Chapter 2 - Shen Family

The abbot left with Sheng Peiyin’s gang who were looking for a show. Sheng Peiyin gave Shen Ziqiao a faint smile. Qi Zheng who was behind Shen Ziqiao was confused and bewildered, making Sheng Peiyin angry.

A middle-aged man in a servant’s attire hurried in and looked at Qi Zheng worriedly. “Master, how are you?”

Qi Zheng knitted his brows painfully. “My stomach hurts.”

The servant glanced at Shen Ziqiao and Sheng Peiyin, not concealing the glint of dislike in his eyes, wanting them to leave.

Shen Ziqiao’s gaze swept over Qi Zheng’s handsome face. She smiled and said, “Let’s not disturb Young Master Qi’s rest, so let’s go.” After she finished, she looked at Sheng Peiyin. “Sister Sheng, let’s go.”

Sheng Peiyin forcibly suppressed her anger and saluted Qi Zheng before turning around and leaving.

The door to the private room closed behind them.

Shen Ziqiao glanced at Sheng Peiyin. She didn’t sigh in relief. She knew that Sheng Peiyin would definitely not give up because of this. Maybe she’d still find ways to scheme her into marrying the fool.

Fool...Shen Ziqiao recalled the short conversation she overheard and the cold and stern gaze he wore when he clutched her neck. How was he a fool in any way?

Could Qi Zheng be pretending to be stupid? She was confused. In the plot she knew, Qi Zheng was Duke An’s oldest son, but he was stupid, an ignorant fool. Sheng Peiyin schemed to marry the daughter of her enemy to him. In the end, because Shen Ziqiao didn’t want to marry a fool, she eloped with a scholar, and died in the journey...

Thinking that she had transmigrated into Shen Ziqiao, she really wanted to cry.

Sheng Peiyin glanced at Shen Ziqiao’s change in expression. She was doubting her. Could Shen Ziqiao have known her plan already? It was impossible. Besides being infatuated with the Ninth Prince, why would she pay attention to anything else? But the way she reacted today was completely different from the past.

While Sheng Peiyin was bewildered, Shen Ziqiao had already snapped out of her trance.

It was afternoon right now. The dazzling sunlight penetrated through the trees by the roads. The tree leaves sprinkled on Sheng Peiyin’s beautiful face, making her smooth and fair skin appear even more delicate.

The heroines are always beautiful and brilliant.

It wouldn’t do her any good to fall out with Sheng Peiyin right now. It was better to pretend like she knew nothing. Only by knowing her enemy well could she defeat her. “Sister Sheng, what are you thinking?”

She was just an insignificant cannon fodder. She definitely can’t win if she met force to force with Sheng Peiyin. She should continue to act weak and listen to Sheng Peiyin’s plans. That way, she could better find a backup route for herself.

Sheng Peiyin glanced at Shen Ziqiao’s innocent and ignorant face. The red vines embroidered on her sleeves gently fluttered in the wind. This was the first time she felt like she couldn’t control Shen Ziqiao completely because she wasn’t sure whether Shen Ziqiao was just fortunate today or that she had seen through her plan already.

No matter what, she needed to pretend. In order to avoid past life’s tragic ending and to take revenge, she must ruin the Shen Family.

“Ziqiao, it’s my fault. I thought that was the Ninth Prince’s room. I didn’t think… something suddenly came up for the Ninth Prince and he couldn’t come.” Sheng Peiyin lowered her head in guilt, revealing her beautiful and fair neck like that one of a swan.

It made people feel bad just by looking at her expression. Shen Ziqiao affectionately held onto Sheng Peiyin’s arms and exclaimed, “How can I blame Sister Sheng? You just wanted to help me. It’s my fault for not being able to stay still.”

“I’ll definitely help you next time.” Sheng Peiyin smiled gently, holding onto Shen Ziqiao’s hands.

The two smiled at each other, each thinking of something else.

After parting ways with Sheng Peiyin by the door of the Thousand Buddha Temple, Shen Ziqiao got in the horse carriage and returned to the Shen Family.

The horse carriage entered the holy and dignified city doors. Through the bamboo curtains, Shen Ziqiao could see the scene outside. The sunlight shone on the streets, and people were bustling around. She heard hollers and shouting, making her head hurt. This wasn’t the world she was familiar with. Everything was unfamiliar and this made her afraid.

She didn’t know how she transmigrated into the story. Could it be that while reading it, she was criticizing how dog-blooded the story was? How there was a holy heroine that was involved with countless men, and had a lascivious personality? It just so happens that she was a bit perverted and liked reading these stories...

Shen Ziqiao shook her head. She didn’t have the time to roast the novel right now. She needed to carefully think about her next steps after arriving at the Shen Family.

