Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Is he coaxing her? It seems so.

Mingya repeated what she had just said, and Zhu Yinluan's remaining sleepiness disappeared instantly.

With a frown on her face, she was thinking about how Mrs. Zhu had come to the Shen family while she was taking a nap.

"Miss, don't worry, the person has been sent away by the prince." Mingya comforted her, saying that although Madam Zhu came, Shen Jingzhan sent the person away after a while and did not make a fuss. On the contrary, they were very friendly.

Why didn't Shen Jingzhan ask her to get up and deal with it alone?

"What did he say?" Zhu Yinluan asked.

"I don't know the details of the situation. I only know that Madam Zhu came and was received by Madam Shen. Madam Shen sent someone to ask the prince to go to the main hall to talk to someone. At that time, you had just fallen asleep not long ago."

"Didn't the maid sent by my mother-in-law call me?" she asked sharply.

Ming Ya shook her head, "I just called him Prince."

Zhu Yinluan fell silent, "..."

The Zhu family is her biological family, and the people of the Shen family must know that when Madam Zhu came, Madam Shen only called her Shen Jingzhan, not her.

Obviously...either he doesn't take her seriously, or Mrs. Shen is angry and gets annoyed when she is mentioned.

It was Shen Jingzhan who dealt with the ruffians that Madam Zhu had brought before. Even though Shen Jingzhan was already aware of the character of the Zhu family, the fact that Madam Zhu had come to him in person still made Zhu Yinluan feel tormented and uncomfortable.

What's more, not only Shen Jingzhan was there, but also Madam Shen.

Although only the eldest branch of the Marquisate lived in the mansion, she and Shen Jingzhan had just married, so who among the other branches of the Marquisate had not been keeping an eye on this place? Besides, there were quite a few people in the eldest branch of the Shen family, and there were quite a few concubines alone, gathering around the illegitimate sons and daughters, a huge crowd of people.

She had originally intended to establish a good relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law with Mrs. Shen, but before she could figure out how to approach them seriously, Mrs. Zhu ran into Mrs. Shen first.

Thinking of Madam Zhu's past vanity and condescending attitude, she ran into Madam Shen...

Zhu Yinluan couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

She asked again where Shen Jingzhan had gone. At this moment, she must know what Madam Zhu said when she came to the door as soon as possible, so that she can calm her mind.

"The prince, he——"

Before Mingya finished speaking, Zhu Yinluan had already seen Shen Jingzhan coming from the direction of the study.

"Luan'er is looking for me?" The man's eyes were smiling, just like the way she looked before she went to sleep.

Mingya knew that the two had something to say, so after bowing, she tactfully took the maid who was serving beside her and went downstairs.

After everyone had left, Zhu Yinluan asked him whether Mrs. Zhu had come just now.

"Yeah." Shen Jingzhan nodded and sat next to her.

Without waiting for Zhu Yinluan to ask further questions, he took the initiative to tell Zhu Yinluan what had just happened in the main hall.

After hearing this, Zhu Yinluan blinked and said, "Did my stepmother believe it?"

"I believe it." Shen Jingzhan hummed.

Did Mrs. Zhu really believe it or was it a fake letter? Since she came to the house, it means that the Zhu family knew about it. The Zhu family knew... the Wei family probably knew about it too.

But what exactly does Shen Jingzhan's attitude mean? Zhu Yinluan lowered his head and pondered.

He knew clearly that she didn't want to have too much to do with the Zhu family.

Now the people have been sent away, but the people from the Zhu family will definitely come. Just because of the "mother-in-law" he called her, it would be strange if Madam Zhu didn't try to curry favor with the Shen family. How could she miss such a good opportunity? This is a great chance to curry favor with the rich and powerful!

Who in the capital city doesn’t covet the power and wealth of the Shen family? Who doesn’t want to be related to the Shen family?

When she went to offer tea to the elders of the Shen family on the first day, although Mrs. Shen did not make things difficult for her and appeared to be amiable on the surface, she had told her at the time that she should do her duty as the Crown Prince's wife, and that she was one with Shen Jingzhan and his wife, and that they shared honor and disgrace together.

