Chapter 76: Endurance
Li Wan felt resentful when she saw that Shen Yuexi ignored them all the way.
She was the daughter of the Marquis of Pingyang, after all. She had always been surrounded by people, so how could she have ever been treated so coldly? Although her father's title had been stripped, the habits she had developed over the years were deeply ingrained.
She held onto Madam Li's arm and followed closely behind Shen Yuexi, glaring at her from time to time. Unable to resist, she quietly tugged at Madam Li's sleeve. Madam Li understood and slowed down her pace.
After the two of them distanced themselves from Shen Yuexi, Li Wan quietly complained to Madam Li, "Mother, look at this girl, she's so arrogant and domineering."
Mrs. Li quickly pinched the back of her hand, signaling her daughter to be careful with her words.
She knew very well that she had been tricked by Shen Yuexi, but she could not admit it.
Madam Li, living in the Marquis's mansion, had long been accustomed to the intrigues within the inner courtyard. No matter how people fought in private, they would always be polite to each other and would not fight openly.
But when it came to Shen Yuexi, everything seemed different.
This girl didn't play by the rules at all, lacking the respect a younger generation should have for their elders. When she was unhappy, she showed it quite bluntly. But if you could call it arrogance, her expression was calm and composed, without a trace of arrogance.
And the way she walked wasn't like a young lady from a duke's mansion. She looked here, then there, and kept talking to herself. How should I put it, she wasn't reserved at all.
Could it be that he is staying in this remote place?
But the village women she met along the way were completely different from her.
This attitude confused Madam Li for a moment. Among all the ladies and noble ladies she had dealt with, she couldn't recall anyone like this. She simply couldn't find anyone to refer to.
I had the impression that the second young lady of the Shen family had never even left the Duke's Mansion in recent years, remaining relatively unknown in the capital. I had never expected her to behave so differently the first time I met her.
Now that she couldn't figure out Shen Yuexi's true intentions, she decided to hold her ground for now. This was a principle she had learned over the years: it's better to be safe than sorry.
She patted the back of her daughter's hand and comforted her, "Alright, we're going to live together anyway, so you should control your temper."
Li Wan curled her lips, feeling a little annoyed.
My mother was a powerful figure in the Marquis' Mansion, so why did she become so timid here? Just because she was taking refuge with the Crown Prince, there was no need for her to be servile to Shen Yuexi. After all, my mother was still the Crown Prince's aunt, and this relationship couldn't be changed. And Shen Yuexi was forced here to replace Shen Lan. To be honest, she wasn't even Xiao Zhuo's legal wife, so what was she saying?
Mrs. Li saw her eyes full of indignation and was afraid that she might do something bad, so she continued:
"I know you're not convinced. But you've also seen that your cousin seems to value her very much. I started to test her a little, and he showed his dissatisfaction. After all, they're newlyweds, and there's a lot of time ahead of them."
Li Wan's eyes flickered, and she lowered her head without saying anything. However, the discomfort in her heart never dissipated.
When the three of them returned home, Shen Yuexi cleaned up the room Yang Cong had been staying in and temporarily gave it to Madam Li and Li Wan. There was also a small, narrow room next door, used for storing miscellaneous items. Shen Yuexi cleaned it up again, and when Yang Cong returned, she would let her move in there.
But September is almost here, and we have to find a way to renovate and expand the house before winter.
Madam Li and Li Wan had never given each other a good look since they entered the yard.
This place is really too simple, not only the adobe walls, but the roof has obviously just been repaired. If winter comes, it will definitely be exposed to the wind everywhere.
Neither of them believed that Xiao Zhuo and Shen Yuexi would live in such a poor room.
Mrs. Li could still hold back. She noticed that Shen Yuexi had cleaned the room herself. And although the room was simple, it was very clean. She just couldn't believe that Xiao Zhuo would live in such a place.
Li Wan simply believed Shen Yuexi was deliberately torturing them. This shabby house in the Pingyang Marquis's mansion was for the lowest-ranking servants. Although it had all the necessary furniture, it had poor lighting, excessive drafts, and no heater for winter. There were even chickens chirping next door.
What did Shen Yuexi mean? Was she treating them, mother and daughter, like servants?
It's just too much.
Shen Yuexi cleaned up the house and then told the two of them, "You guys can stay here for the time being. As for food, everything is ready in the kitchen. You can cook when you're hungry."
Li Wan's face changed and she blurted out, "You...how dare you!"
It's so infuriating. Even if I beg her to live in such a shabby room, she won't consider it. She even has to cook for herself!
Mrs. Li at least understood a little and quickly raised her hand to stop Li Wan.
After all, this was a poor village outside the border, and the houses along the way were just like this. Xiao Zhuo and Shen Yuexi had only just arrived here, so naturally they could only live in a place like this.
When Li Wan saw her mother trying to stop her, she stomped her feet in anger and slammed the door.
Shen Yuexi was too lazy to pay attention to them.
They were used to living in the Marquis' Mansion, and it would take them a while to adjust their mindset. She was too lazy to explain anything, so they could just let them adapt slowly.
She stretched herself and walked straight to the kitchen without looking at Mrs. Li's ugly face.
Before leaving today, Xiao Zhuo told her that she only needed to take care of Madam Li and Li Wan, and not to worry about anything else.
Since Xiao Zhuo has already spoken, she certainly won't sit idle and let others order her around like a servant.
If you want to eat, cook it yourself.
Li Wan stood in the yard, watching Shen Yuexi go into the kitchen. She turned around angrily and went back in. She walked to the bed and flipped open the bed she had just made, shouting, "Who wants her fake kindness!"
Mrs. Li watched her daughter throwing a tantrum and shouted, "Wan'er!"
Mrs. Li grabbed the crazy Li Wan and pulled her aside with a gloomy look on her face.
"We're not the same as we used to be. Keep your temper under control. Your cousin has entrusted us to her care, can't you see that?"
Madam Li's words reminded Li Wan that things were different now. After her mother was divorced, she could have stayed in the mansion, but her mother had threatened her life, forcing her to come along and look for her cousin, the Crown Prince.
If only her mother had said that she would regain her former status as long as she found her cousin, the prince, she would not come to such a place to suffer.
She now deeply regrets her choice.
Li Wan's thoughts were no match for the shrewd Madam Li. She glanced at her daughter and knew exactly what she was thinking. She couldn't help but sigh, "Your cousin is definitely not the type to sit back and wait for death. You should wait and see."
She also hoped that Xiao Zhuo could turn things around, so that she could openly ask the Marquis to personally welcome her back.
Li Wan was not stupid, and she knew what her mother said, but she had a vague feeling that her cousin would not listen to her mother.
"Then what should we do next?" Li Wan lowered her head resignedly and said nothing.
Mrs. Li stood up, tidied up the quilt that was left beside her, and put it on again.
"Be patient, be patient for now."
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