Shen Yun Lan turned to look at the young girl behind her, Miss Ning An, who liked his third brother.
"What? Afraid to go in? Truly afraid that entering will affect your career?" Xue Zi Ning said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.
Shen Yun Lan withdrew his gaze, looked up at the door in front of him, seeming to have made up his mind, and reached out to push the door open.
Seeing this, Second Madam Shen grabbed his sleeve and said vehemently, "You can't go in. Don't you want your career?"
"Second Madam Shen, a career is not earned by sacrificing your wife and children," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
Second Madam Shen turned to look at her, her face full of anger, "What right do you have to comment on the affairs of our Shen family's second branch? Your career is not something for a courtesan to decide."
"Second Aunt, you've gone too far," Shen Yun Xuan, who was standing beside them, said indignantly.
"Am I wrong? She's just a woman from a brothel. What right or qualification does she have to meddle in the affairs of our Shen family's second branch? Letting her into the Shen family is a complete disgrace." Second Madam Shen sneered.
Shen Yun Xuan was truly angry this time. He stood in front of Second Madam Shen. Seeing Shen Yun Xuan's furious face, Second Madam Shen felt inexplicably uneasy and took a step back, "Shen Yun Xuan, what do you think you're doing? I am your Second Aunt."
"Apologize. Apologize to Miss Ning," Shen Yun Xuan said word by word.
"For me to apologize to a courtesan? You must be dreaming," Second Madam Shen said, turning her head away angrily.
"Yun Xuan, it's not necessary. I don't mind." Xue Zi Ning grabbed Shen Yun Xuan. She truly didn't care about what Second Madam Shen said. If words could solve the problem, there wouldn't be a need for action.
"You..."
"It's fine," Xue Zi Ning shook her head.
Shen Yun Xuan felt ashamed. The Empress had helped the Shen family, yet his own family treated the Empress like this. He felt deeply embarrassed.
"Eldest Young Master Shen, are you going in or not? If not, then step aside," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
Second Madam Shen, still pulling Shen Yun Lan's sleeve, said with tears streaming down her face, "Yun Lan, listen to your mother. Don't go in. Mother won't harm you. Don't you want your career anymore? That's something you worked so hard for over many years of studying!"
Shen Yun Lan hesitated.
At this moment, Xue Zi Ning pushed Shen Yun Lan aside and looked at him coldly, "Have you made your decision? For the sake of your so-called career, you won't show up when your wife needs you the most?"
Shen Yun Lan trembled all over. He looked at Second Madam Shen and suddenly knelt on the ground with a thud. "Mother, Li He is inside fighting for her life to give birth to a child for me. I cannot abandon her. As for my career, it's not something she can control. This time, I want to live for myself, for Li He, and defy you, Mother. I am an unfilial son."
After speaking, he kowtowed once, then stood up and resolutely pushed the door open.
"Yun Lan... you..." Second Madam Shen could hardly believe that her proud son would do something to defy her.
"You courtesan, get out of the Shen family!" Second Madam Shen vented all her anger on Xue Zi Ning.
"Second Aunt, Eldest Brother made the decision to go in. You can't take it out on Eldest Sister-in-law. It's unfair to her," Shen Yue Yue couldn't stand it anymore and stepped forward to defend her.
"What weight do you, a concubine-born daughter, have to speak to me?"
Shen Yue Yue was stunned, her face flushing red.
"Second Aunt, Yue Yue is now under my mother's name. This was approved by Grandmother. Therefore, she is now the legitimate daughter. Are you questioning Grandmother's and Father's decisions by saying that?" Shen Yun Xuan asked coldly.
Second Madam Shen was taken aback. "When did I not acknowledge it?"
"You just said what weight do you, a concubine-born daughter, have to speak to me?" Shen Yun Xuan said coldly.
Upon hearing this, Second Madam Shen snorted, "Am I wrong? She was concubine-born before."
"You..."
"Third Brother, don't argue about this. I'm fine," Shen Yue Yue shook her head. The most crucial thing now was Eldest Sister-in-law.
"Li He..." Suddenly, Shen Yun Lan's grief-stricken voice came from the room.
Xue Zi Ning pushed the door open and walked in, followed by Shen Yue Yue and Shen Yun Xuan.
The woman on the bed had a face as pale as paper, lying there as if she were a fragile bottle that could shatter at any moment, precarious.
Shen Yun Lan held the woman's hand, their fingers intertwined. He wept uncontrollably.
"Li He... What's wrong with her?" Seeing this scene, Second Madam Shen was also startled.
A maidservant beside her was crying sorrowfully, "Madame... Madame, Eldest Young Madam has bled so much. I'm afraid... I'm afraid it's beyond recovery."
Second Madam Shen shook her head and took a step back. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground. The maidservant beside her tried to support her, but couldn't lift her. "How... How could this happen? Other people give birth without any problems, so why is she unable to?"
The midwife carrying the baby came out. Seeing the scene before her, she didn't know whether to congratulate or offer condolences.
Xue Zi Ning saw the baby in the midwife's arms and asked, "Is this the child born to Eldest Young Madam?"
Seeing that someone had finally asked, the midwife nodded, "Yes, it's a boy."
Upon hearing "boy," Second Madam Shen's eyes lit up considerably. Supported by the maidservant, she stood up and went to the midwife. Seeing the sleeping infant, she exclaimed joyfully, "It's truly a boy! Yun Lan, come and see, it's a boy!"
Shen Yun Lan did not reply. Second Madam Shen picked up the child and walked to him, "Yun Lan, look, this is the child Li He bore for you."
Shen Yun Lan did not even lift his head, his voice ice-cold, "Take him away. If it weren't for him, Li He wouldn't have exhausted all her strength. When I see him, I want to strangle him."
Second Madam Shen trembled all over, "Yun Lan, you..."
"Take him away..." Shen Yun Lan roared.
Second Madam Shen took two steps back, "You..."
"Mother, I have always listened to you in the past, but this time I want to live for myself. Please go back. Can you all leave and give me and Li He some time?"
Second Madam Shen was about to speak, but the maidservant behind her spoke a few words of persuasion. With tears in her eyes, she turned and left.
"Sister-in-law, let's leave too!" Shen Yue Yue said in a low voice.
Xue Zi Ning nodded, "Okay."
She and Shen Yue Yue walked out of Wei Li He's room. Shen Yue Yue choked out, "Sister-in-law, Eldest Sister-in-law is really gone?"
"Yue Yue, are you scared?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
After spending these few days together, she had a very good impression of Shen Yue Yue. Shen Yue Yue was very kind. Thinking of the late Madam Feng, Shen Yue Yue's kindness probably came from Madam Feng.
Shen Yue Yue shook her head, "No, I'm not scared. Auntie..." She stopped mid-sentence, perhaps feeling it wasn't good to mention the deceased Madam Feng.
"It's alright. You don't need to be so considerate in front of me," Xue Zi Ning said softly.
Shen Yue Yue nodded, "Auntie told me that women have to go through this trial of facing death. If they pass, everything is fine, and if they don't, it's their fate."
Xue Zi Ning said upon hearing this, "That's partly true, and partly not. If you meet someone you love, it's alright to spare no effort. But besides that, there are many other things you can do."
"Really?" Shen Yue Yue looked up and asked her.
She nodded, "Yes. Yue Yue, what do you think if women were also allowed to participate in the imperial examinations?"
Shen Yue Yue was stunned and asked, "Sister-in-law, do you mean women can also be officials?"
"Yes, what do you think?"