashed across her calm eyes. However, right at this moment¡­ Shen Hua raised her other arm and tugged at her scarf, revealing a pair of clear eyes. She caught the thick gloominess in Cui Yun¡¯s eyes. She could not help but feel her heart skip a beat. She was so frightened by Cui Yun¡¯s gaze that she shrank back. Even the hand that was holding onto his clothes quickly retracted. The back of the woman¡¯s hand was pale, and her veins were abnormally visible. She looked like her life was coming to an end, and she looked fragile and pitiful. She was terrified. Where did this ghost come from? Zheng Qianyu, who had returned, was in a mess. She suppressed the surprise in her eyes. The man in front of her was wearing a fox fur coat. His face was handsome and elegant, and he exuded a scholarly aura. His attitude was neither hot nor cold, and it was just right. He seemed distant but that did not offend her. Zheng Qianyu said, ¡°I¡¯ve found water for you.¡± Shen Hua was so thirsty that she could not care less about Cui Yun. She slowly got up and sat upright. She untied her thick scarf and the wind blew in. She could not help but shiver. Only then did she go and take the water bag Zheng Qianyu handed her. She leaned forward and took a sip. The bone-chilling spring water slid into her mouth, and her lips and teeth were frozen to the point where they could not feel anything. Her willowy eyebrows knitted together in pain. ¡°It¡¯s so¡­ cold.¡± Zheng Qianyu watched as Cui Yun coldly walked away step by step. Hearing this, she said angrily, ¡°It¡¯s good enough that you have something to drink. Don¡¯t cause so many problems.¡± As she spoke, she realized that something was wrong. Shen Hua¡¯s face was burning red and she was drenched in cold sweat. She was definitely not covered properly. Shen Hua¡¯s health had always been poor. When it got serious, it could be fatal. Zheng Qianyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she raised her hand to touch the woman¡¯s forehead. It was burning hot. She had only left for a moment, but Shen Hua was on the verge of death! There was a sudden bang beside her. Shen Hua, who had been sitting and drinking water, collapsed without warning. Zheng Qianyu hurriedly pulled the unconscious Shen Hua. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t scare me!¡± A panicked and shrill cry came from behind him, and Cui Yun paused as he was getting into the carriage. The Cui family had to be kind. All these years, he had hidden his strength and bided his time, right? Cui Yun concealed the emotions in his eyes. ¡°Ji Qing, invite them in.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡­ Perhaps out of consideration for Shen Hua, the carriage sped up. There were four people sitting in the carriage, but it was not cramped. The decorations were extravagant, which showed that the owner¡¯s identity was not normal. This was why Zheng Qianyu did not dare to look around. Dressed in a purple robe, she said conversationally, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Why are the two of you running around? Aren¡¯t you afraid that something will happen? If it weren¡¯t for Mr. Cui¡¯s cold-resistant pill, she probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to survive before getting treatment.¡± The cold-resistant pill was specially developed by the imperial physician and was a secret medicine in the palace. Ordinary people could not afford to use it. One of the herbs was a tribute from a vassal country. It was extremely difficult to grow and had a low survival rate. Every year, the imperial physicians could only make a dozen pills. The heavens sent them all to the Yangling Marquis Mansion to save the young princess¡¯s life. The young princess had lost her father when she was young and was plagued by an illness. Thus, she loved to pester her second uncle, Cui Yun. He had a cold-resistant pill with him just in case. Ji He had never eaten one before and did not expect Shen Hua to be using it. However, Zheng Qianyu did not know the depth of the matter. Seeing that the fever on Shen Hua¡¯s body had subsided a little, she could not help but heave a sigh of relief and hurriedly thanked the two of them. Cui Yun replied warmly, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Ji He snorted. ¡°If you lie outside, I¡¯m afraid Sister Rong will look for you again.¡± At the mention of her, the smile in Cui Wei¡¯s eyes became more genuine. His father and brother had died in battle, and the Cui Family only had him and Cui Rong left. He was the only man, so he should support the entire Yangling Mansion. As for Cui Rong, under his protection, she could live a carefree life. Cui Yun¡¯s lips curled into a silent smile. ¡°Young lady, you¡¯re so delicate. I¡¯ll be able to treat you when we get back.¡± She was indeed delicate! He had never seen such a weak girl. Previously, he had sent cherry meat to Cui Rong at the door of the Yangling Mansion. Cui Rong raised his head and said in a childish voice, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± She held her face in her hands. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re wearing green clothes. I¡¯m afraid it will inauspicious.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me your second uncle doesn¡¯t have a green robe?¡± ¡°But Second Uncle is more handsome than you.¡± He was furious, but he could not argue with the child. He turned around and changed. Cui Rong smiled sweetly at him and said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about how you look in green. I¡¯m sorry. Second Uncle said that you can¡¯t poke people¡¯s hearts.¡± Since she was already sorry, he could not blame her. Only Cui Yun, who acted as a parent, went along with everything Cui Rong asked for. Cui Yun knew how to dote on people. One could imagine that he would be a good father in the future. However, he did not know that the unconscious person in the carriage was exactly the same as Cui Rong, and sometimes even more so. Zheng Qianyu said, ¡°You two young masters don¡¯t look like you¡¯re from Fengzhou.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s said that Fengzhou¡¯s beauties are gentle. Brother Cui and I are here because we heard of them.¡± His words were not impetuous, and his gaze was clean. There was no impurity from prostitution. He was not being a lecher. ¡°In terms of looks, it¡¯s me, you, and last is Zhou Zhizhi.¡± This sentence suddenly echoed in Zheng Qianyu¡¯s ears. She straightened her body and was very pleased with herself. ¡°Young Master, did you notice that one of the best-looking girls in Fengzhou City is sitting in front of you?¡± Ji He choked. ¡°??? Are you serious?¡± Cui Yun suddenly paused. Chapter 21 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Zheng Qianyu was completely oblivious. She pointed at Shen Hua and cleared her throat. ¡°Hey, she¡¯s the prettiest.¡± Then, she pretended to be reserved and tapped her little round face. ¡°I come in second.¡± Zheng Qianyu could never fight her desire to eat. While other women ate half a meal, she could eat three plates of rice. Fortunately, though she ate a lot, she was not fat. She just was not that slim. Zheng Qianyu was nothing compared to the beautiful women Ji He had seen before, but she was much more likable. As for the other one, she was plagued by a cruel illness. Her entire body felt powerless and broken. The corner of Ji He¡¯s eyes twitched, and he laughed so hard that his lower abdomen hurt. Cui Yun, on the other hand, was like a young master, with a faint smile on his lips. He looked like the untouchable moon in the sky. The carriage entered the city and headed to the nearest medical center. This was the most bustling street in Fengzhou City. There was an endless stream of tourists. To be on the safe side, the horses slowed down. The people inside the carriage could now hear the chatter outside. ¡°That Shen Hua is a mischievous person. In my opinion, her stepbrother and stepmother are in the right. Why should we care about her?¡± When Cui Yun heard Shen Hua¡¯s name, he could not help but listen attentively. ¡°Right? Once, I saw her fighting people on the street. Even a three-year-old street child knows basic manners. She uses the fact that she is Shen Wei¡¯s daughter and that the embroidery workshop is internationally famous to act atrociously. It¡¯s better for such a worrisome woman to die early so that she won¡¯t harm others. ¡± ¡°She¡¯s already plagued by a serious illness. She might not live for more than a few years.¡± Ji He frowned. Last year, when the Empress was celebrating her birthday, the screen that he gave her was from the Shen family¡¯s embroidery workshop and was completed by over thirty embroidery girls over the period of a year. After hearing this, his impression of her was negatively affected. ¡°The Shen family¡¯s embroidery is good, but they do not know how to educate their daughter.¡± Zheng Qianyu was not happy. Shen Hua did fight someone on the streets, but it was the other party who started it. Why? Did she not get a say in her mistreatment because her family was famous? In the eyes of the world, was everything Shen Hua did out of line? Zheng Qianyu did not dare reprimand Ji He, but she tried to save Shen Hua¡¯s reputation. ¡°Young Master, please don¡¯t listen to those one-sided comments.¡± She sighed and squeezed out a tear. ¡°Shen Hua is exceptionally pitiful.¡± Her tone was so heavy that it made one¡¯s heart ache. ¡°Her relatives passed away one after another, leaving behind a bunch of heartless people. ¡°You might not know, but not long ago, she was publicly humiliated by her fiance and her mother. The engagement was broken off. ¡°That heartless man turned around and entangled himself with another woman who pretended to be weak and noble. Besides having a cutting tongue, she was useless. ¡°Shen Hua really cares about saving face. That day, she couldn¡¯t help but shed tears. She has it rough with this broken body of hers. She had it harder than anyone else. ¡± Cui Yun was deep in thought. However, he did not seem conflicted. He only wanted Xie Xun¡¯s favor. He did not care at all about what kind of person Shen Hua was. The Marquis of Yangling¡¯s Manor had many empty rooms, but Cui Yun had never thought of bringing someone back there. He thought it burdensome. Many females came seeking refuge with the Marquis, and he accepted all of them. Thus, during the new year and during festivals, he had to patiently send people to send gifts to all these girls. He had to take care of Shen Hua for Xie Xun¡¯s sake and not let her enter the manor. It would be better to place her in a courtyard under his name in Shengjing. There was no need to worry about arranging the medical attendants and maidservants. Now that the end of the year was approaching, he had to hurry back as soon as possible. Ji Qing could not bear to hear the sufferings of the world. ¡°She¡¯s too pitiful.¡± Zheng Qianyu pretended to wipe tears from the corner of her eyes. ¡°Yes, yes. She experiences a minor illness every three days and a major illness every five days.¡± ¡°How is she now?¡± She was lying right in front of him! How nice. Hehehe! Zheng Qianyu did not reveal Shen Hua¡¯s identity. She only said vaguely, ¡°Not too good.¡± However, her poor acting skills could only fool Ji He. Cui Yun concealed his gloomy expression and did not make a sound, but his gaze fell on the lady whose hands were trembling violently. Shen Hua was so ashamed that it was difficult for her to breathe. She was already prideful and awkward, so this situation was particularly uncomfortable. She grew up amongst gold, silver, and jade. She was very rich, but she would not live long enough to spend all her money. Fine! Everything was over! Why was she miserable? However, the voices on the outside did not stop. ¡°Shen Hua¡¯s luck isn¡¯t good either. She was attacked by wild bees when she went to the bushes to pick dates. Not only did she hurt her leg from the fall, but she also had to recuperate for half a year. Her face was swollen like a bun, and she was so ugly that even her own mother couldn¡¯t recognize her. ¡± ¡°Also, she¡­¡± Shen Hua thought, ¡®Zheng Qianyu, go to hell!¡¯ Why did she bring up such an embarrassing matter? Shen Hua was so agitated that she could not take it anymore. She struggled to stand up and was about to stop Zheng Qianyu when she started coughing uncontrollably. Her throat felt increasingly itchy. There was no way to stop. There was a fishy in there. At this moment, a teacup appeared in front of her. The hand that handed her the tea was confident. Shen Hua was stunned and looked at the owner of the hand. There was no longer the previous sharpness behind that pair of seemingly calm eyes. It was as if Shen Hua¡¯s vision was blurred. Seeing that she did not take it, Cui Yun did not rush her. Zheng Qianyu poked Shen Hua¡¯s waist and whispered. ¡°This young master looks cold, but he¡¯s actually very kind.¡± Yes. Shen Hua suppressed her doubts and reached out to take it. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said softly. ¡°No worries.¡± His voice was as cold as usual. It was refreshing, like a gurgling water stream from the mountains. At this moment, the carriage stopped, and a clear voice came from outside.¡±Master, we¡¯re here.¡± Cui Yun replied indifferently. Before Shen Hua could take a sip to soothe her throat, she was helped out of the carriage by Zheng Qianyu. The curtain was lifted, and Cui Yun could only reveal his delicate chin.¡±I¡¯m not in a hurry. It¡¯s still early, so why don¡¯t we wait here and send the two of you back?¡± As expected, Zheng Qianyu happily agreed. ¡°My horse is intelligent. I¡¯ll leave it in the suburbs, and it¡¯ll come back with the coachman.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Hua replied sullenly. ¡°That young master in embroidered clothes is really a good person. He looks much more handsome than the young masters of Fengzhou, but he is difficult to get close to. The other young master is not bad either, but he talks a little more.¡± Shen Hua lifted the hem of her dress and walked very carefully. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If he didn¡¯t give you the pill, I think you¡¯d be in trouble now.¡± ¡°I said thank you just now,¡± Shen Hua was very reasonable. ¡°It was life-saving. How can a verbal thank-you be enough?¡± Shen Hua, who had always been overbearing, frowned and looked at Zheng Qianyu. ¡°But isn¡¯t it his duty to save me?¡± She was the daughter of the Shen family, who owned an embroidery workshop and had a noble status. He Chu was the one who saved her the day she was injured from picking dates. Her brother, Shen Zhi, once said. ¡°My Yangyang is good. In the future, many young masters will fight over you. But then, this He Chu saved you. It¡¯s his honor to be able to harbor bad intentions toward you. Zheng Qianyu turned to look at her with difficulty. ¡°¡­What did you just say?¡± Zheng Qianyu thought, ¡®Very good. Shen Hua is still herself.¡¯ Chapter 22 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The pharmacist sitting in the hall was dozing off. When he heard a sound, he could not help but look toward the source of the sound in a daze. His medical skills were not good, and he was considered an apprentice who had yet to finish his apprenticeship. Usually, he would only look, listen, and ask the patient questions. At most, he would grab medicine from the cabinet. However, Shen Hua¡¯s appearance made him stand up abruptly. He hurriedly shouted in the direction of the back hall. ¡°Master! Come quickly. Stop snoring! There¡¯s a lady here in poor health.¡± As he spoke, he sat Shen Hua down. The pharmacist smiled apologetically. ¡°The New Year is coming, so every family has to buy New Year¡¯s goods. Most ordinary people want to have a good New Year, so they can¡¯t bear to spend money on medicine for small injuries. Thus, Compassionate Peace Hall has gotten much quieter. ¡°Don¡¯t look take it as a bad sign. My master¡¯s medical skills are one of the best in the entire Fengzhou.¡± Shen Hua¡¯s mind was much clearer. The medicine that Cui Yun gave her had turned into a warm current, forcing out the cold in her body. This was the first time Shen Hua had felt warmth without the help of a stove. However, she could not stop coughing. Soon, a white-bearded old man walked out quickly with a medicine box in his arms. Perhaps it was because he was in a hurry that his outer clothes were loose and he was not dressed properly. Looking at Shen Hua¡¯s pale face, his heart trembled, and he could not help but scold his apprentice. ¡°You idiot, what are you waiting for? Didn¡¯t you hear the patient coughing so badly? Go get her a cup of almond tea to nourish her lungs.¡± As he spoke, he sat down opposite Shen Hua and quickly took out a pulse-taking pillow. Shen Hua placed her hand on the pillow and pulled on her sleeve, revealing a small part of her jade-like wrist for him to take her pulse with. The doctor carefully checked her pulse, and his expression became more and more solemn. The severity of her fever was too much to mention in front of such a weak patient. Judging by her pulse, this weakening disease was an old illness. To this day, she relied on various nourishing medicines to survive. However, taking medicine all year round had a thirty percent of resulting in poisoning. The doctor¡¯s brows furrowed tighter and tighter until they formed a twisted line. After a while, he smiled apologetically at Shen Hua, indicating that he was helpless. Then, he could only prescribe her some cough medicine. Shen Hua was not surprised. If nothing unexpected happened, she could still live for another three years. Three years was enough to do many things. In the carriage, Ji He crossed his arms and looked at Cui Yun. In the entire Shengjing City, he had seen many hypocritical people. Anyone who wanted to gain a foothold in officialdom had two faces. Even the noble Marquis of Chengyang was greedy and took bribes under the table. However, Cui Yun was different. Back then, the city suffered heavy casualties, but they were lucky enough to be rescued by the imperial court which then protected the city. The Marquis of Yangling and his eldest son died. Cui Bai was the eldest son of the Cui family, the best of his generation. The family¡¯s second son, Cui Yun, was talented. However, the former was as noble as jade, while the latter was harder to describe. Cui Yun was just standing at the cusp of the storm. He had to set an example and use the heart of a child to carry things. He had no choice but to learn to get closer to Cui Bai and take on the responsibility of being the head of the Cui family. He learned to stop being himself. Over the years, Cui Yun had indeed hidden every aspect of himself, making it difficult for others to catch hold of him. His rules for himself were comprehensive and proper. However, Ji He did not believe that this black-hearted person who had kicked the Crown Prince into the water had really become a good person! He pretended to do all the benevolent deeds in the world while maintaining a resting b*tch face. It was no wonder that all the women in Shengjing were crazy about him. Ji He clicked his tongue. ¡°Young Marquis Cui is extremely considerate, but I say, aren¡¯t you tired of carrying on like this?¡± Cui Yun widened his eyes, which were as clear as the wind and as bright as the moon. ¡°Seventh Prince, what do you mean?¡± Alright! You will not admit it, right? ¡°When are you going back to Shengjing?¡± Ji He changed the topic. Ji He had talked about finding Hua Niang, but he knew that Cui Yun did not come for that purpose. Cui Yun looked at the time. He had rushed here over the past few days, and with Ji He¡¯s ruckus, he could not read and did not get to rest well. He pondered for a moment. ¡°Maybe we will set off in two days.¡± Cui Yun was not in a hurry to Shen Hua back up. After sending the two to the hall, he thought about finding an inn to rest in. Shen Hua was carrying a few bags of medicine when she left the pharmacy. She wrapped herself up and looked at Ji Qing, who was standing outside the carriage. ¡°Please drive straight, turn left at the second intersection, go down another street, and turn left after passing the crooked tree. There are two majestic stone lions standing there.¡± He immediately took note of it all. Shen Hua staggered onto the carriage. The moment she entered, her gaze met Cui Yun¡¯s. Perhaps it was because of that cup of tea that she no was longer coughing and felt less uncomfortable. Her gaze paused on Cui Yun for a moment. This fox fur was top-grade quality. It was rare to see in Fengzhou. Even in Shengjing, only those with extremely powerful families could afford it. Shen Xue was more knowledgeable and sociable than Shen Hua. She was friends with the merchants who dealt in the fur business. She had tried every trick she could think of and spent as much money as she could before getting this piece. The purple-clothed Ji He beside him was definitely not someone to be trifled with. Shen Hua and Zheng Qianyu sat in the corner obediently. She twirled her fingers and thought about what Zheng Qianyu said just now. She never liked owing favors. The little lady thought about it and looked at Cui Yun with a cold expression. Unlike her cold and hard tone in front of Shen Qu, her voice now carried the gentleness of a young girl. ¡°Everyone says that we can¡¯t be hesitant when it comes to life-saving kindness. I have nothing to repay you with, so why don¡¯t ¡­¡± Ji He was speechless. He was familiar with these words. A few years ago, the Third Princess also used this as an excuse to run to Cui Yun. ¡°We can¡¯t be hesitant when it comes to life-saving kindness. This princess has no way to repay you, so why don¡¯t I give myself to you?