"I heard that the fifth young lady of the Shen family and Miss Ning An went to your room today?" Han Xi Chen asked Shen Yun Lan.
Shen Yun Lan was startled, not expecting Han Xi Chen to already know about what had just happened.
"Yes, Your Highness. Rest assured, they won't be able to find out anything," Shen Yun Lan replied.
"It better be so. If my great cause is ruined because of you, I will not let you off, nor will I let the Shen family off," Han Xi Chen said, flicking his sleeves and leaving.
Shen Yun Lan raised his eyes, his gaze filled with malice.
"Someone, prepare the carriage," Shen Yun Lan called out from outside the room.
As he walked out of the room, he saw the Second Madam Shen, his mother, looking at him with tear-filled eyes. He felt a surge of irritation and impatience.
"Yun Lan, you've finally decided to come out." The Second Madam Shen was beside herself with emotion. He was her only child, and all her hopes were pinned on him. When she had seen Shen Yun Lan in so much pain before, her heart had been wrung out. Now that he had finally emerged, she was happy.
"Mother, I have something to attend to and need to go out," Shen Yun Lan said as he walked past the Second Madam Shen.
"Where are you going?" the Second Madam Shen asked.
Shen Yun Lan turned to look at the Second Madam Shen, saying coldly, "Mother, what you should know, I will let you know. What you shouldn't know, you will never know." With that, he left.
The Second Madam Shen trembled all over. It was the first time Shen Yun Lan had spoken to her like this. She could hardly accept it and swayed precariously, almost falling to the ground.
"Be careful..."
The Second Madam Shen looked up and saw the person supporting her. She was startled, "Ning... Miss Ning An, you..."
Xue Zi Ning nodded, "Second Madam Shen, it's me."
The Second Madam Shen felt a pang of guilt, "I was rude to you before, please don't take it to heart. I..."
"You don't need to say more, I understand," Xue Zi Ning said.
Upon hearing this, the Second Madam Shen was touched. "You are a good girl."
"Where is the eldest young master going?" Xue Zi Ning asked casually.
The Second Madam Shen shook her head, "I don't know either. He wouldn't tell me."
"Second Madam Shen, I'll escort you back," Xue Zi Ning said.
The Second Madam Shen said gratefully, "Then I thank you, Miss Ning."
Upon arriving at Min Hua Pavilion, the Second Madam Shen's residence, it was Xue Zi Ning's first time stepping into the Second Branch's quarters. Before even entering Min Hua Pavilion, she saw a maid hurrying out. Seeing the Second Madam Shen, she looked delighted and was about to speak, but when she saw Xue Zi Ning, she hesitated.
"Jin Si, what's the matter that you're in such a hurry?" the Second Madam Shen asked sternly.
Jin Si glanced at Xue Zi Ning. Xue Zi Ning understood that it was likely a private matter of the Second Branch. Thus, she said, "Second Madam, I have something else, so I'll take my leave now!"
Seeing her discretion, the Second Madam Shen quickly said, "Ning An, if you need anything in the future, please don't hesitate to ask. I will help if I can."
Xue Zi Ning smiled and turned to leave.
The Second Madam Shen hurried to ask Jin Si, "What exactly happened?"
Jin Si whispered, "Concubine Liu is pregnant."
"When did this happen?" the Second Madam Shen asked, surprised.
"The doctor said she is not yet a full month," Jin Si replied.
Upon hearing this, the Second Madam Shen's expression turned grim. She gritted her teeth and said, "After so many things have happened, he's still frolicking with that little vixen. He's truly something else."
Xue Zi Ning, who had already left the Second Branch, overheard the news and couldn't help but sigh. The Second Master Shen truly didn't seem to know any worries.
In the evening, Xue Zi Ning heard news from the Second Branch that the Second Master Shen intended to divorce the Second Madam Shen. Since Madam Shen had not yet returned from her family visit, the only ones in charge of the household besides the Second Madam Shen were the Old Madam Shen. The previous events had dealt a significant blow to the Old Madam Shen, and the Eldest Master Shen was still handling a case at the Prefect's residence. Someone had already been sent to summon him. Helplessly, Shen Yue Yue, by order of the Old Madam, invited Xue Zi Ning to help her manage the affairs.
