Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Shen Qinglan used An Ge'er's name to cover up the temple fair matter.

He felt that Madam Shen definitely wouldn't go and confront An Ge'er anytime soon; after all, he usually behaved well, so why would his mother suddenly become suspicious?

But there's a saying: "Man plans, heaven laughs."

Madam Shen indeed didn't suspect him, but she was a smooth and sociable person.

An Ge'er was the son of a third-rank official, and his husband's family was the Grand Tutor's mansion of a First-Rank Official. Having such a close friend with powerful family connections on both sides for her own son, she naturally wanted to nurture this friendship.

Madam Shen sighed and gave instructions to her trusted elderly maidservant.

"Pick a few respectable items from my personal treasury and send them to the Grand Tutor's mansion."

"Lan Ge'er is still young and lacks consideration in his actions. An Ge'er gave him such precious gifts as the Glazed Revolving Lantern and Moonlight Cloud Brocade, yet he only thought of his own happiness and didn't think to send gifts in return."

"You must understand that no matter the relationship, it requires reciprocity and careful cultivation. This child has truly been overprotected by me. I'll have to teach him better another day."

Although she had a soft spot for her own son, Madam Shen had to admit that Lan Ge'er, due to her overprotection, was too naive and innocent, often lacking forethought in his actions.

Spoiling a child is akin to ruining them; she had to be firm and straighten out this child's nature.

Madam Shen had a carefully thought-out plan.

But when her trusted maid returned from delivering the return gifts with shocking news, her world crumbled.

"What did you say? Say that again! The one who went with Lan Ge'er to the temple fair... wasn't An Ge'er?"

Madam Shen's face paled and her voice trembled.

The maid was sweating nervously: "Yes, Madam. When I went to the Grand Tutor's mansion to deliver the gifts, An Ge'er looked a bit odd when he heard the reason for my visit, but I thought I was seeing things."

"Who would have thought that as I was leaving the mansion, I overheard some maids gossiping, saying that on the day of the temple fair, the entire Grand Tutor's family had gone to a banquet at the Crown Prince's mansion. I felt something was wrong, and after asking around, I found out... that An Ge'er had never gone out with the second young master that day!"

If the second young master wasn't accompanying An Ge'er on the temple fair day, then who was he with?

Madam Shen was usually kind and indulgent with the second young master, and wouldn't have stopped him from making friends.

So who was it that demanded such secrecy from the second young master?

The trusted maid didn't dare speculate further...

Madam Shen also realized the gravity of the situation, fought off the dizziness, and ordered in a low voice:

"Go, summon the second young master and his four page boys. Be discreet and don't alert anyone."

"Yes, Madam."

The trusted maid hastily wiped her sweaty forehead and hurried off to make arrangements.

Although the second young master was a bit of a playboy, he wasn't completely brainless. At this moment, even if he couldn't offer advice, he could at least reassure his mother.

As for Qiao Dong, Qiao Xi, and the others, when Madam Shen's trusted maid came for them, they were not entirely surprised.

Instead, they felt a weight lift off their hearts and breathed a huge sigh of relief!

The reason was simple: out of loyalty to their master, they couldn't disclose the master's secret relationship to Madam Shen. Doing so might be for the master's good, but it would still be a betrayal of trust.

A proper servant only follows orders and never acts independently.

But if Madam Shen personally interrogated them and they told the truth, then there was no problem.

After all, the master's secret relationship was indeed too serious an issue. They also didn't approve of Master Han. If Madam Shen could prevent the master from making a foolish mistake, that would be for the best.

So, when interrogated, they confessed everything unreservedly.

"...Madam, we did try to dissuade the young master several times, but he is deeply infatuated with Master Han and persists in this course. We were truly helpless and could only help cover it up as best we could."

"Madam, rest easy that no one else knows about this. When the young master and Master Han were together, we watched closely from a distance, and there was never any inappropriate behavior."

"It's just... just that on the day of the temple fair, the young master confessed his feelings to Master Han and arranged to meet him at the study the day after tomorrow. I suspect the young master... intends to confess his identity as a male daughter to Master Han."

Qiao Dong and the other three finished speaking nervously.

Madam Shen's face turned pale and then green, with blood rushing to her head, and she nearly fainted.

She had long known that Lan Ge'er was not one to behave conventionally, but she never imagined her son would be so audacious.

Secretly meeting with someone was one thing, but to think her son was the one who made the first move!

This willful child…

Madam Shen was both angry and worried.

Shen Huaizhi, however, simply couldn't believe his younger brother would do such a thing.

He quickly tried to comfort her: "Mother, my second brother is a bit indulged and daring, but he has always been obedient and restrained. This time, it must be that Master Han, seeing our brother's innocence, got the idea of climbing the social ladder and seduced him!"

"What's Lan Ge'er's worth? We all know him. How could that shrewd Xiucai Master Han not see through our brother's disguise? I think he did it on purpose..."

His younger brother was so well-behaved; it couldn't possibly be his fault.

Even if the brother was foolish, it must be because Master Han was too handsome and seduced him. It was still that Xiucai's fault.

