Fan Yunxiu trembled all over, looking up at Shen Yunxuan, unable to utter a word for a moment, only staring blankly at him.
"She is my wife, the mistress of my Shen manor. If I cannot even fulfill her demands, then what meaning does my position as Minister of Justice hold?"
Fan Yunxiu's body stiffened. "Cousin-in-law..."
"I believe I have made myself perfectly clear, and I hope you understand. I will not take any concubines." With that, Shen Yunxuan rose to leave.
Suddenly, he felt his legs weaken and his head grow heavy. He turned to look at Fan Yunxiu, who watched him with a flustered expression. "Cou-cousin-in-law, I don't want this either. I truly don't want to leave the Shen manor, to leave your side. I..."
"Enough. Stop talking. You make me sick." Shen Yunxuan felt utterly drained of strength. He could only lean against the table to remain standing.
Fan Yunxiu bit her lower lip, crying, "Cousin-in-law, say whatever you will, just don't make me leave. Don't make me leave..."
"Don't come closer..." Shen Yunxuan growled.
Fan Yunxiu, however, continued to approach step by step. "Cousin-in-law, take me. Your cousin will serve you well."
"Shen Fei..." Shen Yunxuan called out towards the outside.
"My lord..." Shen Fei, standing outside, kicked the door open and saw Fan Yunxiu getting close to his lord.
Shen Fei shoved Fan Yunxiu aside and rushed in front of Shen Yunxuan. "My lord, are you alright?"
"Help... help me up..." Shen Yunxuan gritted his teeth, speaking each word carefully.
Shen Fei helped Shen Yunxuan up and felt how utterly weak his entire body was. "My lord, what's wrong?"
Shen Yunxuan forced himself to remain calm. "Return to the manor."
"Don't go, don't go..." Fan Yunxiu, disregarding everything, lunged forward, only to be pushed away by Shen Fei. "Miss Fan, if you come any closer, don't blame me for being impolite."
Fan Yunxiu trembled and looked at Shen Yunxuan. "Cousin-in-law, you can't abandon me, you can't..."
"My lord, cousin, you..."
Shen Yunxuan shuddered and looked towards the doorway. He saw Madam Zhou appearing there at some unknown time, looking at him with surprise.
"Madam..."
Madam Zhou pushed Hong Yan aside and walked over. She didn't stop by Shen Yunxuan but went directly to Fan Yunxiu's side.
"Cou-cousin, please don't blame cousin-in-law. It was my own wish," Fan Yunxiu said, biting her lip, appearing fragile and pitiful.
Madam Zhou heard this and was not angry, nor did she show the expected rage. She simply looked at Fan Yunxiu and said slowly, "Your own wish for what? To be my lord's concubine?"
Fan Yunxiu bit her lip. "Cousin, I will serve you and cousin-in-law well."
"Can you serve as well as Hong Yan? You were not born a maid. How can you serve me well?"
Fan Yunxiu blinked, looking at Madam Zhou. "Cousin, you..."
"What I said is the truth. Yunxiu, you are truly muddled. If you wanted to be a maid, why not go to any other household? Why here? You are utterly foolish."
"Cousin, you are mistaken. I never intended to be a maid. I..."
"If you don't want to be a maid, then what do you want? Yunxiu, don't be too greedy. No matter what you do, you cannot change the fact that you will never be the main wife. That is the truth."
"Cousin, what are you talking about? I... I don't understand..."
"Whether you understand or not is of no consequence to me. I am merely telling you that you don't even qualify to be a concubine here. I know why you lingered, but you should also know that since I let you stay, I have already thought of a plan. Whether my lord will take concubines in the future, I don't know, but at least not now, not at this very moment."
"Cousin, you can't be so selfish," Fan Yunxiu said, shaking her head, unwilling to accept it.
"Selfish? Yes, that's precisely what I am. I don't need your approval for what I do, nor do I need you to be satisfied. As long as my lord is satisfied."
With that, she helped Fan Yunxiu up. "If you stay in the manor obediently and wait for my lord to find a suitable husband for you, then keep your tail between your legs and behave. Otherwise, I don't mind being the villain." Da Feng Novel Network
Fan Yunxiu trembled all over. She saw the extreme coldness in Madam Zhou's eyes, devoid of any emotion.
She knew Madam Zhou would do as she said. She didn't want to go back; she wanted to stay in the capital. "Cousin, take me in. I will be obedient."
Madam Zhou nodded at this, patting Fan Yunxiu's hand. Fan Yunxiu felt a chill she had never experienced before. "Cousin..."
"It's good that you're obedient. Now, I'll have Hong Yan send you back." Madam Zhou said, giving Hong Yan a look.
Hong Yan understood and nodded, supporting Fan Yunxiu. "Miss Cousin, let's go!"
Fan Yunxiu knew that no matter how dissatisfied she was at this moment, she couldn't do anything. Madam Zhou had made her intentions perfectly clear. If there was a next time, she might not even make it home alive.
Since she couldn't be a concubine, helping her find a suitable husband was still possible.
After Fan Yunxiu left, Madam Zhou walked to Shen Yunxuan's side. "My lord, it is all my fault for being too soft-hearted, which has caused this to happen to you again. I truly regret it."
"This is not your fault," Shen Yunxuan said slowly.
"My lord, I will no longer be soft-hearted in the future," Madam Zhou said apologetically.
"It's alright, the matter has passed," Shen Yunxuan said.
"My lord, allow me to help you..." Madam Zhou helped Shen Yunxuan up. Shen Yunxuan leaned all his weight onto her.
Madam Zhou felt a surge of happiness. Indeed, her lord was not angry. Before coming, she had met the Empress. The Empress had told her that Shen Yunxuan was easily appeased; as long as she spoke her mind and didn't play tricks on him, Shen Yunxuan would not blame her.
"My lord, rest assured, I will be good from now on." She would no longer be soft-hearted towards her family nor agree to their unreasonable demands.
"Good," Shen Yunxuan said faintly.
Upon returning to the Shen manor, Madam Zhou helped Shen Yunxuan into the room. With great effort, she managed to get Shen Yunxuan onto the bed. Looking at his sleeping face, Madam Zhou felt only happiness and joy.
She knew that from this moment on, she had likely entered Shen Yunxuan's heart.
Fan Yunxiu was confined to her room. She didn't cry or make a fuss, knowing that such actions were futile. She could only seek help.
She would wait for an opportunity.
The next day, Madam Zhou was summoned to the palace by the Empress. Looking at the woman who was different from her approachable demeanor yesterday, now exuding overwhelming dominance, Madam Zhou couldn't help but feel envious.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"