Edited by Tnyhy

Chapter 63: Night Encounter with Little Xie Marquis (Part 3)

This rain kept falling for the entire night.

In the quiet forest, the rain finally rest, everything was withered but it was cooler after the autumn rain. The air was filled with a moist aroma and early in the morning the monks in the temple started to ring the bell.

The dull sounds of the bell awaken the person who was sound asleep. Ren Wan Yun opened her eyes. She could not sleep peacefully the entire night as she kept having nightmares and finally fell asleep near dawn. When she woke up, her forehead was filled with sweat.

“Furen is awake.” Xiang Lan went up, “To wipe one’s face.”

After Ren Wan Yun washed up, she took a look outside. The peace was restored after the rain and the birds were cheerfully singing away.

She smiled, “Change to a set of brighter clothing. And also take out that ruby inlaid turquoise flower.”

Currently she was at her middle age and had long accustomed to wear dark clothes and it was rare that she would personally chose brighter clothes to wear. Cai Ju smiled, “Furen mood is indeed good and to wear such a bright colour, one’s spirits will be much higher.”

Ren Wan Yun looked at the mirror and smiled in satisfaction. Naturally she felt good. It could be said that she was in a cheerful mood and high spirits.

When everything was ready, she said, “Let us go. It is time to call my ‘tired’ niece out to eat.”

The Northern pavilion was the deepest and was so quiet that there was not a single maid. When Ren Wan Yun saw it, her gaze was filled with satisfaction. It was assumed that Prince Yu had handled matters very well that the maids were sent away.

If it was not that she was afraid the incident would be looked into, she could not wait to declare to the world immediately of what had happened inside. Because of the consequences, she could only suppress herself.

“Go and knock the door.” She said to Xiang Lan and a glimpse of revulsion flashed across her eyes.

She also looked down on females who had soiled their bodies but she had forgotten who was the one who initiated the plan to turn Shen Miao to that.

“Fifth Young Lady,” Xiang Lan walked to the door and knocked, “Second Furen is here.”

There was no movement inside, as if there was no one at all.

“Fifth Young Lady, Second Furen is here.” Xiang Lan continued saying.

But after knocking for a long time, they did not hear anyone answering.

Ren Wan Yun sighed and smiled, “This Fifth Lady is really a child at heart. The skies are already bright but she is still lazing around. It would not be good to delay the timing of the prayers. Let me do it then.”

She then walked to the front of the door and gently knocked before softly speaking, “Fifth lady, it is time to wake up and have a meal. After the meal we still need to pray. One must not be wilful.”

No one inside answered her words.

Ren Wan Yun turned over and was somewhat helpless. She did not know how to explain to herself or others and softly said, “Forget it. Just directly push the door open and enter. Fifth Lady’s maids are also not matured enough. Upon return, one must be sure to punish them.” As she spoke, she wanted to push the door open and enter.

“Second Shen.” A fluttering light voice sounded in the silence. Ren Wan Yun was surprised and thought that the voice came from the inside of the room but heard Xiang Lan and Cai Ju speaking, “Fifth Young Lady. Second Young Lady.”

She then turned around in surprise, she saw Shen Yue standing together with Shen Miao.

Today Shen Miao wore an all-white silk dress and covered with a white peony designed cloak. At first glance, it was as if she was showing filial piety. After getting used to seeing Shen Miao wearing bright red and green and wearing rustic clothes, this plain attire was simply elegant. Coupled with her slightly cold expression, it had a somewhat moving feeling.

There was a flash of jealousy in Shen Yue’s eyes. She did not know when this idiotic Tangmei’s appearance had improved. But did not think that the original Shen Miao’s looks were actually not bad. It was only because she was deliberately dressed with a vulgar appearance. Now that her temperament has changed and coupled with her appearance, it was naturally not the same as before.