The story didn’t talk much about Shen Family’s members. Shen Ziqiao only knew that she had one elder brother and one younger brother, as well as two elder sisters. Her father, Shen Xiao, was the court’s great general. Her elder brother was in the military while her younger brother was still in school. About her two elder sisters...she really didn’t know much about them. Old Madam Shen was in charge of the Shen Family. Madam Shen passed away three years later after hurting her body after giving birth to Shen Ziqiao. Shen Xiao originally wanted to get remarried, but every time he was about to, Ziqiao had fallen sick. She refused to let outsiders care for her. She wanted Shen Xiao to carry her instead. Due to this, Shen Xiao’s attempt in marriage failed, and he stopped trying.

Shen Xiao loved the late Madam Shen a lot, so he deeply pampered Ziqiao, his only legal daughter. Yet, Old Madam Shen treated Ziqiao very indifferently. She believed that Ziqiao had jinxed her mother and caused Shen Xiao to be single all these years. She ignored her most of the time. Shen Xiao was on the battlefield frequently in the years, so even if he pampered his daughter, he inevitably neglected her. It was due to this that Shen Ziqiao became crafty and willful, wanting to attract people’s attention...

This was everything Shen Ziqiao knew about her identity. It was hard for her to not have a headache. She was a cannon fodder after all, but why did the author describe her in such great details?

As for Sheng Peiyin, the reborn heroine, it was because Shen Xiao had caused her father to die, and indirectly, ruining the Sheng Family. Sheng Peiyin committed suicide out of humiliation and was reborn. Sheng Peiyin was already plotting her revenge against the Shen Family despite Shen Xiao not hurting Lord Sheng yet.

Shen Ziqiao was speechless and felt tears forming. Why did she have such a bitter life?

“Third Miss, we’re here.” The guy driving the horse carriage exclaimed, interrupting Shen Ziqiao’s deep thoughts.

The Shen Family’s front door was grand and majestic, painted green. There were two Chinese guardian lions, one female and one male, sitting on the two sides. The male lion stepped on the embroidered ball with its right front claws, while its left front claws were pressed against the young lion. The lions wore a ferocious and fierce expression, emitting an invisible sense of power.

I’m here! Shen Ziqiao glanced at the vigorous and forceful words on the lintel: Shen Residence. She took in a deep breath. Everything will be alright.

Not long later, Shen Ziqiao wanted to cry as she stood in the garden in Shen Family’s backyard. Where was her room?

“Third Miss, you’re back? The Old Madam is looking for you everywhere.” While Shen Ziqiao was lost, a maid wearing glamorous clothes hurried over.

“Where is the Old Madam? Quickly take me over.” Shen Ziqiao hastily replied.

The maid raised her brows at Shen Ziqiao. “Third Miss, you’ve really gotten capable. Even four maids can’t look after you.”

Shen Ziqiao didn’t understand the maid. She pursed her lips and smiled, not commenting.

She was quickly brought to a yard. The moment she entered, she saw two to three maids wearing colorful clothes sitting in front of the central building. One of the maids wearing a peach blossom gown stood up. “Oh, it’s the Third Miss.”

As she said this, the rest stood up and pulled the curtains to the side, letting Shen Ziqiao walk in.

A faint rouge fragrance was in the air. Shen Ziqiao looked up and took a quick look at her surroundings. She wasn’t in the mood to observe the arrangement of the room. She saw a woman leaning against the sandalwood cough in the center while two maids, one on each side, were fanning her gently. There was ice placed in the middle of the room. No wonder it didn’t feel scorching hot like it was supposed to in the summer.

She was probably Old Madam Shen.

“You’re actually willing to come back?” The old woman wore a red gown embroidered with dark red flowers. She was eating the iced fruit when she saw Shen Ziqiao coming in. She placed the fruit down and a maid delivered a copper basin and towel over for her to wash her hands and wipe her mouth.

Shen Ziqiao lowered her head. “Grandmother.”

“Humph, you shameless thing!” Old Madam Shen suddenly got angry and threw the handkerchief in her hands on Shen Ziqiao’s face. “You’ve lost the Shen Family’s face. You want to let the Ninth Prince view you in a new light just like this? Do you think that your father hasn’t been humiliated and laughed at on court enough?”

Shen Ziqiao tilted her head and ducked. She was thinking that Old Madam Shen must’ve been angry with her going to the Thousand Buddha Temple. She was secretly pondering over how quick the news had spread. She already knew about her and Qi Zheng?

Because she didn’t know Old Madam Shen’s personality well, Shen Ziqiao didn’t dare to defend herself. She kept her head down and remained silent.

At this time, a maid reported that the Eldest Miss and Second Miss came.