"Unfilial granddaughter, get down on your knees!"
Shen Miao did not move for Old Shen Fūrén's words.
Everyone looked at her in shock. Shen Xin was not in the residence due to battles, leaving Shen Miao to be brought up by Old Shen Fūrén. With Shen Miao's weak and cowardly character, she had never before refuted Old Shen Fūrén's commands when she was that severe. She actually did not kneel today?
Was it true that as long as the matter was related to Prince Ding, she would have tremendous courage?
"Zǔmǔ, what mistake did Wǔ niáng (referring to herself as the fifth girl) made?" Shen Miao calmly asked.
"Is the fever making Wǔ mèimèi confused?" Shen Yue was the first to speak with an anxious expression on her face, "Zǔmǔ only spoke in a moment of anger and would not truly punish you. As long as you admit your mistake then the matter would be concluded. Why are you being stubborn?"
This sentence had already placed the fault of knowing one's error, being unwilling to change and going against elders onto Shen Miao's head.
"Impudent! The skies have fallen!" Old Shen Fūrén was so angry that she suddenly sat upright and her voice became sharper. Shen Yuan Bo was so frightened by Old Shen Fūrén's sudden action that the sweet steam milk pastries he was holding accidentally fell onto the ground, causing him to burst into tears.
"Qī gē'er mustn't cry." Ren Wan Yun saw that her youngest son was crying and immediately took a few steps forward to pull him in her arms as she looked at Shen Miao with an unfavourable manner, "Wǔ niáng, are you crazy? Who taught you to go against one's elders?"
Shen Miao looked at Ren Wan Yun.
Second Fūrén, Ren Wan Yun, who wore a blue silk dress was full-bodied, with a rosy and fair plump face. When one saw her, she looked kind and benevolent as she usually had a smile on her face. She had the authority of the household in her hands and everyone in Shen Residence respected her fairness in handling matters. She was entirely worthy as a good daughter-in-law and wife.
Shen Miao also thought the same up until she was married off. Shen Xin added almost half of his assets into the dowry but, in the end, only a few ended up at Prince Ding's residence. Why was it like that? It was naturally because it was swallowed up by Ren Wan Yun.
Ren Wan Yun confiscated the more valuable items in the dowry and with the owner changed in addition to Shen Xin not being in the capital, she was married foolishly into Prince Ding's residence. Her dowry was the reason that she had lost her standing in the entire Prince Ding's residence. It was all due to this good Shěnshěn's 'fairness'.
"Èrshěn's remark means that Wǔ niáng is wrong?" Shen Miao softly said, "But Wǔ niáng does not know where one went wrong."
"Stupid thing!" Old Shen Fūrén did not hold back and immediately cursed, "Already at such an age and still does not know what shame is. To steal a look at Ding Wángzǐ Di��nxià. You have shamed the entire Shen Residence! And to even dare to rebut me. Who taught you the rules for you to be this disrespectful!"
Shen Miao sighed softly in her heart. Old Shen Fūrén usually had an air of arrogance but once she opened her mouth, it was the speech of a songstress. Which Old Fūrén of a noble family would curse like this? It was exactly like a common prostitute. Previously, she did not feel that way but after being an Empress and seeing this, she felt that Old Shen Fūrén's words had brought down her status.
"Steal a look at Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià?" She tilted her head in confusion.
Shen Yue could not help but say, "Wǔ mèimèi, although it is known that you are in love with Ding Wángzǐ, to fall into the water just to steal a look at Ding Wángzǐ is detrimental to the face of this residence. Moreover, Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià would not be happy in his heart. Wǔ mèimèi, you had better find a chance to apologise to Ding Wángzǐ."
Being in love with Prince Ding and having to apologise to Prince Ding. Which female would be willing to lose face in front of her beloved man? In her previous lifetime, Shen Yue also spoke like that and Old Shen Fūrén thought likewise, but Shen Miao felt that it was embarrassing to death and was then confined by Old Shen Fūrén in a rage.
This one sentence of 'being in love with Prince Ding and not knowing any shame, thus ruining one's own reputation, implicated the entire residence'. Shen Yue looked gentle and elegant but her mind could turn and twist things. Shen Miao could not help but look at her.
Shen Yue just finished speaking when she saw Shen Miao peering at her. That pair of black eyes like grapes were exceptionally clear, as if they contained some special intention, shocking her for a moment.
In the next second, Shen Miao's faint voice was heard, "Èr Jiějiě, what in love with Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià. This sentence cannot be said. At the moment, Wǔ mèimèi is a young lady yet to be wed. To say such a thing, one would fear that this would destroy Wǔ mèimèi's reputation."
Shen Yue was stunned.
The entire noble circle in the capital knew that Shen Miao was in love with Prince Ding.
Although Shen Miao had not stated it before, her words and deeds had indicated as much. Why did she deny it now?
