Shen Zhiyan's ear tips turned slightly red.
Ye Caiping coughed lightly: "We can set a trap to lure out this poison."
Then he explained his plan.
After hearing this, Empress Dowager Shen smiled and said, "This plan is both ingenious and effective! With me here, there's no chance of failure."
Madam Shen and the others nodded with light smiles.
Madam Shen patted her chest: "With a solution, we can finally have a good New Year."
Empress Dowager Shen glanced at Ye Caiping with satisfaction, then looked at Shen Manman and clapped her little hand, saying:
“Manbao, during the New Year, Gu Yang will inevitably try to get close to you. Don’t be shy, hit him hard.”
Shen Manman said, "Don't worry. Over the years, our Shen family has been self-disciplined, low-key, and unassuming. Others think we are easy to bully! Everyone wants to take a bite out of us."
For example, Gu Jia!
After discussing the details of the plan, everyone went home.
As the group walked out, Ye Caiping whispered to Shen Zhiyan, "Thank you."
Shen Zhiyan chuckled lightly: "There's nothing to thank me for."
The two exchanged a glance and tacitly let bygones be bygones.
Just like the last time the exam questions were leaked, he didn't ask anything.
She didn't need to explain anything.
......
Dingguo Hou Mansion——
Li Jiaojiao's door was tightly closed, and Li Jiaojiao, the Duchess of Pingguo, and Gu Han were talking inside.
"What did you say? Gu Yang wants to marry Shen Manman, the eldest daughter of the Shen family? What makes him so special?" Gu Han's face turned ashen, and he almost fainted.
Their power struggle has no plan, and the enemy is adding obstacles. What kind of situation is this?
Li Jiaojiao said angrily, "The situation was already bad, and now Gu Yang has joined forces with the Marquis of Dingguo's mansion, making our chances even slimmer! I knew that bitch Ye was no good, and she's ruined our plans again this time."
Lady Pingguo said, "Things may not be hopeless. At the banquet just now, Miss Shen slapped Gu Yang twice. It's clear she's extremely unwilling to marry Gu Yang."
“But that’s a marriage decree…” Li Jiaojiao gritted her teeth.
“Madam is right. There may be a turning point. It might even be an opportunity for us.” Gu Han’s expression was somewhat excited. “The Gu Yang that everyone sees now is a handsome and refined young master from a noble family.”
“But I know all about his scandals. If Shen Manman and the Shen family knew about those things, would they still be willing for Shen Manman to marry him? They might even have a falling out!”
Li Jiaojiao's eyes lit up: "What scandals does he have?"
Gu Han said, "He kept three mistresses, and they all lived together in Pine Tree Lane."
Li Jiaojiao frowned: "This is just a minor matter, not enough to shake the imperial decree."
The Duchess, however, said, "As long as we can shake the Shen family, that's enough. The Shen family already thinks Gu Yang is not a good match for Shen Manman. If the affair is exposed, wouldn't that be even more disgusting?"
"They will definitely do everything in their power to sabotage this marriage. They might even use methods to retaliate against Gu Yang and his son."
"Believe me, no parent can bear to see their daughter suffer such injustice. Just like me, I would never let Jiaojiao marry a person of bad character. No matter how difficult it is, I will make plans for Jiaojiao."
Li Jiaojiao looked at her, moved, and said, "Mother..."
The Duchess patted her hand: "Trust me. Shen Manman is the apple of the Shen family's eye. Second Master Shen even left the capital for her for many years. He would never tolerate such a thing."
“But… once there’s a stepmother, there’s a stepfather. Shen Manman isn’t Ye’s biological daughter. If Ye whispers in her ear, Second Master Shen might just give up.”
The Duchess sneered, "Don't worry, this is even simpler. There are people who know better than us how to seize opportunities and manipulate the Ye family."
Li Jiaojiao nodded as if she understood but not quite.
Gu Han clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "Now let's stir up the water, the muddier the better! Maybe this is our great opportunity to turn the tide."
Li Jiaojiao's fighting spirit was ignited: "Yes! This is our chance! Maybe, God is still on my side. Yes... God has always been on my side!"
Every time she was in despair, she would always find a way out, a glimmer of hope appearing after a dark period!
That was true then, and it is true now!
The more Li Jiaojiao thought about it, the more confident she became, and she excitedly said, "We can definitely do it. Now we just need to sit back and watch the show, and then use others to do the dirty work while we sit back and watch the tigers fight."
The three people in the room were bursting with confidence they had never felt before.
......
I had a good night's sleep.
Soon, the New Year arrived, and the entire capital was filled with joy.
Among the nobility, one would host a banquet today, another would hold a feast tomorrow; it was quite a lively affair.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, a major event suddenly occurred, bringing the festive atmosphere of the holiday to its peak.
In a house in Pine Lane, someone suddenly shouted that there was a fire!
Pedestrians and neighbors rushed to the house with buckets of water to put out the fire, only to find a man and three women lying naked on the bed.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Gu Yang, the heir apparent of the Marquis of Dingguo.
The common people gasped in disbelief, marveling at how clever the heir of the Marquis of Ningguo was!
Despite such a scandal, the Shen family remained completely silent.
Mei attended the banquet as usual, but the looks she received from those around her were always filled with contempt.
Madam Mei was so angry that she gritted her teeth, secretly resenting that her son, who was already engaged, still didn't know how to restrain himself.
They all suspected that the Shen family was behind it!
But both Madam Mei and Gu's father knew that the more things were like this, the less they could hide or avoid seeing people.
When Ms. Mei attended banquets, she would awkwardly explain herself to each person she encountered.
Today is a banquet at the Marquis of Jinyang's residence. Upon seeing several noble ladies arrive, Madam Mei quickly explained:
"They're just a few concubines... every family has them. It's the New Year now, and Yang'er had a few too many drinks, so he got a little carried away by those filthy hussies."
“We are all matriarchs of the family, so in our eyes it’s just a small matter, nothing to worry about.”
This is an implication to Shen Manman that she is meant to be the matriarch of the family, and it would be beneath her dignity to fuss over such a trivial matter.
"Oh, she hasn't even entered the family yet, and Madam Gu is already trying to control her daughter-in-law?" At this moment, Ye Caiping and several noble ladies walked over.
Madam Mei's expression changed slightly, and she sneered, "Oh, that's not what I meant..."
Ye Caiping sneered, "What do you mean if you don't mean it that way? You've only just gotten engaged, and you're already causing trouble outside, and with three people at once, huh? You really know how to play games!"
The ladies around them chuckled as they listened.
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