Cen Liangxuan, who had been harboring anger in his heart, felt much of it dissipate upon hearing Shen Qingrui’s declaration of love.
But as the heir, he absolutely could not lower his head.
“Think about the matter of one thousand taels of gold.”
Shen Qingrui said, “All my belongings were burned clean by Shen Yiren. They’re gone.”
“Your mother still has some, but not much.” Lady Shen also felt somewhat troubled.
Although she managed the household, the Elderly Lady would inquire from time to time, so the authority was not entirely in her hands.
The Elderly Lady then said, “The Shen residence will provide a portion, but the rest must rely on the Duke’s estate.”
Not relying on the heir, but on the Duke’s estate—the intention was to have Lord Cen go and speak with the Duke and Duchess.
Shen Qingrui also understood clearly that she had to rely on the heir. In the same manner, she tugged at his sleeve and slowly slipped her fingers into his palm.
“My lord, it’s my fault for having only you in my heart, yet not being the true legitimate daughter of the General’s household.”
“This heir will go and explain clearly to my parents.”
Having received Cen Liangxuan’s assurance, Shen Qingrui sat on his lap in the carriage on the way back to the Duke’s estate.
“In broad daylight, how bold?” Cen Liangxuan raised an eyebrow.
Shen Qingrui: “Does my lord not like my boldness?”
Laughter from Cen Liangxuan echoed inside the carriage.
“Compared to the noble ladies of the capital, the heir’s consort is indeed unique.”
Upon returning to the Duke’s estate, Shen Qingrui excused herself back to the courtyard on the pretext of a backache, leaving Cen Liangxuan alone to pay respects to his parents and discuss the matter.
Seeing Shen Qingrui’s lazy demeanor from afar, the Duchess asked, “What’s wrong with her? She returns and doesn’t even come to pay her respects.”
Summoning the servant who had accompanied them on their return visit, the servant replied tactfully, “The carriage shook all the way back.”
The Duchess gritted her teeth, her gaze sharp: “A daughter of a military family, yet behaving like a courtesan.”
What angered her most was her son’s sudden confession.
Cen Liangxuan recounted the incident of kidnapping Shen Yiren and having Shen Qingrui take her place in the marriage.
Duke Anguo immediately slapped his son.
“How could you commit such a heinous act!”
The Duchess stood up in fright, speechless with shock while her heart ached at the sight of the slap mark on her son’s face.
Only three days ago, Shen Yiren had knocked out one of his teeth, and today another slap. The Duchess hurriedly ordered someone to fetch ice and positioned herself in front of her son.
“My lord, what’s done is done. What use is hitting our son? Is this matter only related to Liangxuan alone? Shen Qingrui must have tempted him from the sidelines.”
“On the wedding day, I told Lady Shen to take Shen Qingrui away as well. But you two insisted on keeping her.”
The Duchess had nothing to say—she had only feared her son’s heartbreak.
“Fortunately, Shen Yiren is safe and sound. If something had happened, how could we explain it to General Shen, who is far away at the border? How could we explain it to…” She still couldn’t utter the name Prince Duan. Duke Anguo couldn’t be sure whether Prince Duan cared about Shen Yiren or not. If he did, why hadn’t he intervened?
Would it have been Shen Yiren’s turn to demand one thousand taels of gold in exchange?
“You, you really!” Duke Anguo pointed at his son’s nose, then angrily turned away with a flick of his sleeve.
The Duchess helped her son up. The ice arrived, and as she applied it to reduce the swelling, she said:
“If something had really happened, would we still have this trouble now? As for the one thousand taels of gold, we do have it, but should we really give it to Shen Yiren?”
She was unwilling.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt Shen Qingrui was a calamity. The betrothal gifts were wasted, and they had brought in such a thing—not only without a dowry but also causing endless trouble.
“In the end, Liangxuan’s actions lack decisiveness.” Duke Anguo turned around, looking at the son he had with his first wife.
He only had this one precious son. A thousand taels of gold in exchange for his precious son’s reputation—it was worth it.
“Are you certain that once we give a thousand taels of gold, Shen Yiren will let the matter rest?”
“Yes,” Cen Liangxuan assured. “For a country girl like Shen Yiren who has never seen the world, a thousand taels of gold could buy ten of her lives. There’s no reason for her to turn down the gold.”
