"Sister!"
"Ah Ning!"
She heard Shen Ci and her mother exclaim in surprise.
A loud slap landed, but the expected pain did not come. Shen Tangning opened her eyes, a trace of confusion flashing across them.
Her eyes suddenly widened in surprise.
A tall, slender figure blocked her way, intercepting the slap.
Chi Yan tilted his head slightly, his fair cheeks immediately flushing red. He blinked slowly, raised his head, and said in a teasing tone, "Father-in-law, you have quite the temper."
"You!" Shen Chang was also surprised that he would suddenly stand up. His eyes flashed with astonishment, and his face turned ugly for a moment. He was somewhat embarrassed.
Madam Shen and Shen Ci took a deep breath, their expressions slightly strange.
Chi Jingyu and Shen Xiwei stood not far away, one with a furrowed brow and the other with an unreadable expression.
Aunt Fang feigned concern, but a smile quickly flashed across her eyes.
Shen Tangning was momentarily dazed, but quickly grabbed Chi Yan's hand and stepped forward to meet Shen Chang's gaze. Her eyes were clear and bright, but concealed a coldness that was not easily detected: "What is Father doing on such a fine day? I don't know what I did wrong to make Father so angry?"
Madam Shen pursed her lips, her face grim as she stepped forward: "Even if Aning has made a mistake, why doesn't Master sit down and talk to her properly? On the day of her homecoming, she's already embarrassed herself at the door, and her son-in-law has suffered for no reason. Wouldn't that make her a laughingstock in front of outsiders?"
Shen Ci chimed in with displeasure, "Father, how could you hit my sister?"
Shen Chang was stunned for a moment, then laughed angrily: "Fine! Fine! You all take her side! Don't you even know what despicable things she's done behind the scenes!"
As he spoke, he pulled a roll of something from his sleeve and threw it on the ground, his face contorted with rage. "I raised a fine daughter! All these years of careful upbringing, and she's already taught you to engage in illicit relations with others?"
Shen Tangning glanced calmly at the scattered letters on the ground, without making a move.
Upon hearing this, Madam Shen's expression changed, and she stepped forward to pick them up one by one.
Aunt Fang looked surprised and came over to persuade her, "Master, there must be some misunderstanding. I watched the eldest young lady grow up, and she would never do such a foolish thing!"
Shen Xi hesitated slightly, then said softly, "Yes, Father, everyone in Yanjing knows what kind of person my elder sister is. There must be some hidden story behind this."
Chi Jingyu followed closely behind, without saying a word. His eyes glanced at the letter in Madam Shen's hand, and when he saw the words "Xingjian," his brow twitched and his gaze toward Shen Tangning showed a hint of disgust.
Xingjian was the courtesy name of the Crown Prince Yan Huai.
"If there were no evidence, why would I slander her without proof?" Shen Chang sneered. "The evidence is right here in black and white, and it is clearly her handwriting. Do you think I'm wronging her?"
Madam Shen quickly glanced at the letters; they were all ordinary greetings for holidays and festivals, and there was nothing wrong with them.
The Crown Prince is A-Ning's cousin, and she has to call him Aunt. Because of this relationship, Yan Huai takes good care of Shen Tang Ning, and always remembers to bring his cousin gifts during festivals. It is also normal for them to exchange letters occasionally.
She has these things, and so does Aci; they're not unique, so it's not unusual.
When she saw one of the letters, her fingers trembled slightly as she held the letter.
She could recognize her daughter's handwriting at a glance; the letter was written by Aning.
The letter poignantly described her feelings for the Crown Prince and her regret at not being able to marry her beloved, fully revealing the sorrow and longing of a young woman.
Upon seeing this, she suddenly became uncertain again.
Although she didn't fully understand her daughter's thoughts, this tone was definitely not something her daughter would say.
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