The doors slowly opened, yet no one stepped forward to look.

The rooms for pilgrims at Wolong Temple were naturally spacious, not as luxurious as their mansions, but since this was a specially selected chamber, it was particularly large. A large bed stood in the middle of the room without even a screen for privacy. Because of this, everyone could see clearly what was happening inside.

Shen Yue was the first to cry out in shock.

Scattered on the floor were torn clothing fragments—truly ripped to shreds. The blanket on the bed had been carelessly tossed aside, and books from the table had all been swept onto the floor. The teapot was shattered as well, as if the room had experienced a catastrophe.

However, what was most shocking was not this.

The woman on the bed lay with her body exposed. She was barely covered, half-sprawled at the edge of the bed, and on her back were spots of red marks, along with blood stains and bruises that were horrifying to behold. Below the bed was a blood-stained whip, already split in two. Looking at the marks on the woman’s body, it was evident that the whip had been broken through forceful use.

“Heavens!” Shen Yue covered her mouth and stepped back. “Who… who is that? It can’t be Elder Sister, can it?” She suddenly turned to look at Ren Wanyun.

Since Shen Miao had said she had switched rooms with Shen Qing, the person in the room should have been Ren Wanyun. But everything before them clearly showed that something terrible had happened to Shen Qing! Even as an unmarried young woman, Shen Yue knew what this scene represented—it was evidence that a woman had been violated!

Mama Gui hadn’t expected anyone to be in the room. Earlier, when she heard Shen Miao talking, she thought Shen Miao had already made arrangements with Ren Wanyun and was merely going to enter the room to speak with her. When she opened the door and saw a woman inside, she was already surprised, wondering if some other woman had also been taken advantage of by Prince Yu last night. If that were the case, she had failed in her task. But Shen Yue’s words nearly made her soul leave her body—Shen Qing? The woman lying inside was Shen Qing?

Seeing Shen Qing in this state, Yan Mei and Shui Bi felt their hearts turn cold. With their young mistress in this situation, they would surely have no way to survive. The two exchanged a glance, both seeing despair in each other’s eyes, and knelt together, continuously kowtowing to Ren Wanyun.

Ren Wanyun stood frozen.

“Second Aunt, won’t you come take a look?” Amid the silence, Shen Miao spoke softly. Her tone was calm, as if she hadn’t seen the tragic scene before her. Ren Wanyun turned her head to see the young girl watching her quietly.

Turbulent waves surged in her chest, but she quickly suppressed them, and with a deathly pale face, she hurriedly walked into the room to the side of the woman half-sprawled on the bed.

The woman’s hair was disheveled, with many fallen strands on the floor, clearly showing that much of her hair had been pulled out. Ren Wanyun extended a trembling hand and turned the woman over.

A tremendous “rumbling” sound seemed to confirm her emotions, as the rain that had stopped earlier suddenly fell again, with thunder crashing from the accumulated dark clouds above.

Ren Wanyun closed her eyes in agony. The woman in her arms was indeed Shen Qing!

The closer she looked, the more horrifying it was. Shen Qing’s face was severely swollen, obviously having been brutally abused. Looking at her body now, there wasn’t a single undamaged patch of flesh anywhere. One of her hands hung limply in a strange position, as if it had been broken!

Prince Yu had been too cruel!

But what she hated most was Shen Miao!

All of this should have happened to Shen Miao, but now her Qing’er had suffered instead. Having been tormented to this state, Shen Qing’s life was practically ruined. Ren Wanyun wanted nothing more than to bite through Shen Miao’s neck, drink her blood, and eat her flesh!

Ren Wanyun was, after all, the matriarch of the Shen household, and even at this moment, she managed to control herself from going mad. Instead, with a trembling voice, she instructed Xiang Lan beside her: “Go find a carriage, we’re leaving the mountain immediately.”

“But…” Xiang Lan looked at her fearfully. “Madam, there’s heavy rain outside; we cannot travel now.”

Yang Jing Peak was high with deep valleys, and the paths were already treacherous. With the rain washing over them, the roads would be muddy and impassable. If they forced their way down the mountain, there might be accidents due to the slippery roads. In such weather, it was impossible to leave.

“Then what about Qing’er?” Ren Wanyun finally couldn’t control herself and shrieked. She slapped Xiang Lan hard and fiercely said, “What about my Qing’er?”

Outside the room, Shen Miao watched silently.

She stood under the eaves, looking at how the rain veiled the mountains and waters, as if it also concealed some dirty schemes.

