Although Junxuan had placed Shen Leyi under house arrest, he couldn't really have someone guard the Shen family home and prevent Shen Leyi from leaving the courtyard.
This was the case for all the prominent families, big and small, in the capital; it was an open secret. The so-called confinement only required staying within the mansion, and people could move around freely within it.
Shen Yunxi remained calm and stood straight in place, seemingly unconcerned about Old Madam Shen's outburst.
In fact, there was really no need to worry. Her status was no less than Shen Leyi's, and the old lady Shen and the second and third wives were probably used to being high and mighty and had forgotten that Shen Zhong was now the Shen family's support.
It's not that easy to just dismiss her!
Not long after, Shen Leyi walked into the hall with red eyes. The moment she saw Shen Yunxi, her eyes were filled with anger.
Even if we don't know exactly what happened, the fact that Shen Yunxi wasn't at the lakeside pavilion is enough to show that something is wrong with her. She definitely didn't do what she said!
As for the maids in the Prince Xiaoyao's mansion, she had no way to contact them afterward and could only swallow her anger.
Upon seeing Shen Yunxi now, she truly wished she could skin him alive, tear him apart, and dismember him!
"Xiao Liu, why did you do this to me!" Shen Leyi spoke first.
Shen Yunxi's expression was completely calm. "Fourth Sister says I harmed you, but how did I harm you? If we're talking about harming others, it's more likely that Fourth Sister harmed me. I almost died on that trip to Yanshan. Fourth Sister always encourages me to see the Emperor, but she never considers whether the Emperor even wants to see me. If he were interested, he wouldn't have stopped mentioning our engagement. Fourth Sister even tried to ruin my reputation, forcing the Emperor to take me into the palace. What are her intentions?"
Shen Leyi was taken aback, then immediately retorted, "What nonsense are you talking about? I don't know what you mean by that. I have never acted in such a way. Don't blame me for your own inability to win the Emperor's heart. In the end, it's because you yourself are not attractive that you act this way."
“None of that matters. What matters is why Fourth Sister offended the Emperor and why she went back to the Lake Pavilion. Shouldn’t she explain?” Shen Yunxi retorted.
"You, you're the one who made me go. You said you were at the pavilion in the middle of the lake and told me to come find you," Shen Leyi quickly said.
Both Madam Qian and Old Madam Shen knew about Shen Leyi's plan, and now that they saw her shifting the blame to Shen Yunxi, they naturally cooperated with her.
"I never expected you, Xiao Liu, to frame your fourth sister like this. No wonder the old lady wants to punish you according to family rules!" Madam Qian said.
Madam Shen echoed, "Indeed, it is unforgivable that Xiao Liu would scheme against Fourth Miss like this. We must enforce the family rules today. If we do not seek justice for Fourth Miss, how can I, as her grandmother, have the face to face her?"
Upon hearing this, both Shen Leyi and Madam Qian nodded in agreement with Madam Shen's statement.
Shen Yunxi remained completely calm. It's said that three women make a drama, and it seems to be true. These three people casually pinned the blame on her, but they still had to ask her for her consent.
"Please forgive me for disagreeing with what Grandmother and Third Aunt said, but we can't convict me based solely on Fourth Sister's one-sided account, can we? If that's the case, then the existence of the Prefect of the Capital is unnecessary; anyone could do whatever they want and say whatever they please. Fourth Sister said I told her to go to the Lakeside Pavilion to find me, but I didn't even know what the Lakeside Pavilion was or where it was before I entered the Prince of Xiaoyao's residence. It was clearly Fourth Sister who told me that the Emperor was at the Lakeside Pavilion and asked me to go there. She said she would bring people, and they would only be able to see me alone with the Emperor so that he could take me back to the palace. I didn't expect Fourth Sister to deny it. In that case, I can only have Fourth Sister confront the Emperor. The Emperor was also among those who heard my conversation with Fourth Sister."
At this moment, Shen Yunxi couldn't bear to drag Junxuan into this mess, but unfortunately, Shen Leyi and the other two had no chance of going to Junxuan to explain things clearly.
That is somewhat of a pity.
Shen Leyi's eyes widened upon hearing this. "What did you say? The Emperor was also in the shadows when we were talking? Impossible! The Emperor is of noble status and would never be the kind of person to eavesdrop in secret. You must be talking nonsense to try and escape punishment!"
So, isn't this just admitting guilt without being asked?
"Sigh, if Fourth Sister doesn't believe me, she can go and ask the Emperor to see if that's the case. Otherwise, the Emperor wouldn't be waiting for Ji Shaoyue at the lakeside pavilion. It's because he overheard Fourth Sister's plan. The Emperor is unwilling to lower himself to argue with the two of us, but who would have thought that Fourth Sister would be so confident, thinking that the Emperor could be tricked? There's nothing I can do about it." Shen Yunxi spread her hands, looking helpless.
Shen Leyi was furious, but upon closer reflection, it seemed that Shen Yunxi was right.
Then, Shen Leyi looked at Old Madam Shen and Madam Qian and found that their thoughts were similar to hers, so they must think that Shen Yunxi was right.
But she was punished by the emperor and confined to her quarters. Was that all?
Since Shen Zhong and Lan Pei are both away now, it's a good opportunity to deal with Shen Yunxi. It would be a real shame to let her go so easily.
"Then, why didn't you inform me in advance to abandon this plan?" Shen Leyi asked again.
Shen Yunxi chuckled lightly, "Fourth Sister, you can't blame me for this. When I came looking for you, you were already gone, and Grandmother didn't say where you went. I don't know if you were planning to ask the Lake Pavilion for help or if you were plotting something with the servants of the Prince of Xiaoyao's Mansion. I'm at my wit's end."
Hearing Shen Yunxi say this, Shen Leyi immediately understood her intentions; this was definitely done on purpose.
"I never would have guessed, Shen Yunxi, that you could have tricked me so easily and made me suffer such a huge loss. You're quite clever! I used to think you were easy to bully and fool, but it seems I underestimated you." Shen Leyi sneered.
"Oh, Fourth Sister, why say such things? Didn't you scheme against me first? Since you wanted to ruin my reputation and gain favor with the Emperor, then go to the Emperor yourself. Why use me as a shield? Besides, my marriage to the Emperor is invalid. You've seen the Emperor's attitude. Since that's the case, you can take the late Emperor's decree to the Emperor to fulfill the marriage agreement. Anyway, do you think the Emperor will favor you? Wouldn't it be a win-win situation if he used the marriage agreement to bring you into the harem?" Shen Yunxi retorted.
Upon hearing this, both Madam Shen and Madam Qian were shocked. They never expected that Shen Yunxi, who was usually so timid and submissive, would say such a thing.
And that expression, so sarcastic and so infuriating!
Could it be that we've bullied her a bit too much in the past, and that's why Shen Yunxi is now having rebellious thoughts?
"How can you say that? The late emperor bestowed a marriage upon the daughter of the Marquis of Yong'an, not his niece!" Old Madam Shen said angrily.
If it weren't for the issue of her identity, it wouldn't be that she didn't want Shen Leyi to marry the emperor!
So, it's not that she has blood relatives, but that she can't raise them properly!
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