"Even if Mother doesn't care about me, would she disregard my younger brother's life as well?"
The moment those calm words were spoken, Ren Wanyun's scolding abruptly ceased. She stared blankly at Shen Yuan: "What did you say?"
"Now the entire Shen Mansion is implicated, and our second branch is the first to bear the brunt. Younger sister's matter has far-reaching consequences. Even if Father and I lose our official positions, Mother wouldn't care. But if it implicates my younger brother, would Mother still not care?" Shen Yuan said.
Ren Wanyun looked at him, momentarily flustered: "What does this have to do with Bai'er? He's still so young, how could he be involved in these matters? No one is more innocent than Bai'er."
"Mother, everyone is innocent in this matter." Shen Yuan sneered. "Am I not innocent too?" Suppressing his anger, he continued: "Mother, as the rumors spread more and more fiercely, if the Shen family provokes anything now, I fear the entire mansion will suffer in the end." He looked at Ren Wanyun, his tone heavy: "Even if Mother harbors thoughts of perishing together with others, would you also sacrifice Bai'er for nothing?"
Ren Wanyun trembled uncontrollably. Indeed, she had harbored such thoughts. Her hatred for Shen Miao was extreme, but the coldness of the entire Shen Mansion, Shen Gui's heartlessness, Old Madam Shen's opportunism, and the third branch's indifference had filled Ren Wanyun with immense resentment toward the Shen family. She had even thought that if the entire Shen Mansion was implicated because of Shen Qing, it wouldn't matter—if she could drag the first branch down with her, it would be revenge enough.
But Shen Yuan had pointed out one thing: if the Shen Mansion truly suffered, even Shen Yuanbai would not be spared. Since ancient times, emperors favored their eldest sons, and commoners doted on their youngest. Shen Yuan had been clever since childhood, and Ren Wanyun had never worried much about him. But Shen Yuanbai was young and mischievous, the apple of her eye. If Shen Yuanbai were to lose his life because of this, it was something she absolutely could not bear.
"Then... Yuan'er, what should we do?" Ren Wanyun looked at Shen Yuan, her earlier madness completely gone, as if Shen Yuan were her lifeline, her pillar of strength.
"Mother, one cannot be greedy." Shen Yuan looked at her, his gaze cruel and ruthless: "Between younger sister and younger brother, you can only save one."
...
Outside the prison near the Fixed Capital's government office stood guards on duty.
In the case of the massacre at Prince Yu's Manor, Shen Qing occupied an extremely awkward position. On the surface, she seemed a pitiable figure, having just married into the prince's household when the massacre occurred, lucky to have escaped with her life. But upon closer examination, the case was riddled with suspicious points, and perhaps Shen Qing was involved. Even if she wasn't, the salacious rumors and accusations of being a "husband-killer" were enough to make her name the talk of the town. In this light, it might have been better if she had died in the massacre.
Emperor Wenhui's attitude toward the Prince Yu case was also intriguing. He had ordered an immediate investigation but left it entirely to the capital's officials, not even bothering to inquire further. Given Emperor Wenhui's brotherly affection for Prince Yu, it was impossible for him to let the matter rest so easily. The emperor's thoughts were always difficult to guess, and the officials below could not discern what Emperor Wenhui truly wanted, so they could only imprison Shen Qing for the time being.
This was somewhat absurd—a defenseless woman, the sole survivor of a massacre, was being treated as the prime suspect. Such were the strange ways of the world.
When Shen Miao arrived at the prison entrance, the head jailer was startled to see her and stepped forward: "Who goes there?"
"My lady is the fifth young miss of the Shen family from the General's residence," Jing Zhe stepped forward, handing a scented pouch filled with silver to the jailer. "She has come specifically to see the eldest young miss."
Shen Miao took out the token Shen Qiu had given her from her sleeve and flashed it before the jailer. Recognizing it, the man immediately bowed respectfully: "So it is the Fifth Miss Shen." Shen Xin's reputation in Fixed Capital was formidable—even officials would show him deference, let alone a mere jailer.
