We've already completely fallen out, why is she still looking for me?

She originally wanted to avoid meeting him, but then she changed her mind and said, "Take her to her flower hall and wait for her. I'll be there in a moment."

Qiutang agreed and left.

If possible, Shen Xinlan would not want to make such a trip. But there was really no other way.

Qi Liuxiu has been having troubles since he was demoted. His former colleagues and superiors who appreciated him all try to avoid him, which makes Qi Liuxiu very frustrated as he is trying to find another way to climb up again.

With her husband's career failing, Shen Xinlan's life was not easy either. Some of the ladies who used to treat her like sisters now found every opportunity to ridicule her, leaving her so annoyed that she had no way to vent her anger.

At this moment, she suddenly realized that her elder sister, whom she had always looked down upon, could easily decide the honor or disgrace of her and her husband.

It was because she had realized this that, even though the maid of the Duke's Mansion only led her to the flower hall for receiving guests this time, instead of the Funing Courtyard where the Crown Prince's wife lived, she did not dare to be unhappy at all.

As long as Shen Xinyan is willing to see her, she can tolerate everything else. As a concubine's daughter, the greatest skill she has learned is tolerance!

She sat upright in the flower hall without looking around. Except for the servants who occasionally came in to serve tea and snacks, she did not see any of the masters of the Duke's Mansion.

She didn't know how long it had been, but she finally heard the familiar footsteps of Shen Xinyan.

"Second sister!" She calmed herself down, put on a happy smile and greeted her.

Shen Xinyan nodded at her calmly and sat down at the head of the table. She asked straight to the point, "I wonder why Madam Qi came to see me?"

Madam Qi...

Shen Xinlan's heart sank.

She even refused to call her third sister. Could it be that she really wanted to sever the sisterhood? When did this second sister become so cruel?

"Second sister, I was ignorant in the past and offended you many times. If you still..." She lowered her posture and pleaded softly, but was interrupted by Shen Xinyan before she could finish her words.

"Don't you feel tired? You have been playing the role of a good sister and a good daughter to me and my mother for so many years. Don't you feel tired at all? It's just that you are not tired, but I am annoyed."

"If you're here to play the sisterly card this time, I won't keep you company." After saying that, she made a gesture to stand up and leave.

"Sister, please stay!" Shen Xinlan panicked. She grabbed her and wanted to say a few soft words. But facing those cold faces, she could no longer say those soft words.

Finally, she slowly sat down again, facing Shen Xinyan's cold eyes, and said calmly: "I just don't understand. You have been confused for so many years, how come you are sober now? Yes, I don't like you, but are you really devoted to me?"

"And mother, does she really regard me as her daughter? Not necessarily. If you really love me, how come after all these years, I can't even get the status of a legitimate daughter? In the end, I am just a tool for you to show your generosity and kindness."

"So that's how it is. Just for the identity of a legitimate daughter, you have been holding a grudge against us for so long." Shen Xinyan suddenly realized, but found it a little ridiculous.

Real love is not as good as the undeserved title of legitimate daughter!

She shook her head and suddenly lost interest in talking to Shen Xinlan anymore.

"Since you have been secretly worried about this for so many years, you might as well keep worrying about it. I think we are sisters in name only, not in fate. We should have less contact in this life and take care of each other!"

Having said this, she stood up and prepared to leave.

"Since you think so, sister, why do you use shameful means behind my husband's back to ruin his future?" Shen Xinlan asked loudly at her back.

Shen Xinyan stopped and turned around, facing her resentful eyes and answered calmly: "I really want to teach you a lesson, but unfortunately you have offended too many people. Before I even had time to make arrangements, someone else had already cleaned up for me. Madam Qi, instead of wasting time talking to me here, you should go back and figure out with your husband who you offended to cause this disaster!"

Shen Xinlan was stunned, watching her figure disappear from her sight, still unable to recover from the shock.

If it wasn't her, then who could it be?

She didn't think Shen Xinyan had any need to deceive her. She had even said such cruel words. If she really did it, there was no need for her to deny it.

Who could that be? Could it really be someone that my husband had offended in the officialdom?

She just felt a little headache. If it was Shen Xinyan who did it, based on her understanding of her over the years, she would always find a way to ask for her forgiveness and change her husband's current situation. But if it was caused by someone outside, it would be difficult for her as a woman to deal with it.

Shen Xinlan was at a loss on this side. Yang in the other room had been investigating for several days but could not find out the details of Shen Xinlan's confrontation with the Grand Princess that day, which made her very disappointed.

It happened that she was wandering around the garden bored that day, and by chance, she saw Fang Birong sitting alone on a stone bench next to a willow tree, lost in thought. Her eyes rolled, and she immediately walked over with a friendly smile.

"Isn't this Miss Fang? Oh, I haven't seen you out in the garden for a while. Why do you look a lot thinner to me?"

"Third Madam!" Fang Birong saw that it was her, and stood up and bowed. Just as she bent her knees, Yang grabbed her and said, "We are all relatives, why are you doing those empty formalities?"

Fang Birong did not insist and smiled at her reservedly: "It's rare that the Third Madam also has such a refined taste."

"I'm just an ordinary person, so how can I have any elegant or unelegant interests? I just felt bored in the house, so I came out to relax. Unexpectedly, I met my sister whom I haven't seen for a long time. Why haven't you come out for a walk more recently? It's so boring staying in the house all day!" Yang held her hand affectionately.

"I can do some needlework, read a book or sketch patterns in my spare time. I won't feel bored." Fang Birong withdrew her hand inconspicuously and answered with a faint smile.

