Chapter 8 Deep Astonishment

Sheng Huai'an said he wanted to find Ye Mingzhu, and he also imagined the scene of the two meeting in private, with tears welling up in her eyes, begging him not to abandon her.

But he never expected that he would see her again so soon.

It didn't even stay overnight!

Under the sunlight, Ye Mingzhu wore a silver-striped gauze shirt, covered with a bright red charcoal vest, and her hair was adorned with pearls and jade. She was so beautiful and charming that she seemed to be glowing.

With her delicate features, fair skin, cherry lips, and captivating almond-shaped eyes, she resembled a stunningly beautiful lady who had stepped out of a painting.

Compared to the simple and gentle Liu Rumei, she was delicate, lively, and full of vitality.

The thought of her becoming Sheng Yunche's woman last night and losing her virginity made him feel very uncomfortable. But noticing the suppressed emotions in her eyes and remembering her purpose for coming, he felt relieved.

She must have been wronged by Sheng Yunche to be so eager to come to him.

But in broad daylight...

Sheng Huai'an glanced at the servants around him and frowned.

"What are you doing here?" he said righteously. "Now that you've become someone else's wife, we shouldn't have any further involvement! Don't you understand the principles of the Three Obediences and Four Virtues?"

"Of course I understand." Ye Mingzhu looked at him deeply and smiled gently. "I have a reason for coming here today, so please don't take it to heart, Young Master Sheng."

She called out to the courtyard gate, "I am neither happy nor sad. Thank you for your hard work."

He stepped into the courtyard without a word and said loudly, "It's no trouble at all! The Duke said that we should follow the Madam's orders, and it is our honor to share your burdens!"

Bu Bei followed him into the courtyard without saying a word, but his attitude was clear.

Sheng Huai'an was speechless with shock: "You, you came to see me, and you actually brought Sheng Yunche's people with you?"

Shouldn't we keep it a secret?

Ye Mingzhu didn't even bother to look at him, and instructed Baozan and the others, "Take my dowry list inside and check it, and move all my things out!"

"Yes!" Baozan and the other three responded crisply, calling in the dozen or so rough-looking women carrying boxes who were waiting outside the courtyard, and leading them strode into the room.

The huge courtyard instantly became crowded, and Sheng Huai'an's face turned extremely ugly.

He wanted to question her sharply, but he couldn't bring himself to do what the woman did and stop her; he didn't want to become a laughingstock.

But if he lets Ye Mingzhu take the things away, wouldn't he be a laughing stock?

How can Ye Mingzhu have the nerve to talk?

How dare she come to Tingsongju to steal things? How dare she be so self-righteous?

Sheng Huai'an was furious and whispered to Chengfu, "Go to Rongshou Hall and invite Mother over."

He is not suitable to step forward; Jia is.

He wanted Jia to ask Princess Ronghua if she said she wanted to compensate the West Mansion. Was this her way of compensating? He couldn't question Ye Mingzhu, but Princess Ronghua could!

But he was even more puzzled.

Just two days ago, he and Ye Mingzhu made vows of eternal love. Why is she suddenly like this? Could it be that Sheng Yunche stole her from her wedding and took her body, and now her heart is with him?

She really is a woman.

His face was gloomy.

Madam Jia went out to a banquet in the afternoon and was not at Rongshou Hall. When Chengfu invited her to Tingsong Residence, Ye Mingzhu's side had already packed everything up and was just about to carry it out of the courtyard.

Looking at the piles of valuables in the courtyard, and realizing that these things would soon no longer belong to the West Mansion, her face turned ashen, as if she had lost her parents, and she was about to explode with anger.

However, before Jia could speak, Ye Mingzhu suddenly walked up to Sheng Huai'an, gracefully performed a curtsy, and looked at him with a mournful expression, saying, "Young Master Sheng, from now on we have nothing to do with each other."

Her almond-shaped eyes were lowered, and her voice was sad: "Although I... but my husband told me that you have someone else in your heart, and that you only married me for my generous dowry. I suppose you have no regrets. You advised me to put my husband first and follow the three obediences and four virtues. I listened, and I will."

Sheng Huai'an understood; things he couldn't figure out before suddenly became clear.

It turns out that Sheng Yunche was the one stirring things up!

Ye Mingzhu still had feelings for him; she was just angry for a moment.

Now that he's acting more reasonable and open-minded, if he coaxes her a bit more, she'll be able to listen to him again and use the Zi Gu to cure Liu Rumei's illness.

If things get tense, that would be bad.

Enraged, Jia shouted, "What are you saying, you shameless woman? Stop trying to smear my son! It's clearly you who are unfaithful and seduced him..."

"Mother!" Sheng Huai'an quickly interrupted loudly, "Mother! These things were originally Mingzhu's dowry, we should let her take them, so that she won't have an awkward time later!"

