Shen Wan’s voice choked with sobs, tears welling up again as she clung tightly to Shen Yu.
The sound of hooves approached.
The guard Chen Ping rode over. “The Emperor has summoned you. Your Highness, you should hurry to the palace. Don’t keep the Emperor waiting.”
“You take them back.”
Xie Jingyu mounted his horse, glanced at Shen Wan, and spurred it away.
Watching Xie Jingyu ride off, Shen Wan’s emotions were incredibly complex.
She hadn’t expected that Xie Jingyu would be the one to save her elder sister.
He even delayed his audience with the Emperor to save them…
The Emperor had summoned him. On his way to the palace, Xie Jingyu saw Shen Wan galloping through the bustling city. Worried about her safety, he chased after her, only to find this had happened.
After a while, Shen Wan felt much better. She helped the limp Shen Yu to her feet. Shen Yu glanced at the cliff, tears welling up in her eyes.
Shen Wan arrived on horseback. Chen Ping gave his horse to Shen Yu. Just as they were about to mount, Steward Li arrived. He had originally intended to go to Jingmiao Nunnery on Shen Wan’s orders, but Xie Jingyu had told him that Shen Wan and Shen Yu were there, so he rushed over.
Seeing Shen Yu’s disheveled hair and pale face, Steward Li asked with lingering fear, “How could the horse have been startled?”
Shen Wan’s eyes were icy. “It wasn’t a startled horse, it was murder!”
“Wan’er…”
Shen Yu shook her head.
Shen Wan, still furious, said, “The heir of the Marquis Yongqing had an affair with his cousin, Miss Xu. He was afraid Father would find out and not forgive him, so he killed you to make room for your position as the principal wife. Elder sister knows perfectly well what happened with the startled horse, yet you still want to cover for him?!”
Shen Yu also had this suspicion. Shen Wan had repeatedly warned her not to go to Jingmiao Nunnery, fearing disaster, and even went so far as to warn Tubai. No matter how much she refused, Marchioness Yongqing insisted she come, even becoming angry and pressuring her by accusing her of not wanting to continue the Yongqing family line.
With such a serious accusation leveled against her, Shen Yu had no choice but to come. Fearing Shen Wan’s displeasure, she even stopped Tubai from telling Shen Wan.
Tubai, feeling uneasy as she left the manor, had hastily sent Bi’er to the Duke of Dingguo’s residence to find Shen Wan.
At Jingmiao Nunnery, after praying, Shen Yu wandered around and stumbled upon the Marquis Yongqingl’s heir and Xu Zhiyi being intimate. After being caught, Xu Zhiyi mocked her for being unable to have children, saying she would have a whole bunch for her cousin. Enraged, Shen Yu turned and left.
She tried to leave by carriage, but as soon as she boarded, the carriage went out of control. She had a suspicion, but it was just speculation, without concrete evidence.
Moreover…
“How did you find out about this?”
Shen Wan said, “Let’s go back to the manor first. I won’t let you go back to the Marquis Yongqing manor.”
Steward Li arrived with the carriage. Although Shen Wan had been taught to ride by Shen Ji, it was still somewhat ostentatious for a young lady of a prominent family to ride through the streets.
Shen Wan and Shen Yu got into the carriage, then lifted the curtain to look at Chen Ping. “You don’t need to see us off. Thank you for today.”
Chen Ping said, “I dare not disobey the young master’s orders.”
The implication was that he still wanted to personally escort them back to the Dingguo Duke’s manor.
The Emperor had summoned them, and the young master hadn’t even noticed the Second Miss Shen riding so freely in the street. He wasn’t a blockhead, he could tell the young master cared about the Second Miss Shen.
Chen Ping followed the carriage at a distance, escorting them to the outside of the Dingguo Duke’s manor before turning and leaving.
News of Shen Yu’s near-fall from the cliff after being startled by her horse had already reached the Duke of Dingguo’s residence before they even returned. Shen Wan had just helped Shen Yu down from the carriage when Madam Yun rushed out, her expression anxious and worried. “How did the horse get startled? Is she alright?”
Shen Wan asked, “Has Father returned home?”
Madam Yun looked at the bruise on Shen Yu’s forehead, her heart aching. “I’ve already sent someone to find your father.”
“Quickly, fetch a doctor.”
Shen Wan helped Shen Yu into the residence.
Before the doctor arrived, Shen Ji returned, his face ashen. “The heir of the Marquis Yongqing has done something to betray Yu’er. Is this true?”
Madam Yun, unaware of the matter, paled upon hearing this. “He dares?!”
Shen Wan stared at Shen Ji. “Eldest sister and Tubai witnessed it firsthand. Then eldest sister was startled by her horse. Father, do you think this was just an accident? They want eldest sister dead!”
“Father, please help eldest sister get a divorce.”
Shen Wan’s eyes were red, her voice trembling with tears.
Tubai was also there, the maid was more seriously injured.
Madam Yun looked at Tubai.
Tubai, enduring the aches and dizziness, recounted to Madam Yun every word of her and Shen Yu’s discovery of the heir of Marquis Yongqing’s affair, and Xu Zhiyi’s mocking and ridiculing words towards Shen Yu. Madam Yun’s lips turned white with anger.
Shen Ji was furious. If the heir of the Marquis of Yongqing had been there, he probably would have kicked him to death.
“He has the audacity to bully my daughter like this!”
The doctor arrived quickly and took Shen Yu’s pulse. She was badly shaken, her body was covered in bruises from the carriage accident, and she had several large, painful bumps on the back of her head.
The doctor prescribed medicine and left some ointment for external application.
Even without concrete evidence that the Marquis Yongqing’s family had plotted to harm Shen Yu, Madam Yun wouldn’t risk her daughter’s life. She immediately ordered a courtyard to be prepared for Shen Yu.
Shen Wan said, “Mother, my elder sister can stay with me.”
Mingyue Garden was where her elder sister had lived since childhood.
Her Qingyi Garden would soon be returned to her by Ye Caiwei.
Madam Yun said, “Alright, your elder sister was frightened, you should stay with her.”
Shen Wan helped Shen Yu back to Mingyue Garden to apply medicine. Just as the medicine was finished, Yinchuan came in and said, “Miss, the heir of the Marquis Yongqing knows that the eldest lady was frightened by the horse and is very worried. He has come to the manor to take the eldest lady back…”
Worried?
He’s worried that the eldest sister isn’t dead!
The Duke of Dingguo’s manor hasn’t even sent anyone to look for him, and he’s already here!
Perfect timing.
He won’t leave without a divorce agreement today.