In order to prevent others from criticizing Xiang Zhuo, Shen Liang had specifically informed Lei Zhen to tell Auntie Sun to state to the public that Xiang Zhuo came to the Marquis Donglin Manor with a formal invitation for a small gathering. No one expected that such a matter incurred a disaster though.
Slap!
When the news spread to the back courtyard, the old madame who had been ill in bed immediately overturned the bowl of medicine angrily, "Because of him, my Yang'er had to go through such an ordeal and had everything ruined. That little b*stard actually still has the time and energy to host small gatherings with other noble children? Xiang Chun, go, call him over to Lotus Fragrance Courtyard. This old one doesn't believe that I can't settle him."
When comparing Shen Yang and Shen Liang's circumstances, the old madame couldn't help the rising anger in her chest. Adding on that it was impossible for her to find Duke Duan for vengeance, she simply attributed everything onto Shen Liang's head. If it weren't for his clever tongue speaking what shouldn't be said before the Elder Princess, how could the Elder Princess's Manor land their sights on them? How would her Yang'er end up like that? If he had begged for the Duke of Qingping's help from the very beginning, all of this could've been avoided. But now, her Yang'er had been harmed to the point at which he shuts himself in his room all day. Shen Liang sure had it good. He actually carried himself with the airs belonging to a Prince Consort of Qingping Manor, and was even seeing guests in his own courtyard. Very good, indeed.
"This..."
Chunxiang, the maidservant of the Lotus Fragrance Courtyard couldn't help but hesitate. With their fifth young master's temperament, was the old madame sure she even had the capability of calling him here? Even if he came, wouldn't it only be adding fuel to the fire and end up angering her even more? The physician had stated that with her current body, it was unsuitable for her to endure any more anger and agitate herself. If she were to be angered into vomiting blood, they feared she would end up having a stroke!
"This what? Why aren't you going already?!" the old madame, who was still immersed in her fury, wouldn't think that far. How was it possible for her to do so? Right now, her mind was occupied with deliberating over ways to torture Shen Liang and suppressing his arrogance. She never considered whether Shen Liang would even bother coming or not or whether if he came, whether he would end up angering her to death instead.
"Mother, what use is there in making it difficult for him? With Shen Liang's temperament, do you expect him to come over and take care of you?"
If he wanted to come, he would've come over long ago," Lu Yang pursed her lips into a thin line but never spoke the latter half of her thoughts out loud. She only waved her hand to dismissed Chunxiang who appeared as though she had been forced into a difficult spot.
"He dares to not come?!" the old madame's eyes glared with fury with an expression that spoke of her adamancy.
Lu Yang had a straightforward and frank personality and spoke bluntly: "He dared to already tear faces with us. What else left is there that he wouldn't dare to do? Mother, you should calm down. Even I know that it'll be fruitless to use the word 'filial' to suppress him. Now that his reputation has soared within the Imperial City and we have attained the impression of being the scheming elders who oppressed him, even if we told the public he was unfilial, I'm afraid others would only think we were tarnishing his reputation deliberately. If he were to cry with grievances again once or twice outside, then I'm afraid we'd be reduced to street rats who the others could spat at everywhere we go."
Lu Yang couldn't restrain the rising fury as she spoke. Two days ago, when she had returned to her maiden family, her sister-in-law, who had always been at odds with her, had used all sorts of manners with underlying meaning in her words to rub this matter in her face. Even now, Lu Yang couldn't calm the discomfort in her heart.
"Mother's words are not wrong. Grandmother, we can no longer resort to these lukewarm methods to deal with fifth brother anymore. We must end it with one strike where it hurts and ensure that he has no way of recovering." Shen Jing, who had endured through quite some humiliation and suffering recently, had plenty of time to deliberate of the matter recently and cajoled. Originally. compared to Shen Qiang and Shen Qiao, her reputation would've still been considered well off and would only suffer a bit from the third Imperial Prince Consort's covert but obvious oppression. However, since Shen Xiao and Shen Yang's crimes and their rape had spread around Imperial City, the sisters whom she usually spent her days with had all began to alienate her one by one. Now, her situation at Tianmen Academy was no different from Shen Qiang and Shen Qiao and resembled that of bedbugs that everyone shunned. It was impossible for her to ever return to her former glory. If this progressed, then it would be hard for her to even marry into a marquis family, much less the Imperial Family. And all of this, everything was because of Shen Liang. If it weren't for him, she would've never been reduced to this point!
