Chapter 65 People are missing
This time, the fortune-telling at Xiangjue Temple went smoothly. I didn't meet anyone, and Master Wenyin didn't ask to see Shen Anan again.
After picking an auspicious day, Mrs. Shen took Shen Anan down the mountain and returned home after noon.
"An An, why don't you go into Master Wen Yin's courtyard? Did he say something to you last time?" Mrs. Shen was a little confused.
If she hadn't asked her daughter to accompany her, An An would probably have just been waiting at the mountain gate and wouldn't even have entered the temple.
"No, I just... don't believe that." Shen Anan smiled.
Madam Shen poked her head and said, "You are still young after all. Some things are better to believe than not. Even if it is just for the sake of good luck, I am happy."
Shen Anan looked at the scenery along the way, then slowly turned to look at Madam Shen with a complicated expression, “Mom, do you believe in gods and Buddhas?”
Madam Shen pursed her lips and did not answer the question directly, “Don’t talk nonsense at the feet of gods and Buddhas. If you are tired, just lean back and take a rest.”
Shen Anan nodded, leaning against the car wall tiredly.
The last time she came to Xiangjue Temple, Master Wenyin’s words lingered in her ears like a spell, and she couldn’t get rid of them. Every time she thought of them, she was terrified.
Just when she thought Mrs. Shen would not speak, the carriage entered the official road and a kind voice suddenly sounded beside her.
"If it's for me, I won't believe it. But if it's for you and your son, I want to believe in all the gods and Buddhas in the world."
Shen Anan's heart warmed up, and she tilted her head to look at the dignified and gentle Madam Shen, lowered her eyelashes and leaned on her shoulder, "Anan has always known that mother loves us the most."
Mrs. Shen was stunned for a moment, then smiled and touched her head.
An hour later, Uncle Zhong came outside to remind them, "Miss, Madam, we have arrived at the gate of the mansion."
“Mom, be careful.” Shen Anan helped Madam Shen get out of the carriage.
As soon as the mother and daughter entered the house, Madam Shen instructed the little maid, "Go to the eldest master's courtyard and tell him to come to my courtyard for dinner in the evening."
"Yes." The little maid bowed and left.
Shen Anan accompanied Madam Shen all the way back to her courtyard. The maid served tea, and Madam Shen held her hand without letting go, as if she was holding a child.
"Last time we held a banquet, Miss Lin came to pay her respects, and mother was so happy to see her."
"Miss Lin is really nice." Shen Anan replied with a smile.
Madam Shen nodded, "I've informed your eldest brother tonight, and the wedding date can be set. I can finally put my heart at ease if the marriage is held early. That girl is gentle and virtuous, yet sharp. When the Shen Mansion is handed over to your eldest brother, she will definitely be a good wife and helper."
Shen Anan agreed with a smile.
There is no doubt about this. For a family as prominent as the Shen family, marrying a lady like Lin Yurou who is trained by the family is the best choice.
“But…” Madam Shen changed the subject and looked at Shen An’an sideways, “That day, mother also heard some things, An’an, don’t help your eldest brother hide it from me.”
Shen Anan raised her clear and innocent almond eyes and asked with a smile, "What's the matter? Mother, tell me first. Maybe your daughter doesn't know either."
Madam Shen poked her forehead and said, "Don't come on, I want to ask you, what's going on between your eldest brother and the second girl of the Duan family?"
"How did mother know?"
Madam Shen snorted coldly, "Everyone is blocking the lake pavilion, what else does mother not know?"
It was normal for young people to have some emotional entanglements, but she didn't like the girl's behavior.
Shen Anan smiled gently, "Since mother already knows everything, why are you still interrogating your daughter? Anyway, she is here for big brother, you should interrogate big brother."
"I won't let your elder brother go either."
The Lin family is such a good girl. If He'er dares to be indecisive, she will beat him.
Madam Shen lowered her eyes and glanced at her daughter, "Don't think I don't know that you tampered with the fruit wine of the two sisters of the Duan family."
Shen Anan admitted it very calmly, "Mother has been in charge of the inner house of the Shen Mansion for several years. As expected, nothing can escape your discerning eyes. Fruit wine daughter has indeed been replaced, but it was the Duan sisters who made trouble first, and daughter is just returning the favor."
Mrs. Shen smiled without any blame, "You did a good job. When facing provocation from others, you should fight back fiercely like this."
"It's just..." Madam Shen's eyes were filled with seriousness, "An An, are you targeting Miss Duan San just because Miss Duan Er is destroying your eldest brother and Miss Lin?"
"Of course, why else do you think I could do that?"