"I wish to see my elder sister. Please lead the way," Shen Miao said.
The jailer smiled: "Normally, visits are not permitted these days, but since Fifth Miss Shen has spoken, please follow me." After instructing the guards outside, he led Shen Miao in, leaving Jing Zhe and Gu Yu behind.
Shen Qing's current status was extremely awkward. No one could say for certain whether she would be exonerated in the future, but even if she were, the taint on her reputation would make her life difficult.
"Fifth Miss need not worry too much," the jailer said reassuringly. "Though Eldest Miss Shen is imprisoned now, once the truth comes to light, she will not suffer much." Assuming Shen Miao's visit meant the sisters were close, he thought it best to please Shen Miao and earn Shen Xin's favor.
Shen Miao nodded: "Thank you for your guidance."
When they reached a stone staircase, the jailer stopped: "Eldest Miss Shen is held below. Fifth Miss may go down and speak with her. My men and I will wait outside—please do not take too long."
Shen Miao thanked him again. Once the jailer and his men had deliberately withdrawn, she leisurely descended the steps.
At the bottom of the long staircase was a solitary cell, enclosed by iron bars, with only a fist-sized window—a place reserved for major criminals. Torches lined the stone walls, their flickering flames casting eerie shadows in the gloomy prison.
The cell was strewn with straw, atop which lay a filthy quilt, likely infested with lice, as tiny black specks could be seen. The figure huddled under the quilt sat on the straw, head buried in her knees, perhaps asleep.
Shen Miao watched silently for a long moment before stepping forward and lightly rapping on the iron bars.
The figure jerked her head up, revealing a face twisted with fear. When she recognized Shen Miao, her fear turned to rage, and she gritted her teeth: "Shen Miao!"
"It's me." Shen Miao took a step back, avoiding Shen Qing's wild attempts to claw at her through the bars. As expected, Shen Qing lunged forward, arms flailing uselessly against the barrier.
"It seems you still haven't learned wisdom." Shen Miao chuckled, watching her with amusement. "Save your energy. It's pointless."
Shen Qing dropped her hands and suddenly burst into laughter: "Shen Miao, have you come to gloat? To see how miserable I am? Let me tell you, one day, you'll suffer a hundred times worse than me!"
"What a pity," Shen Miao said pityingly. "Even if that day comes, you won't be around to see it."
Shen Qing froze, fear flashing in her eyes. She had been imprisoned for days now, utterly bewildered by her circumstances. Spoiled since childhood, she had thought the night with Prince Yu at Crouching Dragon Temple was the worst experience of her life. But the subsequent misfortunes—pregnancy, the banquet, her wedding, and the bloody massacre that followed—had only grown more terrifying. Now she was a prisoner. Suppressing her unease, she retorted defiantly: "Don't try to trick me! This has nothing to do with me. How could I be implicated?"
"Why can't you understand?" Shen Miao crouched to meet Shen Qing's gaze, shaking her head as if addressing a foolish child. "The entire Prince Yu's Manor was slaughtered, and you alone survived. Whether it was a conspiracy or not, whether you were involved or not, your survival alone makes you a criminal in the eyes of the world."
"What connection could I possibly have with the murderer?" Shen Qing snapped. "Why would I slaughter Prince Yu's household? I had no grudge against him—if anyone did, it was you..." Her words trailed off as she stared at Shen Miao in disbelief. "It was you?"
Shen Miao's lips curved slightly.
"It was you?" Shen Qing gripped the bars, her voice rising. "You! You bore a deep hatred for Prince Yu—you had his household massacred! You spared me deliberately to pin the blame on me! Shen Miao, you scheming witch!" Shock and fury warred within her—shock at Shen Miao's ruthlessness, fury at her own downfall, all thanks to Shen Miao.
"Elder Sister, one must provide evidence for such accusations." Shen Miao smiled. "But your words just now show you've grown wiser after two days in prison." Though she denied Shen Qing's claims, to Shen Qing, it was as good as a confession.
