Chapter Ninety-Eight: Forcing Her to Submit

After a while, no sound came from inside the carriage.

Yuan Qing shook his head, knowing that the master still wanted to punish Miss Qing, so he drove the carriage forward.

As the carriage passed by, the wind lifted a corner of the curtain, and Shen Qingnian saw Xie Yanzhi sitting upright inside, his hair tied up with a jade crown, not even lifting his eyelids, as if he had not heard Yuan Qing's words.

Yuan Qing pushed the carriage forward a little, then jumped off, opened a blue silk umbrella, and rolled up the curtain for Xie Yanzhi.

Xie Yanzhi stepped out of the carriage with his head down. He was dressed in a black brocade robe with gold thread and a jade belt around his waist. His face was cold and unapproachable.

Upon spotting the figure on the ground, he twirled the ring on his finger, put his hands behind his back, and strode off, with Yuan Qing following closely behind, holding an umbrella high.

As Shen Qingnian watched him walk towards her step by step, she turned her head away, not wanting Xie Yanzhi to see her in such a disheveled state.

She kept her head down, and only saw the pair of gold-embroidered boots come within an inch of her, then turn around and go behind her.

The gate of the Chen residence behind them suddenly opened. Governor Chen was about to go out, and the old lady was coming out to see him off when she unexpectedly encountered Xie Yanzhi at the gate.

"Your Highness! You're back." Governor Chen bowed respectfully, then glanced back and saw a woman sitting on the ground in the distance, getting soaked by the heavy rain.

Xie Yanzhi glanced coldly at the man and said with a smile, "In such heavy rain, Governor Chen still wants to go out?"

Xie Yanzhi stood at the door and chatted with Governor Chen.

As soon as the door opened, Old Madam Chen glanced at Shen Qingnian out of the corner of her eye and saw her sitting in the rain, completely soaked.

Her face was filled with sorrow, a stark contrast to the elegant and charming appearance she had been seen with that day, and she sighed silently in her heart.

This was also the first time she had seen Shen Qingnian's face, and her face did not look disheveled despite the rain soaking her hair.

Instead, it added a touch of delicate and helpless beauty to her.

Her eyes were misty with tears, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. Not to mention the men, even Old Madam Chen wanted to step forward to protect her at this moment.

Madam Chen thought to herself that the world was indeed quite difficult for women who had no one to rely on.

She noticed that Xie Yanzhi's eyes would occasionally glance backward, and she knew in her heart that the young master Xie had his thoughts on this lady.

He may have let her live a miserable life, but he probably felt a little sorry for her.

The old lady then held up an umbrella, walked up to Shen Qingnian, and held the umbrella over her.

The umbrella overhead immediately provided shelter for Shen Qingnian, and she heard the rain hitting the umbrella surface with a dull thud.

Just like her mood at this moment, heavy and suffocating.

"Madam Fang, be careful not to catch a cold," said Old Madam Chen gently.

Shen Qingnian looked up and saw the umbrella shielding her from the wind and rain. She also saw the concerned look in Old Madam Chen's eyes, and her eyes lit up.

"Madam, can you help me? Madam wants me to find a noble person in the Chen family. Aren't you and Master Chen the ones?" Shen Qingnian looked at Madam Chen with hope in her eyes.

When Madam Chen saw her like this, she felt a pang of pity.

Clearly, Madam Fang was unaware that her misfortune today was entirely due to the noble person behind her.

Then she gave her a hint. She leaned close to Shen Qingnian's ear and whispered, "Madam Fang, how could the noble lady of the Chen family be a member of our Chen family?"

As she spoke, she turned her head toward Xie Yanzhi, her eyes conveying a clear meaning.

Shen Qingnian understood that Xie Yanzhi was also a nobleman in the Chen family, but the old lady's words seemed to have a hidden meaning.

She thought for a moment, then her pupils dilated instantly.

Was the benefactor that Jin asked her to find Xie Yanzhi?

Was it Xie Yanzhi who ordered Na Ling'er to be arrested and imprisoned?

Was the fire at the shop also his doing?

She dared not think any further; she never imagined that Xie Yanzhi would resort to such despicable means to force her.

Was he doing this to get revenge for her repeated rejections, or...?

She recalled Xie Yanzhi's words from that day: "I'm waiting for you to disgust me with your affections!"

If it's the latter... Thinking of this, she felt a chill run down her spine. She turned around and glanced at that tall and imposing figure, who, despite being dressed in fine clothes, exuded an intimidating aura.

She had no respect for him whatsoever; all she felt at that moment was hatred.

Shen Qingnian felt as if she couldn't breathe, and couldn't catch her breath.

Why does Xie Yanzhi keep pushing her into desperate situations?

And why hurt the people around her?

When Madam Chen saw her turn to look at Xie Yanzhi, she knew that she understood as well.

He handed her the umbrella, saying, "Go ahead, he must be waiting for you."

Madam Chen noticed that Xie Yanzhi was chatting with his son at the gate, but his face kept turning towards her.

She knew that Young Master Xie was waiting for Madam Fang to come to him in person.

These events today must have been orchestrated by Prince Xie to force Lady Fang to submit.

Anyone with eyes could see the reluctance and unwillingness in Madam Fang's eyes.

Shen Qingnian forced a smile, but a deep bitterness welled up inside her.

She shouldn't have thought he would let her off so easily.

"No." She pushed away the umbrella that Old Madam Chen offered her and turned to leave.

Her heart is in turmoil, filled with despair and hatred.

She understood that if she went to Xie Yanzhi now to ask for his help, she would be humiliated by him, and he might even ask her to submit to him.

These were things she didn't want to do, and she instinctively turned to run away.

But then the image of Ling'er lying pitifully on the hay flashed through his mind.

She walked with great difficulty, her steps faltering as she clutched her chest.

Finally, exhausted, he collapsed to the ground.

"Madam Fang!"

"Miss Qing!"

Madam Chen and Yuan Qing spoke at the same time.

When Madam Chen heard Yuan Qing address her as "Miss Qing" and saw his nervous expression, she knew that they knew each other before.

He couldn't help but wonder if Madam Fang was the cousin that Prince Xie had mentioned before.

Shen Qingnian had been running around all day and then got caught in the rain at night. She was heartbroken and physically exhausted, and she felt that she could not hold on any longer.

As she fell, she saw Yuan Qing running quickly toward her.

Shen Qingnian said weakly, "Save...save Ling'er!"

Yuan Qing was also very anxious. He knew that Ling'er was locked up, but he would only take action if Miss Qing begged him personally.

Shen Qingnian felt her eyelids were very heavy, and she felt like she was about to fall asleep.

But what about Ling'er? Ling'er is still waiting for her.

She forced herself to look at Yuan Qing again, and seeing that he was looking in Xie Yanzhi's direction, she said, "Miss Qing, why don't you go and beg the master yourself?" After Yuan Qing finished speaking, he clenched his fist.

He also wanted to get Ling'er out as soon as possible.

But Master wouldn't allow it... He looked at Shen Qingnian earnestly again.

Shen Qingnian gave a bitter smile. It seemed that without Xie Yanzhi's permission, Ling'er could not be saved.

With her eyes closed, a tear slid down her cheek as she nodded to Yuan Qing.

Seeing this, Yuan Qing knew that Miss Qing was willing to submit to the master.

He called out to Xie Yanzhi with delight, "Master, Miss Qing has something she wants to tell you."