Duke Anguo nodded and said to his wife, “Tell the steward to prepare a thousand taels of gold and send it over tomorrow morning.”
The Duchess reluctantly hummed in agreement, shooting her son a glare.
“There are plenty of noble ladies in Yujing City better than Shen Qingrui. I don’t know how you took a liking to her. You really should have a doctor examine your brain.”
“Qingrui is different from other women.”
“To Mother, they all seem the same,” the Duchess sneered. “You men can never see through women’s tricks. Go and call Qingrui to pay respects to your father and me.”
Cen Liangxuan said, “Qingrui isn’t feeling well.”
“Isn’t she trained in martial arts? She should be healthier than most. Go and call her,” the Duchess insisted firmly.
“The kidnapping and substitution couldn’t have been your idea alone. Don’t try to cover for her. We’ve paid the money; shouldn’t she come and thank us?”
“She was willing to harm others just to marry you. If she’s so sincere toward you, she should at least manage the basic morning and evening greetings, shouldn’t she? Otherwise, Mother might start to wonder whether she insisted on marrying you for true affection or just to become a nobleman’s wife.”
“Qingrui isn’t like that. She once said, ‘Better to be the wife of a humble family than the concubine of a noble one.'”
The Duchess smiled. “Then she will surely come.”
“I’ll go call her right away.”
As soon as Cen Liangxuan left, the Duchess dropped her smile and said to the Duke, “If Shen Qingrui is truly like Kang Shi back in the day, I wouldn’t mind that she’s a false legitimate daughter.”
Kang Shi was Lady Shen, originally named Kang Qiaohui. Her father was a ninth-rank county magistrate.
When the old Duke led his troops through the area, Kang Qiao helped tend to the wounded. Not only was she exceptionally beautiful, but she was also virtuous and skilled with her hands. Many came to propose marriage.
Among them was a fourth-rank general who already had a wife.
Shen Qingrui’s adoptive father was only a sixth-rank captain at the time, but he offered to marry her as his principal wife.
Kang Shi then uttered the phrase, “Better to be the wife of a humble family than the concubine of a noble one.” Later, General Shen repeatedly distinguished himself in battle and was promoted step by step. Kang Shi’s judgment in choosing a husband, along with this saying, circulated for a while.
“If Shen Qingrui intends to follow in the footsteps of her adoptive mother, Kang Shi, she’d better not just pay lip service. Otherwise, when Liangxuan takes concubines or side consorts, I’ll entrust the management of the household to capable concubines, and she won’t even get a chance to be involved.”
“That’s how it should be,” Duke Anguo agreed. He and General Shen had once been comrades-in-arms, though their friendship was brief.
After all, one inherited the dukedom and returned to Yujing after his father’s early death, while the other was stationed at the border year-round.
Shen Qingrui and Cen Liangxuan arrived late. As soon as they finished paying their respects, Duke Anguo called his son to the study, saying there were important matters to discuss.
Only the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were left behind.
Shen Qingrui felt uneasy and looked up at the heir, about to speak, but was stopped by her mother-in-law.
The father and son walked away.
Duchess Lu asked, “Was it you who instigated Liangxuan to kidnap Shen Yiren and have you take her place in marriage?”
“Heaven and earth bear witness, I—”
“Don’t say it wasn’t. I don’t believe you,” Lu said, staring at her.
“After Shen Yiren returns, even if your status in the general’s mansion remains the same as before, the outside world is different. Everyone knows you are a false legitimate daughter. All these years, you have always prided yourself on being aloof and noble, and the other noble ladies have never much liked you. In the past two years, they must have gossiped about you behind your back quite a bit.”
“If Shen Yiren marries Liangxuan again and becomes the princess consort, what will you have left? In the Jade Capital, which prominent family would marry a false legitimate daughter?”
Lady Lu’s words struck home with precision.
Shen Qingrui clenched her fist inside her sleeve.
“You can only cling to Liangxuan, who still has feelings for you.”
Yes, that’s right.
But she would never admit it.
“Mother-in-law, the prince and I truly…”
“Madam!” the steward hurried in, “Madam, officials from the Dali Temple have arrived!”