What does the residence of Yun Province's number one family look like?
As soon as they entered the Shi Clan's gate, what greeted their eyes was a plaza comparable to the Forbidden City. Everywhere in the plaza, Shi Clan disciples were practicing.
After walking through a long corridor and entering the hall, the golden and resplendent decorations and various spirit flower potted plants were dazzling.
Su Yunying and Ding Buer were like two country bumpkins who had never seen the world, directly shocked by the scene before them.
Shen Zhao, on the other hand, remained as usual. After all, what kind of prosperous scenes hadn't he seen in his previous life? Would he be interested in these "unremarkable" scenes?
"Sit."
Shi Hongyi warmly gestured for the three of them to sit down and instructed a servant to bring forth fragrant tea brewed with spirit spring water.
Ding Buer immediately started flattering him: "I've long heard that the Shi Clan is a prominent family in Yun Province. Seeing it today, it truly lives up to its reputation. Young Master Shi, allow me to offer you a toast with tea in place of wine."
"Haha, Master Ding, you're too kind. Everyone, please."
Not long after the three of them drank the tea, a beautiful woman suddenly walked in, ignoring the others as she directly addressed Shi Hongyi, "Hongyi, I know about what happened on the street today.
I know that even if I try to persuade you, you won't listen, but I still have to try today. That young lady from the Han family isn't suitable for you. Don't waste your time on her."
The beautiful woman was Du Wushuang, Shi Hongyi's mother and the wife of the family head, Shi Yanyun.
"Mother! Don't say any more. I will not marry anyone but Xuanxuan in this life!"
"You... you're really trying to anger me to death! Your father is also very upset about this, cough, cough, cough..."
Speaking, Du Wushuang started to cough violently.
Seeing this, Shi Hongyi hurriedly got up to support her: "Mother, please don't get angry. Don't worry about my affairs."
Shen Zhao saw this and asked, "Young Master Shi, is your mother feeling unwell?"
Shi Hongyi was about to speak, but Du Wushuang stopped him and looked at Shen Zhao. "Are you three friends of Hongyi? I've never seen you before."
As she spoke, her eyes glanced at Su Yunying, and a trace of surprise flashed in her eyes.
Shen Zhao said, "Madam Shi, we just arrived in Yun Province City today. We became friends with Young Master Shi at first sight. We were invited by Young Master Shi to visit your residence. If we've caused any inconvenience, please forgive us."
Du Wushuang said, "Since you are Hongyi's friends, it's fine to visit more often. There's no need to be polite."
It was clear that Du Wushuang doted on her precious son.
The truth was, Shi Yanyun and Du Wushuang only had one son, and they would give him whatever he wanted, truly doting on him.
However, Shi Hongyi was also filial to his parents. It was only after meeting Han Xuanxuan that he became obsessed, constantly defying them.
In fact, the Shi Clan didn't necessarily need to form an alliance with a powerful force through marriage; they would be satisfied as long as their son was happy.
However, Han Xuanxuan and that Qin Feng were always flirting with each other and had humiliated her son several times, which made Du Wushuang very unhappy.
But due to her son's feelings, she didn't stop them from seeing each other.
"Madam Shi, please rest assured. Since Young Master Shi considers us friends, we will naturally help him solve his problems."
Shen Zhao spoke with full confidence.
Du Wushuang nodded, sighing inwardly.
Shen Zhao naturally knew what she was sighing about.
What kind of person was Shi Hongyi? In today's terms, he was someone who had climbed into high society, surrounded by the elite.
But after getting to know Han Xuanxuan, Shi Hongyi's social circle was almost severed. He was afraid that Han Xuanxuan would feel inferior, so he lowered himself and tried to accept the so-called life of a commoner, no longer associating with his former friends.
What he got in return was Han Xuanxuan's increasingly harsh ridicule and mockery.
Just then, a servant came to report, "Madam Shi, Han Youwei from the Han family requests an audience."
Upon hearing Han Youwei's name, Du Wushuang's face showed a hint of disgust, "What does he want?"
"Mother, it must be that Xuanxuan is in trouble, I'll go out to see him." Shi Hongyi quickly prepared to get up and greet him.
Du Wushuang was also helpless; her son would lose his mind whenever he encountered news related to Han Xuanxuan.
"Young Master Shi, wait a moment!" Shen Zhao called out in time to stop him.
Shi Hongyi asked, "Brother Shen, what do you mean?"
Shen Zhao leaned in close and whispered, "Do you know why Miss Han always looks down on you? It's because you get overly excited over trivial matters, showing no composure whatsoever."
Shi Hongyi's eyes lit up. "You mean…?"
"Think about it. A mere servant expects you, a young master of a distinguished family, to go out and greet him. Who would respect that?"
"But…"
"Trust me. Put on the airs of a noble family. Just sit here and let that Han Youwei come to see you! I guarantee you'll get something different out of it."
"Good!"
Shi Hongyi nodded, then said to the servant, "Let him in."
The servant was stunned, looking at Shi Hongyi with some disbelief.
You know, normally when someone from the Han family came, their young master would go to greet them personally.
Seeing this, Du Wushuang's eyebrows furrowed slightly: "What? Doesn't your young master's word count?"
"Yes!"
The servant quickly left.
And Du Wushuang also felt a little relieved, looking at Shen Zhao, who appeared calm and composed, and silently nodded in her heart.
