The old lady said, "Chan'er is not an outsider. You've failed in moral integrity. Out of consideration for the in - laws' face, the Marquis Mansion won't divorce you, but you're no longer fit to manage the household affairs. From today on, Chan'er will be the concubine in the mansion. Later, you should drink the tea for concubines and hand over the authority of managing the household."
Hearing this, Jiang Chan cast a shy glance at Xu Yanchi.
Xu Yanchi just frowned slightly and said nothing.
Shen Qing gave a cold laugh. So this was what they had been waiting for!
"Before my cousin even becomes a concubine, she's already criticizing me, the mistress. I'm afraid I can't afford to drink that tea for concubines."
Jiang Chan's face turned pale. She looked at Xu Yanchi and said, "Cousin, Chan'er didn't mean that..."
The old lady said unhappily, "We're talking about your business now. Why are you dragging Chan'er into this! You've dirtied your own body. Do you still want to hold onto Yanchi?"
Shen Qing felt cold all over. She had been whole - hearted and dedicated to everyone in the Marquis Mansion, but in their eyes, she was just a woman who had dirtied her body and was still clinging to the position of the mistress!
She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, there was only mockery in her eyes. "If so, then let's investigate. It's just right to clear my name in front of everyone!"
The second aunt curled her lips. "Investigate then. Her maid even said it with her own mouth..."
"Don't bother investigating!" Xu Yanchi coldly interrupted the second aunt. "I believe in my wife's innocence. It's my fault that I didn't protect my wife well and let her suffer a scare."
"But that maid..." Mrs. Ge was unwilling.
Shen Qing coldly interrupted, "If I had really been violated, could she have run back unscathed? Moreover, do you think the words of a maid who abandoned her master and ran away by herself are trustworthy, second aunt?"
Mrs. Ge fell silent.
Xu Yanchi's eyes slowly swept across everyone in the hall. "This matter ends here today. Shen Qing is the wife of the Marquis of Guangping. After leaving this door, I don't want to hear any bad rumors about her!"
After saying that, he left with a cold flick of his sleeve. Everyone in the hall except Shen Qing almost popped their eyes out.
The marquis was actually protecting Shen Qing?
Which married woman would stay out all night at someone else's banquet? Wasn't Shen Qing's behavior clearly cuckolding him?
Everyone thought he had changed, but only Shen Qing knew that he was just protecting his own face...
If the news that the Marquis of Guangping had designed to make his wife lose her virginity to another man for the sake of his mistress got out, both Xu Yanchi and the entire Marquis Mansion would be disgraced.
She also stood up. "Mother, two aunts, if there's nothing else, I'll go back first."
Then, regardless of others' expressions, she left directly.
Mrs. Ge was so angry that she pointed at Shen Qing's back. "Look, she's really gone too far. She's having an affair and still thinks she's in the right. Sister - in - law, you're just too kind. If it were up to me, I'd skin her alive!"
Hearing this, Shen Qing turned around and met the glaring eyes of Mrs. Ge. Mrs. Ge met Shen Qing's gaze, and the curses got stuck in her throat and she couldn't say them anymore.
Shen Qing returned to her own courtyard, Zhuoying Courtyard, with Zhuxing.
Seeing the familiar scenery again, Shen Qing felt a thousand emotions well up in her heart.
In her previous life, she had ended her life on a sickbed in this desolate courtyard.
Zhuoying. This was the name of the courtyard given to her by her grandfather, the Duke Protector of the Nation, when he was still alive.
When the waters of the Canglang are clear, I can wash my tassels.
She didn't understand this line before, but now, she did.
Too rigid and it's easy to break.
In her previous life, she had been too concerned about her reputation and had always wanted to be a good wife, a good daughter - in - law, and a good mistress. That was why she had ended up being devoured by wolves.
It turned out that her grandfather had seen through her overly competitive and stubborn nature long ago, so he had used the name of the courtyard to admonish her.
It was a pity that she had only understood it now.
Fortunately, she had only understood it now.
Shen Qing stood still, allowing a bitter tear to slide down her cheek and disappear into the dust.
