Chapter One: The Fright

  The night was deep, the sky as black as ink had not a single starlight, the mansion of the champion's family after the wedding feast was submerged in a dead silence, all sounds ceased.

  A lone lantern floated in mid-air, dimly lit like a ghost fire guiding the way ahead. A magpie carried a red wooden tray out of the kitchen and looked back at the distant Bixi Garden, where the lights were still shining brightly and joyfully. With a soft sigh, it lifted its foot and headed towards the Qingshengzhai.

  "Magpie sister is back......" Hearing the knock on the door, little maid Fugui quickly came out to greet her.

  "How's Grandma?" asked Xi Que.

  "It's been so quiet..." Fugui's eyes were filled with a hint of confusion, puzzled that the usually loud and boisterous matriarch of their household was unusually calm.

  Today is the auspicious day for Grandfather Shen Zhongke to take a concubine.

  Xinna's fifth aunt was no ordinary person, her name was Chu Xinyi, and she was the legitimate daughter of Hanlin Academy's reviser Chu Sheng. She became a concubine because she had been infatuated with Shen Zhongge for a long time.

  She was a red mate who knew Shen Zhongge before he became the champion, and they were in love. Shen Zhongge had originally promised to marry her, but unfortunately, this lady appeared out of nowhere and messed things up. Afraid of wronging Chu Xinyi, Shen Zhongge cut off this relationship with a knife.

  However, Chu Xinyi was a sentimental person and had been waiting devotedly for two years until the downfall of Shen Zhong's maternal family before he took her in with great fanfare.

  It's said to be a concubine, but except for the bride's dress not being bright red, other rituals are no different from marrying a first wife, which is equivalent to slapping the first lady of the champion mansion in public.

  It's no wonder she made a fuss, given her usual temperament.

  Glancing at the quiet eastern house, the magpie let out another sigh and instructed Fu Gui to lock the door before heading towards the eastern house.

  "Grandma's bird's nest congee is ready..." She knocked on the door again, and Ji Kuai's voice was trembling with a hint of fear, it could be seen that she too was afraid of this tyrannical master.

  After waiting for a while without any sound, the magpie made a soft noise and pushed open the door to enter, "Is Big Granny asleep?"

  The deathly silence in the room was like hell, making Xiao Wu feel a chill from the bottom of her heart. She felt her hair stand on end and subconsciously lifted her head.

  In the darkness, a human figure hung straight up in mid-air.

  A sharp, piercing crack split the night air, shattering the ancient, tomb-like silence of the Zhuangyuan Estate.

  "Oh no, oh no! The old lady has killed herself again!" As soon as she came to her senses, the magpie took off running.

  Bang, bang, after a burst of thunderous window opening sounds, just for an instant, the Mansion of the First Prize Winner returned to its previous stillness, only the shrill cries like those of a weeping cuckoo killing pigs still lingered in the night sky, lingering on and on.

  "...I said, the master married Fifth Madam with full ceremonial rites, how could she not make a fuss?" Eldest Madam Yang Feng took over the tea from little maid Du Juan and sipped it lightly, sneering, "It's just unknown whether Master will be deceived by her again this time." Recalling that when she was newlywed, Eldest Madam had used the trick of attempting to hang herself to bully the groom, a hint of mockery flashed in Eldest Madam's eyes.

  What a reckless person! Her family has already fallen out of favor, yet she still dares to cause trouble like this!

  "Zhen Shangshu's family has been searched, if it weren't for the late emperor's decree to marry her off, the first wife would have been executed long ago..." The little maid giggled and said, "Nowadays, the master wouldn't be afraid that if she died, the Yuanshangfu would suffer from unprovoked disaster. On the contrary, he'd be eager for her to die so that he could give his position to that person." The little maid stretched out five fingers, implying that if the first wife were to die, Wu Meiniang, who had just entered the Bi Zhu Garden, would immediately be promoted to the position of legitimate wife. "Haven't you seen, Madam, how murderously Ren Xiuju is yelling, yet not a single person in the entire household has gone to Congshuangzhai to join in on the excitement?"

