"A dog?" Zhou Jinyan asked Cang Xu. "What does she want with a dog?"
"Cang Ming says she's looking for something."
"Looking for something." Zhou Jinyan was currently drinking the herbal decoction brewed from ginseng roots sent by Shen Yiren. "Make a trip into the palace and bring Feiyun here."
Back then, he had taken a liking to Feiyun's fierce spirit and keen nose. The two months of training had primarily been focused on guarding, tracking, and searching for things.
When he left Yujing, he had specifically instructed Mother Ying not to forget these trained skills of its.
"Feiyun? Her Majesty the Empress might not allow it," Cang Xu said, somewhat hesitant.
Zhou Jinyan replied, "The Empress isn't truly afraid that Feiyun will hurt Us; she just doesn't want Us and Noble Consort Xian to have too much contact. Go."
"Tell Shen Yiren she may only borrow it for two days. The imperial decree granting the title of Prince will also be issued in the next few days."
Upon learning that her son wanted to lend Feiyun to Shen Yiren for her use, Noble Consort Xian smiled and remarked, "Yanyan truly dotes on his Princess Consort."
When Yanyan had left the capital, he had specifically urged her that Feiyun must never leave his side and was not to be lent out to anyone; yet now, he was breaking this principle for Shen Yiren.
Cang Xu's attention was entirely caught by two words: "Princess Consort?"
"Didn't Yanyan mention it to you? The Empress told him to choose a Princess Consort, and he said he was fond of General Shen's legitimate daughter, Shen Yiren, and would marry no one else as his consort." Noble Consort Xian then asked, "Did Yanyan borrow Feiyun because his future Princess Consort is being bullied?"
Cang Xu belatedly realized that the prince's mention of the imperial decree for a title referred to the title of "Consort."
"She is looking for something," Cang Xu reported clearly, and leaving the palace with Feiyun, he brought the dog directly to the General's Estate.
Upon seeing Miss Shen, he almost blurted out "Princess Consort."
After conveying the Prince's original words, Cang Xu departed. Shen Yiren, meanwhile, stroked Feiyun's head and exclaimed, "You're so pretty! Ah!"
Feiyun, who had looked completely harmless just a moment ago, suddenly bit down on Shen Yiren's arm. A tiny trickle of blood emerged, only to be licked clean by Feiyun instantly.
"Ouch, ouch! This smells damn good, ah!"
Shen Yiren slapped it across the head, knocking the dog flat onto the ground.
Cang Ming, who was approaching with a sword intended to serve as a Dog-Beating Stick: "..."
Where on earth did the Princess Consort look like she was in the slightest bit of trouble, or in any need of his protection... Feiyun was the kind of existence in the palace that even the Emperor despaired of.
"Prin— Miss Shen, is your arm all right?"
"It didn't bite me." Shen Yiren's palm swept across the bitten arm; the wound vanished without a trace, and not a single drop of blood remained, all licked clean by Feiyun.
Feiyun, sprawled on the ground, glared at her viciously: *You dare hit this mistress! I'll have you know I'm the tyrant of the palace! My first master is Prince Duan, and my second master is Noble Consort Xian!*
Xiao Ba pointed at Feiyun in astonishment and stammered, "It, it..."
"It has gained spiritual awareness," Shen Yiren said softly.
She had only descended the mountain two days ago, and already she had been bitten by a dog. She felt a little sad.
This dog was just like the mushrooms on Buxian Mountain—beautiful things were truly venomous.
"Let you bite me!" Irritated, Shen Yiren gave its head another slap. "Since you've gotten off easy, keep your mouth shut and behave! What are you glaring for, or else I'll scatter your very bones to dust!"
Feiyun stared at her, finally realizing that the young maiden before it was a deeply cultivated Ginseng Spirit. Having just gained spiritual awareness, its skull was still throbbing with pain, and it was no match for her.
It drooped its ears and turned its head away.
Shen Yiren glared at it. "Stop putting on an act. Get up and find things for me—that's your master's order!"
Feiyun ignored her.
Shen Yiren raised a hand—*whoosh!* Feiyun instantly sprang to its feet, lifting its chin with an air of absolute importance as it declared, "What use are you? You still have to rely on this mistress!"
"Who asked you to be a dog!"
"Woof!" *You little sprite!*
Shen Yiren also lifted her chin and let out a huff, walking ahead without a leash to urge it to hurry up.
Cang Ming watched as Feiyun obediently followed along, thinking that the Princess Consort was far better at training dogs than the Prince.
"Cang Ming, follow us too."
"What about the young master of the Shen family?"
