RWNEFE -Chapter 566 Shen Yuantang Is Granted the Title of County Lady for Saving Someone!

“The successor of Ghost Valley is challenging the successor of the Thatched Cottage. The common people are all saying it’s like immortals fighting immortals—they all want to see the excitement!” Madam Liu replied cheerfully.

Shen Yuantang, pretending to have just heard the news, said excitedly, “I wonder which one is more formidable—Ghost Valley or the Thatched Cottage?”

That Jiang Wuya had been introduced to Zhou Ruyuan by Bai Qingling. One thing the bulletin had said was indeed true—Zhou Ruyuan really had poor judgment, always mistaking worthless things for treasures.

Bai Qingling had been unbelievably foolish.

Zhou Ruyuan’s current downfall was entirely her fault.

Whenever Shen Yuantang thought about the fate of Bai Qingling and her son, she felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

“Let’s go look at the gold shop,” Madam Liu suggested. “Your second aunt has long wanted to give you a set of hair ornaments, but we never found anything suitable. The older designs were too old-fashioned and vulgar. I hear there are many new styles now, perfect for young ladies like you.”

Hu Jinyu had not come today; she was caring for her child at home. But she had already given Madam Liu the banknotes, and buying the ornaments had been Hu Jinyu’s idea.

Shen Yuantang glanced at the gold shop, calculating in her heart, and followed the Shen family inside.

With the Shen family’s current status, it could be said they stood just below the emperor and above everyone else. Once they announced they were from the Shen family, the shopkeeper immediately ordered the shop cleared.

When the other customers heard the Shen family had arrived, none dared complain. Those with boldness stepped forward to ingratiate themselves; those who did not dare simply withdrew.

“Shopkeeper, bring out your most precious hair ornaments.”

“And bring out the finest gold hairpins too—we want only the best today!”

Madam Liu was full of confidence. Even if she had come empty-handed, who in the capital would refuse the Shen family face? Even if they did not pay, no one would dare object. She was certain that with just a glance from their family, many people would offer gold and silver with both hands.

But…

They still had to pay.

Madam Liu selected two expensive sets of hair ornaments, two boxes of gold and jade hairpins and pendants, and separately chose two jade bracelets of excellent quality, spending most of the banknotes her daughter-in-law had given her.

She kept the remainder, deciding not to spend it—after all, she had walked so much accompanying them; she deserved a little errand fee.

All the purchased items were handed to Shen Yuantang. At that moment, Shen Yuantang acted as if she had just “realized,” hurriedly refusing.

“Second Aunt, how can this be? These are far too valuable—I cannot accept them!”

“Saving the children was simply my duty as their aunt. How could I accept your things?”

Others also presented gifts to Shen Yuantang.

Madam Liu smiled. “Just accept them. These are our heartfelt tokens. If you refuse, we’ll feel uneasy.”

“That’s right—if you don’t accept them, it means you look down on us!”

“Yuantang, take them.”

Shen Yuantang appeared unable to refuse and accepted them with some reluctance.

When she had lived in the Prince of Zhennan’s residence, she had already spent most of her private savings. When she left, it looked as though she brought many belongings, but in reality they were mostly clothes and keepsakes, hardly anything of real value.

It was all because she had been too foolish, placing her entire fortune on Zhou Ruyuan. Now she had lost both man and money, only benefiting others.

Zhou Ruyuan, it seemed, had proclaimed himself emperor in Jinmen and married Wang Xiangyi.

Shen Yuantang had met Wang Xiangyi before—she was not someone easy to deal with.

When she first heard that Zhou Ruyuan had declared himself emperor, she had considered going to him, but now she could only wait and see.

As they stepped out of the gold shop, someone suddenly shouted hoarsely:

“A runaway horse! Get out of the way!”

“Move aside, the horse is startled!”

People on the street fled wildly into shops. With so many people pushing, quite a few were knocked to the ground.

Children crying, people screaming, the sound of running—it all turned into chaos.

“Oh no, that child—run!”

“The carriage is heading straight toward that child!”

Gasps and screams erupted instantly.

Many people shut their eyes in fear, unable to watch what was about to happen.

“It’s alright, it’s alright—don’t cry. You’re safe now!”

Shen Yuantang’s voice rang out.

When people opened their eyes, they saw her holding the child in her arms, soothing him.

The carriage had already been stopped by the capital guards who rushed over.

“Yuantang, do you have a death wish?!”

“Who is she?”

“That’s the Shen family’s legitimate young lady—the emperor’s own full-blooded younger sister!”

“So she’s a princess—beautiful and kind-hearted, like a living Bodhisattva…”

“Child, hurry and kneel to thank the princess!”

“Long live the princess! Long live!”

Shen Yuantang set the child down and helped the kneeling people to their feet.

“I only acted on instinct. Anyone else would have done the same to save a child.”

“Please, all of you, stand up.”

“Capital guards, quickly take the carriage away. When I return, I’ll speak to my elder sister—carriages and horses must not be driven in the busy streets anymore. It’s far too dangerous!”

“The princess is benevolent and righteous—truly a blessing to the people of the capital…”

The Shen family members, who had been frightened at first, now found themselves being praised by the crowd. They were still shaken and had not yet fully recovered.

After such an incident, they had no mood to continue shopping and returned to the mansion immediately.

“Could this have been deliberate?”

“We must inform the palace at once!”

Previously, the emperor had warned them that although the Shen family appeared powerful, many people wanted to bring them down and might attempt to harm them.

Those people were simply jealous.

…

When Shen Lanxi received the news, she immediately sent people to investigate.

That very day, the capital guards and the Dali Temple reported back.

“The street performance stall has been there for at least ten years. The carriage belongs to a merchant’s family; they had planned to go outside the city to offer incense, and the trip had been arranged several days in advance.”

“The carriage and horses are their own. We examined the fodder, the horses, and the carriage—there was nothing unusual.”

“When the carriage passed the performance stall, they were just doing a fire-breathing act. We verified that the performance always occurs at a fixed time and had not been changed.”

“It seems the horse was startled by the flames and bolted. It was an accident, not deliberate.”

The Dali Temple was the highest authority, and the capital guards had assisted; the scene had been examined three times.

Shen Lanxi accepted the result.

“From now on, riding horses or driving carriages in busy streets is forbidden. Anyone who violates this will be executed as a warning to others.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty,” Liu Yanhui said, “after saving the child, Shen Yuantang’s reputation among the people of the capital has risen greatly. Many call her a living Bodhisattva and address her as Princess.”

“I know,” Shen Lanxi replied expressionlessly.

That very night, a eunuch went to the Shen residence to proclaim an imperial decree:

“By the Mandate of Heaven… Shen Yuantang, for bravely saving the people, showing courage, kindness, and benevolence, is hereby granted the title of County Lady. Thus is the decree.”

Within the Shen family, some were pleased, some puzzled, and some secretly amused.

Risking her life to save a commoner had only earned her the title of County Lady—and without even an honorary title. What was there to be happy about?

The emperor was truly stingy—not only had she not lavishly rewarded the Shen family, she had given even her own full sister only this minor title.

It would have been better not to grant anything at all.

Shen Yuantang did not dare show her feelings and respectfully accepted the decree with thanks.

But when she returned to her courtyard, anger immediately spread across her face.