Chapter 46 Which Path to Choose

Soon, Shen Qingyue and Dongmai found out why Shangguan Jin had come to see them.

After hearing what Shangguan Jin said, Shen Qingyue's face turned pale, and her fingers gripped the hem of her skirt tightly.

They looked terrified.

Shangguan Jin thought it was normal. A sixteen-year-old girl, innocent and romantic, how could she not be afraid when faced with this!

Dongmai was initially shocked, but then she also became indignant.

"That's really enough! Can't we have a few days of peace and quiet?"

You spend all your time thinking about other people's affairs, can't sleep without causing trouble for others, huh?

They're just being silly.

No, it's just that they're bored! They're always thinking about making things difficult for others.

Shangguan Jin nodded in agreement.

Isn't that old woman, the Empress Dowager, just bored and having nothing better to do?

But she's the Empress Dowager, the most honored woman in Dayu, so it's normal for her to act crazy because she's bored and has nothing better to do.

If Shangguan Jin were the Empress Dowager, she'd probably be doing this even more often...

"Alright, that's the Empress Dowager, we can't speak of her."

Now I need to think about what to do.

Fortunately, we've heard the news, so it's not too late to figure out a solution now.

If an imperial decree were to suddenly arrive, we wouldn't even have time to react.

"So, there's still time," Shangguan Jin reminded her.

Dongmai then shut her mouth.

Judging from his appearance, he probably cursed the Empress Dowager countless times in his heart, just like Shangguan Jin.

“Mother, I’m packing my things now and going to stay at the nunnery.”

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning." Shen Qingyue's face turned pale.

She didn't want to leave the Duke of Dingguo's mansion either. She had finally become closer to her mother recently, and she didn't want to leave just like that.

But if we don't leave...

"Why are you leaving? It's not time for you to go to a nunnery and keep company with the ancient Buddha yet."

Furthermore, since the Empress Dowager and the others want you to get married, ordinary reasons probably won't work.

"Don't let them accuse you of disrespect later." Shangguan Jin held Shen Qingyue's hand and whispered words of comfort.

Shen Qingyue bit her lip tightly, holding onto Shangguan Jin's hand tightly.

Shangguan Jin could feel that Shen Qingyue's hands were trembling.

Shangguan Jin could only let her hold his hand with one hand, while he carefully used the other hand to tidy up a stray strand of hair on her forehead.

"With Mother here, Sister Yao is not afraid!"

Shen Qingyue nodded and sat down next to Shangguan Jin.

"Dongmai, sit down too," Shangguan Jin said, looking at Dongmai who was already so anxious she was about to grab her hair.

No matter how urgent the winter wheat was, at this point, they had no choice but to listen to Shangguan Jin.

She also dragged over a small embroidered stool and sat down in front of Shangguan Jin as before.

"Miss, how about we do what we talked about before and spread the word that the eldest young lady is unwell and needs to rest?"

"No, if this news gets out, the Empress Dowager will definitely send the imperial physician over."

This lie is hard to cover up.

"If you're not careful, someone will expose you." Shangguan Jin shook her head.

Upon hearing this, Dongmai realized it made sense; it was indeed difficult to round.

"Are we really going to send Miss to a nunnery?!" Dongmai exclaimed anxiously.

She watched the eldest young lady grow up. Dongmai still remembers how much suffering the young lady endured when she gave birth to the eldest young lady!

She couldn't bear to part with it.

“We won’t go to the nunnery. Besides, if we go to the nunnery, I reckon that dead… the Empress Dowager will come up with even more despicable methods.” Shangguan Jin immediately rejected the idea.

"That......"

Seeing that Shen Qingyue and Dongmai were both looking at her, Shangguan Jin stopped beating around the bush.

"Didn't we agree before that if the Empress Dowager pressured us too much, we would hold a funeral in our residence?"

It will be done for your father.

"Maybe by holding a funeral, we can fight fire with fire, and your father will come back!"

"But my father is only missing, not gone."

"Mother, if you're just using Father's funeral to delay things for three years, then I'd rather get married." Shen Qingyue suddenly became anxious.

Shangguan Jin had no choice but to explain to Shen Qingyue.

"Your father is just missing."

But everyone thinks your father is definitely dead.

Let others see what you want to see, so that your father can truly be safe.

Also, your mother said that holding your father's funeral was not just for your marriage.

Let's stall for three years. As for after three years, if the Empress Dowager hasn't passed away yet, your mother will let you fake your death.

Let winter wheat take you away from the capital.

"Don't worry, Mother will definitely not let you marry into the Marquis of Wuding's family." Shangguan Jin patted Shen Qingyue's hand to comfort her.

Shen Qingyue was still stubborn and thought that making the Duke's Mansion admit that her father was dead in exchange for three years of her life was the greatest act of filial impiety.

Shangguan Jin sighed.

Why is this child so stubborn!

Whether the Duke of Dingguo is alive or not has nothing to do with holding a funeral, okay?

Furthermore, Shangguan Jin always felt that the Duke of Dingguo was definitely lurking somewhere!

As for why he didn't come back?

Only he himself knows.

Thinking of this, Shangguan Jin had no choice but to coax Shen Qingyue.

"Sister Yao, let me be honest with you, your father's disappearance was definitely not an accident."

But over the past three years, the Duke of Dingguo's mansion has sent people to search for him, and the Weiyuan Army in the north has also sent people to search for him.

When the people we sent out came back last year, they told me that at least three groups of people were looking for your father.

But even with so many people searching, there is still no news of your father.

What does this tell us?

This means your father is hiding, or that it's not safe for him to come out now!

That's why I said when celebrating your grandmother's birthday that I wouldn't send anyone to look for your father.

Who is your father? He is the commander of the Weiyuan Army, the dignified Duke of Dingguo, not a three-year-old child who can't find his way home.

He has his reasons for not coming back.

All we can do is help him solve some of his problems within our capabilities.

Just think, our household held a grand funeral for him.

Those who secretly look for him will think your father is really gone, and that would make him safer.

Once he finishes his business, will he be able to come back smoothly?

Your father lives far away from us, so it's normal that we don't communicate as quickly as we need to!

Maybe your father will come back right after we finish the funeral!

"Your mother didn't just decide to hold your father's funeral to delay your marriage."

Shangguan Jin felt that what she said was quite good.

Shen Qingyue was already half-believing and half-doubting.

As for winter wheat, I am completely convinced.

Look, our young lady is really something; she started playing chess right after the last time she celebrated the old lady's birthday.

Every step was on point.

"Mother, really? Is Father alright?" Shen Qingyue asked, her eyes red.

"Really! He and I are husband and wife, how could I not know?"

Don't worry, he'll definitely come back without you knowing.

"All you have to do now is listen to me," Shangguan Jin continued to deceive.

“Okay, Yue’er will definitely listen to Mother.” Shen Qingyue nodded seriously.