Chapter 13: Cause and Effect

Shen Shen also saw his wife's cold face, immediately put on a stern look, and said coldly: "If you have something to do, go attend to it; I'm speaking with Seventh Girl!"

Zhou Shi, upon hearing this, immediately rose and walked out without a word.

She was truly angry!

The one who initially said they would harm Shen Yunyao was Shen Shen; now old matters are not brought up, but instead she has become that person who is neither inside nor outside.

There's no way to handle things like this!

"Elder Aunt!"

Shen Yunyao promptly spoke up, calling out to Zhou Shi: "The previous matter was merely forced by circumstances; I bear no grudge against anyone!"

"Now that the matter is settled, old grievances are not to be mentioned."

"Regarding Yan Mama, I am also sorry."

"But that was truly just an accident, right?"

Shen Yunyao didn't want Zhou Shi to keep holding a grudge against her, after all, that would be a bit foolish.

"If it weren't your doing, Yan Mama wouldn't have come to harm!"

Zhou Shi stopped in her tracks, gazing at Shen Yunyao with a resentful expression.

How could she possibly not hold a grudge?

Yan Mama was her dowry maid and also a capable aide by her side.

As a result, in this incident Shen Yunyao came away unscathed, while Shen Shen, who clearly was the one who devised the plan, ended up openly discussing things with his niece Shen Yunyao.

It's her!

She lost a capable subordinate for no reason.

Who can she turn to for justice?

"This matter is my fault!"

"I have already explained it to you!"

"I have also punished Yan Mama's family on that side; you being so unyielding, do you really expect me or Yunyao to give a life for Yan Mama's life?"

Seeing Zhou Shi so unyielding, Shen Shen also grew quite angry.

The Shen family somewhat lacks successors; this is Shen Shen's heartache.

And his three sons are all useless; Shen Shen blames himself for not being a good father, while also resenting Zhou Shi for always following her mother's lead and running to her mother for everything.

She is his wife; she ought to be of one mind with him.

But in fact?

His wife is more accustomed to acting as his mother's daughter-in-law rather than his wife!

At this point, Shen Shen had forgotten that earlier he himself could not stand on his own, allowing Lady Li to take control of the Shen family's authority.

As a daughter-in-law, what could Zhou Shi do?

Not currying favor with her mother-in-law, yet she is constantly being manipulated by her, with all sorts of rules imposed.

Shen Shen has no idea of the difficulties of being a daughter-in-law.

"Uncle Elder, your words have gone too far!"

Seeing that the two were about to start arguing, Shen Yunyao quickly spoke up, trying to ease the atmosphere.

However, it was too late!

Zhou Shi's inner resentment was deep, and moreover Shen Shen, in front of his junior Shen Yunyao, gave him no face at all, causing him to explode directly.

"Yes, my mother just wants a life for a life!"

"Your lives are lives, but isn't Yan Mama's life also a life?"

If it were ordinary times, Zhou Shi would definitely not say such words.

Although Yan Mama is a capable aide by her side, she remains forever a servant.

Under Dayong law, a slave is inherently of a lower rank than a commoner.

And commoners are further divided into three, six, nine ranks.

Human lives, under the laws of the Dayong dynasty, are thus not equal.

"Good, this is truly what you think!"

Shen Shen also shouted, rushing toward Zhou Shi: "I am the mastermind of this matter; come, kill me, to avenge your loyal Yan Mama!"

"A life for a life!"

"I will compensate her with a life!"

Watching the couple fully at odds, Shen Yunyao felt she shouldn't have come today.

Zhou Shi's words were originally just angry talk, but now being pressed by Shen Shen's words into a corner, tears immediately streamed down.

"Shen Zhijie, you have no conscience!"

"I married you, bore you children, labored uncomplainingly; now you press me like this—do you want to drive me to death before you'll let up?"

"How have I pressed you?"

"It's clearly you who are being unreasonable!"

"You woman, you don't reason!"

Seeing Zhou Shi shed tears, Shen Shen also found it somewhat hard to bear.

He was never a heartless man; he especially cannot bear to see a woman cry.

Hearing her uncle say that Zhou Shi doesn't reason, Shen Yunyao couldn't help but raise her hand and slap her forehead.

Does this uncle of his not know that women are by nature not creatures of reason?

"Yunyao, Uncle is fine; you've meant well!"

"Today is a bit inconvenient; you should go back first!"

Looking at Zhou Shi's tears flowing more and more fiercely, Shen Shen wanted to comfort her, but Shen Yunyao was here, he found it hard to speak, so he could only first send Shen Yunyao away.

How could Shen Yunyao not understand this?

Actually, if Shen Shen hadn't spoken up, Shen Yunyao herself would be wondering how to get away.

Fortunately, this uncle finally showed some wisdom.

"Uncle, Aunt, Yunyao bids farewell!"

Shen Yunyao bowed and took her leave.

After leaving the main house's residence, Shen Yunyao's steps gradually quickened.

What bad luck!

Shen Yunyao felt utterly stifled.

What kind of thing is this?

Cuiyu, trailing behind Shen Yunyao, dared not catch her breath, constantly thinking that if she hadn't suggested visiting the third elder, her young lady wouldn't have thought to come over to the main house for a visit.

At this moment, Cuiyu especially feared that Shen Yunyao would take her anger out on her.

But Shen Yunyao is not one to take out her anger on others.

Even without Cuiyu's suggestion, once she learned what had happened in the manor, she would still have made this trip.

Furthermore, even if today's incident hadn't happened, later on such a scene would probably still occur.

After all, Yan Mama's life is always on the line.

Upon returning to her own small courtyard, Shen Yunyao became a tranquil little fairy once again.

She stayed in the study and read.

But the tree wishes for stillness while the wind does not cease.

Shen Yunyao wished for a few quiet days, but someone came to talk to her.

The cousins and concubine-born sisters who usually weren't close to her actually came together.

"Miss, will you see them?"

The Cuiyu who came to report always felt that these young ladies harbored ill intentions.

However, Shen Yunyao knew that such matters could be dodged on the first but not the fifteenth.

"Please let them in!"

Shen Yunyao was actually quite curious about how these young ladies suddenly thought to come see her.

The annulment of her engagement to Zheng Si Que was never her decision.

Cuiyu quickly went outside and ushered a group of young ladies into the study.

"Seventh sister, you're remarkably steady as Mount Tai!"

"Exactly, seventh sister, you're far too steady!"

The speakers were Shen Yunyao's third cousin, Shen Yunxi, and her fourth cousin, Shen Yunshang.

Both were daughters of Shen Yunyao's second uncle and were born of the main wife.

After them came several of Shen Yunyao's concubine-born female cousins, and finally her father's concubine-born daughters.

Among them, although some were older than Shen Yunyao, the line between legitimate and concubine-born still held.

Although Shen Yunyao had to call them 'cousin', the status of such cousins was really low.

In the Dayong dynasty, confusing the legitimate-concubine distinction, once reported, is a serious crime.

Therefore, although a few of the concubine-born cousins were among those who came, even if they harbored any dissatisfaction toward Shen Yunyao, they dared not show it.

Even though Shen Yunyao, the legitimate daughter of the Third Branch, is not favored!

(End of chapter)