This Shen doesn't have the bearing of a principal wife at all!

The lady's expression changed several times. She had a thousand words to say in her heart, but in the end she shut her mouth.

Ever since Chu Lingxiao was convicted, Shen has been the one who has the final say in the Marquis' Mansion these days.

The lady didn't dare to act like a mother-in-law. She held Chu Qianhuang's hand with one hand and comforted her tenderly with heartache: "Sister Huang, don't worry. I will find a way. Let your aunt, the imperial concubine, plead for you. Don't be afraid."

As she spoke, the lady's eyes turned red, and tears welled up in her eyes. To the lady, Nanhao was no different from those Chidi places, all of which were wild places outside of Daqi.

Chu Qianhuang's eyes turned slightly, and she forced herself to suppress all the negative emotions.

She had finally come to this point, and there couldn't be any more changes. She had to go to Nanhao as soon as possible! "Grandma, don't worry." Chu Qianhuang took out a handkerchief and gently pressed the corners of the old lady's eyes to wipe her tears. She comforted her and said, "It would be good for the Marquis' Mansion if I married to Nanhao. Maybe the emperor would feel that he owed the Chu family and would be willing to let my father come back."

Chu Qianhuang looked at the lady sincerely with clear eyes.

"Sister Huang!" The old lady felt even more distressed when she looked at Chu Qianhuang. She thought that this child was sensible and knew how to respect her father. She deserved her son's love for her over the years.

As a result, the lady felt even more resentful towards Shen.

"You also have to think about your own future. You are still so young, and you haven't even reached marriage age yet." The lady raised her voice deliberately.

These words were said specifically for Shen to hear. On the one hand, he wanted Shen to soften her heart, and on the other hand, he wanted to remind Shen that their mansion still had Concubine Chu in the palace, and that their mansion was not really helpless. He wanted Shen to restrain herself.

Shen looked at the deep affection between the Grand Madam and Chu Qianhuang, sneered, and was about to leave when the gatekeeper ran over breathlessly, shouting, "Madam, Princess Chen... Second Aunt is back!"

The atmosphere around suddenly became a little weird.

Shen immediately put on a smiling face and told the gatekeeper, "Go and welcome her quickly."

While instructing the head maid Dongmei to prepare Chu Qianchen's favorite tea and snacks, Shen went to greet Chu Qianchen in person.

Seeing that Shen only had Chu Qianchen in her eyes and heart, and could not see Chu Qianhuang at all, the old lady felt even more pity for Chu Qianhuang and thought that her eldest granddaughter had a very miserable life.

Even if my son and Aunt Jiang are wrong in every way, this child is innocent, right!

The old lady was thinking in her heart that she must think of a way to not let Chu Qianhuang sacrifice herself like this for the Marquis' Mansion.

The lady took Chu Qianhuang back to Rongfu Hall, while Shen walked lightly to the outside of the ceremonial gate in the cold wind, not feeling the cold at all. She saw a familiar red-wheeled carriage just stopped under the guidance of the gatekeeper.

Jiang Yuan jumped off the carriage first, opened the door, put the footstool in place, and carefully helped Chu Qianchen down.

"Sister Chen!" As soon as Shen saw Chu Qianchen, she stepped forward and took her daughter's arm affectionately, looking her up and down. After confirming that her daughter was fine, Shen's smile deepened, and she was very happy.

The two mothers walked towards the inner courtyard together, talking about some trivial family matters.

Shen smiled and said, "The New Year is coming soon, and I thought you must be busy recently, so I didn't go to the palace to see you."

Thinking that this was her daughter's first New Year's Day after marrying into the palace, Shen said hurriedly, "If you don't understand anything, feel free to ask me."

"I'm not busy. There are few people in the palace and not much to do." Chu Qianchen blinked and smiled with his lips curved. His smile was particularly sweet, and even the dimples on his lips were soaked with sweetness.

In fact, Gu Jue had been staying in the palace these days. When she was preparing for the New Year, he also helped her to deal with it, which naturally made things more efficient.

Seeing her daughter laughing happily, Shen was also infected with her smile and said, "Then I will let Brother Mu bother you."

There was a hint of teasing in her words, which made Chu Qianchen laugh even more happily.

Chu Qianchen responded readily: "Okay, just let Mu Ge come."

The mother and daughter came to the main courtyard, talking and laughing.

