Chapter 378: Keeping A Woman Outside
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
After discovering that Master had a woman outside, she immediately sent someone to deal with her.
When Master came back, he only lost his temper in the study but did not kick up a fuss with her.
However, their relationship as husband and wife had been estranged ever since.
Due to this, she went to the palace to look for the Empress.
She thought that the Empress would help her, but to her surprise, the Empress said that Master was already the Prime Minister and that things were different now. Since Master did not bring her into the residence, she should try to turn a blind eye.
At this moment, she realized that perhaps, the Master had never been sincere to her.
The true feelings he showed earlier were all methods that he had no choice but to use in order to climb up.
With the Jia family and the Empress in absolute power, perhaps everything could be as before.
However, when the Master held power and had the authority to talk to the Jia family and the Empress, the Jia family and the Empress would not become enemies with the Master for her sake.
In fact, they would even help him persuade her to give in and endure.
This was the reality…
In the end, she chose to endure. She turned a blind eye to the Master’s extramarital affairs.
Eventually, she didn’t even bother to inquire and investigate anymore.
As long as the woman didn’t enter the residence, everyone would maintain their superficial acts.
This was how she had lived these few years.
She gradually shifted her thoughts from the Master to her daughter.
However, now, her daughter had abandoned her and the Prime Minister’s residence for a poverty-stricken rascal. How could she not feel heartache?
And there was the Master himself. She thought that even if Master might bear a grudge against her for what happened before, he would not vent his anger on their daughter.
To her surprise, he was so ruthless. He actually forced his daughter to jump off the cliff.
He even ordered that if his daughter was still alive, she was not allowed to return to the Prime Minister’s residence.
Her Rong’er had been pampered and doted upon since she was young. If she was not allowed to return to the Prime Minister’s residence, how could she survive outside?
Therefore, this time, she could not tolerate it anymore.
For her daughter’s sake, she had to fight for it!
Minister Shen’s expression was sullen.
Ever since he gained power, what he hated the most was people bringing up his past to talk about him.
Back then, if he hadn’t been forced by his father-in-law, and because he had no way to embark on an official’s career, he wouldn’t have approached the eldest daughter of the Jia family.
In order to win the Jia family’s trust, he disregarded his dignity as a man and became the laughingstock of all the courtiers in the Imperial Court.
Even though he had secured the position of Prime Minister and those people did not dare to laugh at him outwardly anymore, behind his back, there were still people who laughed at him for relying on women to rise to the top.
As his interests were in line with the Jia family’s interests, he continued to swallow his pride and did not change his attitude towards his wife at home.
However, this time, the daughter she gave birth to had brought such a huge scandal to the Prime Minister’s residence and to him.
As if this wasn’t enough, she was actually making a fuss with him now and even brought up the Jia family and the Empress.
Did this woman really see him as the poverty-stricken scholar who was bullied by anyone back then?
“With regard to what I promised Father-in-law and the Empress, 1 have never gone back on my word.
“But if you don’t know what’s good for you, 1 don’t mind going back on my word.” When he uttered these words, Minister Shen’s eyes had already emitted an ominous chill.
Mrs. Shen staggered and almost fell.
In the face of Minister Shen’s icy gaze, her face turned pale and she didn’t dare to say another word eventually.
“Hmph!” Minister Shen gave a scornful snort, flung his sleeves, and strode out.
Mrs. Shen’s legs went weak. The nanny beside her could not support her in time, and Mrs. Shen finally collapsed to the ground.
Just as the nanny was shouting worriedly, the servants came forward to bring Mrs. Shen back to her courtyard.
The nanny was about to reprimand them when she was stopped by Mrs. Shen.
“Help me… back to my place…” Mrs. Shen said in a trembling voice.
Now, Master was so furious that he was not even willing to maintain a superficial relationship with her anymore.
If she continued to go against Master, not only would she not be able to save Rong’er, but she would also get into trouble. It might even implicate the entire Jia family.
If something like that really happened, the Jia family and the Empress would not protect her.
How tragic… She was a true member of the Jia family, the Empress’s biological elder sister. Yet, in their eyes, she was not as important as the Master, an outsider.
The nanny looked worried, but in the end, she still helped Mrs. Shen up.
Under the escort of the servants, they slowly walked toward the rear courtyard.
At the same time, in Qin Xiaoyao’s manor on the outskirts of the capital.
Qin Xiaoyao saw Shen Rong and Meng Xuan, who were supposed to be dead.
That was right. Song Rui didn’t betray the two of them that day. He had set up protective measures less than ten meters below the cliff in advance.
That day, after the two of them jumped off the cliff, they fell into the large net that had been set up in advance.
Thereafter, Song Rui found an opportunity to secretly send the two of them to this manor.
After arriving at the manor, the two of them did not step outside, so they still did not know the situation in the capital.
Qin Xiaoyao had heard the rumors circulating among the people in the capital and learned that Song Rui had settled this couple in her newly-bought manor. How could she sit by idly? She immediately came to the manor to check on the situation.
When she met Shen Rong, Qin Xiaoyao was slightly stunned. Then, she felt relieved.
She had previously thought that the Young Miss of the Prime Minister’s residence was really a stunning beauty, but now it seemed that she was only so-so.
It seemed that her identity as the precious daughter of the Prime Minister’s residence had given her an additional halo.
As for that Meng Xuan, he was indeed quite handsome, but he was far from being comparable to her husband.
Qin Xiaoyao had a better impression of Shen Rong when she thought about how she still chose Meng Xuan over her husband despite these circumstances.
“Young Miss Shen and Young Master Meng can just stay here in peace. Qin Manor is my territory. No one dares to barge in,” Qin Xiaoyao said magnanimously.
Now, she was completely at ease.
Her husband did not lie to her. He really did not need to marry Shen Rong anymore.
Shen Rong and Meng Xuan exchanged glances.
Meng Xuan quickly stepped forward and cupped his hands at Qin Xiaoyao.
“Thank you, Lord Marquis!
“Rong’er and I have imposed on you.”
Qin Xiaoyao smiled.
“Young Master Meng, don’t mention it.
“You two are friends of Young Master Song, so you are also my friends.
“Henceforth, all of you can stay here without worry. However, if you need anything, you can tell the caretaker in the manor.”
The two of them looked at each other again, and their eyes were filled with gratitude as they looked at Qin Xiaoyao.
At this moment, Shen Rong stepped forward.
She bowed to Qin Xiaoyao gracefully.
“I wonder how Young Master Song is doing on his end?” she asked.
The smile on Qin Xiaoyao’s face froze.
Then, she realized that Shen Rong was probably just asking about the situation and was not concerned about her husband, so she smiled again.
“After you two jumped off the cliff, Minister Shen arranged for him to lead people to search for your whereabouts.
“Right now, he should still be making arrangements for the follow-up matters.
“When he’s done with his work, he’ll come and meet up with you two.
“In order to avoid any leaks, you two should stay here for the time being and not show your faces in public before he returns.”
The two of them exchanged looks with each other and quickly consented.
Song Rui had mentioned before that he would arrange for two corpses similar to their bodies to replace them and allow them to fake their deaths.
It was indeed inappropriate for them to show their faces now. This was to avoid being discovered and causing the plan to fail..