Since Shen Wan insisted on returning, Xie Jingyan did not stop her. However, family scandals should not be aired in public. Given the scandalous affair of infighting and even physical violence among the sisters-in-law in the Pingyang Marquis's residence, Xie Jingyan felt it inappropriate to accompany her back, so he did not go with her.
After lunch, Shen Wan took Yinshuang and Dong'er out of the mansion and took a carriage back to the Pingyang Marquis's mansion.
Half an hour later, the carriage stopped in front of the Pingyang Marquis's mansion. Shen Wan got off the carriage, stepped into the mansion, and went directly to the old lady's Qinghui Courtyard.
After passing the screen and entering the room, I saw the old lady sitting on the daybed. She looked a little better than when I last saw her, but she was still very haggard, which showed how much the death of Shenli had affected her.
Before Shen Wan's gaze could leave the old lady's face, Shen Ying's voice came, "Eldest sister has finally returned. Grandmother has been waiting for so long."
His tone was unreadable, but his face was full of provocation.
Her grandmother asked her to get the ointment but refused, and sent someone to call her back, thinking she might not dare not come back.
She immediately accused her of being unfilial and making the old lady wait, but Shen Wan would not allow it. "When Grandmother sent someone to find me, I was having lunch with the Prince. I couldn't leave the Prince behind and come back first, making Grandmother wait."
It is very impolite to look for someone while they are having lunch. As an elder, how can you have the nerve to blame the younger generation for being unfilial for doing such a rude thing?
Shen Ying launched an attack, and Shen Wan returned the favor with a subtle but sharp retort.
The old lady slowed down her hand as she fiddled with the prayer beads, and her eyes turned cold.
Shen Wan stepped forward, curtsied to the old lady, and said, "Grandmother, what is it that you urgently summoned me back?"
Shen Ying was secretly annoyed. She didn't believe that Shen Wan couldn't guess why the old lady had asked her to come back, but instead pretended not to know what was going on with them.
The old lady didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "I called you back because of the matter of treating your third aunt's face. It was your second aunt who scratched your third aunt's face. Your second aunt has been heartbroken these days and has taken her anger out on your eldest brother. Your eldest brother chose to leave the capital to clear his mind in order to avoid your second aunt. It is understandable that you are unwilling to help your second aunt. But your third aunt did not offend you, and Grandmother will not let you suffer a loss. The Marquis's Mansion will pay you to buy that ointment."
The old lady had a kind face and gentle eyes; she didn't seem like the kind of person who would let anyone suffer.
Unfortunately, Shen Wan is no longer the person they used to be who was sold out and then helped them count the money.
Did the third wife not offend her?
If she doesn't expose some things, people will really think she knows nothing.
Buying her ointment with money might seem like she's getting a good deal, but don't forget, that ointment was a gift from the Emperor, a priceless imperial gift that cannot be bought or sold casually.
Furthermore, it was the third wife who needed the ointment. Even if their relationship was bad, to outsiders, the third wife was still her aunt. Her aunt's face was injured and needed ointment, yet she still charged money for it; that was too heartless.
And who will pay for this?
The second wife would definitely not do it, and the old lady would never pay for the second wife's funeral arrangements; in the end, the money would still come from the public funds.
Although not all the children in the public school belonged to the eldest son's family, the eldest son's family accounted for the majority of the money. In other words, her father paid for most of the money to buy the ointment. How wishful she was.
Previously, she had only asked her for ointment, but after she refused, the old lady wanted more than just the ointment; she wanted her reputation as well.
Shen Wan knew perfectly well what was going on, but she said calmly, "If I charged my aunt money for the ointment I gave her to treat her face, people would gossip about me and say I'm greedy and only care about money, not about family."
The old lady paused in her fiddle with the prayer beads, saying, "Grandmother was too hasty and didn't think things through. That ointment..."
Shen Wan shrugged lightly, "I also wanted to help Third Aunt, but it was too unfortunate. The Emperor only gave me two boxes of ointment to remove scars. My cousin bumped her forehead at Huguo Temple the other day, and Young Master Chen cut his hand while saving her. I gave them those two boxes of ointment."
Shen Wan looked helpless.
Shen Ying said angrily, "The ointment is gone! Why didn't you say so when I came to find you?!"
Shen Wan looked at Shen Ying and said, "Second sister, do you think I really want to talk to you? Last time you went to the Ling Prince's mansion to gloat, and this time you went to ask me for the ointment. I told you clearly that I couldn't give it to you, and you even complained to Grandmother and called me back. Second sister, you don't need to be busy with the affairs of the Jin Prince's mansion. I'm not as free as you are."
Yinshuang stood behind Shen Wan, watching Shen Ying's changed expression, and barely managed to suppress her laughter.
When it comes to stabbing someone in the back, her princess is second to none.
Second Aunt isn't uninvolved in the affairs of the Prince of Jin's residence; she simply can't get involved even if she wanted to, as Empress Song and the Prince of Jin forbid her from getting involved.
He must have been too idle to keep causing trouble for his princess.
Shen Wan slapped Shen Ying's face, and the old lady's expression also turned ugly. She asked, "I've heard about what happened to the Yun family. How is Miss Yun's forehead injury?"
Shen Wan didn't think much of it and replied, "Fortunately, it's not too serious."
The old lady said, "It's not very serious. Half a box of ointment should be enough."
Upon hearing this, Shen Wan's eyes turned cold. The old lady hadn't said it explicitly, but everyone in the room with ears could tell that she wanted Yun Mo to share half a box with the Third Madam.
After all, they've had thick skin for fifty or sixty years.
Shen Wan tried her best to hold back her anger and said, "What if it's not enough? The Yun family treats me with all their heart and soul. They always think of me when they have something good. I gave my cousin a box of ointment and even sent someone to ask for half a box back. Grandmother is thinking of Third Aunt. She doesn't worry at all that I'm hurting my maternal grandparents' feelings!"
Shen Wan usually tolerated the old lady's dissatisfaction, but today she could no longer bear it. She had seen selfish people, but she had never seen anyone so shameless. How dare she think that the Third Madam was comparable to the Yun family in her eyes, and even ask her to hurt the Yun family for the sake of the Third Madam?
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