"He's had enough; we can't actually bury him to death." Otherwise, it would generate bad karma, and the heavenly Dao would strike her dead!
***
Taking advantage of the absence of anyone at Mingyue Residence, Steward Luo led the household servants carrying hoes and shovels, cautiously entering to dig up the young master.
What a sin!
Second Young Miss's heart was truly ruthless, capable of such a vicious hand against her own biological younger brother!
The moment the cloth ball was pulled out of Shen Zhi'ang's mouth, he readied himself to unleash a torrent of abuses, but Steward Luo hurriedly reached out to cover his mouth. "Young master! You mustn't shout! If you call Second Young Miss here, we're done for!"
He was terrified of being thrown out of the General's Estate again; if he left the General's Estate, where else could he find such a good job? Eldest Miss certainly wouldn't take him along.
Shen Zhi'ang felt utterly aggrieved. Clearly it was his own home, yet now things felt like they were sneaking around like thieves.
The moment the servants pulled him out of the dirt, his legs went weak, and he had to be carried back to his mother's courtyard.
"You wretched child, what on earth were you doing provoking that god of plague!" Madam Shen reached out to poke her son's forehead, feeling both angry and distressed.
"Mother, why are you poking me? You should be going to poke Shen Yiren!" Shen Zhi'ang grabbed his mother's hand and began to complain. "She snatched eldest sister's Mingyue Residence and even dug an earthen pit to bury me! There were bugs in the dirt, and they bit me to death!"
"Mother, you must punish her by not letting her eat! I'm going to go tell Grandmother and make her punish him by kneeling in the ancestral hall! Don't even give her water to drink, hmph!"
"Your grandmother won't punish her." Madam Shen pulled back her son, who was about to go make a complaint.
Upon hearing about the heavenly fire burning things down, Old Madame also felt in her heart that the heavens were standing up for Shen Yiren.
Especially with an imperial attendant of Prince Duan protecting Shen Yiren, Old Madame had already made the executive decision to give Mingyue Residence to Shen Yiren, and had even told them to avoid provoking her recently to prevent themselves from being struck by the heavenly fire.
Of course Old Madame doted on her only grandson, but she also harbored a deep-seated dread in her heart, leaving her with no choice but to shift the blame onto the servant boys who had been tending to Shen Zhi'ang.
All of them were given heavy strokes with the cane and driven out of the estate.
Shen Zhi'ang cried out, "What! Those were servant boys personally chosen for me by Eldest Sister!"
"Alright, alright, keep your voice down. Tomorrow morning your eldest sister is returning for her formal visit; just ask her to pick two more attentive ones for you."
"That's right, Eldest Sister is coming back for her visit!" Upon hearing that Shen Qingrui was returning, Shen Zhi'ang's grievances instantly turned into joy, and he planned to wash himself up properly before going to meet his eldest sister and brother-in-law.
His brother-in-law ought to thank him; if it hadn't been for his suggestion that Eldest Sister marry over there, how could his brother-in-law have ever married the person he loved?
As for Shen Yiren! Grandmother wouldn't stand up for him, but he still had his brother-in-law, who was the Heir, and his sister, who was the Heir's wife!
The day of returning to the maiden home.
Shen Qingrui looked at the completely empty courtyard and questioned the steward, "Why hasn't the welcoming gift for my return home been prepared?"
The steward replied, "There is no welcoming gift."
Shen Qingrui demanded, "Why is there no gift?"
The steward looked at her and said unhurriedly, "That is something you must ask the Heir's wife herself. This old servant has matters to attend to and will take his leave first."
The steward went to report to the mistress.
The Duchess of Anguo sneered, "The General's Estate accepted the betrothal gifts, yet she is not only a fake legitimate daughter, she didn't even bring a dowry. If it weren't for Liangxuan's fondness for her, and Shen Yiren being truly presentable, she wouldn't even be able to touch the threshold of the Duke of Anguo's Estate. And she still wants a welcoming gift? There is none."
"If the Heir's wife tells the Heir, what should we do if he asks about it?"
"If Liangxuan asks, just casually prepare a couple of items. If he doesn't ask, pretend you know nothing." However, the Duchess of Anguo was certain her son wouldn't come asking; her son had always been relatively obedient and filial, with the sole exception of his stubbornness regarding this marriage.
Sure enough, Cen Liangxuan did not ask, but instead made up for it with his own items, and even had someone buy a few additional gifts.
Shen Qingrui's displeasure was already written all over her face.
Cen Liangxuan embraced her shoulders and asked, "Aren't you someone who has always cared nothing for these worldly possessions?"