  Zhen Shangshu's name is Zhen Xī Tīng, and he holds the position of Minister of Revenue. The eldest daughter of the Zhuāngyuàn Fǔ (the first place winner in the imperial examination) is his own biological daughter. Two years ago, during the martial arts competition, she fell deeply in love with Shen Zhōng Jiǎo at first sight. Later, taking advantage of her father's banquet invitation, she deliberately tricked him into entering the embroidery room, where he accidentally stumbled upon a beauty emerging from her bath.

  Also knowing that he was in the wrong, after the grand wedding, Shen Zhongge originally planned to live a good life, but this Zhen Shi Niang was not a gentle one. Relying on her family's power, she looked down on her husband's commoner background from the bottom of her heart, and even ordered her mother-in-law around with an air of superiority.

  Then Shen Zhongge began to lift the aunts one by one, and after two years of effort, he had lifted four aunts back. Adding today's one, it was already the fifth one.

  Whenever the old master brought back a new concubine, this big madam would make a scene with her crying and making a fuss, causing the whole mansion to be in an uproar for two or three months. Yang's wife smiled wryly as she waved her hand to interrupt Du Juan's incessant chatter, "Go take a look at the master, has he passed away?" Her hand gently stroked her belly as she silently prayed, "Amitabha, I hope she dies soon, so that I can at least keep this child."

  In San Yin Niang's house, Er Yin Niang Li Cai Xiang and Si Yin Niang Fu Xiu Zheng were eating melon seeds.

  "...except for hanging herself, she can't think of anything new." Li Yinniang spat a melon seed on the ground, "What a pity, this one today isn't a thrifty lamp!" Chu Xinyi wasn't like them, with a good temper, letting them bully her at will.

  The aunt laughed and said, "It's strange that she hasn't died yet after being punished so many times." Seeing the third aunt sitting there pale-faced and silent, she comforted her, "Don't worry, sister. Today she has met her match. This time you don't need to beg for mercy; someone will avenge you." She glanced at the door and lowered her voice, "I heard from the servant in the Condensed Frost Garden yesterday that the eldest madam already knew about your pregnancy and deliberately punished you..." The aunt had been punished five days ago for colliding with the eldest madam and was forced to stand in the Condensed Frost Garden for a day. After returning home, she experienced severe abdominal pain and found out after consulting a doctor that she was two months pregnant. Shen Zhongshu personally kept watch for a night, but the child still couldn't be saved. "You're really foolish, sister. When you weren't feeling well, you should have begged Master to find a doctor..." She didn't finish speaking and saw that Aunt Ma frowned, so she shut her mouth, only thinking to herself, "You think not making a fuss would save the child? Ha! Easy for you to say!"

  Before Madam got pregnant, no one in this house dared to have children!

  Look at the triumph flashing in her eyes, Ma Niang coldly snorted, "Everyone shouldn't be too happy yet, carefully died without knowing how they died."

  "Sister, what are you talking about? What's with the death and life...?" Li Yini threw the melon seeds in her hand into the plate, patted her hands and was about to get up when Ma Yini said, "The eldest lady can still stir up trouble, but the master doesn't like her after all. It's this one..." She held up five fingers, "I heard she had an affair with the master two years ago, you've all seen it, which of us sisters has as much glory as she does today?"

  The room fell silent instantly.

  After a while, Li Yiniang pushed her personal maid Qingmei, "......go to the Ningfeng Garden Courtyard and take a look, has Master gone?"

  Just like when you've cried "wolf" too many times and finally a wolf really appears, no one believes it.

  Hearing the commotion outside, Shen Zhongge, dressed in a bright red wedding attire, chuckled and picked up the scale from the table, gently lifting the veil off the bride's head, revealing a face as delicate as a closed peony.

  "Grandpa..." Chu Xinyi called out in a sweet and tender voice.

  "Yi'er..." Shen Zhongke's eyes were warm as he looked at the beauty in front of him, "Zhen Shiniang was bestowed upon me by the late emperor's edict, I cannot divorce my wife and let Yi'er be a concubine, it would be a humiliation to you."

