Chapter 43's request for Shen Qinglu was said as a joke, but his eyes were extremely cold...
*
It was all black, and there was water everywhere.
She slowly sank, with a resolute determination to die.
The water in her stomach felt like lava, constantly burning. The mud in her mouth and nose blocked her breathing, causing her to suffocate. The fear of death and the instinct to live made her struggle.
She gasped for breath and suddenly opened her eyes.
What came into view was a red beaded curtain, and a gold-inlaid incense ball hung above the bed, with bright red tassels hanging from it. Although there was no wind, it swayed slightly because of the vibration.
The feeling of near death lingered. She clutched her chest, feeling the strong but somewhat rapid beating there, and closed her eyes briefly as if she had survived a near-death experience.
After a short while, it opened its eyes again.
The scene remains unchanged; the red tents, beaded curtains, and incense balls are still there.
Hearing the noise, someone lifted the curtain and came in; it wasn't Xia Chan, but Bao Kui.
Bao Kui quickly approached, her face full of concern. "It's still early, young lady, would you like to sleep a little longer?"
It was still early, as it was pitch black outside.
Shen Qinglu asked, "Where are the cicadas?"
A slightly unnatural look flashed across Bao Kui's face as she replied, "Madam was worried about the eldest young lady, so after she fell asleep, she ordered me to stay and watch over her, and let Xia Chan go and rest."
She was Shen Linlang's person, so all the arrangements were naturally made by Shen Linlang.
Shen Qinglu nodded and said, "I understand. Go and call Xia Chan over."
She hesitated, as if she wanted to say something, but after thinking for a moment, she didn't say anything and simply gave the order to leave.
The cicadas arrived almost as soon as I went out and came in.
Because Xia Chan didn't go back to rest at all, but stayed outside the whole time. Even though she was clearly being ostracized, there was no resentment or dissatisfaction on her face. Instead, she asked Shen Qinglu with concern if she had slept well and if she wanted to get up.
Shen Qinglu observed his expression and said, "You stay here with me, I'll take a nap."
She did as she was told and sat down on the edge of the bed.
When the beaded curtain was lifted, she saw who it was and was about to get up when Shen Qinglu grabbed her hand.
Shen Qinglu's eyes were not open, as if she was talking in her sleep, but her voice was not quiet, "Good Xia Chan, I can only sleep soundly when you are with me. Don't go, you can't leave me."
The person who entered was Shen Linlang, followed by Granny Yu, Bao Kui, Yin Ping, and others. They heard almost everything Shen Qinglu said clearly.
Shen Linlang frowned first, then pondered, her gaze towards Xia Chan somewhat complicated.
Xia Chan's hand was still being held by Shen Qinglu. Shen Qinglu's fingers gently tickled her, a playful gesture that made her feel exceptionally at ease.
As she was moved, Shen Qinglu seemed to lift her eyelids drowsily and muttered, "Is it dawn yet?"
Shen Linlang quickly went to the bedside, sat on the edge, and lovingly stroked her daughter's hair. "Ali, it's almost dawn."
"Mother," Shen Qinglu nestled to the side, pressing her face against her mother's hand, "It's good that it's dawn. I like the daytime, I don't like the night. The night is always so cold, and I'm so hungry..."
She spent most of the night mending her wounds, yet her still bleeding heart was ripped open once more, gushing forth even more fresh, hateful blood. Wherever the blood flowed, it formed rivers, seemingly never to dry up.
"Ali, I promise you, I will never do that again."
"I believe in my mother."
Shen Qinglu clung even closer to her, and that trust and reliance gradually filled the void in her heart, which felt as if it had been ripped out by pain.
She waved her hand, signaling everyone to leave.
There were some things she could no longer tolerate. She was determined to do everything in her power to protect her lost and found biological daughter, leaving no hidden danger whatsoever.
In particular, the people who serve their daughter must be people she trusts.
"Mother knows that you and Xia Chan have developed some feelings for each other after spending a few days together, but she is someone your grandmother gave you, so she cannot continue to stay by your side."
Shen Qinglu reached under her pillow and pulled out the indenture she had prepared beforehand. She said, "I asked my grandmother for her indenture yesterday. She is now mine. Mother, you can rest assured."
Shen Linlang was quite surprised, but also very proud and gratified. However, she was still a little worried. "She has been by your grandmother's side for many years. People who change hands are usually complicated and may not be wholeheartedly devoted to you."