Originally, she was the one who should have suffered this humiliation. But now, the one who had made Shen Qing suffer this humiliation was also her.

Hearing that her daughter had been violated all night, knowing she could have saved her but instead stood by and did nothing—would Ren Wanyun feel a bone-deep pain whenever she recalled this? Would it be as painful as when she learned of Princess Wanyu’s death?

Now, wanting to take Shen Qing back to the city for treatment but being forced to remain here due to the heavy rain, unable to advance or retreat—would the once triumphant Ren Wanyun feel a trace of despair?

“Go find a doctor! By whatever means, go find a doctor! If you can’t find one, you might as well die here!” Ren Wanyun screamed at Xiang Lan.

Xiang Lan had served Ren Wanyun for many years and had never been scolded like this. Feeling both wronged and frightened, she covered her face and acknowledged the order, then ran out quickly. As she ran out, she couldn’t help but glance at Shen Miao.

Everything had been planned—last night, Shen Miao should have been the one staying here. How could it have been such a coincidence? Shen Qing had never been an easy person to deal with, and harboring resentment toward Shen Miao, she would never have agreed to switch rooms. There must be something suspicious about this. She saw the young girl in plain clothes standing gracefully, with clear and pleasant features, yet somehow exuding a murderous aura.

“Cai Ju, go call some people over and close the door,” Ren Wanyun said through gritted teeth.

The door was closed, with inside and outside seeming like two different worlds.

Shen Yue had not yet recovered from the shock. She looked at Shen Miao and said incredulously: “Fifth Sister, was Elder Sister violated by villains?”

Shen Miao neither confirmed nor denied. Prince Yu had truly only intended to toy with his victim, which was why he had left before dawn. He understood that for a woman from a noble family, having her reputation ruined by an unknown person was the most terrifying thing. But Prince Yu was no fool; he would soon discover the truth. After all, this room-switching trick was shockingly simple and crude.

She was lost in her thoughts, unaware that her current appearance made Shen Yue shudder. With a start, Shen Yue said: “Fifth Sister, you didn’t… You couldn’t have harmed Elder Sister…”

Last night, Shen Qing had clearly been staying in the South Pavilion and Shen Miao in the North Pavilion, but their positions had been switched, and then this incident occurred. If they hadn’t switched rooms, the one lying there should have been Shen Miao. And from what Shen Yue knew of Shen Qing, she would never have given up her room to Shen Miao.

Could all of this have been orchestrated by Shen Miao? Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao as if she were looking at something terrifying.

Then she heard Shen Miao laugh softly: “Second Sister, you may eat carelessly, but you shouldn’t speak carelessly. How could I have such great ability to harm Elder Sister? You think too highly of me.”

“But…” Shen Yue still had doubts in her heart. She didn’t know why, but she felt that there was something off about Shen Miao. And last night’s incident must have had something to do with her.

“Instead of worrying about these matters, you might want to worry about yourself,” Shen Miao said.

“Me?” Shen Yue grew nervous. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Do you think that after seeing Elder Sister in such a private matter, those two maids of yours can still survive?”

“What?”

“It seems Second Sister truly doesn’t understand the dangers of the world.” Shen Miao smiled lightly. “The servants who know their master’s secrets, especially when those secrets are shameful, how long do you think they can live?”

Huang Ying and Qing Luan, beside Shen Yue, immediately turned pale. They naturally knew that in noble households, when servants stumbled upon unsavory, private affairs, they had only one path: death. Only the dead could keep secrets. Shen Qing had been violated by villains, and they, as maids, had witnessed it—they would have no way to survive.

Shen Yue was greatly alarmed. Earlier, she had been too shocked to remember this matter. It wasn’t that she was particularly loyal, but training a personal maid required no small effort. If they were to be sacrificed because of this, especially her two most useful ones, how could she be willing?

“Not just the two of them.” Shen Miao smiled slightly, her gaze sweeping over Yan Mei, Shui Bi, and Mama Gui, with a meaningful look. “Not one will escape.”

Mama Gui and the two maids nearly fainted.

What was there to fear? What was there to be afraid of? When one person rises, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven, but if the master falls, not a single servant can escape. In her previous life, when the Shen family was raided, weren’t these servants who had bullied others the first to betray their masters? Following such masters meant accepting such fates.

Otherwise, hurting just one person with a single move would be a waste of talent, wouldn’t it?