Shen Huaizhi said coldly: "Mother, rest easy. I will investigate thoroughly. If that fellow has no ulterior motives, fine. But if he is really plotting against our Shen family, I'll make him regret it!"

"Wait... you investigate, but whatever the result, come back and discuss it with me first. Don't act rashly on your own. He is, after all, a Xiucai. We must be cautious and not careless."

Madam Shen warned anxiously, afraid her son would do something rash and hurt him or even cause a death.

In the capital, under the emperor's own eyes, even nobles and aristocrats must tread carefully. Their Shen family was only a Fifth Rank household; they couldn't have everything their own way.

"I understand."

Shen Huaizhi nodded and left with a fierce expression to find out the truth.

And then...

Then Shen Huaizhi returned with his head hung low.

Because in his investigation, Han Zhang had indeed not seduced his younger brother. He was truly a gentlemanly scholar, and it was his brother who was chasing after him!

After carefully reading the investigation report, Madam Shen couldn't help sighing softly:

"From a poor rural family, becoming a Xiucai at such a young age, and entering Xiangnan Academy to study... both neighbors and classmates speak well of him. If these findings are accurate, then this Master Han does seem like a decent man."

Although she was still angry about her son's secret relationship, Han Zhang's excellence did bring her some comfort.

This at least proved that her son, foolish as he was, had good taste.

Shen Huaizhi was still unconvinced, snorted coldly, "Regardless, this doesn't change the fact that he and my brother have been sneaking around. Though there's no evidence, I just have a bad feeling about this guy."

He's a man too—he has that gut instinct!

"Besides, people's hearts are fickle. He may seem fine now, but who knows what the future holds? Isn't Dad a perfect example? He's just a poor scholar. If my brother follows him, who knows how many years of suffering it'll take before there's any light at the end of the tunnel."

"Even if he truly has the talent to pass the imperial exams at the top of the list, he'd have to start at the very bottom and work his way up. During that time, how much contempt and unfair treatment would my brother have to put up with?"

'Marrying down' sounds easy, but the bitterness behind it is no joke.

In this world, people judge you by your clothes before they judge the person. Once a girl or boy marries, their whole reputation is tied to their spouse.

Moreover, eight out of ten of these poor scholars are the type to 'dump their faithful wife the moment they make it big.'

The Shen family is only of the Fifth Rank, and might not be able to control this son-in-law in the future.

Madam Shen herself had experienced the pain of marrying beneath her station. How could she bear to have her son taste the same bitterness?

Even if her Lan's reputation was now tarnished, he was still not someone a mere poor scholar could match.

But then—

Madam Shen furrowed her brows and sighed softly, "But you know how stubborn your brother is. Changing his mind is harder than climbing Mount Everest. Forcing them apart directly might backfire..."

"Mother, though brother is stubborn, he's not one to go down a dead-end road. We only need to set up a 'high-born noble son' for Scholar Han, and make Han change his mind... Then, no matter how unwilling brother is, he'll have no choice."

"Then, Mother can choose a perfect match for your brother—someone both talented and handsome. As time passes, these feelings will naturally fade. Surely, among all the young men in the capital, not one can measure up to Scholar Han?"

Shen Huaizhi wasn't good at studying, but he had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.

If he'd misjudged and Han Zhang had no intention of social climbing, fine.

But if Han Zhang harbored even the slightest ambition to marry into a powerful family, his 'pig-killing scheme' would go off without a hitch.

"This plan is feasible... Good, let's do it!"

Madam Shen pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

Then, the mother and son discussed the details, and that was that.

...

On the other side.

Shen Qinglan, unaware that he had already been exposed, waited until the three-day period was up, then sneaked out of the Shen residence, all eager and excited, and headed to the study to wait.

Madam Shen and Shen Huaizhi quietly followed behind, planning to catch them in the act!

Unfortunately, Han Zhang didn't play by the rules.

He simply didn't show up.

He just sent a willow branch, a lock of hair snipped in half, and a farewell letter.

"I break a willow branch to give to you—don't hold me back. At the long pavilion in mist and rain, each carries their grief alone."

"From now on, don't ask where spring returns; just let willow fluff drift with the stream."

"Breaking a willow as a gift means farewell; cutting the hair means severing ties..."

"Brother Han, what's the meaning of this? He... he clearly has feelings for me too. Why won't he come see me? Why won't he even let me see him one last time?"

"Could it be because we're 'both men'? But I told him I had something to talk through today! Why doesn't he listen? He's... he's such a blockhead, a total idiot!"

After reading the items and the letter, Shen Qinglan was worried and furious.

He was stubborn by nature. If Han Zhang had come on time today and ended things face to face, he might have hesitated. But now that Han Zhang hadn't shown up, his stubborn side kicked in.

What comes easy is never precious.

The harder it is to get, the more you want it.

"I said it—if he doesn't come today, I'll go to him himself. He held my hand and touched my face—we've already crossed that line. He wants to dump me? No way."

Shen Qinglan tore up the farewell letter and stormed off toward Xiangnan Academy: "I'm going to find him now. Let's see where he can hide!"

With that, he dashed off, his footsteps fading as he disappeared from sight.

Madam Shen and Shen Huaizhi, lying in wait in the next room to catch them in the act: ?!!!