Chapter 153: Don't underestimate a mother's revenge...
"The news that His Majesty will hold a grand memorial service for Empress Wei this year has already spread. Hehe, Madam Chen must be so angry that she's tearing flower petals off at home right now, right?"
As Shen Lingyue spoke, her hands never stopped moving. Holding up the Y-shaped wooden frame, she painstakingly wrote one ancient seal character after another on the sand table, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She rubbed her sore and tense arms and sighed sincerely, "Playing the ghost is also a physically demanding job."
She's been practicing calligraphy every day lately, and her biceps have gotten so bulging.
Yan Yi leaned against the low couch by the window, smiling as she watched her grimace as she rubbed her arm, and advised, "You don't need to work so hard. Consort Gao will be there to improvise."
When it comes to metaphysics, in Emperor Qingxi's mind, no one was more authoritative than Consort Gao.
Shen Lingyue practiced swinging her wings like a goose for a while, then picked up the wooden frame again and said seriously, "I call this strengthening muscle memory. When I can write these words with my eyes closed, that will be great."
"Actually, I have another idea to enhance the effect of the ritual on the day of the ceremony..."
Yan Yi had just started speaking when Qing Chan came running in, panting.
"The gatekeeper came to report that a Madam Shen has arrived and specifically requested that you, Miss, go to the main gate to greet her."
"Which Madam Shen?" Shen Lingyue hadn't reacted yet. "My eldest sister? Does she need me to go out and greet her when she comes to see me?"
Qingchan shook her head, indicating she didn't know. The gatekeeper had sent someone to deliver a message urgently, saying that the other party was someone of great importance, with a very luxurious carriage that didn't seem to belong to an ordinary family.
"How strange... Could it be that some relatives from my father's side have come knocking on our door?"
Shen Lingyue put down her pen and said to Yan Yi, "I'll go see what's going on."
She took Qingchan to the front yard, where she saw Shen Songyi, supported by two maids, getting out of the carriage adorned with jewels and striding arrogantly across the threshold of the Marquis's mansion.
"Why is it you?"
Shen Lingyue was stunned. She had only been away from her parents' home for a few days. Had Shen Songyi gotten married?
She had her hair styled in a bun, adorned with jewels, and dressed in a very luxurious manner, her chin practically reaching for the sky.
Why can't it be me?
Shen Songyi raised a hand to adjust her temple and sneered, "Does that mean only you and my eldest sister can marry into high-ranking families, while I'm destined to be married off far away from the capital and live a miserable life?"
Shen Lingyue quickly composed herself and smiled slightly: "Really? Then I must congratulate you, Second Sister. May I ask who your husband is? Why didn't he come with you today?"
"You'd be terrified if I told you," Shen Songyi said proudly. "It's the current third son, His Highness Prince Yu."
Shen Lingyue: ...
Oh no, Prince Yu has a wife!
The amount of information was too much for her to process; it took her several seconds to react before she blurted out, "You actually went to become Prince Yu's concubine?!"
"How dare you be so disrespectful to my mistress!" The maidservant beside Shen Songyi shouted.
Shen Lingyue understood. It turned out that her title of "Madam" was not a general term, but a rank of wives and concubines in Prince Yu's harem.
According to the laws and regulations of Da Ye, after a prince is made a king, he can have one queen, two concubines, and several wives. Below that are the unnamed and unranked concubines and maids.
Shen Lingyue frowned slightly and muttered under her breath, "She hasn't even managed to become a concubine, yet she dares to swagger around in front of me?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Songyi turned pale with anger and clenched her fingers tightly. "Shen Lingyue! Show me some respect! I am now Prince Yu's person. If you know what's good for you, go back and tell your mother to hand over Concubine Liu. Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite."
"Oh, what if I don't know what's good for me?"
Shen Lingyue crossed her arms, ready to fight her to the bitter end.
It's ridiculous. Even Prince Yu's own mother-in-law treats her with utmost respect. Shen Songyi is just a third-class concubine. Does she really think she's so high and mighty?
