The demon race had no concept of body inspections. Shen Yiren frowned and asked, “Is this a rule?”
Lady Shen replied, “Naturally, it’s a rule.”
“If it’s a rule, I shouldn’t be the only one following it. Let everyone be inspected.” Shen Yiren looked at the Elderly Lady and Lady Shen. “You are the grandmother, and you are the mother. Lead by example.”
“What nonsense are you talking about!” Lady Shen glared and scolded loudly. “Such impropriety!”
What did she mean by them being inspected first?
Wasn’t she implying that a widowed old woman was unchaste and a wife whose husband was away was unfaithful?
The Elderly Lady’s face darkened further, while the maids and servants dared not even breathe loudly. The second young lady was truly bold.
“If you won’t be inspected, then neither will I.” From their expressions, Shen Yiren could tell that a body inspection was an extremely humiliating matter. “If you try to force me, I’ll force you back. Let’s see who’s stronger.”
Lady Shen felt a twinge of fear, remembering how Shen Yiren had effortlessly flung a tall servant far away.
As for the Elderly Lady, the handprint on Mammy Lü’s neck hadn’t even faded yet.
If Shen Yiren really forced them to undergo a body inspection, the gossip wouldn’t just make the General’s Mansion a laughingstock—it would drown it in scandal.
“Are you certain you’re pure?”
“If I’m not, then are you?” Shen Yiren’s retort only fueled their anger, but the young girl simply clapped her hands and left, pulling Xiao Ba along with her.
The Elderly Lady reprimanded her daughter-in-law, “See what you’ve taught her these past two years! If she isn’t disciplined properly, the entire General’s Mansion will become a joke.”
“Mother-in-law, please calm down. I will discipline her strictly.”
The Elderly Lady left, leaning on her cane.
Lady Shen was about to return and rest when a maid hurried in to report, “The second young lady not only forcibly occupied the first young lady’s Bright Moon Residence but also threw out all of the first young lady’s belongings!”
Before she could even settle down, that wretched girl was causing trouble again! Lady Shen wrapped herself in her cloak and rushed over.
Shen Yiren stood in the courtyard, directing Xiao Ba, “Those, those, and those—pile them all up here. We’ll burn them all.”
“Okay, sister!” Xiao Ba, as strong as an ox, dismantled everything—clothes, quilts, chairs, tables… even a screen worth hundreds of taels of silver.
A small mountain of items piled up in the courtyard.
“Shen Yiren! What! Are! You! Doing!” The usually gentle General’s Lady had roared so many times today that her voice was hoarse.
“Bright Moon Residence belongs to your sister, and so do these things. How dare you dismantle and discard them all?”
“Have you forgotten? You only gave birth to one treasure, and that’s me.” Shen Yiren signaled Xiao Ba to ignore her and keep throwing things out. “She’s just an imposter, and she’s already married off. Do you think she’ll come back?”
“Qing Rui would never be abandoned by Lord Cen like you.” Lady Shen defended the precious daughter she had raised, completely disregarding that the person before her was her own flesh and blood. In her heart, she even added a disdainful thought.
Useless thing, couldn’t even hold onto a good marriage.
“It’s me who finds Cen Liangxuan tainted because Shen Qingrui used him. Otherwise, if I had insisted on marrying him, what would Shen Qingrui have to do with it?” Shen Yiren was utterly exasperated. “She’s proud of picking up someone else’s leftovers.”
“Sister! Everything’s piled up!” Xiao Ba ran over, seeking praise.
Shen Yiren smiled and patted his head. “Where’s the torch?”
“Oh!” Xiao Ba ran off again to find a torch.
Lady Shen blocked the way, forbidding the burning, and ordered the servants not to give Xiao Ba any fire. But Shen Yiren wasn’t worried.
She’s a demon, lighting a fire is nothing.
“If Heaven also feels injustice for Shen Yiren, then burn these fake things!” Shen Yiren tilted her head back, her hands hidden in her sleeves deftly forming hand seals.
Lady Shen and the maids and servants all wore mocking expressions—did she think she was a deity?
Boom!
A great fire erupted out of thin air, its flames licking wildly.
