Regarding the case of Shen Yuan's accidental killing of Sun Cainan in Fixed Capital, the trial proceeded with unprecedented swiftness. First, Sun Tianzheng submitted a memorial to the imperial court demanding Shen Yuan pay with his life for the blood debt. If this was not granted, he threatened Emperor Wenhui that he, being old and weak, would have to retire from office—essentially threatening to quit his post.
Compared to Shen Gui, the Minister of Personnel was clearly more important. Sun Tianzheng had held his position for many years, and the connections and influence he had built up would cause great chaos if suddenly replaced. Naturally, Emperor Wenhui had to placate Sun Tianzheng. Secondly, the censors, who usually thrived on officials' mistakes, would never let this accidental killing case slip by. Considering Sun Tianzheng had lost his only son, the censors focused their impeachment efforts on Shen Gui.
What was surprising, however, was Shen Gui's attitude. Kneeling before Emperor Wenhui, he tearfully admitted that the incident was due to his failure in disciplining his son and was willing to uphold justice by sacrificing his own kin—letting Shen Yuan pay with his life.
It was said that these words stunned the entire court.
Though his words sounded impartial and just, the fact that he didn’t even try to defend his son but instead readily agreed to the death penalty was shockingly cold-hearted. Even though Shen Gui had always been a smooth operator, the saying "even a vicious tiger doesn’t eat its cubs" held true, and this act made even his closest colleagues distance themselves from him.
The ministers unanimously sided with Sun Tianzheng. When Emperor Wenhui sought the opinions of the princes, all nine of them, without exception, stood with Sun Tianzheng. Even those who remained neutral could see the inevitable outcome of the case.
Shen Yuan’s execution order was issued three days later—likely the fastest such order in Ming Qi’s history. There was almost no room for appeal or resistance; the verdict was immediate. While the Sun family’s influence played a significant role, the Shen family’s inaction was also a major factor. Whether other forces were secretly at work remained unknown.
In the dim prison cell, Shen Yuan sat in the farthest corner. His hair was disheveled, and his unwashed body emitted a sour stench. His usually calm eyes now held a trace of panic, even a glimmer of despair.
The night before, someone had sneaked in and fed him a drug that rendered him mute. He couldn’t speak a word. Who would do this? Who had the power to infiltrate the prison? Shen Yuan knew the answer all too well.
Fu Xiuyi would not come to save him. At first, he had clung to a sliver of hope, but upon reflection, he realized that rescuing him would bring Fu Xiuyi more harm than good. That man excelled at seeking advantage and avoiding harm—he would never take such a risk for Shen Yuan. On the contrary, Shen Yuan’s existence had become a troublesome pawn for Fu Xiuyi, who would now ruthlessly eliminate him.
The muting drug might not have been meant to kill him outright. Fu Xiuyi, ever cautious, likely feared that Shen Yuan’s death in prison would arouse suspicion.
A bitter smile slowly formed on Shen Yuan’s lips. The victor becomes king, the loser a bandit—he had always known what kind of man Fu Xiuyi was. Working under him, he should have anticipated such an outcome. He just hadn’t expected it to come so soon.
In the darkness, footsteps approached—unlike the hurried steps of the jailers, these were slow and deliberate. He lifted his head toward the sound and saw, under the dim light of a lantern, a figure in purple robes standing before him.Further up, the young girl's delicate face came into view as she smiled at him. "Second Brother."
A surge of anger welled up in Shen Yuan's chest.
The moment he saw Shen Miao's face, an overwhelming tide of hatred and resentment surged within him, making Shen Yuan wish he could kill her right then and there.
Even if he didn’t understand how things had come to this, one thing Shen Yuan was certain of—Shen Miao was undoubtedly involved.
Shen Miao slowly crouched down, meeting Shen Yuan’s gaze at eye level, and said with a smile, "Second Brother must have had a hard time in here these days. Second Aunt has gone mad, Second Uncle refuses to visit you, and Seventh Brother is still too young. Come to think of it, Old Madam Shen doted on you the most, but yesterday she gave the order that no one in the mansion is to mention your name—seems she’s given up on you too. After much thought, I figured that since we are siblings after all, I should come to see you off one last time."