Shen Qing snarled: "What do you want? Shen Miao, you won't succeed! My father and brother will save me—they'll uncover the truth, and it'll be you in this cell, not me! When that day comes, I'll make sure you suffer a thousand cuts!"
"You still count on Second Uncle and Shen Yuan?" Shen Miao mocked. "Second Uncle is too afraid of implication to even visit you. As for Shen Yuan..." She smirked. "He could have had a bright future, but because of you, his career is in ruins. Do you really think he'd lift a finger to help you?"
Shen Qing glared, though she knew Shen Miao spoke the truth. She understood Shen Gui's nature all too well. When he had married her off to Prince Yu, she had seen clearly that he, like Old Madam Shen, was a self-serving opportunist. As for her enigmatic elder brother, though he had helped her before, now that his career was at stake, would he still intervene?
"Shen Miao, stop your nonsense!" Shen Qing forced bravado despite her unease. "My mother won't abandon me! She'll find a way to save me. Once she steps in, with Second Brother's abilities, uncovering the truth will be easy. Then it'll be your turn to suffer!"
"Second Aunt?" Shen Miao sighed. "I know how much Second Aunt dotes on you. You're the apple of her eye. If anything happened to you, she'd move heaven and earth to protect you—just as she once did for me..."
Shen Qing's anxiety eased slightly, a hint of smugness creeping in. Ren Wanyun had always indulged her. Among the three legitimate daughters of the Shen family, Chen Ruoqiu was strict with Shen Yue, and Luo Xueyan rarely spent time with Shen Miao. Only Ren Wanyun had spoiled Shen Qing endlessly, ever since her difficult birth had nearly claimed both their lives. Even when Shen Qing had set her sights on Prince Ding Fu Xiuyi, Ren Wanyun had not objected.
Now, even if others turned their backs on her, as long as Ren Wanyun was there, she would never let her daughter be wronged. But before Shen Qing's smug smile could fully form, Shen Miao's amused voice cut in: "But Elder Sister, guess who Second Aunt values more—you or Seventh Brother?"
Shen Qing stiffened, her eyes locked on Shen Miao.
Shen Miao gazed at her gently: "How much Second Aunt dotes on Seventh Brother is common knowledge in the mansion. If saving you meant sacrificing him, do you think she'd take that risk? Honestly, I'm quite curious to know the answer. Could you enlighten me, Elder Sister?"
Shen Qing began to tremble violently. She knew better than anyone how much Shen Yuanbai meant to Ren Wanyun. At her age, bearing him had been a miracle. Though mischievous, he was endearing. Most importantly, he was a son.
In this world, life was especially harsh for women. In Ren Wanyun's heart, her youngest son would always come first. If it came down to choosing between Shen Yuanbai and herself, Shen Qing knew the answer all too well—she would be the one discarded. But no matter how terrified she was, she refused to show weakness before Shen Miao. She sneered: "What are you trying to say? That I'm doomed no matter what? Shen Miao, don't forget—I carry royal blood in my womb! For the sake of this child, nothing will happen to me!" As she spoke, she caressed her belly with a tender smile, a stark contrast to her earlier desperation to rid herself of this "bastard."
"Elder Sister, do you truly believe he's your lifeline?" Shen Miao's gaze drifted to Shen Qing's slightly swollen abdomen, her tone indifferent. "In the past, given His Majesty's regard for Prince Yu, he would have spared the child. But now... I fear it will only hasten your demise."
"What do you mean?" Shen Qing didn't understand, but the certainty in Shen Miao's eyes sent a chill down her spine. She sensed Shen Miao wasn't lying—but why would her child become her death sentence?
Shen Qing didn't know that certain rumors had reached the emperor's ears, quietly altering the course of events. Before, Emperor Wenhui would have spared her for the sake of Prince Yu's bloodline. But now, with seeds of doubt sown, the emperor's cruelty knew no bounds—he would likely prefer to eradicate both her and the "abomination" in her womb as soon as possible.
As Shen Miao remained silent, smiling, Shen Qing grew more frantic. "Shen Miao, what grudge do you bear against me? Why are you doing this?"