The four words "honor and disgrace are one" at the end are particularly meaningful. Zhu Yinluan is not stupid, so how could she not hear it?

She thought quickly, thinking about the attitudes of the Zhu family, the Wei family... the Shi family and the Shen family's parents.

Now I don't know how to open my mouth decently, how to say it so as not to offend Shen Jingzhan and make him angry.

Unexpectedly, Shen Jingzhan opened his thin lips lightly, with a smile on his brows, "Luan'er wants to ask me why I do this?"

He was calm and composed, and in just a few words he directly broke the news of her hesitation.

Zhu Yinluan was speechless as she looked at the man's handsome face.

While she was looking at him, Shen Jingzhan was also looking at her.

Each other's face was reflected in each other's pupils.

The man had handsome features and his eyes were full of generosity and openness, but what about her? She was hiding and timid.

In contrast, Zhu Yinluan felt that her tortuous emotions were so twisted and ugly that they were beyond description.

But she had lived in the Zhu family's boudoir for many years and in the Wei family's rear house for four years, living at the mercy of others and had subconsciously become accustomed to such cautiousness.

Thinking of this, her eyelashes began to tremble. She closed her eyes and opened them again. When she looked at the man, there was a glimmer of desperation in her eyes.

"yes."

Since they had always been frank with each other, she simply bit her lip and nodded.

"Why did you do that?"

"If you acknowledge Madam Zhu as your mother-in-law, she will definitely stick to the Shen family in the future."

She had a falling out with Madam Zhu at Yayin Cottage, and now that things had come to this, she no longer called her her stepmother.

"Do you know... not only Madam Zhu will cling to the Shen family, but also the side branches and direct descendants of the Zhu family will come to suck the blood of the Shen family..."

When she was kicked out of the Wei family, her father and stepmother told her not to go home and treated her as if they no longer had a daughter. But now she comes to rely on them again. She wants to escape from the sea of suffering and live a peaceful and gentle life of her own. Why is it so difficult?

Having said that, Zhu Yinluan couldn't help but speak out, so she just made things clear.

Anyway, there is no point in hiding things, and it is tiring to speculate secretly.

"When I went to the government office to file a complaint, it was you who took over the case." At that time, Shen Jingzhan came out to rescue her, saying that it involved court matters, and did not let her stay for questioning.

She wasn't sure how much he knew about her past.

From meeting to getting married, the progress between the two was quite fast.

Looking back, a timid person like her dared to marry because of her height, all because the grievances she had felt after being oppressed for many years were finally released.

It transformed into spirit, courage, and anger, supporting her, supporting her, and encouraging her to walk to Shen Jingzhan, walk into the Shi family, and marry into the Shen family.

Shen Jingzhan is a gentleman, graceful and gentle as jade. If she doesn't say anything, he will never ask about her affairs.

With his status and position, he might have known everything clearly long ago, but he let bygones be bygones and treated her very well.

She didn't want him to come into contact with the Zhu family, not just him, but also Madam Shen, Old Lady Shen, Shen Xiyun, the Shen family, and the people of the Shi family. She didn't want them to come into contact with the Zhu family or the Wei family.

It was her wound, the wet mud in which she was trapped.

She has her own dignity. She wants to handle it on her own and doesn't want to be laughed at. She feels that she has had enough of being picked on, laughed at and teased for so many years.

Having said that, it seems... it's really difficult to maintain... face.

Can she handle it on her own? If she could, she wouldn't have to marry into the Shen family.

“…”

After Zhu Yinluan talked about the case, she was silent for a while. When she spoke again, her calm and soft voice concealed a stubborn cry that was not easily noticed.

She lowered her head slightly, and her long eyelashes were shining with water.

The man was moved when he saw this.

The girl in front of him said, "I left the Wei family because my natal family and my husband's family forced me to do so. My father and stepmother wanted to marry my eldest sister to us so that she could serve Wei Ruzhuo with me, but I didn't want to..."