¡± Tsk tsk! Was this little girl also trying to woo him? Fine. Falling flowers have feelings for each other, and the flowing water waits for no man. It was better to flirt with him than Cui Yun. Ji He looked at Cui Yun and then at Shen Hua, smiling mysteriously. Cui Yun glanced at Shen Hua, who was curled up into a ball. Her palm-sized face was pitiful, but she had a maturity far beyond her years. However, she was equally as fragile and could have her neck broken with just a little force. Shen Hua took a deep breath. Under three pairs of eyes. She generously took out a five hundred silver note from her bosom. Her fingertips were so white that they were shiny. She slowly extended it toward Cui Yun. This was the first time Cui Yun had had money thrown at him. Ji He was so angry that he laughed. ¡°Little girl, aren¡¯t you insulting me?¡± Shen Hua was at a loss for a moment. When she lost her mother, Shen Wei felt sorry for her, but he did not teach her. It was already a blessing that he did not become completely crooked. In her previous life, everyone used her, and no one taught her the ways of the world. It was true that Shen Hua did not understand much now. However, she knew the principle behind money and goods. ¡°Is this an insult?¡± she asked Zheng Qianyu. ¡°How can giving money be an insult?¡± Zheng Qianyu gritted her teeth and whispered. ¡°If it was, I would be looking forward to people insulting me every day.¡± Humiliate him ruthlessly! Forget that he¡¯s a delicate flower! Shen Hua understood. She looked at Cui Yun awkwardly. ¡°My life is indeed not something that can be exchanged for a mere five hundred taels. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m giving you too little?¡± Shen Hua pursed her lips and criticized him. ¡°You¡¯re so greedy. ¡± Chapter 23 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Cui Yun narrowed his eyes indifferently. He did not reach out to take it. ¡°This is¡­¡± He paused. ¡°A reward?¡± Shen Hua nodded at him reservedly. It was indeed. She was much more tactful than the Third Princess, Ji Shiyue, when she was chasing Cui Yun. Ji Shiyue was the daughter of Emperor Wei, and her mother was Concubine Jing. Cui Yun did not want the Marquis of Yangling¡¯s Manor to fall into a factional struggle. She also did not want to become enemies with the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince. Ji Shiyue relied on her status and ran to the Marquis of Yangling¡¯s Manor every few days. ¡®I cannot drive her away!¡¯ Emperor Hun doted on her and had the intention of gifting her a good marriage. If not, he would not have allowed the Third Princess to get close to the Marquis. It generated gossip. Even at the Qixi Lantern Festival, Emperor Hun also made the decision to ask Cui Yun to accompany her. The emperor¡¯s intentions were self-evident. The entire Shengjing thought that Cui Yun would be the Third Prince Consort. Back then, when the enemy invaded, Shancheng was destroyed. Chicheng was in danger. Shancheng was the first line of defense at the frontier fortress. The enemy was clearly prepared. Bows, arrows, battering rams, grappling hooks, and scaling ladders pressed forward step by step. The deputy general of Shancheng had been bribed, so the city gate was quickly lost. General Jin, who was stationed in Shancheng, saw that the situation was not right and hurriedly borrowed troops from Chicheng. When Chicheng lord heard the news, he immediately led half of their troops over. Cui Bai stayed in Chicheng to evacuate the people and urgently requested reinforcements. After a round of fighting, General Jin was beheaded in the end, strengthening the enemy¡¯s momentum. However, the army refused to back down and spilled their blood on the roads. The Third Prince, Ji Teng, had been sent as a hostage. Right now, although the two men of the Marquis of Yangling¡¯s Manor protected the city, they were both dead. The strength of the court was greatly damaged, and they were afraid that the barbarian thieves would commit another crime, so they could only ask for peace and send boxes of gold and silver. Therefore, after the Chicheng incident, the marriage decree became another heavenly grace decree. He was given the title of Marquis of Yangling, and his son Cui Bo was granted the title of General of Huaihua. Cui Rong was granted the title of Prince, and Cui Yun later inherited the title. Later, during the mourning period, Cui Yun closed his doors and did not go out. After three years of filial piety, Ji Shiyue was still haunting him. She had him cornered, from the beginning of the burgeoning relationship to the end, which now contained coercion and temptation. ¡°Cui Yun, don¡¯t be ungrateful. The Marquis of Yangling Manor is already showing signs of decline. Everything is fate. Not a bit of it is controlled by others. It would be an endless glory for you to marry the princess.¡± Cui Yun patiently laid out his plan. In the same year, the Crown Prince of the Nanman Kingdom came to visit. Emperor Hun hated him to the core, but he had no choice but to welcome him with a smile. He even proposed a political marriage. Ji Shiyue was his beloved daughter, so Emperor Hun naturally could not bear to send her to a marriage alliance. However, Cui Yun did something in secret and sent half of Ji Shiyue¡¯s portrait to the prince of the Barbarian Kingdom. Everything went smoothly. Finally, it was quiet. As for what happened to Ji Shiyue in the Barbarian Kingdom, what did that have to do with him, a useless young marquis who had fallen into the Marquis of Yangling¡¯s Manor? Shen Hua¡¯s hand fell from the air, tired of holding it up. At this moment, Cui Yun moved. He took the silver note in front of Ji He¡¯s incredulous expression. Shen Hua heaved a sigh of relief. Cui Yun¡­ Was still the same. Ji He snorted coldly. ¡°You¡¯re so unreasonable. Why does he get money and I don¡¯t? He¡¯s not a person who lacks money, while I¡¯m having a headache just thinking about how much I¡¯ll spend to see Hua Niang later.¡± Shen Hua huddled in the corner and blinked. She asked slowly, ¡°Hua Niang? ¡°Benefactor, are you also going to see Hua Niang?¡± Ji He liked to bully Cui Yun. ¡°He¡¯s actually a very indecent person.¡± Cui Yun was too lazy to explain. He fiddled with the bright red Vajra Bodhi bracelet on his wrist. Despite everything, his sitting posture was solemn and upright, and his every move contained the grace of an aristocratic family. Shen Hua believed him and did her part as host. ¡°Miss Sheng¡¯er from the brothel is the best at playing the zither. She also has a unique ventriloquism skill that allows her to imitate the sounds of all things. ¡± Ji He was interested. Cui Yun thought that Shen Hua was not a clingy person. His thin lips moved slightly, and his voice was very pleasant to hear.¡± This is my first time in Fengzhou. If you want to, why don¡¯t you tell me about some of Fengzhou¡¯s specialties? ¡± Then, he would not need to send people out to inquire about what to do in the city. Shen Hua did not hesitate. ¡± There are many delicacies in Fengzhou. Among them, the Golden Milk Crispy Pancake is the most famous. The locals love the crispycream lantern cakes from Hewu Street. The crispy pea-flavored bean paste bun from this shop is also very good. ¡± They were not easy to store. It would not be good to bring the food back to Shengjing. Cui Yun stopped talking. Seeing that he did not want to talk, Shen Hua also quieted down. Fortunately, the Shen residence was not far from the medicine hall. After getting off the carriage, Zheng Qianyu whispered into Shen Hua¡¯s ear, ¡°You and I have sat with them all the way here. Why are we still going to see Hua Niang?¡± Ji Qing had inquired about the location of the Shen residence before coming, but Shen Hua remembered that he was a foreigner, so she did not specify the name of the street when she pointed downit. On the way here, the familiar names carved on the road made Ji Qing fall into a strange train of thought. Therefore, he was not in a hurry to drive the horse. Cui Yun raised his eyes and glanced at the majestic and wealthy mansion in front of him. The plaque on the door was engraved with the golden words ¡®Shen Residence¡¯. His hearing was good, so he could hear the conversation between the two girls clearly. Shen Hua went up the stairs and lowered her voice. ¡°Men like slim waists and perky butts. You can¡¯t.¡± As if to prove Cui Yun¡¯s guess, the blue-clothed woman started yelling. ¡°Shen Hua! Don¡¯t you have any shame?¡± Cui Yun frowned. Hua ¡­ ¡°How can you boost the morale of others while disrespecting yourself?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Shen Hua had been careful when she said that Zheng Qianyu would not be able to do it. Zheng Qianyu laughed in anger. She glanced at Shen Hua¡¯s chest. ¡°It¡¯s flat, yet you still have a problem?¡± Shen Hua understood the disdain in the other party¡¯s eyes and remained expressionless. ¡°I¡¯m only fourteen. Puberty hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡± In her previous life, after she came to Kuishui, her body was graceful, and her appearance was open. She lost her innocence and was charming and moving. Shen Hua noticed her gaze and raised her chin seriously. ¡°Mine will be very big when the time comes.¡± Zheng Qianyu scoffed at this. ¡®I¡¯ll listen to your bragging when it comes true!¡¯ ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to talk nonsense with you. Since you won¡¯t die, I¡¯ll go back.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Shen Hua shook the herbs in her hand. Cui Yun often read the books of sages, and there were no concubines in the mansion. Even when his brother was still around, he did not touch any women. For all these years, many women approached him, but none of them were as bold as Shen Hua. Even though Shen Hua was not saying it to him, he heard every word as if she was whispering softly in his ear. His breathing stopped, and he accidentally poked a hole in the banknote. Seeing this, Ji He took it and stared at the hole with heartache. ¡°Five hundred taels. You prodigal!¡± Cui Yun closed his eyes and lowered the curtain.m¡±To the inn.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji He did not want to go back to the inn with them. He instructed lazily and got off the carriage to walk around and meet the Hua Niang that Shen Hua was talking about. ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you come here to look for someone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve found them.¡± Cui Yun let out a shaky breath. Ji He thought, ¡®Do you think I¡¯m stupid enough to believe you? Chapter 24 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation On the way to the inn, Ji Qing slowed down the carriage, but someone still bumped into it. That person was dressed in rough clothes, and white hair was sprinkled on his head. There were age spots on his wrinkled face. He rushed forward in front of the carriage and fell, lying a foot away. Someone shouted at the top of their voice. ¡°Hey, come and take a look! Someone was killed.¡± Ji Qing quickly tightened the reins, and the horse stopped, raising its front hooves high. Soon, the people who were watching the scene surrounded the place. ¡°You¡¯re full of energy. Don¡¯t be unreasonable.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to admit it if I wasn¡¯t truly hurt, right?¡± The old man wriggled on the ground in pain. ¡°I¡¯m poor, but I wouldn¡¯t blackmail people at my age, right? ¡°If you don¡¯t give me an explanation today, don¡¯t even think about leaving!¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± The old man stretched out his rough hand. ¡°You can¡¯t compensate me with just a tael of silver. I¡¯m not done with you.¡± In order to have a good New Year, he had cheated no less than five foreigners in just a few days. He had calculated that these rich kids were in a hurry to get somewhere, so they would think it was better to avoid trouble and simply see this as a simple toll. He hugged his unharmed leg and howled miserably, ¡°My legs are going to break.¡± The crowd clamored, all indignant for the old man. ¡°You hit someone, and you aren¡¯t sending him to the clinic. You won¡¯t even consider his medical fees. You¡¯re a bully!¡± ¡°How shameless!¡± Ji Qing laughed coldly. How could his master stand for this? Sure enough, Cui Yun¡¯s voice came from the carriage. ¡°Ji Qing.¡± ¡°Yes, tour subordinate is here.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were as dark as ink. Many people had threatened him before, but none of them had gotten a good ending. He was a cold person. ¡°Hit him.¡± The crowd fell silent. It was fine if he did not show his face, but now, he wanted to encourage violence? The old man was even more dumbfounded. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Cui Yun closed his eyes. The sons of the Cui family were very handsome. Even their bone structure was elegant. The curtains in the carriage were drawn after Ji He left. The light was blocked outside, and Cui Yun was in familiar darkness. There was clearly no rotting smell coming off of him, but Cui Yun¡¯s shallow breathing made him look like a walking corpse. Being slandered was not a pleasant thing. He was still holding a thin banknote in his hand. His expression was still indifferent, but his voice was smooth and gentle. It sounded like pearls and jade falling on a plate, but his words were extremely ruthless. ¡°I¡¯ll give you five hundred taels to buy your life. How about that?¡± ¡ª As soon as Shen Hua returned to the courtyard, Yi Cui welcomed her. However, the smile on her face disappeared when she saw the medicine in Shen Hua¡¯s hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my Lady?¡± ¡°It¡¯s to moisten my throat.¡± Hearing this, Yi Cui was relieved and took it with both hands. Although there were more servants in the courtyard, all her medicine was prepared by Yi Cui. It was not that she did not trust her, but that she would only feel at ease if she did it herself. Shen Hua clumsily walked into the room. It was warm enough inside, so she sighed contently and took off her thick mink fur. ¡°My Lady.¡± Yi Cui closed the door, stepped forward, and said softly. ¡°There¡¯s news from the scouts.¡± Shen Hua said seriously. Ever since Shen Hua saw Lady Qiu, who was serving Lady Liu, Shen Hua had taken a liking to her. In a netherworld marriage, everything was handled with the most attention to taboos, such as viewing the partner¡¯s portraits and calculating compatibility through ancient methods. None of them could be missing. All of this had to be done by the shaman from the Dong family. ¡°Although the Dong family has closed their doors, Old Master Dong has to go to the shop to check the accounts every few days. All these years, it has been the same. ¡°This time, the Dong family is extremely secretive. Perhaps the silver they were given was enough to keep their mouths shut. Old Master Dong didn¡¯t find any clues when he went out to check the accounts, so you must be on guard.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a message from the other side. Should we continue to keep an eye on them?¡± Yi Cui asked softly. If it was not for the fact that this matter was related to Shen Zhui, they would not have heard anything about it. Perhaps the visitor would eventually find something, but Shen Hua was worried that the time given was too short. If the Dong family were to investigate themselves¡­ Shen Hua¡¯s gaze fell on the carvings of flowers, birds, fish, and insects. ¡°No need,¡± she said faintly after a while. ¡°However¡­¡± She changed the topic. ¡°There¡¯s something I need you to do.¡± Yi Cui quickly leaned in to listen. When she heard what Shen Hua said, her face turned into an expression of shock. The setting sun was setting in the west, and its afterglow was dim and dull. All the surroundings were devoured by Twilight. On Chidong Street, someone was walking barefoot. A strange black Magus robe wrapped his body tightly, and he wore a huge hood on his head to cover his face. ¡°Mother, his attire is really interesting! It¡¯s more interesting than my grandfather wearing a shroud.¡± On the street, children clapped their hands childishly. Soon, someone pinched their ears. ¡°Little b*stard!¡± ¡°Mother, it hurts! Why hasn¡¯t Grandpa come back for dinner these past few days?¡± ¡°Your grandpa won¡¯t be coming back.¡± ¡°It must be because the food you cooked tasted terrible! Grandpa ran away from home. He¡¯s so mean! He called me his good grandson but didn¡¯t bring me along. ¡± The man held his walking stick and walked on silently. The walking stick knocked to the ground, but the bell hanging on it did not move at all. Until he passed by the Dong family¡¯s residence. The string of bells suddenly shook violently, tinkling loudly. The black-robed man stopped in his tracks and raised his head to look at the tightly shut door of the Dong family. As the wind blew, his hood slid down, and wrinkles appeared on his weathered face. It made him even more mysterious. He did not say a word, and the bells continued ringing. The passers-by crowded around as if they were watching a good show. At this moment, a voice came from the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s said that wizards use charms to expel evil spirits. This¡­ Is this the Resentment Bell?¡± The people in this world believed in ghosts and gods with all their hearts. Moreover, many years ago, the Dong family had to bury many of their own. There was precedent for this. This sentence made everyone¡¯s expression change. How much resentment did he have? ¡°Could it be that the Dong family is up to something again?¡± ¡°How terrible. The Dong family has been unlucky all these years. Could it be that the vengeful spirits are still lingering around? ¡± Some of them carefully looked at the magus¡¯ expression. ¡°Master, I pass by the Dong Residence every day. I won¡¯t get their bad luck, right?¡± The doorkeeper of the Dong family received the news and opened the door a little. The magus moved. His voice was sharp and hoarse. ¡°Stop.¡± When the servant heard this, he immediately put his hands on his hips. ¡°Where did you come from? Why are you acting so rashly in front of our Dong Residence? ¡°Disperse! Disperse now, or I¡¯ll report this to the authorities and throw all of you in jail!¡± The shaman looked intently at the signboard of the Dong Residence, sneered, and turned to leave. The ringing of the bells was incessant, and his voice had a strange tone, making it difficult to distinguish whether he was a male or a female. ¡°The Dong family is bent on doing things their own way. Their sins are grave, and they must pay for their blood debts.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± The servant slammed the door shut. However, very soon, his legs were weakened, and he collapsed to the ground. A similarly-dressed servant boy went to pull him up, but he pushed him away. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead. ¡°Go! Quickly go and tell Old Master!¡± After Old Master Dong learned of this matter, his heart skipped a beat. He ignored his usual etiquette and rushed to the West Garden. Soon, his question came from inside. ¡°Old Shaman, you buried my son last year and performed a ritual to clean up the mess. I trust you very much, but why are you using the Resentment Bell?¡± ¡®Who is he? We¡¯ve been acting according to the plan. If he notices something and comes to stir up trouble¡­¡¯ Chapter 25 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The sounds of the crowd outside completely dissipated. Shen Hua slept soundly and fell into a dream bit by bit. It was New Year¡¯s Eve in the dream. Shen Hewen was ordering everyone about. He was insisting on having a reunion dinner with all the Shen family members. Shen Wei was soft-hearted and did not chase him out. Shen Hua was not so polite. She threw a stone at the group of people. ¡°Who wants to celebrate the festival with you guys? Every time you meet us, you only ask my father for silver. ¡°Even a little beggar on the street knows how to thank people for money. So, in your eyes, you¡¯re very ungrateful to my father.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re separated, we¡¯re no longer a family. Why should my father support you?¡± The stone drew a beautiful curve in the air and finally smashed straight into Shen Qu¡¯s forehead. He did not dare to say anything. Soon, a bump appeared on his forehead. ¡°Yangyang, no matter what, he¡¯s still your second uncle,¡± Shen Wei scolded. She raised her head arrogantly and placed her hands on her hips. She was like a villain who had successfully executed their master plan. ¡°Yangyang knows she is wrong, but Yangyang doesn¡¯t change.¡± Shen Hewen lowered his head and quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s just child¡¯s play. It¡¯s normal to roughhouse a little. Why should Brother blame Yangyang?¡± His wife, Shen Zhushi, was even more disapproving. ¡°Brother Qu is a b*stard son. If he¡¯s injured, then so be it.¡± As she spoke, she pointed at Shen Zhui with her finger. ¡°Only a b*stard son and this b*stard daughter are worthy of playing with each other. This Shu daughter from Big Brother¡¯s residence was chasing Yangyang all day long. She was too ambitious. Forget about your status.¡± The New Year¡¯s Eve dinner was eaten with everyone around a table. Shen Zhushi picked up the demeanor of an official¡¯s daughter, ¡°Big Brother is a wealthy businessman. Perhaps he doesn¡¯t know the rules as well as my maiden family. Listen to my sister-in-law. You shouldn¡¯t have eat at the same table as the lowly thing that Aunt gave birth to.