Song Jue’s little bit of frustration truly paled in comparison to the Shen family’s current predicament—it was like comparing a small witch to a great sorcerer, hardly worth mentioning at all. Shen Xiaohai had never imagined there could exist in this world people with faces as thick as the Marquis Wuning household—Tong Shao having illicit relations without a matchmaker, privately meeting with a drunken young man without any elders accompanying her, was originally a shameful scandal that couldn’t be brought to light. Yet they not only felt no shame whatsoever, they were actually proud of it, didn’t think it was making things big enough, and that very day brought people to pound on the gates of Duke Yingguo’s residence.

He had originally taken Shen Qingrang away first precisely to let both families cool down and cover up this disgraceful matter—although the Marquis Wuning household was indeed not a bad choice, compared to the Earl of Changning’s residence, it paled in significance.

But who could have expected that Madam of Marquis Wuning would be utterly powerless before Old Madam Song? Not only did the Song family suppress the matter without a ripple, but Madam of Marquis Wuning made the situation bigger and bigger, finally even bringing Tong Shao directly to Duke Yingguo’s residence to demand justice.

Justice?! He also wanted to find someone to demand justice from. Had this world already changed? Chasing after someone’s rear end like this, as if afraid others wouldn’t know about the scandalous deeds she’d committed—how would Duke Yingguo’s residence face people in the future?!

Deep into the night, having been in turmoil all day and only now gaining a moment of peace, Duke Yingguo’s residence was shrouded in gloom. The servants walked on tiptoe, not daring to make a sound, afraid of startling any master—even Duke Yingguo and Madam Duke Yingguo, two elderly people who had long since stopped managing affairs, had been angered enough to smash things. One could see to what degree this matter had escalated.

He Shi’s face and neck were covered with red marks scratched by Madam of Marquis Wuning. The heavier scratches on her neck had even broken the skin. Shen Huiyi, with reddened eyes, was instructing someone to fetch medicinal ointment when she heard someone outside say that Shen Huixin had returned.

Shen Huixin had also rushed back overnight upon hearing the news. Although it wasn’t proper, she had always been favored by her mother-in-law and husband. Though her mother-in-law’s expression wasn’t pleasant, she ultimately allowed her to return.

Upon entering, she saw Shen Qingrang kneeling to the side with his head hanging low, and her mother leaning against the soft couch sobbing constantly. Shen Huixin’s brow twitched as she immediately asked: “Where is Father?” For such a serious matter to occur, given Shen Xiaohai’s temperament, he absolutely couldn’t possibly let Shen Qingrang off so easily, allowing him to kneel here intact to reflect on his mistakes.

As soon as He Shi saw her, it was as if she’d found her backbone. She grabbed hold of her and chokingly began to complain: “What sins have I committed! The face accumulated over several lifetimes has been completely lost today. From now on, how can I have the face to go out and see people?”

She cried and wailed endlessly, but didn’t say even half a sentence of anything useful. Shen Huixin patiently consoled her for a while, then turned to call her own nanny: “Go check the study to see if Father is there. If not, then go check the ancestral hall and Grandfather’s place.”

Her words shocked everyone in the room into shivering. If he’d gone to the ancestral hall or to Duke Yingguo’s place, this matter would truly have blown up.

Shen Huixin sighed and turned back to look at her brother kneeling on the ground, unable to help but laugh coldly: “You’ve really become accomplished and capable. Ordinarily engaging in cockfighting, dog racing, eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling is one thing—which young master among the capital’s dissolute sons hasn’t come through a life of wine and pleasure? But the Marquis Wuning’s granddaughter—what kind of person, what kind of status is she? You dared to provoke her? Did you think she was like those actors you usually associated with, easy to dismiss?! You’re not unaware of the feelings she harbors for you. Not saying you should keep your distance from her ordinarily, you actually strung her along. Now look what’s happened—stringing her along and along until such a thing occurred, making the whole family lose face along with you!”

He Shi gently reached out to pull at her daughter’s sleeve, sobbing as she refuted: “This truly is a calamity from heaven. Who could have thought a young lady would be so…”

“Mother should be more careful with her words!” Shen Huixin rubbed her temples somewhat helplessly: “He’s come to borrow silver from me several times—did you think I didn’t know where that money was going? Turning a blind eye was merely thinking he wouldn’t go too far. Who knew he’d become increasingly outrageous? Father doesn’t usually manage him much, and Mother also indulges him—that’s how he’s been spoiled into this state! What use is there now in blaming others? Could that Miss Tong alone have accomplished this? Moreover, has Mother still not understood this situation? What kind of people are the Marquis Wuning household—once you’re entangled with them, it’s impossible to shake them off. Even if you shed a layer of skin, they’d have to be willing to let go first!”

He Shi was stunned speechless by her daughter’s words and immediately released her hand and began crying: “Yes, yes, yes, it’s all my fault. I gave birth to this worthless son. Since you look down on your brother so much, you might as well beat him to death!”

Seeing Shen Huiyi frowning and about to respond, Shen Huixin immediately shouted to stop her: “Settle down. I haven’t even addressed your matter yet! When Father finds out, you’ll probably face death!” After frightening Shen Huiyi into silence, Shen Huixin opened the door and smilingly asked Yang Shi and the others who had been standing for quite some time to leave first: “Today has truly troubled sister-in-law. I’m here with Mother now, so sister-in-law can go rest. As for Grandfather and Grandmother’s side, I must trouble sister-in-law to be more attentive. You can see Mother’s current condition yourself.”

Only after dismissing all those who’d been watching the excitement outside did Shen Huixin sigh and return to sit beside He Shi with infinite weariness: “If I truly looked down on him and didn’t care about his life or death, why would I trouble my in-laws and return at this critical juncture? Isn’t it because I know Mother has no ideas and fears Father, and younger sister-in-law is too childish to stand up? Now that things have reached this point, Mother should stop harboring other delusions. Miss Tong’s appearance is indeed difficult to speak of, and her legs have some problems, but she is after all the daughter of the Vice Minister of Justice and the granddaughter of Marquis Wuning’s household—she can be considered well-matched with our family. You should say less bad things about her in front of younger brother. In the future, the two of them will have to spend their whole lives together.”

The Marquis Wuning household was absolutely impossible to shake off—first, they were originally shameless and acted entirely according to Miss Tong’s preferences; second, after such a thing happened, besides marrying over, Miss Tong truly had no other better option.

But Shen Qingrang suddenly stiffened his neck and shouted no: “I won’t marry her! I thought—I thought she was Hongxiu!”

Although he usually spoke pleasantly to Miss Tong, in his heart he found her extremely distasteful—ugly appearance and bad temper, how could anyone possibly like her? Compared to her, Song the Sixth was simply a celestial fairy from a painting. To make him spend his whole life facing Tong Shao—for the first time he actually wanted to listen to Shen Xiaohai and just make do with Song the Sixth for a lifetime instead!