<h4>Chapter 9: Confrontation (2)</h4> <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>Henyee Trantions <strong> Editor: </strong>Henyee Trantions</h4>


    As soon as Shen Yue finished speaking, she saw Shen Miao looking at her. Her grape-like dark eyes were especially clear, as if there was something special in them.


    The next second, she heard Shen Miao’s calm voice. “Second Sister, what do you mean by me loving the Duke of Ding? You can’t spout nonsense. Now that I am an adult, I’m afraid your words will ruin my reputation.”


    Shen Yue was stunned.


    Everyone in the capital knew that Shen Miao loved the Duke of Ding, although Shen Miao didn’t say it explicitly. But why was she denying it now?


    She smiled and said, “Fifth Sister, we’re all family here. It’s understandable…”


    “Second Sister!” Just as she was speaking, Shen Miao suddenly interrupted her in a loud voice and said sternly, “Second Sister, be careful with your words. As the saying goes, troublees from the mouth. As a noble family, we have to be careful with our words and actions. In the past, I was young and insensible. I’m afraid I did something that caused people to misunderstand me. However, what happened the day before was a lesson. I will restrain my words and actions in the future. Please don’t say such things.”


    Hearing that, everyone in the room, including Old Madam Shen, was stunned.


    Shen Miao was usually gentle and timid. She never spoke loudly and was obedient. When had she ever spoken so harshly?


    A glint shed across Chen Ruoqiu’s eyes as she said gently, “It’s not easy to tell if you like the Duke of Ding or not. After all, no one can guess what a girl is thinking. However, you have to listen to Auntie. Your second sister is right. His Highness is noble. No matter what, you have to apologize to him.”


    “That’s right.” Old Madam Shen also came back to her senses and said, “Tomorrow, go and personally apologize to the Duke of Ding.”


    Shen Miao was so angry that she almostughed. These words could only fool her in her previous life. She was the daughter of a military family and had a noble status. Why should she have to apologize to the Duke of Ding? If she did, wouldn’t his father be embarrassed and looked down by his subordinates?


    She finally understood that the old madam just didn’t like Shen Xin. She couldn’t wait for Shen Xin to make a fool of himself.


    ......


    But how could there be such a good thing in the world?


    Shen Miao smiled and looked at Shen Qing, who had been silent since the beginning. She said, “Big Sister, when I fell into the water that day, you were the only one by my side.”


    Shen Qing looked up and nodded with a calm expression. She had already thought it through. Shen Miao would definitely say that she pushed her into the water next, but Shen Qing was not afraid at all. The people in charge of the Shen family were Old Madam Shen and Ren Wanyun. On the surface, Shen Miao was a miss, but in reality, she was just a neglected daughter. As long as she insisted that she did not do anything, Old Madam Shen and Ren Wanyun would side with her. If Shen Miao lied, she would definitely be despised by Old Madam Shen and would even be severely punished. She deserved it! Who asked her, a vulgar and ignorant daughter, to want to snatch the Duke of Ding from her? Why didn’t she just drown Shen Miao that day!


    “First Sister, did you see the Duke of Ding that day?” Shen Miao asked a question Shen Qing didn’t expect.


    “Yes,” Shen Qing replied.


    “That’s right. The day before yesterday, I was ying with my elder sister by the pond and identally fell into the water. I happened to bump into the Duke of Ding, who was passing by the Shen family’s mansion.” Shen Miao shook her head. “If you said I went to peek at the Duke of Ding, then let me ask you one thing. How did I get the news that the Duke of Ding would be there? Second Uncle and Third Uncle’s manservant have no reason to tell me that. How could I know that the Duke of Ding would suddenlye to the Shen mansion? I’m not a prophet, am I? Or…” She said leisurely, “Could it be that the Duke of Ding sent an invitation to our mansion?”


    Shen Qing did not understand what Shen Miao meant by that. She frowned and was about to refute when she heard her mother, Ren Wanyun, suddenly shout, “Nonsense!” Her voice was filled with panic.


    Shen Miao nced at the pale Ren Wanyun and the suddenly nervous Chen Ruoqiu and smiled.


    The emperor hated it when officials and princes got too close. If the Duke of Ding really sent an invitation, what would be the content of the invitation? Was it about the future crown prince?


    There were thousands of eyes and ears in the world. Who knew if there would be spies from the Tian family in the Shen family?


    With just a word from Shen Miao, this became a matter of loyalty. Shen Xin was in the Northwest, so there was naturally no problem. However, Shen Gui and Shen Wan were still working in the imperial court.


    Shen Yue and Shen Qing did not understand this, but Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu definitely did.


    Shen Miao sneered in her heart. If they wanted to trample on her reputation, she would use Shen Gui and Shen Wan’s heads as a bet. She didn’t know her second and third aunt would be willing to bet with her.