¡± Shen Zhui pulled back her chopsticks that were holding roast duck between them. She timidly lowered his head. Shen Chunshi furrowed her brows. Her face was cold. ¡°Even if your father is an adult, Sister Zhui is still the daughter of our First Branch. Shouldn¡¯t your sister-in-law be lowly too? ¡°I don¡¯t like to enforce rules, but Aunt Liu is honest and dutiful, and Sister Zhui is respectful and obedient. I can¡¯t find a single fault with them. If Sister-in-law really doesn¡¯t like it, you¡¯d better leave!¡± Shen Hua glared at Shen Zhui. However, she just raised her hand and placed the stack of braised duck in front of Shen Zhui. ¡°Second Aunt, don¡¯t you have a younger sister?¡± she asked in a childish voice. Shen Zhushi ruthlessly tore her handkerchief. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± She forced a smile. There were quite a few Shu sisters in the residence, but how could any of those people be worthy of being her younger sister? Shen Hua had an epiphany. ¡°So because you don¡¯t have a sister to bully, you bully me? ¡°You¡¯re an elder but still acting like this. How unethical.¡± ¡°You!¡± She was furious. Shen Wei, who was eager to protect his daughter, quickly said, ¡°Yangyang is still young, I think Sister-in-law shouldn¡¯t worry so much about her. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for being too chill. The daughter I raised is unruly.¡± Shen Chunshi smiled and tried to smooth things over. Shen Zhi smiled and picked up a dish with his chopsticks like a kind person and added it to Shen Zhushi¡¯s bowl. ¡°Little sister¡¯s mouth is unbridled. I hope Second Shen can calm down.¡± Nothing happened to anyone in the dream. Perhaps it was because the dream was too sweet that Shen Hua also smiled sweetly. She rubbed her eyes and woke up at midnight. She walked out into the courtyard in a daze. She was hit by the bone-piercingly cold wind, and her sleepiness faded away. She was completely awake now. ¡°My lady?¡± Yi Cui heard the sound and chased after her. ¡°I have to go out for a while.¡± Shen Hua stomped her feet. ¡ª The lights in the inn were lit up. Although Cui Yun lived in a superior room, it was still not as exquisite as the Marquis¡¯s Manor. Fortunately, since he was living like a prince, he did not have so many problems. The night was hazy, and the inn was no longer as noisy as before. Only the servant on the first floor was dozing off with an abacus in his arms. Cui Yun sat upright with a white flag in hand, playing chess. The shaman knelt on the ground, his face covered in tears. Ji Qing stood respectfully at the side. Shen Hua was the person Master was looking for, so he had his heart set on her. However, he did not expect to find out that Shen Hua had invited Miss Sheng¡¯er, who was good at ventriloquism, to play tricks at the entrance of the Dong residence. Shen Hua was deliberately provoking people¡¯s prejudice against the Dong family. Ji Qing then found out that the Dong family actually used witchcraft! Knowing this, he did not dare to delay things and immediately went to the West Garden of the Dong Mansion to kidnap him. ¡°Master, the Dong family had was planning to do witchcraft in a month¡¯s time. Mistress Shen¡¯s actions today made Old Master Dong apprehensive and afraid that there would be unforeseen circumstances. They¡¯re probably wary, so they probably postponed plans.¡± He presented the evidence. Inside the bag were the stubs of the Dong family¡¯s many trips to the bank to withdraw money and appease the families of the deceased at a high price. There was also a painting left behind by the artist who painted the portrait of the Dong family¡¯s daughter. In addition to that, the Dong family had provided the talismans needed by the sorcerers, as well as the dead bodies of animals whose blood had been drained before the ritual. Wait a minute. Cui Yun casually glanced at it. He felt bad luck radiating from them. The shaman was wearing a thin inner garment. He was shivering from the cold, and he could not make a sound after being hit. He could only retreat in fear like a madman. ¡°Be obedient!¡± Ji Qing berated. He pressed down on his shoulder and exerted a little force. With a crack, his arm was broken. The shaman¡¯s eyes almost popped out from the pain! Cui Yun¡¯s expression was indifferent, and his voice was cold. ¡°If heaven-defying witchcraft magic runs rampant, the world will be in chaos. Once the Dong family has a taste of the sweetness¡­¡± This time, it was a dead man¡¯s way of doing things. Next time, he might take an even more vicious path. Sacrificing the living¡­ What would they not do? If a merchant could do this, all the aristocratic families would probably follow suit¡­ Cui Yun had only come here to pick some people up. He never wanted to get involved in other things, but he just had to encounter witchcraft, which he hated the most. It was not difficult to hate the shaman to the bone. ¡°I don¡¯t like common people because my father and brother died at the hands of the common people. They died heroic deaths. No matter how cold-blooded I am, I¡¯m still the son of the Cui family. My dad did not want to see the world in chaos and traitors in power, bewitching people and messing up the court. ¡°The Taoist priest of the temple advised me to be kind, but how can I be when I am stained with blood?¡± Cui Yun would kill those sanctimonious shamans every time he saw them. He chuckled and spoke very slowly, ¡°Help this Mistress Shen who is not ruthless enough.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied Ji Qing. ¡°Since we¡¯re going to start a fire, we have to add some firewood. The Dong family is going to have a marriage and many happy events. How can the son of the Dong family not be present for these events himself?¡± Ji Qing understood and quickly went out to dig Dong Hui¡¯s grave. The shaman did not know Cui Yun¡¯s identity, but the pain pierced his heart. When he heard Cui Yun¡¯s words, he only felt fear. Dong Hui was already dead, so how could he say that? No, how did he know about the Dong Clan in the first place? ¡°I heard that your divination skills are superb.¡± The room was silent and exceptionally loud. Cui Yun put down the white chess piece. The game changed rapidly. Under the light, his side profile looked particularly gentle. However, this sound was like a death talisman. ¡°Then do the math. Do you think you can survive tonight? ¡± Chapter 26 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The Dong Residence¡¯s courtyard occupied a large area, and two majestic stone lions stood outside the door. It was very imposing. Under the moonlight, Shen Hua climbed up the stairs and poured a bucket of chicken blood on the door of the Dong residence without hesitation. The little lady was small, but she was quite agile when it came to doing bad things. Sticky blood dripped down. At the same time, in an inn in Fengzhou. ¡°She¡¯s here too?¡± Cui Yun looked up in surprise. ¡°Yes, Mistress Shen splashed blood on the Dong family¡¯s main door. Presumably, the rumors are not false. She is extremely concerned about the Shu sister in the residence.¡± Ji Qing hurriedly said. Cui Yun¡¯s expression was cold, but there was still some disbelief between his brows. ¡°You came back?¡± ¡°This subordinate threw the coffin away and naturally came back to report.¡± He had always been efficient. Cui Yun was speechless. For some reason, he recalled the first time he saw Shen Hua, who was struggling to turn over with her mink fur draped over her. Her cheeks were hot, and even her delicate nose was red. She was like a pampered daughter who was seriously ill and could not be cured. You could have at least said hello. If Shen Hua was scared to death, he would have wasted this trip. Cui Yun sighed and slowly stood up. He flicked his robe and walked out, ignoring the unconscious shaman on the ground. Meanwhile, Shen Hua was very busy. Her small hands were trembling from the cold. She held the brush and drew on the door unfamiliarly. However, the strong smell of blood made her nauseous. She suddenly thought of something and stopped. ¡°My lady, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Yi Cui saw this and quickly asked in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m really impressed by the Dong Residence,¡± Shen Hua said sincerely. Yicui was speechless. ¡°They can make me wake up in the middle of the night to mess with them, even though I¡¯m sick.¡± Shen Hua sighed. Since she was already here, she could not give up now. Before Shen Hua put away her pen, she did not forget to write a line of small words at the corner of the door. Yicui came forward and tried to distinguish it with her eyes wide open. It was a shocking sentence. ¡ª Yi Cui was speechless. Her lady was being mischievous again. After Shen Hua was done, she moved her sore wrist and turned to leave. After all, it was something that could not be seen in polite company. She had to move faster so no one would see it. Run! At some point, a coffin was placed at the bottom of some stairs. Under the moonlight, it shone with a holy light. It was lucky that he was in the middle of two stone lions. He would be guarded. The streets were dark and empty. Confusion! Shen Hua had seen rain and snow, but she had never seen a coffin ever. She was speechless. Was she blind? ¡°Yi Cui.¡± Her voice was a little shaky, and even her body was trembling. She almost could not catch her breath. ¡°Is my illness getting worse?¡± she asked in a trembling voice. Eh?! Yi Cui was also dumbfounded. ¡°My lady, it wasn¡¯t an illusion. I saw it too.¡± Oh my! Shen Hua took a deep breath and walked down courageously. She thought it was an empty coffin. ¡°It seems that the Dong family has offended many people. No one from the Dong family has died yet, but people have already sent this item over.¡± ¡°I wonder which lunatic did it?¡± ¡°This is simply¡­¡± Shen Hua paused and hummed a pleasant tune. ¡°Well done!¡± As she spoke, she walked closer in her embroidered shoes. Her smile grew fainter and fainter. The air was mixed with the smell of mud. It also carried the smell of decay that had not seen the sun for many years. It came from the black coffin. She was still blind. ¡°Boohoo!¡± The cold wind blew, and the sound of a baby crying was heard. The flying yellow talismans scratched Shen Hua¡¯s face. Shen Hua was speechless. ¡°Yi Cui.¡± This time, her calves started trembling violently. No matter how rude she could be, she was still a timid woman. It was strange that she was reborn, but she was still alive. Things were also strange now, and it made her hair stand on end. Shen Hua did not even dare to think about it. ¡°This servant will help you back.¡± Yi Cui¡¯s face was as pale as snow. Shen Hua¡¯s heart tightened. her almond-shaped eyes inevitably filled with tears. She wanted to force herself to calm down, but the weather was too cold. The weather had to be too cold. She heard footsteps approaching from afar. As the person approached, his figure became hazier and taller in the night air. As if afraid of disturbing her, the other party spoke just when Shen Hua noticed that someone was coming over. ¡°Mistress Shen.¡± Her voice was clear and cool, and it sounded familiar. Shen Hua was stunned. Cui Yun walked up to her. Under the moonlight, the man¡¯s eyebrows reached his temples, and he had a classy temperament. He stood between heaven and Earth. He clearly had not done anything yet, but he still made people feel at ease for no reason. The moment Cui Yun appeared, the fear disappeared, leaving only a lingering fear. He did not even glance at the coffin. He just looked at Shen Hua indifferently. ¡°Dawn is coming. Mistress Shen might as well follow me back.¡± Shen Hua felt embarrassed. Although she did not know Cui Yun¡¯s identity, she knew that he was not an ordinary person. It was indeed inconvenient to stay here for long. Did Cui Yun see what she did? Was he sending her to the government, or was he not reporting her and deliberately covering up for her? Shen Hua¡¯s thoughts were a mess. She hesitated for a moment before reluctantly following. She wanted to sound Cui Yun out. Shen Hua walked slowly, and Cui Yun did not have any intention of slowing down to wait for her. He strolled leisurely in the courtyard, as old-fashioned as an old man walking with his hands behind his back. As he moved, he had the elegance and calmness of a young master from an aristocratic family. Yi Cui had never seen Cui Yun before, so she looked worried. Before she could ask, Shen Hua caught up with her in small steps. ¡°Benefactor is also taking a walk?¡± Cui Yun said nothing. ¡°What a coincidence. Me too.¡± ¡°It seems that the front of the Dong family¡¯s house is the best place to walk around at night to digest food,¡± Shen Hua said calmly. Cui Yun did not give her a chance to breathe. ¡°Your excuse is really a little lame.¡± Shen Hua was speechless. Her shoulders drooped and she looked listless. She said in a low voice, ¡°Benefactor, do you see that coffin?¡± Cui Yun made a sound from his throat. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Hua pursed her lips. ¡°I spilled the blood, but I didn¡¯t dig the coffin. A person who could do such a terrible thing must be extremely dirty and wretched. You can¡¯t blame this on me. ¡± She would admit to what she had done, but she would not admit what she had not. However, there were no outsiders around, so she probably could not explain himself. ¡°I know.¡± Cui Yun said lightly. Shen Hua was speechless. She was surprised. ¡°You and I don¡¯t know each other. This is the second time we¡¯ve met. I didn¡¯t expect my noble character and elegant integrity to be violated in front of my benefactor.¡± Cui Yun stopped. His eyes were deep as he looked at Shen Hua. Shen Hua stuttered. She didn¡¯t forget to praise him. ¡°Benefactor, you have good eyesight. ¡°I was so scared that my hair stood on end. No matter who is lying in the coffin, it is a terrible thing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Dong Hui.¡± ¡°How do you know it¡¯s him?¡± Cui Yun¡¯s lips moved. ¡°Because I asked someone to dig him up.¡± Shen Hua slowly raised her hand and covered her heart with her trembling hands. Chapter 27 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The streets gradually became lively, and the number of vendors and servants increased like bamboo shoots growing after the rain. The women who woke up early to buy vegetables went out in groups with bamboo baskets. Soon, a scream opened the curtains of dawn. In just a moment, the vast crowd had completely blocked the Dong Residence. ¡°This is really scary. This Dong Hui has been dead for five years. How did he get dug up again? Hey, take a closer look at this coffin. It¡¯s made of high-quality rosewood!¡± ¡°There are yellow talismans all over the ground. There¡¯s also a big ¡®Sin¡¯ written on the vermilion door. I wonder if it¡¯s human blood or¡­¡± Someone read the small words by the blood. ¡°Did the Dong Clan offend someone?¡± Someone burst out laughing. ¡°Don¡¯t you think the Dong Family has offended quite a few people in recent years? Perhaps they will do something outrageous again. It¡¯s infuriating. Serves them right!¡± Yi Cui squeezed through the crowd and said in a voice that lifted the atmosphere, ¡°The wizard¡¯s bells were ringing yesterday. I¡¯d say it was a vengeful spirit.¡± As expected, everyone¡¯s expressions became serious, and the scene suddenly fell silent. Clearly, their thoughts had been diverted. However, if they were talking about vengeful souls, they could only think about the group of concubines who were buried alive together back then. After so many years, were they coming to seek revenge now? With a bang, the plaque swayed and fell to the ground, breaking into two pieces. In the distance, Ji Qing withdrew the hand that was holding the stone and quietly left. No one saw who did it. However, the discussion got twice as loud. In the inner courtyard of the Dong Residence, it was as if water was leaking from the room. Drip, drip, drip. Old Master Dong¡¯s face was splashed. He did not sleep well. He rubbed his eyes and opened them to see a head hanging above the bed. What had landed on his face was not water, but blood¡­ He was very familiar with the owner of this head. He had paid a high price to hire a powerful shaman from the Miao tribe. His eyes widened, his expression stiff with fear. He did not know how long he had been dead for, but his eyeballs looked like they could fall out at any moment. With a thud, the bloody head rolled into his arms. ¡°Master!¡± The butler stumbled into the room. ¡°The shaman has mysteriously disappeared!¡± His head was in his arms, haha! The butler saw that the door was tightly shut and did not dare to barge in. He said, ¡°The signboard outside has also been smashed!¡± Old Master Dong was covered in cold sweat. His heart was beating like thunder. He held back the scream in his throat and scrambled out of bed, ignoring his messy clothes. Over the years, he had stained himself the blood of many people for the sake of wealth. It was the blood of dead people and living people. It was not an easy task to gather eighteen girls together. Time was tight. Under the guidance of the shaman, he found the last female with an excellent horoscope profile. However, she was not dead yet. Old Master Dong also chose a time to personally send her on her way. A white knife goes in, and a red knife comes out. He could keep his expression calm, but when he saw the shaman head, he shivered and vomited. Who was trying to warn him? ¡°Young Master¡¯s grave has also been dug up!¡± It was placed outside! The entire Fengzhou probably knew about it. When Furen learned of this matter, she was furious and reported it to the magistrate. She begged the magistrate to make a decision and capture the culprit. Even if she was cut into pieces, she would not be able to resolve the hatred in her heart. With a creak, Old Master Dong staggered out. ¡°This stupid woman!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bad time. I¡¯m afraid someone did this on purpose! Entering my Dong Residence and killing my shaman. It¡¯s clear their strength cannot be underestimated. He comes in the dark while I am in the light. Even if the magistrate favors my Dong family, how can he save me from this?¡± ¡ª ¡°Get out of the way. If you disturb the government¡¯s investigation, you¡¯ll lose your head!¡± Before Madam Dong could report the case, the government had already sent people. Dozens of officials armed with sabers had arrived with ferocious expressions. The commoners naturally feared the government. They all made way for them. The officials who usually did not dare to do anything to the Dong family were very unyielding at this moment. ¡°Someone reported that the Dong family is involved in a murder. Take them all away!¡± The Dong family was connected to the magistrate and would offer him a large sum of silver every year. How could the officials of this small county government be so impudent? Madam Dong threw herself onto the coffin with red eyes. She turned around and cursed. ¡°Are you all blind? Aren¡¯t you afraid that the magistrate will blame you for ordering you to arrest him? ¡°My son can¡¯t even rest in peace in the underworld! I want to report this to the authorities!¡± However, no matter how noisy they were, these officials still acted willfully. In his muddle-headed state, Old Master Dong was brought out in a sorry state by the officials who had barged with the power of the law on their side. Even the servants of the Dong family were taken to the station. In the private room of the teahouse. Looking down from the window, he could see the farce in front of the Dong family¡¯s door clearly. The fragrance of the tea lingered in the air, but Shen Hua did not take a sip. She frowned, troubled and confused. Cui Yun was the one who brought her to the teahouse. Even the stack of evidence in her hand was given to her by him. However, Cui Yun left after sending her off. He did not leave a single word behind. However, Shen Hua strongly believed that this was Cui Yun¡¯s doing. Yi Cui entered the teahouse refreshed after watching the show. ¡°That Young Master Cui just came to Fengzhou, but he easily gathered all the evidence that has troubled my lady for many days. I wonder what his identity is?¡± Shen Hua was depressed. It was not that she was worried, but that she really did not understand. She had had no personal relationship with Cui Yun before. Why did Cui Yun help her? Did he help her because he had a grudge against the Dong family, or did he destroy the Dong family to help her? She tilted her head and looked out the window. ¡°Did you see that? Even the county magistrate, who fawns like a puppy in front of the magistrate, has sent someone here. But now, we have become enemies with the magistrate.¡± Shen Hua said, ¡± The county magistrate is timid and has never stood out. He has done his best to appeal to the people for injustice and to deliver the complaint papers. However, he has failed to do anything to those with power and influence. Under the pressure of the magistrate, he can only close his eyes and bend the law to protect them.¡± As she spoke, she lowered her eyes and her eyes trembled as she spoke each word. ¡°Who do you think the county magistrate borrowed his courage from? Or did he borrow someone¡¯s power? ¡± Shen Hua had actually thought of many ways to mess with the Dong family, but she never thought of reporting it to the authorities. Reporting to the officials¡­ was the most useless option. These officials were high and mighty and corrupted and bribed. How could they care about the suffering of the people when they were united? All Shen Hua could think of was to play tricks and make everyone restless. She would completely expose the ugliness of these sinners. Since there was no way to report it, she would use her own methods to make the Dong family unhappy. However, now, with Cui Yun¡¯s move, the county magistrate was actually shouting at them. This feeling of losing control was not good. She did not know what Cui Yun would do next. Yi Cui was still most concerned about Shen Hua¡¯s health. ¡°My Lady, you didn¡¯t rest well last night, and you¡¯ve become much more haggard. Why don¡¯t you go back to your residence to rest?