Chapter 3 Chapter 3 This is not my home
A carriage belonging to the Shen family gradually stopped in front of the gate of Runan Shen family, and the guard at the gate was puzzled.
Suddenly, he saw the imperial bell hanging on the carriage swaying in the wind, and he couldn't help but feel happy. Now the Shen family is the court official who can hang the imperial bell bestowed by the emperor.
Apart from the head of the family, there is also the second young master who has not returned home for a long time.
Then he immediately sent someone to deliver the news to the old lady's room: "The second young master is back."
The lights in the Shen Mansion, which had been turned off, suddenly became bright. Wherever Shen Rang went, servants surrounded him and asked about the Second Young Master's well-being.
In the final analysis, no matter in terms of status or ability and virtue, Shen Rang is the next head of Runan Shen family.
Even though the relationship between the Patriarch and the Second Young Master seems a bit strained now, the Patriarch is responsible for the honor and disgrace of the entire family. How could he change it arbitrarily just because of the closeness of their relationship?
Shen Rang was tired of the noisy crowds at home. He had just returned to Shangjing today and went to the palace banquet without stopping. He also went to the princess's mansion and had an argument with her.
It was already frustrating enough, and now returning to the ancestral home is even more of a headache.
After finally returning to Songbai Courtyard, he ordered the door to be closed to stop the servants from talking about "concern" outside, and then he could breathe a sigh of relief.
"Sir, did that crazy woman give you any trouble today?" Seeing that Chen Rang was still upset, the attendant Yu Shu asked in a low voice.
"Yushu, don't be rude." His brother Lingfeng glanced at him and said.
Yu Shu nodded, and suddenly became worried about being punished, but when he saw that the young master had no reaction, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door: "Second Master, the old lady ordered me to come and invite you to have a chat."
After Shen Rang nodded, Yu Shu opened the door and let the girl in.
She was pretty and could be considered a beautiful girl from a small family. After bowing, she asked softly, "Second Young Master is finally back. Are you planning to stay at the mansion tonight?"
Chen Rang didn't even raise his eyes for a moment. He lifted the soft curtain made of fine gauze and emerald, walked straight in and responded, "Yeah."
The maid's name was Zhu Sheng, and she had been serving the old lady since she was a child.
She looked at the jade that gradually stopped shaking with worry in her eyes.
Wen Yushu asked, "Why are you in such a bad mood tonight, sir?"
Because Miss Zhu Sheng was trusted and often delivered messages for the old lady, the two of them became quite familiar with each other. Yu Shu whispered, "The young master just returned from the eldest princess."
After some rumors circulating in the community flashed through Zhu Sheng's mind, his brows furrowed and a hint of bitterness flashed in his eyes.
After a cup of tea, Chen Rang put on the moon-white clothes he wore most often, and tied up his dark hair with a jade crown.
Zhu Sheng couldn't help but feel a little shy. After all, the old lady had said before that when the young master returned home, she would give her to him as a maid and then take her as a concubine when he got married.
Shen Rang's slightly intimidating gaze swept over Yu Shu, who was huddled aside and seemed busy packing his luggage.
As he started to leave, a shadow formed between his brows and he said coldly, "Yushu spoke nonsense today and showed disrespect to the royal family. You will be punished by copying the Book of Rites three times."
Yu Shu's pupils shrank, and his hands began to tremble: "Master... I..."
Ling Feng raised a smile and patted his shoulder, saying, "Young Master has always treated us with courtesy. I don't know why you punished us so harshly today. You'll have to take care of yourself from now on."
"I..." Yu Shu said aggrievedly, "That night, it was clearly the young master..."
He suddenly remembered the Master's instructions and gave up...
In Xuemei Courtyard, Zhusheng stepped forward and lifted the curtain for Shen Rang.
Shen Rang nodded slightly, with little expression on his face as he said casually, "Thank you."
His voice was clear and pleasant to the ear, but the fatigue in it could not be concealed.
Zhu Sheng blushed unconsciously. A young girl in her prime would always think too much.
