Chapter 11 Two-Sided

The Listening Bamboo Pavilion was completely silent.

Shen Zhilan sat by the window, a book open on her lap, but her gaze was fixed on the swaying bamboo shadows outside the window, and she didn't really read it.

Ling Wei paused in the inner room, her breathing even and deep, while Yun Sui and Yun Qi stood in the outer room.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, light footsteps sounded outside and stopped at the courtyard gate.

Qing Shu silently blocked the doorway.

The visitor was Shen Zhiyi.

He still wore that cheerful smile, and his voice was clear: "Sister Guard, Father requests that my brother come over and have a chat."

Qing Shu said calmly, "Minister Shen is resting with His Highness."

Shen Zhiyi's smile remained unchanged: "It's rare for Father to see my elder brother. We'll just have a chat, it won't take too long."

As he spoke, he began to walk inside.

Qing Shu didn't move his feet, but blocked his way: "His Highness is a light sleeper and doesn't like to be disturbed."

The atmosphere became slightly tense.

At this moment, Yun Sui couldn't help but step forward, her tone somewhat stiff: "My lord is tired today and has already gone to rest."

Shen Zhiyi's smile faded slightly. He turned his gaze to Yun Sui, stared at him for a moment, and then slowly said, "Yun Sui, it's only natural for your elder brother to return home and chat with your parents. Why is it so difficult for you to even see your family now that you've entered the Prince's mansion?"

Just then, the curtain to the inner room was gently lifted.

Shen Zhilan came out, his clothes were straightened, his face was calm and expressionless. He gave Qing Shu a slight nod, then looked at Shen Zhiyi and nodded.

Shen Zhiyi's face immediately lit up with a smile again: "Brother, please come in, Father is waiting."

The study in the east courtyard of the Shen family mansion.

Su Hui, Shen Zhilan's biological father, sat at the head of the table with a gloomy face. Shen Zhiyi stood to the side, his gaze sweeping over his elder brother before he lowered his eyes, appearing docile.

Su Hui said irritably, "It's all over the place that the Fifth Prince is very fond of that merchant's son, and even dared to ask for the position of the Yuanjun on the second day of his marriage."

He stared at Shen Zhilan, his tone almost accusatory, "Don't you have anything to say?"

Shen Zhilan stood silently with her eyes lowered, not uttering a word.

Shen Zhiyi sighed softly at the right moment, his voice gentle: "Brother, it must not be easy for you in the Prince's mansion, but the Fifth Prince's actions... are too disregard for your dignity."

"Face?" Su Hui seemed to have been hit where it hurt, and suddenly raised her voice, "What face does he have left now? Being overshadowed by a disabled merchant, the Shen family is losing all face!"

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, pointing at Shen Zhilan: "Are you content with this situation now?"

Shen Zhilan slowly raised her eyes, her gaze calmly falling on the paper and pen on the desk.

The servant brought paper and pen.

He didn't sit; he just stood there, picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote with composure, producing a few lines of clear and crisp characters:

[Once admired for its integrity, why does it turn pale at the mere smell of money? Striving for purity in its household, why does it find even the slightest flaw intolerable? I am dull-witted and cannot understand its meaning.]

After he finished writing, he gently pushed the paper toward Su Hui.

Su Hui took it, glanced at it hastily, and her face instantly turned red.

He grabbed the paper and slammed it on the table: "Who are you mocking! What do you mean by 'minor flaws in wealth'? Aren't you a 'flaw' in the Shen family now?!"

Shen Zhilan remained expressionless, quietly watching her father's face contorted with anger.

Su Hui felt a surge of anger rising within her from his gaze, mixed with a hint of inexplicable fear, and she slammed her hand on the table.

"Kneel down!" he shouted, his voice stern but his words betraying his underlying fear.

Shen Zhilan remained motionless, simply watching him quietly.

Shen Zhiyi, who was standing nearby, stepped forward at the opportune moment and advised, "Father, please calm down. My elder brother is now a secondary minister of a prince, and his status is different from before. This kneeling ceremony..."