Madam Shen didn't say anything, but looked at Shen Anan's calm and indifferent eyebrows and eyes. Seeing that they were calm, she slowly withdrew her gaze.
"Nothing, Mom just asked casually."
She just wondered if their Shen family had a grudge against the Duan family, otherwise why would they always be involved.
But my son still needs to be punished. He is a hot-blooded young man, full of energy and vigor. Make sure he doesn't do anything wrong.
Shen Anan talked for a long time before asking, "Mom, when are the dates for my engagement and wedding with my elder brother?"
Mrs. Shen picked up the teacup and took a sip, then said, "Your date will be at the beginning of next month, before your brother's New Year's Eve, on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month."
Shen Anan nodded, calculating that there were less than ten days left until the beginning of next month.
It is impossible to get married before the New Year, so Zhang Yeyang may have to wait until after the New Year.
The date of taking office has been delayed again and again, and she doesn't know if he will have any thoughts. Also, after the last banquet, she has not found the time to visit and comfort him.
"Your date was set a little too soon. If it weren't for your father and your elder brother urging me, mother wouldn't have wanted to marry you off this year."
Shen Anan smiled, hugged Madam Shen's arm and said with a smile, "No matter what time, my daughter is your daughter and she can't run away."
Madam Shen patted her hands, a little melancholy, "Alas, you all have your eyes on him, what can I do? Send someone to the restaurant to inform him of your father's intention. Time is running out, so it's better to prepare early."
Shen Anan nodded, then frowned and said, "Mom, you know his family situation. He lost his parents a long time ago. It's better to skip the betrothal step and just send a simple invitation."
"How can that be possible?" Madam Shen was unhappy. "Don't worry about these. Even if the betrothal gifts are paid by our Shen family, we can't let you suffer so much."
This was Mrs. Shen's last insistence, and Shen Anan didn't dare to say anything else, so she could only nod in agreement.
Dinner was to be eaten in Madam Shen's courtyard, so Shen Anan did not return to Haitang Garden and took a short rest in the wing room.
She ordered Mo Xiang to go out of the house to meet Zhang Yeyang and tell him about the date for the engagement and that Shen Wen wanted him to stay at the Shen Mansion for a while.
After Mo Xiang left, Shen Anan lay on the couch and slept for a while until the afterglow faded and the sky darkened completely, and then she was awakened by the little maid.
"Miss, the eldest master is back, and the lady wants you to come over."
Shen Anan opened her sleepy eyes, responded lazily, sat up under Mo Ran's service, packed up briefly and went to the main house.
In the hall, Mrs. Shen was scolding Shen Changhe.
"You're messing around with all this before we even get married. How are you going to wrong the girl after we get married?"
Shen Changhe lowered his head and said nothing. When Shen Anan walked in, he gave her a helpless look.
Madam Shen's scolding had not stopped yet, "I tell you, Shen Changhe, our Shen family is clean and clear, and has never had the foul atmosphere of those concubines and aunts. If you dare to break this precedent, you will see how I will deal with you!"
"And that Miss Duan Er, stop flirting with her. If you do that again, I will definitely let your father deal with you."
…
Shen Changhe looked wronged. He believed that he was a self-disciplined and chaste person, so when did he flirt with a woman and become entangled with her?
But he knew Madam Shen's temper. If he continued talking, the matter would never end. He simply kept silent and drank three cups of tea in a short while. The maid was waiting on the side with a teapot.
"Mom," Shen Anan walked over with a smile and patted Madam Shen's back, "Please don't be angry. Big brother is not the kind of person who doesn't know the limits. Otherwise, how could he not have married yet?"
"I know." Mrs. Shen said, "Mother is just giving him a heads-up in advance to sound the alarm."
…
Shen Anan glanced at her eldest brother and pursed her lips helplessly.
It's true that mom loves them, but she won't give in at all on this issue. After all, dad is the Grand Marshal, and the backyard has always been clean in his life.
As long as mom is alive, my eldest brother will never be able to enjoy the happiness of having many wives in his life. Fortunately, my eldest brother is not interested in love between men and women and does not care about these things.
At this time, a little maid reported that dinner was ready. Mrs. Shen stopped talking fiercely, got up and led the brother and sister to eat.
"Where's Dad? Hasn't he come back yet?" Shen Anan asked.
Madam Shen shook her head and said, “For some reason today, your father was suddenly called into the palace. It seems that there is something important. We don’t have to wait for him. Let’s eat first.”
The maid put out the dishes and chopsticks, and the mother and her two children sat down. The table was filled with the things that Shen Anan and Shen Changhe usually used.
