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"A dead person??"

A group of old fellows couldn’t sit still any longer, and they stood up one after another, looking at Shen Xue in astonishment.

Including Old Master Shen, who was usually able to keep his composure, couldn’t help but stare intently at Shen Xue, "Xue girl, is what Shen Yu said... true?"

Shen Xue’s face immediately turned icy. She didn’t understand why, despite her constant concessions to this extent, Shen Yu still targeted her. But since he dared to expose this matter, there really was nothing left to discuss in the future.

"Yes!"

"Hiss..."

The Elders all took in a cold breath, and Shen Yan’s face turned ashen. If it weren’t for Shen Xue’s currently esteemed position, and the fact that even their housing arrangements were made by her, they probably wouldn’t have been able to resist slapping her.

"Girl, what were you thinking?" Old Master Shen also didn’t look too pleased.

He had always been studying this thing about the Underworld Ministry.

Upon learning that the people of Jiangnan could find a place to stay after death, instead of taking the Path of Yin and Yang, he was greatly shocked.

The key point was that the dead could even move their spiritual bodies around in the yang realm.

Such matters, he feared, were only possible in Jiangnan as an exception.

After recognizing the authority of the Underworld Ministry, he had been thinking that once he got the chance, he would definitely establish good relations with the nobility of the Underworld Ministry.

But this wasn’t the way to do it...

The only promising individuals in the family who could secure a foothold in Jiangnan were two people, Shen Yuan and Shen Xue.

After Shen Yuan brought back his mother, he wasn’t at all interested in the Shen Family.

They had been there for several days, and he, the Academic Commissioner of Lyuzhou, didn’t even make an effort to visit; they were, after all, elders and couldn’t shamelessly go to visit him, could they?

The only one who could turn the situation around was Shen Xue.

And this girl actually grew fond of a ghost?

If this got out, how would the Shen family be viewed?

Losing trust aside, the key issue was that even if they lost trust, they hadn’t gained any benefits.

If you say she broke the engagement with the Bai Family to marry into a great family like the Chen Family, that’s still acceptable, but getting cozy with a dead person; has she lost her mind?

Shen Xue took a deep breath and raised her head, "On the day of my examination, I was entangled by an evil spirit... That evil spirit... was also summoned by my two male cousins. Grandfather, do you remember this?"

"Of course, I remember..." Old Master Shen nodded.

He had received the news immediately at that time, severely reprimanded the third and fourth branches, and then conducted a thorough investigation of the entire Shen Family from top to bottom, fearing that any descendants would dare to make contact with those evil god things again.

The Third Elder and Fourth Elder’s faces turned unsightly upon hearing this topic; it was really a case of ’mentioning the pot that doesn’t boil’!

"At that time, to save me, Murong’s young master died at the hands of that evil spirit."

"This..." The Elders looked at each other.

"I see..." Old Master Shen nodded, "So... it was to repay a debt of gratitude for saving your life?"

"No..." Shen Xue shook her head. "Since birth, no one has ever been so kind to me. At that time, I was just a disregarded illegitimate daughter of the family, while he was the most valued legitimate son of the Murong Family from the Northern Wasteland. At my most difficult time, he extended a helping hand. I took a liking to him, and I’m sure grandfather can understand, right? "

"This..." The group of Elders were somewhat at a loss for words for a time.

Of course, they wouldn’t take such a damned debt of gratitude seriously; what could be more important than the Shen Family’s prospects? But naturally, they couldn’t express that so bluntly.

"That’s the principle..." Old Master Shen looked at Shen Xue, "Knowing gratitude and seeking to repay it is the fundamental nature of a person, not to mention a life-saving grace. But girl, you just said that you intend to fulfill the marriage arrangement with the Bai Family!"

"Granddaughter has no intention of breaking the engagement!

" Shen Xue raised her head, "I have always kept my distance from Murong, and what one thinks in their heart and what actions they take are two different things. Although we have met a few times, both I and Murong have been clear about what’s important and have stayed rational. As you always say, Grandfather, that one should judge by deeds and not by thoughts, isn’t that right? "

"Ah...."

"Heh... who knows about that?" Shen Yu sneered with a hint of sarcasm.

Shen Xue coolly responded, "Every time I’ve met Murong, it has been in public places, and Young Master Bai has been present every time.

Whether I’ve done anything inappropriate is also clear to Young Master Bai.

Murong may be from the families of the Northern Wasteland, but he is clearly someone who knows propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame; always keeping his distance from me.

Where does Cousin get the news that I and Murong are being overly intimate? "

"Heh... whether you have or haven’t, only the two of you know the truth!"

"Enough!"

Just as Shen Xue was about to say more, Old Master Shen interrupted her first, looking at Shen Yu, "You say your cousin has an illicit relationship with that Murong family member; do you have solid proof? Do you have evidence?"

"I..." Shen Yu stammered for a while, then said, "It’s something everyone can see..."

"So, there is no evidence?"

"I..." Shen Yu’s face darkened, "She hides it well, but some things can’t stay covered forever."

