The Young Lady of the General’s House

Shen Rong grabbed something and hurled it towards Shen Jing, “Get out.”

Shen Jing shrieked and dodged. Suddenly the guilt, fear, anxiety and various other emotions exploded, she angrily said, “Shen Rong you white-eyed wolf. Mother did it for you, and you want us all killed….”

“I am not going out.” Shen Rong hid behind her maid, yelling, “I am not going out!”

Shen Jing pointed at her, “It’s our own mother. If Mother isn’t here, what will happen to us?”

Shen Rong pursed her lips tightly, she was quite at loss, turned to her maid. The maid gently said, “Miss, what Fourth Miss said is right. No matter how Xu-cefei is your mother. Besides, there is no outsider in the mansion now.”

Shen Jing also knew it wasn’t a good time to rush Shen Rong, “Sister, Mother has always loved you.”

Shen Rong nodded, standing up, “Fine.” She held up a handkerchief over her face, “I’ll go with you.”

Shen Jing let out a sigh of relief and led Shen Rong outside. “The wound on your face……”

“It’s Second Sister.” Shen Rong said with her head down.

Just now she was pleased when her mother came, who knew that as soon as she learned of Shen Zi’s miscarriage, mother had rushed out directly to make a scene without saying two words to her. Afterwards Shen Rong hid inside, didn’t dare and didn’t want to go out.

Shen Jing was shocked, panicking and fully confused, “No, didn’t Eldest Sister order someone to do it?”

“No.” Shen Rong had intermittently heard some of the noise even if not very clearly, however she understood that mother was doing this more because of Shen Zi.

“No, it’s Eldest Sister.” Shen Jing said, stopped and stared at Shen Rong. Her eyes were actually looking a little crazy, “Remember to tell Father that it was you who told Mother that Eldest Sister had your face scratched.”

Shen Rong was stunned by Shen Jing’s expression, looking at her in disbelief, “It was Second Sister.”

“If you don’t say as I said, Mother will not end well.” Shen Jing tightly grabbed Shen Rong’s hand, the force of it made Shen Rong hurt, “Do you know, you will harm mother if you don’t say that.”

“Fourth Miss.” Shen Rong’s maid hurriedly moved forward and pulled Shen Jing’s hand, “How could you tell my Miss to lie, so many people had witnessed it. You….. you are trying to put the blame on my Miss.”

“Mother gave birth to you, shouldn’t you repay the kindness?” Shen Jing was anxious and panicking as she asked in stern tone.

The maid gritted her teeth and fiercely pinched Shen Jing. Shen Jing let go of Shen Rong’s hand in pain. The maid stepped in front of Shen Rong and retorted,

“Fourth Miss, it wasn’t my Miss who told Xu-cefei this lie. Why are you trying to push all the blame on my Miss, it’s obviously you who…..”

“It’s not me.” Shen Jing’s face turned white, she unconsciously took few steps back, “It wasn’t me. It was your maid. Your maid and a pozi said you have offended Shen Jin so Shen Qi hit you and scratched your face, then Shen Xuan put ……”

“So you have made a mistake. You harm Mother, and you want me to take the blame?” Shen Rong wasn’t a fool, she understood, “Impossible.”

“You are Father’s daughter, Father won’t punish you heavily.” Shen Jing still wanted to push the responsibility away, she was trying to convince Shen Rong.

Shen Rong said angrily, “You are also Father’s daughter.”

“But I am older than you, and I am getting engaged.” Shen Jing finally couldn’t help crying, “Your face is ruined anyway, you can’t get married.”

Shen Rong’s face turned ashen, she looked at Shen Jing with disbelief. She was her own sister, the sister by the same mother.

Shen Jing’s eyes were full of begging, “Take it as your sister begging you, will you? I will definitely make it up for you.”

“But then what about me?” Shen Rong was stumped, the sister who had always acted self-righteous was now whispering begging words to her.

The maid saw that Shen Rong had softened, “If my Miss didn’t get married and stayed in Wangfu for her whole life, how would she have a good life here after offending Rui-wang, Wangfei and Chen-cefei? Fourth Miss you are too selfish, you will be fine after you get married, but how about my Miss?”

Shen Jing said, “I swear, when I get married, I will find a way to take Sister out, okay?”