Shen Yuan glared at Shen Miao with gritted teeth. Words could kill, could shatter a person’s spirit. And right now, Shen Miao was ruthlessly twisting the knife in his heart. Though Shen Yuan himself was emotionally cold, being imprisoned without a single visitor was enough to chill anyone’s heart. Old Madam Shen had treated him well in the past, but only because of his brilliance. Now that he was a prisoner, she would naturally cut ties to avoid trouble.
"Come to think of it, Second Brother and Eldest Sister truly are siblings by blood—both of you have been imprisoned. But when Eldest Sister was in prison, Second Aunt was still running around trying to help. Now, no one lifts a finger for you."
Shen Yuan remained silent.
"Why won’t you speak, Second Brother?" Shen Miao tilted her head slightly. "Is it that you don’t want to talk to me, or…" She suddenly smiled. "Were you fed a mute drug?"
Shen Yuan froze. How could Shen Miao have guessed he’d been given a mute drug? Before he could even process it, her next words left him utterly stunned.
"It seems Fu Xiuyi’s methods remain unchanged—no surprises there." Shen Miao mused.
Shen Yuan’s eyes widened. Hearing Fu Xiuyi’s name from Shen Miao’s lips—how did she know he was working for Fu Xiuyi? Moreover, her tone was so familiar, as if she knew him intimately. The shock in Shen Yuan’s heart was beyond words. No matter how cunning Shen Miao was in the inner circles of Shen Mansion, Shen Yuan had never regarded her too highly, believing the schemes of a young lady could only go so far. But the moment she mentioned Fu Xiuyi, Shen Yuan could no longer dismiss her so lightly.
"There’s no need to be so surprised, Second Brother." Shen Miao glanced at him. "I not only know Fu Xiuyi, but also his plans. If you’re thinking of reporting this to him to redeem yourself, it’s already too late. Prince Ding is cautious by nature. Since he’s fed you a mute drug and won’t rescue you, he won’t send anyone here again to avoid drawing attention. Not until after you’re dead—he’ll have no further dealings with you. From the moment you became a useless pawn, he severed all ties with you and ensured you’d have no way to implicate him."Shen Yuan's heart began to pound wildly. Shen Miao wasn't wrong—Fu Xiuyi was exactly that kind of person. So after yesterday, he had been waiting for his death with near despair. He mustn't even think of a desperate struggle, because the outcome would surely be worse than death. Fu Xiuyi was never the gentleman he appeared to be.
He extended a finger and dipped it into the murky water in the bowl, writing a few words on the dusty ground.
What is your purpose?
Shen Miao suddenly burst into laughter. When she laughed, her eyes curved, her lips curved, and for a moment, it was as if she had returned to a year ago—still the Incompetent, somewhat foolish, somewhat naive, truly a girl who understood nothing. Now, though her expression was the same, it sent chills down one's spine.
It took Shen Miao a while to stop laughing. She looked at Shen Yuan: "What is my purpose? Hasn't Second Brother already guessed?"
You want to deal with the second branch? Shen Yuan wrote on the ground.
"Not just the second branch," Shen Miao suddenly whispered, her eyes flashing with a ferocity she couldn't suppress, the killing intent spilling out. She said, "And the third branch, and Old Madam Shen, and... Prince Ding."
Shen Yuan stared at her intently.
"You want to ask why again?" Shen Miao said. "I'm just doing to you what you've done to me. Just like this time—doesn't the Jing family matter feel familiar to you, Second Brother? That's because it was originally your own method. Using your own tactics against you—how could you possibly unravel it?"
Shen Yuan looked at Shen Miao in confusion. He didn't understand her words, only feeling that her expression now seemed almost crazed. Hatred for the second and third branches was one thing—after all, everyone knew their harmony was only superficial. But where did her hatred for Prince Ding come from? Simply because she once admired him but received no response?
