You're the one who wants to marry a mistress, and I'm marrying someone else, yet you still

Shen Cong'an pondered for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, leave this matter to me. I will do my best."

Minister Lin nodded approvingly, "Good, I'm relieved to hear that. However, you must also be careful, as some people's methods are often impossible to guard against."

Shen Cong'an nodded slightly.

Lin Qing, who was standing to the side, was secretly surprised as she listened to their conversation.

She hadn't expected that Shen Cong'an and her father had such a deep friendship that he could delegate such a task to the other party.

Her gaze toward Shen Cong'an held a mixture of admiration and curiosity.

Shen Cong'an and Minister Lin had a pleasant conversation and even had dinner at the Lin family's house before leaving. He came to the Lin family openly and honestly, and he did not try to hide his whereabouts when he left.

It was normal for officials to visit each other occasionally, and after Shen Cong'an was promoted to Vice Minister of War by the Emperor, many senior officials invited him to their residences for a gathering, which he accepted.

With such a mix of genuine and feigned friendships, it becomes even harder to guess who his true friends are, and who he is closest to.

However, upon returning to his residence, he encountered Shen Nian'an, who was also returning home.

Shen Nian'an looked drunk, clearly having drunk too much outside.

Upon seeing Shen Cong'an, a hint of jealousy and resentment flashed in his eyes. He staggered forward and sneered, "Oh, isn't this our high and mighty Vice Minister of War? What, after discussing state affairs with Minister Lin, do you have to come back and bother this idle person like me?"

He had been investigating Shen Yanzhi's affairs recently, but the person who instigated Shen Yanzhi seemed to have appeared out of thin air. Not only could he not find out who it was, but everyone knew that it was Shen Nian'an, and they all started to criticize him.

He rejected a perfectly good princess and chose a mistress of dubious origin. Some people even mocked him, so he went to drown his sorrows in alcohol.

Shen Cong'an frowned slightly, but still maintained his composure, and said calmly, "Shen Nian'an, you've had too much to drink. Go back to your room and rest early. I don't have time to bother with you."

"Rest? Haha, what right do I have to rest? Look at you, Shen Cong'an, you're now a favorite of the Emperor, while I've become the laughingstock of Xuancheng because of you, and I've even lost my official position!"

Shen Nian'an waved her arms, her voice filled with bitterness and anger.

Shen Cong'an's gaze darkened, and his tone carried an undeniable air of authority: "Shen Nian'an, you have only yourself to blame for becoming like this. You have no one else to blame."

Upon hearing this, Shen Nian'an's expression froze, as if a sore spot had been hit. He laughed angrily, "You brought this on yourself? Shen Cong'an, who do you think you are? What gives you the right to criticize me like this? You're just luckier than me, having gained the Emperor's favor, while I, from the day I was born, have only been able to pick up what you left behind!"

"Clothes, toys... what woman haven't you already played with? Xie Wanru only chose me because you're of higher status than me, because you're the eldest son of the Shen family and can't overshadow the Xie family's power. I was chosen by her because of my lowly status, hah..."

"You can become the Vice Minister of War, while what about me? I can only manage the Shen family's businesses, acting like a dog, a mere steward. Heh, are you worthy to be my elder brother?"

Shen Cong'an looked at him coldly, "So you want me to lie in bed for the rest of my life, living without dignity? Shen Nian'an, wasn't it you who ordered the attack two years ago? Did you want me to die from the beginning?"

"It's just a pity I didn't die. You had someone feed me medicine to put me in a perpetual coma, giving you time to let your mistress return to the Shen family. Was there another part of your plan to deceive the Xie family? Clearly, you have no brotherly affection and are a wolf in sheep's clothing, yet you're here crying about my heartlessness?"

Since waking up, Shen Cong'an has had little contact with Shen Nian'an. He is too lazy to accuse Shen Nian'an, because one day, Shen Nian'an will get his retribution.

But since this person kept coming up to him, he could only waste some time and force himself to curse at him a couple of times.

Shen Nian'an's face grew paler and paler as Shen Cong'an rattled off his words. He opened his mouth, but couldn't manage a complete rebuttal for a long time, because he had indeed done those things.

The surrounding sounds seemed to stop at that moment, leaving only the heavy breathing of the two people and the occasional sound of the night wind in the distance.

"You...you're talking nonsense!" Shen Nian'an finally found her voice, but it sounded extremely weak. "Could I do such a thing? You...you're making false accusations!"

Shen Cong'an shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with indifference: "Shen Nian'an, even now, you still refuse to admit it? If you admitted it now, I would respect you as a man, but you dare to do it but not admit it, you are a coward!"

"As for Xie Wanru," Shen Cong'an said, his tone becoming more complicated, "at least she chose you from the beginning, not someone else. Whatever her reasons for choosing you, you were different from others at that time, but you ruined it yourself. Did she divorce you for no reason? Think about it carefully, how have you treated Xie Wanru in the two years since she entered the manor?"

Shen Nian'an's body trembled slightly. He seemed to want to refute, but couldn't find the words. In the end, he could only lower his head helplessly, his voice barely audible: "So it was me... I was wrong...?"

Shen Cong'an didn't say anything more. He turned to leave, leaving only a cold sentence echoing in the air: "You'd better watch yourself, Shen Nian'an. Remember, today's consequences are all the result of your actions yesterday."

Shen Cong'an's figure gradually disappeared inside the gate, but Shen Nian'an was somewhat dazed.

He asked himself if he had ever liked Xie Wanru, because when he was about to marry Xie Wanru, he was preparing to ask his mother to bring Fu Rou and her two children back to the mansion, but he had to put it aside because of Xie Wanru's arrival.

Then his mother kept urging him to consummate his marriage with Xie Wanru. He didn't like Xie Wanru to begin with, so how could he agree? In addition, Fu Rou kept telling him her grievances, so he felt that it was all Xie Wanru's fault that their family could not be reunited.

Looking back now, Xie Wanru's motives for marrying him were indeed impure, but she had been obedient for the past two years. She must have known that he secretly pawned her dowry, since she still had the list when they divorced.

But Xie Wanru never said anything to him when he used it.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that all his prejudices against Xie Wanru were not caused by Xie Wanru at all...

That night, Shen Nian'an couldn't sleep...