Madam Shen was horrified. "Yang'er, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Shen Zhi slammed his hand against the armrest and sprang to his feet. "You ungrateful son! Say that again!"
System 615: [Host, you seem to be acting a little out of character. Perhaps you should take back what you just said?] [-Let me ask you: did the original owner hate his scumbag father?] [Yes.] [-Then let me ask you again: did he hate the Shen Residence's restrictions and family punishments?] [...Yes.] [-Good. In that case, with Madam Shen backing him up, even packing his bags and leaving overnight wouldn't be out of character, would it? After all, he was very good at making his position clear in front of Madam Shen.] System 615: [...]
Something seemed wrong, but it couldn't pinpoint the problem.
Shen Yangge said, "I said, since you think so little of me as your son, strike my name from the ancestral register. Whether I'm here or not makes no difference to this family anyway. Wouldn't you agree, Father?"
Although Shen Zhi had wanted to do just that for a long time, he had always valued his reputation above all else. Hearing his own son say this left him feeling humiliated, and he snapped:
"You ungrateful son, what kind of nonsense is that? Do you really think I wouldn't dare? Do you think you'll have a better life after leaving the Shen Residence? Let me tell you, without the Shen Residence, you're nothing!"
Shen Yangge nodded.
"You're right. Mother raised me all these years using her dowry. She never took a single extra coin from the Shen Residence. She may not say anything, but I know you look down on her too. Since we all dislike one another, we might as well part ways and go our separate paths."
"From now on, I'll support Mother. Whether you live or die will have nothing to do with me."
Furious, Shen Zhi grabbed something nearby and hurled it at him, only for a man in black to leap down from the rafters and block it.
Startled, he demanded, "Who are you? Why were you up in the rafters of the Shen Residence?"
The man in black replied, "The second young master's personal guard."
"...I remember you. You're one of the crown prince's men."
Shen Zhi declared this with certainty, then glared viciously at Shen Yangge. "Fine. You said it yourself. Pack your things and get out of the Shen Residence right now. From this day forward, you are no longer a young master of this household, and your mother is no longer its madam."
"You make it sound like you're throwing us out. Lord Shen, my mother is sick of you, and I'm disgusted by a man who isn't fit to be a father yet insists on wielding a father's authority. Once we leave, I'll find my mother someone ten, even a thousand times better than you."
Shen Zhi was beside himself with rage. He pointed at him, taking a long time to force out the words. "You ungrateful-you ungrateful son! Get out!"
[-We can't stay at the Shen Residence any longer. Shen Zhi probably already intends to throw his lot in with the seventh prince. He only agreed to let Mother and me leave because I've sided with the crown prince.]
He was afraid that his son's relationship with the crown prince would later interfere with his interests with the seventh prince. A father like that was better discarded, but the original owner's mother was someone he still wanted to keep.
He had to make proper arrangements for the original owner's mother to do right by the person whose body he was using.
Returning to the present, he helped Madam Shen back to her quarters to pack.
Madam Shen's eyes were red. "Yang'er, your mother is useless."
Shen Yangge sighed.
"Mother, you've suffered all these years. Don't worry. As long as I'm here, I won't let you suffer, even after we leave the Shen Residence. I still have my salary. Besides, I work at the Eastern Palace. If the crown prince is pleased, he might even reward me with a thousand taels of silver."
Madam Shen dabbed at her reddened eyes with her sleeve, then reached out to stroke the hair at Shen Yangge's temple, her heart aching for him.
"I know you're a good boy. I don't care what others say about me. As long as you're doing well, I'll be content."
Shen Yangge opened his mouth, but for a moment, he couldn't think of anything to say to comfort her. For the first time, he even wavered in his resolve to return home through death.
But it lasted only an instant. The original owner's death could not be changed, and he had no right to keep occupying this body and enjoying the love of the original owner's birth mother.
"Mother, let's go."
Mother and son took some belongings with them. Several maids and Wucai packed plenty of things as well and followed behind. Their indentures were all in Madam Shen's hands, so wherever she went, they had to follow.
The day they left the Shen Residence, the sky was clear for miles.
Shen Yangge first settled Madam Shen at an inn, then prepared to ask around the capital about a suitable property to buy and settle in.
After half a day, Shen Yangge finally found a house at the southernmost end of the capital. It was a courtyard residence. Although it had stood empty for a long time and some of its furnishings were rather old, it was spacious enough to fill with new things.
Because he was moving out, Shen Yangge had requested leave from the man in the palace. The other party had approved it without making things difficult.
That afternoon, after paying and receiving the deed, Shen Yangge brought Madam Shen to their newly purchased home. He was fairly thorough and took the maids and servants along to buy the many things they needed.
As for money, the original owner had previously received a reward from the emperor amounting to several hundred taels. Together with some of Madam Shen's dowry, it was enough to cover their purchases for now without putting them under any financial strain.
But this would not work in the long run. He had to think of a way to earn money.
After much consideration, Shen Yangge decided to wait a while before making any plans. Otherwise, the people of the Shen Residence would undoubtedly try to trip them up.
Watching its host doze in a bamboo chair, System 615 spoke up: [Host, perhaps you could enjoy yourself a little in the time you have left. This world is quite nice.]
It was summer, and the weather was hot. The youth wore thin clothes for lounging at home, his slender body as pale and delicate as a sheet of rice paper untouched by ink. Beneath the shade of a tree in the courtyard, scattered flecks of sunlight covered his fair, rosy face.
From a distance, he looked asleep.
Even the cicadas in the tree seemed to soften their cries at the sight of his sleeping face.
He turned over, and the summer breeze lifted his top, exposing his pale, lean, flat belly.
Faint red marks from the bamboo chair lingered at the side of his waist.
"Lord Shen, the crown prince summons you to the palace."
The voice came from the tree, thoroughly ruining the mood. Shen Yangge opened his eyes. "I distinctly remember requesting leave today, and His Highness approved it."
The man in black leaped down from the tree. "Please accompany me to the palace, Lord Shen."
Shen Yangge was utterly speechless. He even cursed that bastard crown prince countless times in his head, but a royal command could not be defied. He changed his clothes and followed the man in black to the palace.
[-**Crown prince, you'd better kill me, or I'll keep cursing you.**]
Since he hadn't bought a carriage, Shen Yangge could only hire one to take him to the palace, and the price was far from cheap. Silently mourning his silver, he turned to the man in black. "You said you're my guard. Does that mean I can order you around too?"
The man in black raised an eyebrow. "Of course, Lord Shen."
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