Cuiliu noticed the confusion in Xu Yuan’s eyes deepening as she remained silent.
"My Lady, could it be that you recognize the man in the carriage?"
Xu Yuan shook her head. "I wouldn't say I recognize him. I simply made an unusual discovery."
Aside from the small mole, when the man had gripped her wrist, she had seen a jade pendant fall from his person. A jade pendant in itself would be nothing remarkable, but she had once attended many banquets as the legitimate daughter of the Duke’s Estate before her marriage, and she remembered seeing one just like it at a palace banquet. It was an imperial heirloom.
The man appeared to be in his early twenties, and possessing an imperial object suggested he was likely a prince. Unfortunately, in her previous life, she had little knowledge of royal affairs and only ever heard rumors, never having any real contact with such people. Yet, Frost Poison was not common. If he truly were a prince, one had to wonder who he had offended to be afflicted with such a lethal toxin.
Xu Yuan shook off the thought, deciding she was overthinking. She had her own problems to solve; she had no business worrying about a stranger she had only met once. Besides, the man’s subordinates had helped them, and she had saved his life in return. In a sense, the debt was settled. Whatever happened to him afterward was no concern of hers.
She had more important matters to attend to now.
"Cuiliu, is the inventory list of the dowry I brought to the Marquis's Estate still around?"
Taken aback by the sudden inquiry, Cuiliu hesitated for a few seconds before nodding. "It is, My Lady. I was worried about losing it, so I put it away for safekeeping back then." She looked at Xu Yuan with puzzlement. "Why do you ask about this now, My Lady? Did you discover something?"
Xu Yuan nodded slightly. These past two years, she had been fortunate to have Cuiliu by her side; the girl had never let a single detail slip. Thinking of her previous life—where Cuiliu had shouldered all the false accusations to protect her, only to be beaten to death—Xu Yuan felt a pang of profound heartache.
"Cuiliu, go find that list. Then, go to the storeroom and check what is missing."
In the past, she had believed Shen Yunan to be a self-disciplined and upright man. She had never harbored any suspicions against him, and whenever she heard he was in trouble, she had exhausted every resource to help him through it. During the crises he claimed to face, she had even handed over her dowry. Only much later did she learn that the "hardships" Shen Yunan spoke of were merely because Lu Rou wanted to buy expensive jewelry and he, unwilling to use his own salary, had set his sights on her dowry. Furthermore, her mother-in-law had viewed her dowry as her own property from the very start, eyeing it like a predator.
In this life, not a single item belonging to her would be taken away.
An hour passed quickly before the sleeping infant let out a loud cry. The moment she heard the sound, Xu Yuan’s heart finally settled. Although she possessed medical knowledge and knew the child was out of danger, she hadn't been able to truly relax until she saw him awake.
"There, there... I'm here, my child," Xu Yuan said softly, cradling the baby in her arms.
The infant seemed to understand her voice, for he fell back asleep after crying himself tired. Xu Yuan smiled tenderly, but just as she prepared to lay the child back on the bed, she heard hurried footsteps approaching from outside.
At the sound, her expression turned cold. She knew those footsteps all too well; it was her mother-in-law.
In the past, Shen Yunan had always told her that his father had left when he was young and it had been difficult for his mother to raise him alone. Because of this, she had always treated her mother-in-law with the utmost respect, even choosing to compromise whenever they had a conflict. She hadn't realized that it was precisely this yielding nature that made them think she was easy to bully, a sentiment that had trickled down to the servants in the estate.
Scenes from her past life flashed before her eyes. By the time her thoughts settled, Old Madame Shen had already entered, supported by a maid.
Upon entering, she did not look at Xu Yuan, but instead scanned the room as if searching for something. The maid supporting her spotted the child on the bed first and exclaimed excitedly, "Old Madame, look! The young master is over there."
"My precious, darling grandson!" Old Madame Shen’s eyes lit up as she followed the maid’s gaze, and she immediately made to move toward the bed.
However, before she or the maid could get close, Xu Yuan blocked their path.
The moment she saw Xu Yuan, Old Madame Shen’s expression soured. Her eyes filled with displeasure, and her tone turned sharp. "Lady Xu, what are you doing? Why are you blocking the way and preventing me from seeing Yaoer?"
"Yaoer?" Xu Yuan sneered. She had forgotten that the name had been chosen by Shen Yunan and his mother, having consulted a master before the child was even born. It was meant to "bring honor to the ancestors." She had felt it was improper at the time, but she had been nagged and worn down, coupled with her mother-in-law’s crying and tantrums, until she had finally relented.
Looking back, it was truly laughable. In this life, she wanted nothing to do with that child’s association with them, nor did she want to use that so-called name.
"Mother-in-law, who exactly are you calling 'Yaoer'?" Xu Yuan countered, then added with a sigh, "Don't tell me the Marquis has another child outside?"
Old Madame Shen’s expression shifted violently, and her voice rose in indignation as she began to berate Xu Yuan. "Lady Xu, what nonsense are you spouting! Yunan has been completely devoted to you; he has even set aside his own mother's affairs for your sake. How dare you say such things? Do you have no conscience at all?"
There was a hint of unmistakable guilt hidden within the Old Madame's voice, which she tried to mask with anger. Xu Yuan saw right through it.
The maid who had accompanied her chimed in, "My Lady, it is too cruel of you to wrong the Marquis like that. These past two years, even we servants have clearly seen how well the Marquis has treated you."
Xu Yuan looked at the maid. She remembered her name was Chuner. She had originally served the Old Madame and had always harbored feelings for Shen Yunan. While she hadn't dared to act out in front of Xu Yuan, she had constantly slandered her behind her back. After Lu Rou entered the household, Chuner had defected to her. Xu Yuan hadn't expected her to have the audacity to speak to her directly today.
Xu Yuan curled her lips, her eyes filled with contempt, and raised her hand, delivering a sharp slap to the girl’s face.
The room fell into an instant, dead silence. Although only Old Madame Shen and Chuner had entered, other maids were lingering outside. Hearing the sound of the slap, they peeked inside, only to see that it was not Xu Yuan receiving the Old Madame’s punishment.