The Shen family had been tormented until they didn’t have even a shred of strength left to fight back. Even if Shen Xiaohai had three heads and six arms, he couldn’t withstand Marquis Wuning’s iron fists. Marquis Wuning had grabbed him and given him a thorough beating, knocking out two of his teeth. He no longer had the mood to continue favoring that newly promoted girl called Yuqian’er in the courtyard. His entire person was dejected like a stray dog that had lost its home.

Shen Qingrang was even worse off. He was the origin of this whole matter—it was he who had laid hands on Marquis Wuning’s household’s precious treasure. Madam of Marquis Wuning had lunged at him and clawed his face full of wounds, with several scratches landing on his neck as well, leaving several bright, vivid bloody marks.

With matters having escalated to this point, He Shi truly didn’t have the energy left to mediate anything. She sat alone in her chair, holding her face in both hands, sobbing and weeping. Right now, besides crying, she truly didn’t know what else she could do.

What sins had she committed that her family would attract such a jinx? She remembered that back at the hunting grounds, she had actually felt apprehensive about Song Chuyi’s fate. Now thinking about it, Tong Shao was the real jinx. Ever since she appeared and the engagement was settled, Duke Yingguo’s household hadn’t had a single smooth day.

Shuilian rushed through the door in a panic, shouting: “This is terrible, terrible… Madam, this is terrible…”

Recently, the phrase He Shi heard most often was “this is terrible”—now it was this terrible, now it was that terrible. In short, there was never a good time. Somewhat irritably, she grabbed her handkerchief and roughly wiped it across her face. Her eyes widened, her voice still carrying a crying tone as she berated: “What’s terrible now?! How is it terrible again?!”

“The Old Madam went to see Seventh Young Master…” Shuilian’s voice gradually grew quieter from being yelled at, her hands anxiously wringing the hem of her clothes: “She happened to run into our… our young madam. The Old Madam said a few words to her, she got angry and pushed the Old Madam. The Old Madam fell…”

He Shi shot to her feet with a start, shouting in extreme shock: “What?! How is that possible?!”

No matter how crude and ill-mannered Tong Shao was, how could she lack even this much sense and upbringing to actually dare lay hands on a sixty-year-old elder?!

“It’s true…” Shuilian was so frightened she was about to cry, timidly calling to her: “Madam, please go quickly and see. The Old Madam has been carried back now. I heard she was seriously injured from the fall, hit her head on the steps, and fainted on the spot…”

This truly was one wave after another! He Shi was so anxious she didn’t even have time to put on proper clothes, repeatedly ordering Chunmei: “Quick! Quickly take the heir’s visiting card and summon the imperial physician!”

At the same time, she told Qianju: “You go notify the heir and tell him the Old Madam has been injured from a fall, tell him to come quickly to the Old Madam’s courtyard!”

By the time she rushed over, the servants in the old madam’s courtyard were already in complete chaos. Even the senior maids who usually were most favored by the old madam were all huddled to the side, only knowing how to shed tears.

He Shi was both anxious and angry. Seeing this situation, she couldn’t help berating them: “Are you all dead people?! The Old Madam values you so much usually, and you didn’t know to block her?!”

Shuisheng felt so wronged her eyes immediately reddened. She turned her head to reveal the wound on her face that was deep enough to see bone, crying in a voice that had completely changed pitch: “Madam! If this servant hadn’t blocked, the Old Madam probably wouldn’t even be a whole person anymore… The young madam is truly too unreasonable…”

She had only accompanied the Old Madam to go check on Seventh Young Master, hadn’t even entered the door, yet Miss Tong insisted on saying she had a seductive, fox-like appearance and was trying to seduce Seventh Young Master. Though it looked like she was pushing the Old Madam, in reality it was clearly directed at her!

He Shi was dumbstruck. After a long while, she sighed in resignation, exhaustedly waving her hand: “You go down first… Have Nanny Liu take a look at that wound… These few days you don’t need to come serve. Go home and rest for a while…”

She leaned against the doorframe, feeling somewhat dizzy. After a long moment, she steadied herself while supporting her head, then heard that Shen Xiaohai had arrived.

Shen Xiaohai had always been attentive toward his parents—even if he weren’t naturally attentive, he had to be. His mother was the only one who could speak to Consort Dowager Zhuang in the palace. Shen Huiyi being granted the title of princess and being able to go on the marriage alliance was all thanks to the blessing of Consort Dowager Zhuang helping Shen Huiyi become the Ninth Princess’s study companion back then.

He rushed over in great haste. Hearing that they hadn’t yet summoned an imperial physician, and seeing the bloody hole on Old Madam Shen’s head, he nearly fainted on the spot. Pointing at those maids, he couldn’t say a single word. After a long while, he turned to berate He Shi: “What use are you?! You couldn’t even protect Mother…” As he spoke, he covered his mouth to prevent air from whistling through when he talked—his teeth hurt terribly.

He Shi only felt utterly wronged, tears falling with a splat: “You’re blaming me?! If I could control that girl, would I have been forced into this state? I said from the beginning that girl was ungrateful and didn’t know what’s good for her…”

Seeing He Shi starting to rehash old grievances again, Shen Xiaohai impatiently waved his hand: “What’s the use of saying all this now?! Where is she?”

He Shi knew he was asking about Tong Shao. She felt so stifled she could almost vomit blood. Grinding her teeth hatefully, she said: “She probably realized she’d caused a huge disaster and has already left.”

What betrothed bride from any family would be like Tong Shao—good one moment, bad the next, coming up with one scheme after another? Just the day before she’d been fighting with Shen Qingrang like mortal enemies, yet the next day she’d shamelessly sidle back up to him. After being well-behaved for a few days, she’d cause another disaster. No one could withstand being tormented by her like this. He Shi felt she was about to be driven mad.

Duke Yingguo’s household had now become another Marquis Wuning’s household—their people came and went as they pleased, without even needing to give notice. The mistress had committed such a grave offense, yet hadn’t left behind even one capable servant to smooth things over.

This clearly showed they didn’t put Duke Yingguo’s household in their eyes at all, much less took the matter of the old madam being pushed by Tong Shao and falling unconscious seriously. Shen Xiaohai’s tooth began to ache faintly again, and the humiliation from that day resurfaced in his mind—Tong Shao’s violent and crude behavior was hereditary. Looking at her grandfather and uncle who would strike people without a second word, how ladylike could she possibly be? Marquis Wuning’s household was simply a whole nest of bandits and brigands!

He felt utterly dejected and despondent. He kicked over the charcoal brazier and raised his voice to tell people to hurry and urge the imperial physician to come faster.

If Mother died, not only would he have to observe three years of mourning, but Shen Qingrang’s position would also be ruined…