  Chu Xinyi's cheeks flushed, "As long as I can be with Master, even if it's without a name or status, Yier is happy, Yier doesn't feel humiliated." Her voice was soft and gentle, making Shen Zhongjie's heart tremble violently.

  How long has it been since he last encountered such gentleness?

  Facing such a kind and considerate beauty, Shen Zhongge couldn't help but think of Zhen Shiniang's arrogance and felt even more indebted to her. He reached out and gently lifted the strand of hair that had fallen in front of Chu Xinyi's forehead, his voice unusually soft, "Xinyi, don't worry, although I can't give you a formal title, in my heart, you are already my legitimate wife. My mother is not well and has long since retired from managing the household, so from now on, the inner affairs of this mansion will be entirely under your control..."

  From now on, she is the actual mistress of this champion's mansion.

  Chu Xinyi's heart skipped a beat, her face pale and weak, with an air of being flattered and surprised. "This... how can this be? Not to mention that I have four sisters, let alone the fact that Master Shen has a legitimate wife, I shouldn't have any improper thoughts..." She gazed at Shen Zhongge in a daze. "I don't want Master Shen to be put in an awkward position because of me, and be ridiculed by others. I'm not afraid of hardship, I can endure anything, as long as Master Shen is well, I'll be happy..."

  She doesn't care about fame or fortune, as long as he's happy, she's happy.

  After hearing this, Shen Zhong's heart involuntarily gave rise to a feeling of regret. Thinking back on the two years of Zhen Shiniang's careful calculations, he let out a faint sigh and said solemnly, "It was I who wronged Yi'er after all. Yi'er must not..."

  Just then, a commotion was heard outside the door. "The old lady really has no breath left, please let me in to inform the master..." It was Jixiao who had just returned, she pushed hard against Chunhong and Chunlan who were blocking her way, shouting loudly towards the newlyweds in the new room, "Please, master, have mercy on us, go take a look! Wang Ma said this time the old lady really can't be saved!" She fell to the ground with a thud, "I kowtow to you, master!" The mournful voice was filled with an air of desperation.

  In the past, when Big Grandma hanged herself, she would wait by the door and only put her neck into the noose after seeing Master come in. But this time, Big Grandma had sent her away first.

  She's at it again!

  As soon as he heard the three words "Big Nanny", Shen Zhongge's face turned pale, and just as he was about to let someone chase away the magpie, Chu Xinyi gently grasped his hand, "...Master can go take a look."

  "She's hung herself before, but this time she's just trying to threaten me!"

  They were married by imperial decree, and the previous emperor had acted as matchmaker. If she really died in his mansion, it would be a slap in the face of the previous emperor. Not to mention that he was a commoner who became a martial arts champion, even if he were a powerful prime minister or marquis, no one dared to touch this taboo.

  Unfortunately, times have changed and now Zhen Shangshu has committed treason.

  What a truly unappreciative person! Minister Zhen was punished, and he didn't even banish her to the ancestral temple, which is already an act of mercy. Yet she still dares to resort to old tricks again!

  "...then go take a look, after all, Grandma Yu committed suicide just because of Yiru's arrival, if there really is something fishy going on, Yiru will be uneasy at heart." Seeing Shen Zhongke's face full of disgust, Chu Xinyi secretly rejoiced in her heart, but her mouth was filled with genuine fear and trepidation, like a pure and kind little white rabbit.

  Just as he was about to refuse, he heard the magpie's mournful cry, which was unlike its usual sound. Shen Zhongjie's heart skipped a beat, and he stood up with the momentum, "Alright, let Yi'er wash up and rest first, I'll go and come back."

  Originally, she was just pretending to retreat in order to advance, so that Shen Zhongge would cherish her even more, but this fool actually went and did it!

  Looking at Shen Zhong's departing back, a hint of malice flashed in Chu Xinyi's eyes.

  "Grandpa is fine..." Wang's mother was seeing off Zhu Daifu, and when she saw Shen Zhongge walking towards her with big strides, she quickly stepped aside.

