Chapter 23: Reunion

Shen Tang saw Shen Juan again five days later, on the day of the Spring Banquet feast at the Shouwang’s Manor.

After breakfast, Shen Tang took Yin Xing to Pine Crane Hall, and they ran into Shen Juan at the courtyard entrance.

Shen Tang wore a smile.

Shen Juan’s eyes burned with fury.

After copying Buddhist scriptures day and night for five days, Shen Juan’s hands had cramped painfully. Seeing Shen Tang, she felt an urge to skin her alive. With words squeezed out between her teeth, she said, “You really are my good sister!”

Shen Tang feigned innocence, exasperating her further, “Eldest Sister didn’t want to copy the family rules and insisted I plead with Grandmother. Isn’t it true that Grandmother didn’t make you copy them? Are you still not satisfied?”

Satisfied?!

She was only filled with a desire to kill!

Originally, she could have taken it easy while copying the family rules in Qinglan Courtyard. Now she had to copy in the Buddhist hall, eat vegetarian food every day, and use gold-sprinkled paper, requiring her to write in a neat and careful manner!

Second Madam had spoken on her behalf, saying she needed to practice her talents and that she could copy them after the Spring Banquet feast. Grandmother had not agreed!

Shen Juan had already lost a lot of weight due to her illness. After five days of copying Buddhist scriptures, she had become even thinner.

Thinking about the hardships she endured because of Shen Tang, her anger surged. How could the eldest sister be bullied by her own younger sister to the point of being powerless to fight back!

This was outside Pine Crane Hall, and fearing the argument would reach the old lady’s ears, she had to swallow her fury.

There would be plenty of time to settle the score later!

Shen Juan relaxed her tightly clenched fists and turned to enter the courtyard, while Shen Tang acted as if nothing had happened and followed her inside.

Today, Shen Tang wore a sky-blue embroidered Shu brocade dress adorned with orchids, complemented by the orchid jewelry she had bought at Wancui Pavilion. It suited her perfectly, highlighting her grace while maintaining her charm.

Shen Juan, on the other hand, wore a water lotus-colored cloud brocade dress, with the hem and cuffs outlined in gold and silver threads to depict hibiscus flowers. It was luxurious yet elegant, hastily made over the past few days in the embroidery room so that Shen Juan could shine at the Spring Banquet feast.

Shen Ran and Shen Luo had also dressed with care, making them a sight to behold.

The old lady had no objections to their outfits, but tensions between Shen Tang and Shen Juan had not yet dissipated, and since the last outing had ended poorly, the old lady hoped that such things would not happen again this time.

The old lady said sternly, “Sisters of one household share both glory and misfortune. Last time, I let it slide since you were all recovering from illness, but today, as you go to the Shouwang’s Manor for the Spring Banquet feast, if you continue to act recklessly and stir up rumors of discord, you will all kneel in the Buddhist hall for reflection.”

“Remember Grandmother’s teachings.”

The four of them answered in unison.

Shen Juan sat beside the old lady and said, “Grandmother, please don’t be angry. Although Second Sister seems to be upset with me on the surface, she actually cares about me the most. When I was ill with a cold, she had Nanny Jiang come to comfort me and even said she would give me the set of jewelry you bestowed upon her.”

The old lady turned to Shen Tang.

Shen Tang asked Shen Juan, “Did Nanny Jiang tell Eldest Sister that I planned to give my jewelry, which Grandmother bestowed upon me, to you?”

Shen Juan nodded. “Nanny Jiang said this in front of Second Aunt.”

“What a cunning servant!”

Shen Tang angrily scolded, “Disloyal to me! I didn’t expect her to speak such groundless words behind my back to you, deliberately sowing discord between us! It’s a shame that Grandmother still remembers her for serving me for ten years and only punished her lightly. Such a treacherous servant deserves to be executed!”

Shen Tang’s chest rose and fell with rage. “Eldest Sister wouldn’t want to go shopping with me, would it be because she believed Nanny Jiang’s words and is angry that I haven’t sent the jewelry to you?”

