Shen Gui strode into the hall still dressed in his official robes, having evidently rushed over upon hearing the news about Shen Qing.
Ren Wanyun, seeing this, immediately wailed even more pitifully: "Husband... Qing'er, she..."
The affection between Ren Wanyun and Shen Gui was not particularly deep—otherwise, Shen Gui wouldn’t have kept bringing concubines into the household one after another. Nevertheless, the two maintained a respectful and harmonious relationship. The reason was simple: Ren Wanyun managed the Shen Mansion impeccably and maintained good relations with the wives of Shen Gui’s colleagues. As a virtuous helpmate, Shen Gui was quite satisfied with her, so he never failed to give her the respect she was due.
"Shen Miao!" Shen Gui turned his furious gaze toward the young girl in the hall. He knew why Ren Wanyun had taken the three legitimate daughters to Crouching Dragon Temple this time—bringing all three was to avoid gossip. Yet who could have imagined that the one to suffer misfortune would be his own daughter, Shen Qing? The servant who delivered the news had secretly informed him that Shen Miao was behind it all. Though it seemed unbelievable, someone had to bear the blame. Since the second branch couldn’t be faulted, all the blame would fall on the first branch.
"You harmed your own sister with vicious methods! Since your father isn’t here today, I will discipline you in his stead!" he roared. "Bring out the family punishment!"
Family punishment? Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue exchanged glances. Since Chen Ruoqiu had married into the Shen family, she had never witnessed the Shen Mansion’s disciplinary measures. According to Shen Gui, those punishments were usually reserved for errant concubines—none of the Shen descendants had ever been subjected to them.
But the Shen family was an aristocratic military household, and their disciplinary methods were far from ordinary. A servant soon brought forth a long wooden case. Shen Yue had initially watched with curiosity, but when the case was opened and its contents revealed, she couldn’t help but gasp.
Inside lay a long horsewhip, its surface black and glossy from years of soaking in some unknown substance. It was as thick as half a grown man’s wrist, its sheer sturdiness and force evident at a glance. A single strike from such a whip could easily take half a life—if wielded with enough cruelty, death would be a simple matter.
"Good." Old Madam Shen sat even more rigidly upon seeing her son return. She did harbor some genuine affection for Shen Qing, and the incident had angered her. Since Shen Gui had spoken, she naturally seized the opportunity to push things further.
"Since the fifth girl has erred, as her uncle, you should discipline her properly in your elder brother’s place. The Shen family has always upheld strict rules—those who err must face punishment. Fifth girl, you should be grateful your second uncle is kind-hearted and cares for you. Otherwise, it wouldn’t just be the family punishment. If we convened the ancestral hall and summoned the elders for judgment, you could be expelled from the Shen family." At this, her eyes suddenly gleamed—yes, if Shen Miao were cast out, wouldn’t that solve everything?
Noticing Old Madam Shen’s expression, Chen Ruoqiu inwardly cursed the old woman for her stupidity. If Shen Miao were expelled, Shen Xin’s temperament would surely lead him to leave with the entire first branch. Though they resented the first branch’s prosperity, many matters still relied on their influence. This old woman’s simplistic thinking truly reflected her lowly origins as a singing girl—utterly unfit for proper society.Ren Wanyun was also taken aback by the words, roughly guessing Old Madam Shen's thoughts. She didn’t wish for Shen Miao to be expelled from the Shen Mansion—not for any other reason, but simply because she couldn’t let Shen Miao off so easily. Right now, she was desperate to keep Shen Miao in the mansion so she could devise more ways to exact revenge. But expulsion from the family was no simple matter.
Amidst everyone’s private thoughts, they suddenly heard Shen Miao sigh softly as she turned to look at Shen Gui.
Shen Gui was startled by her inexplicable action and frowned as he stared at her. Accustomed to asserting his authority in official circles, his imposing demeanor was enough to make ordinary people shrink under his glare.
Yet Shen Miao remained completely unfazed. Her expression was calm, her gaze steady, even giving Shen Gui the absurd illusion that she was the one looking down on him, while he was merely a subordinate.
