The White Tiger Temple is somewhat famous in Yanjing, known for its beautiful scenery and the efficacy of its talismans for peace, love, and wealth.
Shen Wei arrived early, and the temple was nearly empty of worshippers.
Nanny Rong had gone to the Confucian Temple to fetch Shen Xiuming, leaving Shen Wei alone in the temple to burn incense and pray.
The White Tiger Temple has three halls: the Hall of Longevity for seeking love, the Hall of Peace for seeking safety, and the Hall of Wealth for seeking prosperity.
Shen Wei ignored the Hall of Longevity and walked straight to the Hall of Wealth.
The oil lamps burned brightly in the Hall of Wealth, and the golden statue of the Taoist god of wealth stood solemn and majestic.
Shen Wei knelt on the cushion, praying devoutly: "Heaven and earth, spirits of wealth, please bless your humble servant Shen Wei with success in her career, a smooth retirement, and a life of prosperity."
She burned incense and kowtowed with utmost sincerity.
Afterward, Shen Wei leisurely made her way to the neighboring Hall of Peace, where she also prayed earnestly for a peace talisman: "Heaven and earth, spirits of the Tao, please bless Prince Yan, Li Yuanjing, with peace and prosperity. I do not ask for him to live a hundred years, but at least until I retire."
She donated some silver to the donation box and placed the peace talisman in a sachet.
As she left the Hall of Peace, Nanny Rong arrived with Shen Xiuming.
At the entrance, Nanny Rong spoke harshly to Shen Xiuming: "If it weren't for the fact that Shen Wei gave me a month's worth of silver, I wouldn't have brought you here to see her! You have only the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, so make it quick!"
Nanny Rong's expression was as fierce as ever, perfectly embodying the role of a cruel servant.
Shen Xiuming hurried into the temple. Seeing Shen Wei sitting in the small courtyard, dressed in coarse clothing and looking pale and exhausted, he rushed to her.
"Third Sister..." Shen Xiuming approached, his voice choked with emotion as he looked at her pale face. "Third Sister, you've lost weight, and your complexion doesn't look good."
Shen Wei forced a smile and took out a bundle she had brought with her. "Xiuming, these past few days, the prince has been spending nights with me, and I've managed to earn a little favor. He rewarded me with two bolts of cloth, and I stayed up late to make some clothes for you and Mother. Take them back with you."
Tears rolled down Shen Xiuming's cheeks.
Even though Third Sister was trapped in the prince's mansion, she still cared for him and their mother.
He couldn't let her down!
Shen Wei sighed softly and stood on tiptoe to wipe away Shen Xiuming's tears. "Don't cry. Are the boots I made for you last time still fitting well?"
Shen Xiuming nodded, his voice still choked. "They fit perfectly. I wear them every day."
Indeed, Shen Xiuming was wearing the light black boots Shen Wei had made for him. The boots were barely dusty and well-maintained, showing how much he cherished them.
Shen Wei sighed again. "The prince's household is full of scheming and backstabbing. I risked coming out today to bring you these clothes, but I can't stay long. Xiuming, you're a grown man now. Take good care of Mother and yourself, understand?"
Shen Xiuming wiped his tears and nodded firmly.
Shen Wei's eyes were filled with nostalgia as she took out a clean handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from Shen Xiuming's cheeks. "You're all grown up now, yet you still cry like you did when you were a child. It's okay if I suffer a little. I just want you to... oh, I mean, I want you to succeed in life."
The moment was so emotional that Shen Wei almost misspoke.
Suddenly, the gates of the White Tiger Temple were thrown open.
Granny Liu barged in with three guards. From her vantage point, it looked as though Shen Wei was caressing Shen Xiuming's face!
Granny Liu's eyes lit up with delight, instantly concluding that Shen Wei was "having an affair with an outsider." She shouted, "Shen Wei, how dare you engage in such impropriety with a man! Guards, gag these two and drag them back to the mansion!"
The burly guards quickly approached with thick ropes.
Shen Xiuming was stunned and tried to explain, "You've got it all wrong! She's my sis—"
Before he could finish, Shen Wei interrupted with a panicked cry, "This is bad... I shouldn't have taken the risk to come out today."
In an instant, the guards had Shen Xiuming tied up and gagged with a foul-smelling cloth.
Shen Wei wasn't much better off; her hands were bound, though her mouth remained free.
Not wanting to air the family's dirty laundry in public, Granny Liu quickly had Shen Wei and Shen Xiuming loaded onto a carriage, which sped back to the mansion.
The siblings were locked in the firewood shed.
Shen Xiuming, gagged, could only make muffled sounds. He stared wide-eyed at the filthy shed.
"Brother... we've been framed," Shen Wei said, her voice trembling as she leaned close to Shen Xiuming.
Shen Xiuming: "Mmmph!"
Shen Wei wept softly. "I missed you and Mother so much. I thought I could get away with it today, that no one would notice..."
Shen Xiuming's heart sank, and his chest ached with pain. He had long heard that the power struggles among the wives and concubines in the noble households of Yanjing were brutal, with betrayal and scheming being all too common.
His sister's life in the mansion was even more perilous than he had imagined.
He felt so sorry for her!
The sound of the lock turning echoed through the shed, followed by a loud creak as the door swung open, flooding the room with blinding sunlight. Shen Xiuming squinted, barely making out the figure of a woman in a deep purple robe.
The woman was beautiful but carried an air of authority and severity.
The Princess Consort swept her gaze across the shed, her eyes cold as they landed on Shen Wei's haggard face.
Granny Liu reported, "I followed them the whole way and saw with my own eyes how Shen Wei was being intimate with this man. The boots he's wearing were also made by her."
Shen Xiuming was still wearing the boots Shen Wei had made for him.
The leather was of high quality, and the craftsmanship was exquisite. The Princess Consort remembered that the leather had been a gift from Prince Yan to Shen Wei, and now she had used it to make boots for another man.
She had dug her own grave.
The Princess Consort looked down at Shen Wei and said coldly, "Shen Wei, the evidence is clear. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Shen Wei's eyes welled with tears as she sobbed, "Your Highness, please believe me. I only made some clothes and boots for Xiuming..."
Though Shen Wei was trying to explain, she had inadvertently admitted to making clothes for an outsider.
The Princess Consort inwardly scoffed at the foolish woman.
She calmly instructed Granny Liu, "Prepare a white silk rope and a cup of poisoned wine. Once the prince has made his decision, send these two on their way. Confine all the servants of the Glass Pavilion."
Shen Wei's face turned deathly pale.
Shen Xiuming, still gagged, let out muffled cries. But the Princess Consort had already turned to leave.
After taking a few steps, Shen Wei cried out, "Your Highness, you've truly misunderstood me... This man is my younger brother, Shen Xiuming. I've been framed!"
