Chapter 23 He insisted on forcing her to look at the shadows of the two men entwined in love...

The chill seeped into my lungs in wisps, and I felt a chill from head to toe as I welcomed spring.

She had never seen Shen Yun like this before. She was clearly smiling, but her whole body was filled with a cold and fierce aura, as if she could slowly torture a person to death.

Yingchun felt that Shenyun was like a demon from hell, who had clearly judged people but still pretended to be kind and wanted to show mercy.

Is this still the prince she has admired for years, the one who is like a god?

Tears welled up in her eyes, and Yingchun couldn't help but step back. The fear in her heart had long surpassed the excitement she had felt in her youth. She stammered, "Yes...yes, Madam."

Shen Yun seemed to laugh out loud.

Yingchun wasn't sure, but she felt a chill all over her body.

The windows were wide open, and a strong wind was blowing inside. Yingchun felt fine raindrops hitting her back, but she still felt that the space was so cramped that she could hardly breathe.

The windows creaked and rattled incessantly, like a curse, a harbinger of an approaching storm.

"Shadow Sky!"

Shen Yun shouted, seemingly suppressing a surge of anger.

Yingchun kept her head down, not daring to look at him again. Tears streamed down her face, and she curled up completely, wishing she could bury herself in the ground.

Yingxiao came in from outside and saw a woman in light clothing standing by the window, hugging her arms tightly in the cold wind, crying uncontrollably.

When she saw her young master standing before the girl again, his expression was cold and stern, as if he were carrying a raging storm.

Yingxiao stood there dumbfounded. Wasn't the lady in the room?

Shen Yun turned to look at him, her expression seemingly calm again, her tone slow and gentle, "Go and call the madam back. Tell her that the servants below are ignorant; they only know to light the lamps when their master returns."

"Since I happen to have some free time today, I'll make a decision for her. Ask her if she'd be satisfied if this person's hands were cut off?"

The last sound was extremely deep, and Shen Yun's face was as cold as ice. His patience had run out.

Unfortunately, Yingchun was reckless. She suddenly opened her eyes wide, her knees slammed straight down to the ground, and tried to grab Shen Yun's clothes, but Shen Yun pushed her away in disgust, leaving her with nothing.

Yingchun prostrated herself on the ground, screaming pitifully, her words gradually becoming incoherent, "Your Highness! Your Highness, spare my life! It was all Madam's orders that made me do this. I am just a servant girl, I had no choice but to obey! Please, Your Highness, spare me!"

"This servant truly knows she was wrong, Your Highness! It was all Madam's fault! It was Madam who ordered this servant to do it!"

-

Lin Shutang stayed with the old lady in the Crane Garden.

Shen Yan was amused to the point of drowsiness, so the old lady asked the wet nurse to take her away before they began to talk about serious matters.

Lin Shutang was meticulous in choosing a wife for Shen Xiuyan.

The selected ladies from distinguished families were all excellent.

The old lady had no complaints; as long as Yan'er was satisfied, that was all that mattered.

As for arranging a concubine for Shen Yun...

Lin Shutang cited several young ladies from official families who were on good terms with the Duke's mansion; all of them were of good family background and talent.

There are also some rising stars in the court today. Among these people are those from the gentry and those from noble families. They are also willing to bring their daughters into the Duke's mansion.

The old lady listened to everything and nodded in satisfaction.

Lin Shutang was very pleased that he was able to understand the intricate connections between the inner court and the imperial court so quickly.

"I heard you brought a maid back to the manor today?" After finishing their business, the old lady had a rare moment of leisure to ask this question.

"As bestowed by the princess, your granddaughter-in-law dares not disobey," Lin Shutang said, lowering her brows.

"Since it was bestowed by the princess, it is indeed not appropriate to treat it poorly. In the future, not only will your courtyard be filled with these things that we have provided, but the young master will also have to give them to people he meets in the officialdom. I'm afraid Yun'er will not accept them easily, so you, as her wife, must persuade her well."

While taking a sip of tea, the old lady glanced at her and warned her.

Lin Shutang nodded, "Granddaughter-in-law will remember."

"The young master should be returning to his residence now. This old woman doesn't need your service. You should go back." The old lady had said what she needed to say, so she didn't keep Lin Shutang any longer.

Lin Shutang got up to help the old lady, "Since marrying into the Duke's mansion, I have not yet been able to fulfill my filial duties to my grandmother. Why don't I serve my grandmother her meal today?"

Lin Shutang has no plans to return to Jingyuan Residence at the moment.

It would be best to delay as long as possible, and go back after Shen Yun and Ying Chun have finished.