“Mother, people are different. Some people you can treat sincerely for many years, taking care of them in every way and fulfilling their every request, but they may not be grateful to you. Some people, even if it's just because of a promise, will be devoted to you.” Shen Qinglu held her hand and looked directly into her eyes.
She looked into those unwavering, black jade-like pupils and saw her own reflection, and was suddenly momentarily stunned.
Just then, Yu Zhiheng's voice came from outside, presumably asking Granny Yu and the others, "Is Madam inside?"
"The eldest young lady has just woken up, and the madam is inside as well," Yu Mama replied.
Yu Zhiheng cleared his throat, seemingly not intending to come in, and said through the door, "Linlang, you sent word last night that you were going to take Ali back to the General's Mansion today. The matter is so sudden and urgent that I was unable to ask for leave in advance, and I am afraid I cannot accompany you. I hope you will understand."
He didn't go back to his room last night, but rested in the study instead. This was the first time he had done this since they got married.
Shen Linlang didn't sleep well all night, mostly because of Shen Qinglu, and partly because of him.
When he first spoke, though she tried her best to suppress it, the look in her eyes betrayed her. But when he said he couldn't go with her, that look immediately vanished, replaced by a visible disappointment and loss.
“Since you’re busy, I’ll take the children with me.”
"Linlang, don't be angry. I'm going to the yamen now."
He must have waited for a while, but she didn't say anything, before he left.
She thought of getting up to chase after him several times, but she held back each time.
Shen Qinglu saw all her emotions, suddenly got out of bed, put on her shoes, threw on a cloak, and chased after her.
"Ah Li!" she exclaimed.
"Mother, I have a few words I want to say to Father."
As Yu Zhiheng was leaving the main courtyard, he heard someone chasing after him. He thought it was Shen Linlang and was overjoyed. But when he turned around and saw Shen Qinglu, he couldn't help but frown.
"Ah Li, why did you come out like this?"
Shen Qinglu wrapped herself up neatly in her cloak, and apart from her hair not being combed, she didn't think there was anything wrong with it. "Father, I'm afraid you'll misunderstand Mother, and I'm worried."
"Is your mother... still angry?"
"Father, do you know what else happened last night?"
Yu Zhiheng's expression told her that this head of the family either didn't care about matters of the inner quarters or was simply out of touch with reality, so he knew nothing about the Jingxin Courtyard.
She kindly recounted the story, sighing as Yu Zhiheng's face grew increasingly grim. "When she treated me like that before, she probably never imagined that I would survive, that I would be recognized by my own mother, and that I would return everything to her."
Her loose, dark hair obscured most of her face, and the moon-white cloak she wore was the one Yu Qingxue had given her. Her large, dark eyes were no longer the empty black of night, but rather exceptionally calm.
It was this calmness, so out of place for his age, that alarmed Yu Zhiheng.
He looked at Shen Qinglu with a strange expression. "You did that on purpose, just to make your mother hate your aunt?"
Shen Qinglu did not deny it. "Father, you are not my mother, you were not the one who carried my child for ten months, and you were not the one who doted on other people's daughters. You do not know my mother's pain, and you do not understand her hatred. Her pain and hatred must have a reasonable place to go, otherwise this matter will never be over."
Yu Zhiheng looked at her, even more shocked.
The child's words sounded like they contained cold snow, making it so unpleasant to hear, but upon closer reflection, they might not be entirely without reason.
"Ah Li, can you help your father?"
“Father, of course I want to help you. Harmony in the family brings prosperity. You can’t be confused about who your family is.” As she said this, her voice lowered, and tears welled up in her eyes, filled with grievance and sadness. “I finally got to know my mother and father again. I hope our family is doing well, and I hope you and mother are doing well. Father, can you promise me that?”
The way she cried was like a child who had finally gotten a favorite toy and couldn't bear to let go. "I don't want Mother to hate Grandmother. Grandmother replaced me and Sister Tang'er. I should hate Grandmother, but she's still Grandmother. She loved me before..."
This child is probably simple-minded and speaks his mind; perhaps he's just overthinking things.
Thinking this way, the strange feeling in Yu Zhiheng's heart gradually dissipated.
After a long pause, he said, "I promise you."
The first thing Shen Linlang heard when she arrived was these words.
