Sir Song, do you want to pledge yourself to me?

Song Shisi took his orders and left. After a quick discussion, Shen Songhe and Madam Qi decided to split up. Shen Songhe remained at the mansion to continue searching for Shen Mingzhu, while Madam Qi returned to the Qi residence to interrogate Cui'er, hoping to extract information about Shen Mingzhu's plans and thereby find her more quickly.

The Song residence was divided into two parts for the search. Mother Wu led the maids and old women to search in the backyard, leaving no corner unsearched. The front yard was personally inspected by housekeeper Wu to ensure that Shen Mingzhu could not sneak into the front yard.

However, time passed by, and Shen Songhe still did not get any news about Shen Mingzhu. Just when Shen Songhe was getting impatient and angry that Madam Qi was not able to control Shen Mingzhu properly, Song Shisi, who was sent to inform Song Jinbai, came back with a message.

Song Shisi bowed respectfully and replied, "Madam, I have already reported the situation in the mansion to you. You asked me to bring you a message."

Shen Songhe suppressed her impatience, wondering what her son would say to her at this moment, so she asked, "Oh? Do you adults have anything to say to me?"

Song Shisi: "My Lord said that if you can't find anyone, you can ask Miss Ji. She will have a way."

"Did he really say that?" Shen Songhe hesitated, not understanding what her son was thinking.

Imagine that the wedding is about to begin, and some foolish woman is trying to get close to her new husband by some tricks. How upset the bride would be if she knew about it.

Nuannuan is the apple of her son's eye. Logically, shouldn't this terrible thing be kept secret from Nuannuan and not let her know?

Did he deliberately want his daughter-in-law to know so as to create a sense of crisis for her?

This brat could really do it.

Thinking of this, she instructed Song Shisi, "Go to the Ji residence in Elm Alley and ask if Miss Ji is there. Tell her what happened and ask her to come and help find someone."

Song Shisi took the order again and left. Not long after, he followed Ji Nuan to Shen Songhe.

"Nuannuan, you've heard everything, right? I didn't expect Shen Mingzhu to be so troublesome!" Her son's thoughts were another matter, but she didn't want the two young children to have any misunderstandings. She took Ji Nuan's hand and comforted her, "Don't think too much. I told Jin Bai to come back later. I won't let him and Shen Mingzhu meet in the mansion."

Facing Shen Songhe's apology, Ji Nuan smiled generously and said, "Aunt Shen, I know. It's getting late now. If we delay any longer, it will be dark soon. We should find someone first."

Ji Nuan knew full well that this matter couldn't be blamed on either Shen Songhe or Song Jinbai. She had long experienced Shen Mingzhu's capacity for mischief, but she hadn't expected that even though Song Jinbai hadn't attended the flower viewing banquet to avoid suspicion, Shen Mingzhu, with her brain kicked by a donkey, would still come up with such an idea to frame Song Jinbai. It must have taken a lot of thought.

"I'll look for it with you." Shen Songhe was very pleased with her performance. Ji Nuan was able to distinguish right from wrong and prioritize things. In the future, the couple would not have any unresolved conflicts.

Shen Songhe had witnessed a similar incident. A betrothed young woman, without knowing the truth, caused a scene at her fiancé's house, a scene that became a public outcry and difficult to resolve. The man's family had originally had no intention of taking a concubine, but to preserve their family's reputation, they were forced to accept the woman who had manipulated her way to the top. The man's family, already feeling guilty about their fiancée, also became disgusted with her for her reckless behavior.

The young lady's original intention of making a scene was to prevent the concubine from entering the house, but she never expected that the scene would backfire and the result would be the opposite of what she wanted. In the end, both sides suffered losses and the loss outweighed the gain.

Shen Songhe, having experienced half a lifetime of vicissitudes and coming from a prominent family, is unsurprisingly able to see the essence of things. Ji Nuan, despite her youth, remains calm and methodical in the face of unexpected situations, which is truly commendable.

Ji Nuan's search was not like others who searched everywhere for people to hide. She took Shen Songhe's arm and strolled slowly on the corridor in the backyard, as leisurely as if they were taking a normal walk, using her special senses to search in places that outsiders could not notice.

Shen Songhe didn't know about her secret supernatural powers. Seeing that she hadn't taken any other action, she even began to suspect that she was deliberately delaying time, waiting for Butler Wu and the others to find the person first.

The group walked through the garden until they reached a rockery. After going around the rockery, they could see the hanging flower gate that connected to the front yard.

Just then, Ji Nuan stopped in front of a pot of green plants that was half a person's height and had lush branches and leaves.

"Move this pot of green plants away. The person is hiding there." Ji Nuan ordered calmly.

Song Shisi had been serving by the side the whole time, and when he heard the order he immediately started to move the flower pot away.

Ji Nuan met a pair of eyes filled with hatred.

Shen Mingzhu was curled up in a small stone cave at the foot of the rockery. Now exposed to the Marquis's wife, she was terrified and shrank back even more.

"Someone, go and invite Master Qi and Madam Qi."

Shen Songhe looked at the unrepentant Shen Mingzhu, put on a serious face, and gave orders in a bad mood.

She was also thankful that Madam Qi was so thoughtful and noticed something was wrong and came to tell them, so they were able to find the person in time. If they had waited until tomorrow to find out, giving Shen Mingzhu the opportunity to make a scene, then she would have been in trouble even if she was right.

Ji Nuan didn't show much emotion. She just couldn't accept the act of trampling on her personal dignity and reputation for a man who didn't even want to look at her.

"Aren't you coming out yet? Do you want Lord Qi to come and see how miserable you look?" Ji Nuan said calmly.

Shen Mingzhu glared at Ji Nuan. She thought bitterly, if she hadn't been so nosy, perhaps no one would have discovered this place until tomorrow. Her aunt was unreliable, but she had already made arrangements with her parents. If she could successfully stay at the Song residence for one night, her parents could use her chastity as an excuse to force the Song family to accept her for the sake of their reputation. Then Ji Nuan would have no choice but to accept.

At this time, under the gaze of the Marquis' wife, Shen Mingzhu had to crawl out of the cave awkwardly.

She was extremely nervous. This was the only chance she could seize. If she missed it today, she might never have the chance to meet Lord Song again.

After thinking this through, she sank to her knees at Shen Songhe's feet, tears streaming down her face, "Madam Hou, Mingzhu knows I was wrong. I had no choice. Ever since we met in Fusheng Tower, your presence has been deeply engraved in Mingzhu's heart, lingering and unforgettable. Thinking of your future harmony with Madam, I feel that life would be worse than death. If I cannot be with you for the rest of my life, I only wish to die to prove my resolve."

As she spoke, Shen Mingzhu looked at Shen Songhe with tears in her eyes, hoping that her sincerity could touch her heartstrings. However, Shen Songhe remained unmoved. Seeing this, Shen Mingzhu gritted her teeth, steeled her resolve, and stood up, ready to charge towards the rockery.

- ??(?????) Thanks to Xuanying Baoer for the gift! Please urge me to update!