Shen Anan looked at those Jiangnan dishes and felt a little sour in her nose. Although she hadn't seen her for more than ten years, her mother's understanding and love for her had never stopped.
At the dinner table, Mrs. Shen did not speak again. She adhered to the dining etiquette and was unusually quiet.
After the maids cleared away the leftovers and served snacks and tea, Mrs. Shen spoke again, "He'er, you and Miss Lin's wedding date is set at the end of the year, on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month. Pick a good day these days and go to the Lin family to ask for good luck."
"Okay." Shen Changhe's face was indifferent, without any opinion or emotion.
"Your sister's engagement date is set for the ninth day..."
"Miss, something's wrong." Mo Xiang hurried into the room, and her anxious voice interrupted Mrs. Shen's unfinished words.
Mo Xiang bowed hastily and said, "I went to the restaurant to look for Master Zhang, but I didn't see him. Later I heard that Master Zhang was kidnapped by a carriage and his whereabouts are still unknown."
Shen Anan was stunned.
Hijacked by a carriage? He is a grown man, not a woman, why would you rob him?
Shen Anan stood up quickly, her face slightly pale, Shen Changhe quickly stood up to comfort her, "Don't worry, listen to what's going on first before making any plans."
Mrs. Shen also echoed and took Shen Anan's hand and asked her to sit down.
"Where did the person get lost?"
"I heard from a waiter in the restaurant that they were on their way back to their residence after work, and they saw Master Zhang being pulled up by a carriage at the intersection. He went back and reported it to the restaurant owner, but the owner was timid and didn't dare to make it public."
"What kind of carriage? What time did it happen?" Shen Changhe asked in a cold voice.
"Just half an hour ago. It was dark then. The waiter said he couldn't see it clearly."
Mo Xiang had run all the way back and was still panting from exhaustion.
Shen Anan's fingertips were cold, "I'll go take a look."
She stood up and tried to go out, but was pushed back by Shen Changhe, "You stay at home with your mother, I'll go check it out."
“Brother…”
Shen Changhe frowned and looked at her. "Don't worry. The capital has been relatively peaceful recently. And since they arrested people in a carriage, they shouldn't be vicious criminals. I'll go find out what's going on."
"Yes." Mrs. Shen also stood up and comforted, "Your eldest brother is the commander of the Imperial Guards. He is the best at handling cases like this. Just wait at home."
Shen Anan knew that the two would never let her leave the house so late at night, so she could only agree.
She warned Shen Changhe, "Brother, if someone in the capital did something, there are only two possibilities."
Either he had offended someone, or it was because of their upcoming marriage.
Although the Shen family never said it clearly, anyone with a keen eye would be able to find it out.
Shen Changhe's eyes flashed, and he nodded slightly, "Don't worry, big brother knows what's going on."
Shen Anan was particularly uneasy and sent Shen Changhe to the gate of the courtyard, but Madam Shen did not allow her to follow.
Looking at Shen Changhe's leaving back, Shen Anan felt as if there was a hand in the dark, blocking her layout, trying to pull everything back to the trajectory of the previous life.
She even wondered if there was anyone like her who had the chance to start over.
"An An, don't worry, the Royal Guards will investigate personally, and there will be news tonight."
Shen Anan nodded. She was more terrified and uneasy about these repeated thorns.
My heart was lifted up, as if it was being grasped by someone, and it was difficult to breathe. "Mom, it's getting late. I'd better go back to the Begonia Garden and wait."
Mrs. Shen was worried, but Shen Anan insisted on going back, so she could only ask Mo Xiang to take good care of the girl.
It was late at night and the dew was heavy. After Shen Anan returned to the Begonia Garden, her chaotic thoughts finally calmed down.
He began to think about the possibility of this matter. Zhang Yeyang was a foreigner with no power or money, and he was not someone who would cause trouble.
If it wasn't because someone was offended, then it would just be a conflict of interest.
Mo Xiang put a cloak on her and said, "Miss, it's very cold at night, be careful not to catch a cold."
"Yeah." Shen Anan tightened her cloak and half leaned on the soft pillow.
Mo Xiang couldn't help but say, "How could it be such a coincidence that the girl was about to get married to Master Zhang, and something like this happened."
Shen Anan's almond-shaped eyes froze, and she looked up at Mo Xiang who was busy and complaining.
If that's the case, who wouldn't want to see her get engaged to Zhang Yeyang?
She felt more guilty. If Zhang Yeyang was involved in the power struggle because of her, she would feel bad if anything happened to him.
Shen Anan considers himself not a good person, but he has some conscience.
No matter what, she must find someone.
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