Enraged, Shen Songyi blurted out, "What are you all standing there for? Slap her in the face!"
The maid rolled up her sleeves and rushed forward. Seeing this, Qingchan immediately went to meet her, and the two wrestled together.
Qingchan quickly gained the upper hand, pinning the maid to the ground and twisting her arms behind her back, while raising her voice to shout, "Help! Someone has broken into the Marquis's mansion and is trying to assassinate us!"
Soon, the head guard Cen Ming arrived with his bodyguards, and everyone was stunned by what they saw.
Weren't there supposed to be assassins? Why are there only a few women?
Shen Lingyue pointed at Shen Songyi and said, "This person is here to cause trouble. Throw her out."
Shen Songyi trembled with rage. "Who dares? I am a member of the Prince Yu's mansion!"
"So what? This is the Changning Marquis's residence. If you want to show off your power, go back to your own little corner of the world."
Shen Lingyue rolled her eyes and waved her hand impatiently: "I don't know where Aunt Liu is. Don't bother me again. If you're so capable, go and complain to Prince Yu."
"You...you just wait!"
The guards of the Marquis's mansion were all tall and burly, not to be trifled with. Shen Songyi could only utter a harsh remark and storm off.
Shen Lingyue frowned and instructed Qingchan, "Prepare the carriage; we're going back to the Shen family."
It's strange, they were just preparing to deal with Prince Yu, why did Shen Songyi have to enter Prince Yu's mansion at this critical moment?
Could it be that Shen Hang sent his only unmarried daughter to Prince Yu in order to curry favor with him?
Shen Lingyue rushed back to the Shen family home and ran into Shen Yuanjia at the door.
"Little sister, you found out too?" Shen Yuanjia grabbed her hand. "Shen Songyi, she..."
“She went to Prince Yu’s residence.” Shen Lingyue finished the sentence and shrugged. “She just went to the Marquis’s residence to show off to me, but I didn’t tolerate her and had her kicked out.”
Shen Yuanjia's face was cold and stern. He said bluntly, "You'd rather be a proper person than a concubine. As daughters of the Shen family, you're a disgrace to us."
The two sisters entered the house hand in hand, and soon they ran into Liu's mother, who seemed to have come specifically to find them.
Shen Yuanjia spoke first: "Does Mother know we're back?"
Madam Liu nodded: "Madam sent me to find the two young ladies and asked you to go to the study to visit the master first—the second young lady's entry into the Prince Yu's mansion was not his wish, and the master was so angry that he fell ill."
Shen Lingyue suddenly realized: "So it wasn't my father who sold his daughter for personal gain."
The two hurried to Shen Hang's room, and almost fell over from the strong smell of medicine as soon as they entered.
Shen Hang lay on the bed, his face pale, with a handkerchief draped over his head. He reached out his hand with difficulty when he saw the two of them.
"Jia'er, Yue'er, you've finally come to see your father, huh?"
Shen Lingyue pinched her thigh hard to stop herself from laughing out loud.
Who would have thought that the electronic music tadpole would make a comeback!
It seems that Shen Hang is really angry this time.
Shen Yuanjia was impatient. As soon as he sat down by the bed, he asked eagerly, "Father, what exactly happened? How could you let my second sister go to Prince Yu's mansion as a concubine? When did our Shen family fall to this state?"
Shen Hang blinked, and two lines of clear tears streamed down his face.
"My family, what a misfortune!"
From childhood to adulthood, he doted on Yi'er the most, teaching her to write and read by hand, indulging her in every way, and giving her whatever she wanted.
But she dared to do such a shameless and disgraceful thing behind her parents' and elders' backs!
Heaven knows that when Prince Yu shamelessly called him "father-in-law," Shen Hang felt like tearing him apart.
Who in the entire capital city doesn't know that Prince Yu's harem is famously lively?
