Chapter 56: Madam, You’ve Returned

“Impossible.”

Liu Fuying closed her eyes, a sigh lingering between her lips.

“Such a significant matter cannot be presented directly. After all, it’s just a letter—there’s no guarantee it wouldn’t be turned against us, accused of being forged. Since we know who framed him, we must first investigate thoroughly. Once we have a target, we gather evidence until the other party has no room for defense. Only then do we stand a chance.”

After speaking, she pressed her lips together and fell silent for a long while.

Only after a considerable pause did she speak again.

“Even at the fastest, it will likely take months. If the other party is cunning, it could drag on for years. But the Pei Family has stood firm in the capital for so long—they’re no pushovers. With only one son, they will surely spare no effort to save him.”

“Madam…”

“Let’s return to the manor.”

Liu Fuying didn’t want to say more. The long mountain path she had walked that morning had already exhausted her.

On the way back to the manor, she fell asleep.

It was only when they reached the entrance of the Shen Family that Jin Li gently woke her. Liu Fuying then sent someone to fetch a physician. Although she was fairly certain she was pregnant, she needed the physician’s diagnosis to confirm it completely.

Upon hearing that Liu Fuying had called for a physician, Old Madam Shen hurried anxiously to Shuxing Courtyard.

As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw the physician emerging from the room with a joyful expression, congratulating her: “Congratulations, Old Madam. You will soon be holding your grandchild.”

This confirmed that Liu Fuying was indeed pregnant.

“Wonderful, wonderful… A Yin…”

The Old Madam entered the room, taking Liu Fuying’s hands and looking her over from head to toe. Even though nothing was visible yet, she felt overjoyed.

“I knew I didn’t send that boy off for nothing.”

The Old Madam’s cheerful words made Liu Fuying raise an eyebrow in amusement.

She knew Old Madam Shen was referring to sending Shen Xiunian to accompany her to Yizhou.

Thinking about it, she really had to thank Old Madam Shen for that.

Otherwise, she would have had to devise a careful plan. Suppose she returned from Xiangshan and was found to be one month pregnant—the timing wouldn’t match, since she and Shen Xiunian had been living apart that month. The child certainly couldn’t be his. If word got out through loose lips, what future would there be?

Shen Xiunian had probably considered this as well, which was why he endured everything and went to Yizhou to help her maintain the charade.

However, Shen Xiunian did it not for her sake, but for the Shen Family’s reputation.

The thought of Shen Xiunian’s stifled and helpless demeanor amused her.

That journey to Yizhou must have been unbearable for him.

A proper husband, so humbly covering up his wife’s affair with her lover—if word got out, no one would believe it.

“A Yin, you must rest well. Also, if that’s the case, should we postpone our trip to the Southern Frontier? The long journey might be too much for you. What if…”

“It’s fine.”

Liu Fuying refused outright, averting her gaze and forcefully suppressing her complicated emotions.

“The physician said my pulse is steady and there should be no major issues. As long as I rest frequently and sleep well on the road, it’ll be fine. It’s not an urgent trip anyway—we can take our time getting there.”

Since she had made up her mind, she wouldn’t leave room for regret.

It was time to end it.

Between her and Pei Zhouwu, this was always the point where the plan was meant to conclude.

Old Madam Shen gave many more reminders and only reluctantly left Shuxing Courtyard when it was time for Liu Fuying to take her medicine.

After that, Liu Fuying remained lying on the couch to rest.

She didn’t know how long she had slept when a commotion arose outside the room. It sounded as though Shen Xiunian had arrived.

She glanced up and saw that the sky outside the window had already darkened.

With a loud bang, the door was shoved open. Sure enough, Shen Xiunian stormed in, filled with rage.

“General, our Madam—”

“Get out!”

Jin Li, fearing that Shen Xiunian might harm Liu Fuying, tried to intervene but was shouted down so fiercely that her soul trembled. She looked at Liu Fuying with grievance, only to see Liu Fuying give her a reassuring glance. Nodding, Jin Li withdrew and left the room.

“Where is it?!”

Shen Xiunian strode over and stopped right before Liu Fuying’s couch.

“Don’t even think of denying it. In this entire residence, I can’t imagine a second person who would dare to smash up my study.”

“Look.” Liu Fuying lay on her side, propping her head up with her elbow as she gazed at him with a smile. “Since you’ve already guessed it was me, did you really think I’d obediently keep the things and wait for you to come demand them?”

