Zhang Mama dropped to her knees with a thud, her trembling hands clutching Shen Yunxi’s skirt: "Your Highness, Sister Ling is full of schemes. She knows you’re naturally suspicious, so she said what she said to deliberately sow discord between us, using your hand to get rid of this old servant! Your Highness, you mustn’t fall for her tricks!"
Shen Yunxi was furious, yanking her skirt out of Zhang Mama’s grasp as she cursed: "You brainless old fool! You’ve been colluding with Shen Yinning behind my back, and now you dare to suggest it’s my own suspicious nature at fault?!"
"This old servant didn’t mean that—"
"You’re old, Mama, and it seems today it’s my mistake. I’ll inform mother that you’re to remain in the Duke Mansion to enjoy your twilight years. From now on, no need to follow me to the Eastern Palace as the Chief Maid!"
Shen Yunxi had long been dissatisfied with Zhang Mama, and Qin Lunan’s affair had been the spark that fully ignited her rage.
She stormed to the backyard in a fit of anger, just in time to see Shen Yinning bidding farewell to Mrs. Qin.
Mrs. Qin reclined sideways in the master’s seat, her head wrapped in a fur-lined jade-embroidered headdress, displaying the airs of the Duchess: "This mansion, Sister Ling, was once your home too. Though your uncle’s family committed treasonous acts, you, child, are innocent. In the future, you must stay close to us. Don’t keep your distance just because your status is somewhat low. Even the Emperor’s family has poor relations—how much more so you and I?"
Shen Yinning replied warmly, "Aunt, you’re entirely correct."
Shen Yunxi rushed inside, casting a scornful glance at Shen Yinning before leaning toward Mrs. Qin’s ear to whisper the schemes of last night.
When finished, she began to sway Mrs. Qin in a spoiled manner, "Zhang Mama is old and useless, and now she’s being disloyal. Mother, you should leave her here at the Duke Mansion for good. I don’t want to see her in the Eastern Palace again!"
Mrs. Qin furrowed her brows.
Zhang Mama had served her for decades. To claim she’d committed betrayal—Mrs. Qin found herself unable to believe it.
She fixed her gaze on Shen Yinning: "Sister Ling, what did Zhang Mama say to you last night?"
Shen Yinning smiled gently, "Nothing notable, Aunt. She only mentioned that Cousin Qin stayed here last night. She said Cousin Qin is often absent-minded and warned me that he might cause trouble after drinking too much, advising me to lock my doors and windows so he wouldn’t come in."
A hobbling Zhang Mama arrived just in time to overhear Shen Yinning’s words.
Her face filled with disbelief: "What nonsense are you spouting? When did I ever say such things to you?!"
Shen Yinning stood up timidly, behaving as though frightened: "Mama, you yourself said those things. How could you forget so quickly?"
Shen Yinning’s act was so convincing that Zhang Mama found herself with no way to refute it. She could only kneel down in embarrassment and cry out, "Your Highness, Madam, this old servant stayed in her room all night and never saw Sister Ling! How could I have tipped her off?! I was born and raised in the Duke Mansion and have been loyal to it since birth. I wouldn’t dare, and wouldn’t even think of betraying you!"
Shen Yinning feigned confusion: "Mama, what are you talking about? Tipping off whom? I don’t understand. Perhaps there’s a misunderstanding between Mama and Your Highness and Aunt."
Pausing briefly, she added with a smile, "Your Highness, Aunt, I can vouch for Zhang Mama’s loyalty to the Duke Mansion. I heard that Your Highness was gravely ill as a child, and even though Mama’s own daughter was also sick at the time, Mama devoted herself entirely to caring for Your Highness—so much so that her own daughter passed away from illness, and her husband died in grief. Mama could have borne resentment and plotted revenge in secret, but instead she continued serving Your Highness and Aunt faithfully. Her loyalty speaks for itself!"
Though Shen Yinning seemed to be praising Zhang Mama’s faithfulness, the words chilled Zhang Mama to her bones.
