The Young Lady of the General’s House

In the room, Shen Qi and Shen Jin had both freshened up and changed their clothes. The two of them were sitting on a soft chair, they had taken off their socks and were now gently stepping on Xiaobudian’s body. Xiaobudian was holding a bone it’s happily gnawing on with the tail wagging without stop.

Shen Qi sighed, “I didn’t expect Fujun to have such a side of him.”

“Brother-in-law likes dogs a lot.” Shen Jin also sighed.

Shen Qi’s lowered eyes were fixed on Xiaobudian. It was ironic, human really couldn’t compare with dogs. It’s really hard to say if she preferred Yongle Shizi having more heart, or less heart.

“He often stays at the hamlet for a few days. It’s managed by his close attendants, noone else is allowed. Once he took me there, I thought the hamlet is for keeping…… turns out it’s for keeping dogs.”

“Xiaobudian is very cute.” Shen Jin said as she glanced at Shen Qi.

Xiaobudian heard it’s name mentioned, it rose and twisted it’s head to look at Shen Jin, “Aowu?” The bone in it’s mouth fell off, it hurriedly lowered it’s head to pick it up then looked at Shen Jin again.

Shen Jin said, “Eat it.”

Xiaobudian crouched back down, it’s two paws pressed the thigh bone and continued to gnaw.

Shen Qi nodded and said, “Yes. It’s better to like dogs than anything else.”

Shen Jin looked at Shen Qi with a confused face. Shen Qi laughed, “So it’s true that stupid people have stupid blessings.”

“I’m smart!” This one Shen Jin understood, she retorted, “It’s true.”

Shen Qi didn’t know what to say about Shen Jin, “Fifth Sister’s face really can’t recover. After returning to the Mansion, she locked herself in the room.” Shen Qi then continued telling Shen Jin the rest.

Shen Jing had somehow heard some misleading news and she told Xu-cefei. Xu-cefei made a fuss wanting to come out of her confinement, Rui-wangfei was kind enough to let her out to go see Shen Rong. When she saw Shen Rong’s face, Xu-cefei cried asking Rui-wang to seek justice for her daughter, then she broke down after learning about Shen Zi’s miscarriage, grabbed a pair of scissors to stab her own neck. Rui-wangfei and Chen-cefei went over, but they couldn’t persuade her so they could only call Rui-wang.

“But wasn’t Fifth Sister injured by Second Sister?” Shen Jin wrinkled her nose, her tender and white feet stroke Xiaobudian’s fur, “How should Father do a justice on this?”

Shen Qi sneered, “Shuangqiao can tell you.”

Shuangqiao was Shen Qi’s personal maid since their childhood. She bowed, “That day it just happened that Furen had This Slave deliver some things for Wangfei, that’s how I heard about these things.”

Shen Jin knew Shuangqiao, she said with a smile, “Shuangqiao, I accidentally broke the string of beads you gave me, Anping and the others couldn’t fix it.”

“If Furen likes, I can just make it again.” Shuangqiao smiled, she was very pretty, and she had learned reading and painting along with Shen Qi, she’s more accomplished than the average girls from commoner families.

Shen Qi also laughed, “I thought it was any big deal. Shuangqiao, since Sister never forgets, from now on stop doing anything else, just make more strings of beads for Sister.”

“Yes.” Shuangqiao smiled and answered.

Shen Jin wasn’t shy, “That’s great.” Shen Qi really liked being with Shen Jin, nothing was ever a big deal in Shen Jin’s eyes.

Shuangqiao saw there’s no other instruction, so she began reciting. She had a very good memory and could retell what was said word-by-word without mistake. Unfortunately it’s was quite odd to listen to her, since she retold everything in a calm tone,

“Wangye, Eldest Junzhu is your daughter, but my Zi-er and Rong-er are also your daughters too, aren’t they?”

“Master Shizi is very impressive, Wangye is still here, and he had hit Zi-er so badly that the child is lost. Because Eldest Junzhu lost her baby, so noone else is allowed have babies?”

“Rong-er had only said a few words but Eldest Junzhu sent people to smash her face. If Wangye is really tired of us mother and daughters, just say it. My daughters and I will hung ourselves from the roof, so we won’t be eyesores for anyone.”

“Count Yongning’s prestige is as vast as the sky, Third Junzhu is now the Countess Yongning so she doesn’t put us in her eye, even Master Shizi and Eldest Junzhu tried to curry favours with her. Isn’t it normal for sisters to bicker a few words? What a vicious heart, I know Third Junzhu has always hated me. I am a lowly person but my children are not, they are Wangye’s offsprings, they are also Third Junzhu’s own family….. Chen-cefei, take this as I am begging you, if I have offended you in the past, tell your daughter to direct whatever grievances and grudges towards me alone!”

Listening to all these, Shen Jin was dumbfounded, “What do their problems have anything to do with me? Is my mother alright?”

Shuangqiao said, “Furen don’t worry, Chen-cefei is not in any way hurt.”

Shen Jin looked expectantly at Shuangqiao. Shuangqiao felt her heart softened, compared with Shen Qi, Shen Jin was the cute and lovable one.

Chen-cefei face changed greatly, she was angry, “Xu-cefei, have you lost your mind, you are talking nonsense!”

The wrath of a mother. A woman who was normally silent and never said anything even when bullied and cheated, a weak woman who was easily deceived, that time she stood up for herself in front of everyone,

“Jin-er could get married to Count Yongning because she is Wangye’s daughter. Everyone knows very clearly how this marriage fell on her. Don’t you know how dangerous the border was? You know. But because Jin-er is having a good life now that you are all jealous and try to embarrass her in every turn. This good life is earned by my daughter’s life!”

