Chapter 98 Old Madam Shen Shows Her Power
"Where is she? How is she these days?" Old Madam Shen's voice was also very excited. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, which was completely different from the coldness she had on the way.
Shen Anan blinked, and was impatiently pulled into the palace courtyard by the old lady.
Aunt Yu glanced at the old lady several times and said tentatively, "The queen has not been feeling well recently. She can't eat or sleep, and she has lost a lot of weight."
Hearing this, the old lady's expression of concern and anxiety became even stronger, "Take me to see her quickly."
On the way, many palace maids and eunuchs witnessed with their own eyes that Old Madam Shen followed Aunt Yu to the Imperial Concubine's bedroom with tears on her face.
The old lady closed the palace door with her backhand.
Aunt Yu's heart skipped a beat and she looked back. Madam Shen had a stern look on her face, tears still hanging under her eyelids, and she walked straight towards the inner hall.
"Madam, Madam." She hurried forward to stop him. "The Imperial Concubine is not feeling well. I will take you to her place first. We will come back tomorrow..."
"Get lost." Old Madam Shen's brows frowned.
Aunt Yu couldn't help shaking, and Old Madam Shen had already passed her and entered the inner hall.
She was a part of Concubine Shen's dowry and came from the Shen Mansion. She could hold her head high in front of Madam Shen, but she was deeply afraid of the old lady.
The floor-length curtain embroidered with gold thread and cloud patterns was thrown up fiercely. Old Madam Shen stared at the woman on the chaise longue with a gloomy and cold look.
"Mother... Mother." Concubine Shen stood up immediately, tensed for a moment, then slowly relaxed, "Mother, this is the palace, and your daughter is now a concubine."
She stepped back involuntarily.
"Humph." The old lady smiled, "Everyone saw with their own eyes that I missed my daughter so much that I cried and came to visit the imperial concubine late at night. What can the palace do to me?"
"Mother, I..."
With a crisp sound, Concubine Shen's words came to an abrupt end, her ears buzzed, and she was temporarily deaf for a while.
Everyone was stunned, but Concubine Shen didn't look surprised at all, and it was obvious that she knew Madam Shen's temper very well.
Shen Anan's eyes turned into admiration, and she really wanted to shout "Grandma is mighty."
“Your Highness.” Aunt Yu rushed forward and supported Noble Concubine Shen, but she didn’t even dare to glare at Old Madam Shen.
"Mother, I am now a royal concubine after all."
"Then go out and tell everyone that I beat you, and beg the Emperor to kill me."
“…”
Concubine Shen gritted her teeth in anger, but did not move an inch.
"What? Your Highness doesn't dare?" Old Madam Shen's eyes were cold, "Do you still have a trace of conscience in your heart? You framed your brother and pushed your niece into the fire pit. Mr. Shen, you are really a loser!"
Madam Shen raised her hand and pushed Concubine Shen back onto the chaise longue, staring at her with a sharp gaze.
"Your elder brother has always taken good care of you out of consideration for the brother-sister relationship. Otherwise, do you think you could have survived until now with your brain? Without the Shen family, do you think you could still be alive?"
"As the daughter of an official, I have taught you what it means to rise together and fall together, and what it means to be of the same blood and branches."
“Mother, mother.” Concubine Shen swallowed and shrank back.
No matter how arrogant and domineering she was, she didn't dare to show it in front of Old Madam Shen. From childhood to adulthood, not only her and her elder brother, but even her father were just quails in front of her mother.
She lowered her voice and said, "I am doing this for the good of the Shen family. My eldest brother is sitting on the fence between the Fourth Prince and the Second Prince. If he loses the emperor's favor one day, who will stand up to protect him? He will just be at the mercy of others."
She just made the decision for him.
After repeated admonitions, Old Lady Shen's chest rose and fell in anger. "Don't give me high-sounding words. I just want to tell you that from now on, you should be quiet. If you make trouble again, do you think I dare to expel you from the Shen family?"
"Mother." Concubine Shen was incredulous. "I am your biological daughter. You want to expel me from the family tree? How can you be so cruel?"
She stood up from the chaise longue, tears welling up in her eyes. "Back then, you left without even looking back. Over the years, you never cared about me. Do you know how many times I had miscarriages and how many times I nearly died?"
