"Open the door!"
Old Madam Shen spoke these words with visible anger on her face... The ladies present, never ones to shy away from drama, didn’t leave either.
Chen Ruoqiu soothed, "Mother, don’t be angry. Perhaps the guest entered the wrong room by mistake." With that, she gave a meaningful glance to the maids, and two of them stepped forward to push the door.
The door appeared tightly shut, but it wasn’t properly secured—it opened with just a light push. However, immediately after, a startled "Ah!" was heard, and the two maids recoiled in fright, taking two steps back.
Their reaction only fueled suspicion. Old Madam Shen barked sharply, "What’s going on?"
One of the maids, seemingly unsteady on her feet, braced herself against the door, inadvertently pushing it open wider. The scene inside was instantly exposed to everyone, and all present couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath.
The tearoom was small, meant only for temporary rest, furnished with just a narrow daybed and a low table. Now, the teacups on the table lay shattered on the floor, and on the cramped daybed, two figures were entangled—clearly a man pressing down on a woman. The earlier commotion must have been the sound of the teacups breaking during their struggle.
The chaotic scene was now laid bare before everyone. The ladies immediately covered their daughters’ eyes, afraid they’d witness such indecency.
Outside, Xi’er gasped, "Young Mistress Jing!"
"Chuchu!" Chen Ruoqiu also cried out.
"What?" Old Madam Shen staggered, nearly fainting. The maid beside her hurriedly steadied her.
"What is the meaning of this?" Chen Ruoqiu feigned panic, appearing to others as someone flustered by the sudden scandal in the household. Inside the room, the two figures seemed unaware of the commotion outside—the man remained unmoving atop the woman, while she struggled weakly to push him off.
"Oh heavens," Xi’er covered her mouth, her face a picture of shock. "Didn’t the young master return to his room after getting drunk? How could he be here..."
With those words, the onlookers pieced together three parts of the story.
The drunken young master of the household had encountered the young mistress, who had gone to change clothes alone. Overcome by lust, he had forced himself upon her, tarnishing her virtue.
"Qiu has always been steady—how could he do such a thing?" Chen Ruoqiu shook her head, sighing. "It’s all the fault of the wine!" She wore an expression of deep regret.
Her words all but confirmed Shen Qiu’s guilt.
Shen Miao watched in silence, the scene nearly identical to her past life. When Shen Qiu awoke, he would be unable to defend himself. Though Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan believed in him, the evidence was undeniable, and the wronged party was the young woman. If Shen Qiu didn’t marry Jing Chuchu, the gathered ladies would drown him in scorn. And back then, what had she done? Shen Miao’s expression darkened as she recalled—she had felt deep shame, disgusted by a brother who would defile a woman’s purity, and had joined others in condemning him.
Shen Yue suddenly spoke up, "Fifth Sister, why aren’t you saying anything?"All eyes immediately turned to Shen Miao. Shen Qiu was Shen Miao's elder brother. With Shen Qiu committing such an act, it wouldn't reflect well on Shen Miao either. It was unclear whether she would stubbornly defend Shen Qiu or make the righteous decision to turn against her own family.
Yi Peilan took delight in Shen Miao's misfortune and said with feigned concern, "Shen Miao, actually this matter has nothing to do with you. After all, your brother is your brother, and you are you. Though you're family, you can't be lumped together."
But the more she said this, the more she seemed to remind everyone that Shen Miao was indeed Shen Qiu's sister. If Shen Qiu lacked virtue, how much better could Shen Miao be?
"I'm just curious," Shen Miao said calmly. "Instead of resolving the issue, we're here discussing it. Should we invite the outsiders at the gate of Shen Mansion to join the spectacle? The more, the merrier, after all."
Her sarcasm was like a knife, striking right at the heart of the matter.
Indeed, in such a situation, ordinary families would immediately try to cover it up. Yet Old Madam Shen and Chen Ruoqiu seemed eager for as many people as possible to know, even discussing it right at the gate. What were their intentions? At the very least, they couldn't be good. What were they aiming for?
Chen Ruoqiu and Old Madam Shen looked somewhat embarrassed, but Shen Miao continued lightly, "Even if my mother isn't here, someone should still take charge. Or does replacing Second Aunt with Third Aunt mean Third Aunt no longer knows what to do?"
Chen Ruoqiu's face instantly turned pale, and Shen Yue's expression darkened as well. Mentioning Ren Wanyun at this moment made everyone's gazes turn meaningful. Chen Ruoqiu was even more furious—Shen Miao's words clearly implied she was less capable of handling affairs than Ren Wanyun, a direct slap to her face.