She turned to leave, and Shen Yue, seeing this, quickly called out to her: “Where are you going?”

“Didn’t we come to Wolong Temple to burn incense?” Shen Miao replied calmly. “I also have many confusions, so naturally I need to ask Buddha, to burn some incense, so that this trip won’t be in vain.”

In her plain clothes, she walked away, her cold back not lingering for a moment, as if such an earth-shattering event had never occurred here today. Everything was according to plan: sleep for a night, then go burn incense, pray for peace.

“Something’s not right!” Shen Yue suddenly spoke. “Where are her two maids?”

Mama Gui was also startled.

This morning, when Shen Miao met Shen Yue, she had said that Jingzhe and Guyu had gone to the kitchen to fetch food, and they hadn’t appeared until now, conveniently unaware of Shen Qing’s situation. Thinking about it now, how could it be such a coincidence? Shen Qing and Shen Yue’s maids had all witnessed the shameful incident and couldn’t escape their fate, yet none of Shen Miao’s maids were present—clearly, she had deliberately sent them away.

She knew in advance what would happen today; she knew Shen Qing would be in trouble. Shen Qing’s current state was arranged by her hand!

Shen Yue looked back, following the eaves, but Shen Miao’s figure had disappeared. Yet that clear gaze hiding sharpness seemed to appear before her, involuntarily causing her to feel a chill.

…

By noon, the rain finally stopped.

Xiang Lan had searched the entire mountain peak but couldn’t find a doctor. Usually, except for occasional pilgrims, this place was deserted. When monks at the temple fell ill, they would simply gather some herbs and brew them. Unable to find a physician, Xiang Lan could only ask the monks for some calming herbs and external medicines for wounds to use on Shen Qing.

The room was filled with the smell of medicinal herbs and some unusual odor that lingered even after cleaning. The woman on the bed had her eyes tightly closed. Ren Wanyun sat by the window, and in just a few short hours, she seemed to have aged ten years.

The maids in the room didn’t dare to breathe loudly. With such a major incident, it was likely that the masters would vent their anger on them.

As Ren Wanyun stared blankly at the curtain, suddenly, Shen Qing moved onto the bed. She quickly lowered her head and called out: “Qing’er?”

Shen Qing opened her eyes, and upon seeing Ren Wanyun, showed a terrified expression. She reached out to scratch Ren Wanyun’s face: “Let me go, get away! Help!”

“Qing’er, I’m your mother! I’m your mother! Don’t be afraid, Mother is here!” Ren Wanyun felt as if her heart was being cut by a knife, but Shen Qing seemed unaware, continuously struggling with all her might, staring fixedly at the ceiling and calling out frantically.

Xiang Lan and Cai Ju hurriedly came forward to help hold her down. Shen Qing seemed to have lost her mind, not even recognizing Ren Wanyun. As she struggled, all the medicine that had been applied earlier was smeared away, exposing all those bloody wounds to Ren Wanyun, whose face twisted with pain, involuntarily letting out an agonized “Ah!”

“Madam.” Xiang Lan and Cai Ju were both shocked and frightened. Ren Wanyun had always been decisive, able to handle any major incident calmly. Over the years, she had weathered many storms, but now she had been pushed to this state. The two maids who had followed Ren Wanyun for many years couldn’t help but be shocked.

“Where is Shen Miao?” Ren Wanyun asked fiercely.

“Fifth Young Lady… is in the temple hall,” Cai Ju replied cautiously.

“Take good care of Qing’er. If anything else happens to her, you two need not live anymore.” Ren Wanyun turned and left.

…

In the Buddha hall, the enormous golden Buddha statue stood majestically, looking down at all sentient beings with a benevolent expression.

Before the prayer mat, Shen Miao knelt on the ground, holding incense in her hand, lost in thought.

From morning until now, she had been kneeling here for several hours.

“Young Lady, you should get up and rest a while,” Jingzhe persuaded. “It’s not worth ruining your knees. Buddha has surely already seen your sincerity; what you wish for will certainly come true.”

What she wished for would certainly come true? Hearing this, Shen Miao’s lips curled into a bitter smile. What she wished for could never be realized. Though she had a chance to start anew in this life after the mistakes of her previous one, those who had perished in her already flawed life would never return. Her Wanyu, her Fu Ming—did they ever have a chance to return?

They had likely already transformed into faint lights in this vast mortal world, with nothing left.

Besides, she was not a believer.