"The mistress is back!"
Seeing Shen Qing standing at the door, Yingxiu quickly trotted over to greet her. "Mistress, you didn't come back all night last night. You really scared this servant. Are you okay?"
Shen Qing's eyes felt even more astringent.
Yingxiu had been the most loyal to her, but she had also died the most miserably. In her previous life, when Lu Mian had a miscarriage and wanted to frame her, it was Yingxiu who had stood up and blocked it desperately. As a result, she had been beaten to death by Xu Yanchi with clubs, and he hadn't even allowed her to be buried properly.
"Mistress, what's wrong with you?" Yingxiu asked doubtfully.
Looking at Yingxiu's innocent face, Shen Qing thought that this time, she would definitely protect Yingxiu well!
"I'm fine. Let's go inside and talk."
Yingxiu quickly went to support Shen Qing and also saw Zhuxing behind Shen Qing.
"Who is this elder sister?"
Shen Qing said, "This is Zhuxing. She knows martial arts. From now on, you should get along well with her."
Yingxiu nodded half - understandably. "Yes."
Shen Qing walked into the room, looked around, and casually asked, "Where's Juanlian?"
While pouring tea for Shen Qing, Yingxiu said, "Juanlian said she didn't feel well after coming back last night. She should still be resting now."
Speaking of this, she got angry. "She lost the mistress and still had the nerve to come back by herself!"
Shen Qing took a sip of tea and said indifferently, "Go and call Juanlian here. I have something to ask her."
"Yes."
Yingxiu vaguely felt that her mistress was a bit different, but so what?
The mistress would always be her master.
Juanlian was quickly brought over. She kept her head down and didn't dare to look at Shen Qing.
Shen Qing put the teacup on the table with a not - too - light and not - too - heavy sound, which made Juanlian jump.
"Juanlian, you, Yingxiu, Yuzhen, and Nongyun have all been with me since childhood. I'm very curious. What on earth did Lu Mian promise you that made you betray your master so readily?"
Juanlian knelt down with a thud. Tears immediately streamed down her face, and she kept kowtowing. "Please spare this servant's life, mistress. This servant was just temporarily blinded by greed!"
Shen Qing coldly swept the teacup to the ground. The scalding tea splashed all over Juanlian, and Juanlian's eyes turned red.
"Mistress, you're not favored by the marquis, but you still block the way of those around you. This servant was clearly chosen by the Duchess to be the marquis's concubine. Since the mistress has been delaying this matter, this servant naturally has to plan for her own future!"
"The marquis said that as long as this servant helped him put something in the mistress's tea to make the mistress fall asleep, he would promote this servant to be a concubine after the matter was done. This servant just wanted a good future. Is there anything wrong with that?"
Perhaps knowing that she was doomed, Juanlian no longer cared about anything and just blurted it out.
Before Shen Qing could say anything, Yingxiu slapped her hard. "The mistress has treated us like sisters. I think your conscience has been eaten by a dog!"
Juanlian covered her face and said nothing, glaring at Yingxiu fiercely.
"So what if we're treated like sisters? We're still just maids! Wouldn't it be good if I became a concubine? Since the mistress is not favored, if I give birth to a child in the future and place it under the mistress's knees, wouldn't it be a support for the mistress?"
Shen Qing thought she would be very angry or even want to kill Juanlian after hearing these words, but there was only endless desolation in her heart.
She closed her eyes.
Zhuxing pressed her soft sword at her waist. "Mistress, how should we deal with her?"
Shen Qing opened her eyes. "Take her down, pour the Spring Breeze Powder into her, tie her up, and don't give her any food or water. When it gets dark, throw her into the marquis's room."
Shen Qing stretched out a hand to pinch Juanlian's chin. Juanlian's terrified expression was reflected in her black pupils.
"You want to rise to a high position. Well, I'll give you a chance. It depends on whether you can seize it. If the marquis doesn't want you, you don't need to live to see me again."
"Before sending her to the marquis's room, let everyone in the courtyard go and listen, so that they can know what the consequence of betraying one's master is!"
"Drag her away!"