Early the next morning.
At this moment, the sound of the night watch came from outside the street. The sky was not bright yet, and the lights inside and outside the Shen residence were lit up as bright as day.
Shen Wei was to be buried today. It was not appropriate for the ceremony to be too grand, but the necessary procedure was indispensable.
Among the ancestral halls dedicated to the ancestors of the Shen family were those for Shen Hua's biological mother, Shen Chun, and her elder brother, Shen Zhi, who had died early.
They followed the customs of Fengzhou. With the Shen family head as the witness, Shen Qu kowtowed to his ancestors and offered incense to Shen Chun and Shen Zhi. Only then did he serve tea to Shen Xue and sign a few agreements.
Standing at the side, Shen Hewen hid the ecstasy in his eyes and pretended to be sad and frustrated as he gave Shen Qu another reminder.
"Since you're now the son of the main branch, you must be filial to your mother. This heavy responsibility lies with you. You can't slack off and let down the elders' efforts. You also have to let your father rest in peace."
Shen Qu bowed and said respectfully, "Yes, Second Uncle."
When Shen Hua heard the form of address he used, the corners of her lips curled into a cold smile.
However, at this moment, the elder led Shen Qu to her. His tone was as amiable as ever.
"Yangyang, Qu is your brother now. Now that he's under your mother's name, are you happy?"
Shen Hua said coldly, "I hate it."
Elder Shen, "?"
Shen Hua said indifferently, "My body is already like this, and now I have to see him every day. I don't think I can live for long. Everyone says that the elder dotes on me. This time, I don't see it at all."
Elder Shen did not expect Shen Hua to be so resistant.
In any case, it was true that Shen Hua's health was poor. She had been drinking medicine all year round and was spoiled rotten by Shen Wei.
The girl's voice was calm, making everyone's expressions turn ugly.
"It's rare to see Second Uncle's sons during festivals. I think all of them have outstanding literary talent and are going to be top scholars in the literary star examination. I don't know why such people are lowering themselves to be my elder brothers now.
"Then again, the First Branch doesn't have much else, but they have a lot of silver. The Second Branch doesn't lack anything but silver.
"Don't look at how magnanimous some people used to be. Their insides have long turned rotten."
The elder's expression darkened as he barked, "Shut up! What are you saying?!"
Shen Hua paused and looked at him in confusion.
"I was not talking about you, Elder. Why are you so jumpy?"
Right now, she was at the mercy of others. Without a strong backing, she could not do anything to these monsters alone. However, she did not know what would happen tomorrow. Whatever the case, she would not have a good ending. It was better to seek a quick death.
Anyway, she was rather arrogant.
She still had the ability to annoy people.
Elder Shen was furious.
Shen Xue raised her hand and tidied the white silk flower in her hair.
"Elder, you probably don't know, but Yangyang's temper is getting worse. She even contradicted me yesterday. I can't control her anymore."
Shen Hewen stood at the side and smiled without saying a word. He hid the coldness in his eyes.
Shen Qu hurriedly came out to be the peacemaker. His voice was gentle and measured.
"Father has just departed, so Yangyang naturally feels horrible. That's why she's being so harsh. In the future, I'll be responsible for teaching her. Please don't worry, Elder."
As he spoke, he looked at Shen Hua gently.
"This is a greeting gift from me. If it's not to your liking, I'll prepare something better for Yangyang next time."
Shen Hua stood there coldly, expressionlessly looking at this group of sanctimonious beasts. She really wanted to tear off Shen Qu's mask and see what was really beneath it.
Everyone stared at Shen Hua, afraid that she would do something drastic.
Shen Hua knew what was in the box.
It was an Eastern Pearl the size of a fist.
The production of pearls of this size was extremely uncommon. It was said that no more than ten pearls of this quality were produced every year.
Shen Qu had spent a lot of money on this.
A dark glint flickered in her eyes. She smiled mysteriously and took it without saying a word.
It was really abnormal, but everyone present heaved a sigh of relief. The familial recognition procedure later went very smoothly.
The sky gradually brightened.
The relatives and friends who came to send Shen Wei off came one after another.
Shen Qu was in the limelight. He was busy with the funeral and had to entertain guests. Everyone had to admit that he was filial.
On the other hand, Shen Hua, who was already panting after taking a few steps, shook her head.
The funeral music played in unison; the sound was poignant.
Madam Shen Xue cried her heart out in front of everyone. She threw herself onto the coffin and put on an act to gain a good reputation. "Master, how am I going to live if you leave me?"
Shen Hua's eyes were red. She resisted the urge to cry, but she really could not stand Madam Shen Xue's hypocrisy. Her voice was cold and hard.
"Stepmother is so deeply in love. If you really can't bear to part with Father, you can follow him. I will beg the officials to erect a chastity memorial for you."
Shen Xue choked and almost could not breathe.
However, at this juncture, someone from the He family arrived.
He Chu was dressed in plain clothes, and his face could only be described as delicate and pretty. Not long ago, he had become a scholar. Although he was not at the top of the rankings, he was still considered young and talented. Beside him, Madam He did not smile, and her brows were a little unfriendly.
After all, she was the mother of a scholar. No matter where she went, she would be flattered and praised for being noble. She had long been dissatisfied with this marriage arrangement and that feeling was even more intense now.
Seeing how sharp-tongued Shen Hua was, she was even more displeased.
"Auntie He."
Shen Qu hurriedly went forward and bowed respectfully, not forgetting to tell Shen Hua to greet her as well.
"Yangyang, come and bow."
It could be seen that he was already used to this new identity.
Shen Hua chuckled.
Shen Qu did not feel embarrassed at all for being ignored. He only said apologetically, "Little Sister has broken the rules. I hope Auntie He won't take offense."
Madam He looked around and knew that even if she offended the First Branch, she could still be on good terms with the Second Branch. "Since the elder of the Shen family is here, he can be the witness. I'm here to break off the engagement."
Her words shocked everyone.
Before everyone could digest this sentence, they saw Madam He approaching Shen Hua with a condescending look.
"Miss Shen, don't blame the He family for being merciless. Forgive me for being blunt as an elder. My son's future is limitless. The girls who are the same age as him are all married. I can't wait for you to pass the three-year mourning period."
She glanced at Shen Hua.
"A sickly person like you can't give birth. The He family won't be dragged down by you."
Her He Chu was currently popular. There were many people who wanted to marry into the He family. Anyone would be better than Shen Hua.
However, Shen Hua had a crafty personality. She probably could not bear to part with such a good marriage.
Madam He was afraid that if she did not agree, this matter would cause an uproar. The He family would be embarrassed.
However, in the next moment...
Shen Hua cried!
The girl wept.
She was already weak. At this moment, it was as if she could not take the blow. Her body was swaying.
How could someone like Shen Hua cry like this?
For some reason, Madam He felt a chill run down her spine. She suddenly felt like the girl was plotting something.
Suddenly, she heard Shen Hua speak in a would-be aggrieved voice.
"I understand."
"Everyone in Fengzhou City knows that you're a well-known snob, Madam."
Madam He, "??? Huh?"