"Yes, Grandmother, you must help us avenge Gege. His entire future has been ruined by Shen Liang now," Shen Qiao, who stepped into the Lotus Fragrance Courtyard alongside her mother Zhao Lan, caught their conversations immediately. She hurriedly threw herself before the old madame with tears in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks. Her gaze was filled with contorted envy and hatred, consumed by fury.
"Mother, my Yang'er..." only then did Zhao Lan open her mouth and couldn't restrain her falling tears either. Now that her son had ended up like that, her heart felt as though they had been ripped from her chest. But the people who harmed her Yang'er just had to have such noble background and status. They weren't people any of them could afford to offend. However, if they delved into the root of the problem, wasn't it all Shen Liang and Liu Shuhan's fault? She definitely wouldn't let them go!
"Alright now! What are you crying for? This old madame hasn't passed away yet," unable to bear their depressed expressions and crying one after another, the old madame let out a low growl. Her face creased from old age contorted with viciousness as she gritted her teeth and stated, "Have someone call inform the main courtyard that tomorrow, everyone should accompany this old madame to Xiangguo Temple to pray for the common people and the Marquis Manor. Everyone, including that little b*stard, Shen Liang, shall accompany me."
"I will pass the order now."
When they heard the madame's words, the entire courtyard filled with people revealed expressions of pleasant surprise. Lu Yang practically trotted out with glee. They had been planning this matter for far too long. If it weren't for Shen Xiao and Shen Yang's incident, it wouldn't have procrastinated to this point. Shen Liang wouldn't have had the opportunity to grow so arrogant.
Qingbo Courtyard
"Pray for blessings tomorrow at Xiangguo Temple? Isn't the old madame still recovering from her illness?"
After receiving the notice from the maidservant from the Lotus Fragrance Courtyard, Auntie Sun, who had been in charge of affairs of the back courtyard was immediately perplexed.
The maid beside her whispered: "I heard they also sent people to inform those from Chonglin Courtyard as well. It looked like they wanted to call along the fifth young master and the madame as well. With their temperament, they should hate the fifth young master to death now. Why would they suddenly call him along?"
"En, I'm afraid their scheming to harm the fifth young master," Sun Jing nodded her head. She had been Shen Ruiting's concubine for thirteen years now and had more or less garnered a good understanding of those madames. Even though she didn't know their exact plans, their intention were obvious.
"Should we let the fifth young master know?"
"No need. Since we could infer such, how is it possible the fifth young master won't be able to? Us sending someone to inform him would only prove to be redundant," Sun Jing shook her head and refused the maid's suggestion. As of today, she could be considered one of Shen Liang's people. It was only natural that she was biased towards him but it was unnecessary to prove herself with these insignificant deeds before him. It would suffice for her to play her role and act out her responsibilities well.
"Madame. Madame. Not good..." amidst their exchange, another maidservant hurriedly stumbled in with frenzy.
Sun Jing's brows furrowed imperceptibly, "What is it? Look at yourself, crying and stumbling around. How inappropriate!"
How that she was a concubine in charge of back courtyard affairs, there was no say how many eyes there were on her in the shadows. She couldn't afford to make even the slightest mistake. Even her maid's actions and recklessness could influence the marquis's impression of her.
Sun Jing was well aware that everything she had now was given to her by Shen Ruiting. If it weren't for his momentary kindness, she would have nothing left. She, herself, would be nothing.
"No madame, I..." Aware that she had lost her composure, the maid still couldn't restrain her panic. Faced with Sun Jing's displeased gaze, she took a deep breath before finally relaying: "Madame, the Marquis Madame refused to accompany the old madame to Xiangguo Temple. She said... said... said..."
"Said what? Speak clearly."
The stuttering maid didn't dare to finish her words and another maid had to hurry forward and demand with impatience.
"Speak."
"Marquis Madame said that she is with a child now and is two months pregnant. It is not convenient for her to leave the manor."