This illusion was shattered by Shen Miao’s words: “Second Uncle is truly kind-hearted. Eldest Sister lies ill in bed, yet instead of rushing to check on her condition, you’re busy disciplining me on behalf of my father. It seems Second Uncle cares for me even more than for Eldest Sister.”
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Chen Ruoqiu’s eyes flashed with mockery, while Shen Wan frowned. Old Madam Shen’s expression darkened, Shen Yue opened her mouth but said nothing, and Ren Wanyun lowered her head, clenching her fists in secret.
Among the three masters of the household, Shen Xin, though neglectful of Shen Miao, still genuinely loved her. Shen Wan cherished Chen Ruoqiu and adored Shen Yue, their daughter, like a precious jewel. Only Shen Gui was different.
Shen Gui was a greedy and lustful man, lacking any sense of paternal responsibility. He treated his two sons somewhat better, but paid little attention to his daughter, Shen Qing. In his eyes, the best outcome for Shen Qing was to marry into a powerful family and bolster his own influence. His anger over Shen Qing’s misfortune likely stemmed not from paternal concern, but from frustration over his disrupted plans, fear of Prince Yu’s wrath, and resentment at losing a daughter who could have been a pawn in his political ambitions.
At the core of it all was self-interest.
A father who truly loved his daughter would have rushed to her side upon hearing the news, not hurried back merely to “discipline” the culprit. In this light, one couldn’t help but pity Shen Qing.
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Shen Gui’s face as Shen Miao exposed his motives. Glancing at Ren Wanyun, he saw she had already turned away, refusing to meet his gaze. Surprised, he studied Shen Miao with newfound wariness. With just one sentence, she had driven a wedge between husband and wife—precise and ruthless. Shen Qing was Ren Wanyun’s lifeline, but to Shen Gui, she was merely a tool to be used. Exploiting this to sow discord between the once-united couple was a tactic worthy of a seasoned politician.
The young girl before him had delicate features and a meek appearance, yet an inexplicable air of authority seemed to radiate from her, making it impossible to meet her gaze directly.Suppressing the shock in his heart, Shen Gui angrily said, "Shen Miao, you still refuse to reflect on your actions. If I don't teach you a proper lesson today, I would be unworthy as a son and ashamed to face your father." He reached out to take the whip.
Shen Yue stared intently at Shen Gui's movements, feeling both schadenfreude and tension. Would Shen Gui actually strike? No matter how defiant Shen Miao was, faced with such a scene, wouldn't she have no choice but to bow her head and admit defeat?
"How does Second Uncle plan to teach me a lesson? Use this whip to silence me by killing me? Or beat me half to death and send me to the Manor?" Shen Miao suddenly spoke.
Shen Gui froze mid-action.
Shen Wan was also stunned. None of them had expected Shen Miao's hostility to be so intense. Although Shen Miao had changed recently, everyone had assumed it was just a facade of toughness. Yet now, before the entire Shen Mansion, she discarded all pretense and openly bared her defiance.
"You wicked girl! What nonsense are you spouting?" Old Madam Shen was the first to roar in anger. "Are you implying your second uncle intends to murder you? How dare you defy the heavens like this!"
"Indeed, Fifth Sister, how can you say such things?" Chen Ruoqiu finally spoke up, subtly adding fuel to the fire. "You harmed Qing'er, yet now you turn the tables. Where did you learn such manners?"
Chen Ruoqiu thought to herself: if Shen Miao and the second branch were to mutually destroy each other, her Shen Yue would truly thrive in the Shen Mansion. After all, their third branch lacked the influence of the eldest branch and the heirs of the second branch. Without employing some tactics, the vast Shen Mansion's benefits would only fall into others' hands.
