Chapter 14: A Suicide Attempt

The Jiang Family and the Pingyuan Marquis Manor had searched for the missing heir of the Pingyuan Marquis, Shen Yan, for over a decade, without a single lead. Now, they were told that he was in the Capital, not far from them. Madam Jiang couldn’t believe it, yet she couldn’t disbelieve it either.

Shen Tang had said that the Prince Jingyang’s son would wake up without the need for a rushed marriage, and the man had indeed woken up shortly after. And the recent events had also made them believe her.

Madam Jiang was so overjoyed that she couldn’t speak. If she couldn’t bring her grandson back, she wouldn’t be able to rest in peace even after death.

Thinking of Jiang Shi’s dream, unable to rest for decades after her death, Madam Jiang’s heart ached. She held Shen Tang’s hand and asked, “Did your mother have any other instructions?”

Shen Tang was about to say something, but she nodded and said, “The Spring Examination is approaching. Mother said that both my cousins will surely pass the exam, but they must avoid places with water before the examination.”

In her previous life, before the Spring Examination, the eldest and second cousins had accepted an invitation from their classmates to go boating on a lake to relax and relieve their exam stress. However, an accident occurred on the boat. The second cousin fell into the water, and the eldest cousin jumped in to save him, nearly drowning together.

Although both cousins were rescued, the eldest cousin’s arm was injured, making it difficult for him to even write. The second cousin caught a cold and took the exam while sick, running a high fever that almost cost him his life.

Both cousins were excellent students, and their grandfather and uncles had high hopes for them. But because of a single boating trip, they both failed the exam.

The second cousin blamed himself for falling into the water and causing his elder brother to get injured, affecting his performance in the Spring Examination. Seeing those who were less academically gifted than his elder brother pass the exam and revel in their success, he felt depressed and drowned his sorrows in alcohol. Drunk, he rode his horse back to the manor, and fell off the horse on the way, dying as a result.

In her previous life, Shen Tang had never suspected the second cousin’s death. Shen Juan had said that the second cousin’s death was at their hands, implying that both the boating incident and the fall from the horse were not accidents.

Heaven had given her a second chance, and she wouldn’t repeat the mistakes of her past. She wouldn’t allow her cousins to be harmed by them again.

The Jiang Family highly valued the Spring Examination. She specifically warned them not to even go near the lotus pond in the manor, let alone go out boating.

Shen Tang had left the manor without permission, and she was still injured, so it was inconvenient for her to stay at the Jiang Family for long. She said, “Grandmother, I’ll go back today.”

Madam Jiang said with reluctance, “You’ve only come once, can’t you stay for lunch before you leave?”

She didn’t know when she would see Shen Tang again.

Shen Tang knew that her grandmother was reluctant to let her go, so she said, “I’ll come to pay my respects often. If I come too often, Grandmother, don’t get tired of me.”

Madam Jiang was amused by Shen Tang’s concern that she might be tired of her. Her sadness vanished, “Grandmother only wishes that you would live in the Jiang Family, so I can see you every day. How could I ever get tired of you?”

Shen Tang knew that was true, so she leaned affectionately against her grandmother’s arm.

Madam Jiang had just seen The Earl of Yongning’s wife off, and she hurried in, but not because of The Earl of Yongning’s wife’s plot against her daughter, Jiang Li. Madam Jiang came in and said, “Old Madam, everyone outside is saying that the Prince Jingyang’s Manor has broken off the engagement with the Eldest miss…”

Although Jiang Shi had ignored Shen Juan when she was alive, saying she wasn’t her own daughter, even trying to strangle her, and Shen Juan never came to the Jiang Family, they still loved her.

Hearing that Shen Juan had been rejected, Madam Jiang’s face changed, “The engagement between the Prince Jingyang’s son and Juan’er was arranged by Old Prince Xie and the old Marquis. Even though the rushed marriage didn’t happen, the Prince Jingyang’s son has already woken up. Why would they break off the engagement?”

Madam Jiang didn’t believe it.

Shen Tang said, “The engagement is truly broken.”