"What did you say?!" Sun Jing hands slammed heavily against the table as she stood up. Her widened eyes were clouded with disbelief and fury. Liu Shuhan was pregnant? Based on what? She had killed her son and harmed her to the degree that she was now unable to ever conceive another child. With what qualifications did she have to be a mother? No, she definitely can't allow her to give birth to this child successfully. She definitely won't allow it!
"Immediately send for the Imperial City's best physician to take the Marquis Madame's pulse." It would not be the first time Liu Shuhan was pregnant. How was it possible that she only found out that she was pregnant up until now? And it just so happened to be at such an inconvenient time.
Sun Jing, who finally regained her composure and senses immediately relayed her orders. She sure wanted to see whether Liu Shuhan was truly pregnant or deliberately chose such an excuse to avoid being schemed on.
Concurrently, Chonglin Courtyard.
"The old madame requests my accompaniment to Xiangguo Temple tomorrow to pray for the common people and the Marquis Manor?"
Because of Chonglin Courtyard's remote and isolated location, it took the maids of the Lotus Fragrance Courtyard until now to inform Shen Liang. However, when Shen Liang heard the notice, he only revealed a placid smile. Those pair of exquisite eyes bore into Chunxiang and seemed as though they could see through her soul. Chunxiang could be considered a maid with authority in the Marquis Manor and struggled to ignore the oppression overlaid on her from that gaze. It was only after she recovered that she bowed and stated: "Yes. The old madame stated that recently, the Imperial City and the Marquis Manor had been stricken with disaster after disaster and as occupants of back courtyards, she is powerless to do anything else. The only thing she can do is head over to Xiangguo Temple and pray for the gods to stop torturing everyone. The old madame also said that in the past, she admits she had neglected the fifth young master which is why she has this servant come and invite the fifth young master to accompany her on this trip. She hopes that the fifth young master won't disdain this invite and hold grudges and will accompany her to Xiangguo Temple tomorrow."
These words had been prepared for and Chunxiang only needed to speak them but simply doing so made Chunxiang felt as though she was suffering from a pressure she had never felt before. Subtly, she couldn't help but worry about the old madame and the other madames' plans' adequacy.
"it's been hard on the old madame to be so considerate. Send my response to the old madame that I will be there tomorrow," Shen Liang lowered his gaze to hide the chill in them. When he raised his head again, all that remained was a faint smile and an undecipherable gaze.
"Yes, this slave will excuse herself now," Chunxiang bowed with respect before turning around and leaving.
"Liangliang, you definitely cannot go. There's no way they have anything good planned for you!"
"Right. We'd be fortunate if they don't hate you to death already. How is it possible that their intentions of remedying their relationship with you is anything but sincere?"
"Liangliang, this time, you must listen to us. You really cannot go."
The moment the maid left, Fu Ying, Qi Yue, and Qi Xuan all materialized and circled Shen Liang to persuade him. Their faces adorned the same expressions of concern when a figure in mauve entered their visions. The three couldn't help but freeze where they stood, as though they didn't even know when he had arrived. But since he was here, then he would definitely be able to persuade Liangliang. The three felt reassured.
"What is it? They still haven't given up?" with a single arm, he wrapped around Shen Liang's shoulders. Pei Yuanxian's gaze passed through them and looked outside. They had ruined two of their children this time, but they still won't subside. They truly were people who won't admit their defeat until they see their coffins.
"In their eyes, I'm afraid the words 'give up' simply doesn't exist." Xiangguo Temple, praying for blessings. What a familiar scheme!
There was a smile on Shen Liang's face but his eyes were filled with a bone-deep chill. In his previous life, it should be around this time as well. He had already been acquainted with Qin Yunshen then when they also invited him with fervent to Xiangguo Temple along with them. Afterwards... Qi Yue left him forever. Shen Liang originally thought this life would be vastly different and this matter wouldn't repeat itself. He never thought that what will come has still come. It just that this time, the person who dies won't be Qi Yue!
"You're going," subtly sensing that keen and familiar aura of anger and resentment emanating from him, Pei Yuanxian's brows furrowed imperceptible. His words seemed to be an inquiry but used an affirmative tone. Intuition told him that Liangliang was angry. Incensed. Hence, he clearly knew that this was a trap but would still jump in without hesitation.