Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

"Mom, why don't you take Xiangxue back? She won't make trouble anymore. After a long time, those people outside won't talk about it." Shen Qingjiang knelt on the ground and said with his head down.

He knew in his heart that if he could bring Xiangxue back home, everything would become much simpler.

However, Madam Shen shook her head firmly: "No."

She knew very well that if she compromised, she would become a laughing stock in the eyes of everyone.

Seeing this, Shen Qingjiang knew that he couldn't convince his mother to change her mind, so he tentatively asked, "Then give me some money, and I'll go and stabilize the mother and daughter first."

After hesitating for a moment, Mrs. Shen finally agreed to her son's request and asked Nanny Gui to take out a hundred taels of silver and give it to Shen Qingjiang.

After getting the banknote, Shen Qingjiang did not go to Ganhua Hutong to look for Shen Jingwan and her daughter as expected, but went straight into the gambling house.

It turned out that he had long been addicted to gambling, and now that he had this money, it was even more difficult for him to extricate himself.

On the other side, Old Madam Shen sat tiredly on a chair, holding a fire starter in her hand, ready to light the calming incense in the incense burner.

The recent events have left her exhausted and with a splitting headache. She has not been able to sleep well for several days.

Madam Shen gently handed the extinguished tinderbox to Nanny Gui beside her, and said solemnly, "Something is wrong today. A few days ago, there was a rumor that the third son had a concubine, and today these mother and daughter were brought to light. I don't believe that there was no one behind this.

Have you made any progress on the matter I asked you to investigate a few days ago?" She was filled with doubts and worries, suspecting that someone was behind this farce.

Nanny Gui sent all the maids away and asked Qixia to guard the door. "To answer the old lady, the rumor first came from the residence of Lord An, the Minister of Rites."

Madam Shen drummed her fingers on the table. "Master An, the Minister of Rites? The late Empress's family? Does he have a daughter who is studying with Princess Jiahe in the palace?"

Nanny Gui understood what Old Lady Shen said, "The Second Miss of the An family is in the palace, but this matter should have nothing to do with our Ninth Miss. When the rumor spread, Miss An and Miss Ninth were both in the palace."

Madam Shen didn't trust anyone at the moment. "They were in the palace when the news started. Maybe it started during the last holiday, but it just didn't spread."

Aunt Gui: "Last time during the holiday, Miss Nine went to the farm. After injuring her leg, she has been staying at home and has not left the house since then."

"Something happened in Ganhua Hutong today, and I suddenly remembered something. I don't know if I should tell you about it or not."

Old Madam Shen put her head over the incense burner and sniffed the smoke coming out of it. "If you have something to say, just say it. Why are you being so secretive?"

"At first, we didn't want to attract attention, so we didn't hire the maid from Ganhua Hutong. We bought her from outside. I found out before that this maid Liu had a distant cousin working at Lord An's house, but I thought that every servant bought from outside would have some relatives, so I didn't pay much attention to it. Now I think, maybe it's related to this matter."

Madam Shen threw the sandalwood bracelet on the table and said, "Why didn't you pay more attention when you bought her? Regardless of whether it was her or not, we can't keep this Liu Po anymore. She knows too much. Let's find someone to kill her."

Aunt Gui replied "Yes" in fear. It was she who had been in charge of sending more people to Ganhua Hutong. Now she was afraid that Old Madam Shen would vent her anger on her.

Old Lady Shen thought for a moment and said, "Find someone to quietly send Xiangxue and her daughter away, and come back after the storm has died down. Xiangxue cannot enter the family as a concubine, and Jingwan cannot become a concubine's daughter." Old Lady Shen ordered.

Nanny Gui stood still, "Old Madam, I'm afraid this matter will be difficult to handle. Many people have seen it today. If we cut the Gordian knot now and take her into the mansion, Miss Jingwan still has the status of a concubine of the Shen family. If we send her away, Miss Jingwan's status as a concubine will be confirmed. Even if she returns to the capital in the future, there is no guarantee that people will not remember what happened today."

"What's the point of my Shen family having a concubine's daughter? How can a concubine's daughter be destined to be a phoenix? If not, what's the difference between a concubine's daughter and a concubine's daughter? Just do as I say. Send her away first, and then let her enter the mansion as a co-wife after she gives birth to a son. Make sure the contraceptive medicine from the third room doesn't stop." Old Madam Shen seemed to be possessed by a demon.

Nanny Gui sighed helplessly and could only go out to arrange people.

……

In the palace, Lingfang Pavilion.

Bi Rui came in from outside, pulling open the curtain. "Miss, there's news from outside saying that Master Feng has accomplished something. Now the whole capital is talking about it."

Shen Chuning was writing at her desk. "Got it. Have someone give the remaining five hundred taels of silver to Feng Yucai."

"The old lady wants to send the mother and daughter from Ganhua Hutong away and bring them back after the storm has died down."

"Oh, I guessed right. Send this to Ganhua Hutong." Shen Chuning said as she folded the paper she had just written on and handed it to Birui.

……

Ganhua Hutong.

"Miss, someone knocked on the door just now. I opened the door and didn't see anyone, so I left a piece of paper on the floor at the door." Fuzi walked in with a piece of paper in her hand and handed it to Shen Jingwan.

"What's written on it?" Xiangxue was embroidering a handkerchief with an embroidery frame. Seeing Shen Jingwan looking at the paper, she asked.

Shen Jingwan frowned, "It says here that the Shen Mansion is going to send someone to kill us, so we should run away."

"Tsk, you're just trying to be mysterious. Your father's wife can't give birth anymore. Your father and your grandmother promised mother that they would marry me into the family as long as a son was born. How could they want to kill us?" Xiangxue said indifferently.

Shen Jingwan lowered her head and stared at the handwriting on the paper, which was vigorous and powerful. Who wanted to remind them? Could it be the young master of the Shen family who knew some exact news but was reluctant to give up his flesh and blood?

"Mom, it's better to be careful. We have embarrassed the Shen family today. Do you want to move to another place to hide for now?"

"What are you changing for? What if your father and uncle can't find us if we move? Before, the Shen family might have killed us quietly, but after what happened today, it's like we have a golden ticket to immunity from death. If something happens to us, no matter if it was done by someone from the Shen family or not, the Shen family will be blamed for it. Wan'er, just wait until your mother gives birth to a younger brother for you, and then we can go back to the Shen family to enjoy ourselves." Xiangxue said with a laugh.

Shen Jingwan was not as optimistic as her mother. From the group of people who came to the yard to search for things today, to being inexplicably taken to Jingzhao Prefecture, everything seemed to be planned.

Xiangxue brought the embroidered handkerchief over to the candle and admired it carefully. Suddenly she said, "Why isn't Granny Liu here?"

Shen Jingwan thought for a moment and said, "I haven't seen her since we came back from Jingzhao Prefecture. What's wrong with Granny Liu today? Didn't Mother ask her to go to the Shen Mansion to call for help? Why did she wait until we arrived at the government office to call for help? Mother, didn't you say that Grandfather was a very important official? Why didn't Grandfather come to save us? Even if Grandfather didn't come, Dad should have come too. But the housekeeper came instead."

Xiangxue comforted Shen Jingwan, "At the moment, our identities cannot be made public. The master of the mansion must be in danger, and didn't Housekeeper Shen come and get things done? Fuzi, go call Mrs. Liu, I want to ask what's going on."

"what--"

Not long after Fuzi left the house, her screams were heard from the servants' room.