"Second Brother," Shen Miao gave a strange smile, "you should thank your little sister. On your journey to the underworld, you'll have so many people accompanying you. Rest assured, after you, no one else in the second branch of the Shen family will take your place. You'll always remain the Shen family's one and only legitimate eldest son."
Shen Yuan glared at her furiously.
Shen Miao stood up, her voice rising lightly in the darkness before falling heavily, crashing into Shen Yuan's ears.
"The second branch will be left without descendants."
...
Once outside, the jailer, having received his bribe, left satisfied, even promising not to speak of this to outsiders. Jing Zhe and Gu Yu helped Shen Miao into the carriage. Gu Yu asked, "Miss, will Second Young Master really be executed in three days?"
Shen Miao nodded.
"It's like a dream," Gu Yu murmured. "Not long ago, Second Young Master was still so arrogant, and now he's about to lose his life."
"Fate decreed it," Shen Miao said coldly.
Sensing that Shen Miao was in no mood for conversation, Jing Zhe and Gu Yu stuck out their tongues and fell silent. When they returned to Shen Mansion and entered the main hall, they found it crowded with people—upon closer look, it was the Jing family.
Madam Jing was rolling on the ground, wailing, "Give me back my Chuchu! Give me back my Chuchu!"
Old Madam Shen was also livid, shouting at the servants nearby, "Why haven't you thrown these people out yet!""Old Madam Shen," Jing Guansheng, no longer his usual refined self, snarled viciously, "Our Chuchu entered your residence perfectly fine, yet she was taken away and now her fate is unknown. Even if this matter were brought before the authorities, you would still be in the wrong."
Old Madam Shen was furious and cursed, "How dare you say that! Look at what that little wretch has done to our family! If not for that jinx, the Shen family wouldn’t have been dragged into this lawsuit!"
"Old Madam, choose your words carefully," Jing Guansheng said. "We’ve already stated that someone must be scheming behind the scenes. My sister’s personal maid later disappeared without a trace—don’t you find that suspicious? Someone must have bribed her!"
The women of the household were all present. Chen Ruoqiu watched the scene with a headache, Shen Yue glared at the Jing family with disgust, Luo Xueyan remained aloof and indifferent, while Wan Yiniang stood quietly to the side holding Shen Dongling’s hand—this was not her place to speak.
"Cousin, you’re stretching things too far. Do you think shifting all the blame onto a personal maid will settle everything?" Shen Miao’s voice rang out. "After all, an affair like this can’t be forced by a maid."
Her biting sarcasm made Jing Guansheng’s face flush red and pale in turns. Everyone turned to look at the doorway as Shen Miao walked in gracefully. Never before had Old Madam Shen been so fond of Shen Miao—if she could silence these unreasonable Jing family members even for a moment, her heart would be at ease.
Luo Xueyan happily pulled Shen Miao to her side. "Jiaojiao, you’ve been out for so long. Are you tired?"
The Jing matriarch was still wailing, "You and Father are blood relatives, and Chuchu shares your bloodline too. How can you be so heartless? Heavens, Old Madam, you’re driving us to our deaths!"
Old Madam Shen was beyond irritated. "Who’s your blood relative? A bunch of lowly beggars who came to the capital to sponge off others, trying to claim kinship with me? Have you no shame? Thinking a pretty face gives you the right to do as you please—truly the behavior of a low-born family, reeking of cheapness, seducing men at such a young age..." In her agitation, Old Madam Shen resorted to the vulgar insults of her past, shocking everyone present with their crudeness.
After a long pause, Jing Guansheng suddenly laughed. "Old Madam, so you truly are this heartless? You’ll really stand by and do nothing about Chuchu’s situation?"
"What does Jing Chuchu have to do with me? Ridiculous!" Old Madam Shen answered without hesitation.
"Fine," Jing Guansheng sneered, his gaze sweeping over Shen Miao. "Since you’re burning bridges, don’t blame me for breaking ties. Back then, you told Chuchu to climb into Shen Qiu’s bed and asked me to find a way to win Shen Miao’s favor. You weren’t so heartless then."
His words sent shockwaves through the room.
