“Go investigate further. Check whose names the Marquis household’s external properties have been transferred into,” Shen Yunhuai said again.
Mu Si froze. “Third Master means… our estate’s assets have been stolen?”
“Guard against fire day and night, but it’s family thieves that are hardest to defend against.”
Once he dug out that illegitimate son, he would make that good stepmother regret everything until her guts turned black.
Shen Yunhuai hurried back and wrote a letter in flowing script. After sealing it with wax, he handed it to Mu Si.
“This letter must be delivered to my eldest brother as quickly as possible.”
He needed confirmation as soon as possible.
Whether Sister-in-law was actually carrying his elder brother’s child.
His elder brother was not the kind of man who would accept being made a fool.
“Yes.”
Mu Si immediately went to deliver it.
He also casually mentioned that Sister-in-law had asked about divorce, and wondered what the eldest brother’s opinion was.
After returning to her room, Madam Meng threw a massive tantrum.
Crash!
A vase shattered.
But she was still not satisfied.
Soon, everything breakable in the room was smashed to pieces.
“Bitch! If I didn’t want to arouse Shen Yunhuai’s suspicion, I would have ordered that little wretch beaten to death already!” Madam Meng said through gritted teeth, her chest rising and falling violently.
The servants in the room kept their heads lowered, not daring to provoke her.
“Please calm down, madam,” Butler Lin said, waving his hand to dismiss everyone. The servants quickly withdrew and even closed the door respectfully.
Butler Lin stepped forward and embraced the furious Madam Meng.
“You’re pregnant. You shouldn’t be so angry—it might harm our child.”
“You’re always saying these useless things! Now even Shen Yunhuai is on that bitch’s side, I’m constrained everywhere, and I’ve even lost the household authority. How am I supposed to swallow this anger!”
Madam Meng’s tone was sharp and harsh.
Her usually gentle and virtuous mask had completely shattered.
Butler Lin felt somewhat humiliated at being scolded, but he still had to coax her.
“Madam, Shen Yunhuai has been blinded by beauty and is siding with Wen Jiushu. But don’t forget—the Shen family doesn’t only have Shen Yunhuai. You’ve raised the Shen children for many years. They listen to you the most.”
Hearing this, Madam Meng calmed slightly.
That was true.
There was also Shen Yunxi, Shen Yunyao, and Shen Yunling—all of them had been well trained and obedient.
Shen Yunhuai being rebellious didn’t matter.
The more rebellious he was, the more easily he would fall into ruin.
“Shen Yunxi should be returning tomorrow, right?” Madam Meng sneered.
She could still use others to do her dirty work.
“Yes. Madam, don’t be angry. The Shen household is still in your control. And I’m still here with you,” Butler Lin coaxed patiently.
“You?” Madam Meng looked at him with contempt in her heart.
You’re just a useless man. A mere steward—if you weren’t useful for relieving my loneliness, you wouldn’t even be qualified to share my bed.
But outwardly, she relaxed slightly and leaned into his arms.
“Cousin… am I getting old?”
That little beast Shen Yunhuai had people calling her “Old Madam” already.
It infuriated her.
She was only in her forties, and well-maintained—she looked no more than in her early thirties. How was that old?
“You’re not old. Whoever says you are is blind. In my eyes, you’ll always be beautiful,” Butler Lin said, his rough hand wandering disrespectfully along her waist.
“Behave yourself.”
Madam Meng snapped.
She was already exhausted from the turmoil and Shen Yunhuai’s anger; she had no energy to entertain him.
“I truly don’t want to?” he asked.
She didn’t respond.
Perhaps due to her pregnancy, her desire had been unusually strong lately.
With his touch, she became slightly restless again.
“Madam is my heart and soul. How could I bear to let you exert yourself? Just relax and enjoy,” Butler Lin said, lifting her into his arms and carrying her toward the inner chamber.
“You old lecher,” she scolded, glaring at him.
But Butler Lin only laughed.
He liked this half-resistant, half-willing attitude of hers—it made him feel young again.
Even if he secretly drank tonic soups, it was still enough to satisfy her.
But unexpectedly, Madam Meng went into a slight fetal disturbance afterward.
“Third Master,” Mu Si reported after delivering the letter, “the kitchen says the Old Madam is brewing medicine.”
“Oh?”
A cold smile appeared on Shen Yunhuai’s lips.
He got up and headed to the kitchen.
One quarter of an hour later.
A maid from Madam Meng’s courtyard came to fetch medicine.
“Madam Zhang, is the Old Madam’s medicine ready—”
As she stepped into the kitchen, she froze.
Sensing danger, she quickly lowered her head.
“T-Third Master.”
Shen Yunhuai curved his lips. “Mother is ill? Why haven’t I heard about it? What medicine is being brewed?”
Steam rose from the medicine pot in front of him.
All the servants in the kitchen kept their heads down, not daring to make a sound.
Because Mu Si stood there with men, holding blades and watching them.
The maid stammered in fear. “R-Replying to Third Master, the Old Madam is just having internal heat… this is a cooling herbal decoction prescribed by a doctor!”
Shen Yunhuai let out a soft laugh.
The maid felt her scalp tighten.
In the past, his smile had seemed flirtatious and charming.
Now it only felt chilling.
“You’re a maid by Mother’s side. What’s your name again?”
“Spring Chan, sir.”
“Did Mother treat you badly?”
He suddenly asked.
Spring Chan froze. “No… the Old Madam treats me very well, she’s never hit me…”
Before she could finish, Shen Yunhuai grabbed her wrist.
“Third Master, what are you doing?!”
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hit you,” he said gently.
His voice was soft enough that her resistance faded slightly.
He pulled down her sleeve.
On her arm were dark bruises—blue and purple marks, all over.
Some old, some new.
Clearly from pinching and twisting.
“This is what you call ‘very well treated’?”
Spring Chan quickly pulled her arm back, tears falling. “Third Master, please spare me.”
She dropped to her knees.
“I’m not punishing you. Why kneel?” he said kindly, helping her up again with a gentle smile. “Spring Chan, the medicine is ready. Take it to the Old Madam.”
Something felt wrong to her instinctively.
But under his smiling gaze and the pressure of the armed guards behind her, she trembled and said, “Yes…”
Before leaving, Shen Yunhuai glanced over the kitchen.
“Have I been here today?”
Everyone froze, then quickly shook their heads.
“No, no—we haven’t seen Third Master.”
“Good.”
He smiled. “If what happened today gets out, then what happened to those servants in Madam’s courtyard this morning will be your fate. Understand?”