She smiled, "Wǔ mèimèi, there is only our own family here. These things need not be hidden…"
"Èr Jiějiě!" As she was talking, Shen Miao suddenly interrupted her as she loudly and severely said, "Èr Jiějiě must be careful with her words as trouble will come when improper words are spoken. Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià is a Royal aristocrat and, we, as an old influential family, must be even more cautious with our conduct. Previously, it was Wǔ niáng that was young and immature, leading towards thoughts and deeds being misunderstood, but what happened the other day was a lesson. Wǔ niáng will restrict one's words and actions so may Èr Jiějiě please not say such words."
These words stunned not only Shen Yue but everyone in the house, including Old Shen Fūrén.
Shen Miao was usually very soft and timid and had never spoken loudly before. She was one who was obedient and easy to control. How could her words be this swift and severe?
A flash of light crossed Chen Rou Qiu's eyes. Shen Yue was still young and therefore was not as smart as her. She came from a family of scholars and so was not without smarts. Usually, she was lofty in nature and would never admit defeat, so when she saw her own daughter was at a disadvantage, she was annoyed and immediately with a gentle and soft voice said, "With one sentence, Wǔ xiǎojiě could clear up the matter of being in love or not, but when all is said and done, who is able to guess a female's heart. But Wǔ xiǎojiě better listens to Third shěnshen's words, your Èr Jiějiě words were not wrong. Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià's status is noble, hence, one should apologise to him."
"That is correct." Old Shen Fūrén also recovered and said, "Send a card to Ding Wángzǐ's residence tomorrow and personally apologise."
Shen Miao almost laughed with rage. These words could actually be used to deceive the innocent her in the previous lifetime. To see it now, she was a Di-daughter of a family with military lineage, her status was very noble, so why should she go to a Prince to apologise. If that was done, where would Shen Xin put his face? One was afraid this would be yet another joke that would spread in the capital from tomorrow onwards.
She also finally understood that Old Fūrén saw Shen Xin, who was delivered by the Yuánpèi, as a sore in her eyes and could not wait to see the First household make a fool of themselves every day. The best would be for it to collapse as early as possible, and because Shen Xin and Shen Fūrén were not in the capital, she could use Shen Miao as a raft.
In this world, how could there be such a good thing?
Shen Miao lightly smiled as her eyes fell onto Shen Qing who was quiet from the beginning. She said, "Dà Jiějiě when I fell into the water, there was only you at my side."
Shen Qing raised her head and nodded quietly. She had already thought of it previously, Shen Miao would definitely say that it was her who pushed her into the water but Shen Qing was not afraid. The one who currently made the decisions in the Shen family was Old Fūrén and Ren Wan Yun, and Shen Miao only had the title of a Young Lady but was in actuality a daughter that the three households did not care about. As long as she insisted, Old Fūrén and Ren Wan Yu would side with her. At that time Shen Miao would be considered to be lying and would definitely be disliked by Old Fūrén, who would punish her heavily. She deserved it! Who told her that a vulgar and ignorant daughter like her could also fight with her for Prince Ding, she should have drowned on that day!
"Jiějiě, did you also see Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià?" Shen Miao asked, but she did not only mean this.
"Have seen." Shen Qing replied.
"Then it is as such. In the previous day, it was obvious that Jiějiě and I were playing at the edge of the pond and I accidentally fell into the water. At the same moment, Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià, who was passing by the Shen Residence, came in to get the painting from Èrshū and encountered the incident." Shen Miao shook her head, "If I were to steal a look at Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià, where would I get the information from? It is unreasonable for Èrshū and Sānshū's servants to pass the news to the Inner Residence. How would one know that Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià would come to the Shen Residence to request a painting from Èrshū unless one is a prophet? Or…" She leisurely continued, "Could it be that Ding Wángzǐ Diànxià sent a card to our residence?"
Shen Qing did not understand the meaning Shen Miao's words and wanted to refute with a frown but she heard her own mother suddenly shout, "Dàjiě er!" (Eldest Daughter) The voice was unable to hide the urgency behind it.
Shen Miao glanced at the pale looking Ren Wan Yun and the suddenly nervous Chen Rou Qiu and smiled faintly.
What she said, how could anyone not hear the meaning beneath the words when there were so many smart people in the residence.
When Fu Xiu Yi went over to the Shen Residence the day before, it was because when he passed by the Shen Residence, he remembered the chess bet with Shen Gui and went looking for him for a painting.
Now, Shen Miao asked if a card was sent in advance… Presently, the Emperor hated when the Princes and officials got too close and if one were to send an invitation in advance, what does the card mean? To plan for the future person next in line?
There were thousands of eyes and ears in the world, who would know if there were any spies of the Royal Family in the Shen Residence. Some words could not even be said aloud.
The sentence from Shen Miao had already gone above the conduct of females concerning the loyalty of the officials. Shen Xin was in the Northwest region and naturally, it would not affect him, but there was still Shen Gui and Shen Wan in the Shen Residence and these two people held positions in court.
This reason, Shen Yue and Shen Qing did not understand but Ren Wan Yun and Chen Rou Qiu definitely understood.
Shen Miao sneered in her heart. They wanted to trample on her reputation, so she brought out Shen Gui's and Shen Wan's heads to bet. Did her Second and Third shěnshen understand? Was it worth it? Do they dare?