Dongmei guessed that the mother and daughter wanted to have some private conversation, so she considerately drove all the other servants out of the warm room.

"Mom, did someone come to convey an order just now?" As soon as he sat down, Chu Qianchen immediately got to the point and asked.

Shen nodded and said, "That's right."

The feeling in Shen's heart was somewhat complex and difficult to describe. She couldn't tell whether it was sighing or being lost.

Chu Qianchen and Shen Wan did not hide the matter of Chu Qianhuang from the Shen family.

That day, Chu Qianchen asked Shen Wan to appease Chu Qianhuang and tried to guide Chu Qianhuang to meet the Andaman County King, and Chu Qianhuang really went...

Shen didn't know what Chu Qianhuang had said to Andaman, but judging from the results, she had obviously reached some kind of agreement with Andaman.

Over the past half month, Shen watched Chu Qianhuang sink deeper and deeper into depravity, and her heart grew colder and colder.

During this process, Chu Qianhuang had no remorse at all, and even until now, he is still like this and refuses to repent.

Thinking about Chu Qianhuang's appearance just now, Shen felt empty in her heart, her brows were a little dim, and there was a hint of sarcasm in her expression.

This subtle emotion only flashed by, and Shen quickly calmed down.

Chu Qianchen is her daughter, and she can't let her daughter be sad.

It was Chu Qianhuang's own choice to come to this point. No one forced her. It was all her own fault.

Even if I stop her this time, she will still seek death next time.

Shen told herself this over and over again in her heart, and soon her mood calmed down and she drank two sips of tea.

Chu Qianchen ate a rose candied fruit and suddenly asked, "Mom, have you noticed that Chu Qianhuang has changed a lot?"

Chu Qianchen's question was incoherent. Shen was stunned, and a bitter look appeared on her face: Chu Qianhuang had changed a long time ago.

Without waiting for Shen's answer, Chu Qianchen immediately threw out another question: "Mom, based on your understanding of Chu Qianhuang, will she really change that quickly?"

Chu Qianchen's face was calm as he stared intently at Shen's phoenix eyes that were 80% similar to hers.

"..." Shen was confused and her eyebrows twitched slightly. She didn't understand why Chu Qianchen asked these questions, but she could vaguely feel that she seemed to be trying to tell her something.

Shen felt inexplicably flustered.

Chu Qianchen held Shen's hand and smiled slightly. His smile was soothing yet also mysterious.

"Mom, put aside the present... no, put aside what happened in the past year, and think carefully, if it was the Chu Qianhuang of the past, would she do 'these things'?"

Chu Qianchen looked intently into Shen's eyes. Her eyes were as calm as a windless lake, clear and peaceful, reflecting Shen's face clearly.

Although Chu Qianchen's question was a bit absurd, since it was Chu Qianchen who asked it, Shen naturally took it to heart and lowered her eyes to think about it seriously.

Then, there was silence in the room for a while.

Chu Qianchen was not in a hurry either. He sat quietly beside her, drinking hot tea elegantly.

Rays of sunlight came in through the window, illuminating the warm room with half darkness and half light. There was a quiet and distant atmosphere in the room, with a hint of stagnation in it.

It seemed that even the flow of time slowed down as silence spread.

Shen thought for a long time before raising her head, the smile on her lips having long since disappeared.

Her expression was calm, but her eyes were complicated. In her dark pupils, there were mixed emotions of surprise and doubt, and the corners of her rosy lips were tightly stretched.

She shook her head firmly and said clearly, "No."

As these two words came out of her mouth, Shen looked away and turned to look at the wintersweets outside the window. Her eyes revealed a hint of nostalgia, a hint of sadness, and a hint of helplessness, intertwined together.

Her gaze seemed to travel through time and return to the past.

Her sister Huang used to be her proudest daughter. She was gentle and polite, generous and decent, filial to her elders, friendly to her sisters, and a bright and cheerful person. Unlike now, she is hypocritical and will do anything to achieve her goals.

If it was the Chu Qianhuang of the past——

She would not provoke Chu Qianling; she would not go against her will and become the third princess's companion; she would not harm Gu Zhiyan...

She would not degrade herself to become a concubine of Teng just to go to Nanhao.

…

The past passed through Shen's mind like the wind, causing waves of pain in her heart.

Shen always thought that Chu Qianhuang, whom she raised, would not do such incredible things, so she gave her chances again and again, and then was disappointed in her again and again.