After all, Shen Miao had spent years in the imperial harem, where no woman was easy to deal with. Even verbal battles were fought with hidden blades, each sentence carrying multiple meanings. Her words now seemed mild, but they made people think deeply.
Did they think they could bully Shen Qiu freely just because Luo Xueyan wasn't present? And now that Shen Qiu was embroiled in scandal, they turned a blind eye and even ensured everyone knew? More importantly, none of the ladies present were fools. They had been momentarily stunned by the situation and overlooked other details, but Shen Miao's composed demeanor gradually calmed them. Looking back at the situation, their expressions grew ambiguous. It was called a scandal, but who could say it wasn't orchestrated?
Old Madam Shen, humiliated by Shen Miao's words, snapped, "Fifth Girl, your elder brother is involved in such a disgraceful matter, and this is your attitude! You're truly incorrigible!"
Shen Miao nearly laughed but shook her head instead. "This is a serious matter. Let's invite Father, Second Uncle, and Third Uncle to decide."
Old Madam Shen froze. Chen Ruoqiu froze. Even all the ladies present froze. This was the kind of matter that should be kept as quiet as possible, yet now Shen Miao seemed eager for more people to know. Chen Ruoqiu felt increasingly uneasy. Though everything was proceeding as she had envisioned, something felt off.The door was left wide open, and the people inside seemed to be making no move. Old Madam Shen’s maids had intended to close it, but they heard Shen Miao sneer, “Don’t bother. Since everything that should be seen has already been seen, shutting the door now would be like covering one’s ears while stealing a bell. If anyone wants another look, they’re welcome to take a good, clear view.”
Even Old Madam Shen sensed something amiss at this point. She wanted to send someone into the room, but Shen Miao’s aggressive stance was startling. Now, caught between a rock and a hard place, any further action would only make things worse. Old Madam Shen could only suppress her unease and watch helplessly as Shen Miao ordered someone to summon Shen Xin and the others.
Jiang Xiaoxuan wiped her tears and said, “Miss Jing is still so young. What will become of her for the rest of her life after such a thing?”
“I ask everyone here to bear witness,” Old Madam Shen declared. “The Shen family has always upheld proper conduct. Now that such a disgraceful incident has occurred, we naturally owe everyone an explanation. Chuchu is my grandniece from my maiden family and has always been well-behaved and sensible. I had intended to keep her by my side and find her a good match in the future. Who would have thought…” Her expression darkened with grief. “Our Shen family is not the kind to bully others with our influence. No matter what happens in the future, Chuchu will remain a granddaughter-in-law of the Jing family—this is beyond doubt. We will certainly give her justice!”
What a lofty justification! What a righteous facade!
Had she not known the truth behind the scenes, even Shen Miao might have applauded Old Madam Shen’s performance. Her eyes brimmed with mockery—truly, the skills of a former songstress and actress shone through in such a lifelike act.
Sure enough, Old Madam Shen’s words immediately won the crowd’s approval.
“Truly worthy of an aristocratic family—bold and accountable.”
“If that’s the case, then Miss Jing will at least have security for the rest of her life.”
“The Shen family’s upright conduct is indeed genuine. Old Madam Shen’s choice is truly wise.”
“Who would have thought Old Madam Shen possessed such magnanimity?”
Half praised Old Madam Shen for correcting her mistakes, while the other half pitied Jing Chuchu for suffering such an inexplicable calamity. As for Shen Qiu, he was almost unanimously painted as a shameless lecher by the crowd.
Just then, hurried exclamations came from outside: “Chuchu! Chuchu!” Looking up, they saw that the people Shen Miao had sent had finally brought Shen Xin and his group.
Fortunately, they hadn’t called any of his colleagues from the official circles—only Shen Xin and his two brothers, along with Luo Xueyan. But at the forefront was Jing Guansheng. He strode forward, and the ladies present instinctively made way for him. Jing Guansheng stopped at the doorway without entering, staring blankly inside as if struck by lightning.
“What’s going on?” Luo Xueyan demanded urgently.
Chen Ruoqiu wiped her tears and said, “Eldest Sister-in-law, don’t be upset. This isn’t Qiu’er’s fault—it was all the drink’s doing.”
On their way over, Shen Gui and Shen Wan had already heard about the incident. Shen Gui, eager to see Shen Xin suffer, immediately put on a remorseful act. “It’s all my fault. I should have stopped Qiu’er from drinking. If he hadn’t gotten drunk, how could this have happened?”
“Second Brother, don’t blame yourself,” Shen Wan sighed. “No one wanted this to happen. Let’s focus on what to do now.”