The window lattices were covered with gauze, filtering the moonlight at night into a layer of smoke.
A green curtain hung over the step-out bed, and a white-glazed plum vase was placed in the treasure box, with a green plum carved from white jade inserted diagonally into the neck of the vase.
Fresh fruits and cakes given by the palace were placed in front of the shrine, and a few agarwood sticks were lit on the brass incense burner.
It was the hottest time of year, and as soon as you stepped into the house, you would feel the chill penetrate your bones. The old lady was afraid of heat, so the house kept providing her with ice.
The old lady was helped up by a maid, tears welling in her eyes: "It's my grandson Jingzhi who has returned."
Shen Rang nodded with a faint smile on his face, lifted his robe and knelt down: "Grandmother, may you be well."
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back." The old lady threw herself into Shen Rang's arms and sobbed.
The old lady kept crying and couldn't help but bring up old memories: "It's been so many years, how could there be so much hatred between father and son?"
How could there be such a great hatred between father and son? Shen Rang couldn't help but sneer.
After his mother passed away, Shen Rang moved out of his ancestral home and, with the help of his mother's family, a local tycoon, bought a mountain in the capital and named it: Buwang Mountain.
He has been living in Buwang Mountain since he was a young man until now, when he is twenty-six.
It is widely rumored that the second son of the Shen family, who is extremely talented, likes quietness and lives in the mountains every day in order to cultivate his character.
But what the world does not know is that the infamous Second Master Shen once drew a knife against his father late one night, and since then Shen Rang moved out of the ancestral home.
The old lady stopped crying for a moment. She raised her head and looked at Chen Rang, whose eyes had become somewhat sinister. She couldn't help but think of the night many years ago. The old lady frowned and said, "Jingzhi?"
"My relationship with him," Shen Rang said with a comforting smile, "Grandma, please don't interfere."
The old lady had no choice but to gently stroke his hand, which was already covered with a thin layer of calluses, and said lovingly, "Ah, never mind. It's good that you're back. Are you not going back today?"
Shen Rang's eyes softened a bit, and he slowly let out a breath and said, "Well, today, grandson will accompany grandma."
The old lady was overjoyed, and when she saw Zhu Sheng's pretty little face turn slightly red when she entered the room, she felt more confident.
Shen Rang has never added anyone to his backyard, not even a maid.
The old lady had sent many pretty girls from her family to Buwang Mountain before, and even...she had even sent that handsome young singer a few days ago.
But they were all ruthlessly expelled by Shen Rang. The next day, Shen Rang immediately sent a message to the old lady saying that if he behaved recklessly again, he would never return to the mansion.
This made the old lady calm down a little.
But I have seen my grandson grow up day by day, and he has not even reached the age of thirty.
This made him worry again, not to mention that there were rumors that the notorious eldest princess actually wanted to take him as her lover.
This is more than just a discredit to the Shen family's gate plaque, it is something that could make all the ancestors of the Runan Shen family get up in the middle of the night and slap her in the face.
Blame her for raising a concubine who only uses her beauty to please others...
The more she thought about it, the more anxious Mrs. Shen became. She timidly stretched out her hand, which was covered with pearls and jade, and gestured to Zhu Sheng, "Good girl, come here."
Chen Rang was not blind or deaf, he could see that Zhu Sheng was interested in him.
He frowned and even turned his head away in annoyance, too lazy to take another look.
"Grandmother knows that you are very busy with the affairs of the court. But in these years, without anyone to take care of you, Grandmother has always been uneasy." Seeing that Shen Rang did not respond, Old Lady Shen continued, "Zhu Sheng has always served me and has a special affection for you. How about..."
He sneered and glanced at Zhu Sheng with a sharp gaze before casually saying, "Why don't you find a good family for her, grandson? Or if this girl wants to leave the Chen Mansion, she can take the indenture contract with her, and Buwangshan can pay for it."
Originally, Zhu Sheng's heart was pounding when he saw Chen Rang take over the conversation, but now it was as if someone had poured a basin of icy water on him.
