Xingchen Yuan.
Shen Nanxing was already lying on the bed after having his wounds treated with medicine. Su Yunyan sat beside him, her eyes filled with worry.
"Brother, it must hurt terribly, right? It's all my fault for causing you to receive such a severe punishment."
As she spoke, Su Yunyan wiped away her tears, her tearful eyes brimming with heartache and self-blame.
Shen Nanxing forced a faint smile and comforted her.
"Yunyan, don't cry. I'm fine. As long as you and the child are safe, what does it matter if I suffer a little?"
Madam Shen, sitting nearby, spoke up.
"What does it matter? Nanxing, do you realize your injuries will take half a month to heal? Haven't I always reminded you both to be careful? Why has this matter now become known to everyone? After such an incident, how will the Shen family maintain its standing in Huangcheng?"
Upon hearing this, a flicker of resentment flashed in Shen Nanxing's eyes.
"Mother, this is all Jiang Jinshu's fault. She clearly has Princess Chang's protection. If she had just taken responsibility for the Heir Apparent falling into the water, Marquess Yongning's Residence would have had to handle the matter lightly out of respect for Princess Chang. But she refused to listen and even let the Heir Apparent accuse Yunyan."
Su Yunyan wiped her tears with a handkerchief and said.
"Mother, I'm the one who dragged Brother into this. But at the time, the Young Master of the Marquis's residence bumped into my stomach. I was worried about the Shen family's heir, so in a moment of panic, I pushed him away."
"Originally, Sister and I were wearing similar clothes today. If Sister had just helped with this, everything could have been resolved. Who would have thought she would suddenly change completely, showing no regard for Brother's dignity or the Shen family's reputation?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Shen furrowed her brows, her gaze shifting between Shen Nanxing and Su Yunyan.
"You both know she has Princess Chang's protection behind her. Judging by her attitude today, Nanxing, she must be extremely angry. When she comes to see you, be more polite and coax her a little, so that Princess Chang doesn't hold any more grudges against the Shen family."
Su Yunyan was naturally unwilling to let Shen Nanxing coax Jiang Jinshu. Clutching her handkerchief, she said.
"Mother, today Sister repeatedly pushed Brother and me into the spotlight. Could it be that she did it intentionally to mock the Shen family and ruin our reputation?"
Shen Nanxing also spoke up.
"Mother, Jiang Jinshu's attitude today was completely different, as if she had become another person. She never dared to speak to us like this before."
Madam Shen fell into thought upon hearing this. Recalling how Jiang Jinshu had dared to talk back to her at the entrance of the residence earlier that day, and how she hadn't even bothered to get off the carriage despite Shen Nanxing's severe injuries, she frowned and said.
"Perhaps she's jealous now that Yunyan's pregnancy has been announced. But as the Shen family's daughter-in-law, she should prioritize the family's reputation. How can she act on petty jealousy and disregard the bigger picture? Tomorrow, when she comes to pay her respects, I'll teach her some proper manners."
A night passed.
To assert her authority as the mother-in-law, Madam Shen dressed in lavish attire early in the morning and waited in the main hall of Chang'an Yuan for Jiang Jinshu to come and attend to her.
"When she arrives later, tell her I stayed up too late last night worrying about Nanxing's injuries and haven't gotten up yet. As the young mistress of the Shen family, she couldn't even take care of her own husband properly. Have her kneel in the courtyard for an hour to reflect on her actions."
Upon hearing this, Nanny Qiu spoke up.
"Madam, isn't an hour too long? After all, the young mistress is probably still angry about the matter between the young master and Miss Yunyan!"
Madam Shen calmly picked up her tea and took a sip.
"What is there to fear? Even if she's angry with Xing'er, could she possibly defy me, her mother-in-law? Defiance is a grave offense."
"Moreover, she's just an orphan with no parents. At most, she dares to give Xing'er a cold shoulder, then hides in her room to cry for a while. In the end, she'll still have to continue fulfilling her duties as the young mistress of Shenjia, taking good care of Xing'er and the household."