He was a high-ranking official, the Minister of Rites, a second-rank official. He had lived his whole life following the rules and being extremely cautious. In the end, he was branded as someone who sold his daughter for personal gain. How could he face His Majesty and his colleagues in court after this?
Shen Hang was truly heartbroken. His most beloved concubine, Aunt Liu, and her daughter had repeatedly stabbed him in the heart.
Shen Lingyue breathed a sigh of relief. Since Shen Songyi brought this upon herself, as long as it didn't implicate the Shen family, that was fine.
She walked to the round table, poured herself a cup of tea, moistened her throat, and said slowly, "What's done is done. Father, no matter how sad you are, it's no use. Who told Shen Songyi to give up on herself?"
Shen Hang closed his eyes, feeling even more uncomfortable.
"You don't understand, how could my daughter become a concubine!"
This is putting his life's worth of dignity on the ground and trampling on it.
Shen Lingyue rolled her eyes. "Don't you have Concubine Liu yourself? Isn't Concubine Liu her parents' daughter? How come other people's daughters can be your concubines, but yours can't?"
He himself is corrupt and favors his concubines. Now Shen Songyi is following suit, which is a case of the superior setting an example for the inferior.
Shen Hang was so shocked by her retort that he trembled all over and stammered for a long time.
"Little sister, you should say less. Father can't take any more stimulation right now," Shen Yuanjia said disapprovingly.
Shen Hang was moved; Jia'er was so sensible...
Then he heard Shen Yuanjia say, "If you anger your father to death, Ming'an will have to observe mourning and won't be able to participate in next year's imperial examination."
Shen Hang: ...
What incredibly filial daughters!
He was so angry that he thrashed about like a carp, slapping the bed board repeatedly.
"go out--!"
Electronic Tadpole is going all out again.
Shen Yuanjia readily agreed, "Father, please rest well. My little sister and I will take our leave now."
The two quickly left the room, running like thieves to the backyard. When no one was around, they looked at each other and chuckled.
Shen Lingyue gave a thumbs up: "Big sister, you're amazing."
Shen Yuanjia rubbed his sore cheeks from laughing and said seriously, "I'm just telling the truth. Right now, Ming'an's future is the most important thing in the family."
Zhao Lan leisurely sipped her tea inside the house. When her two daughters entered, she asked, "Have you visited your father?"
Shen Lingyue nodded and asked impatiently, "How did Shen Songyi end up in the Prince Yu's residence?"
Zhao Lan briefly summarized the important points.
"...She heard that your father intended to marry her off to a distant place outside the capital. Fearing that she would suffer in the future, she secretly ran away and became Prince Yu's woman."
She put down her teacup, a disdainful smirk playing on her lips. "She's really used to a good life, she doesn't know her place, thinking that every concubine is as comfortable and carefree as Aunt Liu?"
She foolishly jumped into the Yuwang Mansion, a den of dragons and tigers, and sooner or later she'd be devoured without a trace.
Shen Yuanjia said worriedly, "She has only just entered the Prince Yu's mansion, yet she dares to act arrogantly at my younger sister's house. If she really gains favor, won't she be able to ride roughshod over us?"
Zhao Lan glanced at Shen Lingyue without changing her expression, and said meaningfully, "Don't worry, she's like a grasshopper in autumn, she won't be able to jump around for many more days."
Princess Tong'an wanted to ascend to that position, and Prince Yu was a stumbling block that she had to overcome.
Shen Songyi is probably still dreaming of entering the palace and becoming a concubine, completely unaware that her actions are courting death.
That's good, it saves her from getting her hands dirty.
Zhao Lan lowered her eyes, a cold glint flashing across them.
She deliberately let the maid in the main courtyard leak the news to Shen Songyi, and deliberately had people repeatedly mention that Prince Yu had the opportunity to ascend the throne, leading Shen Songyi step by step into this trap and deeply hurting Shen Hang's heart.
When Aunt Liu finds out that the daughter she raised with such care has ended up following in her footsteps, I wonder what she will think?