Shen Miao looked up at the enormous golden Buddha statue, nothing more than a cold statue that could not possibly save all sentient beings. If Heaven had eyes, how could it allow good people to meet tragic ends while the wicked lived carefree lives?

She knelt there, continuously offering incense, not worshipping Buddha, but the people who had died in her previous life. Those who had died because of her.

Since her rebirth, she had no opportunity or reason to pay respects to these people, including her non-existent children. Now that she was here, she took advantage of the temple’s incense to honor the dead.

“Shen Miao!” A fierce voice suddenly intruded.

Shen Miao smiled; people in this world were always so impatient.

She rubbed her sore knees, stood up, turned around, and smiled at Ren Wanyun before her: “Second Aunt.”

Seeing Shen Miao’s smile, Ren Wanyun found it even more grating. She strode forward, raising her hand to slap Shen Miao’s face.

By the time Jingzhe and Guyu tried to intervene, it was too late. However, the expected crisp sound did not occur. Shen Miao firmly grabbed Ren Wanyun’s arm, with her hand stopping just before her face.

“Second Aunt is so impulsive, I don’t know why. Though you may discipline me on behalf of my parents, even in ordinary households, there’s no custom of hitting people without explanation,” she said.

Ren Wanyun never expected Shen Miao to block her slap. The girl before her was slender, yet her grip on her arm was painful. That once timid, easily placated niece who had been so manageable had somehow grown taller. She could no longer look down on her as she did when Shen Miao was a child; even with a moment’s inattention, she might be schemed against by this seemingly unblinking little wretch.

She reluctantly lowered her hand and said through gritted teeth: “Shen Miao, stop pretending. Qing’er’s situation—you did it, didn’t you?”

With Shen Qing now delirious, there was no way to know how things had reached this point. But Ren Wanyun was clear: if anyone said this had nothing to do with Shen Miao, she wouldn’t believe it even if they killed her. She didn’t know what method Shen Miao had used, but having harmed Shen Qing and reduced her to this state, she certainly wouldn’t let it go easily!

“Elder Sister was harmed by villains, and I deeply regret it, but how could Second Aunt suspect me?” Shen Miao smiled slightly. “After all, if I hadn’t switched rooms with Elder Sister, the person harmed today would have been me. I couldn’t possibly orchestrate something so dangerous.”

The person harmed today would have been me!

It would have been better not to say it, but upon hearing these words, Ren Wanyun felt as if her brain was throbbing painfully. She tightly clenched her hand, her gaze like a venomous snake: “That’s what you should have endured. You made Qing’er suffer in your place.”

Seeing Ren Wanyun like this, Jingzhe and Guyu were both shocked and angry. They were shocked that the usually gentle-appearing Second Madam had shed her facade and revealed such cruelty. They were angry because if Shen Miao hadn’t been vigilant last night, it would have been their mistress and they who would have suffered today. Yet Ren Wanyun dared to blame them—this was truly the villain accusing the victim, with absolutely no shame!

“Second Aunt must not speak this way; Buddha is watching above,” Shen Miao laughed lightly, and as her gaze shifted, there seemed to be an unusual light in her eyes. “Everything in this world has its predetermined outcome. Perhaps it was fated that it was Elder Sister and not me who was harmed last night. Second Aunt doesn’t blame the villain, doesn’t blame fate, but instead blames me—what logic is this?”

Ren Wanyun was nearly knocked over with anger. She laughed coldly: “You’re quite glib. I’ve underestimated you all along.”

“Oh, so that’s how Second Aunt has viewed me,” Shen Miao smiled indifferently.

Ren Wanyun looked at Shen Miao before her. The young woman in plain clothes had a gentle demeanor, her delicate features beginning to emerge, slightly shedding their former immaturity. Somehow, the foolish, useless Shen Miao was completely gone. The past Shen Miao had left no trace on this person before her. After manipulating power in the inner courtyards for so many years, this was the first time she had been defeated by a young girl, and at such a painful cost. The more gracefully Shen Miao carried herself, the more it reminded her of Shen Qing’s miserable state lying in bed.

“Shen Miao, if you’re pretending ignorance when you understand, I might as well tell you honestly,” Ren Wanyun suddenly smiled sarcastically. Since the facade had been torn away, there was no need to maintain a loving pretense. She said: “You think this matter is over? The Old Madam won’t let you off, your Second Uncle won’t let you off, and that person… won’t let you off either. Your fate will be thousands of times more miserable than Qing’er’s. You will surely become… a woman of a thousand men, forever a despicable person who can never show her face in society!”

