Was it really the same? Shen Qingrui remained silent.
In the past, she hadn’t cared because she knew these things would always be hers. But now, with no one to rely on, how could she not care?
The Duke’s estate had only one heir, with such a vast fortune. When returning to her maiden home, shouldn’t they have brought several carriages to showcase their status and express their affection for the new bride?
Now, with just one small carriage, how would the common people view her?
Would they say she deserved it? That she had stolen Shen Yiren’s husband, so it was no wonder her husband’s family didn’t value her?
Shen Qingrui leaned against his shoulder. “Why do my in-laws treat me this way? Is it because I’m a fake? But I truly grew up in the capital, in the General’s Manor.”
“Is it because I can’t learn those pretentious manners? I grew up in the General’s Manor, so I should carry myself like a descendant of a military family!”
“Isn’t it precisely my spirited and heroic demeanor that you like, my lord?”
“Of course,” Cen Liangxuan comforted her. “You don’t need to change anything. But they are, after all, my parents. Please bear with them a little more. Also, you must not be so disrespectful to Prince Duan in the future—not just Prince Duan, but any prince or princess.”
Shen Qingrui pouted. “Prince Duan is so petty and blind, siding with Shen Yiren.”
“You can say that in front of me, but don’t let outsiders hear it,” Cen Liangxuan said, wrapping an arm around her waist. Although their wedding night hadn’t been consummated, the past two days had been anything but idle.
Indeed, someone with a bit of martial training had better stamina—no excess fat, just captivating curves.
Cen Liangxuan had developed a taste for it.
They arrived at the General’s Manor.
Shen Qingrui stepped out of the carriage first, followed by Cen Liangxuan. The household had been waiting for some time and immediately bowed upon seeing them.
“Young Master, Young Madam.”
“No need for formalities,” Cen Liangxuan said, personally helping Old Madam Shen to her feet. Hearing Shen Zhi’ang’s cheerful cry of “brother-in-law,” he reached out and patted the boy’s head.
Shen Qingrui glanced around. “Where’s Yiren? Why isn’t she here to greet us?”
What did it matter if Shen Yiren called her a fake? Now, when she returned to her maiden home, even her grandmother and mother had to address her as Young Madam. Even if Shen Yiren was the true legitimate daughter of the General’s Manor, she would still have to bow to her.
“Never mind her,” Old Madam Shen said, and no one else dared to ask further. “Please come inside, Young Master. My son is stationed at the border, so I must receive you in his stead. I hope you will not take offense.”
“How could I? You worry too much, Grandmother,” Cen Liangxuan replied, supporting the old lady as they entered.
His every word and action demonstrated how much he cared for Shen Qingrui.
Shen Qingrui couldn’t suppress the smile on her lips.
Though Madam Shen also felt relieved, she couldn’t help but ask worriedly, “Qingrui, about the dowry… did the Duke’s estate give you any trouble? I don’t know where Yiren hid the dowry. We’ve searched everywhere, but such a large pile of things is nowhere to be found!”
Before Shen Zhi’ang went to cause trouble, the items had already been quietly moved out through the back gate. He had no idea about it.
“Could it have been moved by that guard beside Shen Yiren?”
Both mother and daughter turned to look at him, asking if it was the guard named Cang Ming. How would Shen Zhi’ang know the guard’s name? But Shen Yiren only had one guard and a worthless brother from who-knows-where by her side.
Shen Qingrui asked her mother softly, “Could Zhi’ang be right? Did Yiren ask Prince Duan to hide it for her? If she could send the dowry away, does she really think she can climb her way up to Prince Duan?”
“Wishful thinking,” Lady Shen said. “Your grandmother has already asked me to find her a husband, to marry her off quickly. Not only did she burn your things in the Moonlight Residence, but she also bullied your brother.”
“Shen Yiren burned my things!” Shen Qingrui raised her voice, causing the Elderly Lady and Cen Liangxuan ahead to stop.
The Elderly Lady looked at her daughter-in-law with displeasure. The heir was still here—how could family scandals be aired in front of outsiders?
Receiving the reproachful gaze, Lady Shen gave an awkward smile and took her daughter’s hand to comfort her. “It’s alright. I managed to save your favorite mother-of-pearl wooden box, though it was still slightly burned. I’ll find a carpenter to repair it for you.”
