TN | The Malicious Empress

Chapter 71: Setting Fire (Part 1,2 & 3)

Naturally the Eastern courtyard of the General residence was very lively. Guests were walking around, those giving their birthday congratulations, those giving gifts, making the entire ambience before the start of the banquet joyous and harmonious.

Old Shen Furen had always put on a generous appearance when she was in front of outsiders, and when the young ladies came up to give their birthday wishes, she would often gift them a valuable gift for the first meeting. Seeing such a scene, those furens' smiles became more real but Ren Wan Yun clenched her teeth secretly.

Ren Wan Yun was in charge of the public funds and had to manage all the matters of the three households. Old Taitai was extravagant and the amount that she could pocket was much lesser. Moreover Shen Gui usually had to make arrangements in the official circles, and as such, in the following period of time, money was as stretched as pulling the lapels and exposing the elbows.

This side was bustling but the other side was not the same. In the southwest corner of the Shen residence, the ancestral hall was cold and deserted at the moment but outside the courtyard, there stood some guards. An ancestral hall naturally need not require such disposition of forces. The reason for this is because these people are responsible for monitoring Jennie so that she would not be able to escape.

The ancestral hall was in the chilliest of land and in the year would often not see the sun, moreover it was currently the winter, thus one would feel the cold penetrating one's bones when the wind blew. It was filled with a fragrance of incense and the smoke from the joss sticks were still floating up in curls, making the cold ancestral tablets look like they were walking on air.

"Young Lady," Alexia rubbed her hands, "Today is Old Furen's birthday celebration but they deliberately locked up Young Lady here. This is just too much!"

Not to even talk about letting Jennie out, there was not even anyone who came by to ask about her. This was practically as though Jennie had done a wrong and the servants were watching her.

"What is with the anxiety." Jennie said while she stood in front of the window. There were bare trees outside the window which looked particularly desolate in the winter.

"How could Young Lady not be anxious?" Alexia had held back for these days and finally could not bear it, "They locked up Young Lady here clearly for a forced marriage. After waiting for Master's and Furen's return, Young Lady would have already married into the Huang family. Even if Master and Furen want to protect Young Lady, Young Lady's entire life would be ruined!"

Marie had been fiddling with the charcoal brazier on the ground the whole time. In the entire cold ancestral hall, there was only this charcoal brazier that was providing some warmth. Seeing a small hanging pole in the house, Jennie shook her head, "Bring the few blankets in this house and sun them outside for 2 hours."

"Young Lady!" Alexia stomped her feet and was anxious of Jennie's nonchalant attitude. But when Jennie's eyes swept over, she no longer said anymore and grabbed the few blankets while suppressing her inner feelings, and went out to follow Jennie's instructions and sun the quilts.

"Today's weather is a rare good one." Jennie looked outside the window. The sun does not reach the ancestral hall and only shone on the middle of the courtyard. She could not leave this ancestral hall courtyard but was also unwilling to walk out of the ancestral hall.