"Now your granddaughter has only suffered a little injustice, and you have rushed back to vent her anger, mother. Am I your daughter?"
"I didn't let you get married back then, but you insisted on doing so. No matter what the outcome is, it's all your own fault." Old Madam Shen had a cold expression and was unmoved.
Shen Anan understood Old Madam Shen. She lowered her eyes and covered her cold and trembling palm and shook it gently, fearing that her grandmother would get angry and something bad would happen.
Seeing that Old Madam Shen looked unhappy, Concubine Shen was frightened and angry. She put on her shoes hastily and went out of the palace.
"Grandma." Shen Anan was startled, and hurriedly helped the staggering Old Madam Shen to sit down on the chaise longue.
"Grandma, how are you?"
"It's okay. I was just too impatient. I'll be fine if I calm down."
Through the heavy curtains, one could vaguely hear Concubine Shen lying on the table, her crying voice suppressed and resentful. Perhaps because she was afraid that people outside would hear her, she only dared to sob.
Shen Anan remembered the vicious look she had given her just now, and curled her lips. There is always someone better than you. Her grandmother's straightforward personality was perfect for dealing with Concubine Shen.
The night passed just like that. Old Madam Shen and Shen An'an rested in Concubine Shen's inner palace. Concubine Shen lay outside crying for half the night, and gradually stopped in the second half of the night.
At dawn, Madam Shen took Shen Anan away from the palace without saying a word to Concubine Shen, as if she had come here late at night just to teach her a lesson for that slap.
Concubine Shen became angrier and angrier as she thought about it. This time she really fell ill, but she was afraid of arousing suspicion, so she didn't dare to make it public.
"Grandma." In the carriage, Shen Anan held Madam Shen's hand tightly and looked at the darkness under her eyes with heartache.
Concubine Shen thought her grandmother was cruel, but she didn't know that her grandmother had not slept all night and was sad and heartbroken looking at her back.
After all, she is her biological daughter, how could her grandmother not love her?
"An An, grandma is a little tired, let grandma lean on you."
"Okay." Shen Anan moved her shoulder over and let the old lady lean on her.
Time passed bit by bit, and something warm kept falling on her clothes. It was very light, but it felt very heavy when it hit Shen Anan's heart.
Uncle Zhong was outside reminding that the Shen family had arrived, and Old Madam Shen instantly sat up straight, regaining her usual dignity.
"This is a secret between us, grandparents and grandchildren. You are not allowed to tell anyone."
"Grandma, I have never seen what you look like before." She pursed her lips to smile, but immediately nodded solemnly when she met the old lady's threatening gaze.
"Don't worry, grandma. I won't tell anyone."
"Where is the master?" Old Madam Shen asked as she entered the room.
The housekeeper whispered, "The master should be in the study right now, and the eldest son went to pay his respects to you early in the morning, but you were not there and just returned."
"Well, let them all go to my yard now. I have something to tell you."
"Grandma," Shen Anan disagreed, "You've been running around all night, you should take a rest first. No matter how big the matter is, you can wait until you wake up before you talk about it."
Old Madam Shen shook her head. "Grandma had seen a lot of ups and downs when she was young. This is nothing. Don't worry, Grandma is in good health. But the Shen family can't drag it on any longer."
Knowing that she couldn't persuade her, Shen Anan immediately ordered Mo Xiang to prepare food and make some ginseng soup for the old lady to nourish her body.
The maids and old women in Anshou Hall had already lit the stove, and the room was hot as soon as she entered. Shen Anan poured her a cup of hot tea, sat on a small stool, and talked to her.
This time it was about the engagement between Shen Changhe and the girl from the Lin family.
"From what you said, it seems that you like this girl from the Lin family very much."
"Miss Lin is indeed good." Shen Anan sighed, "But since she left the Shen family that day, there has been no news, and she has also stopped communicating with my eldest brother. I heard that Master Lin seems to have intended to cancel this marriage."
"Is it the girl's idea or her father's?" the old lady asked with a frown.
If the girl means that a forced melon is not sweet, and that one must spend a lifetime together sharing the joys and sorrows, then it would be fine to cancel the engagement. But if her father means that, then the Shen family will definitely fight for it.