“Mother, did you reach into the fire to save it?” Shen Zhi’ang hurried over to ask, worried that his mother might have been injured. He pulled back her sleeve to check—what a large scar!
“How dare Shen Yiren burn Eldest Sister’s things! And she even caused Mother to get hurt!” Shen Zhi’ang was so angry his chest heaved uncontrollably. He complained, “Brother-in-law, you are the heir. You must punish Shen Yiren! She bullied Eldest Sister, bullied Mother, and yesterday she even dug a pit and buried me in the dirt!”
Cen Liangxuan was horrified to see the scar on his mother-in-law’s arm. Hearing the list of offenses Shen Zhi’ang recounted, he frowned and said, “Shen Yiren is truly outrageous. I, as the heir, will certainly stand up for Mother-in-law and Qingrui.”
The group arrived at the Moonlight Residence only to find that the plaque had been changed.
“Ginseng Residence?” Shen Qingrui sneered. “What a waste of Father hiring a tutor for her. After two years of study, she still can’t write properly—crooked and scrawled like a dog’s paw.”
Pushing the door open, mud and white cloth fell from above.
Shen Qingrui, who was walking at the front, was covered in mud. On the white cloth were more crooked, scrawled words: “Pigs and dogs are not allowed to enter.”
Shen Qingrui gritted her teeth and tore down the cloth.
She would enter anyway!
Taking another step forward, her foot sank into a shallow pit, as if stepping on something round.
Before Shen Qingrui could look down to see what it was, a wooden stick suddenly rose from the ground and struck her with lightning speed.
A blow to the forehead left her dizzy and disoriented.
A red mark stretched across the middle of her face, as if splitting it in two.
Another white cloth fluttered down: “I said pigs and dogs are not allowed to enter.”
Carved on the wooden stick were the words: “Dog-beating stick.” Below it: “Pig-chasing rod.”
“Shen! Yi! Ren!” Shen Qingrui completely lost her composure. Covering her face with one hand, she turned and retreated. The others rushed over to check on her.
The Elderly Lady peered into the courtyard. “That wild girl isn’t here again. Where has she run off to? Today is the day the heir accompanies the heir’s consort back to her family home. Not only did she not come to greet them, but she hasn’t even shown her face.”
Mammy Lü said, “Yesterday, she was just wandering around the estate, leading a dog she found from who knows where. It was all gaudy, wearing clothes sewn from a few pieces of frost-blue fabric. As if a dog could wear human clothes.”
She let out a cold sneer.
Then she continued, “She seemed to be looking for something. Early this morning, she went out through the back gate, asking if anyone had seen her. I was too far away to hear clearly.”
Shen Qingrui, ignoring the pain in her face and the fact that the Moonlight Residence had been taken over, suddenly looked at Cen Liangxuan.
Cen Liangxuan’s pupils also contracted.
Both were thinking the same thing: Was Shen Yiren looking for physical evidence and witnesses? Hadn’t the matter already passed? Why was she still holding onto it?
They were both a little panicked and found an excuse to speak privately.
With no one else around, Shen Qingrui immediately said, “I hid the valuables under the rockery. We must quickly send someone to dig them up and see if they’re still there. If they’re gone and Shen Yiren really finds them, I’ll have no choice but to… stubbornly deny any knowledge.”
“What about you? Was anyone around when you pushed Shen Yiren off the cliff?”
“Only the servants and I were there at the time. The servants of the Duke’s estate would never betray me, the heir.” Cen Liangxuan was certain of this.
But what he wasn’t sure about was whether anyone knew Shen Yiren had left the estate? And why she had left?
He also didn’t know if anyone at the city gate had seen Shen Yiren board his carriage.
He hadn’t thought that far ahead, after all, no one cared about the true legitimate daughter who had returned from the countryside.
Shen Yiren herself was also a timid and submissive person, always swallowing her grievances. How could she possibly have the courage to search for evidence?
But she had changed. It seemed she had changed after returning from the fall.
“I’ve thought of something.” Shen Qingrui remembered the maids who had previously served Shen Yiren and called them forward. “Luo Qing, Luo Xue, did you see Yiren interacting with anyone two days before the wedding? And when did she leave the estate?”
Luo Xue shook her head.
But Luo Qing raised her head and said, “Reporting to the heir’s consort, I saw it.”