Chapter 43: No Secrets

The conversation inside Wenxi Hall, Shen Yunyao soon learned.

People strive for higher ground — this saying is truly insightful.

When Li Yifu finished speaking with Lady Li, the maid waiting outside quickly told Cuiyu what she had heard.

Anyone who isn't a fool can see that the Shen family's Seventh Young Lady is about to rise high.

At this point, one should certainly try to get as close to the Seventh Young Lady as possible; gaining even a bit of favor is a gain.

You say the Seventh Young Lady is marrying far away?

You can't control the Shen family's affairs?

You're being narrow‑minded!

When the Seventh Young Lady marries, she will bring a dowry.

They don't hope to be one of the four senior maids in the dowry; being a junior maid would be fine!

At the very least, forming a good connection might come in handy someday.

"My grandmother really doesn't distinguish between inside and outside!"

After hearing Cuiyu relay the conversation between Lady Li and Li Yifu inside Wenxi Hall, Shen Yunyao was truly speechless.

You say this old lady lacks self‑awareness, but she knows her relationship with Shen Yunyao is bad and couldn't possibly force her to do anything.

Yet if you say she does have self‑awareness, she instead goes ahead and does senseless, foolish things.

"Miss, if the old lady insists on meddling, what should we do?"

"Just toss it aside!"

"Miss, I'm being serious!"

"Don't worry, my eldest uncle isn't muddle‑headed yet!"

"Exactly, the patriarch and the Eldest Young Master both know about this; there must be a way!"

"Miss, I'm not meddling; the old lady is definitely senile!"

"You're her blood granddaughter, yet she'd rather help outsiders than you; I truly don't know what she's thinking."

Speaking of this, Cuiyu feels indignant on behalf of her young lady.

Shen Yunyao, however, doesn't care.

The old lady had previously been ready to follow Lady Zheng Wangshi's wishes and send her to her death; doing this now, what's so strange about it?

"Say less!"

Shen Yunyao raised her hand and lightly tapped Cuiyu, saying, "Walls have ears!"

The events in Wenxi Hall reached my ears so quickly—does that mean the affairs of my little courtyard will also soon reach others' ears?

Realizing this, Shen Yunyao understands all the more why the ancients especially valued loyalty.

Loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, righteousness!

Loyalty comes first!

After all, nobody likes being betrayed.

But as an enemy, one greatly prefers the opponent's side to have disloyal and unjust people.

Interesting!

Shen Yunyao thought of some historical events and couldn't help but chuckle.

Seeing this, Cuiyu was quite surprised.

What is her young lady laughing at?

Being stabbed in the back by her own grandmother—shouldn't that be grief and indignation? Or perhaps laughter from extreme anger? But her young lady's smile doesn't look like that!

Shen Yunyao noticed Cuiyu's strange gaze, quickly restrained her smile, glared at her, and said, "What are you looking at?"

"Miss, why aren't you angry at all?"

Cuiyu really doesn't understand.

Being betrayed and stabbed by one's own kin—how could one possibly feel nothing?

Shen Yunyao chuckled lightly and said, "Without expectations, there is naturally no disappointment."

Although she is not the original Shen Yunyao and has not inherited all of her memories, only retaining some obsessions, Shen Yunyao understands that she is Shen Yunyao and can only be Shen Yunyao.

However, compared to the original Shen Yunyao, her mindset now is quite different.

Family ties, not forced.

If the Shen family treats her well, she will naturally know how to repay.

Conversely, if the Shen family treats her coldly, she won't feel it unfair.

After all, her birth parents, Shen Zhen and Lady Lu, treat her only this way.

So, what's there to get worked up about?

Watching the bewildered Cuiyu, Shen Yunyao feels glad for her.

This girl not understanding shows she has a kind natal family, which is good.

Shen Yunyao is not the sort who, being unhappy herself, begrudges others' happiness.

Someone who has been in the rain naturally thinks of helping others hold an umbrella.

Others who have been in the rain, however, think of making everyone share their pain.

Who is right, who is wrong?

Only a fool would quibble!

Without having suffered others' hardships, do not urge them to be good!

Respect each other's destinies, each stay well—this is life.

……

The talk inside Wenxi Hall naturally also reached Madam Lu's ears.

At the moment she learned that Li Yifu was harboring such an idea, Madam Lu flew into a rage!

Although Lady Li refused to help, Madam Lu was still furious.

She herself, because of this old lady's meddling, had an unhappy marriage; and although she didn't like Shen Yunyao, she never thought of artificially adding obstacles to her marriage.

「Prepare brush and ink, I want to write a letter! 」

Compared to the declining natal family of Lady Li, Madam Lu's natal family was thriving, and this was also the confidence that allowed Madam Lu to live so freely in the Shen household.

She quickly wrote a letter and arranged for someone to send it back to her natal home.

In the letter, Madam Lu explained the whole story from beginning to end, earnestly asking her elder brother to step forward and give the Li family a lesson.

As for Li Yifu, the Shen family's maternal uncle, Madam Lu truly looked down on him.

For a clan to prosper, the men must be able to stand on their own.

To hope that women marry well and thus give back to their natal family?

If the natal family cannot stand firm, then a married daughter, even in her husband's house, lacks the confidence to speak up loudly—how could she possibly give back to her natal family?

Putting the cart before the horse—the Li family's decline is nothing short of self-inflicted!

「Before that maternal uncle leaves the Shen household, pay closer attention to the news from Wenxi Hall! 」

After sending out the letter, Madam Lu gave an order to the stewardess beside her.

She respectfully accepted and went to make the arrangements.

Within the manor, if you want to hear the news from that quarter, you just need to take in the maidservants and servant women attending there, and then there will be no secrets within the manor.

And to achieve that, it's enough to give the money in full.

In the past, when Lady Li held power in the Shen household, the maidservants and servant women around her were not shallow-minded people, and they would not be so easily bribed.

But after Shen Shen fell out with Lady Li, he dismissed all the attendants around her, leaving only the dowry maid, Wang Mama.

Because of this, the attendants now serving in Wenxi Hall basically have no loyalty to this old lady.

As for selling out the old lady, will she be held accountable afterward?

Such a thing is a double-edged sword; they sell the old lady's news, and the buyer of the news also does not want to be exposed.

So, as long as one is bold, one should take the money without hesitation.

……

Li Yifu does not know any of this.

Although he is now the patriarch of the Li family, the Li family has already declined.

Compared to the Zheng family's former state, it is no less.

Life is hard to endure; all the compromises and obsequiousness have certainly taught Li Yifu many tactics, but they have also deprived him of many experiences.

For example, he does not really understand the survival tactics of the servants within the manor.

Thus, Li Yifu is completely unaware that his every move in the Shen household is under the watch of those with intent.

And his personal servant, having long suffered hardship, was suddenly treated very hospitably; naturally, he spilled the beans—namely, the fact that Li Yifu, despite his age, still kept a concubine outside, was also exposed.

(End of chapter)