She killed Yue'er. Don't think you can pay for it with your own life. It's not enough, far from enough.
...
Shen Songyi returned to the Prince Yu's residence in a fit of rage. As soon as she entered, she saw the Princess Yu standing there with an unfriendly expression, as if she were waiting for her.
She wasn't entirely foolish after all; she quickly composed herself, stepped forward respectfully, and bowed, saying, "Greetings to the Princess."
Princess Yu asked coldly, "Where did you go just now?"
Shen Songyi raised her head and said cautiously, "I went to the Changning Marquis's residence to visit my younger sister. We sisters haven't seen each other for many days and I miss her very much..."
Snap!
Princess Yu slapped him across the face and scolded him sharply, "Stop with your fake, seductive tricks! I'm not a prince, I don't fall for that!"
Shen Songyi covered her swollen cheek and looked up incredulously: "You hit me? My father is the Minister of Rites!"
"So what? My uncle is still a Duke! Know your place. You're just a concubine in the Prince Yu's mansion now. If you dare to go out and offend people again without my permission, I'll break your legs!"
Princess Yu was so angry she wanted to grind her teeth. The courtyard was already full of beautiful women, and now there was one who was eager to offer herself to him!
If Shen Songyi were well-behaved, it would be fine; considering she has a good father, she would tolerate it for the sake of Prince Yu's great cause.
However, just now, the wife of the heir of the Marquis of Changning's mansion sent someone to deliver a letter, subtly inquiring about what her family had done to offend the Prince Yu's mansion, that they would send a concubine to cause trouble at their door.
Princess Yu was startled and quickly replied to explain that she had no such intention. She then sent someone out to inquire and learned that Shen Songyi had been at odds with Shen Lingyue since her maiden home, and was now taking advantage of the power of the Prince Yu's mansion to cause trouble.
...Isn't this like bringing a troublemaker into the family?
Princess Yu grabbed Shen Songyi by the collar, suppressing her anger and fiercely warning her: "The Marquis of Changning's mansion is a family that even the Prince has to go to great lengths to win over. Instead of trying to please your little sister, you come here to cause trouble. Do you want to offend everyone for the Prince? Believe me, I have plenty of ways to make you die quietly in the backyard!"
Shen Songyi seemed to be startled, and remained silent for a long time.
Princess Yu then looked at the maid who had gone out with Shen Songyi to cause trouble, and ordered expressionlessly, "Drag her away and beat her to death with sticks. Let everyone in the manor see clearly that this is what will happen to anyone who dares to let Madam Shen cause trouble again."
The maid was still shouting loudly as she was being dragged away.
"Your Highness, spare me! I'll never dare to do it again... Madam, Madam, please save me!"
Shen Songyi's lips trembled, and she couldn't utter a single word. Her body shook more and more violently, and she slid down uncontrollably.
Princess Yu released her grip with disdain and snorted coldly, "You good-for-nothing brat, what can you do besides climb into men's beds?"
Today, she made an example of someone in front of the entire household to warn others, so that no servant would dare to serve her sincerely in the future.
So what if she's the daughter of a high-ranking official? Since she's willingly degenerating herself into becoming a concubine, she should learn the proper rules for being a concubine!
Princess Yu left in a grand procession.
Shen Songyi fell to the ground, and none of the maids around her dared to help her up. They all pretended to have something to do and ran away quickly.
She stared blankly at the smooth stone bricks on the floor of the Prince's Mansion, her mind a complete blank.
My aunt never suffered like this in the Shen family, so why is it all different for her?
...
"Good heavens, you even sent an invitation to Prince Yu's residence after I left?"
The next day, on the way to the princess's residence, Shen Lingyue learned that Yan Yi had already avenged her. Moved, she hugged Yan Yi's arm and exclaimed, "Ahhh, Yan Yan is the best to me!"
Yan Yi remained calm: "Chen Songyi comes from a high-ranking family and is young and beautiful. Princess Yu is just looking for an opportunity to deal with her. I'm just going with the flow."