Ren Wanyun kowtowed to Old Madam Shen while weeping. "You see? This is how much Fifth Sister hates us. She harmed Qing'er without remorse and now slanders my husband's reputation. Such arrogance clearly stems from relying on Eldest Uncle's power to bully us. Could this also be something she learned from Eldest Uncle? A young girl like Fifth Sister couldn't possibly know such things—someone must be instructing her from behind. We've always supported each other with Eldest Uncle's family—how could they treat us this way...?"
Ren Wanyun's lament was dramatic, positioning herself as the victim. The more domineering she usually was, the more convincing her current display of vulnerability appeared.
Unfortunately, she had to bring Shen Xin into this.
A dragon has its reverse scales, and now, Shen Xin was Shen Miao's reverse scale.
Her gaze swept across the crowd in the Hall of Glory and Scenery. They were all watching like tigers eyeing prey—they were family, capable of turning black into white and death into life. Surrounded by them, she was like a piece of tender meat dangling before starving wolves.
But what could their silver tongues accomplish? In the imperial harem, how many eloquent women had ultimately survived? How many had become mere fertilizer beneath the flourishing flowers of the royal gardens?
"Second Aunt keeps insisting that I harmed Eldest Sister. Then allow me to ask you a few questions—could you enlighten me?"
Ren Wanyun was taken aback. Meeting Shen Miao's clear eyes, she inexplicably felt a pang of guilt. But seeing the surrounding crowd, she reassured herself—everyone here was on her side. What power did Shen Miao have to overturn the situation?
"Ask away," she said, wiping her tears."Good." Shen Miao curled her lips slightly. "Let me ask you this: that day, Second Aunt was staying right next to Eldest Sister, extremely close. If something had happened, how could Second Aunt not have heard anything?"
Ren Wanyun froze.
"If Eldest Sister had resisted, she would surely have made noise. That day, Eldest Sister was covered in bruises—she must have struggled and cried for help. Second Aunt was so close by, why didn’t she hear anything? Or perhaps she did hear but was too exhausted to come out and check?"
"You—" Ren Wanyun opened her mouth to retort, but cold sweat broke out in her palms.
"Of course, it’s also possible that Second Aunt simply didn’t hear any cries for help. Why? Naturally, because Eldest Sister never cried out at all. Why wouldn’t Eldest Sister cry for help? Could it be that she knew the assailant?"
"You’re talking nonsense!" This time, Ren Wanyun couldn’t hold back and sharply interrupted Shen Miao.
Shen Gui and Shen Wan, being men, were less meticulous in their thinking and didn’t dwell much on the intricacies of household affairs. But Chen Ruoqiu and Ren Wanyun understood immediately. Their gazes toward Shen Miao were filled with shock—the former with astonishment, the latter with fear.
Shen Miao’s words were terrifying. Indeed, that day, Ren Wanyun and Shen Qing had been staying in rooms so close together. If Shen Qing had cried for help, how could Ren Wanyun not have heard? And if she had heard, why hadn’t she gone to check? Could it have been intentional? Ren Wanyun would never deliberately harm her own daughter, but the one who was supposed to be staying there originally was Shen Miao. Ren Wanyun had no reason to harm her own flesh and blood, but she certainly might have plotted against her niece. By stating it so bluntly, Shen Miao had laid bare Ren Wanyun’s hidden schemes before everyone.
And the other possibility Shen Miao had raised—that Shen Qing hadn’t cried out at all—what did that imply? To suffer such humiliation without calling for help—could it have been deliberate? And if it was deliberate, in the mildest interpretation, it would be seen as her being violated by a scoundrel, but in the worst case, rumors might even spread that Shen Qing had willingly engaged in an illicit affair!
This world was already harsh enough for women. Better safe than sorry—once rumors started, they were nearly impossible to quell.
Shen Miao smiled faintly. "Second Aunt, I believe there are many suspicious points in this matter. Since Second Uncle is fair and reasonable, why not send me to the magistrate’s office for an open and honest trial? I will truthfully recount everything I know for the magistrate to decide. Who knows—we might even uncover the identity of the assailant."
"No!" Ren Wanyun and Shen Gui spoke in unison.