“In the Mansion, Jin-er had always given way, not only to Second Girl this elder sister, but even to younger sisters Fourth Girl and Fifth Girl. She is now Countess Yongning but is she treating anyone with less respect? Life in the border is difficult, Jin-er managed to get some furs to share with her sisters, didn’t you also get some? Even dogs know to wag tails when given food, you have received so many things and there was not even a good word ever said.” Chen ce-fei held her tears while angrily rebuked.

Looking at the shocked Rui-wang, she knelt on the ground, pointed her two fingers on the right hand to the sky, “Wangye, today I dare to swear, if there is any slightest disrespect in Jin Girl’s heart towards Wangye, let me be struck by lightning and die the hard way.”

“Sister, what are you talking about.” Rui-wangfei sternly said, rushing over to pull Chen-cefei up.

Chen-cefei cried leaning on Rui-wangfei, “Wangfei, you always took care of us mother-daughter, without Wangfei, we would have died stepped on by people. Even though Jin-er has married to the border, her heart is always with Rui Wangfu, always with her Father and Mother Consort. Without Wangfu, without Wangye’s support and Wangfei’s care, how could Jin-er gain a foothold at the border, how could she establish herself in Yongning Fu. Today the things Xu-cefei said about Jin-er, it’s the same as planting a thorn in Wangye’s heart. If Jin-er and her father become distanced, what will happen to her……. Shizi is Jin-er’s elder brother, and Eldest Junzhu is Jin-er’s sister, Jin-er has nothing but respect, love, and affection towards them…. how is it possible that she …..”

She was unable to say the rest. It wasn’t a loud cry like Xu-cefei’s, but the kind that’s full of despair.

Rui-wangfei’s eyes were also red, sitting on the floor holding the trembling Chen-cefei, she turned to Rui-wang, “Wangye, I have been married to you for over 20 years, I asked myself whether I have mistreated anyone in the Mansion. I have been lenient toward Xu-cefei because she had given you three daughters and a son. Although I can’t say I treated all the children as perfect equals, but whatever Qi-er and Xuan-er have, the other children have as well. They all learned from the same teacher, they all get momo’s from the Palace to teach them rules, and now…… Shen Zi had scratched Shen Rong’s face and made herself miscarried, but how could Xu-cefei say because they made Jin-er upset so Qi-er sent people to scratch face, and Xuan-er slapped her to cause miscarriage!”

“Wangye, if Xu-cefei’s words get out, how will Qi-er, Xuan-er, Xi-er, and Jin Girl face people outside!” Rui-wangfei said with sharp voice.

Shen Jin’s eyes reddened, lowered her head, her toes moved. Thinking about her mother, she was extraordinarily distressed.

Shen Qi held Shen Jin’s hand and said, “Keep on listening.”

“En.” Shen Jin was a little disconcerted.

Shuangqiao continued.

Rui-wang also realised the seriousness of the matter, his face changed and he pointed at Xu-cefei, angrily scolded, “You cheap woman, someone drag her out and beat her to death.”

“Wangye ……” Xu-cefei looked at Rui-wang in disbelief.

At this moment Shen Hao, the son born by Xu-cefei, somehow ran in from outside crying, “Father, Mother ……”

Xu-cefei threw the scissors away and hugged Shen Hao, crying, “Hao-er, Wangfu won’t give us a way to live, they want to force us to die ……”

Shen Hao was at the age when he looked the cutest, Rui-wang liked him very much. Although Rui-wang’s face was still ugly but he no longer said anything like beating Xu-cefei to death anymore. He questioned, “Who lets Third Young Master out!”

Chen-cefei gritted her teeth, she knew this time any relationship with Xu-cefei had openly and utterly broken. She lightly pressed Rui-wangfei’s hand, and let herself out of the her arms.

“Xu-cefei, what a vicious plot you have. Wangye, if Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master lost their good names because of a rumour, then Wangye will only have Third Young Master left!”

Rui-wang heart’s shook when he heard this, looking at Shen Hao who was very close to his mother, he stepped back a few then roared angrily, “Take Hao-er away! Anyone who let him out again, I will break their legs!”

Shen Hao’s personal attendants turned pale, they rushed forward and grabbed Shen Hao out of Xu-cefei’s embrace, then carried him outside in a hurry that they even forgot to take leave of Rui-wang. Xu-cefei shrieked and wanted to followed them, but Rui-wang kicked her down, “Vicious woman, so that’s your plan.”

Rui-wangfei’s face was full of shock, but her whole person calmed down. She pulled Chen-cefei to stand together, “Xu-shi, I have always been tolerant of you. Even when you don’t respect me this Wangfei, seeing that you have served Wangye and make him happy, I have never made things difficult for you, but you……. Wangye, for my sons Xuan-er and Xi-er, I absolutely can’t let anyone harm them!”

“Wangfei, Xuan-er and the others are also my sons.” Rui-wang felt even more guilty towards Rui-wangfei, “This time I definitely can’t keep this vicious woman here.”

Shen Jing who had been hiding on the side, was scared almost out of her wits. She happened to hear Shen Rong’s maid talked to a pozi, then she bribed the pozi guarding Xu-cefei to pass what she had heard. It was obviously Shen Jin who caused Second Sister’s miscarriage and harmed Fifth Sister so her face was destroyed, but how did it become like this now?

Just now it was also Shen Jing who let the maid bring her little brother inside.

She gritted her teeth, turned around and ran towards the inner rooms. It must be because Father had been misled by them that Shen Rong hadn’t come out yet. As soon as Shen Rong spoke up, Mother would be fine, and Shen Jin that cheap person would be in trouble

Shen Rong immediately covered her face as she saw Shen Jing barging in. She hadn’t come out until now yet not due to the maids blocking her, but more because she did not want to meet anyone. “Get out, get out!”