Chapter 8: Reality

With Prince Jingyang’s son awake and unharmed, Shen Tang’s refusal to marry in front of the palanquin wasn’t a major issue anymore.

However, everyone was curious about how Shen Tang was so certain that Prince Jingyang’s son would not die. Shen Sui also came to the ancestral hall to ask her about it.

He asked, “How do you know that Prince Jingyang’s son will be fine?”

Shen Tang looked at her father and spoke deliberately, “I said it was Mother who told me in a dream. Do you believe me, Father?”

A dream?

Shen Sui furrowed his brow tightly.

Shen Tang nodded and continued, “Yesterday, I dreamed of Mother. She told me many things, including that Prince Jingyang’s son would wake up today and that I should not marry as a substitute. If I did, it would bring endless misfortune.”

“I was skeptical at first and didn’t dare to gamble the entire Pingyuan Marquis Manor on it. But this was the least significant of what Mother said. I was more afraid of the other prophecies coming true, which is why I took the risk of betting my life to verify it.”

Shen Sui’s brows furrowed even deeper. “What else did your mother say?”

Shen Tang replied, “When my elder brother went missing at the Lantern Festival years ago, it wasn’t an accident, nor was it my uncle’s negligence. It was orchestrated by my Second Uncle.”

Shen Sui’s expression changed, and he blurted out, “Impossible! Your Second Uncle would never do such a thing!”

“Father!” Shen Tang’s voice was heavy, tinged with anger.

She knew that Shen Sui trusted Second Master and that hearing this would provoke a strong reaction. She had prepared herself for this but couldn’t help feeling furious.

Clenching her fists tightly, Shen Tang’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Father trusts Second Uncle, believing he has deep brotherly love for you and wouldn’t harm you. But what about me and my elder sister? Don’t we have a sisterly bond?”

“But my elder sister pushed me, her own younger sister, into the fire for her own sake!”

Shen Juan had poisoned herself and framed her just yesterday, leaving Shen Sui with no grounds to refute.

Wiping away her tears, Shen Tang said, “If you don’t believe that Second Uncle would harm my elder brother, then you surely don’t believe that the Second Branch has the audacity and ability to switch out the second brother who just left the womb right under your nose?”

“Mother told me that my elder brother is still alive and is in the capital. If you don’t believe what she said, I do. I will definitely find my elder brother.”

“I don’t expect you to investigate Second Uncle; I just hope you can harbor a bit of doubt and caution about him…”

“I have already lost my mother; I don’t want to lose my father too.”

After saying this with tears in her eyes, Shen Tang turned to leave, clutching her injured arm.

But after taking a few steps, she paused but did not turn back and said, “Mother also asked me to tell you that you dropped the jade pendant at her grave.”

With that, Shen Tang walked away without looking back, leaving Shen Sui in shock.

How did Shen Tang know that he had gone to pay respects to Jiang Shi yesterday? It was all because of that jade pendant.

The pendant was a gift from Jiang Shi to Shen Sui, something he always carried with him. In his previous life, when it went missing, Shen Sui searched for it for a long time. Later, Shen Tang found it while shopping at a stall, realizing it had been dropped at Jiang Shi’s grave and picked up to be sold.

Shen Tang’s mention of dreaming about her mother was a pretext to inform her father of these matters. Given the bizarre nature of her rebirth, if she directly told him, he might not believe her and think she had gone mad. Thus, she could only use her mother’s dream as a way to relay this information.

Shen Tang regretted not asking Shen Juan who her elder brother truly was before her death. Now she had no choice but to find out on her own.

In the past two days, she had been mulling over the few words Shen Juan had let slip about her elder brother, especially the part where she mentioned that she could never guess who he was—

Her elder brother must be someone she knew!

She feared that not only did she know him, but his identity was also significant; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to survive when even Xie Guimo had fallen into their hands. The fact that he was alive and in a position where he couldn’t be easily eliminated spoke volumes.

Ginkgo  was waiting outside the ancestral hall when she saw Shen Tang, who was enduring the pain in her knees as she walked out. Ginkgo  felt heartbroken and hurried over to support Shen Tang back to apply medicine to her injuries.

Just as they walked a hundred steps, a maid came running over. “Second Miss, the Old Madam wants you to go to Pine Crane Hall.”

At this point, it was obvious they wanted to ask her how she knew Prince Jingyang’s son would be fine.

Shen Tang said, “Help me to Pine Crane Hall.”

Ginkgo  was indignant. “The Miss is injured like this, and the Old Madam doesn’t feel sorry for you at all?”

“It’s Second Madam who wants me,” Shen Tang replied.

Ginkgo  was taken aback, puzzled. “Then are you still going?”

Shen Tang didn’t respond, her steps heading toward Pine Crane Hall, and Ginkgo  could only support her as she limped along.

Inside, the Old Madam was sitting on a reclining couch, with Second Madam and Third Madam seated beside her.

Shen Tang still wore her wedding gown but had not donned the phoenix crown. Due to her injuries and kneeling for so long, she lacked her usual vivacity, adding an air of fragile beauty that stirred deep compassion in others.

Seeing her enter, the Old Madam was somewhat surprised. “Injured like this, why did you still come to see your grandmother?”

Shen Tang wanted to speak, but a sharp pain made her wince. After a moment, she managed to say, “I know that my refusal to marry today and sending Prince Jingyang’s palanquin back empty was a willful act that angered you, Grandmother. Since you sent someone to find me, I didn’t dare not come.”

Upon hearing this, the Old Madam shot a glance at Second Madam.

Second Madam could hardly sit still in her chair and asked Shen Tang, “How are you so certain that Prince Jingyang’s son will be fine without the auspicious ceremony?”

Shen Tang replied calmly, “In my dream, my mother told me.”

The bluntness of her words nearly drove Second Madam to the brink of fury.

She felt her anger surge, trembling as she said, “You trust what happens in dreams?! You’re willing to gamble the entire Pingyuan Marquis Manor on such a thing?!”

Shen Tang’s face turned cold as she shot back, “What I believe in is not just any dream; it is my mother!”

“She is the one who, even after passing away, would do everything to protect me!”

Thinking of her mother who had suffered and died tragically, there was a glint of steel in Shen Tang’s eyes.

Second Madam hadn’t expected Shen Tang to confront her so boldly, her body trembling with rage, yet unable to counter Shen Tang’s words.

Although Jiang Shi didn’t care for Shen Juan, even wishing to harm her, she had loved Shen Tang dearly, holding her close and not allowing anyone to touch her, not even the wet nurse, personally feeding her until her death.

The Old Madam’s heart softened. “Your mother cared for you most in her life. You should listen to her.”

Second Madam said, “But you should inform us instead of acting on your own!”

Shen Tang responded sarcastically, “No one consulted me about marrying in my sister’s place, nor did anyone discuss it with me.”

This retort left Second Madam looking as if she had been slapped multiple times.

Shen Tang didn’t want to say much more. She turned to the Old Madam and said, “I have nothing else to discuss. I will take my leave.”

As she attempted to bow, the pain in her knees made her gasp.

The Old Madam could no longer bear to listen. She ordered Hongxiu, “Quickly help the Second Miss back.”

Shen Tang was swaying unsteadily, and with the help of Hongxiu and Ginkgo , she made her way out of the room and then out of the courtyard.

However, as she descended the steps, she stumbled forward.

“Miss!”