Ren Wanyun objected because she feared complications. If Shen Miao repeated what she had just said, anyone with eyes would see the inconsistencies. The Fixed Capital had no shortage of influential families. Such matters were manageable if kept under wraps, but once they spread, it wouldn’t be hard for people to deduce the truth—that she had plotted against her niece. Moreover, if this were truly brought to light, what would become of Shen Qing’s reputation? Once the rumors started flying, Shen Qing might well hang herself with a white silk scarf.Shen Gui said no, but his reasoning was poles apart from Ren Wanyun's. He was only afraid this matter might implicate Prince Yu. Now that Prince Yu might finally show him favor because of Shen Miao, this affair had already gone awry—Shen Miao and Shen Qing's positions had been reversed. Once Prince Yu learned the truth, he would inevitably be furious. If they were further implicated in some case, causing unnecessary trouble for Prince Yu, Shen Gui feared his official career would become exceedingly difficult.
Thus, the previously aggressive couple now spoke in unison to reject Shen Miao's proposal.
"Then what does Second Uncle plan to do?" Shen Miao's gaze swept over the thick horsewhip in Shen Gui's hand as she asked nonchalantly, "Will you still enforce the family discipline?"
The room fell silent for a moment. Shen Yue stared at Shen Miao in disbelief.
Even Shen Yue could see it—she was threatening them!
As if to confirm the astonishment in everyone's hearts, Shen Miao chuckled softly and said, "If Second Uncle insists on enforcing the family discipline, there's nothing I can do. But I've always been stubborn. If that villain forces me to bear a crime that isn't mine, once Father returns, I will surely find a way to report it to the authorities."
Her implication was clear: if Shen Gui beat her today, once Shen Xin returned, she would certainly lodge a complaint—perhaps even incite Shen Xin to take the matter to court. She claimed she would accuse the villain, but who knew who she would ultimately accuse?
"Second Uncle, will you enforce the family discipline or not? If you will, please do it quickly." Shen Miao's clear eyes sparkled with faint amusement, her words laced with subtle mockery. "After all, with so many people here, I can't escape anyway."
She practically painted everyone in the Hall of Glory and Scenery as bandits, as if they were about to pin her down and administer a beating.
Shen Gui had never expected this. In the court and official circles, he was adept at sweet-talking people and deceiving ghosts, confident he could handle any situation with ease. Yet today, he found himself threatened by his own niece. It wasn’t that he couldn’t think of a way to counter her, but Shen Miao had given him no chance to react from start to finish. She had dominated the conversation, growing sharper and more aggressive, leaving him no room to retreat.
A flicker of surprise also passed through Shen Wan's eyes. His second brother was a seasoned fox in the court—even his political rivals had never cornered him so thoroughly. Yet the one who had driven him to this state was a mere fourteen-year-old girl. The eldest branch… was it truly so unshakable? Shen Wan’s gaze darkened.
"You—" Shen Gui’s face flushed red. Today, he had acted purely out of momentary anger. In his mind, Shen Miao was still that timid, gullible niece. Even if she were beaten and subjected to family discipline, with a mix of coaxing and intimidation later, she wouldn’t dare speak of today’s events. Who would have thought Shen Miao would transform into such a thorn in his side? Instead of submitting meekly, she had turned the tables on him, leaving him with no way out.
If not for his fear of Shen Xin, Shen Gui would have dearly wished to kill Shen Miao on the spot.
Old Madam Shen, who had been sitting silently in the hall, watched as her son was pushed into such a predicament. A flash of anger crossed her gaze as she looked at Shen Miao, but she suppressed it and said sternly, "Enough!"
The hall fell silent once more. Shen Gui exhaled in relief, and everyone turned their attention to Old Madam Shen.Old Madam Shen, though utterly ignorant of court and external affairs, was a master of inner household struggles in her younger days. Shen Miao's sharp handling of Shen Gui and his wife had even caught her attention. However, the more clever Shen Miao appeared, the more resentment festered in her heart. Yet with Shen Miao now holding Shen Qing's reputation in her grasp—even capable of threatening Shen Gui—Old Madam Shen dared not act rashly for the moment.