  "What about Big Grandma?" Shen Zhong's voice was cold.

  "Just woke up......" Wang's mother said with a quiver, her eyes stealing a glance at Shen Zhongjie's expression.

  She didn't die after all!

  Shen Zhong suddenly turned around, and two sharp cold lights shot out from his eyes.

  The magpie behind him let out a sudden chirp and fell to its knees, "...Just now when the slave returned, Madame was indeed gone, her body had already stiffened." She looked at Wang Ma and Zhu Daifu for help.

  Wang's mother suddenly knelt down, "...the magpie didn't lie, just now the old lady really stopped breathing, it wasn't..." Not waiting for Master to speak, she had already been buried. The words were on her lips, but Wang's mother finally felt it was not suitable, and she changed the subject, "I don't know how, but just now she came back to life again, even Dr. Zhu kept praising it as a miracle."

  "I've lived to be this old, and yet I've never encountered...," Zhu Daifu continued, "Their bodies were all stiff, by all accounts they shouldn't have been saved, it's truly a miracle." He shook his head in confusion, "Congratulations, Lord Shen, Lady Shen has survived a great calamity, she must have good fortune ahead!" No matter what, the fact that they didn't die is already a blessing. Unaware of the intricacies and conflicts within the mansion of the Zhu family, Zhu Daifu flattered them inappropriately.

  His face changed several times, Shen Zhongge forcibly endured a bellyful of hatred and said in a low voice, "Thank you, Doctor Zhu......" He took out a piece of broken silver from his waist and threw it over, then turned around and entered the Cong Shuang Study without looking back.

  Without deigning to enter her room, Shen Zhongge stopped in the dim corridor, gazing through the beaded curtain at Xian Shiniang lying on the exquisite embroidered bed in the candlelight, her face as beautiful as ever, like an immortal who didn't know the worldly troubles.

  But only he knew that beneath this beautiful appearance, a vicious heart was hidden. Thinking of the hellish life he had lived for the past two years, thinking of his prematurely deceased son whom he had never met, Shen Zhongjie's hand clenched into a fist, with veins bulging one by one.

  "You've tried to kill yourself so many times, how come you're still not dead!" The cold voice was filled with sarcasm and disdain. Seeing Zhen Shiniang look over in confusion, with a bewildered expression, Shen Zhongjie suddenly felt a sense of pleasure he had never felt before. Unable to hold back, he let out a piercing laugh. "Hah, hah, hah, heaven really is blind! You were clearly dead, yet you're still alive... it seems even the King of Hell doesn't want to take in a poisonous woman like you!" For the first time in his life, Shen Zhongjie used the most vicious language in the world to vent his hatred.

  He scolded for half a day, and suddenly felt very bored with the unusual silence of Shang Yun's tenth daughter. Shen Zhongjie stopped his mouth and finally said, "Since you can't bear to see me well, tomorrow you will move back to the ancestral mansion in Wutong Town. In the future, without my permission, you are not allowed to step into the champion mansion!"

  The Shen family's ancestral home was the old house before Shen Zhongjie became rich, about a day's journey from the Zhuangyuan Mansion. It was just a few tile-roofed houses and a half-acre pond.

  Drive Zhen Shining away, Shen Zhongjie's intention is very clear, that is to let her fend for herself.

  After finishing speaking, he was afraid that Zhen Shiniang would entangle and quarrel with him, so he turned around and left.

  He took two steps forward, and suddenly a hint of doubt arose in his heart. He thought to himself, "Why is she so quiet today?" In the past, when he came, she would have already started crying and making a scene, not letting him leave so easily.

  An idea flashed through his mind, and suddenly the clear eyes he had just seen appeared in front of him, so calm and peaceful, without any greed or desire as usual. Shen Zhongge shook his head.

  Am I seeing things?

  How could she have such eyes?

  Suddenly turning her head, inside the beaded curtain, Zhen Shiniang had already closed her eyes, as if an invisible wall had separated the two people's worlds.

  "I'm really dizzy." Shen Zhongge shook his head vigorously and walked out in big strides...