Originally, everyone kept to themselves and no one interfered with each other. It was Shen Songyi's own choice to become a concubine. But who made her so frivolous and foolish, thinking that she could come to the Marquis's mansion and show off her power just because she had climbed up to Prince Yu's big tree?
She wouldn't just stand by and watch Little Moon be bullied; naturally, she would help her get revenge.
Shen Lingyue clicked her tongue and shook her head: "With the Princess Consort's family being so domineering, she definitely wouldn't allow any newcomers to emerge in the inner quarters. I understand such a simple principle. Has Shen Songyi gone mad? Or does she think that as long as she gains the Prince's favor, she can look down on the entire Prince's mansion? Does she really think the Princess Consort is as easy to talk to as my mother?"
Yan Yi glanced at her without showing any emotion.
Why did Shen Songyi suddenly enter the Prince Yu's mansion...? The image of Zhao Lan flashed through her mind.
Never underestimate a mother's determination to seek revenge.
It seems that Little Moon is still in the dark, so she might as well pretend she doesn't know either.
As they spoke, they arrived at Princess Tong'an's residence.
Because Emperor Qingxi decreed that the funeral rites for Empress Wei be entirely entrusted to Princess Tong'an, the princess's residence has been bustling with monks, nuns, and Taoist priests these days. On one side, sandalwood incense swirls and wooden fish drums resound; on the other, incense tables are set up and ritual steps are performed to invite the gods to descend. Everyone is displaying their unique abilities, making it extremely lively.
Princess Tong'an was waiting for them in the study. As soon as they met, she smiled and asked Shen Lingyue, "How is your divination practice going?"
Shen Lingyue raised her arm, striking a pose to show off her muscles, "Mission accomplished!"
She had memorized those few seal characters and could even copy them perfectly.
“Your Highness, I have a new idea. We can add some immersive and magical effects to the ritual to make it easier to break down Madam Chen’s defenses.”
As Yan Yi spoke, she walked to the table and spread out a sheet of drawing paper.
Princess Tong'an leaned closer to take a look, her eyes filled with confusion. "What is this painting of yours? It's all black and white, I can't understand it at all."
Yan Yi smiled slightly, keeping everyone in suspense, "Your Highness, please keep your eyes fixed on the pattern on the paper, silently count to twenty, and then quickly blink at the wall."
Princess Tong'an did as she was told, staring intently at the shapeless blob of ink on the paper until her eyes started to sting. She then quickly looked up at the wall and blinked.
"Why!"
She exclaimed in surprise, "I saw...a cat! How could this be?"
Princess Tong'an looked down at the drawing again. It was just a few irregular ink blots, how did it turn into a cat?
"Your Highness, this is called the persistence of vision."
Yan Yi tried to explain the principle in the simplest language: "When the human eye stares at a black object for a long time, it will become tired and thus suppressed. When the gaze turns to a white wall, the black and white colors that were originally seen will become complementary inverse colors."
She took out another sheet of rice paper with a watercolor kitten painted on it and placed it on top of the first sheet with irregular ink blots. It could be seen that the outlines of the two sheets were roughly similar, except that the black and white parts were reversed.
Princess Tong'an tried a few more times, and sure enough, the kitten pattern she saw on the wall was exactly as depicted in the painting. She couldn't help but marvel at it.
"They say seeing is believing, but that's not necessarily true. If we master this color-reversal technique, wouldn't we be able to show people what we want them to see?"
Princess Tong'an, understanding the implied meaning from the song, asked, "You intend to use this method to create even more illusions?"
Yan Yi nodded gently.
"If Madam Chen can see Empress Wei 'come back to life' with her own eyes, how can she, the murderer, remain indifferent?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: Let's give a warm round of applause to the limited-time return of Electronic Music Tadpole! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
//You can find examples of the visual persistence effect online. I've also posted two on BigEye. You can check them out on @Doubao's updated profile.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