This was clearly a deliberate attempt to inflame the suspicions of the Duchess and Crown Princess Consort. Shen Yinning wanted her dead!
Just as Zhang Mama was about to defend herself, Shen Yinning spoke first in a concerned tone: "Mama, why aren’t you speaking up for yourself? Among the old servants in this mansion, your words have always been the sharpest. Every sentence of the advice you gave me last night to lock up my doors and windows remains etched in my memory. I’m only young and naive—I ended up believing others’ insinuations that Mama was the one who harmed my mother. Little did I know that Mama is the one who worries most about me."
Shen Yunxi’s face darkened with furious anger.
The Duke Mansion was her territory. Shen Yinning, all alone, had spent the night in her house—what a perfect opportunity! If Cousin Qin Lunan had succeeded, wouldn’t it have been easy to brand Shen Yinning as promiscuous and shameless?
It was all Zhang Cuichun’s fault, that wretched old woman!
She roared, "Enjoy sneaking around with messages, do you? Someone come! Drag this old thing out and cut off her tongue! Let’s see how she manages her gossiping then!"
"Your Highness!" Zhang Mama cried out in shock and despair, tears streaming down her face. "I’ve dedicated my entire life to the Duke Mansion, Your Highness. How can you believe just a few words from others and treat me ?! I fed you and your two brothers as a wet nurse. When you were gravely sick as a child, I even neglected my dying daughter, nursing you day and night by your bedside. How can you punish me now?!"
Shen Yunxi had initially regretted punishing Zhang Mama so harshly.
But hearing her mention the past, Shen Yunxi’s anger reignited. Zhang Mama dared to lecture her? It was just milk, after all—if it weren’t her, there would have been other wet nurses. She was but a lowly servant; her role was an honor bestowed upon her, and now she dared to treat it as her own merit!
Shen Yunxi snarled viciously, "Since when can a servant talk back to her master? Zhang Mama’s tongue truly is too sharp! What are you all standing there for? Quickly drag her out and cut off her tongue!"
Seeing Shen Yunxi’s unrelenting attitude, Zhang Mama crawled forward, bawling and pleading: "Madam, please help me! Over the years, I’ve been nothing but loyal, offering counsel and devising strategies. Madam has seen it all with her own eyes! Please, Madam, speak on my behalf!"
Mrs. Qin hesitated and turned to Shen Yunxi: "Xi’er—"
"Mother, no need to say more! This wretched old servant relies on having nursed me and my two brothers, strutting around like she’s above everyone else, even overshadowing me in the Eastern Palace! She’s been making foolish blunders all year—I’ve had enough of her! You all, act now!"
Mrs. Qin twisted her handkerchief.
She wanted to plead for Zhang Mama but feared it would undermine Shen Yunxi’s dignity and authority as Crown Princess Consort, making it harder for her to command respect among her staff in the future.
After careful consideration, Mrs. Qin tacitly agreed with Shen Yunxi’s decision, silently allowing Zhang Mama to be dragged away.
After all, it was merely a servant—could her worth ever compare to the honor of her daughter?
Shen Yinning sat quietly on the round stool, calmly sipping her almond tea.
Soon, the piercingly tragic cries of Zhang Mama echoed from outside, ending abruptly after a single scream.
A short while later, an elderly maid entered, holding a tray: "Your Highness, Madam, here is Zhang Mama’s tongue."
A blood-soaked tongue rested on the tray. The maids serving in the room instantly turned pale and lowered their gazes.
Shen Yunxi glanced briefly before turning her head away in disgust, covering her mouth with a handkerchief: "What filth! Why bring such revolting things here? Early in the morning, no less—don’t you know it’s bad luck? Take it away, far away!"
Shen Yinning, on the other hand, stared at the tongue for a long while.
It was with this very tongue that Zhang Mama had deceived her mother with lies.
Now, that tongue had been cut out—how satisfying.
She decided to visit Zhang Mama only after Mrs. Qin and Shen Yunxi had left.