Though many had already guessed the truth, no one expected Jing Guansheng to openly reveal it in front of everyone.
The most shocked, of course, was Luo Xueyan.
She looked at Jing Guansheng and slowly asked, "What did you say?"Jing Guansheng ignored Old Madam Shen's furious expression and spoke recklessly as if he had nothing left to lose: "Aunt probably doesn't know this. When my sister Chuchu and I first came to Shen Mansion, the old madam treated us with great warmth. Why? She said she adored us siblings dearly and hoped to form a marriage alliance with the Jing family. But—how could Eldest Cousin possibly take a liking to our Chuchu from such humble origins? The old madam personally administered drugs at the time, seemingly in urgent haste to facilitate the match. Yet she never expected that in the end, it would be Second Cousin who benefited."
Luo Xueyan trembled with rage, suddenly drawing the soft sword from her waist and pressing it against Jing Guansheng's neck.
Jing Guansheng's face paled slightly, but he forced a smile and said, "Aunt has mistaken the wrong person this time. Both my sister and I know our place—without the old madam's urging, how would we dare to entertain such delusions? Besides, it was the old madam who orchestrated the drugging. Shouldn't Aunt direct her anger elsewhere?"
Luo Xueyan turned her gaze to Old Madam Shen, her killing intent surging violently. The old madam was so frightened she nearly toppled from her seat, exclaiming, "Eldest daughter-in-law! Are you trying to kill your own mother-in-law?!"
"Not only did the old madam want Chuchu to marry Eldest Cousin, she also wanted me to win my cousin's favor," Jing Guansheng said with a frivolous smile. "She even said that between men and women, it's all the same—once the rice is cooked, people naturally become devoted..."
Luo Xueyan could bear no more. With one slash of her sword, she struck the ground—the fine stone tiles split open with a visible crack. Madam Jing shrieked in terror, while Old Madam Shen's face turned deathly pale.
Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu shrank back in fear, while Wan Yiniang was inwardly astonished. She never imagined Old Madam Shen would resort to such despicable methods. While such tactics might be commonplace among ordinary women or concubines, for the matriarch of the family to stoop so low was utterly disgraceful.
Luo Xueyan gripped Shen Miao's hand with one hand and raised her sword with the other, glaring at Old Madam Shen. When truly enraged, her murderous aura radiated so fiercely that no one doubted she might decapitate the old madam in the next instant. She declared, "Old Madam, ever since I married into Shen Mansion, both Shen Xin and I have treated you with utmost respect, though you are not his birth mother. But now I understand—there truly are ungrateful wolves in this world. A family like this is no place for me."
"Eldest daughter-in-law, don't listen to his nonsense!" Old Madam Shen, still clinging to hope, cried out. "Are you going to be unfilial?"
"Whether it's nonsense can be verified. As for being unfilial—" Luo Xueyan sneered, enunciating each word coldly. "I'd rather bear the stigma of unfiliality for life than let my children remain in such a household!" She tugged Shen Miao's hand. "Let's go!"
No longer did it matter how Old Madam Shen raged behind them, how the Jings caused a scene, or how Chen Ruoqiu tried to smooth things over. As Shen Miao was led away by Luo Xueyan, striding briskly toward the West Courtyard, her heart swelled with satisfaction.
This was precisely the outcome she had aimed for. Sometimes, mere words alone might lack sufficient impact—not because people refused to believe, but because dividing a family was no simple matter. It involved tangled interests and could invite endless condemnation. For Shen Xin to resolve on separating from the family would not come easily.But after today, the matter of dividing the family estate would become much easier. At the very least, from now on, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan would no longer feel the slightest bit of pity for Old Madam Shen. When parents face someone harming their child, it’s an instinctive need to protect them.
Luo Xueyan pulled Shen Miao back into the room, first closing the door before taking a deep breath and sneering, “Your father and brother went to the palace today—they should have seen for themselves what kind of people these are!” Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she looked at Shen Miao with a hint of apology. “Jiaojiao, you must have been frightened. Mother was just too angry earlier.”
