Font Size:
The man looked at Shen Tang with an expression that seemed to say, “Who else could it be?”
Shen Tang silently composed herself, hiding her shock.
There was indeed something unusual going on.
She thought she could manifest her desires, but it turned out this guy was causing trouble behind her back. Shen Tang said, “So now I owe you another favor.”
The man leaned closer to Shen Tang, his breath warm against her face. “You must consider this a favor. How do you plan to repay me?”
Shen Tang, “…”
Could this jerk not get so close?
Her heart was racing in her throat.
However, he had indeed helped her, so she should thank him. Shen Tang slipped away from between the man and the antique shelf. “I haven’t thought of it yet, but I will definitely repay you when I have the chance.”
After all, she had lived four more years. In the next four years, she would know more about the major events happening in the capital and the Great Qi than he did.
Wasn’t he investigating Changping Marquis’s Manor? In her previous life, Changping Marquis’s Manor not only wasn’t overthrown but was soon honored as a duke…
Thinking of this, Shen Tang’s mouth twitched. The man was investigating Changping Marquis’s Manor, and here she was saying this, wasn’t she boosting the morale of Changping Marquis’s Manor while undermining his authority?
Shen Tang dared not say it, at least not now. She could only euphemistically say, “The Marquis of Changping’s Manor is the maternal family of Concubine Ye. It’s not so easy to bring them down. You… should be careful when investigating Changping Marquis’s Manor.”
The man smiled, causing Shen Tang’s face to heat up. She angrily asked, “What are you laughing at?”
He replied, “You’re worried about me.”
Could he be a little more serious? Shen Tang couldn’t help but glare at him just as Qiu Tong’s voice came from outside, “You’re standing guard outside, who is here serving the young lady?”
Shen Tang didn’t mind Yin Xing knowing about the man’s presence, but Qiu Tong had only been by her side for a short while and was personally trained by the Old Madam. Shen Tang couldn’t let Qiu Tong find out.
In a panic, Shen Tang pushed the man toward the window. “You need to leave quickly.”
The man leaned close to Shen Tang’s ear and said, “I will come looking for you again.”
His warm breath brushed her ear, making Shen Tang’s face feel like it could fry pancakes. She glared at him repeatedly to shoo him away, and only then did he jump out the window.
Almost as soon as the man left, Yin Xing couldn’t stop Qiu Tong and Nanny Zhou, and the door was pushed open.
Yin Xing entered first and, seeing only Shen Tang in the room, let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he was gone.
Nanny Zhou entered through the beaded curtain and asked, “Why didn’t you let the maids serve you in the room?”
Shen Tang replied, “I find Yin Xing too noisy; I wanted some quiet time alone.”
Yin Xing, “…”
Couldn’t the young lady find a better excuse than that?
She was going to get scolded by Nanny Zhou.
Nanny Zhou didn’t scold Yin Xing, assuming Shen Tang was troubled by the rumors outside. She comforted Shen Tang, saying, “Good things come to those who wait. Since Madam entrusted you with a dream, allowing you to marry only after you turn sixteen, you will definitely marry the best person in the world.”
Shen Tang could tell Yin Xing that she would never marry in this lifetime, but she couldn’t say the same to Nanny Zhou. She could only nod vaguely and ask, “Did you come to find me for something, Nanny Zhou?”
Nanny Zhou replied, “Nothing urgent, just planning to return to the estate tomorrow. Last time I left in a hurry, I left some things behind at the estate and need to retrieve them.”
Shen Tang said, “When you go back, please see if there are any suitable maids at the estate to bring back with you.”
These days, she had been making Yin Xing keep an eye on which maids frequently visited Shen Juan and Second Madam’s courtyard. There were two who came quite often, and she was planning to take advantage of the opportunity to deal with them.
Shen Tang wanted to get important people left by the Jiang family, and Nanny Zhou was more than happy to oblige. She immediately agreed.