“What else can be done?” Jing Guansheng’s eyes were bloodshot. “My sister came here in good health, only to be taken advantage of and defiled. We demand justice!”"Watch your damn mouth!" Shen Xin flared up instantly. "That brat Shen Qiu grew up under my watch—there's no way he'd do such a thing!"
"Exactly," Luo Xueyan sneered. "Jing Chuchu isn't some peerless beauty. Back at the border, countless officials wanted to marry their daughters to Qiu'er. Any one of them would be prettier than Jing Chuchu. Would Qiu'er really be stupid enough to throw away his future for her?"
Shen Xin was a hardened warrior who'd fought countless battles, impervious to both soft and hard tactics. Luo Xueyan was even fiercer, never one to mince words. Their blunt remarks left Jing Guansheng pale-faced, while Old Madam Shen was so furious she couldn't speak.
But upon reflection, their words made sense. While Jing Chuchu was decent-looking, she was hardly a rare beauty. Jing Guansheng's claim of premeditation was clearly exaggerated.
Shen Miao nearly laughed. In her past life, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan had defended Shen Qiu just like this. Unfortunately, everyone knew Jing Chuchu had always appeared guileless before. With so many witnesses present back then, there was no room for denial—they'd had no choice but to accept defeat. By inviting so many noblewomen from the capital as "witnesses," Old Madam Shen had ensured Shen Qiu had no way out.
"How can you deny it when the evidence is right here?" Jing Guansheng shouted angrily. "Do you think my frail sister could have forced Shen Qiu? I thought he was a gentleman, but appearances are deceiving. I'll report this to the authorities!"
Reporting to the authorities would escalate this from a family matter to a public scandal. Old Madam Shen snapped, "Enough!" She softened her tone toward Jing Guansheng. "Guansheng, you're my grandnephew. You know how I've treated you these past days. I adore Chuchu—how could I let her suffer injustice? Don't worry, I'll give you justice!"
Turning sharply to Shen Xin, she scolded, "Eldest! Your son was clearly at fault here. What did your father teach you? The Shen family stands tall and takes responsibility! If he's ruined a girl's virtue, he must marry her and treat her well for life!"
The Shen family's uprightness was something Old General Shen had drilled into Shen Xin. In the past, Shen Xin might have swallowed this injustice out of respect for Old Madam Shen. But after returning to Fixed Capital this year, the rift between them had deepened. Now, hearing these words and seeing her expression, Shen Xin found her utterly hypocritical and detestable. Burning with rage, he retorted, "I told you—Qiu'er wouldn't do this!"
"But..." Shen Dongling, who had been quietly hiding in the back, suddenly spoke up. "Why does everyone assume it's Eldest Brother inside without even checking? Is he really in there?"
Her words stunned everyone.
That was true—was it really Shen Qiu inside? From the beginning until now, no one had actually gone in to look. All anyone could see were two figures entwined together. Most of the noblewomen present understood the situation's murky depths—this was likely a calculated trap disguised as a drunken mistake. But with things having gone this far, Shen Qiu would have no choice but to accept his misfortune.Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, "What nonsense is Dongling talking about? Only Qiu'er left the banquet drunk. Who else could it be?"
"And Second Brother," Shen Miao interjected lightly. "Why is Second Brother missing too? Why is only my eldest brother being held responsible?"
"Little sister, what do you mean by responsible?" A sudden voice rang out, making Chen Ruoqiu's mind buzz. Everyone turned to look—not far away, Shen Qiu stood there looking perfectly composed, with Feng Anning by his side, both gazing at the crowd in confusion.
"Anning!" Lady Feng was startled and quickly pulled her daughter away, scolding, "Why are you running around everywhere?"
"I got lost on my way back from the washroom," Feng Anning said innocently. "I wandered around for ages and couldn't find my way out. Luckily, I ran into Eldest Brother Shen, who brought me here. What's going on?"
Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were stunned for only a moment before Shen Xin burst into laughter, his triumphant tone unmistakable to all present.
If Shen Qiu was standing right here, who was inside the room?
"Enough looking," Shen Miao said with a faint smile. "Servants, let's see clearly who the one to take responsibility really is."
Old Madam Shen tried to stop them, but it was too late. Luo Xueyan's maids, all strong and capable, didn't wait for Chen Ruoqiu's orders and barged in first. Their movements were so swift that before anyone could react, a groan was heard from inside. The two maids dragged the man out and presented him to the crowd. "Reporting to Madam, it's Second Young Master!"
Shen Yuan's disheveled clothes and flushed face were now visible to everyone. Compared to the earlier situation where only Shen Qiu's name had been called without anyone entering to verify, this evidence was irrefutable. The crowd's eyes turned accusingly toward Shen Gui and Old Madam Shen.