"Hides it well..." Old Master Shen nodded, "Your cousin has been keeping an eye on you, afraid he won’t find anything wrong with you. Even he hasn’t found a shred of actual evidence, so it seems, you indeed follow propriety...."

"Grandfather..." Shen Yu’s face turned pale all at once, What does that mean? What does it mean that I’m afraid I can’t find any fault with Shen Xue, making it seem like I’m always targeting her....

"Have you been gossiping outside?" Old Master Shen looked at Shen Yu with a deep gaze.

"I..." Feeling his scalp tingle under Old Master Shen’s scrutiny, Shen Yu quickly lowered his head, "No... no!"

"Is that so?" Old Master Shen’s eyes were ice cold, "That’s for the best. Even if our family has had some disgrace, we try to cover it up as much as possible.

If you, without the slightest bit of evidence, are tarnishing the reputation of your own blood, then you are an enemy of the Shen Family, make sure you understand that! "

Shen Yu’s face immediately went deathly pale, and cold sweat poured down his back!

He looked up slightly, only to find that all the elders in the Shen Family were looking at him with the same icy coldness as his grandfather, including his father who had once valued him so highly...

In an instant, fear and guilt mingled with an overpowering sense of bitterness and resentment corroding his heart.

"Get out!!" Old Master Shen’s eyes showed not only anger but also full of disappointment.

Of course, he knew why Shen Yu was targeting Shen Xue. A girl of little significance, now risen above him, stepping on his head, he who was once treated as a child of heaven certainly felt unbalanced.

But the more so, the more one must keep their composure.

Now that Shen Yuan and Shen Xue have both been put to use in Jiangnan, this place full of opportunities, having such good help and relationships, you should utilize it instead of offending everyone just because of a small mindset, what’s the point in that?

A hothead is but a fool, yet if you were truly defiant and unyielding, that would be another matter. But I have heard that during the last examination, Shen Yu had no confidence at all, didn’t he still swallow his pride and go beg his mother?

Where was your backbone when you bowed your head?

Even if Shen Xue has lost her mind, her status is now unique to the Shen Family. From where do you get the nerve to confront her with insinuations and opposition?

Such a fool who lacks both integrity and the ability to read the situation, it seems he truly isn’t worth the continued investment of resources!

Seeing Old Master Shen’s anger, Shen Yu didn’t dare to retort and silently retreated with his head down.

Shen Yan’s face was iron blue, but some elders smirked with contempt. They had long been tired of Shen Yan’s precious son!

His rejection is a good thing; the free resources can now be used to cultivate several more capable descendants.

"Tell me, girl..." Old Master Shen turned to Shen Xue, "Do you truly intend to honor the marriage agreement, to marry into the Bai Family?"

Shen Xue: "A person who doesn’t keep their word cannot stand tall.

Our Shen Family has shallow roots in Jiangnan.

If we can’t even uphold a good family tradition, how can we establish ourselves?

Although opportunistically attaching oneself to the powerful can bring temporary benefits, it’s not a long-term plan.

Moreover, being a reputable scholar, Old Master Bai’s value is not insignificant.

Should our families successfully form an alliance, the benefits to our descendants might not be lesser than those from an alliance with the Chen Family. What do you think?"

"Excellent!" Old Master Shen’s eyes narrowed, he clapped his hands and laughed heartily, "Your mother has brought up a fine daughter, Shen Xue, you’ve done well!"

"Thank you for your praise, Grandfather!

" Shen Xue bowed respectfully, feeling a tinge of joy in her heart. With the old master publicly praising her mother, her father’s nature would definitely place more importance on her mother.

Though making her mother the principal wife was impossible, hoping she could live somewhat better in the Shen Family from now on was still good. ..

Especially since she wouldn’t be able to take care of her mother after getting married.

"If that’s the case, you had better keep your distance from that Murong boy," Shen Yan spoke. "While life-saving grace is significant, maintaining contact with him, even if you follow propriety, can stir up talk, and the Bai Family will have objections, won’t they?"

Shen Xue’s body trembled slightly, a flash of inexplicable emotion in her eyes, but she ultimately said, "Father speaks the truth."

"I indeed should keep my distance from Murong, but Father, you don’t need to. Our family ought to repay the debt of saving a life. Please, Father, pay a visit to express gratitude."

"Pay a visit to express gratitude?" Shen Yan frowned, "Is that necessary? He’s a dead man... what does thanking him accomplish?"

Not only did Shen Xue frown at these words, but Old Master Shen also knitted his brows; he hadn’t realized that his son... could be such a callous person.

"The Murong Family is a powerful clan of the Northern Wasteland. Maybe the top families of the Central Plains don’t esteem them, but for us, the Murong Family is a formidable entity.

Additionally, seeking an alliance with the Northern Wasteland is a national strategy," Shen Xue knew that mentioning a debt of gratitude wouldn’t move someone who only calculated benefits, so she had to argue from the perspective of interests.

"Establishing an alliance with the Northern Wasteland?" Shen Yan spoke in surprise, "Is that so?"

"Yes..." Shen Xue nodded, "I have received news that emissaries... have already been sent to the Northern Wasteland!"