【Madam Meng still has one in her belly. If those kowtows cause an accident, would the karmic backlash be counted against me?】
【Tsk. I should’ve let Shen Yunhuai do the talking—the villainous little brother-in-law role suits him better. I slipped up.】
Shen Yunhuai: …
So that’s what kind of sister-in-law you are.
Fine.
Understood.
The “bad guy” role would be his.
And the blame would also be his.
He glanced at Wen Jiushu and, after a brief hesitation, still spoke. “Someone, bring a cushion for Madam so she doesn’t have to kneel on the hard stones.”
Since the sister-in-law was worried about karma, then give Madam Meng a cushion.
“Anything Sister-in-law finds inconvenient to say, you may instruct me directly.”
【Did he hear something? I don’t think I slipped up just now, did I?】
“Alright.” she responded.
At least for now, Shen Yunhuai still respected her.
That was enough.
Shen Yunhuai guessed that his sister-in-law’s child was very likely his elder brother’s.
Otherwise, his elder brother would not have taken the initiative to marry her.
After all, Wen Jiushu’s reputation before marriage was no better than a bug in a cesspit.
And his elder brother was upright and self-disciplined—he had never been close to any woman. If nothing had happened between him and Wen Jiushu, why would he suddenly want to marry her?
Once his father’s grave matter was settled, he would write to his elder brother and ask clearly.
As for the bastard in Madam Meng’s belly—it wouldn’t be difficult to make her miscarry.
Madam Meng clenched her teeth, hatred hidden in her eyes.
Shen Yunhuai… you really are my good son!
For the sake of her pair of children, and before she could drain the Marquis’ household dry, she had to endure.
She knelt down.
And began to kowtow.
“Mother, aren’t you being a bit perfunctory with these kowtows?” Shen Yunhuai said.
They were barely making any sound at all.
Not sincere enough.
For some reason, whenever she met his cold gaze, Madam Meng felt uneasy.
Gritting her teeth, she slammed her head down harder.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
One after another.
A full quarter of an hour passed.
Forty-eight… forty-nine.
She had truly done forty-nine kowtows.
Blood seeped from her forehead.
After the last one, Madam Meng collapsed to the ground, quickly supported by her maid.
Steward Lin looked at her with heartache and wanted to pull her into his arms, but restrained himself in front of Shen Yunhuai.
Madam Meng, pale-faced, glared at Wen Jiushu with hatred. “I’ve done the kowtows. How are you going to resolve the Old Marquis’s resentment now? If you cannot repair the cracked coffin, I, as your mother-in-law, will not forgive you!”
Wen Jiushu rolled her eyes and ignored her.
The Old Marquis’s coffin was made of expensive sandalwood, treated for preservation, and further protected by an outer stone sarcophagus. Even after more than ten years, it had not decayed.
At this moment, even ordinary eyes like Shen Yunhuai’s could see faint black mist spreading over the coffin.
Was that… resentment?
What Wen Jiushu thought was:
【This coffin must be worth a fortune. No wonder Madam Meng is scheming so hard to seize the Marquis’ estate for her son.】
The corner of Shen Yunhuai’s eye twitched. Sister-in-law, rest assured—Madam Meng’s bastard son won’t be sleeping in such a fine coffin.
At that moment, Wen Jiushu formed hand seals with practiced ease. Shen Yunhuai even thought he saw a faint strand of golden light at her fingertips.
【Using what I can on the spot again… I should’ve prepared talismans and cinnabar earlier if I knew I’d be dragged out by Shen Yunhuai.】
He saw her lightly cut her fingertip, and a bead of blood emerged.
She quickly began drawing something on the coffin.
A blood-red talisman formed rapidly.
Shen Yunhuai was stunned—the symbols seemed to carry a faint golden glow.
He had only ever seen this kind of light on Master Xuanzhen, a monk of profound cultivation.
And now, his sister-in-law had it too.
After finishing the resentment-cleansing talisman, Wen Jiushu gave a light “hmph.” “Resentment disperses. Dissolve!”
The black mist around the coffin actually scattered at her words.
Once done, she tapped the coffin lid. “You may refill the soil.”
“Father, rest in peace. The Shen family matters will be handled by me and Big Brother. Your son… is no longer foolish.”
Shen Yunhuai bowed, then personally closed the stone coffin and sprinkled a handful of soil.
The servants continued filling the grave.
Madam Meng used her illness as an excuse and left first.
“Cousin, is what Wen Jiushu said true? Does she really know how to draw talismans? That talisman she drew…”
“Don’t be afraid, Madam. What cleansing resentment? I think it’s just random scribbles pretending to be supernatural to take revenge on us.”
Steward Lin helped Madam Meng into the carriage and, when no one was looking, touched her stomach.
“Is my son alright?”
Madam Meng shot him a glare. “What could be wrong with your son? I’m the one suffering. Have you spread those rumors yet?”