Kapitel 32: Scapegoat (2)

Shen Chiang glared at her, his arms still around the shoulders of the increasingly loudly crying Shen Yue. "No matter what, we are your family! You have an obligation to help us when we are in trouble!" He reprimanded her.

"And according to Heaven's Law (1), a parent is supposed to take care of their young." She rolled her eyes directly at him this time. "You've certainly done a good job of that, haven't you?" This did not need to be said, how the Shen family treated their Eldest Miss is something even babies know about.

"You!" A vein was now visibly popping from Shen Chiang's temple. "Hmph! You are the one that caused this so fix it!"

'Aiya... Old Master, how can you admit your intentions so easily? Do you not want your face anymore? Sigh. How could I have been adopted into such a family of stupid people.' Shen Tianyu sighed in her heart.

"What proof do you have?" She asked him.

"The Wen family started pressuring us right after your visit! What more proof do you want?!" Shen Chiang shouted.

"Tsk, tsk. Are you not the soon to be Head Minister of the Justice Department? First you sold your own daughter, which goes against social morals as you are in no desperate need for money being a Minister and all. And now, you're trying to pin your troubles on my head with insufficient evidence. Just because the timing is convenient for you doesn't mean it's my fault. Maybe you did something before and they only started acting out their plan slightly before? With only the timing, how can it be sufficient evidence? Are you really a Minister of the Justice Department? Really, what did His Majesty see in you to promote someone like you to Head Minister?" Shen Tianyu defended. "Since you can even sell your own daughter, maybe you could've offended the Wen Family before."

"You! You dare to slander your father!" Shen Chiang pointed a finger at her as his other arm wrapped around the still sobbing Shen Yue's shoulders.

"I'm not slandering anyone, I'm just stating facts and making an observation. As the future Head Minister of the Justice Department, isn't it your job to investigate claims before you name a suspect? You don't seem to be putting your skills to work." Shen Tianyu responded. "Well, I have business to attend to right now so I'll be leaving first." Shen Tianyu unfolded her arms and brushed past them with Xia Ji in tow. She stopped a few feet away.

"That's right. I told Manager Sung I'd be back by this evening so, if I happen to not return... I think everyone here can be my witnesses." She warned out loud without turning her head before continuing on her way.

...

She had an uneventful time cultivating in the shed with Xia Ji guarding outside. Or perhaps it was her warning earlier in the day. In any case, life pretty much returned to normal for the rest of the night. Due to the commotion in the afternoon, the Shen family lost even more face and the promotion Shen Chiang was promised was "mysteriously" rescinded, perhaps partially due to pressure from the Wen family and partially from that commotion.

However, Shen Tianyu was not going to let her guard down so soon. Whenever she went out, she had a guard with her. Sometimes it was Xia Ji, sometimes, she brought Che Shian and Su Yuan along. Though, Su Yuan didn't have a high cultivation base, she had taken a liking to this beautiful and soft man. She just wanted to befriend him, she wasn't in the hobby of stealing other people's partners unlike some shameless people, after all (2). She'd meditate with Su Yuan in the shed as Che Shian stood guard outside and the three steadily grew closer.

Again, a few weeks passed just like that.

...

Three months had gone by since she was "sold" to Lavender Palace. Shen Tianyu was sitting in the office with Sung Ming, Mu Shenchou, Xia Ji and Che Shian.

"Sigh. It's been so long but the Shen family still hasn't made another move." She whined as she scrawled across the sofa. "So boring... I won't have a good opportunity to get rid of them..." She thought to herself: 'Aren't the domestically abusive family the stupidest and easiest to topple in these kinds of novels? How come the Shen family is so smart, completely different from what I've read? Isn't the difficulty for the First Boss a little too high?'

"Aaahh... So bored..." She complained as she lazed around. Usually she should have been cultivating but she hasn't done so for the past few days. The reason being, she had already reached Foundation Establishment Peak Stage already so the back forest was no longer of any use to her.

She suddenly sat up with an enlightened look on her face. "Maybe I'll just assassinate them all in the night and leave. As long as I don't admit, there won't be any evidence! Then I can finally leave to further my cultivation in peace!"

Sung Ming looked like he was holding back the urge to facepalm, which he was. Che Shian had a somewhat awkward look on his face.

"This... isn't very good, is it?" Che Shian asked her.

"Well, I've never claimed to be a good person, have I?" She responded innocently.

'But, Su Yuan praises you so much, I almost get jealous sometimes. Almost! How is his image and reality so different? Can't you at least keep up pretenses for Yuan's sake?' He thought in response, but didn't dare say it out loud.

"Aaah... So bored... When is Shue'er coming back?" Shen Tianyu changed the topic.

Just then, a guard wearing the Inner Guard's uniform barged in. "Mi-aahh, Manager Sung!" He changed his address to Shen Tianyu midway, seeing Che Shian, this unfamiliar figure there. In fact, Che Shian still doesn't know her real identity, but seeing her friendly relationship with the Manager and Vice-Manager, he assumed she knew people they also knew. Hence, he never questioned why all three of them seem to know this Shue'er.

Sung Ming looked at the guard with his serious, "work" expression. "What's the matter for you to barge in here without even knocking?" In other words: 'How can you show such undisciplined behavior in front of the Miss?'