“Madam, mind your words!” Jingzhe and Guyu exclaimed in unison. This Ren Wanyun, the esteemed Second Madam of the Shen family, with Shen Gui being an official, appeared gracious and noble daily, yet she could utter such vicious and vulgar curses. It was beyond that of even enemies. Shen Miao was still young; how could her ears be polluted with such filthy language?

Ren Wanyun seemed to notice Jingzhe and Guyu only now. She laughed coldly: “You’ve gone to great lengths to protect these two maids. I want to see how long you can keep them safe!” Having said this, she gave Shen Miao a strange look, then turned and left with a sweep of her sleeves.

After Ren Wanyun left, Jingzhe and Guyu looked anxiously at Shen Miao. Guyu worriedly asked: “Young Lady, is it really good to openly break ties with her like this?”

“It was bound to happen. Even if we maintained good appearances, she wouldn’t show the slightest mercy. Why waste effort on futile gestures?” Shen Miao said.

The way to survive in the imperial court was: if enemies were in the open, let them remain so; if enemies were hidden, find ways to bring them into the open. She had no interest in playing a game of surface harmony with Ren Wanyun. This game had begun like a tempest, and now Ren Wanyun had been angered to the point of losing her senses. What would follow would inevitably be frenzied revenge.

“But… when we return to the mansion, the Old Madam will surely favor them…” Jingzhe said softly. Old Madam Shen favored the Second Household above all, not only because Shen Gui was Old Madam Shen’s biological son, but also because Ren Wanyun had given Shen Gui two sons. Shen Yuanbai aside, the eldest son of the Second Household, currently serving in another location, would also return to the capital by the end of the year. With two grandsons, how could Old Madam Shen not favor the Second Household?

Moreover, Ren Wanyun could charm Old Madam Shen with her words, making her dizzy with delight. After returning, everything would be according to Ren Wanyun’s account—who would believe Shen Miao’s words?

“Let them favor whom they will. I never expected these people to stand up for me anyway,” Shen Miao smiled.

Her smile fell on Guyu’s eyes, and Guyu’s nose burned with emotion. She suddenly said: “If that’s the case, this servant will use this matter as leverage. If anything happens to Young Lady, even if it costs me my life, I’ll make sure the whole world knows about this!”

“Indeed,” Jingzhe’s expression also turned solemn. “Though this method of killing three thousand enemies at the cost of ten thousand of our own might be foolish, it will surely ensure they don’t get away unscathed!”

Shen Miao was somewhat surprised, not expecting the two maids by her side to have such spirit. After a moment of astonishment, she smiled. Yes, Guyu had once taken the blame for stealing imperial jade to protect her and was executed by the Crown Prince of Qin. Jingzhe had seduced a powerful official to help her gain influence, willingly becoming a concubine, only to be beaten to death by the official’s wife. Both had been utterly loyal to her, but unfortunately, in her previous life, she had been unable to give them anything in return.

Living this life again, she was determined to protect these maids. Some mistakes only needed to be made once.

“That won’t be necessary. I never intended for this news to spread. Second Aunt won’t let it spread either.”

“But won’t this matter just keep being covered up? Paper can’t wrap fire forever. If Elder Young Lady gets married, it will naturally be discovered,” Guyu was confused. They could keep it secret temporarily but not forever. Unless Shen Qing never married, once she did, everyone would know she had lost her purity.

“Therefore, they will surely find a way to conceal the truth completely. As for their methods to deal with me, they will likely seek help from that person.”

“That person?” Jingzhe asked. “Who is that person?”

“Naturally, the villain who violated Elder Sister,” Shen Miao smiled lightly. “Could you possibly think last night was truly an accident?”

Jingzhe and Guyu trembled, though they had vaguely guessed some of this; they were unwilling to believe it. They couldn’t believe someone would harm Shen Miao in this way; the method was too vicious, immediately driving a person to a desperate situation. They couldn’t believe Shen Miao had foreknowledge, nor could they believe the Second Household of the Shen family would do such a thing. Though they knew the people of the East Courtyard were malicious, they hadn’t expected things to reach such a state. This kind of method was meant for enemies.

“Young Lady… was it done on Second Madam’s orders?” Guyu asked with difficulty.

If it had just been an accident, they would feel fortunate that Shen Miao had escaped misfortune that night. But if it had been deliberate, the Second Household of the Shen family had only themselves to blame for the consequences.