¡± ¡°The crime is obvious. The Dong family has encountered a tough opponent this time. This servant will let the servants in the courtyard go and investigate. Once there is any news, I will inform My Lady.¡± Shen Hua shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m waiting.¡± ¡°Wait for what?¡± Shen Hua¡¯s beautiful eyes curved. Since she had gotten Cui Yun¡¯s help, she naturally had to personally hand over this stack of evidence to the county magistrate. Chapter 28 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The government official was wearing an official robe and an official hat while sitting in the high hall. He raised his hand several times to wipe the thin layer of sweat off his forehead with a square handkerchief. He was looking at the man who was standing in the hall with his hands behind his back. Compared to the official¡¯s uneasiness, Cui Yun was extremely calm. Madam Dong was usually high and mighty, but when it came to the court, she was more afraid than anyone else. She was a person close to Old Master Dong, and she knew best how many lives the Dong family had taken. If he really wanted to be convicted¡­ At this moment, she was kneeling on the ground. The hard ground seemed to be emitting a chill that spread from her knees to her limbs and bones. Madam Dong trembled and helplessly tugged at Old Master Dong¡¯s sleeve. The servants of the Dong Residence were so frightened that they did not even dare to breathe loudly. All of them curled up into a ball, trembling with fear. Outside, there was a crowd of people watching the show. ¡°What crime did the Dong family commit?¡± ¡°I heard that they killed someone.¡± ¡°What a joke! Why should the Dong family pay with their lives? That year, the son of the Dong family was greedy for women and killed an entire family in a fit of anger. He was still released without any problems. What¡¯s happened today?¡± Soon, someone mentioned Cui Yun. ¡°That young master is really handsome. I heard that he was the one who reported the case.¡± Someone¡¯s eyes curled, and they said shyly, ¡°If I had known that I would meet such a person, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten married.¡± Soon, she was spat at. ¡°You could be his mother at your age!¡± ¡°What if he likes older girls like me?¡± The woman placed her hands on her hips. Cui Yun acted as if he was not being spoken about. ¡°Lord Liu, it¡¯s time for the interrogation.¡± He looked up calmly. Lord Liu quivered and knocked the table with the stone in his hand, showing his usual dignity. ¡°Do you admit that the prisoner has harmed people¡¯s lives?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t acknowledge that.¡± Old Master Dong knelt down. When Madam Dong heard this, she mustered up her courage and shouted, ¡°Sir, how can you believe this person¡¯s one-sided story?¡± As she spoke, she looked at Cui Yun fiercely. ¡°My husband eats vegetarian food and chants Buddha¡¯s verses. He¡¯s the most kind-hearted! Who would have thought that he would one day be arrested and treated as a villain? This is a false accusation! ¡°Although my Dong family is made up of merchants, we won¡¯t let anyone bully us!¡± As she spoke, she was about to get up from the ground. ¡°Silence!¡± The county magistrate reprimanded him. Very quickly, the official forced her to kneel down again. County Magistrate Liu said some righteous words. ¡°If you are not guilty, I will definitely prove your innocence. But if you are guilty, I will not let you off.¡± Old Master Dong said in a deep voice, ¡°My Dong Residence and Tongzhi Residence¡­¡± ¡°How can I be overcautious when handling a case? With the magistrate here, I will definitely investigate thoroughly.¡± His attitude made Old Master Dong panic. At this moment, there was a commotion outside. Soon, a magistrate wearing a black gauze hat entered with a cold face. Seeing this, the county magistrate subconsciously stood up and prepared to welcome him. In the next moment, his legs stiffened. How could he, a magistrate, protect the person that the young duke wanted to punish? In the past, he had to take the magistrate¡¯s attitude into account for everything, afraid that he would be made to suffer. But now, compared to the young duke, the magistrate was nothing! His eyes turned calculative, and soon, he bowed respectfully. ¡°My Lord.¡± The magistrate put on airs and did not even look at the magistrate. ¡°In my opinion, this is a farce.¡± He was a fourth-rank official, and in Fengzhou, he was the local emperor. He walked in front of Cui Yun. He asked in a deep and unfathomable voice. ¡°It¡¯s you who wants to punish the Dong family?¡± Cui Yun was neither humble nor arrogant. He stood with his hands behind his back, like a pine tree or a crane. ¡°The court is not a place for flowery words. Everything is done according to the law.¡± The magistrate¡¯s expression was very bad. If something really happened to the Dong Clan, it would be a slap to his face. Moreover, he was still counting on the silver that the Dong family presented to him every year. However, under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, he really could not take him away. He flung his sleeves. ¡°Ignorant fellow!¡± The county magistrate was twitching smugly! Oh my god, oh my god! This old thing had actually mocked Young Marquis Cui, who inherited his title, for being ignorant. He gave Young Marquis Cui no face! The magistrate tried his best to control his facial expressions. He made a gesture of invitation. ¡°Sir, since you¡¯re here, I¡¯d like to ask you to interrogate him personally.¡± The position of the magistrate was above his. With the magistrate around, he naturally had nothing to do with the situation at hand. Of course, he wanted to see the magistrate slap his face! The magistrate gave a fake smile and said deliberately, ¡°This official will listen.¡± County Magistrate Liu quickly got someone to bring a chair over. Only then did he return to his seat. County Official Liu paid attention to Cui Yun at all times and cashed out all the professionalism points he had. At this moment, the official presented something. ¡°My Lord, this was found in Dong Feng¡¯s room.¡± County Magistrate Liu glanced at it and was so frightened that he almost fell off his chair. The crowd also exclaimed. ¡°What a sin! If he killed someone, so be it. But why did he chop off his head? ¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane. You¡¯re still hiding such a bloody thing in the house. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re hugging it to sleep!¡± ¡°Sir, this matter has nothing to do with me.¡± Old Master Dong¡¯s body trembled. ¡°Do you know this person?¡± Old Master Dong¡¯s expression turned unnatural for a moment. ¡°Yes¡­ He¡¯s a feng shui master that I invited into my home.¡± ¡°Did he have any conflict with you previously?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t ever had a problem with him.¡± ¡°Is his death related to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unrelated!¡± The magistrate was getting impatient. What kind of question was this? He should be convicted. He put down the teacup in his hand and sneered. ¡°Lord Liu.¡± As he spoke, he looked at Cui Yun. ¡°Everyone in the Dong family is kneeling down, but this person is standing here brazenly. How can you allow him to behave so atrociously in court? Why? Does he have bad knees?¡± County Magistrate Liu was silent. The people of the Marquis of Yangling¡¯s Manor did not have to have bad knees to avoid kneeling. He thought about Young Master Cui kneeling down to him. With the Emperor¡¯s favor towards Cui Yun, even if he kneeled down to the magistrate, the magistrate could still bring his head to see the King of Hell. ¡°County Magistrate Liu likes this pretty boy. It¡¯s not appropriate.¡± The magistrate narrowed his eyes. Cui Yun¡¯s aura was really extraordinary, but he had never heard of any big shot coming to Fengzhou! ¡°What do you mean, inappropriate!¡± The magistrate continued. ¡°The minister of the Supreme Court is currently in the third rank. He is one of the nine ministers and is highly favored by the Emperor. How can I accept this?¡± ¡°In terms of etiquette, My Lord, you didn¡¯t even bow to Lord Marquis just now.¡± The expression of ridicule on the magistrate¡¯s face stiffened. Huh? Before he could be dumbfounded, he heard Cui Yun say indifferently, ¡°Fengzhou Prefect¡¯s Lu Yuan was appointed to come here every nine years. It has been eight years since then, but his achievements have been mediocre and worrying, and it is difficult for him to advance in his official position. Do you know why?¡± Lu Yuan¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Cui Yun¡¯s brows were cold, and his words were neither fast nor slow. ¡°Since you are the keeper of the common people, you should be happy to be a gentleman and protect the commoners. ¡°Eliminate thieves and relieve the poor. It¡¯s up to you to finish the lawsuit. ¡°Lord Lu, the Dong family will probably be able to rest easy with you supporting them, right?¡± Chapter 29 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Magistrate Lu¡¯s expression changed drastically. His lips moved, but no sound came out of his throat. His vision darkened, and he wished he could just go. He got up, trembling in fear. Cui Yun looked at the time and said indifferently, ¡°As far as I know, the price of the bounty on Lord Lu¡¯s body is enough to buy five prefectural courtyards in Fengzhou. With your salary, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± He paused and did not continue. However, everyone present understood. Cui Wei was unperturbed. ¡°When I report your matter to the emperor, there will naturally be a censor from the Procuratorate coming to hold you accountable.¡± ¡°Magistrate Liu, don¡¯t delay.¡± He did not want to hear any more nonsense from Lord Lu. Magistrate Liu sat up straight and knocked heavily on the chopping board. ¡°Dong Feng! Don¡¯t try to quibble! Did you really not kill this person?¡± When Dong Feng saw Lord Lu¡¯s pale face, he felt terrible. He came here because he was certain that he was just going through the motions. He had the backing of the magistrate behind him. All these years, everything had been peaceful. However, at this moment, this backer did not dare to sit down. He could not even stand steadily, but he did not dare to slip away. Clearly, he could not protect himself. Dong Feng was completely flustered. This fear grabbed his heart and ruthlessly blocked all his escape routes. Madam Dong could not take the blow. Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted. ¡°No! Sir, it really wasn¡¯t me. The moment I woke up, the head of the feng shui master was on my bed.¡± He placed his hands on the ground, and his back trembled slightly. His expression did not seem fake. Dong Feng said anxiously, ¡°Besides, if I was the murderer, why would I leave evidence behind in my own residence? ¡°How can you convict me if you don¡¯t have any witnesses?¡± Dong Feng refused to admit it, causing Magistrate Liu to frown. At this moment, a female voice came from outside. ¡°I can.¡± Shen Hua walked through the enthralled crowd. She was still in her mourning period, and a small white flower was tucked in between her hair. She was afraid of the cold and had thus wrapped herself up like a ball. It was a little strenuous for her to walk. Shen Hua had just entered the hall when the unconscious Madam Dong suddenly opened her eyes and got up from the ground. This sudden change made Shen Hua¡¯s heart skip a beat. Her embroidered shoe stepped on the hem of her dress, and she staggered slightly. Soon, someone on the right reached out and firmly held Shen Hua¡¯s body. Shen Hua thanked her master gratefully. Cui Wei quickly retracted her hand. She was as noble and upright as ever. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± he said softly. Shen Hua was slow to react and let out an ¡®ah¡¯. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to thank you again.¡± Her snow-white fur did not get any impurities on it. Cui Wei glanced at the dusty ground. ¡°You don¡¯t have to kneel.¡± This time, Shen Hua reacted faster than anyone else. ¡°My lord! How can you assume that my husband did it just because this master died in my residence?¡± As soon as Mrs. Dong woke up, she started to deny of the charges. ¡°My son¡¯s grave was dug up innocently, and the master died strangely. Isn¡¯t this intentional? You¡¯re the master of the world, so you should stand up for me.¡± Shen Hua was a little angry. She patted her chest and glared at Madam Dong. ¡°You¡¯re still quibbling! If you¡¯re dizzy, so be it. Why did you suddenly wake up? You scared me! ¡°Are you trying to drag me down with you when you¡¯re about to die?!¡± She snorted angrily. The crowd continued to stir. ¡°Which residence is this irritable woman from?¡± ¡°This is the daughter of the Shen family¡¯s embroidery workshop. She has never been someone to be trifled with.¡± ¡°Young Marquis, why are you helping her? Is she your type?¡± ¡°Pfft! The Young Marquis didn¡¯t even refute just now. He must like someone as old as me. He¡¯s just a gentleman helping Madam Shen.¡± Magistrate Liu thought, ¡®What kind of people are these?!¡¯ Shen Hua turned sideways to look at Dong Feng. ¡°If you were the murderer, where would you commit the murder?¡± ¡°In a desolate place, of course.¡± Dong Feng blurted out. Shen Hua said, ¡°Looks like no one saw us, so we can be safe and sound.¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve brought two witnesses.¡± Magistrate Liunodded slightly and ordered the officials, ¡°Bring him up.¡± Soon, a couple in rough clothes was brought up. ¡°This commoner, Zhang Zhuang, greets My Lord.¡± ¡°Greetings, Your Excellency.¡± Dong Feng looked up, and his expression changed drastically. ¡°Hey, I know these two people. They¡¯re from the Wu Family. A daughter of theirs just died not long ago.¡± The crowd¡¯s low voice still reached Dong Feng¡¯s ears, but he could not listen to a single word. Madam Dong, who was beside him, rolled her eyes again and fainted. Shen Hua looked at the crowd and pursed her lips slightly, smiling lightly. ¡°Aunt is right. This Zhang couple only has one daughter.¡± At the mention of her daughter, Madam Zhang¡¯s eyes were moist. She had lost her beloved daughter recently and was in unbearable grief. Therefore, her voice was hoarse and unpleasant. ¡°My lord, my Fubao was born exquisite and beautiful, but she had to take medicine all year round and was not in good health. ¡°Our family is poor. When she was young, I always put her in a basket and carried her to the mountains to work. But when she was with me, wild chickens and hares would always bump into her. My child is quite lucky to have survived that, so the two of us named her Fubao.¡± As she spoke, she looked fiercely at her husband beside her, like a beast swallowing human blood. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me more?¡± The corners of Zhang Zhuang¡¯s eyes were tired. His skin was dark, and his fingertips were dry and cracked. It was obvious that he was doing farm work. At this moment, he could not raise his head. Madam Zhang smiled coldly. County Magistrate Liu was confused, but Madam Zhang was agitated and could not ask anything. He looked at Shen Hua. Shen Hua enunciated clearly, ¡°Zhang Fubao, thirteen years old. Born with asthma. She died eight days ago. Old Master Dong, where were you eight days ago?¡± Dong Feng gritted his teeth. ¡°I never go out.¡± At this point, he was still stubborn. ¡°After Dong Hui¡¯s death, Dong Feng did not hesitate to travel thousands of miles to the Miao family. He invited Old Shaman to be a distinguished guest and settle down in his residence.¡± Shen Hua said, ¡°Although many years have passed, many people know that Dong Feng had gone on a long journey. The servants serving the Dong Residence were well aware of it. All the servants of the Dong Family are here. Your Excellency only needs to interrogate them. ¡°Of course, the fastest way would be to search the room the shaman lived in. We¡¯ll know once we get a pair of his dental plates. ¡°I¡¯m young and ignorant. I really don¡¯t know why Dong Feng treats psychic shamans as feng shui masters.¡± Other than Cui Wei and the dazed Lord Lu, everyone else was stunned. Soon, Magistrate Liu came back to his senses. He ordered the officials to search. Shen Hua was not idle either. ¡°Half a month ago, you came to the Wang family and offered them three hundred taels. Is that true?¡± ¡°Forget it, there¡¯s not a single word of truth coming out of your mouth.¡± Shen Hua said faintly, ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone knows what a sorcerer does. The Miao race has an extremely evil sorcery. Their eight characters are extremely good, and even after they die, they don¡¯t reincarnate as human woman. Their method is exchanging lives for luck. Sir can also get someone to verify the truth of my words.¡± ¡°Fubao meets all the conditions. Old Master Dong was eager to visit early and promised me a lot of money.¡± At this point, Zhang Zhuang finally started crying. However, Shen Hua did not pity him. Chapter 30 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The light in Zhang Zhuang¡¯s eyes became dimmer and dimmer, and finally, it became a mixture of disappointment and regret. He raised his hand and slapped himself twice. He said hoarsely, ¡°Fu Bao¡¯s health deteriorated again during that period. The doctor said that she might not be able to endure this harsh winter.¡± It was not enough to spend all the money the family had on medicinal herbs. He had to raise money everywhere. However, the debts that he owed over the years had not been repaid yet. Who was willing to lend him anything? At that time, Dong Feng came to the door and proposed a secret marriage. ¡°I was greedy for money and thought that I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about medicine money anymore. I could even buy her some good ginseng to eat. Considering that this child has a soft personality, when she grows up she will be helpless and her mother and I won¡¯t be able to take care of her anymore, so I wanted to find a good marriage for her. ¡± As for him¡­ He was indeed selfish. After all, that sum of silver was not a small sum. It was enough for him to buy a large piece of land and stay rich for the rest of his life. He knew that Dong Hui had done many evil deeds and was not a good match, but he told Zhang Wang, ¡°This good marriage must not be missed.¡± Madam Zhang never doubted him. After using ginseng and a large number of tonics, Fu Bao¡¯s face was full of blood and her voice was no longer as weak. Perhaps she could live for a few more years, not just through this harsh winter. However, Dong Feng could not wait any longer. When Zhang Zhuang turned around and went to the kitchen to get the medicine for Fu Bao, Fu Bao died in Dong Feng¡¯s hands! Zhang Zhuang saw it, but he could not stop it. Dong Feng threw another banknote at his face and left with a few words of warning. The banknote gently floated down to the soles of his shoes. Not far away was the blood-stained saber and Fu Bao¡¯s body. Zhang Zhuang¡¯s blood turned cold. ¡°I¡¯m weak and unworthy of being her father. After this, I was so cowardly that I didn¡¯t dare to mention it. ¡± Zhang Wang did not speak of it too. No one suspected anything. They all thought that Fu Bao committed suicide. They all believed that Fu Bao was sensible as even though she was young, she could not bear to let her parents spend too much money buying medicine for her. Zhang Zhuang did not explain. He could not win against the Dong family. After making a painful choice, he picked up the banknote. If this matter was concealed, he would not have to bear the consequences. During this period of time, he could not sleep at night. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Fu Bao¡¯s struggle before her death. He could not eat and was so skinny that he was only skin and bones right now. These silver notes paid for his daughter¡¯s life. If Shen Hua had not found her and mercilessly exposed this matter to the Zhang family¡­ He was in a daze. The middle-aged man was crying miserably. Madam Zhang¡¯s heart felt as if it was being cut by the person beside her with a dagger. It was bleeding profusely, and it hurt. She was already in pain from losing her daughter, and today, she had to suffer a heavy blow. How could she be feeling better off? Shen Hua lowered her eyes and took out the thick stack of evidence from her bosom. ¡°The Zhang couple are witnesses, and this is physical evidence. ¡°Other than the Zhang couple, there¡¯s also information about the other seventeen women¡¯s families here. My Lord, go and investigate.¡± You¡¯ll only get more evidence.¡± Dong Feng was indeed secretive. Money was enough to make people lose their minds, but it had also made him fall from the clouds to the ground now. Dead people kept secrets, but Dong Feng could not kill everyone, lest people be alerted and discover more clues. The evidence was quickly presented to Magistrate Liu. All the mysteries were completely revealed. This was the simplest and most exciting case that Magistrate Liu had ever handled. He looked down and saw that the first photo was of the Shen family, which Shen Hua had specially placed at the top. Magistrate Liu was speechless. Justice over family! Even so, in order to be safe and go through the motions, Magistrate Liu still had to call all the people involved to the court for verification. However, it was clear that everything had been settled. The people watching the show were not done yet. Shen Hua walked out of the hall with her fur wrapped around her. It was no longer cramped outside, and the air was much fresher. ¡°Mistress Shen, when something happened to the Dong family, why did you appear?