When did Chu Qianhuang change?

What changed Chu Qianhuang? !

Shen's brows furrowed as she thought carefully.

It seemed like overnight, Chu Qianhuang suddenly became another person, a person who even her mother felt was a stranger.

Shen thought about these two questions again and again, but just couldn't figure it out.

As she thought about it, a hint of sadness, a hint of sigh, a hint of helplessness, a hint of guilt flashed across Shen's face... as well as some weariness that could not be concealed.

Whenever she thought of Chu Qianhuang, Shen would often feel tired.

Her face was gloomy, and she whispered to herself: "It's also my fault for being careless and not teaching her well..."

"I don't even know when she became like this."

Although Shen had already vaguely felt that Chu Qianhuang seemed to have changed since last year, at first, she thought that a little girl of thirteen or fourteen years old, about to grow up into an adult, would inevitably have more or less changes in her body and mind.

She was careless. She should have noticed something was wrong long ago.

Shen withdrew her gaze from the window, slowly lowered her eyelids, and immersed herself in her own thoughts.

"..." Chu Qianchen's gaze was fixed on the subtle changes in Shen's expression, and his eyes trembled quickly a few times.

This time, Chu Qianhuang became a concubine to be married off to Hao Kingdom under Chu Qianchen's step-by-step plan. Shen Shi also knew all this.

Chu Qianchen came to the Marquis' Mansion today on purpose, not to tell Shen about the things that she already knew, but to tell Shen about her "guess".

Chu Qianchen was about 80% to 90% sure about this "guess", but looking at Shen's guilty and sad expression, Chu Qianchen suddenly couldn't say anything.

Chu Qianchen hesitated for a moment, looked at Shen's gentle profile, and swallowed all the words.

If Shen knew that the child she raised was no longer the same person, and that the current Chu Qianhuang was gradually destroying Chu Qianhuang's life, the truth would be too bizarre and too cruel, and Shen might not be able to bear it.

Her mother is a very strong person.

She has a strong and steady character and a broad mind, but she is too sentimental, which is why she suffers.

Thinking of how Shen was bedridden in her previous life because she was too sad about Chu Yunmu's early death, a ripple appeared in Chu Qianchen's usually calm heart, but it soon returned to calm.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

Let’s talk about it later… We’ll talk about it later.

"Mom, I also feel that Chu Qianhuang has changed a lot." Chu Qianchen personally took the teapot to pour tea for Shen, and then changed the subject, "Although the imperial decree has been issued, the concubine issue has not yet been decided."

"..." Shen opened her eyes slightly and revealed a bitter and helpless smile.

She thought Chu Qianchen said this out of consideration for her, and when she thought about what Chu Qianchen had just asked about Chu Qianhuang, she felt that this was the case.

Shen picked up the teacup and sighed, "I've given up, Sister Chen, you and Prince Chen don't have to consider Chu Qianhuang for my sake, just let it be."

The light from the tea reflected in her pupils, making her eyes flicker.

This is what Shen really thinks.

Although her emotions would still change because of Chu Qianhuang, that was all. Time would eventually wear away the last bit of emotion she had for Chu Qianhuang.

Her only daughter is Chu Qianchen.

The only ones she needs to pay attention to are her two children, Chu Qianchen and Chu Yunmu.

As for other people, if they appreciate it and want to learn, she is willing to teach them; if they are like Chu Qianhuang, she doesn't need to put her warm face on other people's cold butt and insist on making her right.

Chu Qianchen smiled slightly and said nothing more.

She also agreed with Shen's words. Let it be whatever it is. The prince has his own plans.

"Mom," Chu Qianchen leaned forward, pressed against Shen's shoulders affectionately, and said coquettishly, "You are the best!"

Her voice was so sweet and soft that Shen's heart almost melted.

"Be good." Shen gently touched Chu Qianchen's hair, and a loving smile appeared in her eyes again.

Life is not perfect, and having a daughter like this, she should be content.

Seeing that the mother and daughter had almost finished talking, Nanny Chen entered the warm room carrying a tray with two steaming white porcelain soup bowls on it. Waves of tempting aroma filled the room.

Nanny Chen smiled and said, "Second Aunt, Madam just ordered the kitchen to make your favorite milk Poria cream. It's just out of the pot and is still hot."

Nanny Chen brought two soup bowls, one to Chu Qianchen and one to Shen.