Ren Wan Yun was also dazzled by Shen Miao’s dressing. She frowned as she said, “Why is Fifth Lady dress so inauspiciously? This white and plain, if one did not know better one would think that there is bereavement in our family.”

“Second Shen however wore very brightly.” Shen Miao said with a smile.

Ren Wan Yun looked at her own clothes and suddenly remembered something before carefully sizing Shen Miao. She did not know how Shen Miao came back from outside and still had a look of calm. But she could bluff the others but not her on the happenings of yesterday night. She had the intention to confirm it so she walked up to Shen Miao and pulled Shen Miao’s arms as she asked caringly, “Did Fifth Lady slept well last night?”

“Thanking Second Shen’s attention. The sleep was not bad.” Shen Miao smiled.

Ren Wan Yun carefully observed Shen Miao’s expression and saw that her gestures were not fake before alarms rang in her heart. Since when did this Shen Miao became this capable without anyone knowing? When normal females meet with such matter, would not they lament to Heavens and knock their heads on the earth? How could she be this calm? Could it be possible that it was an act? She clearly heard the miserable cries last night.

Looking at Shen Miao’s pair of clear eyes, a sense of anxiety suddenly rose from Ren Wan Yun’s heart and this anxiety made her confused. She smiled as she went forward to Shen Miao and said, “I will be at ease since Fifth Lady slept well.

After the first glance she discovered that Shen Miao’s neck was as fair as jade. She was born with a fair complexion and at this moment it was as if it was a jade, without a single flaw, not to mention any injuries.

This was not possible. The means of how Prince Yu played with women had always been brutal, how could there not be a trace of it on Shen Miao?

Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao then looked at Ren Wan Yun. She felt that something most likely had happened but she did not know what went on.

Ren Wan Yun’s uneasiness grew bigger and bigger. She grabbed Shen Miao’s hands and pulled as she was speaking like usual, “The weather is really cold, is not Fifth Lady not cold from this thin attire?” As she spoke, Ren Wan Yun suddenly pulled Shen Miao’s sleeves up. When the white sleeves was suddenly pulled up, it revealed a fair wrist.

Her arms were fair and clean as if it was a high grade mutton jade, without a single flaw. Ren Wan Yun stood blankly on the spot as Shen Miao pull her arm back and smiled, “Second Shen seemed to be checking on something.”

“No…” Ren Wan Yun forced a smile, “Just now… My hands slipped.” Her heart was somewhat in a trance and did not know what expression to show. How could there not be an injury on Shen Miao’s body? She was also someone who went through it, not to talk about Prince Yu type of person, even it was a normal male, and there would also be some marks that would be left on the female’s body. Could it be that Prince Yu did not do it superficially? But Shen Miao’s current expression was not like someone who had suffered many blows.

But Shen Miao maintained the appearance as though nothing had happened. How to bring the matter out to the open?

Her eyes swept around the surrounding and only saw Shen Yue’s Huang Ying and Qing Luan but did not see Shen Miao’s Jing Zhe and Gu Yu. Her eyes turned and she said, “Where did the two maids beside Fifth Lady had gone to? Disappear so early in the morning.”

“I have let them go bring some porridge over this morning. Woke up early this morning and felt some discomfort at my throat.”

“The kitchens are far away from here.” Ren Wan Yun smiled, “This child, just say directly would do. But is not the kitchens at the Southern pavilion?”

“Yes.” Shen Miao looked at her, “I came over from the Southern pavilion.”

“What nonsense are you saying to Second Shen.” Ren Wan Yun smiled, “Did you not stayed at Northern pavilion last night?”

Her words hardly landed when she saw a smile bursting on Shen Miao’s face. After she woke up from the fall into the water, her expression was very cold and most of the time it would be a slight smile but the smile now seemed to be from her heart which was very brilliant but she did not know why it made others feel cold.

Ren Wan Yun’s heart sank down like lead sinking down.

