Since Ren Wanyun had spoken to this extent, Old Madam Shen was not foolish enough to miss the implications in her words. Judging by Ren Wanyun's tone, Prince Yu was indeed a devilish figure, and Shen Miao falling into his hands would only be a nominal improvement. The true beneficiary would still be the Shen family. As for Shen Yuanbai, he was indeed Old Madam Shen's treasured darling, and the idea of using Shen Miao to pave the way for him was perfectly aligned with her wishes.
"If that's the case, and both of you agree, then it seems Prince Yu is indeed a fine match for the fifth girl," Old Madam Shen said with a thick skin, sitting primly as she uttered these words, drawing a flash of disdain from Chen Ruoqiu's eyes.
"Mother also thinks it's good," Ren Wanyun was no less skilled in the art of deception and immediately chimed in, "When choosing a husband for our fifth girl, naturally we can't pick someone of low status. A prince's household—now that's truly climbing the social ladder."
Old Madam Shen nodded at this, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "Has the prince's household sent anyone to propose?"
Ren Wanyun's face twitched slightly. Even she, no pushover herself, hadn't expected the old woman to be so impatient, eager to settle Shen Miao's marriage without delay. Of course, the sooner the better, lest Shen Xin return and complicate matters. But even if the matter were already settled, Shen Xin might not simply allow Shen Miao to marry into the prince's household. Thus, some unconventional methods would be necessary.
Fortunately, it seemed the prince's household had no intention of a proper, formal marriage. Prince Yu had his own preferences, and his methods were rather... unconventional. Naturally, it would have to be kept under wraps.
"Mother, it's still too early," Ren Wanyun said with a smile. "The fifth girl is still young; there's no need to rush. Settling it now might invite gossip. Let them spend some time together first. When mutual affection blossoms and the fifth girl is willing herself, then we can bring up the marriage. That way, no one can say we forced her into it."
Even if Shen Miao were a fool, she would never develop mutual affection with Prince Yu. This was merely dressing up ugly intentions in pretty words. What might happen in between remained unknown.
Chen Ruoqiu smiled quietly without speaking. Though she too wanted to see Shen Miao suffer, she was cautious by nature. Such bold actions were best left to Ren Wanyun. If Shen Xin were to investigate later, it wouldn't fall on her shoulders. Watching tigers fight from a safe distance was Chen Ruoqiu's forte.
Behind the screen, Shen Yue and Shen Qing both felt a twinge of fear. They hadn't expected Shen Miao's lifelong fate to be decided in just a few words. For a young girl, her husband determined her happiness for the rest of her life, and Shen Miao was doomed to misery. Yet neither Shen Yue nor Shen Qing felt the slightest sympathy for her. In official circles, Shen Xin overshadowed their father; in status, Shen Miao overshadowed them. Combined with Old Madam Shen's influence, the eldest branch was nothing but a thorn in their side. Seeing Shen Miao in trouble only filled them with schadenfreude.Although Old Madam Shen was utterly incompetent in household management, she was highly skilled in the intrigues between women in the inner quarters. Especially when it came to underhanded tactics—her rise from a mere songstress to the matriarch of the general's household wasn't solely due to her bewitching looks; her methods were naturally ruthless as well. Thus, upon hearing Ren Wanyun's words, she immediately grasped the underlying meaning and smiled, saying, "Oh, in that case, let Fifth Sister get closer to Prince Yu. Indeed, if we were to force Fifth Sister into this, it might anger Eldest Brother later, and that wouldn't be ideal."
Her already sharp features twisted into an expression of false kindness, making her resemble a weasel forcing a smile—unnaturally sinister. Shen Yue and Shen Qing both shuddered and quickly retreated far from the screen.
...
In the West Courtyard, under the dim light of an oil lamp, Shen Miao sat quietly. Before her lay a blank sheet of pristine parchment, with ink and brush already prepared, as if she intended to write. Yet after a moment, she sighed softly and put the parchment away.
While it was good to plan ahead, she was currently just a young lady of the inner chambers. The only things she could rely on were the many pieces of intelligence she possessed. Yet, in her current state, these resources couldn't be utilized to their fullest potential. Indeed, the path forward had to be walked step by step.
Gu Yu and Jing Zhe, seeing her sigh, assumed she was troubled by the matter concerning Prince Yu. Gu Yu stepped forward to console her, "Young Lady, please don't worry. If they truly harbor ill intentions, we servants will protect you even at the cost of our lives. If all else fails, in the capital, there are families friendly with the Master. At worst—"
Shen Miao shook her head. "Prince Yu holds high rank and authority, with the imperial family backing him. No matter how close Father's friendships are, no one would risk offending the imperial family to shelter me." Moreover, the imperial family was already eyeing the Shen family covetously. Any rash action would make the inherently suspicious Ming Qi court suspect Shen Xin of collusion. After all, it was never a good thing for any emperor to see his officials becoming too close.
"Then perhaps write a letter to the Master," Jing Zhe suggested. "Though the Master is occupied with military affairs, the Young Master is only attached to the army without formal orders. Returning to Fixed Capital wouldn't incur punishment from above. With the Young Master here, he could at least protect you."
"Eldest Brother would take over a month to return from the northwest, even with urgent haste. Do you think they would wait that long?" Shen Miao said coolly. The deterrent of Shen Xin's presence would only spur them to act swiftly—thinking that once the deed was done, a few threatening words would make her submit obediently.
Shen Miao might have once yielded, but the Empress Shen, tempered by blood and tears in the imperial harem, never would!
"Then what should we do?" Gu Yu and Jing Zhe paled in unison. Though they knew the situation was dire, they hadn't realized it was this severe. Prince Yu's reputation in Fixed Capital was notorious—any young lady he fancied, even those from high-ranking families, would be ruined without recourse. The imperial family would offer a few placating words, but nothing more could be done. His methods were insidiously biased, leaving no visible traces, yet the victims were always the young women.
"What should we do? Relying on others is futile." Shen Miao gazed at the flickering flame. "We can only rely on ourselves.""But Miss..." Gu Yu was somewhat anxious. How could Shen Miao protect herself? If it were others, the family might be able to fend them off a little, but the second and third branches of the family might very well have formed an alliance with them!
"I have my own ways." Shen Miao toyed with the paperweight in her hand.
Prince Yu's Manor relied solely on the emperor's favor, on the imperial family's willingness to shield them. But what if the imperial family no longer wished to protect them, and enemies came knocking? Tsk. A prince's manor stripped of imperial protection was nothing more than a pile of mud.
A prince, a prince—after all, he shared some blood ties with the imperial family. She would start with him first. Then, glancing outside, she noticed shadowy figures moving beyond the window—a plump silhouette. Who else could it be but Granny Gui?
And while she was at it, she would clean out all the filth lurking in the West Courtyard.
...
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