She said coldly, "Fifth Girl, your second uncle speaks sense. Let us forgo the family punishment, considering your youth. However, since this matter stemmed from you and Eldest Girl suffered in your stead, you shall kneel in the ancestral hall to atone for your elder sister. From today onward, you are confined there, copying Buddhist scriptures daily on your knees. Only when Eldest Girl recovers may you emerge."
This was tantamount to imprisoning Shen Miao indefinitely.
Shen Yue was disappointed. She had hoped to see Shen Miao beaten so severely she couldn’t leave her bed, or even expelled from the family. Instead, she was merely given this trivial confinement. In a few months, when Shen Xin returned, Shen Miao’s punishment would naturally be lifted, and everything would revert to how it was before.
Ren Wanyun was also dissatisfied, but Shen Miao’s earlier words had shaken her so deeply she dared not act recklessly now. Her mind was in turmoil, unable to devise a better plan. Though she harbored grievances toward Old Madam Shen’s decision, she recognized it as a temporary measure and held her tongue.
"Oh," Shen Miao’s voice drew out slightly, her tone deceptively gentle yet carrying an inexplicable, layered meaning. She said, "Understood. I shall ‘atone’ for my sister properly before the Buddha."
Every word Shen Miao spoke now seemed laced with hidden implications, sending a chill down Ren Wanyun’s spine. Unsure how to respond, she could only cover her face and sob again.
"Enough, enough," Old Madam Shen snapped impatiently. Failing to suppress Shen Miao today had left her feeling as though a stone weighed on her heart. Ren Wanyun’s incessant weeping only aggravated her irritation. "Second Son, take your wife away. The Hall of Glory and Scenery is no place for such wailing! All of you, leave! Fifth Girl, go to the ancestral hall at once and kneel. You shall skip meals today!"
The group withdrew one after another. Shen Miao did not dwell on the matter further. After leaving the hall, she headed toward the West Courtyard.
Unaware that the eyes of the others lingered on her retreating figure.
Shen Wan remarked darkly, "Fifth Sister has truly grown up."
"Indeed," Chen Ruoqiu curled her lips. "This time, Fifth Sister has truly opened our eyes."
"Mother..." Shen Yue whispered, "Fifth Sister is... frightening." That unreadable expression at Crouching Dragon Temple, the way she had maneuvered Shen Qing into such a loss yet emerged unscathed—even Shen Yue felt a sliver of fear. When had that foolish, compliant cousin gained such capabilities?
"What is there to fear, Yue’er?" Shen Wan patted Shen Yue’s head, his expression affectionate but his words ominous. "She’s just a little girl who doesn’t know her place. She’ll pay the price sooner or later."
...
True to Old Madam Shen’s orders, Shen Miao entered the Shen family’s ancestral hall.The Shen family was an aristocratic military family. Their ancestral hall enshrined generations of forefathers who had fought on horseback to establish such a prosperous family legacy. Unfortunately, by this generation, the Shen family was already divided in heart though united in appearance, not far from decline.
Old General Shen's branch had actually been quite populous initially. But during a certain war, all his brothers perished in battle, leaving only the old general to escape alive. He fathered three sons, yet only one chose the path of a military officer. Though Shen Mansion still maintained its former glory on the surface, apart from Grand General of Might Shen Xin, it had essentially become a family of civil officials - an irony indeed.
"Has the young lady's legs gone numb from kneeling?" Gu Yu asked.
Jing Zhe and Gu Yu followed Shen Miao into the ancestral hall. Shen Miao was worried that Ren Wanyun might pull some underhanded tricks. Although she had deliberately sent Jing Zhe and Gu Yu away at the Crouching Dragon Temple to spare them from being silenced, the vast Shen Mansion was filled with people harboring ulterior motives. It was better to keep them close—Ren Wanyun’s reach was long, but she wouldn’t dare act openly in front of her.
