"Mother, you took too much of a risk back then!"
Shen Yu helped Madam Zheng sit down in the house, instructed the servants to bring tea, and then said, " Shen Yuan was already disloyal and arrogant to the extreme. If you had gone to reprimand him then, what if he had become even more ruthless and offended you?"
He paused for a moment, then said, "I don't know where he learned those evil tricks, but even Dean Du fell victim to them. If he had disrespected you, Mother, neither Father nor I could have protected you back then."
Looking at Shen Yu's concerned expression, Madam Zheng suddenly realized something.
Was the frightening indifference in the other person's eyes just my imagination?
But she knew very well that wasn't the case.
If she hadn't been so terrified, she wouldn't have dared to reprimand Shen Yuan Shen Yuan; his arrogant demeanor at the time was very strange.
Looking back now, it's actually quite frightening. When did that child become so formidable?
"But he... in the end, he did obey," Madam Zheng murmured.
"Yes," Shen Yu quickly replied, "It seems that the boy still remembers his mother's kindness to him; he still has some humanity left!"
"Do you remember how good I was to him?" Madam Zheng was taken aback.
Have you ever experienced this yourself?
"So, Mother, this is an opportunity!"
"Chance?"
"That fellow has become quite skilled, and incredibly arrogant. He not only disregards Father, but also the seniors of the Yin-Yang Academy. The only one he shows some respect for is you, Mother. Why don't you take this opportunity to test him?"
"Let's test the waters?"
"Hmm," Shen Yu nodded quickly, "Mother, don't you know what kind of talent that guy has had since he was a child? He's been outside for two years and he's developed such abilities. He must have obtained some earth-shattering secret. Whatever it is, what could give a lowly good-for-nothing like him such abilities? What would I do if I got it? Mother, such benefits are not something someone like him is qualified to enjoy!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Zheng was stunned, staring blankly at her child for a long time, unable to react.
Oh, I see.
So that's why that cold look in your eyes has turned into such concern?
"Mother?"
"Oh," Madam Zheng, snapping out of her reverie, "But he might not listen to me."
"Mother, you can try." The boy stood up, urging anxiously, "Those important figures outside are just testing us; time is of the essence."
Madam Zheng looked up at the other person. "You were afraid he would disrespect me just now, but you're not afraid now?"
"This is evident from what he just said; he still holds you, Mother, in some reverence."
"Respect?" Madam Zheng took a breath. "If I go now, and he no longer respects me, can you protect me, his mother?"
The boy choked.
A surge of irritation rose within him. This woman, who finally had some value, was still so hesitant and indecisive. Had the mistress of the Shen Family done all these years for nothing?
Just as he was about to speak again, a gentle voice came from the doorway. "You're quick."
The boy trembled and quickly turned around to bow. "Father."
The person who came was Shen Yan. He glanced at the boy, paused for a moment, and realized that he had been listening outside the door for some time. He had no idea that his own child was more anxious than he was.
His son's behavior was somewhat offensive to him, which made him hesitant to speak up when asked to.
"Did my husband also come to ask me to go find Shen Yuan?"
Shen Yan looked at the other person, hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded, saying, "Yes."
"Is that so?" Madam Zheng nodded. "What if I can't do it? Will you divorce me, sir?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Shen Yan frowned.
"Nonsense?" For the first time, Madam Zheng looked at the father and son with extremely cold eyes. "If it weren't for Shen Yuan's matter today, Master, you probably would have already had this thought, wouldn't you?"
Shen Yan was about to retort with "nonsense," but looking into the other person's eyes, he couldn't continue the act for a moment.
Yes, he had this idea a long time ago. It was too much of a stretch for a woman from an ordinary family to be the matriarch of such a household. Over the years, not only Shen Yu's marriage, but also the marriages of the other children had been delayed because of her.
The Shen Family has treated her well over the years, and they can't let her keep hindering the future of the Shen Family's younger generation.
"It seems so." Madam Zheng laughed, but her laughter was somewhat desolate, because she realized that not only did Shen Yan not refute it, but even her son, whom she had protected since childhood, did not show much surprise.
Clearly, the child knew she wouldn't be the mistress for long; no wonder she showed that kind of impatient look in her eyes this morning.
" The Madam Zheng," Shen Yan spoke, "If you can persuade Shen Yuan to hand over his belongings to the Shen Family, then the matriarch of the Shen Family will be yours forever. I assure you, no one can sway that decision from now on!"
"You promise?" Madam Zheng laughed until she was almost out of breath. "How many promises did you make to me when you were down on your luck? Did you ever keep even one of them?"
Back then, the head of the Shen Family family wasn't nearly as powerful as he is now. He was tormented to death by his own mistress. If it weren't for my own interest and my request for my father to propose marriage, how would he have had the chance to catch my grandfather's attention?
