Outside the Shen manor, Madam Feng gazed at the two large characters for Shen manor on the plaque. It was hard to let go, after all, she had lived here for twenty years. Now, leaving in an instant, where would she go? She didn't know.
"Mother, we can leave now." A figure peeked out from the carriage.
Madam Feng trembled, turned around, and quickly said, "Second Young Master, you mustn't. I am merely your concubine, you cannot call me mother."
Shen Yunxiu glanced at the Shen manor and said lightly, "From now on, we are no longer part of the Shen manor, so we naturally don't have to abide by its rules. You gave birth to me, so it's only right for me to call you mother. I will call you that from now on."
Madam Feng's body stiffened, and she said with some unease, "This... won't people laugh at you, Second Young Master?"
Shen Yunxiu withdrew his gaze and said, "Mother, we are going to the capital. No one there knows us."
The capital? Madam Feng looked up at Shen Yunxiu.
Shen Yunxiu smiled, "Mother, please get in the carriage! Every day from now on will be a good day."
Madam Feng also smiled and got into the carriage, but soon her face was filled with sorrow again, "But the Fifth Miss refuses to come with us."
Shen Yunxiu said, "Everyone has their own choice. If she is willing to stay, it means that is her choice."
"Second Young Master, are we really going to the capital?" Madam Feng asked, a mix of anticipation and timidity. It was the capital, the imperial city.
"Yes, we will start a new life there," Shen Yunxiu replied.
"Alright, wherever Second Young Master goes, this concubine will follow," Madam Feng said with some expectation, her earlier unhappiness vanishing.
The carriage stopped outside the city gates of Zhaoping. Madam Feng asked, "Why have we stopped?"
Shen Yunxiu said, "Your son is waiting for someone. She will travel with us."
"Who is it?" Madam Feng asked.
Shen Yunxiu smiled and said, "Mother will know when she sees her."
After waiting for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Shen Yunxiu saw a carriage approaching them from a distance.
The carriage stopped, and Shen Yunxiu said to Madam Feng in the carriage, "Mother, let's go to that carriage."
Madam Feng nodded, got out of the carriage, and with Shen Yunxiu's help, boarded the other carriage. Suddenly, a slender hand reached out from the carriage. Madam Feng was startled. This slender hand took hers, pulled gently, and Madam Feng entered the carriage.
A young lady was sitting inside the carriage. For some reason, Madam Feng felt that this young lady looked familiar, but she couldn't recall who it was for a moment.
"Madam."
Seeing the young lady in the carriage call her Madam, Madam Feng felt as if she had become noble. Looking at Shen Yunxiu, she smiled, "Where are you from, girl?"
"I am from Zhaoping."
Madam Feng's eyes lit up, and she asked again, "Where in Zhaoping are you from?"
"The Nangong family."
Madam Feng's body trembled, as if a basin of ice-cold water had doused her from head to toe. "You... you are..."
"Nangong Yue," Nangong Yue said slowly.
Madam Feng's stiff body took a while to turn. She looked at Shen Yunxiu and asked, "You... you know she is Nangong Yue?"
Shen Yunxiu nodded, "Yes, I know."
Madam Feng trembled with anger and said heartbrokenly, "Do you know that she... she is your third brother's fiancée?"
"Madam, my engagement with Shen Yunxuan has already been canceled," Nangong Yue said.
"Mother, Yue'er and I have developed feelings for each other. We will get married when we reach the capital. You can continue to be Madam Shen, and don't worry about anything else," Shen Yunxiu explained.
Madam Feng knew there was nothing else she could do now.
She sighed, "Alright, I won't interfere."
"Indeed!" Shen Yunxiu said.
Nangong Yue nodded, lifted the carriage curtain, and looked at the large characters of Zhaoping on the city gate, spitting out two words, "Set off."
The carriage had traveled for about half an hour when it suddenly stopped. Shen Yunxiu lifted the carriage curtain and asked the driver, "Why have we stopped?"
The driver looked up and said coldly to Shen Yunxiu, "Second Brother."
Shen Yunxiu trembled all over, for this was no ordinary driver, but Shen Yunxuan in disguise.
"Shen Yunxuan, you are..." Shen Yunxiu felt as if he were facing a great enemy.
Shen Yunxuan jumped down from the carriage and sneered, "As expected, you are in league with outsiders."
Madam Feng shook her head, "Third Young Master, it's not like that. Please don't misunderstand..."
"Mother, there's no need to explain anything to him, it's useless," Shen Yunxiu said coldly.
"But..." Madam Feng's words were stopped by Nangong Yue.
"Shen Yunxuan, it's good that you've come. Let's settle all our old and new grievances," Nangong Yue said coldly as she stepped down from the carriage.
Shen Yunxuan spat, "Someone as promiscuous as you is not worthy of speaking to me."
Nangong Yue's face turned ugly, "Shen Yunxuan, you..."
"Yue'er, don't waste your words on him. There's only him here," Shen Yunxiu said.
Nangong Yue smiled, "Indeed. Shen Yunxuan, your Qi is very poor. This time next year will be the anniversary of your death."
"Did you do the things that happened in the Shen family?" Shen Yunxuan asked sternly.
Nangong Yue chuckled softly, "Whether I did or not, is it not true that the Shen family has suppressed the Nangong family for all these years? I am merely giving them a taste of their own medicine."
"This also has your hand in it, Second Brother, right?" Shen Yunxuan asked Shen Yunxiu.
Shen Yunxiu smiled and said, "With you in the Shen family, I, Shen Yunxiu, will never have a chance to rise."
Shen Yunxuan shook his head, "No, Second Brother studies well and will surely be the top scholar in the imperial examinations."
Shen Yunxiu laughed heartily, "Even if I become the top scholar, I can never escape the status of a concubine's son."
"For this status, you even colluded with outsiders to frame the Shen family?"
A frail, old voice echoed from a distance.
Shen Yunxiu trembled all over, raised his eyes, and saw an old woman being helped as she stumbled towards them.
"Grand... Grandmother..."
"Yunxiu, you disappoint me greatly. You were the descendant of the Shen family I had the highest hopes for, but you have gone down the wrong path because of your status." Old Madam Shen shook her head with immense regret.
Hearing this, Shen Yunxiu lowered his head, his eyes downcast, and said, "I'm sorry, Grandmother."
"You are not sorry to me. The path you are taking is your own choice. Earlier, your father and I discussed sending you to your嫡母's (legal wife's) care before you go to the capital for the imperial examination, to make you a嫡子 (son of the legal wife)."
Shen Yunxiu's body stiffened. He looked up at Old Madam Shen. Someone walked out from behind her. "Yunxiu, you have disappointed me greatly."
"Father... Father..."
"Don't call me father. I don't have a rebellious son like you," Shen Congwen said angrily.
"Old Madam, it is all this concubine's fault. Please forgive Second Young Master. He was merely possessed by evil spirits..." Madam Feng rolled out of the carriage and knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy.
"It's too late. This old woman has given you opportunities," Old Madam Shen shook her head.
Madam Feng trembled all over and looked at Shen Yunxiu. Shen Yunxiu's face was somewhat pale. He looked up and said, "We have already separated our households. You can't control us."
Shen Congwen walked forward and said coldly, "Shen Yunxiu, I suspect you are involved in the poisoning incident at the Hui Ju Lou. I am now going to escort you back to the manor for interrogation."