"Even if it’s not numb, the dampness here is unbearable," Jing Zhe complained, glancing at the small window. "It’s been raining, and the ground is soaked. Kneeling like this will surely leave you with chronic pain. Besides, they’re being utterly unreasonable—what does any of this have to do with you, miss? They’re the ones who started this, playing the victim. Just wait until the master returns—let’s see if they still dare—"
"Keep your voice down," Gu Yu scolded. "If someone hears, it’s our miss who’ll suffer."
Shen Miao smiled faintly, unbothered.
Jing Zhe thought for a moment, then asked, "But today was truly unexpected. With so many of them gathered in the Hall of Glory and Scenery, and you going in alone, yet you came out unscathed. Sure, kneeling in the ancestral hall is bad, but compared to what I feared, it’s much better."
Before entering the hall to face their accusations, Shen Miao hadn’t brought any maids with her. Thus, none of her attendants knew what had transpired inside.
"You must have single-handedly convinced the entire room," Gu Yu said admiringly. "Facing so many people without fear—you’re becoming more and more like the master, miss."
So many people? Shen Miao inwardly laughed. This was just a small Shen Mansion, filled with nothing but petty clowns. Back when Fu Xiuyi wanted to change the crown prince, all the court officials sided with Mei Furen and Fu Sheng. Her own Fu Ming had been nearly placed under house arrest. She had donned the Empress’s ceremonial robes and stood before the ministers in the Golden Luan Hall, arguing with them word by word, each syllable dripping with blood.
How feeble was the strength of one person? She had been the most revered woman in the realm, married to the most exalted man, yet she couldn’t even protect what rightfully belonged to her son. Not a single person stood by her side, but she couldn’t retreat—because there were people she needed to protect.
Precisely because she had failed to protect those precious people back then, she would now employ even more ruthless methods. Cruel? Heartless? Hypocritical? Deceitful? None of it mattered. As long as the blade was pointed at her enemies, as long as it was her foes who fell, what did it matter if the process was brutal? She alone would bear the weight of the sin.
She closed her eyes. The ancestral tablets stood before her. Shen Miao whispered silently: Ancestors who once rode into battle, if your spirits still linger, grant me the sharpest arrows and the swiftest steed. Bless me to slay my enemies with my own hands.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Jing Zhe blinking at her before pulling a packet of pastries from her sleeve. "You’ve gone hungry for so long, miss. You must eat something. I still have some snacks here—have a bite to fill your stomach."
Shen Miao wasn’t the type to truly fast just because Old Madam Shen had ordered it. She took the packet and unwrapped it, only to freeze. "This is…"
"I found these in your room at the Crouching Dragon Temple," Jing Zhe said sheepishly, scratching her head. "You gave them to me, and after tasting one, I couldn’t bear to finish them—they were the most delicious pastries I’d ever had. After returning to the mansion and coming here with you, I didn’t have time to fetch food from outside, so this is all that’s left."
Shen Miao stared at the delicate pastries—left behind from that night when Xie Jingxing had visited her. The memory surfaced: the young man’s strikingly handsome face in the rain, his enigmatic identity.
Xie Jingxing… Shen Miao mused. Just what kind of person was he?
In the Colorful Cloud Courtyard, the physician had just left. Shen Qing, having taken a sedative, was now asleep.
No matter how many times she saw them, Ren Wanyun’s heart twisted with agony at the sight of the wounds on Shen Qing’s body. The physician was one of their own, so he wouldn’t speak of it, but he had made it clear to Ren Wanyun: Shen Qing’s injuries were severe, and her mind was no longer lucid. She would need a long time to recover. As for why she had lost her senses—naturally, it was from sheer terror.
What kind of torment had Shen Qing endured that night? Ren Wanyun didn’t dare imagine it. She had been staying in the room next to Shen Qing’s and had even heard her daughter’s cries for help. But she had mistaken them for Shen Miao’s and hesitated—only to realize too late that her own daughter had been violated. The memory alone made Ren Wanyun’s insides churn with regret.