Shen Rong didn’t reply, she only said, “Let us go see Mother….”

“Good Sister, I know you are dutiful.” Shen Jing thought Shen Rong had agreed, she couldn’t help sighing in relief. If Mother was punished, her marriage matter would be in trouble. As for Shen Rong….. she could just give some compensation, and noone would dare to humiliate Shen Rong as she was going to just live in the Wangfu.

Shen Rong kept her head low without a word, she didn’t even covered her face with handkerchief anymore. Everything had changed in just one night, even her family felt like strangers.

The maid was anxious, she whispered, “Miss, please don’t be confused.”

“Shut up, this is between us sisters, it’s not your place to butt in.” Shen Jing reprimanded in sharp voice, “Sister don’t worry, we still have Third Brother. Father has only 3 sons, Mother and I will explain to Third Brother, and Third Brother will take more care of you. “

Shen Rong suddenly said, “Sister, how could you just believe what you heard without asking me first. You rushed to tell Mother and now the matter has become like this?”

Shen Jing was inwardly flustered but she forced herself to talk calmly, “Because I was angry that Second Sister and you were hurt.”

Shen Rong raised her eyes to look at Shen Jing. Shen Jing herself didn’t have much conviction on what she had just said.

When they arrived at the main hall, Shen Rong suddenly said, “Because you are jealous, you thought Third Sister was suffering in her marriage with Count Yongning, you didn’t expect Third Sister to have a good life.” She entered the hall without a glance at Shen Jing.

In the main hall Xu-cefei was being held by two rough-jobs pozi while Rui-wang, Rui-wangfei and Chen-cefei were sitting on the chairs.

Rui-wangfei frowned as she saw Shen Jing and Shen Rong, she said with some concern, “Fifth Girl, didn’t the doctor say your face shouldn’t be exposed to the wind, why are you coming out?”

Shen Jing had run forward and pushed the pozi’s away, “Let go of my mother.”

Rui-wang said in deep voice, “Shen Jing, where is your manner?”

“Father.” Shen Jing looked up with some fear.

Rui-wangfei said, “Wangye, don’t scare the child. Let go of Xu-cefei first.”

The two pozi’s released Xu-cefei then stood aside quietly. Shen Jing hugged Xu-cefei and said, “Father, Mother had misunderstood, it’s Fifth Sister who told her wrong things.”

Rui-wangfei’s eyes flashed, she turned to Shen Rong who was standing still without expression. With eyes slightly lowered, Rui-wangfei asked, “What was wrong?”

Shen Jing silently pinched Xu-cefei who was also stumped, “Fifth Sister was too stressed so she told Mother all of those things, Mother became agitated.”

There was still some guilt at the beginning, but the more Shen Jing talked the more she had convinced herself, “Fifth Sister bribed the pozi who was guarding Mother to tell Mother that Eldest Sister let someone scratched her face because she had offended Third Sister. Second Sister had tried to stop it and she got hit by Eldest Brother until she miscarried.”

“Fourth Girl, Xu-cefei is also Fifth Girl’s mother, why would she do that?” Rui-wangfei’s eyes directed to Shen Jing were exceptionally cold.

At that moment Shen Jing had became very calm, “Because Fifth Sister wanted to take this opportunity to marry Count Yongning. When everyone believes Third Sister had harmed her so she couldn’t marry anyone else, she would then be able to marry into Yongning Mansion. After all with a disfigured face, noone else would marry her.”

Shen Rong originally thought herself was prepared, but hearing what Shen Jing said, her body wobbled that the maid had to support her.

Rui-wang’s face was calm, “Is that so?”

“That’s it.” Shen Jing forcefully grabbed Xu-cefei’s hand, “Mother, isn’t it right?”

Xu-cefei had understood, thoughts flashed in her mind as she looked at Shen Rong who was silently standing on the side. Shen Rong’s scars, Shen Jing….. The desperation and panic, her Hao-er wasn’t grown up yet, she couldn’t let herself locked up in the hamlet, “That’s right, it was Rong-er who told me. I asked to get out so I can ask Rong-er directly. She told me that Zi-er miscarried because Shizi hit her.”

