Chapter 107

By the time Tao Sheng came out after changing, her maid, Mother Tang, had already sent two maids to lift Shen Ruojin off the ground.

Shen Ruojin tried to kneel again but stopped when she saw Tao Sheng coming out.

Tao Sheng held a hand warmer, her face cold. “If you want to talk, this is not the place. Come inside.”

King Huan had been drinking tea and eating peanuts while waiting in the house. Seeing them enter, he pretended to leave but didn’t move. “Since Xiao Sheng has something to do, I won’t disturb you.”

Even though King Huan said this, he stayed.

Tao Sheng just sighed, knowing that having a witness might be good, so she didn’t ask him to leave.

“I’ve asked the kitchen to prepare eight-treasure duck ^[1]refers to a Chinese dish made with duck and stuffing. and roasted pork ribs. If you have no other plans, stay for lunch.”

King Huan smiled, pretending to be shy. “Well, in that case, I’ll stay for another meal.”

He leaned back, ready to watch the situation unfold.

Once King Huan was settled, Tao Sheng turned to Shen Ruojin. “Tell me, what do you need?”

Shen Ruojin looked at Tao Sheng’s face carefully.

Tao Sheng didn’t look happy or superior. She seemed impatient and didn’t want to deal with her.

Shen Ruojin had learned how to read people’s expressions. She knew Tao Sheng wasn’t interested in hearing about her misery. Tao Sheng likely invited her in just to feel a sense of control, to show she wasn’t afraid of her.

Shen Ruojin was here for help, not to annoy Tao Sheng, so she got straight to the point.

“Guan Muyun has been taken by the Ministry of Justice. It’s been ten days, and we’ve heard nothing. Since he lost his job, he’s been helping others. I don’t believe he committed a crime. Please speak to Lord Ji and help save him.”

Tao Sheng wasn’t surprised by the request. “Even if I could help, I won’t. Let’s not pretend. After everything you’ve done to me over the years, the fact that I’m not making things worse for you is already enough. Do you really expect me to save you?”

Shen Ruojin looked surprised at how direct Tao Sheng was, but she stayed calm. “Is there no chance at all?”

Tao Sheng didn’t answer, only sipping her tea.

Shen Ruojin continued, “Guan Muyun and I have no children, and his family has always disliked me. They wanted us to divorce. But when I went to the office recently, they said I couldn’t divorce now because I’m involved in his crime. Now, the Guan family won’t help me divorce either.”

“I know that Miss Luo can help me get out of this marriage. I know you’re tired of me. If you help me, I promise you’ll never have to see me again.”

After hearing King Huan’s guess earlier, Tao Sheng had thought he was partially right. But after hearing Shen Ruojin’s full story, she understood the real goal.

Shen Ruojin didn’t just want to save Guan Muyun or get a divorce—she wanted to escape this situation completely, unharmed.

Tao Sheng explained clearly, “If only Guan Muyun committed the crime, and you divorced him early, you wouldn’t be involved. But you were part of the plan. You can’t just blame him for everything. You don’t expect to walk away with the money and leave all the guilt to him, do you?”

Shen Ruojin looked scared. “But he was working outside, and I stay home all the time. I didn’t do anything!”

“You can’t say that.” Tao Sheng replied. “You had Princess Rui send someone to force Yue Niang’s death, didn’t you? You caused the prince to fall ill, didn’t you? You used Princess Rui’s name to force people to sell their land cheaply. Without you, none of it would’ve happened. The maids around Princess Rui work for you now. If they helped her, they can help you.”

When Tao Sheng was halfway through her words, Shen Ruojin had already turned pale and collapsed.

She had planned many things for Princess Rui and worked with her. Shen Ruojin believed that since Princess Rui and her people executed the actions, she was only a planner and not responsible for what happened.

Unexpectedly, King Rui was defeated and murdered in his own mansion. This meant that every related detail had to be uncovered, and even he was implicated.

King Huan decided: “With my political experience, it’s better not to divorce. It’s difficult for a woman to live without support. If you follow Guan Muyun during your exile, at least you will have a companion.”

King Huan had been in the capital for many years and had seen everything.

The crime committed by the Guan couple meant at least exile. Their descendants would likely never be allowed to return to the capital. Since Prince Rui had lost power, they were also guilty of many wrongdoings and would probably die on the way to exile.

King Huan’s prediction was right. The sentence for Guan and his wife came swiftly. Their property was confiscated, and they were exiled to Lingnan with no chance of returning to Beijing. Whether they could survive the exile depended on fate.

Tao Sheng remembered that in the original story, Shen Ruojin forced her real daughter, Shen Taosheng, to go to Shuzhong, but now Shen Ruojin herself was exiled and could never return to the capital. This was karma.