Shen Gui glanced at Shen Qing lying on the bed, looking as though he had a splitting headache, and turned to leave.
"Stop!" Ren Wanyun called out. "Qing’er is in this state, and you still plan to go cavort with those vixens in their courtyards?"
Shen Gui was a lecherous man with multiple concubines, all beautiful and docile. Ren Wanyun was formidable—she had tamed them all into submission. Moreover, though Shen Gui was lustful, he knew that only Ren Wanyun could further his political career, so he never crossed certain lines. Normally, Ren Wanyun couldn’t be bothered to police him. Men were all the same—concubines were mere playthings. Why should she lower herself to compete with toys?
But today, she was acting out of character.
"Must you be so unreasonable?" Shen Gui snapped, irritated. Earlier, he had been rendered speechless by his own niece. He still didn’t know how Prince Yu would react—whether he would take his anger out on him. The thought alone was unbearable, and seeing Shen Qing now only added fuel to the fire. His tone grew impatient. "What good does it do for me to stay here? Let me have some peace to think about what to do next!"
"Think, think, think!" Ren Wanyun shrieked, abandoning her usual composed demeanor. "All you ever do is think! What is Qing’er to you? She’s in this state, yet her own father can’t be bothered to care! In your heart, she must not even be your daughter. How could a father be so cruel?"
The outburst stunned even Ren Wanyun’s personal maids, Xiang Lan and Cai Ju. Normally, Ren Wanyun was the picture of calm—even when Shen Qing had been harmed at the Crouching Dragon Temple, she had maintained her composure for the sake of the bigger picture. As for Shen Gui, she had never spoken harshly to him before. For someone as rational and tactful as Ren Wanyun to quarrel with him like a shrew was unbelievable.
Ren Wanyun herself didn’t understand why she was acting this way. Seeing Shen Gui’s indifference, Shen Miao’s words from the Hall of Glory and Scenery echoed in her mind.
When Shen Gui learned of Shen Qing’s plight, his first thought hadn’t been to check on her injuries—it had been to discipline Shen Miao. That wasn’t the behavior of a true father. Shen Gui didn’t care whether his daughter lived or died. To him, Shen Qing was likely just a valuable object—something worth keeping when she was useful, but now that she was ruined, he couldn’t even bear to look at her.
Shen Miao’s provocation had seemed ineffective in the hall, but the seeds had been sown—and now, they had erupted.
"You shrew!" Shen Gui, accustomed to flattery in official circles, had never been berated like this. Though furious, he knew better than to sever ties with Ren Wanyun completely. He sneered. "You accuse me of being a bad father, but have you ever been a proper mother? You were the one who took Qing’er to the Crouching Dragon Temple—you were supposed to look after her. You were right next to her, yet you let this happen under your nose. Weren’t you staying in the room beside hers that night? If you truly loved her, how could you not have realized it was Qing’er in trouble?"
The words struck Ren Wanyun like a blade to the heart.
Her greatest regret, her deepest hatred, was that night in the North Pavilion. She had heard the cries for help. She could have saved her daughter—but by cruel twist of fate, she hadn’t. Now, Shen Gui was rubbing salt in the wound, leaving her frozen in place.
Seeing her silent, Shen Gui snorted and stormed off—likely to one of his concubines’ courtyards.
Ren Wanyun stood motionless for a long moment before her legs gave way. She collapsed to the floor, covering her face as she wept quietly.
Xiang Lan and Cai Ju were both terrified and shocked—they had never seen their mistress like this. The Ren Wanyun of now seemed to have crumbled overnight, a far cry from her usual triumphant self.
The two maids could only try to console her. After who knew how long, Ren Wanyun wiped her eyes and stood. "Fetch me paper and ink. I need to write to Yuan’er."
Shen Yuan was the eldest son of the second branch—Ren Wanyun’s firstborn, currently serving in Liuzhou. Once his term ended, he would return to the capital for an official post.