“Cefei niangniang, my Miss is also your daughter.” Shen Rong’s maid couldn’t help to cry, “Begging Wangfei, it’s really not like that….”

T/N – Niangniang 娘娘 = an address to queen/empress/imperial concubine, etc.

Shen Jing cursed angrily in sharp voice, “Lowly slave, this is not your place to speak.” She rolled up her sleeves, “Father, this lowly slave has just hurt me, beat her to death.”

Shen Rong tightened her hold on the maid’s hand, but the maid broke free and kneeled down, kowtowing strenuously, “Wangye, it was really not like that, just now Fourth Sister came to my Miss…. “

Before she finished speaking, Shen Jing had rushed forward like crazy, grabbed the maid’s hair and slapped her fiercely, “Shut up.”

“Let go.” Shen Rong moved forward to stop her.

“What a disgrace.” Rui-wang scolded angrily.

Rui-wangfei felt her head was swollen with pain, “Stop it quickly, don’t let the misses hurt.”

The other maids hurriedly came over to separate them. Shen Rong’s maid’s face was full of bleeding wounds, she had not dared to block Shen Jing’s hits and she still had to protect Shen Rong.

“This…. quickly call the doctor.” Rui-wangfei rubbed her forehead.

Shen Jing fixed her eyes at Shen Rong, “Sister, tell Father that what I just said are all the truth. Hurry say it now.”

Xu-cefei stared at her two daughters, no matter what she had to protect herself. Rong Girl was Wangye’s own daughter so she would be fine, but with such a face she wouldn’t be able to marry anyone who would be helpful to Hao Boy, “Rong-er, take it as Mother begging you. Tell the truth, you are Wangye’s girl, Wangye won’t blame you.”

Shen Rong thought about how her mother had taken good care of her. She was less noticed compared to her two sisters and one brother, but in the end she was not mistreated. She slowly kneeled down, kowtowed and said, “It’s all This Daughter’s fault.” but she couldn’t say any more than that.

Everything felt like a dream, Shen Rong was in a daze. All she did was visiting Eldest Sister’s place as a guest, how had it become like this? Even she herself had changed too……

Shen Jing felt her body relaxed at Shen Rong’s words, “Father, Fifth Sister is just young and doesn’t know better….”

“Shut up.” Rui-wang’s expression turned ugly, “Do you all take benwang as a fool?”

T/N – This Prince 本王 = the way a prince addressed himself.

Rui-wang stood up and kicked Xu-cefei, he then turned to Shen Jing and Shen Rong,

“Really good daughters of benwang’s. Today benwang finds you have scheming hearts, you dare to take advantage of benwang’s care to play tricks, really…… good, very good.”

“Someone come, take them all……”

“Wangye.” Rui-wangfei interrupted him, “If I may say, Fifth Girl didn’t do anything wrong.”

Rui-wangfei slowly walked towards Shen Rong, she bent and picked her up. Shen Rong’s face was full of tears, still looking dazed and hopeless. Rui-wangfei pulled her into her arms and lightly patted her back, “One is her mother, the other is her sister. What can she do?”

Rui-wang hated being fooled the most, he looked at Shen Rong without a word but he didn’t refute Rui-wangfei either. Rui-wangfei sighed, “Chen-meimei, take Fifth Girl away.”

Chen-cefei stood up and bowed, “Yes.” She believed Rui-wangfei wouldn’t give Xu-cefei any chance to get away again. She went over to hold Shen Rong and lightly wiped the wounds on her face, “Come with me, I’ll reapply the medicine for you.”

Chen-cefei looked at Shen Rong’s maid who was still kneeling on the floor. Rui-wangfei noticed it and nodded. Chen-cefei then said to the maid, “You sincerely care for your Miss, follow me to the inner rooms, your face…..”

The maid kowtowed to Chen-cefei, then rose to support Shen Rong towards the inner rooms. Shen Jing watched all of these, she shouted, “Father…..”

Xu-cefei knew from Rui-wang’s expression that there was no more room to turn things around. With a despaired and unwilling face, she said, “How come….. It shouldn’t be like this….”

Rui-wangfei’s eyes were very cold, “Cuixi, tell Xu-cefei the whole story, also call Li-pozi here to tell us what Fourth Sister had done.”