My father was, after all, Fifth Rank official in the capital. His initiative to ask for a son born out of wedlock always attracted some attention. This was unreasonable. My father, who had always been an upright official, swallowed his pride and did such a thing because of his own willfulness. In the end, he was despised by his colleagues as a sycophant.
How many sweet words did he say? How many promises did he make to force his father to do such a thing back then?
And the result?
After it was confirmed that Shen Yuan was unqualified, four or five concubines were immediately brought in.
"Then what do you want?" Shen Yan felt a surge of anger as he looked at the other person's incoherent laughter.
"Let me think," Madam Zheng said, her smile fading. "I am but a common woman, with limited knowledge, but I have been married into this family for quite some time now. I do know some things about you noble sorcerers, such as... spell contracts!"
" The Madam Zheng," Shen Yan frowned, "Don't go too far!!"
"Mom, you're going too far."
"You have no right to speak when your elders are speaking, get out!" Madam Zheng's face immediately turned icy cold!
Shen Yu was stunned. It was the first time he had ever seen this woman scold him like that, and he was immediately filled with embarrassment and anger.
This woman has become so arrogant after gaining a little power; she's exactly like that bastard Shen Yuan. They truly are mother and son!
"You can go out now," Shen Yan said, glancing at Shen Yu.
"Father." Shen Yu exclaimed in surprise.
"Get out of here first!" Shen Yan frowned. This kid has the talent for techniques, but he's brainless, just like his mother—stupid and unable to see the situation clearly.
"Yes," Shen Yu replied with a resentful look, giving Madam Zheng a cold glance before taking her leave and exiting the door.
When Madam Zheng saw her son's indifferent eyes again, this time she was no longer afraid. In fact, she felt that this was normal.
This kid is just like his dad!
"My conditions will not change!" After Shen Yu withdrew, Madam Zheng looked at Shen Yan: "The contract for the spell is binding. As the matriarch of the Shen Family, I cannot waver. If you, Shen Yan, violate this contract, you will have to abolish the spell!"
" The Madam Zheng!!"
"What?" Madam Zheng sneered, "Is it so hard for you to draw up a treaty? Or are you, like before, just trying to trick me into doing things for you with a verbal agreement?"
Shen Yan: "."
The two remained silent for a long time.
Shen Yan is actually quite complicated; back then, he genuinely liked Madam Zheng.
But this kind of enjoyment can't last forever!
"You are not suited to be the matriarch of the Shen Family family. You should have realized that yourself over the years. Why force yourself? Looking back now, I was too hasty. If I hadn't promised you the position of the principal wife back then..."
"You won't promise me the position of my principal wife?" Madam Zheng interrupted him with a sneer, "You, a down-on-his-luck illegitimate son, really think you were so popular back then? I'm from a scholarly family, a daughter of an official family, why would I marry an illegitimate son like you who almost lost his life as a concubine? Shen Yan, you have quite the nerve!"
"Alright!" Shen Yan's face darkened, knowing he couldn't continue the conversation with this woman, "Then let's conclude a magical treaty. You tell us how to conclude it, but you need to understand the Madam Zheng. If you can't persuade Shen Yuan..."
"So what if you divorce me?" Madam Zheng laughed. "Even if Shen Yuan hadn't come, wouldn't I have ended up the same way? What difference would it make?"
Shen Yan frowned. "You've worked so hard for my family all these years, do you really think I'd be so heartless?"
"Then what should we do?" Madam Zheng chuckled. "Take your wife down to the status of a concubine? Hahaha, I can afford to lose face like that, but my father would probably be furious with me. Shen Yan, can you really bring yourself to say that!"
"Ignorant woman."
"Ignorance is ignorance. That's all I have these thoughts now."
--
"Well done, kid."
Through the Thousand Eyes, Shen Yuan was communicating with Seventh Master Shen in the room.
"You timed your attack and retreat perfectly. At your limit, if you had held on for another five breaths, that energy would have gone berserk, so I had to act prematurely."
"I'm lucky," Shen Yuan grinned.
"It's not exactly luck," Seventh Master Shen praised. "You're very talented, not only in spell formations, but also in practical application of techniques."
"Really?" Shen Yuan blushed slightly upon hearing this. He had heard such praise many times in the past two years, and it felt like a dream.
Before coming to Jiangnan, his reputation had never been associated with exceptional talent.
"By the way, things have gone smoothly so far, but those people from the academy don't want to leave. What are your plans for the next step?"
Before Shen Yuan could speak, Seventh Master Shen suddenly said, "Someone's here."
Shen Yuan was taken aback. Through Seventh Master Shen's Thousand-Eye Technique, he saw the person who was about to arrive.
Although I had expected it, my eyes were still filled with complex emotions.