“Don’t talk nonsense. My father is already buried underground—how could he be struck by lightning?”
Mu Si grew anxious. “He was struck while buried underground.”
Shen Yunhuai: “……”
Mu Si dropped to his knees with a thud. “The Old Marquis’s grave was struck by lightning last night.”
Shen Yunhuai stood there, completely stunned.
[The Old Marquis’s coffin lid is about to hold him down no longer… soon he will…]
He suddenly remembered his sister-in-law’s inner voice.
It was actually true?
His sister-in-law could truly foresee the future!
Shen Yunhuai’s expression darkened at once. “Get changed. We’re going to Father’s place.”
Just as he stepped out, he suddenly paused and changed direction.
“Third Master, aren’t we going to the Old Marquis’s place?” Mu Si hurriedly followed. “That’s not the way out of the residence.”
“We’re going to invite Sister-in-law.”
Shen Yunhuai’s instinct told him: bringing her along would be the safest choice.
“You want me to go?” Wen Jiushu looked slightly surprised. The Old Marquis’s grave being struck by lightning was within her expectations, but Shen Yunhuai coming to invite her was not.
“Yes. I’m worried last night’s fire in the ancestral hall angered Father. When he was alive, he always listened to my elder brother. Now that my brother isn’t at home, I want to ask Sister-in-law to come along—consider it… offering comfort to Father on behalf of my brother.”
Shen Yunhuai spoke very respectfully.
His tone was sincere and polite.
Seeing this sincerity, Wen Jiushu did not refuse. She still needed to stay in the Shen household for a while, and maintaining a good relationship with them was not a bad thing.
“Alright.”
Seeing her agree, Shen Yunhuai finally relaxed.
On their way out, they unexpectedly ran into Madam Meng.
She had also received news that the Old Marquis’s grave had been struck by lightning.
“Yunhuai, why are you bringing her along?” she asked.
“Mother, since Father’s grave was struck by lightning, what does Mother think is the reason?” Shen Yunhuai replied coldly.
Madam Meng’s eyes flickered. Why did it feel like he was interrogating her?
Did he suspect something?
That shouldn’t be possible.
She and the housekeeper hadn’t exposed anything.
The ancestral hall fire was just an accident.
The lightning strike at the grave must also be an accident…
“The storm last night was heavy. Thunder and lightning are natural phenomena. If we must ask why, perhaps your father is blaming us for letting you marry an unvirtuous woman as your elder brother’s wife…”
“Is that so?” Shen Yunhuai cut her off coldly. “I think this is a warning from the heavens. My Shen family indeed has something unclean—but it may not be because of Sister-in-law.”
[Has Third Brother’s mind suddenly cleared up?]
Was he implying Madam Meng?
Shen Yunhuai wasn’t as foolish as she had thought.
Wen Jiushu smiled faintly, her lips curling. “Are we going or not?”
“Sister-in-law bowed to Father on the day she entered the household. Father did not object then, so how could it be because of Sister-in-law now? Mother should not say such unpleasant things again.”
Shen Yunhuai said.
Madam Meng was completely stunned.
The Old Marquis was dead!
Wen Jiushu had merely offered tea to a memorial tablet—how could a tablet object?
Was Shen Yunhuai insane?
A woman like Wen Jiushu, without propriety or restraint, could actually become the Marquis’s wife?
Madam Meng almost laughed from anger.
But she was always good at pretending. After decades in the Marquis household, she quickly put on a kind, gentle expression.
“Very well. I am not your birth mother after all. Since you have chosen to acknowledge her, I will go and offer a few more bows to your father.”
Wen Jiushu glanced at her. “A tongue of Buddha, a heart of a snake.”
Then she walked straight past Madam Meng.
Madam Meng gritted her teeth.
That little wretch!
A very accurate assessment from Sister-in-law.
“Mother really should go and bow a few more times,” Shen Yunhuai said with a cold smile.
Break your head open while you’re at it.
Let’s see whether Father forgives you or not.
Two carriages were prepared at the gate—one luxurious, one ordinary.
“Sister-in-law, please get in,” Shen Yunhuai said.
Wen Jiushu had no intention of taking the luxurious one.
Unexpectedly, Shen Yunhuai spoke again. “Help Sister-in-law onto the carriage.”
She paused slightly.
Yuanbao was quick-witted. “Yes, Miss. This servant will help you up.”
There was a luxury carriage—why not take it?
Wen Jiushu got on without hesitation.
Seeing her take the carriage that should have been hers, Madam Meng’s face darkened. “Yunhuai, that’s my carriage!”
“Mother,” Shen Yunhuai said lightly, “Sister-in-law is in poor health. You’ve always been kind to your juniors—you wouldn’t compete with her over something like this, would you?”