The surroundings fell silent instantly. Shen Minghui and Shen Yingxue were both stunned, staring at Shen Lixue in shock. She had actually hit Shen Yelei right in front of them.
Shen Yelei slowly turned his head, his gaze towards Shen Lixue almost spitting fire with anger: "You actually dared to hit me, I'll kick you to death!" The small figure, like an angry little pig, charged fiercely at Shen Lixue. Shen Minghui and Shen Yingxue wanted to stop him, but it was too late.
Shen Yelei was short and stout. When he ran, he created a gust of wind. Shen Lixue frowned and casually turned to the side. Shen Yelei lost his footing and passed by Shen Lixue, crashing heavily into the stone pillar of the pavilion. Instantly, his head was bleeding profusely!
"Ye Lei!"
"Ye Lei!"
Two exclamations rang out simultaneously, one from Shen Minghui and the other from Shen Yingxue.
Bright red blood slid down his forehead, leaving long streaks on his face. Shen Yelei felt a sharp pain in his forehead and hot streaks on his face. He gently touched his forehead and found his hand covered in blood. He was instantly shocked and burst into tears.
Shen Yingxue rushed forward, used her uninjured hand to help Shen Yelei up, and gently comforted him. She handed him over to the maids to treat his wounds, and glared angrily at Shen Yingxue: "Sister, Yelei is still a child and doesn't know any better. How could you hit him so hard?"
"He bumped into the pillar by himself, what does it have to do with me?" Shen Lixue sneered. Shen Minghui and Shen Yingxue both saw that Shen Yelei accidentally bumped his head, did he want to blame it on her?
“Ye Lei is young, and it’s fine if he throws a tantrum and says a few words to you, but you actually hit him without any mercy. How can you act like an older sister?” Shen Minghui gritted her teeth and frowned tightly, looking disappointed in him.
"If you want me to act like an elder sister, you have to make him act like a younger brother first. Even if he is the legitimate son, he has no right to insult the first wife at will. Moreover, is it how the legitimate son of the Prime Minister's mansion should behave, constantly using sharp and mean words to insult his elder sister?"
Shen Lixue stared coldly at Shen Minghui: "I am the eldest sister, so I can let it go. But what if one day he uses the same words to insult the noble Crown Prince or the Prince? He won't be the only one who suffers. Is this how his teacher taught him to be a decent human being?!"
Shen Minghui's face flushed red and then turned pale, his eyes filled with an unpredictable expression. Shen Yelei's arrogance and disrespect for elders were not the teacher's fault, but rather the result of his excessive pampering. Shen Lixue was subtly mocking and reprimanding him, and yet every word she said made sense, leaving him with no reason to refute her.
"You vulgar country bumpkin, go back to your hometown in Qingzhou and keep your dead mother company. Don't stay in the Prime Minister's mansion and try to find out about our lives!"
The bloodstains on Shen Yelei's face had been wiped clean, and the maids brought medicine and carefully applied it to him. Seeing that Shen Minghui was speechless after being refuted, he once again took the stage and fiercely and loudly drove away Shen Lixue.
Shen Yingxue covered her handkerchief with her hand and secretly chuckled. She had wanted to get rid of Shen Lixue for a long time, but Shen Lixue was very clever and never left any loopholes in her actions. She had never found a suitable opportunity. Unexpectedly, Ye Lei beat her to it and found the opportunity to get rid of Shen Lixue.
Shen Lixue's cold gaze swept over Shen Minghui, Shen Yingxue, and Shen Yelei, a faint smile playing on her lips, yet brimming with boundless mockery: "This is your purpose—to drive me out of the Prime Minister's residence!"
Shen Minghui lowered his eyelids and remained silent, his eyes revealing a hint of arrogance. As the male head of the Prime Minister's residence, he had the right to dismiss or retain people.
Shen Yelei, with his nostrils flared, snorted lightly: "Looks like you're not completely stupid after all, you know we all hate you!"
Shen Yingxue lightly covered her eyes with a silk handkerchief, making it impossible to see the expression in her eyes, but the mockery and smugness at the corners of her mouth betrayed her thoughts.
Shen Lixue smiled coldly, turned around, and strode out without looking back. She had always known that the masters of the Prime Minister's residence disliked her, and she had no intention of staying there for long. She had planned to investigate the matter before leaving, but she did not expect them to act so quickly. Oh well, it would be more difficult and take longer to investigate the matter outside the Prime Minister's residence, but she would find out the truth one day.
Shen Lixue turned and left without hesitation, leaving Shen Minghui momentarily bewildered: "Lixue, where are you going in the middle of the night?"
"You want me to leave the Prime Minister's residence, right? Well, I'll grant your wish!" Shen Lixue replied coldly without turning her head, her slender figure appearing so lonely and so strong in the night.
"Who said we were going to kick you out?" After a moment of surprise, a shadow fell over Shen Minghui's eyes.
He originally thought that Shen Lixue was an orphan with no one to rely on but him. He thought that if he drove her away, she would cry and kneel down to beg. Then he could make some rules to restrain her. But he never expected that she would leave without hesitation. She didn't even go back to the bamboo garden to get her daily necessities. She turned around so gracefully, all alone, without any attachment to the wealth and glory of the Prime Minister's mansion.