"…My marriage with Wei Ruzhuo was originally meant to fill the vacancy left by my eldest sister who married into the Luo family. My father was worried that if I broke off the marriage, the Wei family would be criticized… That’s why he let me marry him…"

"Who would have thought that in these four years, my eldest sister would divorce Luo Xuan, the Wei family would rise again and again, my eldest sister would change her mind, Wei Ruzhuo still liked my eldest sister, my father and stepmother brought my eldest sister into the family, and they even said that I had taken the marriage that originally belonged to my eldest sister and that I should give it back to her. My stepmother and mother-in-law both criticized me for not being able to have children, and it was a blessing for me to have my eldest sister come into the family to help us have more children..."

Speaking of this, Zhu Yinluan couldn't help but sneer at herself, "Wei Ruzhuo didn't stand on my side either..."

Her voice became more and more vague and low, and just when Shen Jingzhan thought she was going to cry, she paused for a while and calmed down.

Her head, which had been slightly lowered, was raised up. The tears in her eyes had not completely faded as she looked at him.

"I really couldn't agree with their words and bully myself together, so I didn't want to, and asked for a divorce. Wei Ruzhuo felt that I didn't know what was good for me and didn't want to divorce, so he divorced me."

"On the day I left the Wei family, my father and stepmother told me in person that they would sever ties with me and that they would treat me as an ex-daughter and would not allow me to return to the Zhu family. I bought a house in the capital, but my mother-in-law still wouldn't let me go and kept pressing me. What happened next... you know."

"So, I don't want you to greet Mrs. Zhu with a smile and call her mother-in-law."

"I don't want the Zhu family to cling to the Shen family. I don't want to have anything to do with them anymore..."

After she finished speaking, the glimmer of hope in her eyes gradually faded.

She glanced at his eyes, raised her hand to wipe away the tears that had accumulated for a long time, and silently calmed her surging emotions.

Seeing her like this, Shen Jingzhan sighed softly, and he took her into his arms and held her.

Zhu Yinluan was stunned for a moment, "..."

The man's arms were extremely broad, and the moment he embraced her, warmth enveloped her entire body.

His big hand was around her waist, and the other hand was gently patting her back.

Is Shen Jingzhan coaxing her?

It seems so.

Where the person in his arms couldn't see, the pain on the man's handsome face was completely revealed, and the viciousness in his eyes was not hidden at all.

But the tone of his voice was very gentle, "Luan'er, I understand what you mean."

He understood why...

Before Zhu Yinluan could finish her question, the man continued, "How could someone as smart as you not understand the principle of...adding more water to stop boiling, and removing the firewood?"

What's more, neither the Zhu family nor the Wei family was punished. Isn't it too easy to just drive them away?

He didn't say these words.

So as not to scare her, and also to avoid her noticing anything.

He knew her sensitivity better than anyone else.

In the matter of the Zhu family and the Wei family, the reason why she couldn't smile at Zhu's intentions was simply because the Zhu family was her blood relative, and the Wei family was the family she first married into when she was a girl.

No matter how strong and resilient a person is, he will always be surrounded by his parents' flesh and blood.

Now that she was stuck in a maze, she couldn't see things clearly as a bystander.

Shen Jingzhan spread his net and made arrangements, and naturally saw through people's hearts very clearly.

However, after Shen Jingzhan said this, Zhu Yinluan, who had calmed down after venting, came to her senses a little.

She didn't speak for a moment.

The man continued to pat her back gently and brought her over.

I whispered in her ear, and explained to her,

"You know the Zhu family's nature of currying favor with the powerful and looking down on the weak, and you also know that the high-ranking families in the capital have to consider their reputation and face."

"This time, perhaps we can use our power to exert pressure, drive Madam Zhu away, and silence the other party, but fire cannot be hidden, and how long can we stop the boiling water from boiling?"

Zhu Yinluan's mind was spinning with his words. Hearing that, she got out of Shen Jingzhan's arms and asked him, "What...what do you want to do?"

Of course, these people will be made to climb high and fall hard, unable to obtain what they desire, and will forever sink into the mud, living a life worse than death.

As for what he wants to do, it depends on whether she is willing to do it.

But I was afraid of scaring her.

After all, she cried so much that the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose were red, and her eyelashes, which were wet with tears, had not yet dried completely.

"If Luan'er trusts me, can you let me handle the Zhu and Wei families?"

The man reached out and brushed the ends of her hair that were wet and stuck to her face behind her ears.

