Shen Wan shook her head, trying to clear her mind of these unpleasant thoughts, and continued reading. Haitang, standing to the side, asked, "Second Master has been promoted. Shouldn't the Princess return to the manor to offer her congratulations?"

It's not that I'm going back to offer my congratulations.

Shen Wan felt closer to the fourth branch of the family, but at least on the surface, she had to treat them all equally. She couldn't just go back home when her fourth uncle got promoted and pretend that her second uncle didn't know anything about it; that would give people too much to talk about.

But she only found out last night that someone wanted to kill her, and Shen Wan was now somewhat reluctant to leave the mansion.

Closing the book in her hand, Shen Wan went to the study to find Xie Jingyan.

When Shen Wan entered the study, Xie Jingyan was instructing Chen Feng on a task, saying, "Go and do it."

Chen Feng accepted the order and withdrew.

Shen Wan walked over and said, "Second Master has been promoted one rank, and I need to return to the Marquis's residence to offer my congratulations. Will you accompany me back?"

Xie Jingyan said, "You were frightened twice yesterday. You should stay at home and rest well today. Tomorrow is a day off for the court. I will accompany you back to the Pingyang Marquis's residence. I have already asked Chen Feng to prepare the congratulatory gift for your second uncle. You don't need to worry about it."

Shen Wan never expected Xie Jingyan to prepare a congratulatory gift for the Second Master. What did the Second Master do to deserve this? She didn't even plan to prepare one herself; she just asked Zhou Mama to prepare one.

Now that everything is prepared, Shen Wan can relax a bit.

Without disturbing Xie Jingyan's reading, Shen Wan went back to her room and continued to lounge on the small couch, munching on fruit while flipping through her book.

The following day, after breakfast, Shen Wan returned to the Pingyang Marquis's residence accompanied by Xie Jingyan.

Shen Wan thought she had returned early enough, but when the carriage stopped, she saw that the carriage that Shen Ying usually rode in, which belonged to the Prince of Jin's residence, had been taken away. Shen Ying had returned before her, and Xie Jingyin had accompanied her back.

After entering the Marquis's residence, Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan went to the old lady's Qinghui Courtyard. Just as they reached the screen, they heard Shen Ying speaking, "Last time, Father failed to take the position of Military Equipment Supervisor, and I felt sorry for Father for a long time. It turns out that there is something better waiting for Father. Speaking of which, I should thank Prince Ling properly."

The second wife then asked, "Prince Xie Ling?"

Shen Ying said, "Last time Father was going to be promoted to the Director of the Arsenal, but this time the Emperor definitely won't promote Father."

Shen Wan stood behind the screen, rolling her eyes inwardly.

She knew perfectly well that Shen Ying was deliberately saying this to her and Xie Jingyan, to provoke them. They had blocked the Second Master and helped the Fourth Master, but as a result, the Second Master was promoted to an even higher rank. Although there was only one rank between the fourth rank and the third rank, many ministers could not cross that rank in their entire lives, so it was no wonder they were so happy.

Shen Wan pretended not to hear Shen Ying's sarcastic words and walked in calmly. When she saw her, Shen Ying smiled and said, "I was thinking of going to the Lingwang Mansion to visit my elder sister later. I didn't expect my elder sister to be back. Judging from your appearance, you should not have been frightened by falling into the water and being assassinated."

Shen Wan said, "I came back to congratulate my second uncle on his promotion."

As she spoke, she looked at the Second Master and said, "Congratulations, Second Uncle."

The second wife wanted to say a few sarcastic remarks to Chen Wan, but before she could speak, Chen Jing walked in. The words that were on the tip of her tongue could only be swallowed back down.

Shen Jing walked in, and Shen Wan called out, "Father."

Xie Jingyan bowed and said, "Your son-in-law greets your father-in-law."

The servants of the Marquis of Pingyang's residence were already used to this shouting.

Shen Jing nodded, then bowed to Xie Jingyin, "Greetings, Prince Jin."

Those four simple words immediately turned Xie Jingyin's eyes cold.