Shen Miao shook her head and met her gaze. “What do we do next? After what you said to the Old Madam today, I’m afraid she’ll use it against you later.”
“What’s there to fear?” Luo Xueyan slapped the table. “Once your father returns, we’ll discuss dividing the family. Every single person in this Shen Mansion has ill intentions. If this continues, who knows what else might happen?” She stroked Shen Miao’s cheek and said, “No wonder you wanted us to stay in the capital for another half year. Did you… already know about this?”
Shen Miao smiled without answering, which only confirmed Luo Xueyan’s suspicions. She stood up abruptly. “No, I still need to investigate this matter. I’ll have the guards outside keep watch at the courtyard gate—don’t go out.” She treated the Shen Mansion as if it were a den of wolves and tigers.
Shen Miao nodded. After Luo Xueyan left, Jing Zhe asked, “Miss, can we really divide the family?”
“Of course,” Shen Miao replied calmly. “My mother is someone who can’t tolerate wrongdoing. She’ll insist on it.”
“That would be wonderful,” Jing Zhe said. “After the division, you’ll have much more freedom to do as you please, without constantly having to guard against this and that.”
Bailu entered and reported to Shen Miao, “Miss, Taoyuan has been sent away and settled in the Manor. She’s been given silver.”
Shen Miao nodded.
Taoyuan, who had been by Jing Chuchu’s side, had been easily bought over. Jing Chuchu had originally planned to marry Shen Yuan and then elevate Taoyuan to concubine to win his favor. What she didn’t realize was that Shen Yuan loathed being manipulated—if Taoyuan had indeed become his concubine, he would have made her life miserable. Jing Chuchu, however, foolishly believed she was bestowing a great favor upon Taoyuan, unaware that the maid had already been bribed by someone else.
Unwilling to remain a concubine or serve a mistress like Jing Chuchu, Taoyuan had risked everything for her freedom. Shen Miao had kept her promise, giving her silver and ensuring her safety. A ruler must know how to balance rewards and punishments when dealing with useful subordinates.
From today onward, everything would proceed as she desired. Gu Yu remarked, “After Second Young Master is executed, the mansion will likely quiet down. This is the perfect time to divide the family.”
Shen Miao smiled faintly. Quiet down? Not likely. The Jing family could be left to Sun Tianzheng to deal with, but the second branch of the Shen family wasn’t completely wiped out yet.
“Second Aunt will be heartbroken when she learns of Second Brother’s execution,” Shen Miao murmured.
“But hasn’t Second Madam already gone mad?” Gu Yu asked in surprise. “If she’s lost her mind, she wouldn’t understand any of this. The servants in Colorful Cloud Courtyard say she doesn’t even recognize people anymore—how would she know what’s happening?”
“Mad?” Shen Miao shook her head. “That’s not necessarily true.”When people are in unbearable pain and despair, they often use "madness" to escape from a reality they cannot face. For Ren Wanyun, the most agonizing thing was her "inaction" that night at Crouching Dragon Temple, which led Shen Qing step by step to her tragic end. Powerless to change anything, she could only watch helplessly as Shen Qing died. Unable to face Shen Qing's death or herself, she finally "went mad."
Now that news of Shen Yuan's death has reached her, she will likely descend even deeper into madness, because once again, she could do nothing to help Shen Yuan.
In truth, Ren Wanyun hasn't been mad for very long. Whether she chooses to remain in that state depends on whether she can gradually come to terms with these facts. It won't be long before Ren Wanyun regains her senses, because she still has Shen Yuanbai—she fears Wan Yiniang might harm him.
Shen Miao intends to make Ren Wanyun "wake up" ahead of time.
Her target was never an individual, but the very lifeline of an entire family. Having chosen the Second Branch, how could she possibly stop after merely eliminating its pair of children?
What she wanted was three generations of sterility for Shen Gui's lineage.
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Yesterday's telecom system maintenance left me without home internet in the evening, so I couldn't upload. Had to post from the office this morning. Normally updates come at 7 AM - if there's no update, it just means something came up. No need to rush me, it'll always get posted eventually. If I need to take leave, I'll announce it in advance~
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