¡± Perhaps it was because Shen Hua¡¯s attire was too childish and innocent that someone dared to ask that. He thought that she would ignore him because of her temper. Unexpectedly, the little lady turned around and looked over with her bright black eyes. Her delicate nose wrinkled slightly. The little lotus¡¯s tone complemented the little white flower above her head. ¡°Who asked my Shen family to be implicated in this? My stepmother is greedy for money. The Shen family is not ashamed of the heavens and the earth. We can¡¯t let her ruin everything because of a single mistake.¡± Everyone¡¯s thoughts were led astray by this sentence. No way, no way! That motherly Shen Xueshi was actually this kind of person? ¡°She actually sold her dying daughter for money? ¡± ¡°The Shen family¡¯s Eldest daughter clearly does not lack silver. What is she after?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten? She couldn¡¯t give birth to her own child, so she was resentful! Once Old Master Shen left, her true nature was exposed. She kept bullying Eldest Mistress Shen and would not let the late Second Mistress Shen rest in peace.¡± ¡°The heart of a snake and a scorpion is nothing more than that. As expected, a stepmother is a stepmother. If she¡¯s not her biological daughter, why would her heart ache for her?¡± The words behind her made Shen Hua feel smug. She walked down the street with heavy steps. She bought a stick of candied haws from a soldier who walked through the streets. Shen Hua leaned forward and licked it with her pink lips. She loved to eat these, but Shen Wei thought that food outside was not clean and thus did not allow her to eat it. When she thought about it carefully, the last time she had eaten something like this was a few months ago. Shen Hua took a shortcut and led Yi Cui along the depths of the alley. After bypassing this alley, they arrived at the street where the Shen residence was located. ¡°Yangyang.¡± Someone called out to her from behind. He Chu stood there in a daze. He was still dressed like a scholar in his memory. His white student uniform was clean. When the government tried the case, he was there the entire time. She was still herself, and her delicate habits had never changed because of the unexpected. However, it was different now. Today, Shen Hua was like a pearl that was no longer covered in dust, bright and eye-catching. Zhou Zhizhi was also set off as a pool of stagnant water. He was satisfied with Zhou Zhizhi¡¯s stability. He would rise to the top in the future, and she was a good wife. However, seeing Shen Hua like this made him feel lost. There was a moment of regret. Yi Cui¡¯s face turned cold when she saw him. Just as he was about to protect Shen Hua behind him, he heard the little lady frown. ¡°Ah, how unlucky,¡± Shen Hua mumbled. A moment of embarrassment flashed across He Chu¡¯s face. There was no one around. He was no longer as determined as he was on the day he broke off the engagement. ¡°Are you blaming me?¡± Shen Hua could guess what he would say next. She bit the thin layer of icing on the candied fruit, making a crunching sound. He Chu felt that he still had a chance. ¡°Yangyang, these are my mother¡¯s orders. I have to obey her because of filial piety, but I only have you in my heart. Give me some more time.¡± His gaze fell on Shen Hua¡¯s lips. Her pale lips were stained with sugar, adding a tinge of red. It would be a lie to say that he had no feelings for her. ¡°Yangyang, I didn¡¯t want to do it either. I have no feelings for that Zhou family¡¯s girk. I begged my mother, and she allowed you to enter the He family. Although you are a concubine, in my heart, you are the one I want to marry.¡± He looked at Shen Hua expectantly, trying to get a response. Shen Hua was deep in thought and then asked unhappily, ¡°Nothing more to add?¡± She was tired of hearing his excuses. ¡°Can we have talk about something new?¡± Chapter 31 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Her reaction stunned He Chu, and his fingertips curled up unnaturally. Shen Hua clearly had nothing left, so how could she still be so arrogant? He said that he was willing to take her in as a concubine because of their old relationship. Why did Shen Hua not grab onto him as her life-saving straw and leave the Shen residence, that place of trouble? Who would dare to marry someone like Shen Hua? ¡°What are you still trying to do? I once swore in front of your father and brother that I would do my best to take care of you. I will definitely live up to my promise.¡± Shen Hua was unmoved, but He Chu was immersed in his own emotions. He felt troubled. ¡°Back then, you were the one who agreed to the marriage. You and I could have been considered to be in love with each other, but Yangyang, I have great ambitions. The Zhongju examination is just around the corner.¡± Shen Hua was speechless. She laughed in anger. ¡°Is Yangyang something you can call me? ¡°He Chu, why do you have to pretend to be a gentleman and reminisce about the past when things remain the same but people have changed? ¡°How important is the reputation of a mother? Has your He family ever shown me any kindness? Don¡¯t always use your mother and filial piety as an excuse. You¡¯re young. It¡¯s because you don¡¯t have a mind of your own. Isn¡¯t it because you haven¡¯t been weaned? Don¡¯t even use your self-proclaimed Great Dao of Kang Yang as an excuse. You¡¯re talentless and a dreamer!¡± She spoke very slowly. It was as if he was being dismembered. Shen Hua also found it ridiculous. Back then, why did she hang around to He Chu so obsessively? When He Chu saved her, she hated him. That year, the little girl¡¯s beautiful face was red and swollen from wasp stings. There were hard red spots on her face. He had seen her ugly appearance. ¡°Sob, sob, sob! It hurts! I¡¯m so ugly. Shen Zhui, that little concubine¡¯s daughter is prettier than me!¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you getting lost? What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Zheng Qianyu definitely won¡¯t be able to sell rice. She¡¯s going to mock me! She was not human! Not human!¡± She cried so hard that even Shen Zhi could not coax her. Later on, whenever Shen Hua did something wrong, Shen Zhi would lecture her and Shen Wei would reprimand her. However, He Chu would never say that she was in the wrong. He would even say something when Shen Hua complained about her brother and father. ¡®Your father and brother are indeed too serious about this matter.¡¯ Yangyang felt wronged. In order to please Shen Hua, he would blindly approve of her regardless of whether she was right or wrong. He was no different from the servants who listened to her orders. After so many times of him doing that, Shen Hua actually found him pleasing to the eye. The engagement was settled just like that. However, the more they interacted, the more disappointed Shen Hua became. He Chu was simply incomparable to his brother. Merchants valued profits, but the Shen family¡¯s First household valued promises. No matter how much Shen Wei doted on Shen Hua, he would not allow her to break off the engagement halfway. ¡®Yangyang, when you agreed to the engagement, did Daddy force you? You were the one who swore that He Chu was a good match. Father also sent someone to investigate his background. He is indeed not bad and cares about you. If you marry him, you¡¯ll be marrying him as a lowly wife. With your father and brother around, he won¡¯t dare to treat you badly. ¡®Your mother passed away early, but I taught you since you were young not to tease others. Have you forgotten? ¡®He Chu was just short of digging out his heart for you to see. In fact, he was even more concerned about your matters than Daddy. He did not forget you at all.¡¯ Shen Wei¡¯s words made Shen Hua feel ashamed. After that, he did not dare to mention it again. That was why Shen Hua became angrier. She had already endured He Chu and was prepared to fulfill the engagement, but He Chu actually had the face to despise her? How could the Shen family¡¯s Yangyang suffer such humiliation? If Shen Wei knew about He Chu¡¯s behavior, he would be rolling in his grave. Shen Hua¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile. ¡°Do you need me to tell you how many benefits you have gained from the Shen residence all these years?¡± Without the support of the Shen residence, the Zhou family was not well-off. He Chu spent a lot of money on his studies. His mother was a scholar and was unwilling to do the menial work of washing. Shen Hua wanted to see where he would get the money to get married. She looked at the man in front of her and said slowly, ¡°Remember this! You won¡¯t be able to be magnanimous in front of me for the rest of your life!¡± Shen Hua said and left. Her happy mood dissapated. Even the candied haws lost their initial sweetness. Shen Hua pursed her lips and returned to the manor. Yi Cui¡¯s face was even uglier than Shen Hua¡¯s. ¡°How dare he say that? How shameless. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my lady, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to afford the top school that he studied in his early years. Without the Chen family, how could he have become a scholar? ¡°He¡¯s just a scholar. Those who don¡¯t know better would think that he won a top scholar.¡± Shen Hua¡¯s mind was not on what Yi Cui said. As soon as she entered the residence, she felt the atmosphere around her turn cold. The closer they got to the courtyard, the stronger the feeling became. As soon as he entered the Half Moon Archway, he saw servants kneeling on the ground. They looked at Shen Hua carefully, their faces full of worry. ¡°My lady, Second Young Master¡­¡± someone whispered. Shen Hua stopped in her tracks, and her gaze slowly shifted to the half-open door. ¡°Come in!¡± The person in the room said coldly. Shen Hua dilly-dallied, taking two steps at a time. Just as she moved to the threshold, she saw a blue and white porcelain teacup thrown in her direction. It hit the door with a slight curve, and the broken porcelain pieces splashed everywhere. A sharp piece cut into Shen Hua¡¯s jade-like cheek, leaving a bloody mark. ¡°My lady!¡± Yi Cui exclaimed. ¡°Drag her out!¡± Shen Qu ordered coldly. The butler was afraid of being implicated, so he covered Yi Cui¡¯s mouth and dragged her out. He did not forget to close the door. Yi Cui was worried that Shen Hua was hurt. She struggled to break free and scratched the butler¡¯s hand, leaving several bloody marks. The butler was in pain, but he did not dare to let go of her. ¡°My lady is hurt, so you can save your effort! She usually causes trouble, but you¡¯re so stupid and didn¡¯t stop her! We¡¯re all family, so why bother? If the Shen family is not doing well, she also won¡¯t have a peaceful life.¡± ¡°Young Master is really angry this time.¡± The butler had watched Shen Hua grow up and cleaned up a lot of her messes. But this time, Shen Hua¡¯s actions were really¡­ ¡°Do you think Young Master will let you off easily? After he takes care of my lady, it will be your turn next!¡± Yi Cui laughed when she heard this. Ever since Steward Wu chose Shen Qu, he had taken a different path. She naturally put Shen Hua first. Whether Steward Wu was thinking about Shen Qu or himself was his business. ¡°They can¡¯t let my lady do as she pleases, so why does my lady need to lower herself to them?¡± Steward Wu frowned. ¡°If the embroidery workshop falls, then my lady will let down Master and Madam. How can she be the granddaughter of a big house?¡± If something happens to her stepmother, my lady will be punished for being unfilial.¡± Yi Cui¡¯s face turned cold. She no longer treated Steward Wu with the respect she had in the past. ¡°Steward Wu! ¡°Everyone in the world has their biases. It¡¯s fine as long as the ladies are happy. Let others talk!¡± For all these years, Shen Hua had been scolded by those people for being unruly and unreasonable. Why should she restrain himself and continue to be wronged for these people? ¡°The embroidery workshop was left behind by Master and Madam Shen, a stepmother suddenly appeared out of nowhere. If she truly cared for my lady, then on the night of Master¡¯s burial, she would have shown her some concern for her illness, but Second Madam didn¡¯t care. I begged Grandfather and Ancestor to get her to agree and find a doctor! A duty of hers become a kind favor she was doing.¡± Chapter 32 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation At this moment, the old woman from the gatehouse rushed over. ¡°Butler, there¡¯s a guest. I wonder if Young Master¡­¡± Before he could finish, Steward Wu interrupted him, ¡°You¡¯re blind! The Young Master doesn¡¯t see any guests these days!¡± The old woman hesitated. The person who came looked extraordinary, but seeing that Steward Wu did not want to change his words, she could only bite the bullet and say, ¡°Okay.¡± She left quickly. At this moment, there was a carriage parked outside the Shen residence. When Cui Yun left the court, he was one step behind Shen Hua and did not catch up. She was buying many interesting gifts on the streets and various snacks that were convenient to keep on her person as she slowly walked toward the Shen residence. He should tell Shen Hua about going to Shengjing. Of course, if he reported his stepmother, he also guessed that Shen Hua would be in trouble. Cui Yun covered the dark light in his eyes. Today, his thoughts had been on Shen Hua. He had almost turned the entirety of Fengzhou upside down for her. With Magistrate Liu¡¯s fall, many people were eager to take this position, and many officials were afraid of losing their positions. ¡­This was troublesome. Cui Yun thought about Shen Hua¡¯s value in Xie Xun¡¯s eyes. Was it worth his actions today? Ji Qing stood outside the carriage, waiting for the old woman to step forward, panting. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but I haven¡¯t seen any guests in the mansion recently. If you really have something urgent to visit our young master for, you can wait for a few more days.¡± Ji Qing was silent. Their master visited Shen Qu? Did Shen Qu have the face for this? His cold face and silence made the old woman a little nervous. She rubbed her sleeves nervously and heard some movement in the carriage. His slender hand lifted the curtain, and the man bent down to get out. Noble and cold, as bright as the moon, and as solemn as pine trees in the snow¡­ Cui Yun got off the carriage, his eyes as cold as autumn water. He did not say a word, looked straight ahead, and went up the stairs. ¡°Young Master! Are you trying to barge in?¡± The old woman¡¯s expression changed. Seeing that he was about to enter the Shen residence, the old woman and the servant raised their hands to stop him. However, before they could get close to Cui Yun, they heard Ji Qing reprimand them coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll see who dares to stop the Supreme Court Official appointed by the Emperor.¡± Had the servants of the Shen residence ever seen such a powerful man before? The Head of the Supreme Court was famous. They had heard of him before. He was famous for being cold and ruthless when handling cases. The old woman secretly thought that something bad had happened. She and the butler were in big trouble! She was about to run to report the news in fear when she felt a pain in her neck. A shiny sword was pressed against her throat. ¡°Lead the way.¡± The old woman was scared out of her wits. ¡°Yes, yes, yes. This way, please, honored guest.¡± On the other hand, the more Yi Cui spoke, the deeper the resentment grew. ¡°When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. When the wall is pushed, everyone falls. Who cares about the life and death of the wife the most in the entire residence?¡± One was adopted by the second wife, and the other was remarried by Shen Wei. None of them were good people. ¡°If we are talking about a family, Second Lady is sensible and pitiable. Although she is a concubine¡¯s daughter, she and my lady are a family.¡± Shen Zhui did not miss out on a single one of Shen Xue¡¯s invitations, so why should they be wasted by her schemes? Second Lady was right. And Shen Hua was right to stand up for Shen Zhui! Because of this matter, Shen Hua would become a sinner for thousands of years for disrespecting and framing her mother. This world could have badly wronged her. The embroidery workshop was founded by Master and Madam! Why should the Second Madam and the Second Young Master benefit? Her lady was supposed to be the household¡¯s most favored daughter, so why should she suffer such injustice? If Steward Wu said one sentence, Yi Cui could refute him with ten sentences. Steward Wu¡¯s face darkened immediately. The servants kneeling on the ground also stood up during their conversation. They stood behind Yi Cui, obviously wanting to be Shen Hua¡¯s backup. It was as if Yi Cui was giving the orders, and they had to execute them no matter what. ¡°Rebel! You¡¯re all rebelling!¡± Steward Wu was so angry that he laughed. He raised his hand and ordered the servant behind him, ¡°Take them all down!¡± ¡ª Shen Hua did not try to soothe the stinging pain on her face. The wound was not deep, but the blood stains were bright. Shen Qu¡¯s face darkened as he approached with large strides. He had nowhere to vent his anger. His face was dark and malicious, and no longer as warm and smooth as before. How much trouble had Shen Hua caused him in just a few days? Perhaps this was Shen Qu¡¯s true self. Once his interests were harmed, he would become a vicious wolf. ¡°I only want to ask you one thing!¡± Shen Qu, who had been in a terrible state for a few days, gritted his teeth. ¡°You were the one who did the embroidery workshop?¡± In her previous life, he had left quite a shadow on Shen Hua. Her fingers curled up in her mink fur, but her body was more upright than ever. Shen Hua met those cold eyes that wanted to swallow her whole. ¡°Brother, you must know the whole story since you came here. Why are you asking me something you already know the answer to?¡± Shen Qu did not expect her to recognize him with such magnanimity yet¡­ unrepentance. ¡°In just a few days, several experienced old embroidery ladies left one after another! Are you crazy? ¡°I know you¡¯re ridiculous and delusion ! I¡¯ve been following you for the past few days! Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± The Shen family¡¯s embroidery workshop being able to exist today was thanks to the embroidery ladies. However, more than half of the old embroiderers were no longer working there now, so how could those half-finished embroideries be handed over? The noble buyer¡¯s requirements were harsh, and if there was a slight deviation, how would the Shen family apologize? The most urgent thing was the wedding dress of the county lord¡¯s daughter! Shen Qu said, ¡°You¡¯re acting recklessly with the business left behind by Daddy! Now, Mommy was asked by county government to come in for questioning! You¡¯re really a filial daughter!¡± Shen Hua did not expect the officials to act so quickly. She could not help but feel happy. She was only regretful that Shen Xue had always been the one in contact with the Dong family, and the person in charge, Shen Qu, had easily escaped this calamity. ¡°I don¡¯t get along with my stepmother. It¡¯s her fate to be schemed against by me. She can¡¯t blame anyone.¡± Shen Qu smiled coldly and pinched Shen Hua¡¯s chin. His other hand pressed heavily on the wound that had just healed. Soon, the wound opened and started bleeding again. Shen Hua gasped in pain. Shen Qu¡¯s strange sneer entered his ears. ¡°Did I give you too much face?¡± Blood trickled down his chin. The female mother¡¯s sickly face was accompanied by a childlike look. There was actually an additional gorgeous beauty. Soft and light, faint and slender. She stubbornly met Shen Qu¡¯s gaze, her eyes dark and bright. Shen Qu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and his fingertips felt hot. ¡°You want to kill me?¡± Now that things had come to this, Shen Hua was not afraid anymore. Perhaps, when she died in Shen Qu¡¯s hands, the world would not notice any clues. After all, she was suffering from a vicious disease. Shen Qu could not afford to pay the price for her accident. ¡°Shen Qu, you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Mistress Xiu¡¯s contract is in my hands. They will only listen to my orders.¡± ¡°And I won¡¯t give anything to you.¡± Her lips moved. Shen Qu¡¯s pupils contracted, and the temperature in his eyes suddenly cooled. Shen Hua smiled. ¡°What should we do? The embroidery workshop has left you at a loss, and you have to work hard to solve your stepmother¡¯s matter. However, both sides are urgent and can¡¯t be delayed.¡± ¡°My stepbrother once gave me a greeting gift. This is my return gift.¡± Her words ignited all his rationality. ¡°The current you is really pitiful.¡± Chapter 33 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Hearing this, a trace of venomous resentment gathered in Shen Qu¡¯s eyes. ¡°You want to destroy the embroidery workshop! ¡°Do you still need my advice? When something happens to the embroidery workshop, it will be clearly because you are incompetent. Even if you are adopted under the name of the Shen household, in the end, you will still be no different from a b*stard son who was not valued by Second Uncle. ¡°It¡¯s all for naught.¡± She sneered. Shen Qu stared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience.