Chapter 12: Unfilial?

Li Shi stayed in Wenxi Hall, but unable to get any outside news, she felt each day drag on like a year.

And what about her?

As the once-prominent grandmother of this residence, a first-rate respectable person, now this huge disparity makes her unable to save face, as if she could constantly hear people gossiping behind her back.

Of course, this might just be her misconception.

But Wang Mama feels awful inside, and that's truly real.

"Why should I give in to him?"

"I'm his mother!"

"I gave birth to him, raised him, he's unfilial to me—he deserves to be struck by lightning from heaven!"

Li Shi heard Wang Mama's words, her temper exploded like a firecracker.

Wang Mama glanced at her angry young lady, and let out a quiet sigh.

Others, as they age, cultivate themselves and nurture their nature, becoming ever more kind. But her young lady is the opposite—her temper grows greater, and at the slightest displeasure she flies into a rage.

She has advised many times, but the effect is nil.

Sometimes, her advice even backfires, like pouring oil on fire.

Seeing Li Shi explode again, Wang Mama could only stand aside and stay silent.

……

The commotion in Wenxi Hall naturally couldn't escape Shen Shen's notice.

Although he had Li Shi, his birth mother, stay in Wenxi Hall to recuperate, it wasn't unfilial, and he had always kept an eye on the situation inside Wenxi Hall.

Knowing his birth mother had caused trouble again, Shen Shen got a headache.

He didn't know what to do to stop his mother from causing trouble.

"My lord, why don't you go and give in to the old lady?"

The people around him spoke up to advise him.

"Not now!"

Shen Shen pondered for a moment, then ultimately chose to refuse.

He also wanted his mother to enjoy her twilight years, but if he let this old lady's temperament continue to cause trouble, the Shen family feared they'd decline generation after generation.

Clearly the third son was a studious seed, but I don't know what his mother said or did—he turned out like this.

As for his own three sons, they too have accomplished nothing in their studies.

"Go, call over those three good-for-nothing layabouts who just waste their days!"

Feeling angry with nowhere to vent, Shen Shen thought of his three unfilial sons.

As their father, he had received twenty lashes, yet not one of those three unfilial sons came to visit—utterly unfilial.

"To fail to educate is the father's fault!"

Seeing that the eldest master was taking out his anger on the young masters, the people nearby didn't think to intervene.

After all, the eldest master had been whipped, and the three young masters hadn't come to visit—that's a fact.

Therefore, the punishment the three young masters are about to receive is wholly deserved.

……

"Miss, the three young masters of the eldest master's household also got whipped!"

Cuiyu hurried over again, bringing Shen Yunyao the latest news from the Shen Residence.

"Do you know why?"

Although Shen Yunyao had guessed that her three cousins would get whipped, she didn't expect it to happen so soon.

"They say it's because of unfilial behavior!"

"The eldest master was whipped, and the three young masters didn't go to visit!"

"Miss, the third master also got whipped, and you still haven't gone to see him!"

Cuiyu looked at her young lady with a hint of worry.

Shen Yunyao heard this and immediately replied, "What you say makes sense."

In fact, Shen Yunyao feels that if no one mentions her, her philandering father probably wouldn't even remember he has a daughter living in the Shen Family Courtyard.

Unfortunately, the head of the household is now her uncle Shen Shen, and Shen Yunyao has gained his favor, not wanting to easily ruin the good impression she's made in his heart.

So she still intends to visit the third master.

Shen Yunyao had the kitchen prepare a bowl of chicken soup, then summoned Cuiyu, and together they hurried to the residence where the Shen Family Third Branch lives.

Although she is the legitimate daughter of the Third Branch, she doesn't live in that branch's courtyard; instead, she lives with her female cousins in the West Courtyard of the residence.

Although it's collectively called the West Courtyard, inside it consists of separate little courtyards.

The rule set by the Shen family's patriarch in the beginning was to dote on the children, but not to spoil them rotten.

Therefore, from the age of ten onward, they must leave their parents' side and learn to be independent.

As for the overlooked Shen Yunyao, from the time she became sensible, she gradually learned to be independent.

With an unloving father and an indifferent mother, and the masters of the residence paying her no heed, how could she not learn to be independent?

Originally, the belief that kept her going was the engagement arranged for her since childhood.

But because the Zheng family fell into decline, the Shen family considered breaking the engagement, and with the servants constantly whispering in her ear, they utterly extinguished the last hope of the young lady.

Shen Family!

Under the control of the matriarch Li Shi, the Shen family is actually already splendid on the outside but rotten within.

If Shen Shen can withstand this pressure, solidify his position as head of the family, and reestablish the Shen family's rules, then the Shen family might still prosper for many more years.

Otherwise, the Shen family's collapse may come at any moment.

After all, when the servants in the residence can freely gossip about the young master, isn't this a classic case of servants bullying their master?

Arriving at the Third Branch's courtyard, the gatekeeper old woman saw Shen Yunyao and hurried to report.

Not long after, the old woman came out with a troubled look and whispered, "Seventh Miss, Third Master says he wants to rest and will not see you!"

In that case, please trouble Granny to send this chicken soup over!

Shen Yunyao never expected to be able to see Third Master Shen.

No expectation, no disappointment.

She came merely to prove that, as a daughter, she was still somewhat filial.

Leaving the chicken soup, Shen Yunyao departed with Cuiyu in a carefree manner.

"I don't know what Third Master and Third Lady are thinking; Seventh Miss is such a good person, they aren't afraid they'll regret it later?"

"You, say less!"

"The masters' affairs are not for us to meddle in!"

"You guard the door, I'll take the chicken soup inside!"

The gatekeeper old woman who had gone to report earlier gave a word to her companion, then picked up the food box and hurried inside.

Shen Yunyao did not know that she had been sympathized with and pitied by the two gatekeeper old women.

Leaving the Third Branch side, she thought for a moment, then took a detour to the Main House Courtyard.

Shen Shen is her elder uncle; he also received a whipping, so out of sentiment and duty, she ought to pay him a visit.

Of course, there was no need to prepare the chicken soup.

When the master and servant pair arrived, the gatekeeper old woman went in and shouted a call, then quickly came out and invited Shen Yunyao inside to speak.

Zhou Shi was at that moment accompanying Shen Shen; upon seeing Shen Yunyao approach, her expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Earlier she had received Shen Shen's orders to stage an accident that would leave Shen Yunyao either dead or crippled, but she hadn't expected the plan to fail, and instead she inadvertently implicated Yan Mama beside her.

Now that Shen Shen has been whipped, and it's related to Shen Yunyao's good-for-nothing father, how could Zhou Shi possibly have a pleasant expression upon seeing Shen Yunyao?

"Greetings, Elder Aunt!"

Zhou Shi could put on a stern face for herself, but Shen Yunyao had to observe propriety.

Seniority and hierarchy must be observed, and etiquette must be complete.

(End of chapter)