Everything he did was extremely gentle.

"Didn't we agree at the beginning that I would help Luan'er resist the persecution from the Zhu and Wei families?"

He didn't make his words very clear, but Zhu Yinluan looked at the man's handsome, gentle and harmless appearance, and while she couldn't take her eyes away, her heart gradually calmed down.

He came closer, touching his forehead with hers, his nose against hers, his big palm caressing the side of her face, and wiping her hanging tears with the tip of his thumb.

"Luan'er believes me, huh?"

The man's fresh breath was close at hand, and his voice was deep and sexy.

Not only did her heart calm down, but she also gradually felt numb...

Such a close distance, such a tone of voice.

It reminded her of the intimacy she had with him during the past few nights, and the feeling of kissing him.

He kissed her face affectionately and lingered on the snowy peaks.

The roughness of the big fingertips made her feel very comfortable.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yinluan suddenly felt dry in the mouth.

she……

What is going on.

I was distracted at this moment.

Although it was no longer daylight, it was not yet completely sunset and they had not had dinner yet.

How could she... actually recall the feeling of kissing Shen Jingzhan.

She also wanted him to kiss her.

"Luan'er..."

Although she has learned how to hide her emotions, she is still a novice in front of the shrewd man.

He clearly saw through her abnormality, but he pretended to know nothing.

I asked her in a low voice what was wrong with her and where she felt uncomfortable.

Zhu Yinluan quickly turned her eyes away to calm her restless heart, "I..."

"nothing……"

Now that everything has been made clear and it has come to this, she can only nod and say, "I... believe you."

"Since you've said so, go ahead and deal with it."

"Don't worry, I will tell Luan'er everything from time to time, so that you can feel at ease."

He took her hand and held it with his.

Zhu Yinluan had her eyes lowered, and at this moment she clearly saw the man's slender, jade-like hand with well-defined joints passing through her fingers and holding her hand tightly.

With their fingers intertwined, she felt so close that they were inseparable.

The restlessness she had just felt had not yet subsided, and now she didn't even dare to move.

I could only try my best to change the subject and said, "I was disrespectful just now, please don't blame me, my husband."

It was the first time she was sober and spoke without restraint, saying so many words.

Thinking back to the time when she was forced into a desperate situation in the Wei family, she only said that she wanted a divorce and nothing else.

At that time, she felt so tired that she didn't want to waste her breath.

Now, she didn’t know why she didn’t behave herself in front of Shen Jingzhan?

Even cried.

Maybe it was really because he was her ally, he knew a lot about her obscurities and her past. Anyway, it was not the first time he saw her in distress. Previously in the yamen, she was put on a bench and beaten with a stick, and he was the one who saved her.

So, she was a bit desperate.

But if they were just allies, she and he were close...

For example, the hand you are holding right now.

He just wants to talk, why does he have to hold her hand?

"I'm going to wash my face, you...you let me go first."

She made an excuse.

Who knew that Shen Jingzhan actually stood up and took her to wash up. He wrung out the handkerchief and wiped her face and hands.

When he was about to put on makeup, Zhu Yinluan took the opportunity when he was twisting his handkerchief to call Mingya out.

Knowing her little thoughts, Shen Jingzhan just curled the corners of his lips.

When Shen Jingzhan left to change clothes, he told her that Old Lady Shen was not feeling well and had already consulted the imperial physician, who said that she had a migraine. However, he would go over there for dinner today and chat with her to relieve her boredom.

After hearing this, Zhu Yinluan thought that it might not be that simple. There was also the matter of Madam Zhu coming to visit today, so Old Madam Shen might ask about it.

She didn't say anything, but nodded.

After finishing her makeup, Zhu Yinluan asked the maid to prepare some supplements and pack them up to take over.

Fortunately, she didn't cry too hard just now, so after putting on the makeup, it couldn't be seen. She breathed a sigh of relief, "..."

Mrs. Shen is also at dinner tonight.

Seeing that Madam Shen's expression was the same as usual, as if she had not seen Madam Zhu today, Zhu Yinluan did not dare to relax.

She knew that Madam Shen was not like Madam Zhu and Madam Pang, who would always show their displeasure on their faces.