The old lady was somewhat surprised by Lin Shutang's words. She turned her head to look at her and saw that she was obedient with her brows furrowed. After thinking for a moment, she patted the back of her hand and said with a hint of relief in her eyes, "Good."

Just as she finished speaking and was about to call for someone to serve the meal, Granny Sun, who was by the old lady's side, came in from the outer room, nodded and reported, "Old lady, it's Yingxiao from the young master's side. He said that the young master wants the lady to go back."

Lin Shutang was startled. Why had they come so early?

Seeing the old lady looking at her, Lin Shutang quickly composed herself and said, "Please tell Yingxiao that I will dine with the old lady here. If the young master has nothing urgent, I will go back in the evening."

Granny Sun looked at Lin Shutang with a troubled expression, shook her head slightly, and relayed Yingxiao's words to Lin Shutang verbatim.

"The young master said that if the lady refuses to go back, he will take care of her first."

Lin Shutang's face turned pale instantly.

"Since Yun'er has something to discuss with you, you should go back now."

The old lady patted her hand.

As soon as she left Crane Garden, she saw Yingxiao standing at the gate waiting for her.

Lin Shutang felt uneasy; she was extremely reluctant to return to Jingyuan Residence.

But Shen Yun wanted to use this to force her to submit, knowing that since she was the one who brought the person back, she wouldn't let the other person become crippled because of it.

Lin Shutang always falls short in the face of Shen Yun's methods.

Lin Shutang walked in dejectedly. Yingxiao saw her, bowed, and stepped aside, gesturing for her to go first.

Lin Shutang didn't move, still tentatively probing with hope, "Does the young master have anything else to say?"

Yingxiao silently shook her head.

"Is he very angry?" Lin Shutang asked again.

Yingxiao nodded.

Lin Shutang frowned, his breathing became heavy, and he walked towards Jingyuan Residence with a sense of resignation.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, Lin Shutang keenly sensed that something was amiss.

There were almost no servants in the courtyard; it was eerily quiet.

Even the occasional servant walking through the corridor kept his head down and didn't dare to breathe.

One person held the ladder, while another lit a lamp under the eaves.

From a distance, its figure appeared slender, and under the flickering light of the newly lit, wind-swaying glass lamps, it looked as pale and ghostly as ever.

Lin Shutang suddenly felt a chill, her steps faltering. Just as she was about to turn and leave, a figure as imposing as a wall blocked her path. Lin Shutang inwardly resentful, took a deep breath, and asked, "Is the young master in the west wing?"

Yingxiao nodded.

Lin Shutang turned and walked towards the west wing.

Upon entering the inner courtyard, one sees a dense mass of people kneeling before the jade steps.

A lone figure trembled in the cold night, and the soft sobbing of a voice was the first to reach Lin Shutang's ears on the wind.

Is it welcoming spring?

Lin Shutang walked in and saw her kneeling in the cold wind, wearing only thin, sheer clothes, crying and shivering, her collar completely soaked. She looked utterly pitiful.

Yingchun looked up, her makeup ruined. When she saw Lin Shutang, it was as if she had seen Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. She prostrated herself on the ground, grabbing at Lin Shutang's clothes, crying loudly, "Madam, please save me, Madam!"

"Come in!"

Just as Lin Shutang was about to squat down to help her up, Shen Yun's shout came from inside the room.

Yingchun immediately stopped what she was doing, her crying subsided, and she shrank back to the side timidly.

Lin Shutang had no choice but to go inside.

Unlike the dimness outside, the interior was bright and refreshing.

She turned past the screen and saw Shen Yun sitting as always on the couch opposite the upturned table.

His pristine white robes cascaded down like moonlight flowing on water, making him appear as ethereal as a celestial being.

Shen Yun raised her eyes and watched Lin Shutang walk in with a leisurely air, a faint smile playing on her lips.

It was as if the shouting and cursing he had just heard outside hadn't come from him.

Despite its deceptive nature, Lin Shutang still dared not approach it.

She even subconsciously took a step back.

Shen Yun stared at her toes, slowly opened his eyes, and the smile on his face melted like ice water.

He finally stopped pretending and said coldly, "Come here."

Lin Shutang was startled and couldn't help but take a step back.

Shen Yun's expression darkened further.

"If you don't like her, just keep her in the backyard. In any case, the Duke's mansion won't miss her. Why bother cutting off her hands?"

Although Lin Shutang was afraid, he did not forget the purpose of his visit.

She felt that Shen Yun was making a fuss over nothing. She was in the right in this matter and there was no need for her to be subservient to Shen Yun.

Thinking about it, Lin Shutang felt more confident. Yes, she was there to reason with people, and once she finished, she would leave.

There's absolutely no need to go there.

Lin Shutang, startled, craned her neck and deliberately frowned, looking at Shen Yun with considerable displeasure.

