Chapter 127: A Farewell and a New Shadow Guard

Early the next morning, Shen Qingyun changed into simple, comfortable attire and headed out.

Shen Zhifeng watched her retreating figure with a venomous glare, though he lacked the nerve to follow her. He was filled with regret; he shouldn't have agreed to the divorce from Han Rou. No matter how he had tried to reach out since, she refused to see him. But it didn't matter, he thought with a sinister smirk; he had long since made arrangements, and sooner or later, Han Rou would come begging to him. With that, he retracted his gaze and headed toward the residence of the Marchioness of Jiang.

When Shen Qingyun arrived at the General’s Mansion, she found General Han already packed for his departure. Han Rou stood by his side, her eyes slightly red, yet she was still meticulously instructing the servants to perform one final inspection.

"Mother, why do you look even more beautiful than when I last saw you a few days ago?" Shen Qingyun said with a smile.

Han Rou cast her a playful, annoyed glance. "You and your glib tongue. Everyone is waiting for you; let's have breakfast."

In truth, Shen Qingyun was not merely offering empty flattery. She genuinely felt that since the divorce, Han Rou’s state of being improved with each passing day. Especially since General Han had returned to the capital, Han Rou’s smiles had grown brighter, and she seemed to radiate a gentle, warm glow.

Nanny Chen could not help but tease, "It is true. I also think the Mistress’s complexion is wonderful, looking younger every single day."

"Exactly! If we walked out together now, people would mistake us for sisters," Shen Qingyun added, linking her arm through Han Rou’s, which sent the latter into a fit of giggles.

After a pleasant breakfast, it was time for General Han to depart. He looked at Han Rou, who gazed back with eyes full of filial affection. His expression softened, and his voice lowered involuntarily. "Rou’er, you are a mother yourself now. After I leave, take good care of yourself, and even more so, take care of Qingyun. Do not let her be the one worrying about you. Furthermore, now that Qingyun has come of age, it is time to seriously look into a marriage match for her."

Han Rou pouted with a touch of embarrassment, but upon hearing about finding a match for Shen Qingyun, she immediately nodded with a smile.

"If that piece of filth, Shen Zhifeng, dares to come to the General’s Mansion to harass you, have him beaten out. Do not hold back. Should any trouble arise, your father will bear the consequences for you. I have already spoken to the Jingzhao Prefecture; they will ensure you are not wronged again."

Han Rou’s eyes reddened further, but before she could speak, General Han turned to Shen Qingyun. "Qingyun, your grandfather knows you are a good child. The people you mentioned previously—I have already found them for you."

With a clap of his hands, a man and a woman suddenly appeared before them, startling everyone. Yet, looking at their unremarkable faces, they seemed like individuals one would never notice in a crowd—no one would ever guess they were elite martial artists.

Han Rou was secretly shocked; her father had actually prepared shadow guards for Qingyun. However, she remained silent, standing quietly by General Han’s side.

"From now on, they belong to you," General Han said in a deep voice.

The pair knelt before Shen Qingyun in unison. "Please grant us names, Young Miss."

Shen Qingyun’s eyes darkened slightly. "Then you shall be called Hanqing and Hanshuang."

"Understood. We thank the Young Miss for the names." With that, the two stood behind Shen Qingyun, waiting for her commands.

Seeing Shen Qingyun’s calm and composed demeanor, General Han was very satisfied. He offered a few more words of advice before taking his leave with peace of mind. Before departing, he said to Han Rou, "That lad, Xiao Jue, is a fine man. While we were at the frontier, the city lord’s daughter showed him interest, but he never even spared her a glance. I know he has remained unmarried all these years because of you. Once he returns to the capital, have a proper talk with him."

Han Rou froze for a moment, a shy smile blooming on her face. "I understand, Father. Please take care of your safety and look after yourself."

Shen Qingyun stood nearby, suppressing a laugh, until she caught Han Rou’s sharp look. "Qingyun, I shall start scouting the young talents of the capital for you in the next couple of days."

Shen Qingyun: "..."

Thinking of marriage, she asked Pearl, "How are things at the Marquis’s estate?"

Jiang Lin and Shen Sisi were supposed to be star-crossed lovers from two lifetimes. Now that they had finally fulfilled their desires and were newlyweds, she wondered how they were faring.

Pearl’s face lit up with gossip. "I hear that young master Jiang has already taken Hongyu as a concubine. He barely ever sets foot in Shen Sisi’s main quarters."

"How did it come to that?" Shen Qingyun was surprised; she hadn't expected him to take Hongyu in so quickly.

That Shen Sisi would fall out of favor was expected. A "white moonlight" is only pure when it remains unattainable; once possessed, it often becomes nothing more than a stain on one's collar. Moreover, Shen Sisi was not the talented young lady of the previous life, nor the high-and-mighty Third Prince’s Consort, but a notorious illegitimate child. With the scandal between Shen Zhifeng and the Marchioness of Jiang coming to light, Jiang Lin was subjected to endless mockery, which naturally fueled his resentment.

But why was Hongyu not implicated?

Pearl blinked. "Miss, it seems it was arranged by the Marchioness of Jiang herself!"

It turned out that in a letter the Marchioness had left for Jiang Lin, she had instructed him to take Hongyu as a concubine, claiming she would feel more at ease knowing someone was there to look after him.

The words sounded sweet, but in reality, the Marchioness knew Hongyu was ambitious. She hoped Hongyu would divide Shen Sisi’s favor, preventing her from gaining total control over the Marquis’s residence and Jiang Lin.

Jiang Lin, perhaps wanting to spite Shen Sisi, went along with the plan. Hongyu, proving herself capable, knew this was a rare opportunity. She spared no effort in currying favor and acting submissive, serving Jiang Lin so well that he spent every night in her quarters.

Shen Sisi, having been raised as a proper young lady of high status, was not as shameless as Hongyu, and she soon found herself losing ground. She ran to Jiang Lin to weep and complain, hoping for his sympathy, only to find that it further fueled his annoyance.

Shen Qingyun listened with an indifferent expression. Tears are only useful to those who care about you; as for men, they are heartless—when they love you, a single tear can be coaxed for hours, but once their hearts change, they offer only disdain and indifference.

Knowing they were miserable, Shen Qingyun felt at ease. She lazily remarked, "Continue to observe and report."

Pearl giggled, "As you command, Miss!"

Days passed, and Shen Zhifeng’s health began to deteriorate significantly. He gradually stopped stepping out, eventually ceasing even his visits to the Marchioness of Jiang.

During this time, Hanyu and Hanfeng personally trained Hanqing and Hanshuang. Hanshuang, being a woman, would be better suited for attending to Shen Qingyun closely. Hanyu spoke to her at length about the young miss's preferences—what she liked, what she disliked, how she shouldn't be allowed to catch a breeze by the window for too long at night, which shop’s pastries she favored... he covered every detail, repeating it over and over.

Hanshuang, whose temperament was naturally aloof, watched Hanyu’s behavior with a contemplative gaze. This clearly exceeded the scope of what a typical shadow guard would concern himself with.

Yet, Hanyu made no attempt to hide it. He clutched an object tightly in his palm, fully aware in his heart that it was time for him to leave.