"I heard Shen Yelei's words clearly!" Shen Lixue's cold voice drifted on the wind, carrying endless sarcasm in the quiet night.
"How will you, a girl, survive outside the Prime Minister's residence?" A cold, sharp light flashed in Shen Minghui's serious eyes; she was truly determined to leave!
"That won't trouble Prime Minister Shen. I'll follow my mother's example and sell embroidery and calligraphy and paintings. In short, I won't starve!" Shen Lixue replied casually, her slender figure already reaching the second gate.
"Slap! Slap!" Two crisp slaps rang out abruptly, followed by Shen Minghui's angry shout: "Ye Lei, apologize to your older sister!"
Shen Minghui was an adult and had a strong grip. Shen Yelei was stunned by the blow, his eyes glazed over, and it took him a long time to react. His face stung with pain, and he glared angrily at Shen Minghui: "Dad, you actually hit me for that dirty country girl..."
"Slap! Slap!" Another slap landed hard on Shen Yelei's face. Shen Minghui's face turned ashen, but his heart was bleeding with pain. His large hands trembled slightly. This was his only son, whom he had always cherished and protected. But for the sake of the bigger picture, he had to endure some grievances: "She is your sister. You are not allowed to insult her again!"
Shen Minghui was furious, and Shen Yingxue was startled. Looking at Shen Yelei's swollen little face, she gently advised, "Dad, Yelei is just being silly..."
"Shut up!" Shen Minghui shouted angrily, his gaze serious. "Ye Lei has been spoiled by you all, that's why he's become so arrogant and domineering, looking down on everyone!"
Shen Yingxue's slender body trembled suddenly. She lowered her head and dared not speak again. Shen Minghui was really angry when he lost his temper. A smart person would choose to remain silent and protect themselves.
Shen Yelei looked at Shen Minghui's ashen face, his lips trembling, and burst into tears, sobbing as he retorted defiantly, "Didn't you all always hate her...? What's wrong with me driving her away...? Why do I have to apologize to her..."
"Ye Lei!" Shen Minghui's gloomy eyes instantly turned sour with anger that they seemed to be spitting fire. He was quite old, so why was he still so slow to understand?
"What I said is true." Shen Yelei had always been treated with great respect and had a very good temper. He was not one to easily bow down to anyone.
"Prime Minister Shen, please stop blaming Young Master Shen. He merely spoke your minds; he didn't commit any serious wrongdoing!" Shen Lixue stood outside the second gate, a bright smile radiating from her beautiful face. Her cool gaze fell upon Shen Yelei, who was weeping in the pavilion. Shen Minghui was truly heartless, actually resorting to such drastic measures…
Shen Yingxue gritted her teeth in anger, wishing she could pounce on her and tear that hypocritical smile off her face: If it weren't for her, Ye Lei wouldn't have been beaten up, his face was swollen, and she actually came to play the good guy again...
"Li Xue, Ye Lei's words were just childish rants. Don't take them to heart." Shen Minghui's voice was low and somber. For someone as proud as him to utter these words of persuasion, it took a lot of courage.
“Yes, Lixue, Yelei is young and doesn’t understand anything. If he says something unpleasant, you can teach him a lesson. Don’t leave the manor so easily. This manor is, after all, your home!” Lei Shi walked over gracefully, supported by her maid. She was elegant, dignified, and poised. Her gaze towards Chen Lixue was full of smiles.
Shen Yingxue looked at Shen Minghui, then at Lei Shi, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion: Didn't Father and Mother dislike Shen Lixue a lot? Now that they have a reason to kick her out of the mansion, why are they still trying to keep her?
"Mother!" Shen Yelei looked at Lei Shi with a wronged expression, arguing defiantly, "It wasn't my fault..."
"Shut up!" Lei shouted angrily, "Didn't the teachers at the Imperial Academy teach you to respect your elders?"
"Mother!" Shen Yelei pouted, tears streaming down his face, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
Lei ignored him and looked directly at Shen Lixue, her smile kind and gentle: "Lixue, Ye Lei has indeed been spoiled by me. Don't take it too seriously. Your father is your biological father, and it's only right that he raises you. You left the Prime Minister's residence to make a living by selling calligraphy and paintings. Aren't you slapping your father in the face...?"
Shen Minghui's gaze was gloomy. He didn't speak, but his eyes kept glancing at Shen Lixue, as if waiting for her answer.
Shen Lixue raised her eyebrows slightly, a cold smile flashing in her eyes: Lei Shi made it very clear that her leaving the Prime Minister's residence meant a complete break with Lei Shi and Shen Minghui. Their reputations would be damaged, and she wouldn't fare much better. Even with Dongfang Heng's help, investigating the truth of what happened fifteen years ago would be much more troublesome for her.
If she stays, it will be mutually beneficial. Shen Minghui and Lei Shi are her parents, and she is their daughter. Although their relationship is like fire and water, in the eyes of outsiders, they are still a family. Moreover, Shen Minghui is the person involved, so it will be much easier for her to investigate the events of fifteen years ago in the Prime Minister's residence.
"My younger brother mocks me every day. As the legitimate daughter, I feel so stifled!"