Actually during the time Shen Jing went to meet Shen Rong, Rui-wangfei had ordered an investigation of what actually happened. That time she had also sent someone to call Shen Jing over, that person had heard Shen Jing’s and Shen Rong’s conversation. Shen Jing was too much in panic to notice that person who was standing on the side.

The resident doctor at Rui Wangfu had been called and a maid had brought water to clean Shen Rong’s face again. She was sitting on the chair with spiritless eyes and a blank expression. Chen-cefei glanced at her but didn’t say anything, she turned to the maid and gently said, “You are called Xiuzhu, right?”

Xiuzhu’s face had swollen on many places, she bowed, “Yes.”

“Sit down.” Chen-cefei let her sit and carefully held her face to examine, “Don’t be afraid, let the doctor take a look.”

“Yes.” Xiuzhu respectfully said.

Chen-cefei sat on the side without speaking. When the doctor arrived, she asked him to check Shen Rong’s face and had a maid to get snow lotus ointment. Chen-cefei asked, “Is there anything wrong?”

The doctor shook his head, “Don’t let it touch water.”

“Good.” Chen-cefei responded, “Can I trouble Doctor to also look at this girl’s face.”

The doctor nodded, since he was there he’d take a look. There was actually another resident doctor specially in charge of the servants, that one was less skillful than him. After the examination he said, “I’ll let someone send some ointment here, these few days don’t eat anything with heavy colours.” He didn’t say anything else, not only it was just a maid, but looking at the situation there might be something shady.

Chen-cefei said, “Thank you Doctor.”

After the doctor left, she said, “Xiuzhu, you can go take a rest. Take care of your wounds, no need to work for a few days. I’ll let someone tell the kitchen that your meals are to be cooked separately.”

“This Slave thanks Chen-cefei.” Xiuzhu respectfully said.

Suddenly Shen Rong said, “I want Xiuzhu, don’t let her go.”

Chen-cefei slightly lowered her eyes, “Fifth Miss, Xiuzhu is injured, she can’t serve for for the time being.”

“No.” Shen Rong pushed the other maid who was trying to apply medicine, she went over to grab Xiuzhu, “I want Xiuzhu.”

Chen-cefei said with some difficulty, “Then let her go after she applies the medicine?”

“No.” Shen Rong rejected.

Xiuzhu said in respectful tone, “Then This Slave will serve Miss.”

Chen-cefei sighed and stopped talking. Shen Rong had returned to the lifeless appearance before, she sat down with a hand tightly tugged Xiuzhu’s. Xiuzhu stood on her side with her waist bent, Chen-cefei told someone to give Xiuzhu a small round seat. Xiuzhu thanked her then sit down.

“Chen-cefei, what will happen to my mother?” Shen Rong abruptly asked.

Chen-cefei lowered her eyes, “I don’t know.”

What could it be? Being sent to the hamlet, and would likely to die of illness after a period of time.

T/N – As I learned from other novels: being sent to the hamlet to ‘recuperate’ is the same as being exiled.

Xu-shi likely never expected that a day such as today would ever come. Thinking of what Xu-shi had done to Jin Girl, Chen-cefei slowly released a breath. Xu-shi had probably long forgotten why Chen-cefei cast her lot with Rui-wangfei, she had put up with it for so many years, and today the revenge had finally come. Jin Girl didn’t remember anything and Chen-cefei didn’t intend to tell her the disgusting matter either, all she wanted was her daughter living a lifetime of happiness.

“Then what about my sister?” Shen Rong hesitantly asked after a long while.

“I don’t know.” Chen-cefei wouldn’t implicate children on their parent’s mistakes, but she wasn’t so generous as to lovingly comfort her enemy’s child as if it’s her own child.

Shen Rong bit her lips, “Chen-cefei, could you ask Third Sister to help my mother please…..” Xiuzhu hurriedly pulled Shen Rong’s hand.

Chen-cefei finally raised her head, “For what reason?”

Shen Rong didn’t know how to answer, Chen-cefei said, “Fifth Miss take a good rest.” She rose after speaking but didn’t really leave. Standing in the small hall outside her bedroom, she thought it’s fortunate her daughter had married away. Thinking of her daughter Chen-cefei’s expression considerably softened.