The milk Poria cream is smooth and delicate, like milky white mutton fat, with a rich milky aroma, and a spoonful of sweet rose jam and crushed almonds on it.

Chu Qianchen took the soup bowl, scooped up a spoonful of milk Poria cocos cream and put it into his mouth.

This milk Poria cream is cooked to perfection, it is soft, smooth and lightly sweet. After eating it, the fragrance will linger in your mouth with a fragrant aftertaste lingering between your lips.

Chu Qianchen ate with gusto, one spoonful after another, and finished half a bowl in no time.

Seeing that Chu Qianchen liked to eat it, Shen was also infected and her appetite was aroused. She picked up the soup bowl beside her and said, "Poria cocos is a good thing. It can beautify the skin and is most suitable for women."

"If you like, I'll ask the kitchen to write the recipe for you. When you leave today, take some Poria cocos back with you."

Chu Qianchen knew that Shen wanted to be good to her, and that Shen was eager to fill the fourteen years of missing time between them, so Chu Qianchen accepted her kindness with a smile and said, "Mother is so good to me, Mu Ge'er will be jealous again later."

"Then let him be jealous." Shen wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief. Thinking of Chu Yunmu, she couldn't help laughing and said jokingly, "Boys should be more jealous so that they can be more open-minded."

Chu Qianchen was amused to death by Shen's words.

Fortunately, mother still has Mu Ge'er.

Chu Qianchen's eyes, as clear as autumn water, swayed slightly, so gentle that water could drip out, and said with a smile: "Mother, you are the same as Third Aunt, both of you are hard on the outside but soft on the inside."

Chu Qianchen took the opportunity to turn the conversation to Shen Wan: "But some people are just too greedy. There's been a lot of commotion in Prince Jing's mansion recently. Has mother heard about it?" She blinked meaningfully.

"What's wrong?" Shen raised her eyebrows. She had visited Shen Wan and his wife's new house recently, but she didn't ask about the affairs of Prince Jing's Mansion.

Chu Qianchen wanted to make Shen happy, so he said mysteriously, "I heard that the fourth and fifth rooms are now using their dowries to buy charcoal."

Chu Qianchen also listened to the gossips about Prince Jing's Mansion told by Princess Li. In the past half month, Princess Li would always tell her some things about the royal family. She also sighed and said that Gu Jin and his wife were good people, but Gu Jin's brothers and sisters-in-law were all ungrateful and greedy. There might be more troubles in Prince Jing's Mansion in the future.

Shen's interest was piqued, and she was not surprised. She said casually, "Your aunt told me that her third sister-in-law is a stingy person."

When talking to her daughter, Shen did not beat around the bush and directly relayed Shen Wan's evaluation without any error.

Shen had been in charge of the household affairs of the Marquis' Mansion for so many years that she could figure out the key point with just a little thought, and pointed out the key point in one sentence: "The price of charcoal has increased recently."

This winter is cold. Not only did it get cold early, but it was also much colder than last winter. Therefore, the price of charcoal has nearly doubled compared to last year.

Because of Chu Qianchen's reminder, the Marquis' Mansion had already prepared enough charcoal in advance, so it was not affected too much, but life in other mansions might not be so good.

"I think the price of charcoal will go up in the next few days before the New Year." Chu Qianchen stroked his sleeves casually and nodded. "Now in the Jingjun Palace, I heard that even the masters can't afford the silver frost charcoal. Gu Ming's wife said that charcoal is expensive, so she asked each room to buy charcoal by themselves. The fourth and fifth rooms are reluctant to spend their own money, so they can only use the second-rate pine charcoal."

If the Prince's Mansion had not split up, even if the price of charcoal had increased recently, with the wealth of the Prince's Mansion, they would not be unable to afford charcoal for this winter. However, Gu Lao San used all the cash of the Prince's Mansion to fill his deficit, and now the Prince's Mansion has a large family to support, so they can only live frugally.

Shen curled the corners of her lips, a mocking smile appeared on her face, and she commented without any politeness: "You deserve it."

Seeing Shen's interest, Chu Qianchen continued, "A few days ago, the Princess Dowager of Jing County submitted a petition to the Emperor requesting that Gu Ming be given a title. However, the Emperor's mood has been changing recently, sometimes good and sometimes bad, and his mind is not on this matter. I'm afraid there will be no result until after the New Year."

