Shen Yun Xuan held Zhou Shi close and said in a low voice, "Leave the rest to me..."
Zhou Shi looked up at his handsome face and nodded, "Okay."
"Hong Yan, take care of Madam."
Hong Yan quickly stepped forward to help Zhou Shi sit down. Upon Shen Yun Xuan's arrival, everyone present dared not sit and rose to bow.
However, after a long wait, Shen Yun Xuan did not tell them to rise. Zhou Yu Lin glanced up at Shen Yun Xuan and saw him looking at him coldly, which scared him into lowering his gaze.
"Rise," Shen Yun Xuan finally said.
Only then did Zhou Fu Kang and the others straighten up, but Shen Yun Xuan did not allow them to be seated, nor did they dare to sit.
"I just heard that you did not allow my wife to return to the mansion. Is this true?"
Fan Shi quickly said, "Lord Shen, there is no such thing. Madam does not return home often, and I missed her dearly, so I intended to keep her for a few more days."
"Keep her? Is that so?" Shen Yun Xuan asked suddenly.
Fan Shi's legs went weak with fright, and she almost fell to the ground. Shen Yun Xuan said coldly, "It seems Madam Zhou does not miss my wife?"
"No... no, your subordinate..."
"Whether you miss my wife or not has nothing to do with me. I just want to tell you that in the future, if you deal with my wife, I hope you will be polite. Although she is a daughter of the Zhou family, she is also my Shen Yun Xuan's wife. In a few days, I will petition His Majesty to grant her the title of a third-rank noble lady."
As soon as Shen Yun Xuan finished speaking, everyone in the room was stunned. A third-rank noble lady? That was someone with rank and stipend.
Zhou Shi was taken aback by his words, and her heart felt even warmer. Whether it was true or not, Shen Yun Xuan's defense of her here was enough.
"My Lord, please take this humble girl in. I am willing to serve you like a cow or a horse," Sun Wan Zhu pleaded, kneeling on the ground.
She now knew that pleading with anyone else was useless; everything depended on Shen Yun Xuan.
Shen Yun Xuan looked at Sun Wan Zhu and said coldly, "I have enough of my wife, and I do not want anyone else. Miss Sun should seek someone else!"
With that, he stood up, walked to Zhou Shi's side, and said, "Madam, let us return to the mansion."
Zhou Shi nodded, finally understanding that her confidence came from her husband.
"My Lord, if you do not take me in, I will have no choice but to die..." Sun Wan Zhu cried out from behind them.
As Zhou Shi was about to speak, Shen Yun Xuan said, "Zhou Fu Kang, if Miss Sun hangs herself after I leave, then I can only hold you responsible for this crime. You must believe that I can bring you to the capital, and I can also make you a prisoner."
Zhou Fu Kang trembled all over and quickly shouted at Fan Shi, "What are you standing there for? Aren't you going to keep an eye on her? Do you still want to go back?"
Fan Shi quickly ordered the servants to tie up Sun Wan Zhu to prevent her from doing anything rash.
"Father, Mother..." Sun Shi said, seeing this scene with a hint of worry.
Fan Shi shook her head. Sun Shi looked at her sister, then at Zhou Shi, who was being held by Shen Yun Xuan as they left, and tightly clenched her hands within her sleeves.
She thought it was a sure thing, but it all fell apart at the last moment.
Sun Shi felt a bit resentful, or rather, jealous of Zhou Shi. Why did such a good and devoted man belong to someone else?
Looking back at Zhou Yu Lin, Sun Shi felt speechless, questioning the heavens why she couldn't have such a man.
After all, she was just like Zhou Shi.
Back at the Shen Mansion, Shen Yun Xuan, in a rare gesture, escorted Zhou Shi to her room. Zhou Shi felt nothing but joy.
This was probably the only thing that had made her happy since their marriage!
"My Lord..." Zhou Shi looked at Shen Yun Xuan, who had not left even after escorting her to her room, and her heart began to beat faster.
Shen Yun Xuan released his arm from her waist and said in a low voice, "I have been neglecting you recently, Madam. Please do not misunderstand."
Zhou Shi heard this and knew what he was referring to. She said regretfully, "It was my own lack of resolve that allowed others to exploit the situation. It is I who have implicated you, my Lord..."
"Since we are husband and wife, it is natural for us to share joys and sorrows. In the future, if you are unsure about anything, you can come to me."
Zhou Shi nodded, "I have remembered that."
"It is late. Madam has been tired all night and should rest now," Shen Yun Xuan said.
Zhou Shi was slightly stunned, feeling a hint of disappointment. She had thought Shen Yun Xuan would stay.
But things were much better than before, weren't they? She shouldn't expect too much.
After Shen Yun Xuan left, Hong Yan beside her chuckled, "Madam, do you believe in the Lord's feelings for you now?"
Zhou Shi blushed and retorted, "What do you know?"
Hong Yan smiled, "This servant doesn't know much, but this servant can see that the Lord cares about Madam."
Zhou Shi was slightly taken aback, "What makes you say that?"
Hong Yan leaned closer and said, "Madam, you may not know this, but when the Lord heard that you were detained by the Zhou family, his expression was terribly grim. It was the first time I've ever seen the Lord so angry!"
"Really?" Zhou Shi asked.
Hong Yan replied, "How would this servant dare to deceive Madam? Did you not see how concerned he was when he came to pick you up?"
Zhou Shi felt a surge of happiness.
It seemed Shen Yun Xuan did care about her, but he was too cold, which led her to believe he didn't care.
Zhou Shi slept a sound sleep for the first time. When she woke up the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky. She called for Hong Yan and learned that Shen Yun Xuan had already gone to the imperial court.
"Madam, bad news, the Lord is injured!" a servant from the mansion rushed in from outside the door.
Zhou Shi, who had just gotten up, was startled by the sudden news.
"Madam, Madam, what's wrong?" Hong Yan called out to her, alarmed.
After a long moment, Zhou Shi came back to her senses. She looked at the servant at the door and stared at him, asking, "You said the Lord was injured?"
Shen Yun Xuan was brought back to the mansion. Zhou Shi saw that although the wound on his right chest had been bandaged, blood had already soaked through.
"Madam, the Lord only sustained a sword wound and will be fine after a few days of recuperation. Madam, please do not worry," Shi Lang said, seeing Zhou Shi's pale face.
Zhou Shi nodded, "Thank you, Lord Shi. Please come in for a cup of tea before you leave."
Shi Lang bowed, "Thank you for your kindness, Madam, but I have urgent matters to attend to and cannot stay for tea."
Shi Lang departed.
Only then did Zhou Shi go to see Shen Yun Xuan. Seeing his ashen face, she became anxious. "Hong Yan, go and get a doctor!" Hong Yan nodded and left.
Zhou Shi instructed other servants to carry Shen Yun Xuan into his room in the mansion. This was her first time in Shen Yun Xuan's study. Previously, Shen Yun Xuan had never allowed anyone into his room.
Upon seeing it today, it was filled with paintings.
Just as she was about to look away, a painting caught her eye. It was a portrait of the imperial court.