Shen Qinglu smiled, like a child who had just gotten candy, and proudly showed off, "Mother, you heard it too. I told Father that I hoped he could stand up for you and that our family would be alright. Father agreed."
Upon hearing this, Yu Zhiheng's heart skipped a beat, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.
Shen Linlang still had feelings for him. "Do you really believe me? Are you really willing to give me and Ali justice?"
"I...I will find a solution, Linlang, you have to believe me."
As dawn breaks, the morning light pierces through the darkness and begins its powerful return to the world.
He looked up, estimated the time, and said goodbye to the mother and daughter.
Shen Linlang gazed at his retreating figure, her eyes filled with affection, melancholy, and an indescribable sense of confusion.
"Mother, just wait and see. Father will definitely handle this matter properly." Shen Qinglu said jokingly, but her eyes were extremely cold. "If he can't do it, then we don't need him anymore."
Shen Linlang was feeling sore and uncomfortable when she heard these words, and her heart was in turmoil. "You child..."
*
A quarter of an hour later, someone from the general's mansion arrived.
Leading the group was Xu Mama, Gu Ruxu's most trusted maid, who had come to deliver the gifts on behalf of her mistress.
Everything was laid out in front of Shen Qinglu: a dozen new clothes of various colors, all exquisitely embroidered and made of the finest materials. There were also exquisite and luxurious jewelry, made of jade, gold, and precious stones, gleaming brilliantly.
"Madam said that the eldest young lady is very busy and certainly hasn't had time to prepare these things for her cousin. All the clothes she bought are ready-made, and the embroiderers in the manor spent the whole night altering them. I don't know if they'll fit her or not."
Shen Linlang was moved, but also felt very guilty.
She was so angry that she completely forgot about this.
Once Xu Mama and the others left, while Shen Qinglu was trying on clothes, Yu Mama took her measurements and wrote them down, and quickly arranged for someone to make new clothes.
After dressing up, the brothers Yu Jingxian and Yu Jingliang were ready.
Starting from the Yu family, passing through Chongde Alley and then Xiangshi, one sees rows of grand mansions scattered about, including the General's Mansion.
The stone lions guarding the Shen family's gate looked more imposing than those of other families. The magnificent vermilion gate was wide open, welcoming the mother and her children, including Shen Linlang, inside.
Compared to Yu Jingliang's excitement, Yu Jingxian seemed somewhat depressed. In the past, among the three siblings, he was inseparable from Yu Liuzhu, while Yu Jingliang was neglected. Now that Yu Jingliang and Shen Qinglu were close, he had become the isolated one.
Upon seeing this, Shen Linlang sighed helplessly.
Upon entering the General's Mansion, not only she, but even Shen Qinglu was taken aback by the spectacle.
Gu Ruxu led the way, with a boy of about twelve or thirteen standing beside him, followed by all the servants of the Shen family.
The servants all shouted, "Welcome back to the manor, Miss Biao!"
This was her way of giving Shen Qinglu face, letting all the servants of the Shen family know that no matter how much she had doted on that fake niece before, the entire Shen family would now have to prioritize Shen Qinglu, their real niece.
She stepped forward and looked Shen Qinglu up and down.
She wore a fiery red embroidered dress with gold embroidery, and a complete set of ruby headdresses. There was a scar on her forehead from a fall, which was not covered by a headscarf, but instead painted with a pear blossom.
With her dark hair and red dress, Xue Li and her partner complemented each other perfectly.
"I knew you could pull off this color." She nodded with a smile, clearly satisfied.
As for who can't control it, it goes without saying.
Her shrewd eyes swept across the room, but she didn't see Yu Zhiheng. She raised an eyebrow coldly, and instead of asking Shen Linlang, she asked Yu Jingxian, "Why didn't your father come?"
Yu Jingxian naturally had to cover for his father, saying, "The matter was sudden, and Father was unable to ask for leave in advance. He will definitely come when Uncle returns to Beijing."
"It's the first time my own daughter has returned to her uncle's house, and he, as her father, hasn't even shown his face. How utterly appalling!" Her face darkened, and she instructed Xu Mama, "Go and invite him over. If he refuses, I'll go and fetch him myself!"
Xu Mama accepted the order and hurried off.
"Sister-in-law, my brother isn't home, he's not coming..."