"It's hard to say." Shen Anan frowned, "But I think that should be what Lord Lin meant. Miss Lin is loyal and righteous, so she shouldn't do that."
It’s just that people in this world are good at pretending, so she just spoke based on her feelings and didn’t dare to be too sure.
As they were talking, Shen Wen, Shen Changhe, and Mrs. Shen all came together.
After the formalities, Old Madam Shen asked them all to sit down, winked at the maid beside her, asking them to leave and close the door.
She looked at Shen Changhe for a long time, then waved him to come to her side.
"Grandma." Shen Changhe walked over and half bent his knees so that the old lady could feel his eyebrows.
"Good, good, good. My He'er has grown up. He is very handsome and talented."
She touched Shen Changhe's head, and after a while she let go with a smile, "Drinking is harmful to the body and can't solve the problem. Now that grandma is back, don't feel any pressure."
"Yes." Shen Changhe lowered his eyebrows, somewhat blaming himself for his loss of composure yesterday.
"Go back and sit down."
There was no one else in the room, Shen Anan poured tea for them one by one, and Mrs. Shen fixed her eyes on Shen Wen, saying sternly, "Shen Wen, you are the head of the family, do you have a good plan to deal with the current situation?"
"I believe that only loyal people are worthy of service. Sooner or later, the emperor will understand the loyalty of the Shen family."
"Pedantic!" The old lady's tone suddenly became serious, "You were made a fool by your father."
“…”
Shen Wen shut up.
"An An, He Er, what do you mean?"
Shen Anan stood beside the old lady and said, "My granddaughter and my eldest brother agree that we can stand on the side of the fourth prince."
Shen Changhe nodded.
The old lady looked at Madam Shen again.
Mrs. Shen hurriedly said, “I agree with He’er and An’an.”
If both my son and daughter say it’s good, then of course it’s good.
Madam Shen nodded and looked at Shen Wen who had held his mouth again, "Do you still remember why the Zheng family, which was on good terms with your grandfather, disappeared?"
"He angered the emperor, was exiled to a wasteland, and died on the way." Shen Wen said softly.
He remembered that his father had asked for help from everyone for the Zheng family, but no one was willing to stand up and say a word for the Zheng family.
"In the past, Lord Zheng was upright and honest. He did not want to see the princes fighting and the court officials forming factions. He repeatedly rejected the princes' advances. Later, he lost the emperor's favor and suffered this disaster. No one dared to come out to vouch for him, and in the end, his entire family was exiled."
"What does mother mean?" Shen Wen frowned, his face solemn.
"I'm not asking you to disobey your father's advice, but the situation is different now. Back then, you were a small official, so who would care if you were a loyal official? Now that you're a general, no one cares if you're a loyal official either."
What he cares about is whether he can control the Shen family. Now he should suddenly realize that the Shen family is powerful and well-established.
"So, you are the only one who is entangled from the beginning to the end. That person doesn't care at all. Since ancient times, there have been countless examples of generals dying in times of peace. Your sister was indeed wrong, but she only accelerated the development of events."
Shen Wen's sweat dripped down his back, "Son understands."
Old Madam Shen picked up the teacup and took a sip, speaking neither lightly nor heavily.
"Back then, my Shen family was able to support the current emperor among many princes and stand firm for several years. Now, we can also repeat the old story and continue the glory of the past."
The hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Old Madam Shen sat there indifferently, looking calm and composed, yet dignified and sharp.
–
"Miss." Mo Xiang opened the curtain and entered the room. "Princess Hua Sheng of Yongning Marquis's Mansion sent someone to deliver a letter, inviting you to attend her birthday party tomorrow."
The stove in the room was crackling, and Shen Anan was massaging the old lady's legs. Hearing this, he raised his head and said, "Return the person who came. I will be there tomorrow."
"It's rare that there are still people who don't despise our family at this time," said Old Madam Shen with a smile.
After hesitating for a while, Shen Anan brought a small stool and sat down next to the old lady, and roughly told her about attending the banquet with the Fourth Prince tomorrow.
I thought my grandmother would object, but there was silence in the room for a long time.
A warm hand touched her head, "Good An An, no matter what you do, grandma will support you. Do everything according to your heart. Just don't regret it."
"No regrets," Shen Anan lowered her head and pulled the corners of her lips slightly, "I know what I want and I won't regret it."
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