"My sister is a refined person, she knows a lot, unlike me." Yang didn't care, she sat down with her and talked nonsense for a while, then pretended to be casual, "My second sister-in-law offended mother a few days ago, thanks to my eldest sister-in-law for mediating, otherwise mother would be furious! Unfortunately, I am not good at talking, I don't know where to start to persuade her."

"Third Madam, you must have listened to the servants' gossip, right? The Crown Prince's wife is a filial servant to the Princess, so how could she offend the Princess? Third Madam, you'd better not mention these words again. If they get out accidentally, it will not only tarnish the reputation of the Crown Prince's wife, but also implicate the Duke's Mansion." Fang Birong widened her eyes and advised kindly.

However, she sneered in her heart. Did Yang really think she was an ignorant woman? She actually set her sights on him!

Yang Shi was not very happy after being blocked by her. However, every word she said made sense, and she even mentioned the Crown Prince's wife and the Duke's Mansion. She could not lose her temper, so she had to put on a stiff smile and said awkwardly, "I was just saying it casually, just saying it casually..."

Fang Birong sneered secretly but did not show it on her face. She turned away as if she was admiring the scenery. Inadvertently, she saw a maid from the mansion leading a young woman towards the second gate not far away. The woman's eyebrows were vaguely similar to Shen Xinyan's, and she couldn't help but be moved.

"Who is that lady?"

Yang followed her line of sight and said, "My second sister-in-law's younger sister."

After a pause, he was somewhat unwilling and said sarcastically, "She is just the wife of a small editor in the Hanlin Academy. No, I heard that her husband made a mistake in his job and couldn't even be an editor in the Hanlin Academy. The wife of a small official is not worth Sister Fang's attention."

After saying this, he glanced at Fang Birong with disdain, stood up, patted his butt and left.

Fang Birong paid no attention to her, her eyes fixed on Shen Xinlan's back. After a while, she suddenly stood up and walked quickly towards a path.

Shen Xinlan was preoccupied with something and followed the maid of the Duke of England's mansion somewhat absentmindedly. When she reached the corner, a figure suddenly rushed out from the side and bumped into her. She lost her balance and fell to the ground with a cry.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?" The man reached out to help her and apologized politely.

Shen Xinlan supported the other person's hand and stood steadily. Then she looked over and saw a young woman in luxurious clothes. She swallowed her accusatory words and replaced them with a tolerant smile: "Don't worry, young lady."

Fang Birong looked at her inconspicuously and saw that although her eyebrows were somewhat similar to Shen Xinyan's, her complexion was much inferior to Shen Xinyan's, and even less comparable to her own. She was immediately certain in her heart.

It's nothing! I'm not even worthy of such an outstanding Master Qi!

"Madam Qi, it's time to get on the sedan chair!" The maid who led the way reminded softly, forcing Shen Xinlan, who wanted to make friends with the "Master of the Duke's Mansion", to give up the idea. She could only say goodbye politely to Fang Birong and got on the small blue cloth sedan chair to leave.

"That was the eldest daughter of the family, right? I haven't been here for quite a while, so I don't recognize her." She said deliberately before leaving.

The maid who led the way smiled and said, "Madam, you are wrong. That is not our eldest daughter, but her aunt, the eldest lady's sister."

The sound of "bang" was like a thunder exploding in Shen Xinlan's head, making her stunned for a moment.

The next moment, her whole face became ferocious.

It turned out to be her! The little bitch who seduced her husband turned out to be her!!

***

Fang Birong's mood did not improve much after meeting Shen Xinlan, who was not as good as herself but much luckier than herself and was able to marry Qi Liuxiu.

Sometimes she felt sorry for Qi Liuxiu, sometimes she felt sorry for herself, and sometimes she hated Shen Xinlan deeply, wondering what good fortune she had accumulated in her previous life to be able to marry such a good man in this life.

Her heart was in turmoil and filled with resentment that she didn't even notice Fang approaching her.

"Why did you deliberately bump into Qi Shen just now?" It was not until Fang's cold questioning voice rang out that she was pulled back from her resentful thoughts.

"Sister!" Her face turned pale and she avoided Fang's sight guiltily.

"Go and see what kind of woman that man married. Can she compare to you?" After all, she was her own sister. Fang knew her quite well and she got to the point with just one question.

"I, I..." Fang Birong was hesitant and dared not speak, let alone answer.

"Do you know what you are doing? Do you really want me to completely destroy Qi Liuxiu before you give up?!" Fang suppressed her anger and glared at her with hatred.

"What do you mean?" Fang Birong was startled, and somehow she thought of what Yang had just said, 'You can't even be an editor in the Hanlin Academy'. She raised her head suddenly and stared at Fang in disbelief.

"It's you! It's you who caused him to not even be able to become an editor in the Imperial Academy, right?!"

"So what! If he doesn't know what's good for him again, I can make him leave the capital forever!" Fang's face was ruthless.

"You are so cruel! He did nothing wrong, how can you treat him like this!!" Fang Birong glared at him and questioned loudly.

"Do you know who you are talking to? Do you still remember why your parents sent you to Beijing? At this critical moment, you are causing trouble for me!" Fang was furious and almost couldn't help but slap her again.

Fang Birong glared at her angrily: "Is it my parents' purpose or yours? You just want to use my marriage to increase your bargaining chips, and you dare to use my parents to pressure me? Well, which family do you like? Prime Minister Zhou? Minister Xu? Or Duke Li?"

"Don't worry. I, Fang Birong, swear that I will never let anyone get ahead of me again in this life, including you!!"