RWNEFE -Chapter 379 People Like You, Do You Even Know What Honor Means?

The exchange at the door earlier reminded everyone in the Ji Prince’s mansion: even though Shen Lanxi was a woman, she was sent by His Majesty.

Even if they disliked the person who had dragged their household into this storm, they had to exercise some patience.

“Crown Prince, we know the purpose of your visit. But now it’s not just the court—people in the capital are talking about our Ji Prince’s mansion too. Because of Yunxue, our mansion was shamed, yet someone else is taking advantage behind the scenes. We will not bear that kind of infamy,” said the current Ji Prince, Zhou Qinian, glaring angrily at Shen Lanxi after speaking.

Shen Lanxi asked calmly, “Your Highness, when you say this, are you criticizing His Majesty’s arrangements? Or are you accusing the Crown Prince of stirring things behind the scenes?”

Zhou Rulin stiffened.

Zhou Qinian immediately realized he had misspoken. He quickly corrected himself, apologizing to Zhou Rulin: “Crown Prince, I’m not speaking about you; I meant someone else.” Then he shot another glare at Shen Lanxi.

“Oh, you mean me!” Shen Lanxi cut straight to the point, not bothering with evasions.

Since Shen Lanxi had already confronted the matter, Zhou Qinian no longer hid his intentions.

“The matter of Yunxue happened long ago. She is already dead, yet some people still use her name to make a name for themselves. They are simply unworthy of being human,” he said.

Shen Lanxi raised an eyebrow. “Is that directed at me—or at the Crown Prince?”

Zhou Qinian pointed at Shen Lanxi, scolding her sharply: “If it weren’t for you causing trouble in the hall, His Majesty would not have sent someone to investigate that old matter.”

“The Crown Prince, I absolutely have no intention of slandering you. Shen Lanxi only wants to use my daughter’s reputation to establish her image as a benevolent person in the capital. Then she will be praised by the people for vindicating her friend, while my daughter will become the subject of public scorn. At that time, our entire Ji Prince’s mansion will have been nothing more than a stepping stone for her fame.”

Shen Lanxi’s gaze was icy. “I want to ask: what grudge did Yunxue hold against you, that even after her death, you cannot leave her in peace?”

Everyone in the Ji Prince’s mansion glared at Shen Lanxi, wishing they could rush forward and stab her.

Zhou Rulin quickly intervened: “It’s a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding. There’s no stepping-stone scheme. Lanxi only wants justice for Yunxue.”

Even Zhao Zheng, who also disliked Shen Lanxi for manipulating Zhou Yunxue’s name, hoped the truth would finally come to light, to give Yunxue justice.

“Rest assured, Ji Prince. I will supervise this matter until the end. I will absolutely not allow Shen Lanxi to do anything that tarnishes the reputation of the Ji Prince’s mansion!” Zhao Zheng assured Zhou Qinian.

But Zhou Qinian was unmoved.

“Now, the people of the capital have already slandered Yunxue as a common woman of ill repute. How can I, as her father, just ignore that?”

Shen Lanxi retorted sharply: “Your ‘ignoring it’ was sending Yunxue far away in a rush after she fell into the water. Your ‘ignoring it’ was letting the people of the capital slander and trample Yunxue at will after what happened in the Western Mountains. Don’t claim it was for Yunxue’s honor, or for the Ji Prince’s mansion.”

“If you truly cared for Yunxue, for your mansion, you would have stepped forward then to refute and block those rumors. But days have passed, and I have seen no action from the Ji Prince’s mansion, nor from you as her father.”

Zhou Qinian’s finger trembled as he angrily pointed at Shen Lanxi.

“You are utterly unreasonable. Do you even know that honor means more than the heavens for a woman? I almost forgot—people like you wouldn’t know what honor is. You are willing to do anything just to return to the capital.”

Shen Lanxi’s gaze darkened as she stared at Zhou Qinian. “Just because of something called honor, you married your own daughter to a beast, causing her death in the Western Mountains—and even in death, she cannot return to the place of her birth?”

Zhou Qinian flinched under her gaze, but his tone remained firm.

“Back then, she fell into the water and was rescued by that Fang from the Western Mountains. Everyone saw them together—so many citizens witnessed them holding each other. What was I supposed to do? What about the daughters in my Ji Prince’s mansion who were yet to be married?”

Shen Lanxi pressed on relentlessly: “So you sacrificed Yunxue alone, to secure the marriages of the other daughters in the Ji Prince’s mansion, to preserve your mansion’s spotless reputation?”

Zhou Qinian was left gasping with anger, unable to counter her words.

“Shen Lanxi, how dare you force my father like this! You clearly have no respect for our Ji Prince’s mansion. Leave! Our mansion does not welcome you!” Zhou Zhuangyun, Zhou Qinian’s son, shouted, pointing toward the door.

Shen Lanxi’s eyes shifted coldly. “I am merely carrying out the Emperor’s orders, to investigate the case. If you have doubts about His Majesty’s decree, you may take them to the palace.”

Zhou Zhuangyun glared at her, seeing his father being helped to sit down. “Don’t use His Majesty to threaten me. Once inside, you provoke, accuse at every step, and criticize our mansion with every word. You know nothing—how dare you recklessly judge us? You are abusing your authority, oppressing the innocent.”

Zhou Rulin stepped in at the right moment to mediate.

“I know you all care for Yunxue. By relationship, we are all Yunxue’s family. Lanxi doesn’t want Yunxue to bear the blame, and the Ji Prince’s mansion doesn’t want her to be slandered again. It’s just that the two sides are using different methods, hence this quarrel.”

“Why don’t both sides give me face? Let’s sit down calmly and discuss things rationally.”

Zhou Rulin looked at Zhao Zheng, hoping he would help mediate.

Zhao Zheng naturally stood with the Ji Prince’s mansion, but since the Crown Prince said this, he had to give him face.

“The Crown Prince is right. Recall your tones just now—I, as an outsider, could tell that you both are really only seeking justice for Yunxue. You both want what’s best for her.”

Zhou Rulin continued: “One side is family, the other is friends—naturally, both hope for Yunxue’s well-being.”

“Since His Majesty has already issued the decree, it cannot be changed. Let’s sit down and calmly discuss the next steps.”

Zhou Zhuangyun nodded at Zhou Rulin and began persuading his father.

Zhou Rulin also comforted Shen Lanxi: “I know you act out of sentiment, or you wouldn’t be involved in this matter.”

Shen Lanxi sneered: “What use is sentiment? In the end, people still say I’m using Yunxue’s dead body for fame, so it’s meaningless.”

Zhou Rulin didn’t expect her to speak so bluntly. Feeling awkward, he continued to persuade: “The Ji Prince’s mansion is Yunxue’s family. Even for ordinary cases, the officials cannot pursue them if the people don’t complain. If the Ji Prince’s mansion refuses to pursue this matter, it will be difficult for us to investigate further.”

Shen Lanxi considered it, then reluctantly nodded.

Meanwhile, Zhou Zhuangyun had convinced his father. Zhou Qinian, citing poor health, went to rest, leaving his son in charge.

Zhou Rulin continued to mediate, glancing at Zhao Zheng. Seeing he wouldn’t leave, he proceeded with his reasoning.