Shen Mingzhuang immediately thought of the fifth young master of the Pei family.
Seeing how anxious the fifth young master of the Pei family was for Shen Ming'e today reminded her of the innocent love stories of young boys and girls she had read before.
Actually, she thought highly of Pei Jingtai. The fact that he dared to beg Shen Ming'e showed that he was quick-witted in critical moments and was both bold and meticulous.
The Pei family seems to be facing some difficulties in the court now. Thinking of Jiang Wang's dislike for Pei Jingzhou, Shen Mingzhuang couldn't help but sigh inwardly. If the bad impression of the Pei family in Jiang Wang's mind cannot be eliminated, it would probably harm Shen Ming'e if she were to marry Pei Jingtai.
Seeing that she seemed quite nostalgic for the old days, Shen Ming'e jokingly said with a smile, "I used to think that once you entered the palace and became a concubine, you would no longer pay attention to us sisters. You were a high and mighty concubine, and you wouldn't look up to us anymore. But I didn't expect that you seem to be no different from before."
Perhaps because Shen Mingzhuang had helped her today, Shen Ming'e spoke with much more courage. Upon hearing this, Shen Mingzhuang smiled bitterly and sighed softly: "So what if I am an empress? Even if I enter the palace, I still have to live my life. What's the difference between me and you? It's just that some people are in gilded cages, while others are in silver or iron cages."
This was indeed what she truly felt.
During her time in the palace, she didn't actually feel very happy. Her only solace was the slight joy that arose after she realized her own feelings and Jiang Wang's feelings for her.
But as it turns out, some things arrive as quickly as they come, and leave just as quickly.
Are you going back to Beiyuan tonight?
Seeing that she was in a bad mood, Shen Ming'e changed the subject.
Shen Mingzhuang looked at the Cui Xuan Residence in front of him and remained silent for a long time.
Should she go back? What would be the point of going back to Beiyuan? The vast, empty courtyard was filled with nothing but wind, snow, and desolate scenery. She didn't want to go back.
"Stay here, let's share a bed and have a private chat tonight."
Shen Ming'e, unlike her usual eccentric self, clung to Shen Mingzhuang's hand and shook it back and forth. Shen Mingzhuang thought about it and agreed, nodding in consent.
In Yuehua Courtyard, Lin Shi, who had been in a deep sleep, slowly woke up. She opened her eyes and spoke after a long while: "Granny Jiang."
She habitually called out Jiang Mama's name, but there was no response as usual. Thinking of what had happened today, Lin Shi's heart skipped a beat. She scrambled off the bed and called out to Jiang Mama outside.
A young maid with a double-bun hairstyle and a green hairpin came in. When she saw Madam Lin looking around for Granny Jiang as if she had lost her soul, wearing only a thin undergarment in the dead of winter, the maid was startled. She quickly hugged Madam Lin, who was still looking for someone outside, and called out loudly to the other young maids who had come to serve her.
Madam Lin was stunned. Looking at the unfamiliar maid in front of her, she suddenly seemed to have lost her composure. Grabbing the maid's hand, she shouted in a deep voice, "Where is Granny Jiang? Where is Granny Jiang? Where have you hidden Granny Jiang?!"
The young maid looked at Madam Lin with a mixture of shock and confusion. The first thing a mother does upon waking up is not to look for her child and husband, but to frantically search for an old nanny to serve her. Has Madam Lin gone mad?
"Third Madam..." The maid trembled as she recounted the truth in a trembling voice: "Granny Jiang and the sisters who served you in Yuehua Courtyard have all been sold off."
Thinking of how everyone serving Madam Lin in Yuehua Courtyard had suffered, the little maid was terrified, fearing that she might be sold off if she wasn't careful. After saying that, she dared not say another word and shrank her neck, waiting for Madam Lin to come to her senses.
As Lin listened, all her strength was drained away in an instant. She never expected that the maids she brought from her family home would also be sold off. These were the only people she could trust. If they were all sold off, what would she do in the future? How would she live?
She sat slumped on the cold ground, unresponsive no matter how the maid called her.
"Third Madam, First Madam is talking to the matchmaker at Changxing Hall right now."
Zhao... Lin's ears were ringing. Zhao was selling her maid! The thought suddenly energized her, as if she had been injected with adrenaline. How could she forget? The indentures of her personal maids were with her. Why would Zhao sell her maids?
She was about to leave immediately, but the maid knew she was probably going to Changxing Hall to find the First Madam. Seeing this, she quickly grabbed her and said urgently, "Third Master said that the affairs in your room are temporarily entrusted to the First Madam. Third Madam is not allowed to step out of Yuehua Courtyard."
Lin's eyes immediately turned red. Why should Zhao be allowed to manage her affairs? What kind of person is Zhao? Over the years, she has been bullying Lin and ignoring her because of her family's reputation. She is disciplining her husband's concubine. What right does Zhao have to interfere?
She looked at the maid, then turned around and went to get the silver notes.
Inside Changxing Hall, Zhao was waiting for the matchmaker to inspect the goods.
There are rules to follow when buying and selling maids. It's not something you can just do on a whim. The matchmaker has to inspect the goods, and after inspecting them, she has to inquire about their origins and intentions. Finally, after a contract is signed, the matter has to be filed with the government. It's quite a complicated process.
Zhao was not one to meddle in other people's business, but the thought of getting rid of these accomplices as soon as possible, making the mansion quieter, and letting Lin breathe a sigh of relief and stop thinking about all that trouble, made her willing to spend some effort to help Shen Shuchun manage the maids in Yuehua Courtyard.
Granny Jiang's hands and feet were tied, her mouth was stuffed with a smelly sock, and her expression was extremely distorted as she struggled on the ground, trying to get up.
Although she knew that Lin's frivolous actions would eventually lead to trouble, she never expected that she would be sold off by the Shen family. She was Lin's maidservant; the husband's family couldn't touch the bride's dowry—that was the rule. How dare the Shen family defy such a law? Weren't they afraid that their sons wouldn't be able to find wives in the future?
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