Before Shen Linlang could speak, Gu Ruxu interrupted her, "You, what can I say to you? Whether your older brother is here or not, he, as the father, has to come. Ali has just been recognized, and his actions clearly show that he doesn't value the child or you, yet you still speak up for him and protect him."
This sister-in-law is truly bewitched by that man surnamed Yu.
As the legitimate daughter of a general's family, she married down to this lowly position and still has to be humble and subservient in everything she does. If she weren't so kind and soft-hearted, how could she be bullied to this extent?
"You'd better be tougher in the future. Even if it's not for yourself, you have to think about Ali."
She beckoned the young man over, introduced Shen Qinglu to him, and said, "Ting'er, this is your sister Ali."
Military officers don't stay at home. Even an elderly general like General Shen is still in the military camp with his three grandsons. Shen Kunyao, the Right General of the Shenwu Camp, is still on official business outside the capital.
Now, only she and her fourth son, Shen Changting, remain in the entire Shen family mansion.
Shen Changting doesn't look like her, but she does resemble Shen Linlang and bears some resemblance to Yu Jingliang. She looks like a lively, energetic, and vigorous child.
Of course, they talk a lot too.
"Sister Ali, you are so beautiful."
"Sister Ali, what do you like to play?"
"Sister Ali, my second cousin said you are very brave, and you are not even afraid of the snake he made."
"Sister Ali, look, do you like this?" He pulled something out of nowhere and shoved it into Shen Qinglu's hands.
When Yu Jingxian saw that thing, he almost cried out.
Shen Qinglu picked up the object, looked at it from left to right, and said, "It's quite realistic. It would be even better if the legs were thinner."
"Sister Ali, are you really not afraid?" Shen Changting took the thing and said very seriously, "You're right, its legs are a bit thick."
It was a fake spider, much like the fake snake that Yu Jingliang had made. The two cousins not only looked alike, but also had very similar personalities.
Because Yu Jingliang disliked Yu Liuzhu, he had never had a good impression of Yu Liuzhu's cousin either. Similarly, Yu Liuzhu disliked her second brother Yu Jingliang and was quite annoyed by her younger cousin who looked like Yu Jingliang.
The fact that the cousins disliked each other was known throughout the entire general's mansion.
"Mother, Sister Ali is indeed my cousin."
Gu Ruxu scolded, "You naughty boy, it's one thing to cause trouble on ordinary days, but this is the first time your sister Ali has come to visit, and you're already acting up. Believe me or not, I'll skin you alive! I told you to prepare a gift for your sister Ali, and this is what you gave her. If your sister Ali weren't so bold, I would definitely not let you off today!"
"My mother is going to hit me, Sister Ali, save me!" Shen Changting, being mischievous, suddenly darted behind Shen Qinglu when Gu Ruxu pretended to raise her hand.
Just as Shen Qinglu was about to say something, an exquisite box appeared in front of her.
"Sister Ali, the previous one doesn't count. This is my gift to you." Shen Changting chuckled, looking at her expectantly. "Take a look, do you like it?"
Inside the box was an exquisitely crafted hidden dart, its bronze body gilded and inlaid with gemstones, making it exceptionally beautiful. Upon seeing it, her black jade-like eyes instantly shone brightly, even more dazzling than the gemstones.
"I love so much."
As she spoke, she immediately put the hidden arrow on her wrist.
How far can this shoot?
Shen Changting said mysteriously, "Sister Ali will know once she tries it."
He and Yu Jingliang stood behind Shen Qinglu, one teaching her how to aim at the target, and the other teaching her how to use it.
The other three looked at them, each with their own thoughts.
Yu Jingxian felt extremely uncomfortable, as if he had not only been excluded but also become the superfluous one, a feeling that made him feel terrible.
Shen Linlang, however, remembered that when she brought her adopted daughter back to the General's Mansion before, her little nephew had never been so happy, let alone played with her.
She felt melancholy about the past, yet joyful about the present.
Gu Ruxu also thought of her youngest son's attitude towards her sister-in-law's adopted daughter in the past, and sighed, "They really are blood relatives."
At this moment, Shen Qinglu had found her target, a tree not far away. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw two men walking towards her. One was imposing and heroic, while the other was aloof and elegant, like a snow-covered mountain.
A thought flashed through her mind, and a ruthless intent arose instantly.
As the arrow moved, it triggered the mechanism at top speed, and with a "whoosh," the arrow flew towards the man with the stern face.
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