After lunch, Murong Xuan and Chancellor Song continued with their discussions.
Shen Xiyue was utterly bored, so Murong Xuan had Maoping lead several dozen manor guards to Wenyuan Marquis Manor to move her dowry.
A crowd of onlookers had gathered in front of the Qi family’s gate, pointing and whispering.
It was no wonder.
The Qi family’s scandal was simply too entertaining.
Yesterday, the bridal chamber had suddenly caught fire, followed by Heir Qi’s “mistress” plastering love letters all over the streets. Today, the Qi father and son were summoned to the palace, and County Princess Huayang, Heir Qi’s bride who had narrowly escaped death, went to beat the Dengwen Drum to demand a divorce!
Now, Heir Qi had been carried back, beaten to a bloody pulp… Oh dear!
Utter ruin could not be more fitting!
Shen Xiyue sat in the carriage, watching the dowry that had just been moved into the Qi family’s home yesterday being carried out again today, the bright red silk ribbons still tied around it.
Her two maidservants had swollen, red eyes. Hongmei and Lüliu wept like rain-soaked flowers, their faces lighting up with joy upon seeing her before breaking into tears again.
Hongmei sobbed uncontrollably: “Miss, they say you and the heir have divorced? How did things turn out this way so soon after the wedding?”
Lüliu joined in the weeping: “Miss, if it’s a divorce, then so be it, but how did your face get injured like this?”
“My face is fine, it’s fake!” Shen Xiyue whispered to reassure Lüliu, then patted Hongmei’s hair. Before she could say more, Maoping’s voice sounded from outside the carriage, tinged with hesitation:
“County Princess, the marquis’s wife is blocking the move, insisting on seeing you.”
“She wants to see me?” Shen Xiyue curled her lips: “What a coincidence, I want to see her too.”
She turned to Lüliu: “Do you have the dowry list with you?”
Lüliu nodded: “Yes.”
Shen Xiyue looked back at Maoping: “If she wants to see me, then let’s meet.”
She told Hongmei and Lüliu to wait in the carriage and stepped out with only Shuangye by her side.
When she stepped through the gates of Wenyuan Marquis Manor again, Shen Xiyue’s state of mind was entirely different.
Before the marriage, she had thought this would be her home in the capital from then on. Now, she found the estate utterly displeasing, as if it deserved to be torn down to ruins.
With only Shuangye accompanying her, Shen Xiyue had just entered the inner courtyard when the household steward, Nanny Yang, approached, saying the madam had been waiting for her for a long time, and led her into the Jinrong Courtyard.
As she stepped over the threshold, she immediately saw the elegant and dignified woman seated in the main position. She seemed to have just finished crying, her face powder smeared, making her look terrifying.
Upon hearing the commotion, Madam Qi wasted no time, picking up the cup of hot tea beside her and smashing it with a loud “bang.”
“You wretch!”
Broken porcelain shards scattered across the floor, hot water soaking the hem of her skirt.
Shuangye swiftly picked up a shard and pressed it against Madam Qi’s neck.
Shen Xiyue asked with concern: “What’s wrong, Madam? Was the tea not to your liking?”
Madam Qi trembled in fear, terrified that her neck might be cut, and then grew furious at her words, her willow-like eyebrows shooting up: “You little wretch! Others may not know, but you know perfectly well in your heart! When did my son ever try to burn you to death? It was clearly you who… you…”
At that moment, Shen Xiyue stood motionless, casually raising an eyebrow as she said to Shuangye: “Let go of Madam Qi. Let her speak her mind freely.”
Freed, Madam Qi found herself unable to utter a word. She desperately wanted to say: It was clearly you who lost your virtue to the Crown Prince and deliberately set the fire to give yourself a chance to survive!
But how could she say that?
She wasn't stupid. If she said it, wouldn't that just add another charge of poisoning the Crown Prince to the Qi family for no reason?
That bitch!
She must have calculated everything, deliberately spouting nonsense to get Xun'er beaten like that!
Madam Qi's heart clenched with hatred as she glared at Shen Xiyue, but in the end, she didn't dare curse again:
"You know perfectly well in your heart! You've harmed my son to this state and think you can just walk away? Don't even dream of it! You're not taking that dowry!"
Shen Xiyue leisurely instructed Shuangye: "Take Madam Qi outside to see how many people are waiting to watch the Qi family become a laughingstock. If we don't move it, we'll just take our time!"
Anyway, Gu Zhilan had fled who knows where by now, so she might as well have some fun with Qi Xun first!
She wasn't in a hurry.
Shuangye really did start pulling Madam Qi toward the door.
But now, not only did Madam Qi refuse to leave, she clung desperately to the table leg, refusing to let go. In the tug-of-war, the vase on the table wobbled and crashed to the floor.
In the end, Shuangye was stronger and dragged Madam Qi a few more steps outward.
"Let go of me!" Madam Qi cried in anger.
She had never been this humiliated in her entire life.
Shen Xiyue raised a hand, and Shuangye released Madam Qi, who collapsed onto the floor, clutching her chest, feeling her heart twinge with pain.
The old Shen Xiyue wasn't like this—she used to follow Qi Xun around, obedient as a kitten.
She was gentle and humble toward everyone in the Qi family, quite likable.
Even knowing Qi Xun didn't like her, Madam Qi had been quite satisfied with this daughter-in-law.
How had she turned into such a vicious wolf now… Oh dear, it seems it was all an act before!
And what a convincing act it was!
Shuangye watched all this, pondering whether Madam Qi was truly cowardly or just knew when to yield.
Seeing Madam Qi had stopped making a scene, Shen Xiyue said nonchalantly:
"Madam Qi, if I were you, I wouldn't be blocking the dowry now. Instead, I'd be investigating properly to find out where the real culprit who harmed your precious son has run off to!"
Madam Qi pointed a trembling finger at her and cursed: "It was you who harmed Xun'er like this!"
Shuangye took a step forward, and Madam Qi immediately lowered her accusing finger.
Shen Xiyue tilted her head, pointing at her own face:
"Madam Qi, you're wrong again! It was your son who harmed me like this—the one who harmed your son was Gu Zhilan! Didn't you know? From the very beginning, it was she who gave your son that terrible idea!"
Madam Qi thought it over and realized Shen Xiyue was telling the truth.
It was that bitch Gu Zhilan who had meddled, giving Qi Xun that reckless idea that led to his miserable state today.
As she thought about it, some of Madam Qi's hatred shifted toward Gu Zhilan.
Shen Xiyue watched the changing expressions on her face, knowing her words had sunk in. She curled her lips slightly and didn't press the matter further.
Instead, she returned to the topic of the dowry: "Madam Qi, the divorce is the Emperor's will. It's only right that I take my own dowry. If you block me again, that would be defying the imperial decree."
Madam Qi glared at her hatefully. In her heart, she cursed Shen Xiyue's ancestors for eighteen generations, but all she dared say aloud was: "Get out!"
Shen Xiyue turned and walked out, tossing back a light remark: "How unpleasant."
…
When she returned to the carriage, Hongmei and Lüliu were both tense: "Miss, did she give you a hard time?"
Shen Xiyue shook her head: "Nothing of the sort."
After talking for a while, Lüliu finally realized: "Miss, that maid who went in with you earlier—where's Shuangye?"
Shen Xiyue blinked: "Her? She's not my maid. Probably… she went back to the Crown Prince Mansion."
Lüliu gave an "oh" and didn't ask further.