Everyone was stunned: “It… it really caught fire…”
Lady Shen also turned her head in shock, looking at Shen Yiren with disbelief. She quickly realized that the fire contained her daughter’s beloved furniture and clothes. Frantically, she ordered people to fetch water to put out the fire and to reach in and salvage whatever they could, even if only one item at a time.
Just as everyone approached the flames, Shen Yiren snapped her fingers, and the fire raged even more fiercely. The evening wind blew incessantly, and someone’s hair had already been singed.
“Madam, the fire is too intense.” Who would risk their life to save things now?
As the items were about to be completely burned, someone shouted, “Isn’t that the young lady’s favorite mother-of-pearl inlaid wooden box?”
Lady Shen looked over—it really was.
For a time, mother-of-pearl inlay was all the rage in the capital, and her daughter had been envious. She had gone through some trouble to acquire one, and her daughter had treasured it dearly.
Lady Shen strode over and reached into the flames to grab it.
“Madam!”
Shen Yiren was also shocked, watching as Lady Shen, despite her scalded arm, clung tightly to the half-burned mother-of-pearl inlaid box.
She truly cared for Shen Yiren, this adopted daughter. It was just a pity that the original owner had never received a shred of maternal affection.
By the time bucket after bucket of water arrived, everything had already been reduced to ashes.
Lady Shen had no time to scold Shen Yiren further, busy as she was seeking a physician.
The Moonlight Residence quieted down for the time being.
Xiao Ba squatted before the ashes and asked, “What now?”
“Of course, spread it out to fertilize the soil in the courtyard.” Shen Yiren worked alongside Xiao Ba, and when they were done, they rested.
The two slept soundly, but the Elderly Lady tossed and turned, unable to find peace. Lady Shen, too, struggled to sleep due to the burning pain in her arm.
…
Duke Anguo’s Mansion.
Shen Qingrui rose early in the morning to dress and groom herself. The maids who attended her were originally assigned to serve Shen Yiren. In the past, they had always worn gloomy expressions, but now, serving a new mistress, they beamed with smiles, calling her “Madam Heir.”
Shen Qingrui, however, said, “If you wish to return to my sister’s side, I will allow it.”
The two immediately knelt to pledge their loyalty: “We swear to follow Madam Heir to the death, obeying only your commands. You are our only mistress!”
Shen Qingrui smiled faintly. “You are quite clever.”
On the way to pay respects and serve tea, the maid Luo Qing flattered her, saying, “Madam Heir, the Duke’s mansion has had only one male heir for three generations. Now that you have married into the family, the Duchess is sure to entrust the household management to you.”
Household management had always been held in the hands of the matriarch, a symbol of real authority.
Shen Qingrui was determined to secure it.
During the tea-serving ceremony, she saw only her mother-in-law, not her father-in-law. Shen Qingrui was puzzled, but the Duchess dismissed it with a simple “He is busy.”
Shen Qingrui knew that Duke Anguo cared about social status and disliked her for being a fake legitimate daughter.
She didn’t like Duke Anguo either—yesterday, he had even tried to send her back!
“Mother, please have some tea.” Shen Qingrui sincerely offered tea to her mother-in-law, hoping inwardly that the Duchess would entrust the household affairs to her.
The Duchess set down her tea, her calm expression revealing neither joy nor displeasure.
“I don’t know what methods you used to make my son insist on marrying you, committing such an absurd act as a substitute bride. But now that you have entered the Duke’s mansion, behave properly from now on. Respect your in-laws and serve your husband well.”
Shen Qingrui lightly bit her lip, she too disliked this mother-in-law who hid daggers in her soft words!
“Especially, stop showing off your martial arts skills. Focus your energy on continuing the family line for the Duke’s household and give birth to a son as soon as possible.”
Dislike aside, Shen Qingrui still replied, “Yes.” After a moment, she looked up and asked, “Is there anything else, Mother?”
The Duchess said, “No, you may leave.”
Nothing else?
What about managing the household affairs?
“Wait.” The Duchess suddenly called her back.
Shen Qingrui’s eyes brightened slightly—so she had forgotten.
The Duchess said, “The Steward from the General’s residence is still here. Handle it quickly and send him back where he came from.”