Chapter 51: Starting with Lady Moon

The meeting was set for three days later, leaving some time to prepare.

“How are Hanfeng’s arrangements going?”

“All the people have been found; we’re just waiting for your instructions.”

Shen Qingyun nodded, then turned to Zhenzhu. “Let’s go. Come with me out of the residence.”

Zhenzhu noticed something unusual in Shen Qingyun’s expression, and asked uneasily, “Miss, where are we going?”

Shen Qingyun’s eyes curved in a smile. “Naturally, we’re going out to watch a good show.”

Zhenzhu felt a chill behind that smile, but pursed her lips—so long as her mistress was happy, it was fine.

The two left by the back gate. Hanfeng had already rented a carriage and was waiting. With Hanyu and Hanfeng accompanying them, there was no fear of lacking guards. The carriage looked completely ordinary from the outside; no one would guess which young lady might be sitting within.

Shen Qingyun and Zhenzhu made their way to Pipa Street and chose a window-side seat on the second floor of a small teahouse, waiting for the spectacle to begin.

Before long, shrill screams and cries from a woman sounded from the courtyard at the corner of the alley.

A middle-aged woman’s curses carried across the distance: “Sun Zhiyuan, you promised me you’d never stray, promised to treat me well all my life—that’s why I married you. And now look! You go off to prison, leaving me and our child alone, and all our money is spent on this filthy woman!”

“I regret it so much! I suffered with you through hardship, finally saw you made steward, and just when life was getting better, you embezzled for this wretch! How noble of you, taking all the blame yourself, leaving our property confiscated, letting this harlot live in comfort while my child and I are left to starve!”

Her curses and cries finished, and a crowd gathered at the gate, everyone pointing and laughing at the commotion.

The woman began wailing again: “Everyone, judge for me! Look at my hands, my face—do I look like I’m in my forties or fifties? This wretch keeps herself so well—it’s all my man’s money!”

At that, another round of shrieks and scuffles sounded from the courtyard. Soon, a middle-aged woman dragged Yueniang out by the hair.

From their vantage point, Shen Qingyun and Zhenzhu could see everything happening at the gate.

The woman was fierce and strong; Yueniang was no match for her and was thrown to the ground, pinned tightly beneath her.

As for Yueniang’s maids and servants, Hanfeng had already knocked them out quietly—none of them came to her aid.

The crowd formed a circle and began to discuss.

“Oh, I always said, this woman dresses indecently, has no family, lives here alone, waited on hand and foot—wasn’t I right?”

“Yes, yes, I’ve seen that steward many times.”

“Don’t even mention it. For several nights, I’ve seen a man slipping in and out of her courtyard.”

“I live next door—oh, the sounds at night! So lascivious! I was embarrassed to listen, and my husband blushed to his ears. She’s truly a shameless hussy.”

On and on, the crowd’s gossip grew, until they spoke as though they’d witnessed Yueniang’s affairs in person.

The woman, fueled by these words, grew even more aggressive: “I’ll beat you to death, you man-stealing wretch!”

She yanked Yueniang’s hair, slapping her cheeks until they swelled red and puffy. Pinned beneath her, Yueniang could only wail in pain.

When the woman saw Yueniang still trying to resist, her fury mounted. Eyes red, she tore at Yueniang’s clothing: “You love seducing men, do you? Today, I’ll let you seduce to your heart’s content!”

Summer gauze was thin and fragile—even though Yueniang struggled, her shoulders were soon exposed with a rip, revealing a yellow embroidered corset beneath.

The men in the crowd were transfixed by the sudden display—fair, plump flesh, most of it exposed.

Some women, seeing this, cursed Yueniang for her wantonness and dragged their husbands away. More, however, took advantage of the moment to gawk openly, some even clicking their tongues in lust.

Most of the women in the crowd watched with schadenfreude. Many hated such mistresses and joined in, pinching and kicking Yueniang, eager to vent their own suppressed resentment.

Yueniang was overwhelmed with grief and rage, but the pain rendered her incapable even of fainting.

“I have nothing to do with Steward Sun, ah! Don’t hit me… please… ah, you madwoman! You’re all mad! No wonder you can’t keep your men!”

At first, Yueniang tried to curse back, but soon begged for mercy through her tears.

Zhenzhu was stunned by the scene.

“Miss, who is this Steward Sun? Is he the one from the jewelry shop? His wife is really fierce!”

Shen Qingyun smiled and nodded. “His wife took my silver—she’s making sure to do the job well.”

After Shen Qingyun uncovered the matter at the jewelry shop, Shen Zhifeng abandoned Steward Sun, sending him to prison for embezzlement.

They hadn’t dealt with Yueniang until now, waiting to locate Steward Sun’s wife and child and let them handle it.

That woman was struggling to get by and in desperate need of money, and she’d long despised the seductive Yueniang—no one had anticipated she’d be so ferocious.

Since Yueniang loved being a mistress so much, the woman was sure to cement her reputation.

Suddenly, Zhenzhu pointed to a carriage at the entrance to Pipa Street. “Miss, that looks like the Duke’s carriage!”

Sipping her tea, Shen Qingyun glanced over at a leisurely pace. Sure enough, a carriage bearing the emblem of the Duke Shen’s household was parked there.

“You have sharp eyes,” she said, tapping Zhenzhu’s head with a smile, curious to see what Shen Zhifeng would do.

The commotion was so loud that the carriage driver approached the chaos, perhaps asked what was happening, then saw Yueniang being beaten and hurried back to report to Shen Zhifeng.

The carriage remained silent for a long time, while Yueniang’s cries continued. After a while, the carriage turned around and left.

Zhenzhu stared in shock. “Miss, is the Duke really just going to ignore this?”

“As expected,” Shen Qingyun sneered. Shen Zhifeng was the sort of man who turned his back without hesitation, caring only for himself. In such a humiliating situation, he’d never risk getting involved.

If it came out that Yueniang was actually his mistress, it would be a disaster.

Besides, with the rumors so detailed and vivid, who knows if his suspicious nature might lead him to believe Yueniang really was involved with the steward?

That would make things all the more interesting.

“Miss, with Steward Sun’s wife making such a scene, will there be any trouble?”