Chapter 37: Leaving Shangjing

“I… I…”

Liu Shiyuan shook her head, waved her hands, and looked around helplessly at the crowd encircling her.

“Sister, how can you say such things? I…”

She put on an innocent expression and crouched down in front of Liu Fuying, only to see Liu Fuying recoil as if greatly frightened, staggering to her feet while leaning on the carriage and moving far away from Liu Shiyuan.

“Did you bribe my coachman too? Where has he gone?”

“Sis… sister, what are you talking about…”

“Jin Li is still unconscious in the carriage. You had someone put knockout incense in the carriage ahead of time. Why would you harm me like this? We’re both daughters of the Liu Family—what affects one affects all. If I lose face and my reputation, how will others still hold the Liu Family in high regard? How could the Shen Family ever accept the sister of someone so scandalous into their household? In the end, you just can’t stand me.”

As she spoke, Liu Fuying had to act as though her legs were weak and she could barely stand.

However, this wasn’t entirely an act.

Under the influence of the drug, she truly found it difficult to stay on her feet.

“Sister, sister, you’ve misunderstood, it’s not…”

Heartbroken and unwilling to argue further, Liu Fuying struggled to climb back into the carriage and took up the reins again.

“For any damaged property, the General’s Mansion will compensate. Just report your losses at the mansion—I won’t shirk responsibility.”

With that, she tightened the reins and sped away in a cloud of dust.

“Isn’t that the Madam of General Shen’s household, the one who’s been the talk of the town lately?”

“From the sound of it, it must be her. Her maiden name is Liu—yes, that’s her.”

News also spread from those who had gone to see the commotion in the alley: outside an opened courtyard gate lay a man covered in blood. Combined with Liu Fuying’s talk of schemes, knockout incense, and scandalous behavior, who couldn’t understand what it all meant?

“How pitiful, truly pitiful.”

“Exactly. She was already mocked and bullied by her husband’s family for having no sons, nearly driven to throw herself into a well. And now her own family…”

“No!” Seeing the tide turning against her, Liu Shiyuan shouted anxiously, “It’s not like that! Things aren’t as you think! I was… no, my sister was returning to her family home to visit someone who was ill. I came looking for her because she was late and I worried something had happened on the road. It’s not what…”

“Really? But the General’s Mansion and your Liu Family aren’t on the way here. How did you just happen to come here while searching for her?”

“Ah, let’s disperse, disperse. What’s there to say? What villain would admit to being one?”

“…”

The crowd scattered, leaving Liu Shiyuan and her people unable to defend themselves despite having many words.

“How could this happen?”

Liu Shiyuan collapsed to the ground, her body going limp as if she too had been drugged like Liu Fuying.

The incident of falling down the steps yesterday was already humiliating enough. Today… and from now on, how could she live with herself or face others?

By the time she reached the Shen Family, Liu Fuying had finally reached her limit.

The jolting of the carriage along the way had further dissipated the knockout drug in her system. Several times, she nearly closed her eyes and tumbled off the carriage board.

She occasionally pressed the knife wound on her left hand, using the pain to alleviate the dizziness, barely managing to hold on.

At the gate, her body finally gave way, and she slumped sideways to the ground.

Across the street, Shen Xiunian, dressed in his official robes, had just come out from the palace. From a distance, he saw Liu Fuying’s blood-stained clothes and her distressed state. Frowning, he quickened his pace. Dismounting as he reached the scene, he saw Liu Fuying falling and instinctively reached out his hand.

She nearly fell headfirst to the ground.

“Call the physician!”

Shen Xiunian shouted behind him while carrying Liu Fuying swiftly inside.

Though he shared little affection with Liu Fuying, she was, after all, his wife in name. Even if only for appearances’ sake in front of outsiders, he had to maintain some decorum. Moreover, if anything happened to Liu Fuying, his mother would face even greater trouble.

The physician examined her and said Liu Fuying had only fainted due to inhaling a sedative, with no serious harm done.

The wound on her hand was also bandaged, and she was now sleeping soundly.

During this time, reports came from below about the incident involving Liu Fuying on the street, which had already spread like wildfire outside.

Shen Xiunian sat quietly by the bedside for a long while, his emotions unknown.

After a lengthy silence, he uttered softly:

“I married you so you could care for my mother. I never imagined your affairs would outnumber hers.”

Listening closely, there was no trace of blame in his words.

Instead, there was a hint of regret or apology.

He knew the Liu Family’s attack on Liu Fuying today was likely because he had knocked over Liu Shiyuan in front of the Liu Family’s gate yesterday.

Truth be told, he was the one who had caused this trouble.

Yet, this young concubine-born daughter, raised in the inner chambers, had quite a wild temperament.

He heard that the man who attempted to assault her was stabbed so severely by her that he nearly lost his last breath. Even under the influence of such a potent sedative, she managed to hold on and return to the Shen Family. She was ruthless even to herself—the gash on her left arm was nearly deep enough to reveal bone.

Shen Xiunian let out a long sigh, then stood up and left.

She slept until dusk.

Liu Fuying awoke to the sound of crying. Opening her eyes, she saw Jin Li sitting by the bed, weeping uncontrollably.

Seeing Liu Fuying awake, Jin Li immediately threw herself forward, embracing her while apologizing incessantly, “Madam, it’s all my fault. I failed to protect you. I almost… almost… How could I have slept so soundly, leaving you alone to face such danger?”

“Enough.”

Liu Fuying raised her left hand, but the pain from the wound made her frown, and she lowered it again.

“This was something impossible to guard against. I didn’t react in time either. The sedative incense was likely colorless and odorless, burned in advance inside the sealed carriage. Who could have detected it?”

As she spoke, Old Madam Shen entered.

Jin Li wiped her tears, obediently stood up, and made way.

“A Yin, you’re awake. I just went to the kitchen and had them prepare many of your favorite dishes, thinking you could eat as soon as you woke up. And indeed, as soon as I returned, I saw you awake. You missed lunch too—you must be starving by now.”

Liu Fuying was still somewhat dazed, and in her haze, she seemed to see the shadow of her deceased mother in Old Madam Shen’s face.

When her mother was still alive, life was difficult, but her mother’s love by her side could overcome all the hardships in her heart.

“I’m fine.”

Liu Fuying propped herself up, pushed aside the covers, and prepared to get out of bed.

“I’m fine, Mother-in-law. Please don’t worry about me. But now that you mention it, I do feel quite hungry—my stomach is growling.”

“Well then, hurry up, get dressed, and come eat. Let them serve the dishes.”

After tidying up, they sat down at the dining table.

Old Madam Shen barely ate herself, instead busily serving dishes to Liu Fuying.

Toward the end of the meal, Liu Fuying put down her chopsticks and looked seriously at Old Madam Shen, saying slowly, “Mother-in-law, I may need to leave Shangjing for a while.”

Old Madam Shen’s expression immediately changed.

“Mother-in-law, don’t worry. I will definitely return.”

“What are you going to do then?”

“In a while, it will be the anniversary of my mother’s passing. She died while visiting my maternal grandfather’s family in Yizhou. Neither of us mother and daughter were favored by Father, and he didn’t care whether Mother was buried in the Liu Family’s ancestral tomb or not. So her remains were laid to rest in Yizhou. Since the anniversary is approaching, I wish to return to pay my respects.”

Of course, she couldn’t openly say that she was actually going to find Pei Zhouwu.