Shen Zhen nodded: "I know this."

  Li looked around at the servants in the house and said, "There's something I want to discuss with you."

  Wang's mother listened and gave a hint to the servants while leading them out. Shen Muqing also cleverly followed suit and retreated.

  As soon as she went out, she saw the maids and wives standing far away in the corridor, thinking to herself whether she should also stand a little further away. Wang's mother had already instructed Chengxiang: "You accompany the young lady to the east wing room to rest, be careful not to let the cold wind chill her at night."

  Cheng Xiang responded with a "yes" and took Shen Muqing to the east wing, while Wang Mama stood under the eaves.

  Shen Muqing's foot had not yet stepped into the door of the east wing when a loud "clang" sound came from behind him.

  She turned back in shock and saw the big red velvet curtain hanging on the door shaking, Shen Zhen walked out with a face full of anger.

  Shen Mu Qing suddenly felt dizzy for a moment.

  In her memory, Shen Zhen and Li had never blushed, even when they brought in Chen's wife, it was after Li agreed that Shen Zhen carried the person in. What's going on today...

  The people in Chaohui Hall were also stunned, looking at each other in confusion, unsure of what had happened, and the atmosphere suddenly became very tense.

  Wang's mother might have heard something, as soon as Shen Zhen came out, she chased after him and shouted "Master", but Shen Zhen didn't even glance at her and walked straight out of the hall. Wang's mother looked at the empty hall and stomped her feet, then turned around and went back into the house.

  He was stunned for a moment before coming back to his senses.

  She ran into the house and saw Wang's mother supporting Li as she walked towards the wooden bed by the window: "...Madam, you're not feeling well, go lie down on the kang, I'll go take a look at Master."

  Li's expression was very helpless, shaking his head, and was supported by Wang's mother onto the kang.

  Shen Mu Qing saw that the house was empty and there wasn't a single servant, so he went forward to put a pillow under Li Shi's back.

  Li saw, facing Shen Muqing with a relieved smile, and patted her head again. Sighing to Wang's mother: "It's been over ten years... I always thought that after all, they are siblings. Although the old master doesn't say it out loud, he should have gradually let go in his heart. Who would have thought, he still remembers..."

  Shen Mu Qing was completely bewildered.

  Wang's mother frowned: "You don't have to make the old master unhappy for this matter!"

  Li looked at Wang's mother with a scowl: "I'm not afraid that he'll say my needle hole is big, who knew, he remembers hatred more than me."

  "You can't blame the old master for this." Wang's mother poured a cup of clear water for Li, "Think back to when the old master was demoted, the second master was afraid of being implicated, and after receiving the letter the day before yesterday, he asked the elders of the clan to divide the ancestral property on the second day. When the old master needed money, he forced you to sell the fields to him at a low price." As they talked about past events, Wang's mother and Li's expressions both became somewhat unnatural.

  These things, Shen Muqing had never heard of before.

  She stood quietly by.

  Li took over the clear water and drank a mouthful.

  "Others say that men are made of iron, but the second wife is a woman who has a heart even harder than a man... When Silver Brother was ill, she didn't lend him ten taels of silver to see a doctor... If it weren't for that, Silver Brother wouldn't have left so early..." Wang's mother wiped away her tears with a handkerchief. "Now her family is in a mess, the master doesn't want to take responsibility for her, and what he's doing is still for your sake. You go persuade the master to handle this matter, not just for him, but also for my own peace of mind..."

  Mrs. Li's eyes also became moist: "I don't know where I am. But in recent years, the second master's family has been unstable, and the elders in the clan have been hinting at blaming Master for not taking care of the second master. As the saying goes, people's words are to be feared. This time, when the second mistress died, the second master didn't even send us a letter. Those who knew said we didn't know, those who didn't know said we had forgotten our hometown and relatives... Alas, past grievances, even if we remembered them, would be useless, so it's better to pretend to be magnanimous and let it go." As she spoke, Mrs. Li's gaze fell on Shen Muqing, who was standing in front of the kang: "I still need to consider Muqing... She needs to have a maternal family, even if we don't expect those people from Taicang to give her face, we can't offend everyone and cause trouble later..."

  Mrs. Wang sighed and said: "I'm afraid Master isn't thinking that way..."

  "Miss, Master cares about you the most..." Li Shi interrupted Wang Mama's words and smiled at Shen Muqing, "It's chilly at night, he must have gotten upset again, who knows where he is hiding to sulk. You take Luo Mei and Jin Xiu to find him, don't let Master catch a chill."

  Li was about to open herself up and say some flattering words to Wang's mother... Moreover, Shen Zhen, although he held an important position and was quite old, still seemed a bit like a child in front of Li, being playful and coquettish... Several times it was she who had cheered him up...

  Shen Mu Qing smiled and responded with a "yes", then took Lu Mei and Jin Xiu out the door to look for someone.

  She first went to Rongyintang where Dashu lived, but no one was there; then she went to Gongyuan where Chen Yinniang lived, still no one; after some thought, she turned around and went to the study room Jiuxizhai of Shen Lao in the outer courtyard.