He and Xie Jingyan were both princes, but Shen Jing only bowed to him, which shows their relative closeness.

Xie Jingyin stood up and helped Chen Jing up, saying, "The Marquis of Pingyang and my sixth brother are so informal, yet you treat me like such a stranger?"

Shen Jing frowned almost imperceptibly, but said nothing.

Shen Wan was slightly annoyed. Xie Jingyin's words sounded like he wanted her father to treat everyone equally, but in reality, he wanted her father to also pay his respects to Xie Jingyan, because her father couldn't possibly not pay his respects to the Prince of Jin.

Moreover, it's not that her father didn't understand etiquette. In her previous life, when she married Xie Jingyin, her father always treated the Prince of Jin with great courtesy.

The father treated Xie Jingyan very differently.

Shen Wan liked this difference very much.

She quickly changed the subject, saying, "It's rare to come back and run into Father at the mansion."

Looking at Shen Wan, Shen Jing smiled and said, "The Eighth Prince said that you and Prince Ling were assassinated but were not frightened. Father did not believe it. It seems that you have become much bolder after marrying Prince Ling."

Shen Wan said, "No matter what danger I encounter, Your Highness will protect me."

Shen Jing believes this.

Xie Jingyan was punished to guard the imperial tombs, yet he still came to the Marquis of Pingyang's residence to save his daughter's life. What else is there to doubt?

Seeing Shen Jing, Shen Wan, and Xie Jingyan chatting and laughing, Xie Jingyin's eyes were somewhat gloomy.

Fortunately, a servant came in at that moment and said, "Second Master, the Vice Minister of Revenue and the Earl of Anding have come to offer their congratulations..."

The Second Master was promoted yesterday and is on leave today. Many ministers will surely come to offer their congratulations. The Second Master got up to greet them. Although it was to congratulate the Second Master, Shen Jing was in the mansion, so he had to show his face. Shen Jing called Xie Jingyan over, and Xie Jingyin also got up.

People came to offer their congratulations in an endless stream, and many of them came with their wives. The second wife went to greet them, and the fourth wife helped to take care of them.

Before long, he led several ladies in. Seeing that Shen Wan and Shen Ying were both there, he quickly bowed to them.

Of the four daughters in the family, two became princesses and one became the future wife of the crown prince. Who in the capital wouldn't envy them?

However, the Pingyang Marquis's residence was either incredibly good or extremely bad.

The third wife's daughter unexpectedly married her cousin, the young master Wu, who was a womanizer. The third wife was also sent away from the capital. The second wife produced a Princess Consort of Jin, but the eldest son of the second wife died unexpectedly under the hooves of a horse. Such ups and downs are really hard for those with weak constitutions to bear.

Of course, these ladies were not fools. When they brought up unpleasant things about the Pingyang Marquis's residence, they only said the nice things and flattered the old lady in every way, which the old lady appreciated very much.

Shen Wan disliked listening to such flattery, but she had been sitting for most of the hour and Xie Jingyan had not sent anyone to fetch her to return to the manor together, so Shen Wan had no choice but to continue sitting.

Her hips were aching from sitting so long that she couldn't stand it any longer. Shen Wan secretly winked at Yin Shuang, signaling her to go find Xie Jingyan.

These ladies came for the Second Branch and Shen Ying, so they were destined not to have anything in common with her. She was better off going back to the Ling Prince's Mansion to sleep than helping the Second Branch save face by entertaining guests.

However, since she was the daughter of the Marquis of Pingyang, she couldn't directly say she was leaving. As long as Xie Jingyan coughed twice and said he was going back to the manor to take medicine, she could leave with him.

Shen Wan waited patiently, but Yin Shuang returned and whispered in her ear, "The prince said to stay until he's finished watching the show..."

Shen Wan, “…???”

Watching the show?

What's the excitement here?

She wanted to tell the second mistress about the second master's affair, but she hadn't found an opportunity yet.

Shen Wan was curious about what Xie Jingyan meant by "excitement." Just then, a maid rushed in, saying urgently, "Second Madam, something terrible has happened! The Second Master's mistress has come to our door!"