¡± Since Shen Hua was able to stand here, she had already hidden the body contract in a place that Shen Qu could not find. As long as she did not give him the body contract, the embroidery workshop would not be able to operate. However, the embroidery ladies were still leaving one after another. The sound of porcelain shattering came from inside the room. Soon, it was replaced by a ruthless voice. ¡°Shen Hua! You deserve to die.¡± The mother¡¯s body was weak, and she couldn¡¯t even stand up properly. She was ruthlessly pushed by Shen Qu. Like a sparrow with a broken wing, she was slammed against the wall back-first. Shen Hua let out a muffled grunt, and a fishy taste surged up in her throat. Shen Hua opened her mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood. The fear in her eyes faded and was finally replaced by disdain. She was clearly at a disadvantage, but she was still as high and mighty as Shen Qu remembered. Shen Hua raised her hand, and her slender and almost transparent fingertips gently wiped the blood from the corner of her lips. Outside the house, Steward Wu listened to the commotion inside without raising his eyebrows. Instead, he stared with interest at the slaves who were trying to break free. He was puzzled. Other than Yi Cui, these servants had only served Shen Hua for a while. Why were they so loyal after just a few days? Steward Wu bent down and said to Yi Cui, who was kneeling on the ground with red eyes, ¡°As long as my lady is still the Young Lady of the Shen family and has not moved out of the Shen residence, she will not be able to escape in her lifetime. ¡°The Young Master has to endure it, but as long as my lady doesn¡¯t die, he can also gather enough strength to torture her. My lady is in such a state already, so what about us worthless servants? ¡°I know you hate me, but if you don¡¯t seek refuge with Young Master, I will be the one kneeling here.¡± ¡°My lady can¡¯t even take care of herself. Yi Cui, you should think about how you should live your life.¡± Yi Cui was stunned, and suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes. She finally understood why Shen Hua gathered all the servants in the courtyard and burned everyone¡¯s contracts a few days ago. The wind was strong that night, biting cold and piercing, but Shen Hua¡¯s courtyard was warm to the bone. She was holding a crisp date and biting into it. In front of everyone¡¯s stunned expressions, she only said two sentences. ¡°You are my people and you can choose your loyalties to the Shen residence. If I am ill, I can go or stay as I please too.¡± She let them regain their freedom. It was as if she already expected this day to come. She had a lot on her mind these few days, and now, she was deliberately provoking Shen Qu to fight to the death with him? Yi Cui broke out in a cold sweat. She tried to struggle with all her might, but it was to no avail. However, just as she was in despair, she saw a figure at the Crescent Moon Palace. She had seen him this morning. Even Magistrate Lu was at a loss. Her eyes lit up. ¡°Young Master Cui! Please save our lady!¡± Perhaps seeing hope, Yi Cui somehow managed to break free from her shackles. She stumbled towards Cui Yun and fell to her knees. Cui Yun frowned slightly and changed his casual attitude. There was a sense of alienation and coldness around him. No wonder Xie Xun urgently sought help from him. Shen Hua¡¯s remaining days in the Shen residence were indeed not looking. Steward Wu was about to ask coldly when the dagger thrown by Ji Qing behind Cui Yun cut off the hair in front of his forehead. A tuft of hair fell down. Steward Wu was speechless. The old woman who was holding her neck and trembling was confused. Daggers and swords? What other weapons did he have? Cui Yun stepped forward, his face dark, and his eyes cold like spring water. He kicked open the tightly-shut door. Before he could step in, he heard a weak but arrogant female voice. ¡°Shen Qu, you should put on a begging attitude.¡± Shen Hua looked up and heard a bang. The door could not withstand the force and was on the verge of collapsing. She turned to look at Cui Yun. Shen Hua was speechless. Cui Yun was speechless. Shen Hua decided to finish her sentence without hesitation. She turned her head back. ¡°You haven¡¯t considered it yet? If you kowtow to me and squeeze out a few tears, I might agree.¡± Shen Qu¡¯s dignity had been trampled on since he was young. However, he never thought that Shen Hua would trample him to pieces too. ¡°Who are you?¡± His face was as dark as ink. He looked at the uninvited guest. Cui Yun naturally would not lower his status to pay attention to him. His gaze fell on one spot. Shen Hua¡¯s face was covered in blood, and she was so dirty that it was hard to imagine that she was the same woman who spoke harshly earlier. Cui Yun slowly walked toward Shen Hua, his eyes wandering inch by inch over Shen Hua¡¯s face. Seeing that the injury on her face was not serious, if she recuperated well, it would not leave a scar. Only then did his brows relax. Otherwise, he would not be able to report to Xie Xun. ¡°Mistess Shen.¡± Shen Hua smiled at him generously. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± Without waiting for Cui Yun to speak, Shen Hua became serious again. ¡°I haven¡¯t thanked the government for the matter. Since you¡¯re here, name your price.¡± Cui Yun narrowed his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s free.¡± Shen Hua continued to be at a loss. She couldn¡¯t figure out why someone was not interested in money. ¡°But you won¡¯t get any other benefits from me.¡± Was there really a gentleman in this world who did good deeds without asking for anything in return? ¡°What do you want?¡± Shen Hua asked. Shen Qu was speechless. You guys started chatting, right? Cui Yun ignored the eyesore Shen Qu and said lightly, ¡°I¡¯ll give you time to pack up. Come with me to the inn to rest. I¡¯ll take you to Shengjing City tomorrow morning. ¡± Shen Hua¡¯s eyes widened. Her! She suspected that Cui Yun had taken a fancy to her! It was not the first time that Shen Hua was liked. Even if Cui Yun was handsome, she would not be blinded by a man¡¯s beauty. The little lady¡¯s face was covered in blood. She raised her chin and said calmly, ¡°Oh, you want my people?¡± How could a young woman like her say that? Cui Yun seemed to have heard such ridiculous words and did not know how to react. No matter how stoic he was, there were moments of absurdity even he could not deal with. He had come to Fengzhou to travel and was definitely not here to talk nonsense with Shen Hua. Ji He was also beside him, causing trouble, so he could not find peace. At the same time, Shen Hua was still acting like a chaste woman. All the explanations were stuck in his throat. Cui Yun suppressed his temper and was about to mention Xie Xun. Shen Hua did not want to listen to the sour words used by those debauched men to deceive women. ¡°You may be my benefactor, but you shouldn¡¯t push your luck.¡± She spread her hands awkwardly. Afraid of offending him, Shen Hua immediately gave him a way out. ¡°Do you know what I treasure the most?¡± Cui Yun was speechless. Seeing that he was silent, Shen Hua gave Yi Cui a look. ¡°Our lady most precious thing is her face!¡± Yi Cui replied loudly. In the past, it was indeed¡­ Shen Hua furrowed her eyebrows and stated her stance firmly. She said faintly, ¡°Wrong, it¡¯s chastity!¡± Chapter 34 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The air froze, making it hard for people to breathe. Cui Yun looked at her indifferently. He clearly did not do anything, but it made Shen Hua feel even more pressured. She pursed her lips uneasily. It was true that his words were too straightforward. A young master like Cui Yun would definitely be angry and embarrassed. However, he had good self-restraint and did not make things difficult for her. Actually, if she could borrow Cui Yun and leave the Shen residence with him, what could Shen Qu do to her? Shen Qu¡¯s was shaky on his feet, and his hands could not extend too far. After some deep thought, Cui Yun¡¯s little lovey thoughts and ideas of escaping from Shen Qu were not worth mentioning. Shen Qu closed his eyes. The anger that he had nowhere to vent had crumpled into a ball. His expression was unclear as he met Cui Yun¡¯s eyes. Despite his rage, his aura was easily suppressed by the latter. ¡°To let a stranger enter the house without any notice. Are the gatekeepers all dead?! ¡± The old woman outside was trembling with fear, and StewardWu¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t too good-looking either. ¡°How do you do things?¡± he asked in a low voice. He actually let people in? Wasn¡¯t this adding fuel to the fire? ¡°Butler, this old servant is being held hostage. And there¡¯s no way to deal with this person¡¯s identity!¡± As she spoke, the old woman rolled her eyes and moved closer to Steward Wu. ¡°This is a high-ranking official from Shengjing.¡± As she spoke, she whispered into Steward Wu¡¯s ear. Steward Wu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He felt like things were not good. He hurriedly entered the room to whisper Cui Yun¡¯s identity to Shen Qu, but he was a step too late. Just as he stepped through the door, he heard Shen Qu reprimand him with a dark face. ¡°How can you take away the Shen family¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Shen Hua¡­ Although her father is no longer around, Elder Brother is still my father. How can I let you elope with someone under my nose? ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Shen Qu seriously suspected that this person was deliberately getting close to Shen Hua. Perhaps he was thinking about the embroidery workshop. He blamed himself for not disciplining Shen Hua these days, causing her to suffer all kinds of disasters and giving the person in front of him a chance to take advantage of her. ¡± There¡¯s no matchmaker or betrothal gift. Your identity is still unknown. Although she¡¯s young, how can she be fooled by you? ¡± After that cold sentence, the butler saw the guests out. Just as his words got stuck in his throat, he heard Shen Hua¡¯s cheers. ¡°Wow! ¡°Yi Cui, quickly pack up!¡± Shen Qu was silent. Cui Yun was usually good at guessing people¡¯s hearts, but Shen Hua¡¯s series of abnormal reactions really made him unable to figure her out. He furrowed his brows and stroked the bright red Vajra Bodhi bracelet on his wrist with his fingertips. The texture was delicate, and the luster was alluring. He did not do much, and his expression was indifferent. His gaze toward Shen Qu was neither arrogant nor impatient, but it made Shen Qu humble to the dust. Shen Qu was speechless. Yi Cui listened to Shen Hua¡¯s words. ¡°Hey!¡± Shen Hua¡¯s eyes were filled with joy. She began to give commands. ¡°Just bring a few plain clothes. I can¡¯t wear silk and satin during the mourning period, but it will be out of date next year. ¡°Jewelry styles are also easily outdated. Take a carefully curated selection. Apart from the ones in the ebony box, you can take the rest and divide them. ¡± Stepping on her embroidered shoes, she slowly moved to a vase that was half her height and touched it lovingly. ¡°This was a gift for my seventh birthday. Take it away!¡± Yi Cui waved her hand, and servants came forward to carry it. Shen Hua spoke and nodded repeatedly. She did not forget to be considerate and agree, ¡°My lady has to hold the rabbit doll that the late madam personally sewed before she goes to bed. She can¡¯t leave it behind.¡± In the blink of an eye, she had packed a few large boxes. However, Shen Hua was still not satisfied. She walked around the room a few times before finally standing in front of the stiff Shen Qu. Shen Hua looked at her. Shen Qu¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed into a line. Shen Hua pouted. What an ungrateful man. ¡°Make way. You¡¯re blocking my way.¡± Shen Qu gritted his teeth, his face contorted. ¡°Shen Hua, are you going against me? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll write your name down in the family tree?¡± As soon as he said this, the servants in the house stopped what they were doing. Cui Yun¡¯s fingertips paused. However, he did not intend to interfere in this matter. His gaze fell on Shen Hua, and she did not disappoint him. ¡°I¡¯m so scared.¡± As she spoke, she patted her chest perfunctorily. Her small body trembled. Then, she stretched out her slender finger and toyed with Shen Qu¡¯s heart. She smiled coldly, her voice faint. ¡°You¡¯re stupid, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You gave the elders benefits by being adopted. Now, you can¡¯t even protect an embroidery workshop. Do you think the elders will still work hard for you?¡± As she spoke, she retracted her hand. She walked around dozens of boxes, dragging his thick mink fur and walking in front of Cui Yun. ¡°Can we go now?¡± Cui Yun¡¯s breathing quickened, and his tone was stiff. ¡°Are we taking all of these away?¡± Shen Hua was like a bird that had been released, stretching her head and tail to get rid of the shackles that Shen Qu put on her. She was troubled and regretful. ¡°Time is tight, I can barely bring these already.¡± Ji Qing said, ¡°This is really difficult for you¡­¡± Not to mention that Shen Hua wanted to keep her to show filial piety. Because she was the lifeline of the embroidery workshop, Shen Qu would not let her go. ¡°Stop them all!¡± Ji Qing took out a stone arrowhead that had been ground into a sharp point from his bosom and casually threw it in Shen Qu¡¯s direction. The stone arrowhead was unstoppable as it pierced straight into his crown, causing him to take a few steps back. The crown fell to the ground with a clang, and his neatly combed hair was messed up. ¡°Sorry for disturbing my master¡¯s peace.¡± The butler¡¯s face was ashen. Shen Qu was shocked by this unexpected turn of events. He looked at Cui Yun sinisterly and said sternly, ¡°What¡¯s the difference between you and a bandit?¡± ¡°Where are you taking her? Men, stop them all! Report to the officials!¡± However, when he gave the order, his subordinates looked at each other, but none of them dared to touch Cui Yun. Cui Yun looked at the crown on the ground indifferently. ¡°This is a small punishment. Someone will settle the injury on her face with you in the future.¡± ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± ¡°Foreign business. Do you know that if you offend the Shen family, there will be no place for you in Fengzhou?¡± The Shen family had not fallen yet. Before that, he was powerful enough to make foreigners without power and influence suffer. Cui Yun was clearly sentencing him to death. He left behind these words and walked out. ¡°The Marquis of Yangling¡¯s Manor¡¯s Cui Yun, staying at Fengzhou¡¯s Tong Fu Inn. If Young Master Shen is really not satisfied, you can report it to the authorities or fight. I will be waiting for you.¡± Shen Hua had already left the house. She watched the servants carry the boxes out in a hurry. Yi Cui was busy too. She squatted beside the flowers and waited for a moment before she saw Cui Yun come out. Behind him was Shen Qu, who dared to be angry but did not dare to say anything. He was careful and faked a defeated smile. Compared to Cui Yun, who had a noble and solemn demeanor, Shen Qu was more eye-catching and Shen Hua could not help but take a few more glances at him. ¡°What?¡± Cui Yun walked up to Shen Hua. Shen Hua curled up into a ball. Her melancholic tone was filled with sadness. ¡°I spent a hundred taels of silver to buy these flowers. I want to pick them and dry it to make tea. ¡°My people are all busy. There¡¯s no one to order around.¡± Ji Qing shuddered. As expected, Shen Hua¡¯s gaze fell on Ji Qing in the next moment. Hey! Too presumptive! Was there nobody else to help? Chapter 35 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Cui Yun had always been indulgent when it came to taking care of Cui Rong, not to mention that Shen Hua¡¯s request was not too much. The boxes had been moved, so these expensive flowers were not a problem. Thus, Ji Qing received another gaze. Okay! He was going to pluck them now! Ji Qing had a bad premonition. With Mistress Shen around, the journey back to Shengjing would not be peaceful. Shen Hua saw him plucking the flowers and walked away with satisfaction. However, after a few steps, she stopped. ¡°Remember to be careful when you pluck it. The petals must be in whole pieces,¡± she warned worriedly. ¡°Mistress Shen, what will happen if I tear it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not pleasing to the eye.¡± ¡°This will only be used to make tea.¡± ¡°But I won¡¯t be happy drinking it, then.¡± Jiqing was speechless. Great! He was a person who wielded a sword and a knife. How could he know how to do this? He pondered for a moment, but before he could speak, he heard Cui Yun say indifferently, ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°Master,¡± replied Ji Qing hastily, ¡°you can rest assured that this subordinate will handle things.¡± Shen Hua walked very slowly down the winding corridor. She had grown up in the Shen residence ever since she was young. Every flower, tree, and blade of grass in this place carried all a memory with it. Her thoughts went blank. It was as if a distant and ethereal conversation was ringing in his ears. ¡®Yangyang, you¡¯re one year older, so why haven¡¯t you grown up yet? Don¡¯t wait a few more years, or Zhui Jie will catch up to you.¡¯ ¡®If you say I¡¯m short again, I¡¯ll tell Mother that you beat me up and make her beat you up with a wooden stick!¡¯ ¡®Hey, you heartless person! When have I ever beaten you up? How dare you say such words? Why do you want to make a fuss?¡¯ ¡®Not only will I complain, but I will also tell Mother that you like Sister Xiao. Hmph, just wait and see. I will make her my sister-in-law!¡¯ Shen Hua¡¯s face turned green and red with anger. Good memories, bad memories¡­ They were all clouds of the past. However, these memories were deeply rooted in her bones. Shen Hua¡¯s dark and bright eyes dimmed a little. She lowered her head and rubbed her clothes hard with her fingertips. Her eyes were a little red. She really hated Shen Zhi. She wanted to cry whenever she thought of him. Cui Yun walked beside her, but he followed the rules. He kept a distance of one foot between them. Behind them, Steward Wu and the old woman begged for mercy. ¡°Young Master, this old servant has informed you beforehand. The butler said that you are not seeing guests.¡± Steward Wu was kneeling on the ground in a comical manner with his exposed scalp. ¡°If you tell me the identity of the person who came, would I say that I still didn¡¯t want to see him?¡± ¡°This old servant also wants to, but isn¡¯t it too late?¡± That young master was very polite, but who knew that he would barge in just like that?¡± Shen Qu did not want to listen to these arguments anymore. His head was about to explode. ¡°Shut up!¡± He roared. It was one after another. He was mentally and physically exhausted. However, he could only watch as Shen Hua was taken away. He was glad that Cui Yun did not punish him. Indeed, power was a good thing. Shen Hua could no longer hear what he said after that. However, it was also because of this that she suddenly became happy again. The little girl tilted her head and looked at Cui Yun, who was silent and self-restrained. ¡°Since you can break through, why didn¡¯t you report it earlier?¡± Shen Hua was polite, but not much. To someone like Shen Qu, Cui Yun¡¯s status was noble, so why should he give him face? Cui Yun accepted her scrutiny, but the words he said were old-fashioned. ¡°There are no rules on it.¡± Shen Hua was speechless. ¡®Your subordinate is even more arrogant than me!¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t for Cui Yun¡¯s instigation, would he dare to do this? Shen Hua looked at Cui Yun with a strange expression. The Marquis of Shengjing was a big shot that she had never seen before. Could he be more terrifying than Shen Qu? However, Cui Yun was more pleasing to the eye than Shen Qu, so he should not be a sinister and cunning person. That¡¯s right. He had even saved her several times. Shen Hua let out an ¡®oh¡¯ as if she understood something. Her words could anger people to death, but they could also praise Cui Yun to the heavens. ¡°Lord Marquis is wise. You should be polite before resorting to force. If this continues, the fault will definitely not be yours.¡± Cui Yun was speechless. No, he was just used to pretending to be a gentleman. There were many onlookers in front of the Shen residence. ¡°What happened to the Shen family again?¡± ¡°This Shen Qu just went to the court and was immediately removed as the Shen family head?¡± They could not be blamed for being suspicious. The servants at the door were carrying too many boxes. ¡°Young Master Shen is really unkind. A stepson is actually so arrogant?¡± Not a single person spoke up for Shen Xueshi. They also had children. Their families were slightly richer, so they wanted to have good food and drinks to raise them. If they were really poor, they would tighten their belts to feed their children. The Shen Xueshi who framed her stepdaughter was really shameless. It would be too simple to say that she was heartless. Someone laughed out loud. ¡°The Dong couple won¡¯t be able to escape from prison, but the coffin in front of the door is still there.¡± While they were talking and laughing, they saw Shen Hua, who was usually coquettish and unruly, appear in front of them with a face that had dried blood on it. Her white and expensive mink fur was now dirty and stained with dust. Even the front of her shirt was stained with blood. The little girl swayed with every step she took. Soon, Yi Cui, who was dressed as a servant girl, ran forward to support her. Everyone looked at Shen Hua, who seemed to have escaped from famine. If she remembered correctly, she was still calmly shining in the court a few minutes ago. Was she beaten up by her stepbrother just because she was righteous and just? They looked at Shen Hua with eyes full of anger and compassion. The arrogant Shen Hua thought, ¡®No, no, no! It¡¯s not what you think!