Can Shen Xiyin really indulge her like this?

He immediately retorted, "Hasn't Mother been caught out of her word countless times? Why is she suddenly being so forceful with me?"

Madam Shen was immediately displeased: "You, how dare you speak to me like that?!"

"Did I say something wrong?" Shen Qiyin raised her eyebrows and asked in return, "If Mother is so shrewd and capable, then why did you become so stubborn and keep asking your daughter for help when you were slandered by Aunt Zheng and that old Taoist priest during the day?"

"I..." Madam Shen was speechless for a moment, stammering, "I was just caught off guard by them and didn't have time to react."

"Besides, you're my child. I've been framed. Isn't it only right that you speak up for me?"

Shen Qiyin calmly went mad: "Then how about I give you my life?"

Madam Shen was both angry and worried, and felt helpless.

She wondered how her once dutiful daughter, who always put her first, had suddenly become so unreasonable and argumentative.

Like a stubborn, unyielding piece of meat!

After calming herself down by patting her chest, Madam Shen got down to business: "Don't try to fool me. I'm telling you, I'm determined to get rid of that girl. It won't matter who tries to keep her!"

"Even if Grandmother and Father spoke up, it wouldn't make a difference?" How could that be?

"...How could you, your grandmother, and your father possibly care about the fate of a mere maid!"

"Tell me whether it works or not?"

Madam Shen dared not say "useless"!

Finally, in a fit of exasperation, he blurted out, "Are you just trying to provoke me? What good will it do you to make me die of anger?"

Miss Shen thought to herself, "Oh my, there are so many benefits!"

The most obvious thing is that her family can afford to have a feast with honeysuckle, which will surely make the children extremely happy.

Madam Shen had no idea what Shen Qiyin was really thinking. Seeing that she didn't speak, she assumed that Shen Qiyin was in the wrong, so she put on the airs of an elder and lectured her, "I'm doing this for your own good."

"If you keep a wild girl like this by your side, what will others think of you as the master?"

Shen Qiyin seemed unwilling to listen to her nagging any longer and simply said, "Fine, fine, do whatever you want."

Madam Shen then smiled.

When she looked at Shen Qiyin again, her eyes no longer held the resentment they had before. She thought to herself that her gentle, sensible, filial, and considerate daughter had returned.

Coming to her senses, she immediately instructed Xianglan beside her: "Go and inform the gatekeeper that when that girl returns, drive her far away and never let her set foot in this mansion again!"

Xianglan listened, but did not respond immediately.

She always felt that things weren't that simple.

She observed the recent events with a cold eye, knowing that their second young lady was not one to be easily manipulated.

She used to be completely obedient to the lady only because they were mother and daughter, relying on that kinship and blood ties. Even if the lady wanted her life, she would give it to her without hesitation.

Even the deepest bonds and the strongest feelings are like water in a lake; if you only take from it and never add to it, it will eventually dry up.

Xianglan always felt that their second young lady was now experiencing a kind of "great sorrow is the death of the heart", and then suddenly realized "it is better for you to die than for me to die", and finally went completely crazy.

Seeing that Xianglan remained motionless after she gave her orders, Madam Shen frowned deeply and called out in a deep voice, "Xianglan! Xianglan?"

"...This servant is here."

"What do you mean 'here'?! Hurry up and go deliver the message!"

Xianglan, however, remained unmoved.

This made Shen Qiyin look at her with great curiosity.

Madam Shen angrily questioned, "Are you deaf?"

"No, my ears are perfectly fine." She spoke up before Madam Shen could utter her curses. "I was just thinking that since you've dismissed Ren Dong, you'll definitely have to choose someone else to serve the Second Miss."

"But the servants in the mansion all have their own duties and responsibilities, and there are no superfluous people."

"If you want to buy a new one, you'll need to spend money..." Do you have any?

After Xianglan's reminder, Madam Shen finally realized the key point.

indeed.

Where would she get the money to hire servants?

Even if she had them, she wouldn't be willing to take them out.

To ask the old lady for something... that's like a turtle trying to fly—absolutely impossible!

Seeing that her expression softened, Xianglan continued, "In my humble opinion, it would be better to keep that girl. After all, she said when she entered the manor that she didn't want a monthly allowance, just enough to eat."

That's absolutely true.

On that day, Shen Qiyin and Dazhuang went to the mountain to collect herbs and happened to rescue Rendong, who had fainted from hunger.

When she woke up, she said she was homeless and hoped that Shen Qiyin could take her in. She didn't even want money, she just wanted a place to stay.

Seeing that she could get a servant for free without spending a single penny, Madam Shen naturally wouldn't object.

Although she didn't receive a monthly allowance, Shen Qiyin would secretly give some of her meager allowance to Ren Dong every month, and no one knew about it.

Madam Shen knew even less.

She thought Xianglan's words made sense, so she changed her mind and said, "It's fine to keep her, but she needs to be properly trained. She can't be allowed to wander around like a horse without a bridle anymore!"

"From this day forward, Xianglan, you will serve in the Begonia Courtyard. Tell that little hussy to follow me. Once she's behaved, you can switch back."

"……yes."

Xianglan deserved it without any confidence.

She cautiously glanced at Shen Qiyin's expression, and seeing that she still didn't speak up to stop her, she felt increasingly uneasy.

If Madam Shen had even half the shrewdness of Xianglan, she wouldn't have made such a hasty decision.

But she never imagined all of this!

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!