The shy love in her eyes turned into shame, anger and inferiority, and tears fell uncontrollably.
After Shen Rang took a glance, his mind suddenly uncontrollably thought of the tear that the eldest princess shed tonight.
And the kiss she gave him that day...
His brows tightened unconsciously, and he twirled his fingertips lightly, feeling annoyed.
"You kid!" Old Madam Shen has always been kind to her servants, but she is even more afraid that if this girl gets upset and causes a murder, it will have a great impact on the Shen family's reputation.
The old lady took in Shen Rang's confused look...
How could one not be disturbed in one's Taoism heart when living with a princess who looks like a vixen every day?
Old Madam Shen's face darkened slightly as she turned around and comforted Zhu Sheng, saying, "Good girl, go down first."
When only the grandfather and grandson were left in the huge room, Old Lady Shen picked up the blue-glazed teacup and took a sip of the Lu'an Guapian tea that His Majesty had bestowed upon her this year.
The old lady was very angry and put down the teacup heavily: "Shen Jingzhi, kneel down."
Shen Rang was not surprised at all. He was tall and graceful to begin with, so when he knelt down, he could look his grandmother in the eye with a slight glance as she sat on the Huanghuali wood chair with peony carvings.
"Since ancient times, marriages have always been decided by the elders. In the past few years, you have been shirking your duties, claiming to be busy with official duties. Now you are already twenty-six years old, and your elder brother is only a few years older than you, but he already has two children. Even if your third younger brother has children soon, Yang Shi will have to add a concubine to his family."
"Your mother passed away early, and no one worried about you. But your grandmother worried about you and made arrangements for you. Today, you and I, the two of us, will make things clear." The old lady paused for a moment and examined Chen Rang. "When will you marry this wife? When will you give birth to this great-grandson?"
Seeing that he didn't say anything, the old lady's heart skipped a beat: "Could it be...could it be that you really want to...want to hang out with that princess!?"
Shen Rang was just annoyed: "Grandma, I don't have..."
"Well, then there's no need to say more," Old Lady Shen interrupted. "Since you don't like Zhu Sheng, then Grandmother will look for other women of suitable age who are faithful to the code of conduct for women from various families. If you can't find one in the capital, then we'll look for one in Chang'an. If you can't find one in Chang'an, then we'll look for one in Jiangnan!"
"Jingzhi, grandma still loves you. Don't let your third brother take over the position of head of this family because you have no children! That would be a joke to our Shen family!"
Old Madam Shen had experienced being a legitimate daughter supporting her mother in the family disputes, being the principal wife in charge of the household affairs, and now being a grandmother, she had a very clear view of the affairs in the inner house and between men and women.
Although Madam Shen Yang is now the second wife, she was still a concubine when she gave birth to the third son. Even if she was promoted to the first wife, even if the Shen family now nominally has two legitimate sons.
But according to the rules of the Great Zhou clan etiquette, Shen San is not considered a true legitimate son. Naturally, he is not worthy of being the first choice for the position of head of the family.
Shen Rang was silent for a moment, his pupils reflecting the flickering candlelight not far away.
It turns out that my grandmother's concern is ultimately related to the honor and disgrace of the Shen family.
He stood up, a chill spreading through his body, and bowed to his grandmother: "Grandson, I'll take my leave. It's late, grandmother, please go to bed early."
The old lady felt sorry for her grandson and knew that her words had been a bit harsh. She asked with concern, "Where are you going back to?"
Shen Rang turned and left, his back looking very tired: "Don't forget the mountain."
"Didn't you say you wouldn't leave tonight?" The old lady stood up tremblingly.
Chen Rang stopped and his hand that was lifting the door curtain paused slightly. The moonlight sprinkled on him as if it was covered with a layer of frost.
He sighed and said self-deprecatingly: "After all, this is not my home."
The author has something to say:
----------------------
Big Iceberg suddenly thought of that night…: Tsk, upset and hot.
Favorability -1 [dog head]
Girl: I knock! ! Mind my business!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
