When the wind blew, the withered chrysanthemum swayed in the wind, and a few slender petals were about to fall off, making the courtyard outside look a little decadent and desolate.

She has only been in this world for a little over a year.

Once upon a time, she thought she could change her destiny by herself, but the dramatic changes in the past few months have made her realize the cruelty of this era.

She was really naive before.

In this country and this era, might is everything.

Just like now, Shen is only relying on the Duke Mu's Mansion, while Aunt Jiang has no one to rely on, so she can only give in again and again. Fifteen years ago, she became a concubine, and now she has no home to return to.

Chu Qianhuang lowered her eyes again, pursed her lips, and was patient and obedient, yet a little aggrieved.

The lady looked at Chu Qianhuang like this and sighed in her heart: Shen Zhi doesn't know how to cherish such a good granddaughter.

"Sister Huang," the lady patted Chu Qianhuang's hand again and advised, "If you feel sorry for your aunt, you can give some red envelopes to the maids in the laundry shop and ask them to take care of her, so that your aunt will suffer less."

Chu Qianhuang clenched the handkerchief in her hand and responded gently: "Grandma, I understand."

"Hurry up and send your aunt back first." Madam Tai stared into Chu Qianhuang's eyes and said, "Let me think about Brother Yi'er's matter again."

"Grandma, I'll take my leave now." Chu Qianhuang stood up, knelt down and bowed.

She knew that she had convinced the Dowager, and it was only a matter of time before she went to Prince Chen's Mansion to take Chu Yunyi back to the Marquis' Mansion.

Chu Qianhuang walked out of Rongfu Hall and immediately saw Aunt Jiang, wearing a veil hat, waiting quietly under a red maple tree outside the courtyard.

The sky was dim, the sun was setting, a few red maple trees were swaying slightly in the autumn wind, the gauze on the edge of the veil was dancing in the wind, rolling up a few fallen red maple leaves, looking quite desolate and lonely.

Aunt Jiang lifted the veil hanging from the edge of her veil with one hand and looked towards Chu Qianhuang, her eyes full of anticipation.

Chu Qianhuang shook his head.

"..." Aunt Jiang was a little disappointed and lowered her right hand. The veil on her veil also fell down, covering her beautiful face.

Chu Qianhuang wanted to say something, but Aunt Jiang got ahead of her and asked in a low voice, "Did your grandmother blame you?"

She took Chu Qianhuang's hand and sighed self-reproachfully, "It's all my fault."

Chu Qianhuang was already unhappy, and after hearing this, a trace of guilt rose in her heart.

She originally thought that in recognition of Chu Yunyi's contribution in saving the emperor, the lady would agree to keep Concubine Jiang, but she didn't expect that Shen would become a variable.

"Aunt, I will try to persuade grandma again. Please wait a moment." Chu Qianhuang said softly.

Aunt Jiang held Chu Qianhuang's hand and walked back to the ceremonial gate. "Sister Huang, it's getting late. I have to go back quickly."

The mother and daughter returned to the ceremonial gate in silence.

"Aunt, I'll take you there."

Chu Qianhuang accompanied Aunt Jiang into the carriage, and the carriage quickly drove out of the corner gate of the Marquis' Mansion.

Aunt Jiang had already taken off her veil, revealing her palm-sized oval face, delicate and soft, indescribably charming.

She lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, looked back in the direction of the Marquis' Mansion, and pursed her lips.

She will come back, and return to the Marquis' Mansion openly.

She quickly lowered the curtains.

Chu Qianhuang noticed Aunt Jiang's action and felt even more guilty. She also didn't want Aunt Jiang to go back to the laundry shop to suffer.

Chu Qianhuang suggested hesitantly, "Aunt, why don't I use my own money to rent a house nearby for you to stay in temporarily?"

"No, Sister Huang, I can't leave." Aunt Jiang shook her head and raised her hand to stroke Chu Qianhuang's cheek again. "Now your father is about to be exiled, and Brother Yi is seriously injured. If I run away at this time, the eldest lady will definitely suspect you and implicate you."

Chu Qianhuang thought about it and agreed.

Chu Lingxiao and Chu Yunyi are in a difficult situation now, and no one can help Aunt Jiang. If Aunt Jiang disappears at this time, everyone will point the finger of suspicion directly at her...

"Aunt, you are really thoughtful." Chu Qianhuang sighed with emotion, feeling that Aunt Jiang really thought of her in everything.

Aunt Jiang pursed her lips and smiled softly, "If I don't consider you, who else will consider you?"

When Yi Ge'er inherits the title, she will naturally be brought back to the Marquis' Mansion. She will also be the future lady-in-waiting of the Marquis' Mansion. Of course, she cannot rent a house outside for no apparent reason.

She will definitely be able to return to the Chu family with a legitimate reason.

A flash of light flashed quickly in Aunt Jiang's eyes.

Soon, the carriage arrived at the back door of the laundry shop.

Chu Qianhuang helped Aunt Jiang down, took out a purse filled with a lot of silver and stuffed it into her pocket, "Aunt, keep this purse."

She was thinking about asking Baoqin to give some money to the manager of the laundry shop so that they would arrange some easy work for Aunt Jiang.

