Chapter 366 You also want to be remembered as legitimate children?
Shen Lanxi's tone was aggrieved: "I am also Father's daughter. How could Father blame me for Yuan Tang's sake? Grandmother, do you know how Father blamed me?"
Madam Shen's brows furrowed with irritation.
“My father said that I had no love or care, that I was cold and heartless to my family, and that I was cruel to my sister. He also said that I was taking advantage of the money I gave to the family every month to control them, that I was stingy and didn’t care about the affection between my family and my relatives, and that from now on I would not use a single penny from the Juding Mansion. All the people around me can testify to this.”
Madam Shen's face began to darken.
“My father also said that he would remember what he said yesterday, and that I should also remember what he said yesterday.”
"I, Shen Lanxi, will remember what I did yesterday, and I will never allow any outsiders in the family to find fault with me again!"
Madam Shen felt her head buzzing, and all that remained in her mind were the words the housekeeper had said when he came to see her that morning.
The family's treasury was already nearly empty, and the money had been completely depleted by a series of celebrations in the household. This morning, various shops came to collect their debts, so the steward had no choice but to approach the old lady.
The old lady did have some valuable medicinal herbs in her private treasury, which were also a gift from Shen Lanxi. She and Old Master Shen needed tonics every month, especially Old Master Shen, who couldn't miss a day of taking his medicine.
After having the steward check the accounts yesterday, Shen Congwen began to feel guilty. He was summoned by Old Madam Shen and given a severe scolding, and he didn't dare to lift his head.
“Lanxi, you know the situation at home. Your father kept urging the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review to return the items confiscated from our home. After several delays, they made it clear that when we were imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, a group of very skilled thieves came from the capital and robbed our Shen family of everything. Now the family can only live on your father's salary.”
Shen Lanxi sneered inwardly, but showed no sign of it on her face.
“I do know about this. Not only our manor, but even the Zhennan Prince’s manor has been emptied.”
Madam Shen said anxiously, "It's not just our two residences; I heard that other residences have also been robbed clean."
Shen Lanxi: "I know the difficulties in the household, so I only send money and things to the family every month. I am not a ostentatious person, so apart from the steward in charge of the accounts and my grandmother, I have never mentioned it to anyone else."
When the Shen family members inside heard her say that, their expressions became unnatural.
They had things in their storeroom, but never thought of giving them to the public. They even received a monthly allowance from the public, never expecting their home to be in this state.
“Grandmother, I have a lot of dowry money from the family in my room. I’ll take half of it to the public fund,” Hu Jinyu suddenly said.
Shen Yuanxu glanced at her, first moved, then frowned.
The dowry of a woman is private property, which is to be left to her children in the future. How can it be used by the family?
Shen Lanxi glanced at Hu Jinyu, then looked away.
“Grandmother, since Father has made such a big decision, his salary must be enough for the family to live on. As his daughter, I certainly won’t let him be ridiculed by others.”
These words made Old Madam Shen swallow back the words she was about to say.
"Lanxi, we're family. How can family members be so petty?"
Shen Lanxi: "I didn't make a fuss. I already told my father that the money and things I sent to his residence before didn't need to be returned. If my father insists on upholding integrity and wants to return the money and things to me, then I can only accept them."
Madam Shen was about to faint again.
Madam Liu quickly smoothed things over: "Weren't we just discussing recording the illegitimate son as the legitimate son? How did we get onto this topic?"
Shen Yuanxu patted Hu Jinyu's hand reassuringly and said to her in a low voice, "There's no reason for a family to give dowries to female relatives. Let's hear what your uncle has to say when he arrives!"
If it weren't for her uncle upsetting Lanxi, none of this would have happened.
My uncle used to treat Lanxi so well, but his personality changed after he was exiled.
Seeing that no one in the room was speaking, Shen Yuanxin secretly resented these people for being useless.
"Elder sister, it is now certain that Yuanxin will be registered under the name of the stepmother. My two younger sisters, Yuanhe and Yuanrui, are also favored by our father. Since my aunt returned from Dongchuan, her health has deteriorated, and as a result, we siblings have also lost our favor."
Shen Lanxi looked at Shen Yuanxin and bluntly asked, "What, do you also want to be recorded as legitimate children?"
Shen Yuanxin's heart skipped a beat; she hadn't expected her older sister to be so direct.
"Yuan Xin wouldn't dare."
Shen Lanxi: "You'll be getting married in a few months, right?"
Shen Yuanxin looked slightly awkward: "There are still more than three months left."
Shen Lanxi: "From now on, just stay in your room and embroider your wedding dress. Once you're married into the family, you'll be the mistress of the house."
Shen Yuanxin understood that her older sister was giving her a warning. The title of "legal wife" was better than that of "legitimate daughter," but how could they be the same?
Zhang Zifen made such a big mistake before, so why did her children get such a big benefit?
They were well-behaved in their room, but instead of receiving any special treatment, they were cheated out of their money every month, and even the servants bullied them.
Madam Shen was already suffering from a splitting headache and really didn't want to listen anymore.
"I'm old and useless. My voice is useless, and my body is useless too!" Old Madam Shen sighed repeatedly.
Shen Lanxi: "If Grandmother wants to be healthy, she shouldn't let these troubles bother her in the future."
Madam Shen paused, her face turning ashen.
Hu Jinyu had never seen a divorced woman have such a voice in her own family. With just a few words, she had left the old lady speechless.
During these days, she secretly observed and found that the younger generation in the family were either very afraid of Shen Lanxi or very respectful of her.
She inquired with the people in the mansion, both openly and secretly, but they either didn't know or remained silent. Even Shen Yuanxu treated Shen Lanxi with respect mixed with a hint of fear, not like siblings at all, but rather like a superior treating a subordinate.
No matter how much she tried to persuade him, Shen Yuanxu remained as stubborn as an oyster.
The more this happened, the more curious she became about what kind of person Shen Lanxi really was.
The hall remained silent, and Old Madam Shen grew even more agitated. She had her maids and servants help her to rest.
Shen Lanxi was quite content. After enjoying the tea and snacks, Shen Congwen brought over his two concubine daughters.
"Father…"
"Uncle..."
The younger generation stood up and bowed to Shen Congwen, who looked displeased and sat down in the head seat with a dark expression.
"We will open the ancestral hall tomorrow and write down Yuanxin's name."
"Yuanxin will marry the princess on the sixteenth of next month. The princess is not feeling well and should not be overworked, so I will trouble my younger brother and sister-in-law to take care of the arrangements."
Shen Conglian and the others subconsciously looked at Shen Lanxi.
As the old lady just said, there's no money left in the household, so how will we manage to organize this?
It's not like a poor family can be frugal when they enter the house; she's a princess, so she definitely needs to have the minimum pomp and circumstance.
Liu: "After Yuanxin marries the princess, will he continue to live at home?"
Shen Congwen: "The Tenth Princess does not have a princess residence outside. The imperial decree ordered her to marry into the Shen family, so naturally she will live at home."
Liu looked troubled and said, "The house where the illegitimate son lives can definitely not be used as a wedding house."
Zhang Zifen made a mistake that implicated her children; all of her children were forced to live in a secluded courtyard.
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