Chapter 549 - 164: Rift_2
By the time he had left Prince Cheng’s Mansion, the sky was already completely dark.
Shen Yurong made his way toward the Shen family home. During his return at noon today, he had been interrogated by Mother Shen and Shen Ruyun, who had rushed back from Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion, about what had happened. Shen Yurong could only brush them off by saying that it had all been Emperor Hongxiao’s idea. Even so, Mother Shen and Shen Ruyun actually suggested going to Princess Yongning to plead for a change to this marriage arrangement, which gave Shen Yurong a headache.
For the first time, he seriously observed his mother and sister and realized they were not only foolish, but also, through the years of having their demands met, had developed a reckless nature. They believed that even the Emperor, seated in the highest position, could retract his declared edicts. And that Princess Yongning was omnipotent—any difficult matter, if it was brought to Yongning, could be resolved easily.
How could they be so naive, even unreasonable?
In the end, Shen Yurong had almost lost his temper before they finally quieted down. Even then, Mother Shen and Shen Ruyun acted as if the sky had fallen. It seemed to them that the current state of the Shen family was indissolubly linked to Princess Yongning and that without her, the family’s wealth would vanish instantly. As for himself, he was only valuable because of his connection to Yongning Palace.
How tragic.
Shen Yurong thought of Xue Fangfei again. He did not have the patience to reason with Mother Shen and Shen Ruyun. In the past, when conflicts arose between Mother Shen, Shen Ruyun, and Xue Fangfei, Fangfei always yielded. He thought little of it, and a few comforting words in private to Fangfei were enough for him. Only when he himself was confronted did he realize, there’s no reasoning with his own family.
It was indeed hard on her.
Thinking of Xue Fangfei, Shen Yurong shook his head; he could not help but think of her constantly. He remembered her standing under the trees gathering dewy flowers, warming tea for him on wintry days, adding fragrance to his sleeves... He once had a wife, and she was good, so good that even after her death, she still appeared before his eyes from time to time.
Shen Yurong walked slowly, and when he reached a corner, someone suddenly called his name: "Lord Shen!"
He turned around to see a person resembling a palace maid emerging from the darkness, and he recognized her—Mei Xiang, Princess Yongning’s personal palace maid.