Chapter 140: The Crimson Jade's Rivalry for Favor

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The room was engulfed in silence. The servants exchanged glances, each wondering the same thing: Had Young Master Jiang lost his mind from the fall when he fainted? How else could one explain such a sudden and drastic change in his demeanor?

Coincidentally, today was a peculiar day indeed—could it be some sort of possession? The thought sent chills down their spines, and no one dared to speak. Only Pearl was about to snap angrily, but Shen Qingyun reached out and stopped her.

She had a vague suspicion and cautiously asked, “Jiang Lin, what do you mean?”

Jiang Lin frowned deeply, clearly displeased with Shen Qingyun’s tone. “Didn’t I tell you? Kneel down and apologize to Sisi immediately. If you don’t obey me, don’t expect my forgiveness.”

As he spoke, he rubbed the aching back of his head, his mind foggy and confused, unable to understand why the scene before him was unfolding like this, or how he ended up sleeping in the guest room of the Marquis’s residence. Was this some kind of dream?

“Is that so?” Shen Qingyun smiled coldly. “And what if I refuse your forgiveness?”

“What kind of attitude is this!” Jiang Lin’s eyes widened, his disgust and anger unmasked. “Shen Qingyun, I haven’t even blamed you for leaving the mansion without permission yet. Now come back to the Marquis’s residence with me. Once we’re there, I’ll teach you a proper lesson.”

“Jiang Lin, stop daydreaming. You should first understand the situation you’re in,” Shen Qingyun said with a cold gaze.

Good—heaven has eyes, delivering the enemy right before her. Yet he still foolishly hoped to imprison her in the courtyard as before. How laughable.

Shen Sisi tugged at Jiang Lin’s sleeve, looking at him with a strange expression, wanting to persuade him to stop speaking.

Jiang Lin glanced reassuringly at Shen Sisi, then spoke deliberately, word by word: “Shen Qingyun, how dare you speak to me this way? Do you believe I will divorce you?”

His face was full of certainty and pride, as if he thought these words would intimidate Shen Qingyun into hastily kneeling and begging for forgiveness.

Everyone was stunned again; the timid maids turned pale.

This was it—Young Master Jiang had truly lost his mind; he was now speaking nonsense.

Pearl clutched her belly, laughing: “Ah, Young Master Jiang, you’re truly forgetful. Where is your wife?”

She pointed at Shen Sisi by the bedside, thinking to herself that it was like a toad lusting for a swan. Two toads should just crawl back to their filthy ditch and not even dream of touching the lady.

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Shen Qingyun quietly observed Jiang Lin, puzzled as to why he had been reborn. Judging by appearances, unlike herself, this must be the Jiang Lin from the previous life at this very moment.

Shen Sisi’s face turned pale and then flushed, but she still spoke gently, “Young Master, are you feeling better? Perhaps we should return to the residence.”

Jiang Lin was somewhat bewildered but, seeing everyone’s reactions, sensed that something was amiss.

However, Shen Sisi’s gentle tone pleased him greatly, so he said no more and obediently returned to the Marquis’s residence with her.

The servants whispered among themselves but were quickly silenced by Shen Qingyun’s authority. She only instructed Han Qing to keep a close watch on the Marquis’s residence and report immediately if Jiang Lin showed any unusual behavior.

A few days later, Han Qing reported, “Miss, Young Master Jiang has not done anything out of the ordinary, but surprisingly, he has begun showing exceptional affection toward Shen Sisi.”

Shen Qingyun raised an eyebrow lightly. It seemed Jiang Lin was indeed pleased. After all, in their previous life, Shen Sisi had been the unblemished light in Jiang Lin’s heart. Now, to find himself married to her must be a revelation.

But lifetimes had changed, and how long would such affection last?

“What about Hongyu’s situation? Life must be difficult for her now,” Shen Qingyun said with a hint of sarcasm. Based on her understanding of Shen Sisi, she was sure Shen Sisi would seek retribution for past humiliations.

Han Qing nodded, “Miss, your guess is correct.”

In fact, Hongyu’s days were not just difficult—they were utterly miserable.

Under the pretense of setting rules, Shen Sisi demanded Hongyu serve her daily. When Shen Sisi reviewed the accounts, Hongyu had to kneel nearby, holding scorching hot tea with hands reddened and swollen from the burn, forbidden to spill a drop. Any misstep brought slaps across the face. After serving Shen Sisi’s meals, Hongyu was left to eat leftovers. At night, when Shen Sisi and Jiang Lin were in their chambers, Hongyu slept on the floor outside the screen, listening and waiting to be summoned at any moment.

As for the servants who once favored Hongyu, they were either sold out or punished by Shen Sisi. Everyone now understood that the household’s power had shifted. Some maids and older women, eager to please Shen Sisi, deliberately reduced Hongyu’s share.

Shen Qingyun was all too familiar with such opportunism; these servants were masters of currying favor with the powerful.

In the previous life, Hongyu, as her chief maid, had been arrogant despite being merely Jiang Lin’s concubine. She would lord over Shen Qingyun, serving her spoiled food while eating well herself, and deliberately shouting loudly at night to humiliate her.

Now, the wicked were getting their just deserts.

Yet, as if summoned by fate, a few days later, Hongyu secretly sent a message to the Marquis’s residence, claiming she had secrets about Shen Sisi to reveal to Shen Qingyun and wished to meet her.

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Pearl was utterly speechless: “Miss, she’s lost her mind. Does she really think you’ll help her compete for favor and go against Shen Sisi?”

Shen Qingyun’s indifferent eyes betrayed no emotion. “Very well. After all, she once belonged to my Jianjia Courtyard. Yicui, bring her some cosmetics and tell her that from now on, she must walk her own path.”

Yicui understood and promptly sent the message along with the gifts.

Hongyu anxiously awaited at the Marquis’s residence, and all she received was Shen Qingyun’s words and a box of fragrant powder.

Knowing Shen Qingyun’s nature, she understood there was no free gift. She suppressed her anxiety and pondered the meaning behind those words. Gazing at her blurred reflection in the mirror, she finally grasped the implications.

Confronting Shen Sisi directly would gain her nothing; she had to start with Jiang Lin.

That very night, Hongyu used silver she had saved to bribe some servants. When Shen Sisi once again called her to wait outside her chambers, Hongyu applied the fragrant powder, donned the lightest sheer gown, and seized the moment to enter the inner room.

Shen Sisi, still lost in passion, hadn’t recovered when Hongyu burst in. She yanked the blanket and screamed, “Hongyu, have you gone mad? Get out at once!”

Hongyu batted her eyes at Jiang Lin, her voice soft and innocent: “Madam, I heard you just cried out in pain and said you couldn’t bear it. I came to check on you.”

Good heavens, Hongyu might as well have said, “I’m not here to break you two apart—I’m here to join you.”

Shen Sisi was furious, nearly toppling over in rage, wishing she could strike this shameless woman on the spot. But with Jiang Lin present, she had to maintain her composure, her face darkening as she struggled to find an insult for Hongyu.

If anything, Hongyu was more uninhibited than Shen Sisi in such matters. This time, Jiang Lin, unusually, did not rebuke her but allowed Hongyu to take him away to freshen up. Rumor had it the bathroom was soaked through that night, and Jiang Lin never returned.

As for Shen Sisi, she vented her fury by smashing several vases.