Not long after, Han Youwei arrived in the main hall and said directly, "Young Master Shi, my young lady has bid on a Mystic-Grade Spirit Artifact at the Lingbao Pavilion, and she's short five thousand Spirit Stones. Please, Young Master Shi, go and help my young lady settle the bill."
Han Youwei's words held not a shred of respect, his tone laced with a strong dissatisfaction.
After all, in the past, whenever he came seeking Shi Hongyi, it was always the man who took the initiative to greet him, and even offered many benefits in private, all to glean information about his young miss's whereabouts.
Over time, Han Youwei developed a hint of disdain for Shi Hongyi, and his tone became increasingly harsh. He would even throw a temper if he wasn't satisfied with the benefits Shi Hongyi offered, considering him nothing more than a lickspittle, utterly devoid of dignity.
Yet, this time, he was being asked to enter the hall to meet?
He would definitely tell his young miss when he returned, and she would have to teach him a lesson.
As it happened, his words had barely left his lips when Shi Hongyi could no longer remain seated: "What? Xuanxuan really went to Lingbao Pavilion? Good, I will..."
Seeing that this lickspittle was about to start forking out the money, a layer of frost appeared on Du Wushuang's face, but she couldn't say much. After all, fifty thousand Spirit Stones were nothing to the Shi Clan; her spirit mine produced more than that in a single day.
But Shen Zhao stopped Shi Hongyi in time, saying to Han Youwei, "You impudent thing, don't you see where you are?"
"How dare you be so arrogant and overbearing when the young master and his wife are here! Is this how you, the Han family, educate your servants?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Han Youwei was dumbfounded, Du Wushuang's eyes lit up, and only Shi Hongyi panicked.
Shen Zhao stood up and pointed at Han Youwei, saying, "You, a mere servant of the Han family, disregarding etiquette isn't even the main issue. You're openly instigating the young master to pay for your young miss?
I want to ask, what is the relationship between the Han family and the Shi Clan? Why does your Han Xuanxuan need to buy a Spirit Artifact and ask our young master for money? How can your Han family be so shameless?"
Du Wushuang cheered inwardly, her eyes toward Shen Zhao filled with admiration, and she was also glad that her son had such a reliable friend.
Han Youwei was choked speechless, and after a long while, he mustered the courage to look at Shi Hongyi, "Young Master Shi, are you just going to watch as my young miss is humiliated in the Lingbao Pavilion?"
"How dare you!" Shi Hongyi was about to speak, but Shen Zhao interrupted him first, "You unobservant fool! Why doesn't your young miss come herself if she wants to borrow money from the young master? Why send a servant?
What? Asking to borrow money and acting so righteous? I've truly never seen such a brazen person!"
After finishing speaking, he immediately turned to Du Wushuang and said, "Madam Shi, these petty people lack manners and proper upbringing. As the number one aristocratic family in Yun Province, the Shi Clan should teach these Han family servants a lesson, so they know who's in charge in Yun Province right now."
"Excellent!"
Du Wushuang immediately stood up.
"Guards, drag these disrespectful Han family servants out and give them forty lashes, then throw them out of the manor!"
Han Youwei, upon hearing this, was immediately terrified and knelt on the ground: "Madam Shi, spare my life! This lowly one knows his mistake. This lowly one was acting on behalf of our young miss. Please, Madam Shi, spare me this time, considering the feelings between our young miss and the young master."
Shi Hongyi hurriedly said, "Mother, this..."
"This kind of thing absolutely cannot be tolerated!"
Shen Zhao spoke up first.
"Young Master Shi, as the young master of the Shi Clan, you wouldn't embarrass the Shi Clan like this, would you? He's just a servant who relies on his master. There's no need to care. If you hit him, you hit him. I'll take responsibility for whatever happens."
Then, with a wave of his hand, he took charge. "Where are the people from the Shi Clan? You're not listening to the young master and his wife? Drag him out and beat him!"
The Shi Clan's servants had long been displeased with the Han family's arrogance, taking advantage of their young master's feelings for Han Xuanxuan. Hearing they could use this opportunity to teach the Han family a lesson, they immediately dragged him out without a word.
Soon, Han Youwei's pig-like screams and the sound of the board hitting his buttocks echoed from outside the hall.
Shi Hongyi was anxious, fearing this would make Han Xuanxuan dislike him even more.
He didn't dare to get angry with his mother, so he turned his attention to Shen Zhao. "Shen Zhao, I considered you a friend of mine. Why would you harm me like this? Do you know that if you do this, Xuanxuan will ignore me from now on?"
"May I ask, Young Master Shi, how have you treated Han Xuanxuan and her family these past three years?"
"I…"
"You give them money and treasures, and you always smooth things over for them. You could say you've done everything you could, but why doesn't the Han family's young lady still like you? Have you ever thought about why?"
"This… I'd like to hear more…"
"Because you don't act like a man."
"Brother Shen, that's going too far."
"Don't be in a hurry, Young Master Shi. Think carefully, is that not the case? The more you treat her well, the more she dislikes you. What does that mean? It means you're using the wrong approach."
"How am I wrong?"
"For example, today. You knew she was going to Lingbao Pavilion to buy a Spirit Artifact, so you sent her fifty thousand Spirit Stones. But doing so severely hurt her self-esteem.
The young lady already said she was capable, and you doing this only makes her think of herself as a useless pretty face."
Shi Hongyi listened, thought carefully, and after a long while, revealed an expression of sudden realization: "So that's how it is, I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Brother Shen."
Du Wushuang had been watching Shen Zhao the whole time, and her eyes held a hint of admiration.
-----------------------
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