Shen Juan was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Shen Tang to say this and immediately felt flustered.

She knew Shen Tang would no longer give her the jewelry; she was just frustrated at being forced to copy a hundred Buddhist scriptures. Since the old lady had just told them to be harmonious, she decided to pressure Shen Tang into giving her the jewelry.

Unexpectedly, Shen Tang not only denied Nanny Jiang’s words but also turned the tables on her, putting her in a difficult position.

Since Shen Juan had heard from Nanny Jiang that Shen Tang cared for her, why hadn’t she wanted to go shopping together after leaving the manor?

Wasn’t that contradictory?

Moreover, Shen Juan had plotted against Shen Tang by soaking in well water to make herself ill, and Shen Tang was fully aware of this. Shen Tang had even informed the old lady about it, and since Shen Tang was already angry about it, how could she possibly give the jewelry that the old lady had bestowed upon her to Shen Juan?

No one believed Shen Juan’s words; even the old lady looked at her with disappointment.

Shen Juan panicked. “Grandmother, I didn’t have it! That set of jewelry was bestowed upon Second Sister by you; even if she wanted to give it to me, I wouldn’t accept it!”

Fortunately, at that moment, a maid entered and said, “Old lady, the carriage is ready.”

Shen Juan quickly stood up. “Grandmother, we won’t forget your instructions. We’ll head to the Shouwang’s Manor now.”

Shen Tang also stood up and left with Shen Ran and Shen Luo.

Having just been punished to copy family rules and receiving another reprimand, Shen Juan had no choice but to endure sitting in the same carriage as Shen Tang. She got into the carriage first, and then Yin Xing helped Shen Tang up.

As soon as they entered the carriage, Shen Juan shot Shen Tang a cold glare, which Shen Tang pretended not to see. She had no interest in bickering with Shen Juan; she was going to the Shouwang’s Manor today to find her Big Brother.

The carriage moved steadily forward, and Shen Tang closed her eyes to think. The distance from the Pingyuan Marquis Manor to the Shouwang’s Manor was considerable, and they passed through several busy streets, making the carriage move slowly. Once they reached the street where the Shouwang’s Manor was located, it became even slower.

Today, many young ladies and young masters from prominent families came to the Shouwang’s Manor for the banquet, causing the street outside to be congested. What usually took a few cups of tea to cover took a full cup of tea to traverse.

Shen Tang never expected that the first person she would see upon arriving at the Shouwang’s Manor for the Spring Banquet feast would be Xie Guimo.

Seated near the door of the carriage, as it came to a stop, she lifted the curtain and squeezed out. In the sunlight, she saw Xie Guimo approaching on horseback, his face, which seemed to embody both divinity and malice, coming into view.

Having lived a second life, Shen Tang truly did not expect to see Xie Guimo at the entrance of the Shouwang’s Manor.

Except for the year he went to war, she had lived under the same roof with him for three years, knowing that he generally disliked attending banquets. Thus, she was particularly surprised that he would come to the Shouwang’s Manor for the Spring Banquet feast.

Their gazes unexpectedly met.

Xie Guimo’s brows were relaxed, but his eyes held no warmth, cold like the winter wind.

He wore that same expression that suggested she owed him something.

Shen Tang’s anger surged, and her eyes locked onto him as resolutely as they had in her past life.

It was only when Xie Guimo frowned that Shen Tang realized what she was doing. She quickly turned her head and rushed down the steps of the carriage, wishing to bang her head against the stone lion outside the Shouwang’s Manor.

Xie Guimo watched Shen Tang hurriedly ascend the steps, rushing into the Shouwang’s Manor.

Behind him, the heir of Xuanyi Marquis, Chu Yi, rode over on horseback, laughing heartily. “I must be seeing things; did a girl just dare to glare at you?”

“This Second Miss of the Shen family is indeed interesting.”