"Wen Congbai didn't let me interfere in your affairs. He said there were many misunderstandings between you and that Liang Yuzhou loved you. At that time, I didn't believe him. I even got angry with him and ignored him for several months..."
Shen Yuhe stroked the unfinished character "Wen" on the embroidery repeatedly, choking with sobs. "He was right. He was also right not to let me tell the truth about the heart's blood in front of the Princess. He did all this for my own good, but I was willful and misunderstood him..."
The Princess was venomous and held a grudge against her. She ruined her reputation and incited the feud between the Wen and Cheng Marquis families.
"It's all my fault that I've harmed Wen Congbai..."
She grabbed Song Wanchu's hand tightly. "Can you find a way to help me get out? When will the Supreme Court hold a hearing on the case of Wen Congbai's murder?"
Before Song Wanchu could say a word, she heard a maid outside shouting, "Miss, the master is coming!"
Shen Mu walked in without even taking off his official robe.
Song Wanchu stood up and saluted. "Grandpa Shen."
Shen Mu was in his seventies with all-white hair and beard. In her memory, although he was old, he was still full of vigor.
After a year, he looked much more haggard.
Shen Mu glanced at her indifferently, showing no expression on his face.
Shen Yuhe was in a huff with her grandfather. She pouted and turned her head away.
"Wanchu, I appreciate your kindness for coming to see Yuhe. But she has been listless lately. She doesn't eat or drink, and doesn't even talk to people. It's really a mess. You'd better come another day."
Shen Yuhe got angry all of a sudden. "Who do you think you are to drive Wanchu away?"
Her eyes were filled with resentment.
In the past, Shen Yuhe was proud and in awe of her grandfather, the famous doctor.
But now, she spoke quite rudely, even disrespectfully to the elder.
It showed how great the disagreement was between the grandfather and granddaughter on the matter of whether to testify in the Supreme Court.
Shen Mu obviously had guessed Song Wanchu's purpose for coming.
Thanks to her generosity back then, Shen Mu was able to buy the century-old ginseng and cure Shen Yuhe's serious illness. Shen Mu was a man who valued kindness and righteousness. Otherwise, if it were someone else, they might not even be able to enter the Shen family's gate today.
Song Wanchu knew very well where his bottom line was.
She never intended to bring up the kindness of that year.
"Grandpa Shen, Yuhe and Young Master Wen were engaged, right?"
Shen Mu was stunned for a moment.
He thought this girl Wanchu would bring up the matter of the three thousand taels of silver and play the emotional card.
Who would have thought that she would ask such an irrelevant question as if they were just chatting.
After a moment of silence, he nodded. "It was a betrothal made since childhood."
"Young Master Wen supported Yuhe in learning medicine. Even if she wanted to be among men, Young Master Wen didn't mind at all. You know that, right?"
Shen Mu looked seriously into Song Wanchu's eyes, confused. "Naturally, I know. Congbai doted on Yuhe very much."
Song Wanchu smiled faintly. "Yuhe often disguised herself and sneaked into the Red Rouge Courtyard to treat the sick girls there. You didn't know about this, but Young Master Wen did."
Shen Mu's pupils trembled violently. His gray beard quivered, and his tone rose. "What? This girl actually went to such a place?"
Ordinary girls would avoid such a place of debauchery.
The daughters of noble families valued their reputation even more. That place was a synonym for filth and was an absolute forbidden area.
Once they were involved, the reputation of the entire family might be ruined.
Shen Mu was angry. He glared at Shen Yuhe with flames in his eyes.
Shen Yuhe was fearless. "Yes, I went. I don't regret it, and I will go again in the future!"
Shen Mu's chest heaved violently. But seeing his granddaughter's pale and listless appearance, he couldn't bear to lose his temper.
Song Wanchu continued, "What Young Master Wen cared about was never something as illusory as reputation. He only cared about the affection between them. That's why he still let Cheng Jingxuan bleed in the Princess's mansion even though he knew it would lead to a big mistake."
Shen Mu fell silent again.
"Grandpa Shen, if Young Master Wen can get through this disaster safely and be released without guilt, would you still be willing to let Yuhe marry him?"
"Of course I would!" Shen Mu didn't hesitate at all.
"That's it!" Shen Yuhe cast a grateful look at Song Wanchu. "Grandpa, Wen Congbai doesn't care about my reputation, and I don't care that his hands are stained with blood. Why do you still stop me from testifying for my future husband?"
Shen Mu, who had been proud and glorious for most of his life, was speechless for the first time when questioned by two girls.
"It's not that simple. Although he doesn't care about your reputation, if this kind of thing gets out..."
"Grandpa!" Shen Yuhe got annoyed. Her eyes regained their sparkle, and her gaze was firm. "I don't want others to marry me. I only want Wen Congbai to be my husband. Does it really matter what others think of me?"
Shen Mu opened and closed his mouth several times but finally didn't say a word.
His gaze fell on Song Wanchu's face. Song Wanchu still looked calm, with a proper smile on her face.
"Wanchu, you little girl. I've lived for seventy years, but I've fallen into your trap!"
He finally relented.
Shen Yuhe was overjoyed. It seemed that in an instant, her energy and vitality had returned.
She grinned and gave Shen Mu a big hug.
"Grandpa, thank you. You've saved your future grandson-in-law!"
Shen Mu smiled helplessly. "Such a rude girl!"
...
The Crown Prince had caught Cheng Yong's mistake and killed his chief steward as a warning to others. This news reached the Princess's ears.
The Princess scolded Cheng Yong mercilessly.
"The life-and-death lawsuit between you and the Wen family is at a critical moment, but you just have to let the Crown Prince catch your mistake at this time! You can't even manage your inner courtyard well. What use are you to me?"
Cheng Yong was angry but didn't dare to vent his anger on the Princess.
Holding back his anger, he returned to the Marquis of Wude's Mansion.
Rong was choosing fabrics with Cheng Simian, preparing the clothes for the Spring Welcome Banquet.
Suddenly, they saw Cheng Yong walking in with a gloomy face.
Rong ignored him directly and didn't even want to give him an extra glance.
Cheng Simian put down the brocade in her hand. Her clear and bright eyes looked directly into Cheng Yong's. "Father, do you have something to say?"
She was calm and serene. Standing there, she was as cold as ice and snow.
Cheng Yong pointed at her, looking extremely angry.
"As soon as you got home, you caused such a big stir. It was just a matter of asking you to enter through the side door. Where did you get such a temper? You went to the Crown Prince for support over such a trivial matter, which made your father be scolded by the Princess for being incompetent!"
Rong was furious. The resentment that had been pent up for many years erupted like a geyser.
She threw the cloth in her hand away. Her eyes were cold as she glanced at Cheng Yong's face.
"You are incompetent. You bow and scrape outside, flattering others, and only know how to speak harshly to your wife and daughter when you get home. You are not only incompetent but also spineless!"
These few words stabbed Cheng Yong's lungs like a honeycomb!