"En...."
The sky had just began to lighten. Shen Liang frowned and issued a groan. The moment he turned over a sharp pain coursed from his arm. His closed eyes slowly opened. The depths of his eyes rendered impatience and confusion. It was evident that he had just woken up and hadn't broken from his sleepy trance. It was only after a long while that he recalled he had gone back a decade in time.
Shen Liang sucked in his breath.
He turned over to sit up and the quilt covering his body slipped down to his waist. Shen Liang took a glance over his pure white attire in contrast to his torn arm. The wound was refreshingly cool, evident that someone had redressed the gauze. Due to the fever and his injury, he had actually slept until the next day. This fifteen year old body of his was in a worst condition than he imagined. Shen Liang didn't have to imagine just exactly how he had suffered under the Marquis Manor's oppression and rule.
"Liangliang, you're awake? Why didn't you call us?"
Qi Yue, who had sensed commotion, came in carrying a tray. Trailing behind her, Qi Xuan came in with a basin filled with hot steaming water.
"I just woke. What time is it?"
Shen Liang lifted the cover with his uninjured arm as he peered out the window. It was still gray and can't be that long before dawn.
"Hour of Mao. The fever has receded. The wound has also ceased bleeding." *Hour of Mao is from 5-7am.*
Qi Yue reached out to touch his forehead before quietly breathing a sigh of relief.
"Liangliang, come on over to wash up."
"Oh. Alright."
Shen Liang obediently rose. In his previous life, after Qi Yue and Qi Xuan died from schemes and conspiracies, no one sincerely cared for him anymore. Such a simple morning routine bathed Shen Liang with nostalgic warmth. Shen Liang felt a sour taste in his chest. No matter what, he was once the empress of the Great Qin Dynasty, mother of the country. Perhaps no one would believe him if he said he wanted nothing more than to pursue a normal life.
It was a pity that he was destined to never have a normal life. The Heavens weren't bling and have given him this opportunity. The grudges and vengeance from his previous life will be repaid in this life. Even if it meant the price was this dynasty itself!
"Liangliang, are...you uncomfortable?"
Qi Yue and QI Xuan who had already made the necessary preparations looked at him with concern. They couldn't help but sense the difference in Shen Liang since yesterday. But exactly where that difference lied was intangible and they were unable to pinpoint it.
"En?"
Shen Liang broke away from his trance and looked up at them. He then gestured for them to have a seat, "Did anyone give you trouble yesterday?"
He had targeted Liu Shuhan, the mother-daughter pair. The two of them couldn't allow it to be. Although his approach and confrontation was risky, he had endured enough from his previous life. But he had nothing now. For Liu Shuhan to force him to his death was as easy as killing an ant. However, as it was, Shen Liang had no intentions of letting them be as well.
"No. After I headed over to collect the monthly spending and necessities, the housekeeper first said she needed to ask the madame first, but afterwards what should be given were all given."
After the two maids exchanged glances, Qi Xuan was the one who responded.
"Speaking of which, it was strange. When we saw that you were still unconscious last night and it would be inconvenient with your injury, we told the housekeeper we would need to temporarily open the small kitchen quarters. We originally thought she wouldn't agree, but she did. She even took the initiative to allocate the materials and necessities needed for the kitchen."
Not only that. the housekeeper even told them that if they were unaccustomed to any of the furniture or items in the courtyard, they could tell the housekeeper and some money could be taken out to account for new ones.
The housekeeper was the madame's person. This wasn't logical. Qi Yue and Qi Xuan had deliberated over the servants' motives and intentions but still weren't able to decipher their purpose behind the goodwill.
Shen Liang laughed sarcastically. "It's not strange. Liu Shuhan has always been concerned about her reputation and public image. Since I have returned, it would be inevitable for me to go out and meet others. As eldest brother has now achieved great meritorious deeds, praises circulate both in and out of court. If the public were to discover that my living conditions weren't even comparable to that of servants, how would they look at Liu Shuhan? Not only such, but Liu Shuhan would need to determine exactly how to raise me well and treat my body in the shortest possible time. Don't be courteous and if anything is needed, just tell them."