¡¯ Just as she was about to explain, she heard a sobbing voice behind her. ¡°My lady.¡± Aunt Liu quickly caught up. Her trembling fingertips covered Shen Hua¡¯s miserable face. Shen Hua loved beauty the most. Even her diary knew about it, as one out of every ten sentences in there mentioned it. ¡®Dear diary, today I secretly saw my sister holding a bronze mirror in her hand and admiring herself. Don¡¯t tell anyone, or she¡¯ll be angry!¡¯ ¡°Young Master actually injured you to this extent? What a ruthless heart! He wants to destroy the Shen household¡¯s true bloodline. In the past, Old Master and Madam couldn¡¯t bear to part with my lady.¡± The Madam she was referring to was naturally Shen Hua¡¯s birth mother, Shen Chunshi. Aunt Liu fell to her knees and sobbed. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my lady that Zhui¡¯er is okay.¡± Cui Yun was most impatient with the crying scene. He frowned and was about to get into the carriage, but at this moment, Shen Hua, who was ten feet away, was so weak that she seemed like she was about to faint. Shen Hua, who had forgotten to wash her face, prepared to give Shen Qu another big gift. She choked. ¡°I know my stepbrother won¡¯t tolerate me.¡± Cui Yun stopped in his tracks and looked at Shen Hua expressionlessly. The eyes of the passers-by surrounding him were like torches. ¡°Mistress Shen, are you being bullied, so you want to run away from home?¡± Shen Hua¡¯s wet eyes were red and her nose was red. She looked extremely pitiful. Her voice was innocent yet desolate. ¡°I was kicked out because I angered my stepbrother.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, everyone exploded in anger. Feeling indignant for Shen Hua, Shen Hua heard a chuckle from Cui Yun¡¯s mouth. She was speechless. Chapter 36 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Shen Hua shrank into a corner of the carriage cautiously. After dipping the handkerchief in warm water, she carefully wiped off the blood stains on herself. The long scar extended to the corner of her lips, and her fair complexion made her look very frightening. Shen Hua bit her lip hard, her eyes misty. His body trembled slightly due to the pain. ¡°The wound is not deep. I¡¯ve already asked the medical attendant to develop a plaster.¡± Cui Yun¡¯s voice was cold, but it carried a rare sense of comfort. What did he mean by ¡®not too deep¡¯? Shen Hua glanced at him resentfully. This golden ticket of hers, her face, was bleeding! Shen Hua¡¯s emotions always came and disappeared quickly. Cui Yun had never seen anyone change their expression so quickly. The little lady¡¯s cheeks puffed up, and her head drooped listlessly. Exquisite embroidered shoes poked out from under her skirt, embroidered with plum blossoms. The tip of her foot was swaying in a circle. Shen Hua¡¯s thoughts were empty. She wanted to buy a house, but before that, she could only rest in the inn. Fengzhou was neither big nor small. To avoid Shen Qu¡¯s tricks, Shen Hua had to find a safe house, and it would be best if it was next to Magistrate Liu¡¯s residence. After settling down the servants and getting better, he left Feng Zhou City. The prosperity of Shengjing, the beauty of Hengzhou¡­ She wanted to see it with her own eyes. Thinking of this, she hummed a happy tune. However, as soon as he raised his head, he met Cui Yun¡¯s dark eyes. Shen Hua tilted her head and blinked. Cui Yun did not feel embarrassed at all. He was not looking at Shen Hua. He was just thinking about the Supreme Court case. When they set off, they obtained Emperor Hun¡¯s approval. He did not dare to slack off on his official duties. After he returned, he would definitely be busy with the documents piled up on the chopping board for a while. ¡°Benefactor.¡± A soft, feminine voice was heard. It pulled him out of his thoughts. Cui Yun¡¯s eyes gathered. Shen Hua moved her toes and turned around. ¡°Did I draw it round?¡± she asked excitedly. She looked very much like Cui Rong, who was asking for candy. Cui Yun¡¯s gaze was also rarely gentle. ¡°Mistress Shen is intelligent.¡± What sweet words! This man¡¯s mouth was really stained with honey. Shen Hua cursed silently, but her lips could not help but curl up, revealing her smugness. She was intelligent and clever. Those words¡­ There was nothing wrong with them. ¡ª As soon as they entered the inn, Cui Yun asked the waiter to book a few rooms so that Shen Hua¡¯s people could stay in them. After doing all this, he was about to give a few words of advice, but in the blink of an eye, Shen Hua, who was behind him, ran over with her hands on her hips to watch the servant move the vase, afraid that she would knock it over. ¡°Be careful. Move to my room.¡± Her every move was indeed like a child¡¯s. He was alert when he was fierce, but his nature was sometimes confused. Cui Yun smiled and walked back into the house. Yi Cui hugged the rabbit doll. After Cui Yun left, she could not help but ask carefully. ¡°My lady, are we really going to follow the Marquis?¡± Yicui was older than Shen Hua and was worried. This kind of noble person with a prominent status could not be relied on forever. If it was only a moment of novelty to her lady, and the man was fickle. After he got tired of her, how would her lady deal with herself? After all, his wife had no one to protect her. ¡°No.¡± Shen Hua rubbed her cold face. He began to apply the medicine. The weather was cold, and even the breath she breathed out seemed to freeze. She turned her gaze to the neat and tidy embroidery woman. This was sent by the old woman last time, and she was also the oldest woman under her. ¡°Madam Cheng is honest and dutiful. She is a capable person. In the next few days, go with her around the Liu residence where the county magistrate lives and see if there are any houses for sale. Madam Cheng should know the price of the house. Remember to discuss it with her. ¡± Shen Hua was rich, but she did not want to be scammed. Yi Cui¡¯s eyes lit up. She could not wait any longer and hurriedly said, ¡°This servant will go now.¡± She was reliable and did not forget to call a servant girl to serve Shen Hua before she left. Shen Hua watched the two of them walk away before she went back to her room to rest with a tired expression. ¡°Shen Hua!¡± Someone called out to her from behind. She turned around and saw Zhou Zhizhi, who was dressed in pink. Zhou Zhizhi looked ordinary, and her only highlight was her scholarly aura. She did not have many accessories on her, making her look shabby and rustic. Shen Hua was familiar with the jade band on her waist. It was the token that He Chu had given her a few years ago. Shen Hua had thrown it back when their engagement was broken off a few days ago. Now, Zhou Zhizhi was wearing it and walking around the city. Zhou Zhizhi looked around. There was a lot of traffic in front of the inn. Perhaps it was the end of the year, but the business in the inn was getting quieter by the day. ¡°I have something to discuss with you. May I have a chat?¡± Shen Hua could not be bothered with her. Seeing that Shen Hua was silent, Zhou Zhizhi quickly added, ¡°Just for a little while. It won¡¯t take up too much of your time.¡± Zhou Zhizhi spoke softly and generously. There was no embarrassment at all. What Shen Hua despised the most was Zhou Zhizhi¡¯s behavior. She still remembered that year when Zheng Qianyu had pointed at Zhou Zhizhi¡¯s nose. ¡°Are you pretending or not? If you have anything to say, just say it. Isn¡¯t it uncomfortable to hold it in?¡± ¡°Third Lady Zheng, you¡¯ve misunderstood me.¡± Zhou Zhizhi smiled faintly. ¡°Zhou Zhizhi, I hate people like you the most. The concubine that my father took reminds me of you. You think you¡¯re so high and mighty, like you¡¯re a fairy who drinks flower dew.¡± Zhou Zhizhi smiled. ¡°I was the one who angered Third Lady. Why don¡¯t I apologize to you? ¡± ¡°Come on, scold me. You¡¯re making me very unhappy.¡± ¡°Third Lady, you must be joking.¡± At that time, Zheng Qianyu was furious. He turned to look for Shen Hua. ¡°Shen Hua, are you acting?¡± Shen Hua exploded on the spot. Zheng Qianyu gave Shen Hua the same words that she had given Zhou Zhizhi. ¡°I hate people like you the most. The concubine my father took in is exactly like you! You think you¡¯re high and mighty all day long and think you¡¯re a fairy drinking floral dew.¡± Shen Hua could not take it and chased after Zheng Qianyu. However, his body did not allow him to do so. After running a few steps, he stopped to catch his breath. ¡°Concubine? Me! The Shen family¡¯s daughter! Are you comparing me to a concubine? ¡°I¡¯m too beautiful. It¡¯s annoying to be envied!¡± Is a fairy an eyesore to you? ¡°You rice seller, come over and let me slap you! Or should I walk over and slap you? ¡± Zheng Qianyu thought, ¡®Is this how normal people behave?¡¯ She had been bullied by Zhou Zhizhi, but she was satisfied with Shen Hua. On the other hand, Shen Hua did not like this Zhou Zhizhi at all. She did not like being compared to Zhou Zhizhi by the people in the city. The Zhou family¡¯s wife was gentle and considerate, speaking in a soft voice and having a good heitherart. Tsk! That Shen family¡¯s daughter was not so bad e. At such a young age, she had a belly full of bad ideas. She wondered who would have the good fortune to marry Mistress Zhou. Shen Hua did not want to ruin a good family. Haha! The He Chu that she had ruined was now Zhou Zhizhi¡¯s fiance. ¡°No, I¡¯m sleepy. I want to sleep.¡± Shen Hua looked at her from the corner of her eyes. It was only natural that she rejected her. Chapter 37 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation However, Zhou Zhizhi¡¯s expression was calm, as if she would not panic even if the sky collapsed. She had been brought up with the rules of a rich family¡¯s wife ever since she was young. ¡°You¡¯re in an earth-shattering situation with nowhere to go. I know you don¡¯t want to see me.¡± Zhou Zhizhi smiled gently. Shen Hua¡¯s face turned cold. What did he mean by nowhere to go? ¡°Mistress Shen, although you and I are not best friends, we can be considered to have known each other since childhood. If I were you, I definitely wouldn¡¯t anger Brother or harm Mother. Even if Aunt Shen is in the wrong, the honor of the Shen family is tied to you. You shouldn¡¯t be like this.¡± Zhou Zhizhi advised, ¡°Aunt Shen is still in court. You can go and pick her up personally. She is a magnanimous person. She will not blame you if she wants to see you. ¡± ¡°How can a family hold grudges against each other?¡± Her tone was neither hurried nor slow, as if she was really thinking for Shen Hua. However, it also pushed Shen Hua into the abyss of being unfilial and domineering. Yes, in a big house, there were many dirty things going on. No matter how disharmonious a family was, they would always cover up each other¡¯s scandals for the sake of their reputation. However, Shen Hua made a scene that everyone knew about. It was really outrageous. Shen Hua¡¯s delicate and pretentious act in front of the Shen residence could not be compared to Zhou Zhizhi in front of her now. She laughed in anger. ¡°Zhou Zhizhi, did I say¡­¡± She paused. ¡°Your face is very big.¡± As she spoke, she even gestured. ¡°Do you see that dog on the street?¡± Zhou Zhizhi followed Shen Hua¡¯s finger. There was indeed a vicious dog lying at the entrance of the street. Perhaps it was infected or it had shed its hair, as its back was bald. He was chewing on his food with his sharp teeth. ¡°Your face is bigger than the piece of bread it just ate.¡± Shen Hua was not in a hurry to return to her room. She found a seat by the window and sat down. Her words were harsh. ¡°You¡¯re not just here to preach, are you?¡± Zhou Zhizhi sat down calmly. Her movements were elegant, and her posture was very beautiful, like a young lady from an official family. She raised her hand and adjusted the jade band on her waist. She heard Shen Hua¡¯s disdain. ¡°The table is so oily.¡± The little servant girl behind him quickly took a handkerchief to wipe it. ¡°My lady, please bear with it.¡± Shen Hua took the teacup and sniffed it. ¡°It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s old tea, but the tea leaves are all broken and covered in tea foam.¡± The servant girl smiled. ¡°Most of the tea in the inn is like this. The tea that my lady usually drinks is freshly fried. There¡¯s no comparison. This servant also knows how to make tea. Next time, my lady can try this servant¡¯s cooking skills.¡± Zhou Zhizhi took a sip. The taste on the tip of her tongue was extremely satisfying. The tea leaves were crushed, but they were also sharp. The Zhou residence would never spend money to buy these things just to drink. She disagreed wth such principles. ¡°Mistress Shen, your actions are unacceptable.¡± Zhou Zhizhi had two older brothers, but they were useless. They were really a disgrace to the Zhou family¡¯s reputation. Up until now, they had not even passed the scholar examination. Shen Hua¡¯s brother was a famous prodigy. It was a pity that Shen Zhi was dead and his honor was buried in the ground. Now that Shen Hua was in front of him, everything that was worth showing off was gone. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± she asked in a deep voice. ¡°Did He Chu look for you today?¡± Zhou Zhizhi¡¯s tone was very calm. ¡°My men saw you dragging him to the alley to talk.¡± Shen Hua was silent. Who was pulling who? It was He Chu who shamelessly looked for her! She was so shocked by those words that she could not speak. Zhou Zhizhi sighed and advised gently. ¡°Although you¡¯re down and out, you should be magnanimous. ¡°He¡¯s easy-going and won¡¯t reject people, but Shen Hua, he¡¯s engaged to me now. You should avoid arousing suspicion and never meet him again.¡± ¡°I came here because I don¡¯t want to make a big deal out of this matter, nor am I here to blame you. I just hope that you will have self-pity. It¡¯s also good that we can leave each other with dignity.¡± Shen Hua was speechless. Was Zhou Zhizhi crazy, or was she deaf? ¡ª At noon, the number of people on the streets decreased by more than half. Ji He walked towards the inn carelessly. He spent the night in a brothel. It was a pity that he didn¡¯t see Miss Sheng¡¯er, who knew ventriloquism, in the brothel, even though he had spent a lot of money. He was quite aloof. He was handsome and willing to spend money. The other girls could not help but pounce on him. He thought that Sheng¡¯er was playing hard to get, but he was the only one who fell for it! It was best to not get anything! Ji He decided to spend more money that night! He did not believe it! ¡°Prepare a few signature dishes and send them to Room 2 on the third floor.¡± After throwing the silver to the waiter, he swaggered upstairs. At this moment. ¡°Zhou Zhizhi, if you¡¯re sick, go and treat him. He Chu isn¡¯t someone I want. Get out of my way. ¡°I¡¯m not as noble as you, nor am I as shameless as you. Aren¡¯t you in a hurry to get scolded?¡± Ji He stopped in his tracks, boiling with excitement. Gossip! He looked in the direction of the voice! Fight, fight, fight! She looked familiar. Was this not the sickly Shen Niangzi? He walked over excitedly, planning to take a closer look. ¡°Zhou Zhizhi, you still don¡¯t know, right?¡± Shen Hua cleared her throat, and her aura became stronger. She gave him a thumbs up. ¡°The Marquises of Shengjing and Yangling all like me.¡± Ji He almost slipped, as if struck by lightning. The Marquis of Yangling? Was there a second Marquis of Yangling Manor in Shengjing City? What did he miss? Shock finally flashed across Zhou Zhizhi¡¯s gentle face. She met Shen Hua¡¯s eyes with disbelief. She tried to see through the lie. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Otherwise, do you think I have the ability to destroy the Dong family?¡± Shen Hua asked. She placed her hands on the table and looked down at Zhou Zhizhi. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t fall twice for the same trick twice. I was young and ignorant when I agreed to the engagement back then. I was blind. ¡°One is the Marquis of the Cui family, an official, and the other is just an unremarkable scholar. Everyone knows who to choose.¡± Zhou Zhizhi¡¯s calmness dissipated a little, and her smile became forced. So what if Shen Hua had a benefactor to help her? She could not be the first wife after all. Not to mention that her weak body could not last for long. However, that was the Marquisdom! Shen Hua had become a concubine and was still dressed in gold and silver. If they met again, even if she, Zhou Zhizhi, had become the wife of a High Scholar, she would still bow down to Shen Hua and even have to pay her respects. ¡°If I were you, he would be the one to blame, not the one who was dragged away to witness him embarrassing himself in front of me.¡± As she spoke, she changed the topic and said in distress, ¡°This is actually not something worth showing off. After all, I have no romantic feelings for Lord Marquis.¡± Zhou Zhizhi said, ¡°I¡¯m numb.¡± Ji He turned around and went to the third floor, feeling as if he had lost his soul. He calmly faced Cui Yun¡¯s door and then kicked it open. ¡°Bang!¡± Cui Yun, who had just started to feel sleepy, suddenly opened his eyes¡­ If he could, the first person he would kill would be Ji He. ¡°Seventh Prince, you better give me an explanation.¡± The man propped himself up with a calm expression and his voice was like spring water. Ji He ran forward. He did not care at all. ¡°Cui Yun!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? The little lady doesn¡¯t like you, and you¡¯re still pushing her?¡± Chapter 38 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After Shen Hua achieved her goal, she pulled back her gaze in satisfaction and did not look at Zhou Zhizhi¡¯s stiff face again. She stood up straight and said that her previous sable fur had been stained and starched, so she was now wearing a thick earthen gray fur coat. Although it was not as good as mink fur, fur was extremely precious. It kept her warm, but Shen Hua had always found it ugly and kept it at the bottom of her chest. This was the first time she was wearing it. ¡°Mistress Shen.¡± Ji Qing was standing at the stairs and he gestured for Shen Hua to come in. ¡°My lord has invited you somewhere. This subordinate will lead the way.¡± Shen Hua was not surprised by his appearance. She pursed her lips. In fact, if Cui Yun did not look for her, she would have gone looking for him to tell him everything already. ¡®I only hope that everything will go back to the way it should be.¡¯ There was really no need to be unclear. ¡°Coming.¡± Shen Hua took a step forward, but when she passed Zhou Zhizhi, she paused for a moment. She looked at the latter arrogantly from the side, showing off her obedient attitude after gaining an advantage. Her pale lips opened and closed. Afraid that Ji Qing would overhear her, she deliberately lowered her voice. ¡°See?¡± She sighed slightly. ¡°Lord Marquis can¡¯t leave me at all, so it won¡¯t been long before the people around him came to urge me. You¡¯re so clingy.¡± Zhou Zhizhi clenched her fists tightly under her sleeves. She restrained herself and suddenly stood up. Even the air around her became thin. She resisted the urge to break the silence in front of others. ¡°Then I will not disturb Mistress Shen.¡± With that, she left in a hurry, looking like she was fleeing. One example. She still dared to put on an act in front of her. Shen Hua was refreshed and had the posture of a victor. Even her walking was much lighter than before. His hearing was extremely good, and his expression seemed to be on the verge of collapse. On this side, Cui Yun had been waiting for a long time. The room was filled with charcoal fire. He wore a black robe with excellent draping and a piece of black jade hanging from his waist. The cuffs were embroidered with dark patterns of flowing clouds. His aura was overbearing. Seeing that it was just a misunderstanding, Ji He became embarrassed. His confidence to kick down the door was gone. ¡°This¡­ You can¡¯t blame me. ¡± Who asked Shen Hua to speak so methodically? For such a good little lady, she really had beautiful thoughts. She even deceived him! Cui Yun was too lazy to talk to him, so he mentioned the matter of leaving tomorrow. Ji He¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I¡¯m not going back! I didn¡¯t even get a seat at last year¡¯s palace banquet!¡± The palace banquet was organized by the Empress and assisted by the Ministry of Rites. How could there be such a mistake? It was nothing more than someone deliberately doing it. However, no one made a decision for him. At that time, he could only stand alone. In front of him was a full house filled with wine glasses. There was no place for him in the huge palace. He had no dignity as a prince at all. Emperor Hun, who was supposed to be the judge for him, never blamed the Empress. He even punished the Ministry of Rites, calling him to his side after the banquet ended and reprimanding him in a deep voice. ¡°Your mother will definitely be tired from handling the matters. You have to think about her more.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of finding a palace maid to get another chopping board. Why do you have to show off? Are you making the officials laugh at you, or embarrassing your mother?