Aunt Jiang carefully put away her purse and was about to turn around when she suddenly froze and noticed a black lacquered flat-top carriage parked at the entrance of the alley.

Half of a face was revealed through the carriage window. The person had a bright appearance, was dignified and elegant yet graceful, and had a calm and composed demeanor.

Chu Qianhuang noticed that Aunt Jiang had a strange expression, so she followed her gaze and saw the person in the carriage.

When their eyes met, time seemed to stop at that moment.

The person sitting in the black lacquered flat-top carriage was Shen.

Chu Qianhuang took a few deep breaths and walked towards Shen's carriage, his heart rising to his throat.

She stopped three steps away from the carriage.

The two of them were so close that they could reach each other with just a raise of their hands, but Chu Qianhuang felt as if there were thousands of mountains and rivers between them.

"Mother, Aunt Jiang mentioned that Brother Yi was injured. She was worried about Brother Yi, so she sneaked out." Chu Qianhuang explained, "Mother, please don't blame her."

Shen stared at Chu Qianhuang steadily.

On her way back to the Duke's Mansion, she accidentally saw this carriage. The curtain of the window was blown up by the wind, and the person sitting inside could be vaguely seen.

She subconsciously asked the driver to follow.

She didn't know what she was thinking, but when she saw the scene in front of her, she was extremely calm.

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Maybe I've been disappointed too many times?

Shen could even laugh at himself in his heart.

"Jiang Minshan." Shen ignored Chu Qianhuang and looked past her at Aunt Jiang at the other end of the alley with a haughty look.

Aunt Jiang stood there stiffly, her eyes dazed for a moment.

Shen's condescending look made Aunt Jiang think of what happened fifteen years ago.

That day, after she opened her face, she went to the main courtyard to serve tea to Shen.

That was the first time she met Shen.

The young woman, who is in her twenties, has delicate features, long eyebrows, a high nose, eyes like stars, and her every frown and smile is as bright as a peony, the most beautiful in her youth.

At that time, Shen was like the sun in the sky, dazzling and making Aunt Jiang feel ashamed.

At that time, Aunt Jiang couldn't even look Shen in the eye.

She could only kneel humbly before Shen, kowtow to her and serve her tea.

At that moment, she knew that she would never be able to stand up straight in front of Shen for the rest of her life, and she would always be inferior to Shen for the rest of her life...

She was also unwilling to give in. It was obvious that Chu Lingxiao liked her, and it was obvious that she was the one who should become the wife of Marquis Yongding.

There was a hint of resentment in Aunt Jiang's eyes.

Shen simply gave the order: "Take Jiang Minshan down."

What?! Aunt Jiang's eyes suddenly widened, she was shocked and terrified, and looked at Chu Qianhuang for help.

Two burly old women approached Aunt Jiang aggressively.

"Mother," Chu Qianhuang took another step closer to Shen's carriage and tried to explain to Aunt Jiang, "Aunt Jiang was just worried about Yi Ge'er, so she sneaked out to check. She is going back to the laundry shop now, she is not trying to run away."

However, Shen turned a deaf ear and pretended that Chu Qianhuang did not exist.

There was no need for Shen to give any more instructions. The two maids quickly approached Aunt Jiang and restrained her on the left and right.

Aunt Jiang was already frail, and she had lost a lot of weight working day and night in the laundry shop. She was too weak to struggle and could only shout Chu Qianhuang's name: "Sister Huang..."

She knew that Shen would not let her go easily...

Aunt Jiang looked at Chu Qianhuang sadly, hoping that Chu Qianhuang could plead for her.

A hazy gleam of tears appeared in her eyes, and those sparkling eyes seemed to be able to speak. Chu Qianhuang thought about the sweet words Aunt Jiang had just said to her, and felt sorry for her: Aunt Jiang was her biological mother after all, and she was also very good to her.

"Mother," Chu Qianhuang wanted to plead for Aunt Jiang, "Aunt..."

Chu Qianhuang didn't say anything else. Shen's eyes grew colder and colder, as if she was looking at a stranger.

Chu Qianhuang closed her mouth.

She knew that Shen hated Concubine Jiang too much. No matter what she said, Shen would not change her mind. Instead, it would make Shen hate her. Shen would not resort to private punishment, so she should go back to the Marquis' Mansion first...

Aunt Jiang clenched her bare hands into fists in her sleeves, and her neatly trimmed nails pinched her rough palms fiercely. She blinked, and tears suddenly filled her eyes.

"Sister Huang, I'm fine, please take care of yourself..." Aunt Jiang cried, tears falling from the corners of her eyes. She no longer asked Chu Qianhuang to plead for her.

Chu Qianhuang pursed her lips tightly and said in a deep voice: "Auntie, don't worry."

Chu Qianhuang could only watch as Aunt Jiang walked past her and was escorted by the two old women into another green-covered carriage behind the Shen family.

Shen lowered the curtain without any reluctance and told the driver, "Go to the Marquis' Mansion."

The driver shouted and swung his whip, which made a slight "crack" sound in the air. The two carriages left one after the other and headed towards the Yongding Marquis' Mansion.

From beginning to end, Shen didn't say a word to Chu Qianhuang.

(End of this chapter)