The emperor's current thoughts are naturally on the marriage between the two countries. Until Prince Andaman sets out from Beijing, the emperor will probably not pay attention to the memorial submitted by Concubine Yang.

Shen could imagine that Concubine Yang and the others must be extremely anxious. As long as the emperor's memorial was not delivered, the clan affairs office would have an excuse to delay the salary of the Prince's Mansion.

"This family must be struggling to make ends meet," Shen said sarcastically.

Chu Qianchen nodded again: "Princess Li told me that because of this matter, the fourth and fifth houses had a fight in the Prince's Mansion several times, but they were suppressed by Concubine Yang with filial piety."

"But a few days ago, the fourth and fifth wives of Gu went to the Princess of Li, insisting that Gu Ming had a mistress outside and gave all the money in the palace to her, and treated them harshly. Please ask the Princess of Li to seek justice."

It was because of this that Princess Li learned about the chaotic and trivial family affairs in Prince Jing's Mansion.

Madam Gu Si and Madam Gu Wu did not wrongly accuse Gu Ming. The third master Gu Ming did have a mistress outside. In fact, there were many sons of royal families and nobles in the capital who had mistresses outside. It was just a matter of whether they had made it public or not.

Gu Ming's mistress went to the Prince's Mansion to make trouble. Because Gu Ming was short of money recently, he did not give the mistress money to settle down. The mistress and her brother ran to the gate of the Prince's Mansion and made a scene. Only then did the people from the fourth and fifth rooms find out.

The fourth and fifth rooms already felt that they had been wronged over the charcoal fire, and they could not defeat Concubine Yang, so they ran to Prince Li's palace to file a complaint. This had become a joke in the capital.

Shen finished the remaining milk and poria cream in the soup bowl, rinsed her mouth with tea, and said calmly, "The fourth and fifth rooms of Prince Jing's mansion are eating from the bowl and looking at the pot."

"When your third aunt was in charge, the people in the fourth and fifth rooms believed that your aunt treated the concubines harshly and that they lived worse than the second and third rooms. So they were loyal to Concubine Yang and hoped that once Gu Ming from the third room came to power, they would be able to rise to the top. They were really ignorant and lived too comfortably."

"Now it's time to let them know what it means to be in a blessed situation but not appreciate it."

In the capital city, no matter which family, the treatment of concubines is inferior to that of legitimate children. The monthly allowance and the proportion when dividing the family property are the same. This is the rule, and it also protects the status and dignity of the legitimate family.

When Shen Wan was in charge in the past, the shares of each room in the Prince's Mansion were clearly defined, and no one was treated unfairly. Instead, the two concubines were spoiled, so they "couldn't wait" to get close to Concubine Yang, hoping to earn more benefits. However, the reality was not as expected.

Before the Prince's Mansion was divided, the third, fourth and fifth rooms had Gu Jin and Shen Wan as their common enemy, and they could barely stand together. But now, it was the turn of the three rooms to fight among themselves.

"Third aunt has always been a straightforward person. There's no need for her to get mixed up with the mud." Chu Qianchen said with a smile.

The family education of Duke Mu's Mansion is there. Even if Shen Wan dislikes other people in the Prince's Mansion, she will not deliberately deduct anything from them, nor will she do those tricks that are sweet on the outside but bitter on the inside.

Shen Wan does things with a sense of propriety, and only seeks to do so with a clear conscience.

In this regard, Chu Qianchen also admired this aunt very much.

To put it bluntly, Shen Wan had been cautious and endured all the hardships in the past just for Gu Jin, which was too much for herself.

Dealing with the concubines in the Prince's Mansion is a waste of time and energy. Since they think Gu Jin and Shen Wan are obstacles, it is now "in their favor".

The little suffering they are going through now is their own fault! Chu Qianchen still felt that this little suffering was not enough, and he tilted his little face and said meaningfully: "It's the end of the year now, and the rent for the farm and the shop is coming soon. I think we can still make it through this year."

However, this may not be the case next year.

There is not a single cash in the treasury of Prince Jing's mansion. All the profitable properties have been divided up by Gu Jin and Shen Wan, leaving only the third branch of the family. Their "good days" are still ahead.

There are so many impoverished royal families in the capital, so they probably won’t care about having one more family like this.

There is a guaranteed monthly ticket today, can you give it to me?

(End of this chapter)