It was as if he were a very petty and calculating person.

Shen Yun didn't know how many words Lin Shutang had said, but she clicked her tongue impatiently, then stood up and strode towards Lin Shutang.

Lin Shutang was so frightened that he immediately ran back, but Shen Yun pinned him against the screen like an eagle catching a chick.

"You wouldn't listen when I called you over, did I have to invite you three or four times?" Shen Yun's broad chest pressed against her, and Lin Shutang instantly felt like a fish on a chopping board, unable to resist.

"Shen Yun!" Lin Shutang said angrily.

"You're good at hiding. Did you think that just because you went to Grandma's place, I couldn't do anything to you?"

"Lin Shutang, you've really grown bold now, daring to put women in my hands?" Shen Yun's whole body was filled with murderous intent, completely unlike his usual gentle and tactful demeanor.

Lin Shutang realized that she might have really offended Shen Yun this time, so she immediately softened her tone and her eyes reddened, "The person was sent by Princess Changning, what can I do?"

"You know Princess Changning likes you. She sent Yingchun here just to humiliate me. You've incurred this debt of affection, and today you've made me a laughingstock. And you're still yelling at me."

Lin Shutang seemed to be getting more and more aggrieved as she spoke. Her eyes, which had been silently red, started to shed tears like broken pearls, and her voice became tinged with sobs.

Having come this far, Lin Shutang had already planned his escape route.

She had always intended for Shen Yun to take a concubine. If Shen Yun got another woman, he might think that she wasn't actually that good.

So I won't insist on holding onto her.

Now that Princess Changning has personally delivered the person, how could she refuse to accept it?

If things go well, everyone will be happy.

If that doesn't work, just blame it on Changning.

She is the victim.

Lin Shutang, of course, was getting more and more into the performance.

She even pretended to be throwing a tantrum and struggled against the hands that Shen Yun had pressed against the screen.

Shen Yun chuckled lightly, still unconvinced, "You're good at making excuses. But why did you bring her back to the manor and have her seduce me?"

"Where did I ask her to seduce you! I didn't ask her to go to your study, you were the one who wanted to come to the west wing!" Lin Shutang immediately retorted, turning her head to glare at him.

If anyone's to blame, it's him, who's always sticking to her office like a leech.

"Oh? So, she really was arranged by A-Tang?" Shen Yun raised an eyebrow and spoke softly, her voice sending a chill down one's spine.

He grabbed Lin Shutang's wrist and flipped her over. As the last word fell, Lin Shutang was facing Shen Yun, her eyes meeting his deep, cold, and icy gaze.

Lin Shutang fell silent, realizing she had been drawn into his trap again, and the long string of lies she had prepared in her mind could no longer be uttered.

But Shen Yun wouldn't let her off the hook, pressing her relentlessly, "A-Tang had already planned this all along, so why does she insist on going to the flower viewing banquet?"

"Changning was used as a cover for you this time. Let me think, who will be next?"

Shen Yun feigned a thoughtful expression, her dark eyes darting around before fixing Lin Shutang's gaze with unwavering focus. A hint of sarcasm played on her lips. "Is it Grandmother?"

Lin Shutang's heart skipped a beat.

When did Shen Yun find out?

"say!"

Lin Shutang looked away uncomfortably, her voice lowering, "If you don't like her, then let her go."

She evaded the question, but in doing so, she indirectly admitted to what she had done.

Shen Yun lowered her eyes, tilted her head, and scoffed lightly, "If I let her go, will this kind of thing happen again?"

Lin Shutang remained silent, clenching her fists tightly.

Shen Yun stared at her hand. "What did you tell me that day? It was about choosing a wife for Shen Xiuyan. And what about now? Are you going to tell me?"

"I..." Lin Shutang opened her mouth, her throat tightened, and this time her eyes really reddened.

She did indeed have a plan to use her grandmother's order as a pretext to arrange for him to take a concubine.

But……

Lin Shutang suddenly found the courage to look up at him, "Since you know all this, yet you still watched me get to this point, Shen Yun, what is there to feel aggrieved about? Isn't this what you wanted to see happen?"

She became more and more indignant as she spoke, "You think it's fun to play me for fools? You think it's fun to watch my little tricks?"

"Do you also think that my racking my brains to find a concubine for you without making a sound is stupid? So you enjoy seeing me so anxious and worried about it, you enjoy seeing me so terrified of being exposed when I'm in your presence, and you enjoy seeing me being played like a prisoner in your hands!"

Lin Shutang shoved Shen Yun away abruptly. "Now that I've said it, are you going to say it too, Young Master Shen?"