"What?" Madam Jia looked at him in astonishment. "Didn't you send me back?"

Sheng Huai'an pretended not to hear her words, walked up to her, held her hand and gently comforted her, "Alright, don't stop them anymore, let them go."

Ye Mingzhu sneered inwardly. It seemed that between Jia Shi and Liu Rumei, Sheng Huai'an chose to embarrass Jia Shi, showing his deep affection for his sister-in-law.

After glancing around Tingsong Residence one last time, she said to Baozan and the others, "Let's go."

Without Jia's obstruction, and with many servants she brought, the group quickly carried their belongings and left Tingsong Residence, exiting through the West Mansion gate.

Tingsongju (Listening to the Pine Trees Residence).

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Standing in the courtyard, Jia felt a lump in her throat. With a dark expression, she pressed Sheng Huai'an for an answer: "What's wrong with you? You sent someone to call me back, then stopped me. Why do you keep changing your mind?"

Sheng Huai'an said helplessly, "I felt embarrassed before and wanted Mother to come back and take charge. But then I thought that withholding Ye Mingzhu's dowry would be even worse. I can accept losing face, but I can't let Mother get a bad reputation because of me, so I simply gave up."

When Jia heard that he was thinking of her, her expression softened, but her hatred for Ye Mingzhu only intensified.

She said dismissively, "She's just a merchant's daughter after all, so petty and narrow-minded. She's not as well-educated and sensible as your sister-in-law. Don't worry, I'll definitely find you a wife from a scholarly family in the future, so you can hold your head high."

Sheng Huai'an smiled and said, "Of course I believe you."

Thinking of the gentle and aloof Liu Rumei, he felt much better.

After seeing the calmed-down Jia Shi out of Tingsong Residence, he returned to his room and habitually wanted to rest on the soft couch by the window, but suddenly he froze, a deep astonishment appearing in his eyes.

The soft couch where he used to rest was gone.

The large, pot-bellied vase with a magnolia flower and a peonies, once adorned with a sprig of magnolia, is gone.

The double-sided embroidered screen depicting four ladies is gone.

Even the canopy bed in the bedroom is gone!

His room was just like this...

It's empty just like that?!

He had previously felt that the house was too cramped by Ye Mingzhu, filled with the smell of money, and lacked the elegance of a scholar, unlike Qinghui Garden which was well-managed.

He also wanted to teach her well after marriage and change her merchant-woman habits.

But now the room was empty, back to how it was before the Ye family set up the bed. All the nice things he was used to were gone. He suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable, and a surge of anger was rising in his heart.

Ye Mingzhu!

He gritted his teeth inwardly.

Even if he knew that she was only provoked by Sheng Yunche and still loved him deeply, he would not forgive her easily and would definitely give her a hard time!

...

Outside the West Mansion.

Standing on the steps, Ye Mingzhu watched as her servants loaded the dowry she had just snatched back from Tingsongju onto carts to be sold, and she found it hard to calm down.

How can I remain calm?

She walked down the steps, raised her hand to touch the bedpost of the canopy bed, looked up at the intricately carved patterns on the bed, and tears welled up in her eyes.

In her past life, she slept on this bed for three years.

This bed witnessed every night of unspeakable suffering she endured during the three years of her marriage to Sheng Huai'an.

After discovering Sheng Huai'an's shameful affair, she would carve a mark on the bed board every night she suffered from insomnia, reminding herself that a small act of impatience could ruin a great plan, and that she must never question him about anything.

But now, that bed board is smooth as new, without any marks.

Just like this lifetime, it's a completely new life for her.

The world of a woman in the inner quarters is very small. In her previous life, she was trapped in Tingsong Residence, with only a square patch of sky above her head. Sheng Huai'an easily ruined her life and also harmed her family.

this life.

Never again!

She will not only make Sheng Huai'an pay a bloody price, but also expose his and Liu Rumei's scandalous affair to the world, ruining his reputation!

Of course, she wouldn't let hatred control her and waste her new life!

“Miss, let’s go back.” Baozan stepped forward and gently advised.

"Mm." Ye Mingzhu nodded.

She boarded the sedan chair with Baozan's help.

Little did she know that many people saw her standing outside the West Mansion gate with tears in her eyes, watching her dowry being taken away. They felt great sympathy for her and began to gossip about how Jia Shi was mean and greedy.

Several officials who were disgusted by Sheng Yunche's forced marriage to his cousin and had decided to take the opportunity to impeach him changed their minds upon hearing about this.

There must be more to this marriage than meets the eye.

"Although Sheng Yunche is reckless and willful, with his status and position, what woman couldn't he have? He has no need to forcibly abduct women."

"If the truth turns out to be different, we might become a laughing stock."

"It's best not to get involved."

"..."

The whole incident vanished before it even began.