Madam Jiang asked, “Did your grandmother agree?”

Her grandmother didn’t agree, but her opinion didn’t matter.

Besides, after all the trouble she had caused, the Prince Jingyang’s Manor had to break off the engagement, or she would be furious.

Shen Tang wanted to tell Madam Jiang that Shen Juan wasn’t Jiang Shi’s biological daughter, but she stopped herself at the last moment. Her mother had hated Shen Juan when she was alive, saying that the Jiang Family only had her as a granddaughter, and her grandmother knew that, yet she still loved Shen Juan. Shen Tang hadn’t found any evidence yet. Her grandmother was already upset with the Pingyuan Marquis Manor for losing contact with them because of her brother, and if the Jiang Family favored her, not treating Shen Juan as a granddaughter, her grandmother would be even more annoyed with the Jiang Family.

Why bother telling her and making her feel uncomfortable? As long as she was around, she wouldn’t let anyone bully the Jiang Family or take advantage of them.

Shen Tang didn’t take Shen Juan’s rejection seriously.

Madam Jiang knew that this wasn’t something she could control. Besides feeling sorry for Shen Juan, there was nothing else she could do.

After comforting Madam Jiang for a while, Shen Tang bowed and took her leave. Jiang Li and Jiang Ning escorted her out of the manor.

At the gate, Jiang Ning said reluctantly, “Cousin said you’d come to see Grandmother often. You’re not lying to Grandmother, are you?”

It seemed like no one believed her.

Shen Tang shook her head and chuckled.

Jiang Ning pouted, “I knew you were just trying to make Grandmother happy.”

Shen Tang shrugged, “You guys don’t believe me, so I’ll have to prove it with actions.”

Jiang Ning nodded repeatedly.

The groom brought the carriage over, Shen Tang got in, and then they headed back to the Pingyuan Marquis Manor.

In the carriage, Shen Tang leaned back against the carriage and gently rubbed her knee. Yin Xing was a little worried, “Miss, you came to the Jiang Family without permission. Won’t you be punished when you go back?”

“No.”

Her tone was firm.

She had followed her father out of the Pine Crane Hall and then left the manor. Her grandmother must have thought her father had agreed. She had been so badly injured that day that she was even summoned to the Pine Crane Hall. Now, she had been recovering for two days. Her father had agreed to her leaving the manor, and her grandmother wouldn’t dare to blame her father, or even mention it.

And her father had just scolded her grandmother, so she wouldn’t blame her for letting her leave the manor either.

Even if she was found out, she could still use her mother as an excuse. Her father was wearing the jade pendant around his waist, and even if he didn’t believe the things she said about her mother’s dream, he wouldn’t stop her from showing her filial piety to her mother in the afterlife.

Besides, the Prince Jingyang’s Manor had broken off the engagement, and her grandmother and father were both in a bad mood. They wouldn’t have the energy to care about her leaving the manor.

Shen Tang was fearless.

The carriage arrived smoothly at the Pingyuan Marquis Manor. Yin Xing helped Shen Tang get out, but as soon as they entered the manor, they received news that Shen Juan, unable to bear the humiliation of being rejected, had attempted suicide by hanging herself, but had been stopped.

Heaven knew how much effort Shen Tang had to exert to suppress the urge to roll her eyes.

She was truly useless.

She attempted suicide by hanging herself, yet she was still stopped.

Of course, Shen Tang knew that Shen Juan wasn’t really trying to kill herself.

Someone who didn’t even want to be a widow would be willing to die?

She was just using a trick to pressure her father, hoping to keep the engagement.

She, Shen Juan, was the one who refused to marry, yet she was the one who was now trying to commit suicide and refuse to break off the engagement. She was truly shameless.

But Shen Tang was happy to see Shen Juan making a fuss. The engagement was definitely over, and the more she made a fuss, the more she would annoy her grandmother and make her disappointed in her.

Shen Tang walked towards Qingyi Garden.

Yin Xing said, “Miss, aren’t you going to see the Eldest Miss?”

Shen Tang said, “What am I going to do? Help her hold the stool?”

Yin Xing, “…”