She deliberately emphasized the words "Prince," looking directly into his eyes. "Is Qingdai really unwell? Is her family member truly on their deathbed? And has she really returned to her hometown to fulfill her filial duties?"

"Did the Sixth Prince's horse really fall ill with a strange disease? Did it really not have your hand in causing its sudden death overnight?!"

Lin Shutang finished speaking in one breath, her eyes almost bursting with rage, her chest heaving. The heavy stone hidden in her heart finally broke open, and the wind blew in fiercely, but Lin Shutang felt no relief whatsoever.

Yes, Shen Yun would never lay a hand on her.

And they never say anything.

He's always like that.

He silently infiltrated her life, eliminating anything that posed a threat to him. Everything that seemed to be running smoothly around her was actually orchestrated behind the scenes by his quiet, unseen influence.

Change her life, change other people's lives.

To build a prison to confine her.

Qingdai was drugged and fell into a coma, which allowed her to see her senior brother Song Ying.

The Sixth Prince bumped into her horse, giving her the opportunity to meet her senior brother Song Ying.

Therefore, he is vengeful and unwilling to let anyone get away with it!

But isn't this also a warning to her?

So, is hurting Yingchun tonight also a way to teach her a lesson?

"How many people around me are you trying to replace? How many people are you trying to hurt? Haven't you killed or sold them off enough over the years?"

"By your side?" Shen Yun seemed to have grasped something important, and sneered, "She became by your side in just one day?"

"And what about me? Are you going to confront me like this because of some unrelated people?"

Shen Yun frowned, looking as if she couldn't understand.

"Shouldn't a servant be punished for not serving his master well? Shouldn't he be punished for not taking good care of you? Shouldn't he be punished for letting you meet with others behind my back?"

Shen Yun pressed on again, his voice cold and icy. He spoke slowly, each word like grinding his teeth and sucking blood. "Not only her, but also those people outside. Who let her into the inner courtyard and inner room? Who served her when she changed clothes and did her makeup? Who allowed her to light lamps and make tea? I will kill them all."

Lin Shutang stared in shock at the person before her. Shen Yun was backlit by the candlelight, his dark face framed by eyes that shone as if stained with blood. He stared intently at Lin Shutang, his icy fingertips lightly brushing her cheek and pressing against her ear, like a demon from hell seeking revenge.

"Ah Tang, because of your kindness, these people have to get into trouble. This should make you think carefully about the consequences before you do anything in the future."

"Shen Yun, you only know how to mess with others, why don't you kill me!" Lin Shutang was almost on the verge of collapse, her whole body like a taut string.

"You know I'm reluctant to do that, so I can only make others pay the price for what you've done. Maybe that will make our Ah Tang behave a little better. Isn't that right?"

Shen Yun stared back at her without any warmth.

"You're crazy! I'm leaving!" Lin Shutang pushed him away and turned to run outside.

But Chen Yun held onto her wrist tightly and pulled her into his arms.

As he struggled, the light and shadow flickered on Shen Jun's face, and Lin Shutang finally saw the suppressed gloom in his eyes.

She couldn't understand his emotions, but she felt that his dark eyes held a storm of emotions she couldn't bear.

Her survival instinct made her panic and try to get up and leave, but the force around her waist held her down very tightly.

It was a force that seemed to want to be pressed into his very bones.

"Lin Shutang, do you think I'll take any woman?"

Shen Yun's voice was low, somewhat hoarse, and tinged with mockery.

In the dim light, he seemed to be smiling. Lin Shutang felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. She froze for a moment, frowning in confusion. Just as she was about to ask a question, the crimson sash around her waist was undone, and Shen Yun's large hand reached into her clothes, stripping her naked.

The change happened in the blink of an eye. Chen Yun pulled her and slammed her onto the upturned desk, smashing everything on it to the ground. Inkstone, pen holder, and account books all crashed to the floor with a loud bang, startling everyone outside.

The Crown Prince is usually gentle with his wife, so why is he so angry today?

"Chen Yun! What are you doing!" Lin Shutang struggled to turn over, she could hardly believe that Shen Yun would do such a thing to her at this time and place.

There are so many people outside, how could he dare!

The Shen Yun who had been under the dim light just now was completely different from the person in front of her.

She was like a lost young beast and a demon powerful enough to devour her blood!

Lin Shutang was extremely annoyed with himself for the momentary pity he had felt at that time.

“Since you are going to take a concubine for me, you should naturally find a woman of good character. They don’t know what it means to be intimate, so why bother the teaching matron? Why don’t you and I demonstrate it for them ourselves?” Shen Yun whispered, pressing against her back.

He lifted her chin and forced her to look at the intertwined shadows of the two people reflected in the opposite window.

Lin Shutang was so shocked that he almost lost his mind.