¡± He said it lightly, but the rules of the palace were strict. According to the etiquette system, the seats¡¯ arrangement was also extremely important. Did a prince like him have to sit at the back? Emperor Hun was just not interested in Ji He, so how could he know about everything? Ji He had finally managed to break free from the cage and get an opportunity to breathe. If Chu Xi did not show up in front of Emperor Hun, Emperor Hun would not have remembered that he had a son. Ji He hid the loneliness in his eyes. ¡°You were there last year, and I became a laughingstock.¡± Cui Yun¡¯s expression did not change. His clear eyes were like a pool of thick ink that could not be melted in an instant. ¡°According to the ancestral system, you should be present. According to the rules, you can¡¯t be absent. ¡°After New Year¡¯s Eve, the officials will enter the palace city and escort you from the hall. You still can¡¯t make people talk. Why do you have to act on impulse?¡± In the end, he was still the one who was punished. Ji He had always thought that last year¡¯s seat was the Empress¡¯s means and Cui Yun had never told him that it was actually Consort Jing¡¯s idea. Consort Jing bribed the people from the Ministry of Rites. The reason was none other than an argument between Ji He and Ji Cong a few days ago. Ji Cong accidentally bumped into the safety talisman hanging around Ji He¡¯s neck and mischievously asked for it. If it was any other item, Ji He would have given it to him, but this talisman was given to him by his mother. It was the only thing that Ji He could see and be reminded of his mother with. He was naturally unwilling. Ji Cong had been indulged by Consort Jing to the point of lawlessness. After seeing that he could not get what he wanted, what did he do? Although they were ¡®arguing¡¯, it was just Ji Cong pointing at Ji He and scolding him. This matter was blown up, and the Empress Dowager, who worshipped Buddha all year round, saw it. The Empress Dowager did not like Ji He nor Ji Cong. ¡°It¡¯s just a talisman. How can it compare to brotherhood? He wants you to give it to him. How are we going to end this?¡± After reprimanding Ji He, she turned to reprimand Ji Cong. ¡°What did Concubine Jing teach you? She was already stupid and lef the royal family with no face. What kind of treasure has she not seen before? She was actually so short-sighted! If you want everything you see, what¡¯s the difference between you and a robber?¡± Because of this, Consort Jing hated Ji He. And the Empress was just pushing the boat along, turning a blind eye. This could be done once, but not twice. Concubine Jing did it once, and the emperor could side with her, but if it happened again, the emperor would be angry. After all, the royal family was the one who lost face. At this year¡¯s banquet, no one dared to play with Ji He. Moreover, this was the first New Year since Third Prince Ji returned to court. Ji He exhaled deeply. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± As the two of them were talking, someone knocked on the door. Then, Ji Qing called out respectfully. ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Enter.¡± Cui Yun said in a light tone. An ear-piercing creak was heard as the door was pushed open. This inn had been open for more than ten years. Although it was repaired every year, the door trembled when Ji He kicked it. Shen Hua walked in thoughtfully. ¡°Mistress Shen, sit.¡± Cui Yun¡¯s temperament was calm. Shen Hua did not expect there to be other people in the room. Cui Yun did not meet him alone. He was indeed a gentleman, paying attention to the etiquette and rules of the aristocratic family. She heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Benefactor, there are some things that you might not like to hear, but I have no choice but to say them.¡± Just as she sat down, Shen Hua was one step faster than Cui Yun. ¡°But this matter must be resolved quickly.¡± ¡°Mistress Shen, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve misunderstood.¡± Cui Yun¡¯s voice was cold. However, she was immersed in her own world and spoke tactfully. ¡°Since your interest in me hasn¡¯t reached the point where you have to take me, why don¡¯t you stop here? Name your price.¡± Cui Yun was speechless. Shen Hua said, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t open it. I¡¯ll definitely accept your kindness. Why don¡¯t I make a plaque for you out of gold? You can also see the red silk parcel sent in the carriage with gongs and drums that we will take to go all the way back to Shengjing.¡± This scene was impressive. This gratitude was sincere enough. Shen Hua waited for Cui Yun to agree with her starry eyes. Cui Yun¡¯s lips moved. ¡°I do not have any feelings of adoration for you, Mistress Shen. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t explain it in time, so you have such interesting thoughts.¡± With a loud bang, Shen Hua felt as if there was a clap of thunder in her ears. Chapter 39 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Does Mistress Shen know Xie Xun?¡± Shen Hua¡¯s ears buzzed, making her feel uncomfortable. As for what Cui Yun asked, she could not hear it. The eyes of her palm-sized face widened. The little lady was a little dazed at this moment. Cui Yun lifted his sleeves and poured tea for him. After giving Shen Hua some buffer time, he said slowly, ¡°He knows your brother and has just returned to Shengjing from the frontier fortress. Perhaps he sent someone to inquire on his way back to the court and learned of your brother¡¯s bad news. He couldn¡¯t escape, so he asked me to look for him.¡± Shen Hua seemed to have forgotten her previous embarrassment. In a moment of quietness, she almost knocked over the tea that Cui Yun handed over. ¡°You know my brother?¡± she murmured in a daze. Cui Yun did not blame her for being rude. As he spoke, he turned to look at the letter beside him. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t believe me, so I brought a token with me. Take a look. Are these words familiar? ¡± Shen Hua took it stiffly. She bit her lower lip and opened it with trembling fingers. Although the letter was quite old, its owner cherished it very much and kept it well. There were no wrinkles at all. Shen Hua was ignorant and incompetent, but in her previous life, in order to kill time, she was literate. It was indeed Brother¡¯s handwriting. Shen Zhi this person had a problem, in the end when he put away the brush, it would appear elegant, always stretching out by half. The tone of the letter was familiar, but one could vaguely tell that the person who wrote the letter had a lot on his mind, and even his handwriting was impetuous. Shen Zhi mentioned in the letter that he wanted to see Xie Xun. Even though Shen Hua had never mentioned Xie Xun to Shen Zhi, she knew that he had a faithful friend whom she had been in contact with all year round. The little lady gradually tightened her grip on the letter. When she came back to her senses, she carefully smoothed it out as if it was a treasure. It turned out that even though her brother was dead, he was still secretly helping her. ¡°When I came, I knew that your body wasn¡¯t well, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so sick. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that there¡¯s a doctor in the residence. His medical skills are superb. When the time comes, let him personally take your pulse.¡± Cui Yun said gently. ¡°My illness is incurable.¡± Shen Hua no longer had any hope. Ji He clicked his tongue and hurriedly said. ¡°That¡¯s right, but that old Ni Kang does have some talent. ¡°Mistress Shen, you don¡¯t know this, but although that doctor has a big temper, after a few needles, he has brought people back from the dead before. ¡°His whereabouts are uncertain, and there are many people who want him to treat them.¡± ¡°Cui Yun has invited him over and over again for his niece. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to get him out of the mountains. Maybe he¡¯ll take a look at you and you¡¯ll be cured after taking a few pills. ¡± Ni¡­ Kang? Shen Hua had heard that he was the one her mother invited to Shengjing that year. Shen Chunshi had just heard about Ni Kang¡¯s whereabouts in Shengjing City and left Fengzhou City in a hurry. Unfortunately, Ni Kang had already left by the time she reached Shengjing. Afterward, her mother would always sigh. If my Yangyang could see Doctor Ni personally, would she be better now? Shen Hua¡¯s face trembled. Maybe she could live a long life like a normal person. Cui Yun listened to Ji He quietly. Seeing that Shen Hua was silent, he said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re willing. So what if you¡¯re unwilling? Since I came here, I must take you away. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not interested in you like that. ¡°It¡¯s just that the journey is tiring. I wonder if you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing.¡± Shen Hua quickly said. Afraid that Cui Yun did not hear her, she met the man¡¯s eyes and repeated herself. ¡°I¡¯m willing.¡± Cui Yun smiled faintly. ¡°Xie Xun might not be able to return before the new year, so I¡¯ll settle you down.¡± Shen Hua looked at him eagerly and asked softly, ¡°Then should I go back with you?¡± She did not look like Cui Rong, but more like the kitten that Cui Yun raised six years ago. ¡°There are many people in the residence, and the rules are strict. Fortunately, I have an empty courtyard under my name. I¡¯ll let you stay there when the time comes.¡± Ji He was speechless. How complicated. The residential list of the Marquis of Yangling¡¯s Manor in the capital was considered simple. As for the rules¡­ In the entire mansion, besides Old Master Cui, only Cui Yun held much authority. Shen Hua quickly agreed. She left happily. ¡°How shameless can you be? How can you lie like this?¡± Cui Yun raised his teacup, looking very relaxed. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that this Mistress Shen is like Snowball?¡± Ji He was speechless. ¡°The cat you raised.¡± ¡°The one I raised and buried?¡± Ji He asked with difficulty. Ji He was so angry that he laughed. He followed her out of the house. He had to find a way to meet that Sheng¡¯er and Flower Maiden before he went back! Only then did Ji Qing close the door. He told Cui Yun everything he heard just now. Cui Yun¡¯s expression was normal. Hearing this sentence again. ¡®This is actually not something worth showing off. After all, I have no romantic feelings for Lord Marquis.¡¯ Cui Yun¡¯s dense eyelashes, which were like the gentle breeze of a gentleman who was considerate in everything, turned into a thick fog at the bottom of his eyes. He finally let out a mocking laugh. If it was not for Xie Xun¡¯s people, he might not have minded raising another cat. Shen Hua returned to her room with a heavy head. An empty house was good! Without a master, there would be no restrictions. ¡°My lady, did Young Marquis Cui express his feelings to you?¡± The maidservant followed behind Shen Hua. Shen Hua, who was immersed in the sudden joy, seemed to have been splashed with cold water. Shen Hua said, ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°My lady, why do you look a little pale?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just tired.¡± Shen Hua pretended to be dignified. ¡°Then Mistress Shen should rest first. If there¡¯s anything, call this servant.¡± Once the servant girl left, Shen Hua¡¯s face fell. She knocked her head against the wall, her fingers unconsciously tapping against the wall. As expected of a young master from a big family, he was considerate in everything. Cold on the outside, warm on the inside. He did not blame her for thinking too highly of herself, but he took into account the fact that she was too shy and trying to brush it off. Shen Hua continued to knock on the wall, but her face was getting hotter and hotter. Her face was bright red, like a blooming begonia. But¡­ It was true! How embarrassing! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! She was suffocating. ¡ª Yi Cui brought back a piece of good news. ¡°My lady, coincidentally, there is a house opposite Magistrate Liu for sale. I went to take a look. The courtyard has three entrances and three exits. It¡¯s not bad. I¡¯m afraid that someone will get it first. Why don¡¯t Wifey go and take a look? If it works, you can buy it directly.¡± Shen Hua seemed to have lost her soul. ¡°I¡¯m not buying.¡± Yi Cui was silent. ¡°I want to go to Shengjing.¡± Yi Cui was speechless again. ¡°Young Master Cui is noble and upright. Worried that I wouldn¡¯t be used to living under someone else¡¯s roof, he proposed to let me borrow the vacant courtyard house.¡± She only left for a moment. How could her lady change her decision? Yi Cui, who had no idea what had happened, exclaimed,¡±How can this be!¡± Shen Hua said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. He brought it up himself. I didn¡¯t force him. ¡± Shen Hua had a lot of twisted logic. She also did not think that Cui Yun would owe her anything despite being run off his feet by her. This was Xie Xun¡¯s suggestion, so Xie Xun should be the one to return the favor. As for this Xie Xun whom he had never met before¡­ Shen Hua was grateful to him. She was willing to give Xie Xun money. If he did not accept it, then he would find Shen Zhi to return it. Yi Cui stammered, so anxious that she could not speak properly. ¡°Mother¡­ Son!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be deceived.¡± ¡°This Young Master Cui is full of tricks and treats you as a mistress!¡± Shen Hua caught the main point. She widened her round almond-shaped eyes. ¡°Nonsense, why would I be ashamed?¡± Chapter 40 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Perhaps it was because of the wind yesterday that Shen Hua had to hold her handkerchief and coughed softly. Her throat was itchy and painful. After a while, she finally felt better and took the black medicine from Yi Cui. In the end, she let Yi Cui buy the house. This time, she was only prepared to bring Yi Cui, Madam Cheng, the little maid Ningzhu, and the servant Cheng Gui. The items that were brought out from the Shen residence were placed in the new residence along with the other servants. Shen Hua asked Cheng Gui to find Aunt Liu privately. She wanted her to stay in the house so that they could take care of each other. However, Aunt Liu declined. Thanks to Mistress Shen¡¯s concern, Qie had been wandering for half of her life and only gained Madam¡¯s love and affection to get a place in the Shen residence. The remaining half of her life was only to remember Ah Zhui and pray for Mistress Shen. Shen Hua did not insist. On the left and right, Shen Qu and Shen Xue¡¯s family reputations was thoroughly ruined. Just as Shen Hua thought, Shen Xueshi went to the court only to ask questions. In the entire case, she was only the driving force. There was a precedent for netherworld marriage in the current dynasty, but there is no corresponding law. Things in the netherworld were not under the jurisdiction of the government. If this matter was brought to the yamen, it would be nothing more than a murder designed by the Dong family, and the conspiracy behind it was appalling. If Shen Xueshi was a bit smarter, she would no longer hide it and tell everything she knew on the complaint paper. After signing, she would wait for the whole matter to be written out, and before the Dong family¡¯s crimes were determined, she would only suffer a few days of jail time. After the matter was over, she could return home. As for the Dong family¡­ Naturally, they would trade a life for a life. All the citizens of Fengzhou were watching, so they would not make things difficult for Aunt Liu. The next day¡­ The morning market was open, and the streets were filled with traffic. Ji He casually glanced at the gift boxes in the car and said in a strange tone, ¡°You really dote on Rong Jie.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for Cui Yun, Cui Rong would not be so lawless. Cui Yun¡¯s fingertips gently rubbed the paper as he flipped through the book. Hearing this, he only responded calmly. If one said that he was arrogant, he would respond with disagreement. If one said that he was old-fashioned and calm, Ji He could define Cui Yun too. However, he could not find a single mistake with this claim. Ji He gritted his teeth. How could he let Cui Yun have it easy? The journey was long, so he had to find some entertainment. ¡°When I visited your manor last time, I heard from your mother that she had taken a fancy to the Third Lady of the Admiral Manor. That Yan Mi is well-educated and well-mannered. She is a good match for you. ¡± The Nine Gates ¡®Infantry Army patrolling the five battalions did not disgrace the Yang Ling Marquis Manor at all. This matter¡­ As long as Cui Yun nodded, it would most likely be settled. It was a good marriage in theory. Ji He gave him a bad idea. ¡°You do have an idea, but you haven¡¯t seen Yan Mi before. Why don¡¯t we sneak into the admiral¡¯s manor next time and take a look with our own eyes?¡± Shen Hua was covering her mouth and yawning. She was hugging the rabbit doll in her arms, her little head nodding and her eyes sleepy. Upon hearing this, she perked up. Cui Yun pursed his thin lips and said nothing. ¡°Your character is not good, but you can marry a virtuous wife. You can¡¯t be careless in choosing the marquis¡¯ wife.¡± As he spoke, Ji He did not forget to ask Shen Hua for her opinion. ¡°Mistress Shen, what do you think?¡± Shen Hua nodded without hesitation. ¡°If you want to find someone like Savior, you have to find the best.¡± As she spoke, she thought of that little b*tch Zhou Zhizhi. Since ancient times, marrying a virtuous woman was not always a good thing. He frowned and said, ¡°A woman who always likes to be pretentious is not good to have around.¡± He thought of Zhou Zhizhi and Zheng Qianyu. ¡°For the sake of a peaceful home, those who stir up trouble and only know how to hit people when they are down should be kicked out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m marrying my ancestors.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± The more Ji He looked at Shen Hua, the more he liked her. In order to give Cui Yun a clear goal, this woman did not hesitate to belittle herself. ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± Ji He advised Shen Hua, ¡°you should change your bad habits and marry a good son-in-law in the future.¡± Shen Hua furrowed her brows at his words. The little lady was at a loss for a moment, but it soon turned into anger. However, Ji He had a noble status, so she could only turn the anger inwards. Clenching her small fists, she pouted. ¡°Why are you scolding me for no reason?¡± Huh? ¡°I¡¯m a dignified and virtuous woman,¡± Shen Hua said seriously. Ji He choked. Did she misunderstand herself? Cui Yun¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He looked at the boneless Shen Hua who was lying around lazily. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± When Shen Hua heard the laughter, she became even more uneasy. She dared to be angry but did not dare to say anything. She still had to rely on the two of them along the way. He could only hang his head angrily. The Edelweiss in her hair swayed slightly with her movements. The earthen gray fur made her look even more pitiful. Her palm-sized face was pale¡­ Because she drank medicine all year round, his body carried a faint medicinal fragrance, which was not necessarily bad but still left an impression. Cui Yun was deep in thought. Not long after, she felt a weight on her knees. Shen Hua looked down and saw a bag of walnut cakes. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you eat much for breakfast, so you must be hungry. Eat.¡± Although Cui Yun¡¯s voice was calm and without any ripples, in comparison to Ji He, he was an angel and Ji He was a pile of mud that could not say a single good word! The walnuts were crispy and fragrant. Shen Hua liked them but rarely ate them because she would choke when she swallowed them. However ¡­ She was indeed a little hungry. Yi Cui had brought some dry food but forgot to give it to her, so she brought it to the carriage at the back. Shen Hua thought about it and thanked him. The little lady picked up a piece and bit it in small bites. Her cheeks puffed up and her eyes shone brightly. She ate very slowly, her heart and eyes focused on the walnut crisp. The expression in the man¡¯s eyes flickered. He did not read the book anymore, as if he was reading something extremely pleasing to the eye. Shen Hua ate a piece and was about to wipe her hands with a handkerchief. ¡°If it suits your appetite, why don¡¯t you eat another piece?¡± Cui Yun¡¯s voice was faint. Shen Hua could not bear to reject Cui Yun¡¯s kindness. She could only eat another piece. He had just swallowed the last mouthful. ¡°Make yourself at home. Eat up.¡± Shen Hua felt a little stuffed. ¡°No¡­¡± She was done. ¡°I bought a lot. I don¡¯t want it to go to waste.¡± Shen Hua was stunned, and she was so touched that she picked up another piece. Cui Yun smiled when he saw this. ¡°Mistress Shen, eat slowly. This bag is all yours. ¡± ¡°Cough!¡± Shen Hua, who would not reject Cui Yun, was frightened. She frowned in pain and felt a lump in her throat. ¡°Drink some water.¡± A cup of tea appeared before her eyes. Ji He had never seen such a considerate Cui Yun before. This ¡®Snowball¡¯ was going to be stuffed to death under his constant feeding! It was the same for the cat, too. ¡°Here, your favorite jerky.¡± ¡°I heard that cats like to eat fish. You¡¯re really picky, only eating cooked fish. ¡± ¡°I got a basket of lychees from the tribute. I¡¯ll split it between Ah Niang and Rong Jie, but these are all yours.¡± What could be even more ridiculous than that? Cui Yun went to court one day, looking worried. He specially found the servants in the palace who took care of the precious cats. ¡°Snowball ate human food behind my back. Will it die?¡±