Shen Hong was struck by a wave of alarm. Having tested Huo Nanchi earlier and receiving no response—and given that the Huo family had not mentioned the betrothal for so many years—he had assumed the agreement was long dead. That was why he had dared to administer family discipline upon Shen Xuejin in front of him.
But hearing Huo Nanchi’s words, could it be that the Huo family actually intended to honor the betrothal and welcome the wretched Shen Xuejin into their home? If that were the case, he would never be able to deal with her today.
Beside him, Qin Rong’s face was equally shocked.
When the Huo family learned years ago that Shen Xuejin had been sent away to the rural estate, they had said nothing. The Huo Residence had even let rumors slip that they wished to cancel the engagement. She had been certain that Shen Xuejin would never marry into the Huo family, which was why she had dared to torment her so relentlessly and even force her to be a surrogate bride.
This could not be. If Shen Xuejin truly married into the Huo Residence, she would surely settle all old scores and new grudges at once!
Qin Rong narrowed her eyes. No matter what it took, she could not let Shen Xuejin marry into the Huo family.
Shen Wanya was even less willing to accept this. She said resentfully, "Second Young Master Huo is kind-hearted, but Shen Xuejin has been off whoring around these past few days. She is no longer pure and is in no position to climb so high as to enter the Huo Residence."
Huo Nanchi stood up and nonchalantly adjusted his wrist guards. "My mother invited Sister Xuejin to the Huo Residence as a guest a few days ago to keep her company while she listened to operas and chatted."
As soon as these words were spoken, the three of them—Shen Hong, Qin Rong, and Shen Wanya—stood frozen like wooden chickens!
The "filthy place" they had been accusing her of frequenting was, in fact, the Huo Residence!
When had this wretch managed to get in with the Huo family? Could it be that Huo Nanchi had come to the Shen Residence today specifically to back her up?
Did the Huo family actually intend to honor this engagement?
Cold sweat broke out on Shen Hong’s forehead. He said sheepishly, "Wanya speaks without thinking; please do not take offense, Second Young Master Huo."
Shen Wanya was unconvinced. Since when had this wretch latched onto the Huo family? And how dared she have the Second Young Master Huo—the man she had fallen for at first sight—backing her up?
She retorted, "The Huo Residence is naturally not a filthy place, but for a filthy person like Shen Xuejin to visit, I fear it would only serve to tarnish the name of the Huo Residence!"
Shen Hong glared at Shen Wanya, signaling her to say no more.
As they spoke, Shen Xuejin struggled to her feet. Her spine was as straight as a young poplar tree, radiating stubbornness and strength.
Her back was soaked, and the burn marks on her neck were starkly visible. Whether from the cold or from fear, her body trembled uncontrollably.
Huo Nanchi watched her slender figure, a flicker of softening in his eyes.
"Shen Xuejin and her mother have only been back in the Shen Residence for a few days, yet they have turned the place into a complete mess, even causing Father to fall ill from anger! When the upper beam is crooked, the lower ones will be askew. Since her mother is a wretched woman, how could Shen Xuejin be any better?" Shen Wanya’s voice was sharp and piercing.
Enduring her pain, Shen Xuejin walked up to Shen Wanya and delivered a resounding slap to her face. "You dare spout such insolence and judge your mistress? Do you think you are so much better?"
Shen Wanya clutched her face, staring at Shen Xuejin in disbelief. She shrieked, "You wretch! How dare you hit me? Was I wrong? Your mother is nothing but trash!"
"Father! This wretch hit me! Please, punish her severely for me!" Shen Wanya screamed, her face twisted with rage.
She had trampled Shen Xuejin under her feet for over a decade. To think that this wretch now dared to strike her—and right in front of Second Young Master Huo, no less, making her lose all face!
She would make Shen Xuejin pay for this humiliation a thousand times over!
Shen Xuejin moved to strike her again, but Shen Hong caught her wrist and shoved her away with a vicious push, sending her stumbling back. "Your sister was only speaking her mind; why must you make such a scene? Besides, she isn't wrong—you are utterly lacking in manners and upbringing! It is clear your mother never taught you anything!"
He was certain that because Second Young Master Huo was here to back her up, she had become this arrogant! She had even resorted to violence!
Shen Xuejin said coldly, "Manners? For over a decade, Father has pampered his concubine while neglecting his wife, ignoring Mother and me entirely. Yet when a distinguished guest arrives, only an unpresentable concubine comes out to greet him. You use the word 'manners' to suppress me, but as the mistress of the Shen Residence, is she not entitled to welcome our guests?"
Shen Hong wanted to refuse flatly, but catching the inscrutable smile on Huo Nanchi’s face, he was struck with sudden panic and dread.
He was even less certain of the Huo family's true intentions now. He hurriedly said to Huo Nanchi, "Second Young Master, do not listen to the ramblings of this wicked child. I simply worry about my wife and do not want her to overexert herself."
Shen Xuejin’s eyes were full of mockery. "Should Father not invite the lady of the Shen family to welcome a distinguished guest like Second Young Master Huo? Or does Father feel that Second Young Master Huo is not worthy of being greeted by the mistress of the house?"
Shen Hong’s temples throbbed with fury. Under Huo Nanchi’s steady, oppressive gaze, he gritted his teeth and signaled the steward, who nodded slightly and headed straight for the East Courtyard.
Before long, the steward dragged Pei Lian in. To everyone’s shock, not only was she drenched, but she was also unconscious!
Shen Xuejin stumbled to her mother’s side, her eyes red as she choked out, "Mother!"
Pei Lian did not respond.
Shen Xuejin looked up at Shen Hong and Qin Rong, asking with burning hatred, "What have you done to my mother?"
Qin Rong looked away, her guilty conscience preventing her from meeting Shen Xuejin’s eyes.
Shen Hong, however, said righteously, "She must have heard you were back, gotten excited, knocked over her tea, soaked her clothes, and then tripped and fainted in her haste." He then added hypocritically, "Don't worry, I will find a doctor to have a look at her."
"And what of these wounds on her body? To think that a dignified official like you, a Secretary of the Ministry, would beat your own legal wife into a coma!" A fire burned in Shen Xuejin’s chest. She had just seen the purple and blue bruises all over her mother’s arms.
"Stop spouting nonsense! She must have bruised herself walking about; what does that have to do with me?" Shen Hong said impatiently.
"Whether she bruised herself or was beaten to the point of endangering her life, once I report this to the Court of Judicial Review, the Chief Justice will surely give me justice!"
Shen Xuejin glared at Shen Hong and Qin Rong with cold, icy eyes.
Years ago, when Qin Rong had a miscarriage, she had framed her mother, forcing them to be exiled to the countryside. Even then, Qin Rong had not let them be, making verbal abuse, forced kneeling, and lashes common occurrences. Her mother’s body was a crisscross of new and old scars.
She had not expected that even after returning to the Shen Residence, they would still beat her mother so brazenly and force her to be a surrogate bride. The people of the Shen Residence had gone too far!
Since they had no regard for their reputation, she would take her father to the Court of Judicial Review and let the entire Capital see how he pampered a concubine while harming his own legal wife!
"Shen Xuejin, you wicked child!" Shen Hong pointed his finger at her, roaring, "You defy your elders time and time again. Do you really think I, your father, cannot control you? You may have no shame, but I and the Shen family still do!"
Shen Xuejin snatched up the hot tea from the table and splashed it right into Shen Hong’s face!