“Did you send them to the Pei family?”

Liu Fuying didn’t answer, only raising an eyebrow dismissively in response—a tacit admission.

At that, Shen Xiunian fell silent.

He hadn’t even had time to change out of his official robes, likely having come straight to her the moment he learned about the study.

Liu Fuying noticed his sleeve twitch slightly, perhaps because his fist beneath the long sleeve was clenched tightly.

“It’s him. So it really was him.”

Liu Fuying pondered thoughtfully, trying to decipher the meaning behind his words.

What did he mean by “so it really was him”?

She had assumed Shen Xiunian would only guess that her lover outside was Pei Zhouwu when he came to interrogate her after learning she had sent the letters to the Pei family.

But judging by his words now, had he suspected something between her and Pei Zhouwu earlier?

“That day, I heard him murmuring the name ‘A Ying’ over and over in his delirium. At the time, I thought I must have lost my mind to even connect that person to you. Later, when I saw that Glowworm Wooden Hairpin, I realized the ‘A Ying’ he spoke of wasn’t you, A Ying. Yet in the end… it turns out it was all true.”

Liu Fuying brushed aside the hair on her forehead, thinking to herself, So that’s how it is.

His intuition was quite sharp—he had started suspecting her and Pei Zhouwu from that moment.

“Do you have any idea what kind of disaster this could bring upon our family if it were discovered?!”

“Go ahead, shout louder. Shout so loudly that everyone knows. Maybe the disaster you fear will come just as you wish.”

“…”

Shen Xiunian glanced back out of the corner of his eye, his anger somewhat deflated.

“You just sent that letter without a second thought—such a significant matter, and you didn’t even discuss it with me?”

“Hah.” Liu Fuying couldn’t help but sneer, staring straight at him as she added, “So, it turns out there’s still room for discussion between us?”

“You…” Shen Xiunian understood her sarcasm.

She was blaming him for not discussing the plan to move the entire family away from Shangjing with her.

“Liu Fuying, you…”

“I’m pregnant.”

“What did you say?” Shen Xiunian was shocked once again.

He had just returned from outside and hadn’t yet heard about Liu Fuying’s pregnancy.

Liu Fuying did not repeat herself a second time. Instead, she spoke with solemn gravity, “Since we’ll be leaving the capital soon anyway, as long as you don’t speak of it, no one will ever know about me and Pei Zhouwu. The letter—I’ve sent it. The child—I’m already carrying it. This matter ends here, and I won’t bring it up again. If you truly can’t bear it, then write me a letter of divorce. But… do you dare?”

He did not dare.

He still had a mother who could lose her sanity at any moment. He did not dare risk everything.

“Liu Fuying, you are truly ruthless.”

After a long silence, Shen Xiunian finally managed to force out these words through a cold sneer.

He genuinely believed she was ruthless.

Whether it was him, his mother, or even… Pei Zhouwu—no one was in her eyes. Anyone could become a tool for her to achieve her goals, and anyone could be discarded by her at any moment.

Her ruthlessness even earned a sliver of his admiration.

His fist, clenched beneath his sleeve, tightened and loosened, loosened and tightened, but in the end, he could not grasp any resolution.

He had come intending to hold Liu Fuying accountable, yet he ended up being shamed into retreat by her instead.

It seemed that in her presence, he was always at a disadvantage, never able to gain the upper hand.

Swallowing his anger, he turned his back and left her presence in disarray.

Xiangshan Bamboo Cottage.

No lamp was lit in the bedroom, with only sparse moonlight filtering through the window.

The door creaked open, and light footsteps entered from outside, slowly approaching the bed and sitting down.

Slender, warm fingers traced along the bridge of Pei Zhouwu’s nose as he slept, finally coming to rest on his cool lips. Startled awake, Pei Zhouwu opened his eyes to see the figure by his bedside and immediately sat up.

“Madam, you’ve returned.”

He reached out to embrace her, but unexpectedly, his arms closed around empty air.

This time, he was truly startled awake.

The silent room held no glow of lamplight, its stillness evoking an unbearable emptiness.

The meal on the table ahead had been sitting there since noon. He had only taken a few bites—ever since his “Su Yueying” left, even eating felt tasteless.

Sitting up, he lowered his gaze to the Glowworm Wooden Hairpin he had been clutching tightly in his hand.

“I miss you so much.”