Chapter 606 Follow my second brother, and you'll never be bullied again!

While talking to Gu Qianning, Shen Wantang glanced at Shen Guannian. She felt that something was off about Shen Guannian today, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

However, this is not the time to think about that. Gu Qianhan and Gu Qianning have arrived at the perfect time. She can take this opportunity to go out for a stroll, and the rumors of her disappearance will disappear in an instant.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but glance at Gu Qianhan. She felt that this might be the reason why Gu Qianhan had moved her visit to the Duke's mansion a day earlier.

Otherwise, if she reappears tomorrow, and then tries to deny the rumors after disappearing for a day, the effect will be greatly reduced.

Debunking rumors should be done as early as possible, and the earlier the better to minimize the harm to her.

In the main courtyard, Shen Guannian watched them leave, breathed a huge sigh of relief, and then slumped into a chair.

He touched his forehead and found his hands covered in sweat; he didn't know if it was from fear or pain.

The hidden Qi family member also emerged: "That jinx is gone?"

Shen Guannian looked at her irritably: "Why are you hiding? The Duke's mansion has sent people, and instead of properly entertaining them, you're hiding?! It's so embarrassing!"

Qi didn't care about losing face or anything like that. She had already lost all face long ago, so what difference would one more time make?

Her eyes were red, and her voice was filled with hatred: "Master doesn't care about Tang'er at all. Her own sister has disappeared, and she still has the mind to go to the Duke's mansion to play. She's out there eating and drinking well, while my Xuan'er's life or death is still unknown. I don't know where she's suffering now! Master shouldn't have let that girl Tang'er go out. He should have told her to go out and look for Xuan'er too!"

Shen Guannian wished he could crack open her head and see what was inside: "How could you be so stupid? There are rumors going around that Tang'er has disappeared, but nobody knows that it's Xuan'er who has disappeared!"

"Now that Tang'er has gone to the Duke's Mansion with Gu Qianhan and Gu Qianning, it's wonderful news! With the Duke's Mansion as witness, the rumors of Tang'er's disappearance are completely debunked!"

"In this way, not only will Xuan'er's reputation be preserved, but the reputation of our Shen family will also be preserved!"

"While we have this opportunity, we should quickly send someone to secretly find Xuan'er. With Tang'er keeping things in check outside, no one will suspect that she was ever missing when Xuan'er is found!"

"If Tang'er doesn't show up either, then it'll be truly over!"

Qi was taken aback and suddenly realized that Shen Guannian had read some books and was indeed smarter than her. What he said made a lot of sense!

Yes, the rumors circulating outside are that Shen Wantang has disappeared, and it has nothing to do with her Xuan'er!

She wiped her eyes and pleaded, "Then please, sir, find someone to help us find Xuan'er! The people we sent out last night were simply not enough. Please borrow some more from your classmates and friends! It's been a whole night already, and if we delay any longer, I'm afraid..."

Shen Guannian didn't want anything to happen to his daughter, but he was even more unwilling to air his dirty laundry in public. If he asked his classmates and friends for help, he would have to tell them who they were looking for, otherwise how could he find Shen Mingxuan?

He shook his head: "We can't go out to borrow people. In this way, we'll send out all the maids and servants in the house. We'll search every street and alley, leaving no stone unturned. I refuse to believe that Xuan'er will just disappear into thin air!"

"Also, tell the servants to focus their search on those shady places! That man impersonating the Duke's mansion tricked Xuan'er into going out; he definitely has ill intentions and is probably hiding Xuan'er in some filthy place!"

Madam Qi also felt that her daughter might have been taken to those bad places, and she couldn't help but cry: "My poor daughter, originally Tang'er should have suffered these sins, but now Xuan'er has suffered them all. Xuan'er's life is so bitter!"

Shen Guannian sternly rebuked her: "Shut up! How dare you bring this up? Who was it that insisted on stripping Tang'er's clothes last night, refusing to let Tang'er go and insisting on letting Xuan'er go instead? Now that something has happened, you're blaming Tang'er? Do you even have the right to blame her!"

Madam Qi was dumbfounded: "Master, it was clearly you who insisted on stripping Tang'er's clothes and making Xuan'er wear them!"

"Nonsense, that's you!"

"It wasn't me, it was you!"

...

While Shen Guannian and Madam Qi were arguing fiercely at home, Shen Wantang had already gone to Jinxiu Pavilion with Gu Qianhan and Gu Qianning.

Firstly, Shen Wantang didn't want to go to the Duke's mansion empty-handed. She specially asked her cousin to leave her the best Shuiyunyan cigarette. She originally planned to pick it up tomorrow, but since she was going to the Duke's mansion today, it would be better to pick it up today and take it with her.

Secondly, if she strolled around Jinxiu Pavilion and everyone saw her, the rumors of her disappearance would be dispelled.

This trip to Jinxiu Pavilion is essential as it offers two benefits at once.

Sure enough, by the time Shen Wantang and the others came out of Jinxiu Pavilion, the wind direction outside had already changed.

"Isn't the second young lady of the Shen family still alive? She's chatting and laughing with the eldest young lady of the Gu family while buying fabrics. Who's spreading rumors that she's missing?"

"I don't know! I heard from the pancake vendor on the street early this morning that the second young lady of the Shen family had gone missing. Turns out it was all nonsense! I'm never buying pancakes from him again; he never tells the truth!"

"Oh my, not only did Miss Shen not disappear, but she was also personally accompanied by Young Master Gu to buy fabric! Did you all see that just now? Even someone as cold-hearted as Young Master Gu looked at Miss Shen with such tenderness in his eyes!"

"The Duke's Mansion has already gone to the Shen family to propose marriage. I heard that the marriage between the two families has been settled, so the two of them don't need to be too secretive. It's normal for the Second Young Master Gu to come along."

"Has the marriage between the Duke's Mansion and the Shen family been arranged? But I heard that the Shen family accepted the marriage proposal from the Prince of Ning's Mansion, not the Duke's Mansion!"

"Yes, yes, I've vaguely heard about it too!"

People outside were gossiping, but Shen Wantang pretended not to hear anything and entered the carriage one after the other with Gu Qianning.

Gu Qianhan listened for a while while still on horseback, then raised her voice with a cold face: "The engagement with the Shen family is our Duke's mansion, it has nothing to do with anyone else! Don't believe everything you hear!"

His shout silenced everyone instantly; they hadn't expected Gu Qianhan to personally explain.

Soon, the crowd couldn't hold back their whispers any longer.

Shen Wantang's face was flushed inside the carriage. How could he do this, announcing his engagement in the street?

She's not engaged to him! The Duke's family has only proposed marriage; Shen Guannian hasn't agreed yet. He's still waiting for the Duke's family to give him some benefits!

Seeing that her cheeks were slightly flushed, Gu Qianning smiled and said, "A-Tang, do you see? Following my second brother, you'll never be bullied or wronged! My second brother won't tolerate any gossip. He's very domineering!"

After she finished speaking, she lifted the curtain of the carriage and shouted to the outside, "Hey, listen up, everyone outside! It was our Duke's Mansion that proposed marriage to the Shen family first, and the Shen family has agreed to the marriage between my second brother and the second young lady of the Shen family. Xiao Qingyuan of the Prince of Ning's Mansion has to step aside!"

Shen Wantang was surprised that Gu Qianning would also shout, so she quickly covered Gu Qianning's mouth: "Stop, that's enough!"