Shen Miao's mocking voice rang out: "Oh, so it was just a misunderstanding after all. For no reason, my eldest brother was almost framed. You servants better keep your eyes sharp next time—ruining someone's reputation is a crime that lands you in jail!"
"Little sister, what are you talking about?" Shen Qiu scratched his head. "What was I being framed for?"
"Qiu'er, someone wanted to force a wife on you," Luo Xueyan said, finally understanding. The earlier pressure from Old Madam Shen and Chen Ruoqiu had been nothing but a false alarm, and her anger flared. "I always said that Qiu'er's wife must be someone I personally approve of. Qiu'er is principled—he wouldn’t just bring any woman into his room."
Feng Anning suddenly realized what was happening and exclaimed, "What? I was with Eldest Brother Shen the whole time. He must have just sobered up. I’ve heard of forced marriages, but is there such a thing as forced brides now?"
Feng Anning was quite the character. Her deliberately exaggerated words made Lady Feng pale, who scolded, "Anning!" Feng Anning stuck out her tongue and fell silent.
"Grandmother, Cousin, Second Uncle, what should we do now?" Shen Miao asked with feigned concern, though her leisurely expression made it clear she was enjoying the spectacle.
This—this was what you called a slap in the face!Old Madam Shen was somewhat flustered. Since she had orchestrated today's events, she had naturally made thorough preparations. Yet she had absolutely no idea why Shen Qiu had turned into Shen Yuan. However, one look at Shen Miao's smiling face made it clear to Old Madam Shen that this must be Shen Miao's doing.
Shen Gui was also dumbfounded. He had come specifically to witness the spectacle after hearing that Shen Qiu had made a mistake. After all, a person's reputation could affect their official career—otherwise, those censors wouldn't be drawing such high salaries. Now that Shen Qiu had become Shen Yuan, and Shen Yuan had just returned to the capital to take up his post, this incident would undoubtedly ruin his official prospects!
The young ladies were still somewhat confused, but the matrons saw things clearly. Today's events were clearly a play staged by the Shen family themselves. It was obvious someone had tried to use Jing Chuchu to frame Shen Qiu, but who could have guessed that Shen Qiu would end up as Shen Yuan? Considering Shen Miao's attitude from the beginning until now, it was undoubtedly her doing.
Everyone had always said that the Shen family's fifth legitimate daughter was an Incompetent, treated as a foolish and infatuated simpleton. But now, who would dare call her infatuated after this? The mastermind behind today's scheme probably never expected to be checkmated in return. Even those invited as "witnesses" had now become Shen Miao's bargaining chips.
Old Madam Shen found herself in a dilemma. She rolled her eyes, pretending to faint to muddle through the situation, when Shen Miao spoke up: "Cousin, as her elder brother, you must be heartbroken about what happened to Cousin Chuchu. Don't worry, Grandmother just said she would definitely take responsibility for her."
Instantly, Old Madam Shen's faintness vanished. She glared at Shen Miao: "Yuan'er is still unconscious—clearly, he was set up! Fifth Girl, don't you dare spout nonsense!"
"Old Madam, what are you saying?" Before Shen Miao could respond, Luo Xueyan exploded: "When you thought it was Qiu'er earlier, we didn't hear a single word of concern from you. Yuan'er is your grandson, but isn't Qiu'er also your grandson? Your fairness is truly remarkable!"
Luo Xueyan wasn't afraid to tear off all pretenses with Old Madam Shen—she had always been this fiery temperament. After her rapid-fire tirade, Old Madam Shen could only roar in fury: "You're rebelling!"
"Grandmother, let's first discuss how to handle Second Brother's situation," Shen Miao said with a gentle smile. Her tone remained mild and composed from start to finish, making Old Madam Shen appear all the more unreasonable. She continued: "Earlier, Grandmother said: 'Grandfather always said the Shen family must uphold righteousness. If one ruins another's innocence, they must take responsibility. Second Brother must marry Cousin Chuchu!'" She deliberately mimicked Old Madam Shen's righteous tone, making Luo Xueyan burst into laughter. Shen Miao then turned to the crowd: "All the ladies here witnessed it—Grandmother always keeps her word. Surely she wouldn't forget in such a short time."
The noble matrons present knew Shen Miao was using them as pawns, but they could only offer awkward chuckles. Old Madam Shen's face flushed red then paled under Shen Miao's relentless mockery. She could only repeat helplessly: "There's something suspicious about this! There's something suspicious about this!""I also think there's something fishy about this," Shen Miao raised an eyebrow in challenge. "So we should report it to the authorities. Father, your men are quick—if we go to the Capital Prefecture now, we can still make it."