"No grudge?" Shen Miao laughed as if hearing a joke. She looked at Shen Qing: "When you and your mother plotted against me, did you ever consider whether there was a grudge between us?"
"You..." Shen Qing's resentment flared. Staring at Shen Miao as if she were a monster, she spat: "You'll pay for this! What goes around comes around—one day, your branch will be the ones hunted down and trampled! You'll all die wretched deaths!" Her voice rose to a shrill pitch, as if volume alone could mask her terror.
Throughout her tirade, Shen Miao's expression never wavered. Softly, she murmured: "What goes around comes around—that much is true. But waiting for heaven to deliver justice is too slow. In this world, human effort determines all. Fortunately, nothing has been in vain."
The wretched death Shen Qing wished upon her—Shen Miao had already tasted it in her past life. Back then, Luo Xueyan had died, Shen Qiu drowned, and the entire first branch of the Shen family had been imprisoned. Rumors from the cold palace eunuchs spoke of Shen Xin locked in the most horrific cell, his shoulder blades pierced with chains to prevent escape, his face branded with the character for "criminal." For a battlefield general, such humiliation was worse than any physical torture. And all the while, she had been confined to the cold palace, watching Fu Ming stripped of his crown prince title and Mei Furen gloating in triumph.
Shen Qing was unraveling. Young and sheltered, coddled by Ren Wanyun all her life, she had no resilience in the face of adversity. She shrieked: "Shen Miao, you monster! You'll die horribly!"
Shen Miao watched her calmly: "Shen Qing, how does it feel to watch your hopes shatter one by one?"
Shen Qing's eyes burned with hatred.
"When I was at my lowest, you gave me a push. So this time, I've come to send you off." Shen Miao smiled, though her eyes remained icy, dark clouds swirling in their depths like a gathering storm.
In her past life, before death, she had seen Shen Qing and Shen Yue standing behind Mei Furen, their faces alight with smug smiles. The first branch's tragic end owed much to the second and third branches. Reborn into this arduous life, she had come to pluck out the fangs of these budding vipers—and then, to torment them slowly.
Shen Qing didn't understand her words, only gritted her teeth: "Shen Miao, you'll die horribly..."
Shen Miao stood, looking down at Shen Qing. In the dim prison light, her youthful face carried an imposing dignity, undercut by a dark tempest that finally settled into a cold smirk.
The hem of her purple dress fluttered as she turned away. The last words Shen Qing heard were...
Shen Miao said: "Shen Qing, you're the first."
...
The eastern courtyard of Shen Mansion was unusually silent that day.
Shen Gui remained in his room, his face heavy with gloom. From discreet inquiries with palace eunuchs, he had learned that Shen Qing's situation was truly dire.
Something had gone awry between Emperor Wenhui and Prince Yu—something far graver than the courtiers suspected. Now, he was caught between a rock and a hard place. If he intervened in Shen Qing's case, he risked displeasing the emperor. If he didn't, the spreading rumors would eventually implicate him.
As he sighed in frustration, Wan Yiniang approached, gently massaging his shoulders.
Shen Gui was a womanizer, with numerous concubines in his household. But Ren Wanyun kept a tight rein, ensuring none bore him children—those who did saw their offspring perish young. Only Wan Yiniang, under Ren Wanyun's very nose, had successfully given birth to a daughter, Shen Dongling, and raised her to adulthood—a testament to her cunning. The servants whispered that had Wan Yiniang borne a son instead, she might have rivaled Ren Wanyun's status.
Both Wan Yiniang and Old Madam Shen had been singing girls in their youth, a fact Ren Wanyun despised and Old Madam Shen found embarrassing. But Wan Yiniang had been a star performer in her troupe, her beauty and charm unmatched when she played the flower-dan roles.
After Shen Dongling's birth, Wan Yiniang had quietly retreated to her courtyard, fading from public view along with her frail daughter, who only appeared during festivals. But with Shen Qing's scandal turning Old Madam Shen cold and Ren Wanyun and Shen Gui constantly at odds, Wan Yiniang had reemerged. These days, she attended to Shen Gui's every need, making Ren Wanyun and her daughter seem all the more repulsive in comparison.