In just one breath, Shen Liang rooted out Liu Shuhan's intentions. He had seen too much of this scheme in his previous life. After marrying Qin Yunshen, he had been exposed to numerous schemes and conspiracies in the fourth prince's palace. After, he became the empress and such schemes only harshened and intensified. Their means became crueler and more complicated. It wasn't that Shen Liang didn't understand. He simply didn't care. If he was correct, Liu Shuhan would seek out other means of silencing him. But would she succeed?
Thinking of this, Shen Liang's beautiful cherry blossom lips exposed a sneer. He wouldn't be a fool in this life and stupidly cooperate. Who was the predator and who was the prey was still unknown!
"So we don't have to live so bitterly anymore?"
Qi Xuan's temper was easy to ignite. In other words, such people were also relatively naïve. Even Qi Yue was helpless against her innocence. She shook her head and said helplessly, "Don't just look at the surface. If the madame is adamant about silencing Liangliang, such a place isn't much better off than living in the countryside. In the future, we'd need to be more clever and resourceful."
"En, what Yue Ge said is right. Xuan Ge, in the future, speak less. In the country, those who are unhappy display their emotions nakedly on their face. It's different here. On the surface, they'll smile like fairy, but who knows just what they have planned behind our backs." *Qi Yue and Qi Xuan appears to be Gers. Their pronouns will now change to he/him/his.*
Shen Liang agreed with QI Yue. Originally, he was still worried that Qi Yue would be too compassionate. It seems like even his compassion depended on who it was fed to. He was still able to see very clearly just what kind of character those at the Marquis Manor have. However...
"I know. Just like the seventh young lady, correct?"
Qi Xuan who had been repeatedly lectured by his brother and Shen Liang wasn't unhappy. He instead smiled and watched as Shen Liang and Qi Yue laugh. If possible, they all wish Qi Xuan would be able to always maintain his simplicity and innocence.
"Liangliang, are you really planning on just letting the madame go with the matter regarding the bandits? Why don't you go to the court to expose them? At least say something to the Marquis? She overstepped her bounds this time! They came after your life."
As his smile dissipated, a frown emerged on Qi Yue's face. The topic once again returned. Shen Liang shook his head, "What they wanted wasn't my life. They wanted to bandits to take me and simply ruin my reputation. Along with that, so would elder brother's reputation suffer."
As for why Liu Shuhan also kidnapped the young master Duan Yu, that was also for a future plan. But seeing as it had been prevented, Shen Liang had no intentions of pursuing the matter.
Although it was like this, it didn't do any good against Qi Yue and Qi Xuan's anger. They were also Gers and the reputations of Gers was no different than that of women. It meant more than their life. They were driving Liangliang to his death and didn't even neglect to implicate the eldest young master. But the eldest young master was now bringing honor to the Marquis Manor. Weren't they doing too much?!
"Liangliang, let's go find the Marquis."
After a while, Qi Yue reached over to grab Shen Liang's hands. As he was about to rise, Shen Liang forcefully pulled him back down, "What would telling the Marquis do? Who would believe us without the evidence? Even if he did believe me, would he punish Liu Shuhan for me? Yue Ge, have you forgot exactly who despises me the most in this manor?"
For Liu Shuhan and her people to hate him, Shen Liang understood. But for his own father to despise him this much, Shen Liang never comprehended. He would be lying if he said he wasn't hurt. It was what should be injured had already been done so in his previous life. Since the Marquis had never taken him as a son, then he would also neglect to take the Marquis as his father. In this life, Shen Ruiting was also a target of his vengeance.
"Then we're just letting them go like that?"
Not willing!
QI Yue and Qi Xuan's eyes reddened from the grievance as they gritted their teeth. Their Liangliang was the best. Why did they treat him like this?
"It's impossible to just let them go like this. Rest assured. I will slowly take back what they owe me."
After, Shen Liang rose up and patted their shoulders. He then headed over to the simple desk and took out paper and wrote the word "retribution." Those who have committed evil deeds will face retribution. Nightmares will envelop their dreams. And those with a wolf's heart and a dog's lungs will not escape either.
"Liangliang, your calligraphy..."
Since when did it became so beautiful?
Qi Yue and Qi Xuan headed over to take a look and both were taken aback. The characters were written broadly and magnificently. It was simple, but majestic, with the overall structure relaxed and measured. The strokes were like dragons in floating clouds.