Before she could finish speaking, Shen Gui shouted, "No!"
Shen Miao was surprised. "Why not again?"
Shen Gui glared at her fiercely. Once reported to the authorities, there would be no way to keep this matter under wraps. The censors in the court had too much free time on their hands—if they got wind of this, they would surely seize the opportunity to impeach him. Besides, it was an ugly affair; what good would come of making it public knowledge?
"Forget it," Shen Miao waved her hand wearily. "In the end, we should still consider Cousin's opinion on this matter." She turned to Jing Guansheng, who had been standing there with an unreadable expression, and smiled faintly. "Cousin must be the most heartbroken by this, after all."
Jing Guansheng remained silent.
Old Madam Shen fumed, "First, call for a physician!" Jing Chuchu and Shen Yuan had remained motionless all this while, likely victims of a scheme. Old Madam Shen was seething with frustration she couldn't vent. Originally, it should have been Shen Qiu facing this predicament, yet somehow it had become Shen Yuan instead—and she couldn't even voice her grievances.
Chen Ruoqiu busied herself attending to the noble ladies, who had seen enough of the spectacle to realize that today's events were merely a power struggle between Shen Miao and the rest of the Shen family—one that Shen Miao had ultimately won. They promised not to speak of it before taking their leave. Feng Anning winked at Shen Miao before departing with Lady Feng. Shen Yue surveyed the chaotic courtyard, her heart filled with disappointment.
They had been so close to ruining Shen Qiu—why had it turned into Shen Yuan in the end?
Shen Xin and the others followed Old Madam Shen to the main hall. This matter had to be addressed, especially since it concerned the Shen family's reputation and had been witnessed by so many. It was no longer something that could be brushed aside lightly.
Shen Miao walked at the very back when suddenly someone called out to her. Turning, she saw Jing Guansheng approaching.
Shen Miao was petite, while Jing Guansheng was slightly plump and tall, looming over her with an imposing presence. The usual gentle and amiable smile on his face was gone, replaced by a dark, vicious expression—like a wolf shedding its sheepskin disguise. "Fifth Sister," he said through gritted teeth, "this was your doing, wasn't it?"
"Yes," Shen Miao admitted readily.
Taken aback by her bluntness, Jing Guansheng froze momentarily before raising his fist in fury, ready to strike. Jing Zhe and Gu Yu quickly stepped in to shield her. Shen Miao regarded him coldly. "I did it. What can you do about it?"
"You shameless—!" Jing Guansheng snarled.
"Shameless? Me?" Shen Miao tilted her head. "Cousin, dare you claim ignorance of today's scheme?"
Jing Guansheng stiffened, glaring at her. As Jing Chuchu's elder brother, how could he not know Old Madam Shen's plans? Having Jing Chuchu become Shen Qiu's wife would have been nothing but beneficial for him—yet somehow, it had turned into Shen Yuan instead!
"Using your own sister as a bargaining chip, and now calling me shameless? Cousin, don't you find yourself utterly repulsive?" Shen Miao laughed.
"You—!"
"The matter is already settled, Cousin. Why not consider an alternative?" Shen Miao studied him leisurely. "After losing her virtue in front of so many witnesses, it will be difficult for Sister to marry into a good family and serve as your pawn in the future. Who would want a ruined woman?"
Her words were venomous, and though Jing Guansheng clenched his fists, he couldn't deny the truth in them. This was a classic case of "throwing good money after bad." With Jing Chuchu in such a state, no respectable family—let alone a wealthy one—would take her now.
"Cousin, for the sake of our kinship, I'll offer you some advice." Shen Miao smiled warmly. "Marrying into the Shen family is already a step up for you. So what difference does it make whether she marries Eldest Brother or Second Brother?"
Jing Guansheng's expression shifted slightly, but he remained silent.
"Speaking of which, my Second Brother entered officialdom at a young age and has a promising future ahead—just as outstanding as Eldest Brother. Since your plan was always to trade your sister for prospects, what does it matter if the man in bed turned out to be Second Brother? Instead of becoming Eldest Sister-in-law, she can be Second Sister-in-law. It makes no difference to you."She looked at her fingernails, speaking as if to no one in particular: "In life, one must learn to be flexible."
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Not sure if you've watched "Wu Xin: The Monster Killer," but I actually think the "disdain couple" in it is somewhat like a Republican-era version of the "psycho couple" - a scheming lolita and a military brother full of mischief~ The height difference is adorable too!
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