"Find an opportunity to invite the Shen family's daughters to our home for a visit, and I'll take a look at them myself then."
After thinking for a long time, Lord Pei finally came up with this compromise.
Madam Pei nodded, "However, it may not be possible for a while. Since the Flower-Hairpin Banquet, the Shen family has not participated in any banquets."
Lord Pei looked somewhat nervous. After thinking for a moment, he asked his wife, "Do you know that the Wen family has been getting very close to the Shen family lately? The Wen family even sends things to the Shen family from time to time, saying that a young lady from the Shen family who has stayed in Jiangzhou for many years took care of the Wen family's wives when she returned to the capital. But Lord Wen has always been His Majesty's confidant. How could this be such a coincidence?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Pei's expression changed.
*
As night fell, the palace gates were locked and the halls were lit. Jiang Wang had just finished bathing, and his loose, dark nightgown casually and cleverly concealed the most important parts of his muscular body, revealing his strong chest muscles and long neck.
The chief eunuch, Tan Yonglin, waited quietly for the emperor's instructions, but Jiang Wang remained silent for a long time, not saying where they would be settled that night.
When Tan Yonglin thought about how the Empress Dowager's people had come to ask who would be serving the Emperor that night before dinner, and casually mentioned that Consort Song had been thinking a lot about the Emperor lately, Tan Yonglin felt a little uneasy.
Consort Song was once the Empress Dowager's personal maid. The Empress Dowager had sent her to serve the Emperor for over a month, but the Emperor hadn't even once chosen her. In the past, if the Empress Dowager had said anyone had designs on the Emperor, the Emperor would have made sure that person served him that very night. But now…
Tan Yonglin was horrified. He quickly glanced up at the Emperor's expression before lowering his head again.
His Majesty has been on the throne for less than a year, and now he is already defying the Empress Dowager's wishes. Could it be that he intends to break ties with the Empress Dowager? Judging from His Majesty's face, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it's as black as the bottom of a pot.
Tan Yonglin couldn't help but wonder who had offended His Majesty to make him so angry.
Jiang Wang was currently furious about what the secret guards had reported!
The amnesia was just a pretense; did she really not remember anything? If that were the case, how could she meet Pei Jingzhou in the vast Pei mansion?
This made him incredibly jealous, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
While watering a jasmine plant with Manhuan at Cuixuan Residence, Shen Mingzhuang couldn't help but sneeze several times.
When Manhuan saw her sneeze, she thought she had caught a chill, so she picked up a watering can and called out to Xue Rong, "Bring a cloak for Miss."
After saying that, he said to his young mistress, "Why don't you go back to your room first? Although it's warm today, it can still be chilly at night. Don't catch a cold."
After the Dragon Boat Festival, it got hotter and hotter every day. Shen Shuchun had been frowning these days. When Lin saw this, she couldn't help but act as a comforting confidante to ease her husband's worries.
Upon learning that Shen Shuchun was worried that his stepmother, Old Madam Shen, would harm her health because of her affairs, which was why she had refused to see him until now, Lin Shi, even though she disliked her stepmother, could not help but try to find a way to make her happy.
The old lady refused to see anyone, so Granny Jiang offered Lin a suggestion: "Judging by the time, Fourth Aunt should be heading to the capital soon. Why don't you put some effort into this matter?"
Upon hearing this, Lin indeed put in considerable effort regarding the matter.
The courtyard was cleaned, servants were put in place, and utensils were added. The courtyard where Fourth Aunt Shen Pinzhen lived before her marriage was tidied up again. Even Zhao Shi couldn't get involved.
Anyone with eyes could see what was going on. One of the old women who had benefited from Lin's schemes went to Meishou Hall and told Granny Tian about it.
"Third Madam has taken care of everything perfectly, just waiting for Fourth Aunt to return. She has even renovated the walls and rearranged the furniture inside, finding similar pieces from her storeroom to match the original layout. Tsk tsk, she is even more meticulous than her two own sisters-in-law."
Granny Tian pondered the truthfulness of these words, wondering what Madam Lin was up to. Why was she suddenly being so attentive? She hadn't been so enthusiastic when Fourth Aunt came back before, but now she was rummaging through her belongings and bringing out her dowry.
This information should naturally be relayed to the old lady verbatim.
The old lady said nothing, but the next day she sent word that she was healthy again.
After inquiring about the situation, Shen Bochun patted Shen Shuchun's arm with a smile and exclaimed with satisfaction, "You really have a way with things!"
That evening, Shen Shuchun returned to Yuehua Courtyard. After washing up, he unusually had the interest to make love with Lin.
Since Shen Shuchun left the capital, Madam Lin had not enjoyed such intimate moments for several months. Knowing that her actions had pleased her husband, Madam Lin felt fortunate that she hadn't stubbornly argued with the old lady; otherwise, she feared that her marriage to her husband would have been merely a formality.
On May 16th, Fourth Aunt finally entered the gates of Kyoto.
There was only one aunt in the family, so not only did the old lady value her, but her three sisters-in-law also sent their personal maids to greet her outside the city gate.
Shen Mingzhuang hadn't slept well all night, plagued by nightmares. Now, standing behind Lin Shi, his head bobbed up and down like a chicken pecking at rice, and he didn't know when he might fall over.
The old lady beckoned Granny Tian to her side and said a few words. Granny Tian then went forward and invited Shen Mingzhuang to the inner room.
"Ninth Miss, the old lady said you don't look well. Why don't you rest for a while in the warm pavilion here? Fourth Aunt will be back for a while and won't be leaving anytime soon, so there's no rush."
Shen Mingzhuang was feeling sleepy at the moment, so he didn't stand on ceremony with Granny Tian. He said "Thank you, Grandmother" and then closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
When Madam Lin saw Granny Tian leading Shen Mingzhuang into the inner room, she became suspicious. Then she saw Granny Tian come out alone, without Shen Mingzhuang following. Just as she was about to ask Qiuyue to inquire, news came from outside that Fourth Aunt had returned to the mansion.
Upon hearing this, everyone looked outside and saw Shen Pinzhen, dressed in a crimson brocade summer dress with seasonal floral patterns, hurrying towards Meishou Hall with eager anticipation.
Before she could even enter, Old Madam Shen couldn't contain herself and went out to greet her, "Pinzhen, my Zhen'er, you're finally back!"
The mother and daughter, reunited after a long separation, naturally shared a heartwarming conversation filled with tears.
Shen Mingzhuang was fast asleep in the inner room when she felt an itch on the tip of her nose, as if a feather was brushing against her face. However, her eyelids felt like they were filled with lead, and she could only open them a crack with all her might.
The sounds of crying mixed with laughter outside reached her ears in a chaotic din. Shen Mingzhuang frowned, her ears were extremely noisy, and her nose was itchy. She impatiently reached out and swung her hand in front of her. With a 'slap', a sound rang out, as if she had hit something.
Jiang Wang's face immediately darkened. He looked at Shen Mingzhuang on the bed and reached out to touch the side of his face that she had hit.
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