However, as time passed minute by minute, sunlight gradually filled the entire courtyard, yet Jiang Jinshu's figure remained nowhere to be seen.
The smile on Madam Shen's face slowly froze, and her brows furrowed tighter and tighter. Nanny Feng, standing beside her, noticed this and softly reminded her.
"Madam, shall this servant go to Xingchen Yuan to see if the young mistress has risen?"
Madam Shen waved her hand, her tone tinged with displeasure.
"No need. If she has any sense, she will come on her own. If she doesn't come today, I'll take this opportunity to set some rules."
Yet, even as the sun climbed high in the sky, Jiang Jinshu still did not appear. Madam Shen could no longer contain the anger in her heart and stood up, ready to go to Xingchen Yuan herself to demand an explanation.
"This little wretch truly knows no bounds, daring to be unfilial to her mother-in-law."
Suddenly, a figure walked in.
"Mother, why are you so enraged?"
Madam Shen looked up and saw that her daughter, Shen Nanyue, had returned. She immediately spoke with resentment.
"It's all because of Jiang Jinshu. She's becoming more and more outrageous. Now she won't even come to pay her respects."
Shen Nanyue hurriedly supported Madam Shen.
"What? She actually dares not come to pay respects to Mother? She truly has no sense of propriety. She really is a little wretch raised without a mother's guidance—so ill-mannered. Only our Shenjia would tolerate her. Mother, let Xing'er give her the cold shoulder for a while, and she'll naturally realize her mistake."
Madam Shen nodded in agreement.
"You're right. Let Xing'er give her the cold treatment for a while. She cares so much about Xing'er that she'll eventually come crawling back to apologize."
"Today, I originally thought that since she has no mother to teach her, I, as her mother-in-law, should properly instruct her in etiquette. I never expected her to be so rude now."
Shen Nanyue added fuel to the fire.
"Mother, you are too kind, which is why she acts so arrogantly. In my opinion, she should be severely punished to make her understand that if she wants to survive in Shenjia, she must please every one of us."
Then she helped Madam Shen sit down.
Turning to the maid Biner beside her, she said.
"Go to the young mistress's courtyard and tell her that Mother is feeling unwell, so she should come and attend to her."
Then she spoke to Madam Shen.
"Mother, you are her mother-in-law. How can you go to her courtyard to see her? Naturally, she should come to see you. When she arrives, I'll teach her a proper lesson on your behalf and vent your anger for you."
Madam Shen listened and took a sip of the tea handed to her by Nanny Qiu.
"You're right. Today, I've been so angered by this little wretch that I've lost my senses."
Shen Nanyue then remembered the important matter she had returned to her maiden home to discuss.
"Mother, what's going on with Xing'er and Yunyan? Why is everyone outside now gossiping about the Shen siblings… Mother, I was scolded by my mother-in-law first thing this morning. Shenjia's reputation has plummeted, and I can hardly show my face in my husband's family anymore."
Upon hearing this, Madam Shen's face flushed with anger.
"This is all Jiang Jinshu's fault. As the young mistress of Shenjia, she doesn't know how to consider the bigger picture. I already questioned Xing'er yesterday…"
She then recounted the events of the previous day.
Shen Nanyue listened, growing increasingly furious.
"She truly is becoming more and more petty and unfit for proper society. Even if Yunyan is carrying Xing'er's child, for the sake of Shenjia's lineage, she should have stepped forward to cover up the matter. Not only did she make it known to everyone, but she also caused Xing'er to be beaten with the rod."
As she spoke, she stood up.
"No, Mother, I can't hold back any longer. I must go and teach her a proper lesson. All she does is cause trouble for our Shenjia."
Just as she was about to leave, she saw Biner returning.
Shen Nanyue quickly asked, "Where is Jiang Jinshu? Why hasn't she come?"
Biner, looking at Shen Nanyue's furious expression, replied, "Miss, please calm down first. The young maid in the young mistress's courtyard said that the young mistress left early in the morning."