sjar Chapter 52: Caught in bed
Chapter 52: Caught in bed
The source of the sound left everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.
A sly glint flashed in Xie Wanru's eyes. She turned to Aunt Caiyun and Old Madam Shen with feigned surprise.
"Huh? Why is there such a strange noise coming from my room? Why don't we go take a look together?"
Filled with curiosity, everyone followed Xie Wanru inside.
As soon as they stepped inside, the scene before them shocked everyone.
Shen Nian'an and Fu Rou appeared before the crowd, their clothes disheveled and neither of them wearing an inch of clothing. They seemed to have been arguing before the crowd appeared.
Fortunately, all the women Xie Wanru invited were married women with children, not unmarried young ladies; otherwise, the matter would have been even more lively.
Madam Shen was so shocked that she couldn't speak, and her mind went blank.
Aunt Caiyun's face turned ashen; she never expected Shen Nian'an to do something so disgraceful to the family.
The ladies started whispering and pointing, and the room instantly became incredibly noisy.
Xie Wanru stood to the side, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips.
She wanted to embarrass Shen Nian'an and Fu Rou in front of everyone and ruin their reputations.
Shen Nian'an suddenly realized what was happening. He looked at Fu Rou beside him and then at the crowd around him, his heart filled with fear and unease.
How could he be here with Fu Rou...?
"Mother……"
Shen Nian'an hurriedly tried to get up, but since he wasn't dressed, he could only shrink back and cover himself and Fu Rou, who was also naked, with the blanket.
But everyone had already seen the woman beneath him; she was the relative of an old friend whom Xie Wanru had just introduced at the banquet. There was no point in trying to hide it now.
Wasn't it said that the woman was the wife of Shen Nian'an's old friend, and that Shen Nian'an took pity on her and brought her back to his mansion? How did she end up in bed with him, and in Xie Wanru's bed at that?
"mother……"
Shen Yu'er was woken up by the noise. She had seen her mother being pressed down into the quilt by her father before, but there were too many people in the room, and she was a little stunned.
Shen Yu'er's childish voice, tinged with confusion and fear, stood out starkly in the chaotic environment.
Her appearance shocked the ladies present, and added a touch of melancholy. How could these two be so anxious as to not even hide the child in the room?
The little girl rubbed her sleepy eyes, seemingly not understanding why such a huge uproar had suddenly erupted in the house overnight.
A fleeting, almost imperceptible ruthlessness flashed in Xie Wanru's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by gentleness. She stepped forward and knelt down.
Looking at Shen Yu'er gently, he said, "Yu'er, don't be afraid. The adults have something to say. You and Sister Dongzhu go play first."
Although Shen Yu'er didn't understand, seeing Xie Wanru's gentle smile seemed to offer her some comfort. She nodded, and with a maid beside her, she left the room with a puzzled look on her face.
Dongzhu then asked the other ladies to leave as well, but she did not tell any of them not to talk nonsense.
After Shen Yu'er left, the atmosphere in the room did not ease; instead, it became even more tense.
Old Madam Shen finally found her voice, which trembled and was full of disappointment: "Nian'an, how...how could you be so absurd! How can you face Wanru, how can you face the ancestors of the Shen family?"
Shen Nian'an was pale and speechless. He knew he had made an unforgivable mistake, but he couldn't find any excuse to absolve himself.
With so many people here, nothing he says is right, and all explanations are useless at this moment.
Fu Rou burst into tears, curled up in the blankets, only her eyes filled with despair showing, as if all of this was a sudden disaster for her.
She did want Xie Wanru to see how loving she and Shen Nian'an were, but not under these circumstances! So many people had seen her body and knew that she and Shen Nian'an had done this in Xie Wanru's bed. How could she ever face anyone again!
Aunt Caiyun took a deep breath, trying her best to maintain her dignity as a palace person, and ordered, "Separate these two and keep them under guard. This matter must be reported to Her Majesty the Empress and the Empress before a decision is made."
In an instant, the servants in the room were in a flurry of activity. Some went to fetch Marquis Yong'an, while others, following Aunt Caiyun's instructions, took Shen Nian'an and Fu Rou away separately.
But no one dared to inform the Emperor and Empress.
“Aunt, please rest for a while. I believe my mother will definitely seek justice for me.”
Xie Wanru helped the furious Aunt Caiyun, who knew that the two of them needed to get dressed and that she also needed to send someone from her own faction back to the palace to ask for instructions, so she went out with Xie Wanru.
"Get dressed, and hurry up!"
Madam Shen was so angry that she banged her cane on the ground.
Shen Nianqing, who always liked to kick someone when they were down, was standing under the plum tree outside, not daring to go in or leave.
She roughly learned what had happened from the people who came out. When Xie Wanru came out, she didn't dare to look at Xie Wanru, afraid that Xie Wanru would be angry with her second brother and punish her as well, causing innocent bystanders to suffer.
Before long, Shen Nian'an and Fu Rou were dressed and led back to her courtyard by Old Madam Shen. She did not let them into the house, but instead made them kneel on the ground.
There was a thin layer of snow on the ground, which wasn't bothersome, but it got wet after kneeling on it for a short while.
Madam Shen also knew that Xie Wanru needed an explanation for this matter, and the best way was to beat Fu Rou to death and throw her out along with Shen Yu'er.
And so it all came to an end.
"No, Mother! Absolutely not! If Yanzhi knew we killed his own mother, he would never forgive us. And I can't have Rou'er either. It's all my fault. I'll go and beg Xie Wanru for forgiveness. I'll serve her like a slave for the rest of my life, begging her to let Rou'er stay..."
"Snapped!"
Old Madam Shen's cane struck Shen Nian'an on the back.
"Old lady..."
Fu Rou lunged at Shen Nian'an, who had been knocked to the ground. She thought the old lady was just venting her anger, and that by doing so, she could make it seem like she had deep feelings for Shen Nian'an, and that the old lady would soften her heart.
“Madam Shen, how can you do this beating yourself? I’ve brought the palace servants in charge of punishments with me, let them do it.”
Aunt Caiyun, who had just been led away by Xie Wanru, came towards us, followed by two men who had just arrived from the palace.
If you look closely, you'll see they're all slightly hunched over; they're all eunuchs.
Madam Shen's cane stopped abruptly. Was this someone sent by the Empress?
She was so angry that she forgot to calm Aunt Caiyun down and prevent her from complaining to the Empress.
"According to custom, if someone engages in illicit relations or seduces their master, they would be beaten to death and thrown out, and no one would say a word."
Now that Aunt Caiyun has received the Empress's order, she has no more scruples.