"What about the Consort?" Su Hui seemed to have found an outlet for her anger. "Isn't the Consort my son? Isn't he a member of the Shen family? I don't even have the right to make him kneel down anymore?!"

His gaze swept over Yun Suiyunqi behind Shen Zhilan, and his voice hardened: "Or do you want me to have someone make you kneel down?"

Yun Sui's expression changed, and he was about to step forward when Shen Zhilan's fingertips twitched very slightly at his side, making a simple gesture.

Upon seeing this, Yun Qi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he tightened his grip on Yun Sui, holding him firmly.

Shen Zhilan showed no sign of humiliation or anger. She simply calmly lifted her clothes, bent her knees, and slowly knelt down.

Seeing that he had given in, Su Hui felt a pang of anger, but instead felt like a clown because of his calm demeanor.

"When Her Highness the Crown Princess was alive, how glorious you were! You were the hope of your entire family. And now? Her Highness has passed away, and not only have you failed to die for your cause and preserve your reputation for loyalty and righteousness, but you have also chosen to live on in this world and marry a princess who has lost power as her concubine!"

How can your mother face the court? How can I, your father, hold my head high in this inner quarters?

Words were like knives, but Shen Zhilan's face remained expressionless, as if those words were merely the wind passing by her ears.

Only his lips lost their last trace of color as he finished speaking, and a dark current seemed to surge in the depths of his eyes before returning to silence.

After venting his anger, Su Hui managed to catch his breath, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then deliberately softened his tone before saying:

“Your mother and I have also thought about your future. With your current health and temperament, it would be difficult for you to live in a place like the Prince’s Mansion…”

Who was that Yi family member? He came from a merchant family, was most skilled at scheming and flattery, and was also...bewitching in appearance.

The Fifth Prince is only now finding him novel, and he's quite adept at currying favor. If this continues, where will you find a place in the inner court?

He looked up, his gaze falling on Shen Zhilan's face with a complex mix of emotions, and sighed, as if with regret:

"You've always been cold-hearted and don't understand those ways of currying favor. Now you can't even speak. Do you expect the Fifth Prince to always remember your past relationship and pity you for the sake of the Crown Princess?"

"Once her novelty wears off, or if Yi Shao uses some tricks to sideline you, where will the Shen family's reputation be? Will your mother, in court, still have the respect of her colleagues?"

He leaned forward, seemingly in consideration for him:

"So, the family discussed it and specially built a villa for you in Yuntai Mountain. Everything was arranged according to your old preferences, and the servants were chosen to be the most honest and dutiful. You can move there for peace and quiet, and save yourself from being mistreated in the Prince's Mansion. This is to preserve your dignity, and also to preserve the dignity of the Shen family."

After he finished speaking, he observed Shen Zhilan's expression:

“You are a smart child. You should understand the implications better than your father. Do you understand? Go back and tell the Fifth Prince yourself. The Shen family will arrange everything and will never let you suffer any injustice.”

Shen Zhilan felt indifferent, even a bit absurd. Going to the manor... he was afraid that his mute concubine would lose favor and cause the Shen family to be secretly mocked by their colleagues in court for "not even being able to control a merchant."

Therefore, before he becomes a laughingstock, we must take the initiative to "dignify" his departure and hide him away.

He had calculated that since he was still in Ling Wei's presence and had the favor of the deceased Crown Princess, she would most likely comply with his requests.

After all, the Crown Princess and the Fifth Prince were the closest of friends during her lifetime.

The newly built villa is merely a decoration to showcase the Shen family's benevolence; every expense will serve as proof of their utmost kindness in the future.

However, this is for the best. Once he's gone there, there will be fewer eyes and ears in the Prince's mansion, so if they really want to investigate anything, they won't be able to find him.

It was the Shen family who proposed it; it had nothing to do with him. In fact, it was more convenient than he had originally expected.

Shen Zhilan nodded slowly.

Just as Su Hui's expression softened slightly—

"Tsk, Yuntai Mountain... I heard there are a lot of mosquitoes in the summer."

A lazy voice broke the stagnant air in the study.