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

Inside the Tongzhi Mansion, Shen Mingzhu shook off the maidservant who had followed her and tiptoed to the woodshed. After confirming that no one was watching, she pressed her lips against the crack of the door and called out softly, "Mrs. Song, Mrs. Song, are you in there?"

"Cousin, please save me... Please have mercy on me." Song Qiuniang's weak cry for help came from the woodshed.

Shen Mingzhu tried to open the copper lock with her hands, but it remained firmly fixed on the door, unmoved. She looked around, unable to find a suitable tool, so she picked up a stone from the corner that was used to press sauerkraut and smashed it against the lock. With two loud bangs, the lock finally broke free.

"Cousin..." Song Qiuniang was lying on the ground, her light-colored undershirt stained with blood. She barely supported herself with her elbows, revealing a bloodless face.

When Shen Mingzhu saw her like this, she couldn't help but feel horrified. She didn't expect that the nanny beside her aunt would be so cruel. The person who was fine yesterday became covered with bruises after one night.

"How are you?" she asked coldly, complaining, "My aunt is really something. This isn't the capital, and she's always putting on her aristocratic airs for everyone to see. You're just a little concubine, why would she bother you?"

Shen Mingzhu knew clearly why her aunt was making things difficult for Concubine Song, but she was unwilling to admit that it had anything to do with her.

After the flower viewing banquet at the Song Mansion, she was confined to her house, and her parents, who she had written in advance to inform her to come and cooperate with her, arrived that night. After learning the whole story, Mrs. Shen could not believe that her innocent daughter would do such a thing. She believed that someone must be behind it and asked her sister-in-law, Mrs. Qi, to find out who was behind it.

If someone was behind this, the first person Madam Qi would suspect was Song Qiuniang. To avoid being accused of jealousy and taking advantage of the situation to target the concubine, she quietly and secretly questioned Madam Shen for several days. Finally, she learned from the maidservant next to Shen Mingzhu that Concubine Song had frequently spoken to Shen Mingzhu in the room before the flower viewing banquet.

The most suspicious person was found. Madam Qi said that it was related to Shen Mingzhu, and Concubine Song was the head maid beside Shen Mingzhu before, so it would be most appropriate for Madam Shen to handle it.

Madam Shen had been in charge of the household for many years. She ordered two strong maids to bring Concubine Song over and, after a round of threats and intimidation, Concubine Song finally confessed her entire plan with Shen Mingzhu.

Mrs. Shen was furious when she learned the truth. She believed that after Qi Tongzhi became the second-in-command of the government, Shen Mingzhu could have left the business family and had a better future, but now everything was ruined because of Concubine Song's random advice. How could Mrs. Qi find a good family for her in such a short time?

So, Mrs. Shen was reluctant to punish her daughter, so she vented all her anger on Song Qiuniang.

"Miss Watch..."

Song Qiuniang lay prone on the ground, her heart filled with sadness. In this world where power reigns supreme, whatever the upper class says is final, and the powerless and powerless at the bottom are always wrong. Shen Mingzhu had clearly been obsessed with currying favor with the powerful, but in the end, she was the one who was punished. Since no matter how careful and accommodating she was, she couldn't get what she wanted, she might as well throw in the towel and let no one else have an easy time.

She was in unbearable pain all over her body, cold sweat dripping down her face, but she still gritted her teeth and said, "Lord Song is a man of noble character and elegance. What's wrong with my cousin admiring him? The master and his wife were afraid of offending the Song family, so they didn't even dare to fight for my cousin's position as a concubine. As a result, my cousin had to marry off within a month and was not allowed to stay in Kaiyun Mansion."

Concubine Song took a breath and continued with a look of regret, "I feel really sorry for my cousin. She is naturally beautiful, and her looks are no less beautiful than Ji Nuan's. She just lacks the support of her family and careful planning. Is she really willing to just pass by Master Song like this?"

"What can I do if I'm unwilling?" Shen Mingzhu found a shabby stool and slowly sat down. The resentment and helplessness in her heart intertwined into an airtight web. "Look at you, you've become like this. What can I do?"

"As long as Miss Cousin's feelings for Master Song remain unchanged, there will always be a way to fulfill her long-cherished wish." Song Qiuniang lowered her eyelids, hiding the hatred boiling in her eyes. "A month's period will pass in a flash. It is unrealistic to expect Madam to find a good marriage for Miss Cousin in such a short time and to marry her off in a proper manner according to the etiquette of three matchmakers and six betrothals. Miss Cousin might consider taking the initiative and choosing a man who is easy to control for marriage."

Shen Mingzhu was confused. "What do you mean by this? You were encouraging me not to give up on Mr. Song just now, but you're telling me to marry someone else the next moment?"

Song Qiuniang realized Shen Mingzhu's stupidity and stopped beating around the bush. She said bluntly, "Given the current situation, my cousin, you must get married as soon as possible. Instead of waiting for Madam to arrange a marriage for you, why not find a suitable person first and have a fake marriage yourself? After you successfully deal with Ji Nuan and Madam, you can look for an opportunity to get close to Lord Song again."

After thinking for a moment, Shen Mingzhu felt that this method seemed feasible, but then she fell into new troubles, "It's not easy to find this person. Who would be willing to spend money on betrothal gifts just to have a fake marriage? What if he doesn't want to divorce and let me go after the marriage? After all, I look like a beautiful flower..." As she said, she touched her face shyly.

Song Qiuniang secretly rolled her eyes in her heart and thought: You really take yourself too seriously just because I praise you!

She still maintained a weak smile on the surface. "Well, I do have a suitable candidate. My cousin's third aunt has a cousin who is still unengaged. He is handsome, gentle and easy to get along with. My aunt has only one precious daughter like my cousin, so she naturally loves her dearly. If my cousin asks, I will definitely agree."

Song Qiuniang's heart was filled with malice, because she knew a secret unknown to others - the seemingly gentle and handsome cousin of the Shen family was actually not interested in women, but had unique preferences. If this plan was completed, it might be a big "surprise" for Shen Mingzhu and the Shen family.

Shen Mingzhu thought about the appearance of her cousin from her third aunt's family, and the corners of her mouth curled up, "Then do as you say! Without Ji Nuan getting in the way this time, everything will definitely go smoothly. I'll go discuss it with my mother right away." After that, she hurriedly stood up and prepared to leave.

"Miss Watch..."

Shen Mingzhu acted as if she was just going to throw it away, completely ignoring Song Qiuniang's current embarrassment and injuries. Song Qiuniang was furious and quickly called out to her, "Cousin, I am loyal to you. I hope you can show some mercy to me for the sake of our past relationship as master and servant."

Worried that Shen Mingzhu wouldn't understand her hint, Song Qiuniang quickly added, "I still want to continue serving my cousin, but I'm seriously injured now. If I don't get help or medicine, I'm afraid my life will be in danger. I hope my cousin will consider me still useful and say a few good words for me in front of my aunt so that I can leave this woodshed."

"That's all you're useful for! Just wait, you'll have to find a way to get close to Lord Song. I'll ask my mother to let you go." Shen Mingzhu sneered, then turned and walked out of the woodshed.

Stupid and evil!

Watching Shen Mingzhu's figure disappear, Song Qiuniang smiled with a sinister look in her eyes.

- ??(?????)Thanks to Xuanying Baoer for the gift!