“Furen, it is bad, Young Lady disappeared!” With the panicked shouts from the female, everyone’s eyes landed on the two maid’s anxious expressions. It was not someone else but Shen Qing’s Yan Mei and Shui Bi.

“What did you say!” Ren Wan Yun suddenly screamed.

Shen Yue was slightly surprised for a moment. Shen Qing actually disappeared? She sneaked a look at Shen Miao and the latter expression was levelled and calm as if what was heard was only greeting words.

“How can Qing-er disappear?” Ren Wan Yun grabbed Yan Mei’s collar as she looked viciously at her like a mother beast.

“Oh, this I know.” Shen Miao suddenly spoke.

Everyone’s eyes landed on her.

In a blanket of silence, Shen Miao lightly smiled, “I just came over from the Southern pavilion. Why so? It was naturally because I was resting in the Southern pavilion.”

“Yesterday night, I really could not sleep so I went to look for Eldest Sister, hoping to be able to exchange the room with her. Eldest Sister agreed, most likely she felt that she would have a peace of mind with Second Shen by the next door. This morning upon leaving the room, this one met Second Older Sister and came over with her. Thought of coming over to thank Eldest sister as she was so considerate with me in exchanging rooms.”

With every word she said, Ren Wan Yun’s heart sank a little. Towards the end, the desperation was too overwhelming and her cheeks were slightly trembling as her eyes turn red as if she was a manic animal.

Seeing Ren Wan Yun like so, Shen Yue was somewhat afraid. She most probably had guessed that a major event had occurred but seeing the Second household that had always opposed her mother landed in such a situation, naturally she was gloating and followed Shen Miao words, “Yes. Early this morning, it was I who saw Fifth Younger Sister walking out from the room next door and at that moment came over to have the meal with Younger Sister.

Shen Miao’s voice was as light as a feather but was like a heavy mallet hammering into Ren Wan Yun’s heart, hurting it so badly that she almost spit out blood.

“The person who rested here last night was not me. It was Eldest Sister.”

Ren Wan Yun clutched her heart and took two steps back. She looked like she almost fainted onto the ground.

The person who was resting here last night was not Shen Miao, but was Shen Qing!

So that meant that the woman that Prince Yu was playing with, was her Qing-er! Those miserable and mournful cries were all from her Qing-er! She was just next door and was only separated by a wall with her daughter, but her daughter was insulted! This… How could she be able to accept it! This entire thing must be false! This was not possible!

Ren Wan Yun’s heart was almost minced as she looked at that closed door. In a split moment, she did not have the courage to open it. She dare not think and see what kind of tragedy it would be inside.

Feeling the skies and earth were spinning, she still remembered not to let Shen Yue and Shen Miao see what was inside as if it was spread out, if it was spread out… She could barely force out a smile that looked uglier than crying, “You all head back first, I just asked and Qing-er was still sleeping. Lets’ not wait for her.”

Shen Miao smiled, “Second Shen really know how to joke. Just now you do not even know Eldest Sister was resting inside and now you said that you have spoken to Eldest Sister. Could it be that Eldest Sister is hiding something privately?”

“No!” Ren Wan Yun flatly denied it and when these action fall into Shen Yue’s eyes, she felt more odd. Shen Miao’s eyes moved but shouted at an approaching figure, “Gui Momo! Need to trouble you to help Second Shen to open this door.”

Gui Momo bend her back as she walked over. Today she was also told to come over early and was not clear to the scene that was in front of her. Hearing Shen Miao speaking like that, she thought that Shen Miao had already spoken to Ren Wan Yun and also felt somewhat guilty in her heart. Gui Momo did not see Ren Wan Yun’s facial expression and did not see that it was at the moment was like the colour of soil.

Because Gui Momo was nearer to that door, Ren Wan Yun was unable to block it. They heard a ‘zhi ya’ sound as the door was slowly pushed open.

Every single thing was almost silent.

An intriguing smell quickly spread from the door.