If Shen Yue was the pride of the third branch, then Shen Yuan was the jewel of the second. Young Shen Yuanbai was still a child, and Shen Qing had never been particularly gifted, but Shen Yuan was exceptional. He had earned his scholarly honors at a young age and excelled in his duties. Even Shen Gui treated him with rare warmth.
"If your father won’t help, your brother will," Ren Wanyun muttered, casting a glance at Shen Qing. "Yuan’er dotes on you the most. That little wretch Shen Miao—this time, I’ll make sure she regrets everything she’s done for the rest of her life!"
Xiang Lan hurried to fetch the writing materials. Ren Wanyun took a deep breath and turned to Cai Ju. "Are those maids still locked up?"
"The four maids and Granny Gui are all in the firewood room. Does Madam wish to have them silenced with poison, or…?"
These maids were the ones who had witnessed Shen Qing’s disgrace—Yan Mei and Shui Bi, Shen Qing’s personal attendants, along with Qing Luan and Huang Ying, Shen Yue’s maids, and Granny Gui.
"Silence Shen Yue’s maids and return them to the Autumn Water Court. Let Chen Ruoqiu deal with them as she sees fit. As for Qing’er’s two maids…" Ren Wanyun’s voice turned venomous. "Sell them to a ninth-class brothel. Letting them die would be too merciful. Failing to protect their mistress is an unforgivable crime."
Cai Ju shuddered. Brothels were nothing like pleasure houses—there, women could choose to sell art or their bodies, but in a brothel, every girl was forced into the flesh trade. And ninth-class brothels were the lowest of the low, catering to the roughest, most brutish clientele. The women there had no respite, servicing customers from dawn till dusk, their earnings going straight to the madam. If they contracted a disease, they were denied medicine—left to die on the streets, frozen, starved, or torn apart by dogs.
Those sold to such places were either servants who had committed unforgivable crimes or those who had crossed their masters. Yet Yan Mei and Shui Bi had served Shen Qing since childhood. After so many years of loyalty, who could have imagined this would be their fate?
"This servant understands. And Granny Gui…?" Cai Ju ventured. Granny Gui had long since pledged her allegiance to them, making her one of their own.
"Granny Gui…" Ren Wanyun smiled coldly. "I still don’t know exactly what happened that night. It seems I’ll have to have a proper chat with her—after all, she’s the one who knows the whole story."
The abandoned firewood room reeked of decay. After days of rain, green moss had sprouted on the damp ground. Under normal circumstances, it might have seemed tranquil, but in the pitch-black darkness, the atmosphere was eerie.
This room had held countless people—masters and servants alike who had erred in the Shen Mansion. None had met a good end. The common thread was that after being locked up here for a while, they would vanish without a trace, as though they had never existed.
Now, strange noises came from within—the sound of someone struggling, feet kicking against objects, muffled cries.
A lantern had been carelessly set aside, casting a dim glow that made the room even more sinister. Two burly matrons were forcing something down the throats of two maids, gripping their necks to prevent them from spitting it out.
The maids writhed, but their slight frames were no match for the matrons’ strength. After what felt like an eternity, they finally stopped resisting, clutching their throats in agony.
"Drag them out," one matron ordered. Two servants entered and hauled the maids away.
"These two…" The matron pointed at the remaining pair. "Take them out too. But Madam gave special instructions—take your time with them. Since they’re to be sold to that kind of place, you may do as you please."
The servants’ eyes gleamed with hunger as they looked at the maids, whose faces were now blank with despair.
The matrons, satisfied with their work, prepared to leave.
"W-what about me?" A figure suddenly lunged from the shadows, clutching a matron’s leg. "What will happen to me?"
It was Granny Gui.
"Don’t fret, Granny," the matron said mockingly, prying her off. "Madam values you so much—she must have grand plans for you. Just wait."
With that, she strode out without a backward glance.
Darkness swallowed the room once more. Granny Gui huddled in the corner, trembling with terror.
No one wanted to die. She wanted to live.
P.S. Happy Dragon Boat Festival, dear readers! (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
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