Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 262 - 260

Coming out of the palace, it was already at sunset, with the horizon filled with the glow of twilight.

It was stiflingly hot inside the carriage, so Xiao’er lifted part of the curtain, looking at the hustle and bustle on the street, and letting in some fresh air.

The weather in May was already oppressively hot, she wondered how she would get through July and August.

As the carriage passed an alley, Xiao’er saw two familiar figures.

"Stop!" Xiao’er hurriedly told Zhao Yong.

Although Xiao’er called for a sudden stop, Zhao Yong was not surprised at all, as if he had been fully prepared to follow Xiao’er’s orders.

With a light "whoa", the carriage came to a steady stop. Neither Mrs. Liu nor Xiao’er had the inertia of leaning forward due to the sudden halt.

The people sent by Shangguan Xuanyi were really different, they could even make an emergency stop with the carriage smoothly.

"What’s wrong?" Mrs. Liu looked at Xiao’er curiously.

"Mother, I saw someone I know. Please wait for me for a moment."

"Who is it?" Mrs. Liu lifted the curtain and looked outside, but she didn’t see anyone familiar.

"The daughter of the person I’m planning to hire has run into some trouble. Please wait for me in the carriage, Mother." Xiao’er quickly jumped down from the carriage after saying these words.

Xiao’er retraced her steps to the alley and sneakily peeked at the two people inside.

The pregnant woman standing at the entrance was indeed Shen Bao’er.

And the woman standing opposite her was Lin Yan, the daughter of Master Lin, the jeweler she had personally invited to work in her store three times, who had refused each time.

"I’m telling you the truth today so that you can give up. Do you think Young Master Li will really fancy you? You should look in the mirror and look at yourself! You are as black as charcoal, it’s nauseating to look at!" Shen Bao’er was fanning herself with a fan while circling around Lin Yan, "Young Master Li is approaching you for your jade carving skills. Now that you have passed on your ancestral craft to our people, you are no longer useful."

"I want to see him! Call him out! I’m going to ask him!" She had finally waited for him to leave the mansion and followed him all the way here, today she was going to find out the truth no matter what.

"What are you going to ask? Whether he has true feelings for you? Or does he want the child in your womb?" Shen Bao’er laughed lightly, "I’ll tell you now, he approached you for your ancestral craft and there were never any true feelings. As for the child in your womb, it’s not Young Master Li’s at all. Do you really think Young Master Li would lower his taste to your level? You’re totally overestimating yourself."

"No! It’s not true! You’re lying, I don’t believe it. You don’t know anything, I want to see Young Master Li and ask him in person!" Upon hearing this, Lin Yan’s face turned pale, she shook her head vigorously and her hand touched her belly with disbelief on her face.

"I don’t know? Well, let me ask you, did you see with your own eyes that the man that night was Young Master Li? Weren’t your eyes covered? That man was just a random john we found from a brothel! By the way, let me tell you how I know all this, because it was my idea." Shen Bao’er leaned into Lin Yan’s ear and said these last words.

"You venomous woman! You won’t die a good death!" Hearing this, Lin Yan, furious, reflexively slapped Shen Bao’er.

Shen Bao’er’s maid, seeing what was happening, hurriedly stepped forward and pushed Lin Yan back!

"You dare to hit me! Xiaoling, give her a slap in the mouth!"

"Stop it!"

As soon as Xiao’er saw Lin Yan raised her hand, she knew something was wrong, she rushed forward and grabbed Lin Yan who was about to be pushed to the ground.

As soon as she slapped Shen Bao’er, Lin Yan already seemed to have lost strength.

"It’s you?! Shen Xiao’er, I advise you to mind your own business!"

"I would never interfere with your affairs, but Miss Lin is my friend. I came to take her away! Her parents are looking for her everywhere." I hate to see you again in this life, why would I meddle in your affairs!

"Humph! It better be that way! And tell her father to keep an eye on her, don’t let her go everywhere trying to find the father of the illegitimate child in her belly. If people found out about her indecent behavior, she would be punished by being submerged in a pig cage." Shen Bao’er, touching her burning face, spoke venomously.

"If she were to be dunked in a pigsty, wouldn’t you care?" Xiao’er scornfully glanced at her stomach, "Miss Li, let’s go, your parents are waiting for you at home." Xiao’er took Li Yan and set off.

Shen Bao’er cast a venomous look at them and returned to her room.

Li Yan, dumbfounded, allowed Xiao’er to guide her and help her onto the carriage.

Mrs. Liu noticed the dazed expression on the girl Xiao’er brought and hastily helped Xiao’er settle her down, "What’s wrong with this girl? Doesn’t she feel well?"

Xiao’er shook her head at Mrs. Liu, signaling her to discuss it once they returned home.

First, Xiao’er delivered the person back to Liuyue Lane.

She supported a dispirited Lin Yan, and knocked on the door of the Lin family.

Mrs. Lin, the wife of Lin the silversmith, opened the door. Seeing her daughter’s distraught state and tear-stained face, she was taken aback!

Xiao’er only mentioned that she saw Lin Yan arguing with someone at the end of the lane and decided to escort her home.

As for why they were arguing, Xiao’er did not say, leaving it for Lin Yan to explain herself.

Family disgrace should not be aired in public. As an outsider, she would only increase their mutual embarrassment by speaking of it.

Besides, she was eavesdropping at the time, it was better to pretend she knew nothing.

When she returned to the mansion, it was already dark. Shen Chengyao, holding Xi’er and accompanied by the Jing brothers, was anxiously pacing at the mansion gate. He had already sent someone to inquire at the palace gate and found out that Mrs. Liu and her group had left the palace a long time ago. He wondered what had happened as it was quite late and they hadn’t returned yet.

Seeing the familiar carriage appear in their field of vision, they all let out a sigh of relief.

After placing Xi’er down, Shen Chengyao helped Mrs. Liu off the carriage: "Why are you so late? Didn’t you leave the palace early?"

"We were delayed by an incident on the road, we’ll talk about it inside."

Shen Chengyao, after helping Mrs. Liu out of the carriage, proceeded to help Xiao’er.

"Mother, Xi’er missed you. Next time, take Xi’er to the palace with you!" As soon as Mrs. Liu was steady, Xi’er immediately pounced on her.

"Alright, I’ll take Xi’er to the palace next time." Mrs. Liu promised, holding Xi’er and smiling. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

After dinner, Xiao’er finally narrated the earlier incident.

"To cheat someone out of their family craft, they would commit such atrocious acts, it’s utterly inhumane." Jinghao felt extremely relieved that they no longer had any connections with them.

"How did Bao’er turn out to be such a..." vile person.

Mrs. Liu did not voice the last three words, but everyone understood.

"Shen Bao’er has always been like this, perhaps this is her true nature." Jingrui didn’t even want to call her cousin anymore and addressed her directly by her name.

In Jingrui’s eyes, every member of the main family was capable of anything for their personal gain.

With such a nature, there’s no question of how she turned out like this.

"Regardless of what she’s like, Xiao’er, you must avoid her in the future." Shen Chengyao advised, frowning.

She could commit such acts just to learn a craft. Now, they are far from their past days, with greater family and business stakes. Even when they had nothing before, they were calculating. Now, they can’t afford a single mistake. Who knew what might happen if they got involved, it’s better to distance themselves from such relatives.

Having been in the Imperial Capital for long, Shen Chengyao had heard of all kinds of underhanded deeds. He knew now that in front of power and interests, brothers could become enemies, and relations could be colder than strangers. He had learned to be wary.