"Are you here?" Old Mrs. Shen raised her eyelids and looked over, then stood up with the help of the old lady.

Zhu Yinluan asked the maid to deliver the gifts, and went over personally to help the old mother support Old Madam Shen.

The man looked at her and approached her. He stood up and paused, looking at her slightly drooping face, and said, "We are just here for dinner, why do you need to bring a gift?"

"Grandmother is not in good health, and I cannot always be with her to show my filial piety. I can only bring a small gift to make up for it. Please don't be angry."

He is a sweet-talker.

Old Mrs. Shen chuckled, put her wrist in Zhu Yinluan's hand, and asked Zhu Yinluan to support her.

Mrs. Shen watched Zhu Yinluan's actions from the side, but didn't say anything.

She had a good impression of Zhu Yinluan before, but today Zhu's appearance was really hateful.

Even though Zhu Yinluan's words and actions were pleasing to the eye now, she still couldn't like her.

After the meal started, Mrs. Shen indeed mentioned Mrs. Zhu's visit today.

She didn't say much and looked normal.

He only asked Zhu Yinluan and Shen Jingzhan, "When do you plan to visit the Zhu family?"

The Shen family is ranked first among the noble families in Beijing, and many people are watching them.

Of course, the Zhu family's affairs must be "properly handled", but Shen Jingzhan has already expressed his opinion on how to deal with it. Old Mrs. Shen does not intend to make decisions, she wants to see first.

Today, I heard from Madam Shen that the wife of the Zhu family behaves in a vulgar manner and has a mean and mercenary look on her face, so it is not advisable to have too much contact with her.

But Shen Jingzhan said that he would go to Zhu's house on another day and listen to Zhu Yinluan's opinion. He could go whenever she wanted, which made Mrs. Shen angry.

Her son is talented, handsome, and has a good family background, but he only knows how to listen to his wife?

She didn't know how to make the decision for her son, didn't know what to say, and didn't understand how to get along with her daughter-in-law who was protected by her son. She could only come to Mrs. Shen in a roundabout way.

But Mrs. Shen said, wait and see.

Mrs. Shen also took a look, and the Shen family still had some unresolved issues.

Zhu Yinluan and Shen Jingzhan haven't moved out yet, so we have to stop them.

There were so many things to do that they were all piled up in one place.

Zhu Yinluan hadn't figured out how to respond to Old Lady Shen's words, but Shen Jingzhan had already spoken, "This matter is not urgent yet, grandma, don't worry."

While he was talking, he did not forget to pick up some food for Zhu Yinluan.

Old Mrs. Shen was choked back again, "..."

"If this matter is not urgent, then what is urgent?" asked Old Mrs. Shen.

Zhu Yinluan couldn't help being nervous, Shen Jingzhan gently told her to eat, and then smiled and replied to Old Lady Shen, "Taking good care of your body is the urgent matter right now."

Old Mrs. Shen was annoyed, "Haha."

Zhu Yinluan said nothing and ate slowly.

Madam Shen looked at her slow movements and suddenly said, "Zhu."

Zhu Yinluan looked over.

Shen Jingzhan also looked over.

Sensing her son's rapid gaze, Mrs. Shen couldn't help but complain in her heart.

She said, "Since you are the prince's legal wife, you will naturally have to deal with some things. It's better to get started as soon as possible."

"Come over to my place tomorrow and help me check the accounts, so that you can manage the household in the future."

This was the idea that Lord Shen gave to Madam Shen.

Under the pretext of checking the accounts, he asked Zhu Yinluan to come over. Not only could he examine her character under his nose, but he could also take this opportunity to detain her, killing two birds with one stone.

Why would Shen Jingzhan move out after Zhu Yinluan was detained? Wouldn't the two of them just stay in the Shen family?

Mrs. Shen didn't know whether it was feasible at the time, so she was very conflicted.

To be honest, although Zhu Yinluan had married and was Shen Jingzhan's legal wife, her family background was too low, and she had never thought of giving Zhu Yinluan the position of housekeeper, or letting her get involved in the management of the Marquis' Mansion.

If it fails, and the Zhaoping Marquis' Mansion loses face, it will be the first time that the Shen family has been laughed at.