Xue Zi Ning knew this was a mess and didn't want to get involved. However, considering that the Old Madam Shen had been quite caring towards her in the past, she reluctantly made her way to the Old Madam Shen's courtyard, Shen Yun Pavilion. Upon entering Shen Yun Pavilion, she immediately saw the Second Madam Shen with disheveled hair, her cheeks seemingly red and swollen, clearly having been hit. As for the Second Master Shen, Xue Zi Ning wasn't surprised to see that his face was almost entirely unblemished, with long, bloody scratches running across it.
The Second Madam Shen gave a bitter smile upon seeing her, looking somewhat helpless.
The Second Master Shen's eyes flared with anger upon seeing her. "Mother, what do you mean by this? Is this the person you consider qualified to manage affairs? Let alone her being a junior, is she even qualified?"
Suddenly, the Old Madam Shen threw the teacup in her hand. It rolled to the front of Shen Cong Jun, the Second Master Shen.
"This old woman says she is qualified, and she is qualified. If your eldest sister-in-law hadn't been away on a visit, do you think this old woman would let Ning An handle your Second Branch's dirty laundry?"
Shen Cong Jun's imposing demeanor weakened considerably. "Mother, even so, you shouldn't let her decide this matter. Why not wait for Eldest Brother to return, or at least handle it according to my wishes and divorce this shrew."
"Divorce me? Shen Cong Jun, what right do you have to divorce me? Which of the seven grounds for divorce have I, Zheng Min, violated? I have been dutiful to my in-laws and my children. You have no reason to divorce me," the Second Madam Shen said, word by word, with neither subservience nor arrogance.
"You are jealous. You personally killed my unborn child, and then I have a reason to divorce you," Shen Cong Jun said furiously.
"What child?" the Old Madam Shen asked Shen Cong Jun.
Shen Cong Jun's face darkened further. "Mother, you don't know yet, do you? She, Zheng Min, killed Concubine Liu's unborn child."
The Old Madam Shen frowned and looked at the younger Madam Zheng. "Zheng Shi, I ask you, is what Cong Jun says the truth?"
"Mother, there were reasons for it. You..."
"This old woman is asking if it is true?" the Old Madam Shen interrupted the Second Madam Shen, Madam Zheng.
The Second Madam Shen fell silent. After a long pause, she finally said, "Yes."
"Foolish, Zheng Shi, you are truly foolish!" the Old Madam Shen exclaimed with grief.
"Mother, you've heard it yourself. Zheng Shi has admitted it voluntarily, so I must divorce this wife. Otherwise, the Shen family's descendants will not just be missing one from Liu Shi's womb," Shen Cong Jun said in exasperation.
The Old Madam Shen did not speak immediately but turned to Xue Zi Ning and asked, "Ning An, how do you think this should be handled?"
Xue Zi Ning looked at Shen Cong Jun and the Second Madam Shen, who was lowering her head, and asked, "Grandmother, may I see that Miss Liu?"
"Miss Liu has just lost her child. Mother is most susceptible to... at this moment," Shen Cong Jun said with dissatisfaction.
"Grandmother, it is not enough to only listen to the words of the Second Master Shen and the Second Madam Shen regarding this matter. Since the Second Master Shen says that Liu Shi is inconvenient to see, then it should be alright to call her personal maid to ask a few questions?"
"No problem. Li Mei, go and bring Concubine Liu's maid. Say that this old woman has something to ask her."
Li Mei nodded and left.
"Mother, the facts are right before your eyes, why do you need to ask questions? She doesn't understand, but don't you understand? It's nothing more than her being jealous that Liu Shi has my child," Shen Cong Jun said, unable to comprehend why his mother couldn't understand such a simple matter.
"Second Master Shen, your statement is rather hasty. The Second Madam Shen has the Eldest Young Master Shen Yun Lan, whom the Shen family is proud of. Why would she be jealous? Jealous of a child born to a concubine? Whether that child grows up or not is another matter. Even if he grows up, the Eldest Young Master Shen will have achieved success. Do you think the Second Madam Shen would lose a jade stone to find a sesame seed?"