RWNEFE -Chapter 587 Wu Yanzhi Breaks with Liu Mingxin!

Liu Mingxin’s expression immediately turned ugly. If the Court of Judicial Review (Dali Temple) and the Ministry of Justice intervened in this matter, then even if it were ultimately proven that their family had nothing to do with it and that it was merely an accident, the Liu family’s reputation would still suffer.

Wu Yanzhi clearly intended to make their family bear the charge of murdering a daughter-in-law.

“Prime Minister, please mind your words. If our Liu family truly wanted to harm your daughter, why would we do it in our own home? Acting in our own house would only make it impossible to clear our name.”

Wu Yanzhi thought for a moment. He still could not let this matter end so easily.

“You and I are both officials of the court and also relatives by marriage. Naturally, I trust Lord Liu and the character of your household. But to prevent ill-intentioned people from driving a wedge between our two families, this matter must still be handled impartially.”

Liu Mingxin’s face grew somewhat unsightly.

“This is a private matter between our two families. If we insist on bringing it before the court, it will be bad for both families.”

Wu Yanzhi said angrily, “Lord Liu, be careful with your words. If people with ulterior motives hear you, they might think you intend to destroy evidence and cover up the truth. My daughter cannot die without a clear explanation. Even if it was an accident, I will still investigate the root cause and make sure the fixtures in your house are reinforced properly, so such an incident does not happen again in the future!”

Liu Mingxin’s face became even darker. If he continued to obstruct, it would inevitably arouse real suspicion.

It would be better to lay the matter out openly. At worst, they would suffer some damage to their reputation—still better than truly bearing the accusation of murdering a daughter-in-law.

“Very well. You and I will go together to the Dali Temple.”

Wu Yanzhi was not at ease. Before leaving, he used the excuse of guarding his daughter’s body to leave attendants behind.

Very soon, the Dali Temple accepted the case.

Two of the most powerful figures in the Great Zhou court had personally come to report a case, and the deceased was their mutual relative, who had died in a most bizarre manner.

The matter was immediately reported to Shen Lanxi’s desk.

Shen Lanxi said, “Order the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice to jointly investigate this case. They must give both families an explanation.

“And until the case is clarified, have the two lords remain at home and cooperate with the investigation.”

Two consecutive decrees were issued, and everyone understood the Emperor’s intent.

It was simply to prevent the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice from being unable to restrain the two families. By keeping both powerful figures at home, if either side wanted to stir up trouble, they would have to consider the other’s rank.

Soon the matter began to ferment. Privately, some people spread rumors that after Wu Yanzhi’s daughter married into the Liu family, she showed no respect to her mother-in-law, slept until late in the morning every day, and mistreated the servants in her quarters, beating and scolding them at will. Some even claimed to have seen her publicly berate her husband, saying that, relying on her status as the prime minister’s daughter, she stirred up trouble in the Liu household and acted however she pleased.

Others spread rumors that the Liu family’s son frequently chased women outside the home and would not even spare the pretty young maids in the household. Wu Yanzhi’s daughter often quarreled with those women in the capital, and the couple frequently fought violently over such matters.

Whether true or false, the Wu and Liu families could never return to how things were before. They could not even maintain a superficial harmony. From that point on, they broke completely.

Meanwhile, matters on the Shen family’s side also came to an end. Shen Yuanhe returned the dowry to the Wang family, and Shen Congwen added a considerable amount of money as compensation, finally exchanging it for a document of divorce.

That was how things appeared on the surface; what agreements were reached in private remained unknown.

Although Shen Yuanhe obtained the divorce she wanted, her reputation was ruined.

Now, in the eyes of the common people, the reputations of Shen Yuanhe and Shen Yuantang were like heaven and earth apart.

Because several daughters had successively divorced and returned home, the Shen household, already lively, became even more crowded.

Fortunately, the courtyards that had been reserved for them earlier were still available, so after the Shen daughters returned, they at least had places to live.

With more people came more friction.

Zhou Xinrou was preoccupied with other matters and had no mind to manage the household. Seeing the opportunity, Shen Yuantang asked her mother for the task of settling the returning daughters.

Naturally, Shen Yuantang began by making things difficult—first withholding their monthly allowances, then canceling their provisions, and finally cutting down their food rations.

Several of the Shen daughters who had returned home suffered in silence. Fortunately, most of them still had their mothers to help them, unlike Shen Yuanhe, who had not a single coin of private savings, had no mother, and was even disliked by her father.

Fortunately, before long, Shen Yuanrui also returned home.

“Elder Sister, why don’t we go ask Grandmother?” Shen Yuanrui’s personal savings were enough to support herself and her child comfortably, but adding Shen Yuanhe made things rather tight.

“Don’t go,” Shen Yuanhe said. She had already experienced how formidable the mistress of the house could be. She was certain that if they disturbed the eldest sister over such a trivial matter, the mistress would never let them off.

“Sister, what are you afraid of?” Shen Yuanrui asked, puzzled.

Shen Yuanhe was now like a frightened bird, feeling as though every word and action of hers was being watched. Even saying a single bad word about the mistress might result in being dragged out and slapped.

“Just listen to me. I won’t harm you,” she said, both fearful and ashamed, unwilling to say more.

After returning home, the Shen daughters had to pay respects to their elders, visit each branch of the family, and present gifts to senior relatives and the children.

After all the bustle, Shen An fell ill again.

Several days passed without improvement, and the two elders of the third branch nearly turned their hair white with worry.

Fortunately, at this time, Shen Yuantang stepped forward. First she reprimanded all the daughters, then had a separate courtyard prepared for Shen An within the Shen residence and ordered that no one was to disturb him.

Only then did Shen An begin to recover. Seeing this, the uncle and aunt of the third branch directly entrusted Shen An to Shen Yuantang’s care.

Shen Yuantang could not refuse and agreed.

From then on, Shen An was properly and legitimately raised and educated at Shen Yuantang’s side.

Meanwhile…

Huang Yu had originally thought that taking down Pan Yun Mountain would be easy. Only after arriving did she realize that the bandits there were all desperate men who lived with blades at their throats. She had barely stepped into Pan Yun Mountain before she was discovered.

To cover her escape, more than half of the shadow guards she had brought were killed.

Unwilling to return to the capital in disgrace, she had no choice but to ask Zhou Xinrou for help.

“Princess, a message has arrived from the young mistress.”

In the middle of the night, the nanny suddenly woke Zhou Xinrou.

“Read it,” Zhou Xinrou said. Though her eyes were still closed, she was already fully awake.

“The young mistress encountered an ambush at Pan Yun Mountain. The bandits there are fierce and have killed most of the people she brought.”

Zhou Xinrou immediately sat up.

“Tell her to come back.”

“The young mistress says she will not return. She wants to wipe out the bandits and seize the position of Deputy Commander of the Capital Guard.”

Zhou Xinrou’s face darkened, and her aura grew as cold as an ice cellar.

“Does she not value her life anymore?”

“Princess, you know how stubborn the young mistress is.”

Zhou Xinrou took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in her heart.

At this point, there was no choice but to use the secret network.

“Send Qi Lian.”

“Your Ladyship, Qi Lian is on duty at this time. If he goes, it may expose his movements.”

Zhou Xinrou said, “There’s no helping it. Saving Huang Yu comes first.”

“Yes!”

That very night, the message was sent out. The following night, the deputy general of the nearest city garrison to Pan Yun Mountain quietly led a thousand troops into the mountain.