At present, Shen Jingzhan and Zhu Yinluan are in love, what if it doesn't work out in the future? Who can predict what will happen in the future?

But Lord Shen said that, and Shen Jingzhan has been thinking about Zhu Yinluan for many years and it is unlikely that he will let go for a while. In order to keep his son, there is no other way, so let her think about it herself.

She had been thinking about it for several days but had not made up her mind yet. Who would have known that Zhu from the Zhu family would come here today and show such a character.

As luck would have it, Mrs. Shen made up her mind to let Zhu Yinluan contact the housekeeper.

A girl from a small family is not loved by her stepmother and is not cared about by her father. She probably doesn't know how to keep accounts and can't manage the household.

You can use this as an excuse to suppress and discipline her to avoid future troubles.

Zhu Yinluan was still wondering what Mrs. Shen meant by her previous words, but unexpectedly, Mrs. Shen changed the subject and suddenly mentioned the accountant. She was stunned for a moment.

"Why, you don't want to?" Mrs. Shen didn't wait for her answer.

Zhu Yinluan met Madam Shen's gaze, and subconsciously looked at Old Lady Shen again.

The other party was not surprised, obviously knew about it and acquiesced.

She looked at Shen Jingzhan again, and the latter said, "There are naturally gentlemen and women in the family who are in charge of the affairs and accounts."

"Luan'er doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to go. If she wants to go, she can learn from her mother and have fun."

Just learn it and have fun?

Hearing this, Madam Shen and Old Lady Shen glanced at Shen Jingzhan with dissatisfaction at the same time.

This was a good opportunity to get close, and Zhu Yinluan had no reason to refuse, so she agreed.

"Thank you, mother-in-law. I will definitely learn from you." She said respectfully.

Mrs. Shen, “Yeah.”

During the following dinner, apart from Old Lady Shen urging the couple to have a baby, nothing else important was mentioned.

After the meal, the maid said that Lord Shen had returned from a social event and might as well have drunk too much, so Madam Shen left first.

Zhu Yinluan waited for Old Lady Shen to take her medicine, and after she lay down, she followed Shen Jingzhan away.

The night was quiet, and Shen Jingzhan took her to visit Yunmei Hall on Old Lady Shen's side.

The plum blossoms were not in bloom at this time of year, but there were red carp in the lotus pond. There were a variety of species to see, and the red carp were numerous, plump and large.

They swim around in the lotus pond, with glass lanterns hanging next to them. It is quite interesting to watch the carp under the lights.

Zhu Yinluan half-knelt and fed the carp with snacks, while Shen Jingzhan helped her hold the fish food tray and explained the types of carp to her in a gentle voice.

Today, after taking a bath, Shen Jingzhan did not go to the study, but went to bed before Zhu Yinluan.

After she applied the nourishing lotion, she came over, and the maids extinguished the candles, added incense, and then left.

It was rather dark inside the curtain.

Zhu Yinluan was very careful when she came over, and Shen Jingzhan didn't rest either. His legs were too long, and he stood up to let her, but he didn't expect Zhu Yinluan to trip over the quilt.

She was about to fall to the other side, but Shen Jingzhan grabbed her wrist and held her in his arms.

The peak of snow hit the man's chest and lost its shape in an instant.

More importantly, I encountered things I shouldn’t have touched.

Zhu Yinluan screamed, and the man who caught him also gasped.

"I'm sorry." She climbed up using her hands and feet.

But the brocade fur coat was too soft and slippery, like a quilt made of water, and in her panic she stumbled again.

Zhu Yinluan couldn't help blushing with embarrassment, and Shen Jingzhan held her waist and laughed quietly.

The laughter entered her ears, and the tingling feeling came back again. Zhu Yinluan's breathing became uneven, and she could also smell his fragrance.

Light and refreshing.

She bit her lip, and under her raised palms were the man's well-defined abdominal muscles and the mermaid line.

His abdominal muscles are so hard and solid.

If I clench my fist and hit her, it would probably hurt her hand.

The important thing is, he's so... hot.

It was simply scorching hot.

Zhu Yinluan tried to withdraw her hand, but the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her over, causing her to lie on his chest.