  ******

  Jiǔ Sī Zhāi is a three-room house surrounded by lush bamboo. The door of the main hall has a stone-green silk brocade curtain, and a black lacquer wooden plaque with silver inlays hangs from the horizontal beam, inscribed with the two characters "Jiǔ Sī" in running script. Below the horizontal beam is a six-panel screen made of purple sandalwood and chicken-wing wood, carved with images of scholars celebrating their success in the imperial examination. In front of the screen is a square table with a continuous pattern of ten thousand characters, flanked by two armchairs covered with crimson cushions.

  Looking eastward. Plum, bamboo and orchid paintings are hanging on the large red silk curtains, a kang with inlaid nanmu wood board is set by the window, a row of black lacquer bookcases are placed against the wall, packed tightly with books. In the middle of the room, a six-legged western-style desk is placed, on which a sweet white vase is placed, inserted with various colored chrysanthemum flowers, and the four treasures of the study are neatly arranged on the desk.

  Looking westward, the twelve black lacquered carved green gauze windows separate the main hall from the western wing, with the year-round scenery shut outside.

  In the Jiu Si Zhai serving a young servant called Chen Xiang, only ** years old, followed Shen Muqing behind: "Miss, Master is not here! Or, you wait!"

  Jiuzhizhai is not there either, where is it then?

  She ran to three places in one breath, circled around half of the Shen family's garden, and Shen Muqing was also a bit tired.

  She suddenly thought of that footstool placed in the eastern wing's bay window... and felt her legs ache even more!

  "Since Li wants to avoid me, I might as well come back later!" Shen Muqing thought to herself and pushed open the green gauze window of the eastern wing: "I'll take a rest here for a while!" She said, entering the warm pavilion separated by the carved wooden screen, relaxed her body and sat down in the drunkard's chair in the corner, gently swaying back and forth.

  A person-high wintergreen tree in the corner of the wall opposite, growing lushly and green, making people's mood cheerful.

  It's really a great place!

  No wonder Shen Zhen likes to spend his leisure time here.

  Chen Xiang hurriedly took Jin Xiu to make tea.

  "If only my legs were longer, it would be so comfortable to lie down and rub my feet on this foot roller!" Shen Muqing sighed. Lian Mei heard this and covered her mouth with a smile: "Wait a moment, Miss, I'll find a small stool to put the foot roller on, you can use it that way."

  "That's a good idea!" Shen Mu Qing lazily waved his hand, "Go take a look."

  Luo Mei searched around the house but couldn't find a suitable small stool: "I'll go take a look in the small courtyard next door."

  The Xiaokuan Institute is home to the Shen family's respectable and capable managers, nothing complicated. Shen Muqing agreed, and Luomei left immediately. When there was no one in the house, Shen Muqing had some regrets, seeing that it was getting late, even if Luomei found a suitable stool, he would have to return to Chaohui Hall himself. The best solution is to move this footstool to his own room or ask the managers to buy one back...

  She was lost in thought when she heard the sound of the curtain being lifted from the main hall, as if someone had come in.

  The footsteps are very heavy and don't seem like they belong to just one person... definitely not Luomei or Chenxiang Jintou.

  Shen Mu Qing Zheng thought for a moment, then came the sound of someone saying in a low voice: "Close the door, no one is allowed to enter."

  She heard it clearly, that was Shen Zhen's voice.

  After searching around in a big circle, I finally found the person...

  Shen Mu Qing sat up with some surprise, wanting to greet him, but heard Shen Jian speak again: "Whoever dares to approach, I'll beat them to death." His usually clear and gentle voice actually carried a few hints of murderous intent.

  As the young servants answered in a flurry of fear, the door creaked shut with a "creak".

  Serene and tranquil, lost in thought.

  Shen Zhen had always been gentle and amiable in front of her... This tone of speaking, Shen Muqing was hearing it for the first time.

  A strange feeling rose in her heart.

  "It seems that things have turned out just as we expected, then?"

  This unique voice, Shen Mu Qing had listened for five years and was very familiar with it.

  That's Mr. Min's voice.

  When did these two people meet? Judging from their tone, it seems like they have some unknown matter to discuss... No wonder the two of them usually call each other brothers like old friends... Do not see what is improper, do not hear what is improper... Should I go out or not?

  Shen Muqing hesitated, and then heard Shen Xuan say: "The Empress Dowager, in order to prevent the news from leaking out, did not allow the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital to examine her illness again. She secretly invited a midwife into the palace..." As the voice drew closer, Shen Muqing saw two blurry figures walk to the desk inside the house through the gap between the warm pavilion's lattice windows. "Let's sit down and talk," said Mr. Min, bowing his hands towards Shen Xuan. The two men sat down in order of seniority.

  Everyone loves gossip, let alone when it involves royal secrets.

  It's just a few words, but Shen Muqing is already very interested.

  She listened intently with rapt attention.

  (Sisters, I have already signed up for the PK in November, please support me and give your pink votes to Chee Chee in November! Thank you everyone!)