Nanny Zhou came solely for this matter, so she left afterward.
After Nanny Zhou left, Qiu Tong also went out. Yin Xing approached and asked, “Miss, who was that masked man?”
She had been following the young lady closely and had no idea when the young lady had gotten acquainted with that man.
Knowing Yin Xing was curious, or perhaps worried, Shen Tang didn’t hide it from her. Besides, she couldn’t keep it a secret any longer; the man had said he would come looking for her again. Shen Tang said, “He has saved me twice. Yesterday at Dazhao Temple, if it weren’t for him, I would have been sold to the Heir of Marquis Changping by Eldest Sister.”
Shen Tang’s voice seemed to be wrapped in frost, leaving Yin Xing speechless with shock.
Not only was she shocked that the man had saved Shen Tang twice, but she was also stunned by Shen Tang’s revelation that Shen Juan had attempted to sell her to the Heir of Marquis Changping…
So the one who kicked the Heir of Marquis Changping down the slope yesterday at Dazhao Temple was that masked man?
Yin Xing’s eyes turned red. “Eldest Miss… how could she…?”
Eldest Miss had drugged her and plotted to replace her in marriage. Yin Xing had thought that Eldest Miss was merely bad, but she had no idea that things could get even more malicious. What kind of sin had the young lady committed to have such a sister?
Yin Xing’s heart ached for Shen Tang, feeling as if her heart was being twisted.
Now that Yin Xing knew this, Shen Tang felt she could share more. She looked at Yin Xing and said, “Don’t you think Second Madam treats Eldest Sister better than her own daughter? In fact, you’re not mistaken. Eldest Sister is not my elder sister; she is Second Madam’s biological daughter.”
Yin Xing looked shocked. “How… how is that possible?”
Shen Tang’s gaze dimmed. “Unfortunately, no one believed what Mother said while she was alive.”
Yin Xing asked, “If Eldest Miss is Second Madam’s biological daughter, then who is your Third Sister’s mother?”
Shen Tang was also curious about Shen Ran’s origins.
But she was certain that Shen Ran was not Second Madam’s biological daughter.
Second Madam raised Shen Ran to be entirely devoted to Shen Juan, almost becoming Shen Juan’s shadow. In her previous life, after Shen Juan married the Second Prince, Second Madam hurriedly married Shen Ran off to her useless nephew from her family, rushing as if failing to do so would lead to disaster. In short, Second Madam had shown no maternal love for Shen Ran, and she might as well have been adopted.
Yin Xing said, “You need to tell the Marquis about this.”
Shen Tang replied, “I told Father about it when I knelt in the ancestral hall. I don’t know how much he believes, but I can only investigate slowly myself.”
She wondered about the man’s true identity; perhaps she could seek his help…
Shen Tang fell into deep thought.
Yin Xing did not dare to disturb her and quietly stood by.
In Qinglan Garden.
Second Madam went to see Shen Juan. As she approached the courtyard gate, she heard the sound of things being smashed inside.
The rumors about Shen Tang being a jinx had evidently drawn Shen Juan into the chaos. The maid had reported the street gossip to Shen Juan, making her so angry that she began to break things in frustration.
When Second Madam entered, she saw the room in complete disarray, with broken teacups scattered everywhere.
“Quickly clean this mess up.”
Several maids hurriedly rushed in to tidy up.
Second Madam walked over to Shen Juan’s side and said, “Don’t get yourself too worked up.”
Tears shimmered in Shen Juan’s eyes. Second Madam felt pained and said, “Even if Second Miss is a jinx, you won’t be one.”
Juan’er was her own daughter, born more than an hour earlier than Second Miss. Their fates were different; how could they be the same? The Heir of Prince Jingyang had been engaged to Juan’er for half a year without any issues—this was the best proof. It was only the ignorant people outside who would say such things.
Second Madam continued, “Tomorrow, I’ll have someone check Second Miss’s fate, and we’ll know the truth.”