Is the third wife of the Shen family Madam Lin or Madam Liu?

Lin has been away from the capital for many years, and now Liu is also referred to as the Third Madam. Now that Lin has returned, it is unclear which Third Madam the servants are referring to.

When Shen Mingzhuang finally saw the scene before him, he was dumbfounded.

Lin and Liu came together.

Third Master Shen Shuchun was also there, with Lin Shi and Liu Shi following behind him on either side. This combination made them look rather strange.

Although Shen Mingrong is the Duchess of the State, she is still a junior. She can ignore Fang's mother if she has a bad temper with her, but she is still a junior to Shen Shuchun, Lin Shi, and Liu Shi, and she cannot lose the proper etiquette.

Shen Mingrong smiled and stepped forward to greet the three. This was the first time she had seen Lin Shi in several years. She wondered how Lin Shi had spent these past few years in Jiangzhou. She looked like she had aged ten years rapidly, with wrinkles on her face. She didn't look like she was thirty-five or thirty-six, but rather like she was forty or fifty. Standing next to Liu Shi, she looked much older.

Perhaps because she had suffered a lot in Jiangzhou over the years, Lin Shi had long lost her former arrogance and was much more composed in her speech and actions.

"How is Eighth Sister?"

This was the question that Lin asked first.

When Shen Shuchun saw that she had spoken, he stood with his hands behind his back, waiting for her answer.

Upon hearing this, Fang's mother hurriedly stepped forward and exclaimed, "Oh dear in-laws, it's so late, how could we have disturbed you? We are so sorry!"

Then she reached out and grabbed Lin's hand, acting as warmly as if they were sisters.

This was also the first time Lin had seen Fang's mother. Come to think of it, it was quite right for Fang to call her "mother-in-law." Although Liu was Shen Ming'e's biological mother, Lin, as her legal mother, was also Shen Ming'e's mother in name. However, she didn't like Fang's mother's frivolous behavior. She didn't act like a vicious dog pouncing on its prey when she saw people.

Madam Liu was even more displeased. At this moment, instead of telling her daughter what was going on, Madam Fang was busy currying favor with Madam Lin, who had just returned to the capital. What, did she think she could get some benefits from Madam Lin?

This is the first time the Lin family has sided with the Liu family.

She looked quietly at Fang's mother, subtly withdrawing her hand. "How is Eighth Madam? I heard her condition isn't good, which is why we risked coming over so late at night."

The topic was steered back on track, and Fang's mother waved her hands repeatedly, "It's alright, it's alright. Women give birth all the time. In-laws, please come and sit in the hall. She's giving birth right now!"

Hearing such nonchalant words, even though Shen Shuchun didn't particularly like his somewhat clueless daughter, he became a little displeased.

Regardless of whether one's own things are good or bad, one can freely criticize them, but one cannot tolerate others damaging them.

After all, she is his own daughter. Seeing that her in-laws don't treat her like this, the father still feels ashamed.

Don't forget, he also has a daughter who is the Empress. Although Shen Ming'e and Shen Mingzhuang were not born to the same mother, they have the same father. They are blood relatives. If others bully Shen Ming'e, do you think Shen Mingzhuang, as her younger sister, would just stand by and do nothing?

However, he did not expect that his daughter, Shen Mingzhuang, who was now the empress, was also engaged in a life-or-death struggle.

In Qingmao Mountain, the fog was thick at night. He Wenqing did not live with the rest of the He Wen family. Instead, he chose a hilltop and built a thatched courtyard by himself.

Because wild animals often roam the mountains, he also prepared a high wooden wall to securely enclose the several thatched houses.

To discourage Shen Mingzhuang, they didn't allow the group to settle in the courtyard at night. However, there was plenty of food outside. Although everyone settled in the trees, they couldn't always relieve themselves in the trees. Sure enough, when someone climbed down to use the toilet, they were surrounded by wolves.

Shen Mingzhuang did not have a strict master-servant concept in her mind, nor did she ever think that servants should risk their lives for their masters. Her first thought was to save people.

There were more than twenty people in their group, and the wolf pack was estimated to be at least a hundred. In the hazy night, all that could be seen were pairs of green, glowing eyes, like will-o'-the-wisps that devoured people, sending chills down one's spine.

"Who has the torch?!"

The situation was critical, with both sides locked in a standoff. The wolf was assessing the strength of the humans, while the humans were also assessing the strength of the wolves. They were just waiting for an opportunity when the wolf might pounce. Shen Mingzhuang was anxious and remembered that fire could drive away wild beasts, so he hurriedly ordered someone to light torches and hand them to the lone people.

Ling Feng and Ben Yue weren't unaware that fire could drive away wild beasts; they were simply hesitant about whether to save the lone person or not. Would saving this person pose any danger to the Empress? Their own deaths were insignificant, but if the Empress were harmed as a result, they would be guilty beyond measure.

Hearing Shen Mingzhuang anxiously calling for a torch to be handed over, Benyue and Lingfeng were moved. The Empress had never put on airs with them along the way; they had never expected such a master.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up!"

Seeing that the two did not respond to him immediately, Shen Mingzhuang frowned and urged them in a low voice.

But in the blink of an eye, the wolf pack seemed to realize that the human side was outnumbered and began to move directly toward the tree.

Benyue Lingfeng's expression changed as well; wolves are a very intelligent species.

Those who have heard the phrase "wolves colluding" should know that there is often a highly intelligent wolf as a strategist in a wolf pack. Although it is relatively safe for everyone in the trees now, there have been instances where wolves have climbed trees one by one to eat people.

Ling Feng and Ben Yue immediately became worried. Although the Empress had some martial arts skills, they were afraid that these skills would be insufficient in front of so many wolves.

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