"Master is still troubled by Eldest Miss's affairs." Wan Yiniang massaged his shoulders soothingly. "Don't fret too much. Since Eldest Miss is innocent, the truth will come out eventually."
"Ah," Shen Gui sighed. "Whether she's innocent or not, this matter is far from simple. Qing'er's actions may implicate us all."
Wan Yiniang frowned worriedly: "Even so, there must be justice in this world." She added: "Third Miss and I are of little consequence—we'll follow Master in life or death. But Second Young Master's career is flourishing, and Seventh Young Master is still so young. If they're implicated, what then?"
Shen Gui's expression shifted, his heart also growing restless. Though inherently selfish, greedy, and lustful, he had placed great hopes in his two sons. For some reason, the Shen Mansion's lineage had not flourished in their generation. That his branch had two sons was a source of immense pride for Shen Gui. In his eyes, daughters were merely commodities to be exchanged for benefits, but sons—they were treasures who could carry on the family line.
Now, the thought of sacrificing both his sons for the sake of Shen Qing, a mere daughter, filled him with stifling anger.
"I heard Madam is running around everywhere for the Eldest Young Lady. Truly, the hearts of parents are pitiable. If only this humble one weren't so powerless, I would wish to help in some way," Wan Yiniang continued.
"What help could you possibly offer!" The mention of Ren Wanyun only deepened Shen Gui's irritation. "That madwoman raised such a shameless daughter, and now she's dragging everyone down with her. Utterly senseless!"
Wan Yiniang appeared startled, shrinking back abruptly. The hand massaging his shoulder paused momentarily before she softly said, "Master, please don't blame Madam. With such a grave matter at hand, she must be suffering too. If the Eldest Young Lady, in her distress in prison, were to... do something unwise, imagine how heartbroken Madam would be."
Shen Gui impatiently retorted, "What could she possibly do—" His words halted abruptly as he slowly repeated, "Something unwise?"
Wan Yiniang's eyes flickered, though her voice remained laden with concern. "A young girl, newly married, facing such misfortune, then imprisoned—the Eldest Young Lady was raised in the lap of luxury. If she were to... lose hope, it wouldn't be surprising. Someone should go counsel her, to prevent any foolish actions."
Shen Gui suddenly stood up, glancing outside where the sun was already sinking. Winter nights fell especially early. "I'm going out," he declared.
"So late? Where is Master going?" Wan Yiniang asked.
"Business to attend to. Have dinner without me." With that, Shen Gui strode out.
Only when his figure had completely disappeared did Wan Yiniang close the door and return to sit at the table. The dinner spread before her was lavish—a stark contrast to the gloom pervading the eastern courtyard. But who could have known, in those years when she ate moldy buns and spoiled porridge, when Ren Wanyun's schemes left her unable to even scrape together silver for Shen Dongling's medicine—what had she felt then?
Fortune's wheel turns. Once it was her suffering; now it was Ren Wanyun and her daughter's turn. Ren Wanyun had made her daughter live all these years in fearful obscurity, barely allowed outside the courtyard gates. Now Shen Qing languished in prison—her future likely far more wretched than Shen Dongling's past.
"Go, summon the Third Young Lady for dinner," she instructed a maid, who promptly left.
"Niangniang, will the Master truly... act against the Eldest Young Lady?" another maid ventured timidly."Of course." Wan Yiniang smiled with captivating charm. "He definitely will." Having been married to Shen Gui for so many years, she understood his thoughts better than anyone. Earlier, she had deliberately reminded him to plant certain ideas in his mind. If Ren Wanyun were to learn that her own daughter was ultimately dealt with by her husband's own hands, the satisfaction would be indescribable.
She scooped a spoonful of soup and slowly savored it.
Meanwhile, in the Colorful Cloud Courtyard, Shen Yuan draped on his cloak and walked out of Shen Mansion's gates without a word to anyone.
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Looking at it this way, the scummy sister is actually quite pitiful—her family abandoned her in an instant...
...
OpenNovel