“But, Young Lady, why would you say Second Madam would seek help from that person? Isn’t that person… just someone randomly chosen?” Jingzhe was confused. If Ren Wanyun had randomly found someone to violate Shen Miao’s virtue, and now, by this twist of fate, Ren Wanyun wanted to kill that person, why would she still seek their help?

“Because that person is Prince Yu.”

Jingzhe and Guyu drew a sharp breath. What they hadn’t understood before now became clear. If that person was Prince Yu, everything made sense. Previously, Prince Yu had seemed to show interest in Shen Miao, but who was Prince Yu? He was someone ordinary girls would avoid crossing paths with. If Prince Yu had privately made some deal with Ren Wanyun, Ren Wanyun was very likely to have helped Prince Yu violate Shen Miao.

But now, with this twist of fate, if Ren Wanyun informed Prince Yu of this matter, given Prince Yu’s unpredictable temperament, having been deceived right under his nose, he would surely not spare Shen Miao.

“Young Lady, now… should we write to the Master?” Both Guyu and Jingzhe were alarmed.

Prince Yu was an existence they couldn’t oppose—his power aside, his temperament aside, he also had the royal family as his shield.

“It’s fine,” Shen Miao’s eyes shone strangely. “Shen Qing is just a catalyst. The one I want to deal with has always been Prince Yu.”

She turned to look at the smoke rising from the incense burner before the Buddha shrine.

Wanyu, your life was truly hard, your flower-like years forever gone in their prime. With the title of Princess, yet worth less than straw. Mother could do nothing for you, but at least now, at least in this life, those who bullied you—Mother will help you take everything back, one by one.

In a pavilion outside the capital, a young man in white robes played with a porcelain cup in his hand, asking curiously: “From what you say, that Shen girl has a grudge against Prince Yu? Using her cousin to slowly drag Prince Yu into a trap—her method is clever, but for a girl, she’s far too ruthless.”

He shook his head, appearing quite regretful.

“Prince Yu?” The youth in purple robes sitting opposite him smiled, his handsome face bearing eyes as sharp as knife edges. He drawled lazily: “I think the one she wants to deal with isn’t Prince Yu.”

“Not Prince Yu? Then who?” The man in white paused, looking at the person across from him: “You think…”

“Using Prince Yu as an entry point to strike at the Ming Qi royal family—how about that?” the youth replied calmly.

…

After autumn rain comes the chill. Just one night of autumn rain had completely dispelled the summer heat. Even the sun in the sky seemed desolate.

In the Shen mansion, the East Courtyard was still a busy scene. The Old Madam’s birthday would be during the New Year period. Old Madam Shen loved extravagance, always beginning preparations for her birthday several months in advance. The expenses were naturally considerable, with the Middle Master’s money all managed by Ren Wanyun. Though Ren Wanyun took a good portion for herself, the display was always impressive and quite grand.

The task of writing invitation cards and sending wooden notes to the ladies and young misses of various mansions fell to the Third Master’s wife, the talented Chen Ruoqiu.

Though past middle age, Chen Ruoqiu still maintained a maiden’s figure. Perhaps her scholarly air added to her dignity, making her appearance superior to the plump Ren Wanyun. It was precisely because of her beautiful appearance, gentle temperament, and ability to compose poetry that she had bewitched Shen Wan, the Third Master of the Shen family. Married for many years, even though Chen Ruoqiu was childless, with only one daughter, Shen Yue, Shen Wan had not taken any concubines apart from the two chamber women Old Madam Shen had given him.

Among the three sons of the Shen family, each had a different temperament. Shen Xin was upright and resolute, but too rough, not meticulous enough, and somewhat blindly valuing loyalty. Shen Gui was good at flattery, navigating the official circles smoothly, but greedy for money and fond of women. In the mansion, besides Ren Wanyun, he had several concubines, though Ren Wanyun was formidable, and despite the many concubines, there was only one daughter born out of wedlock, not threatening the position of the legitimate children. The Third Master, Shen Wan, by comparison, had genuine talent and learning. If among the three sons, Shen Xin followed the old general’s path as a military official, while Shen Gui and Shen Wan took the civil official path, then Shen Wan had more genuine ability than his second brother.

However, this didn’t mean Shen Wan was without flaws. He wasn’t fond of beautiful women, having only Chen Ruoqiu as his official wife, but he placed too much importance on power, always wanting to climb higher. For this, he had even stepped on his superiors.

At this moment, Chen Ruoqiu was carefully writing invitation cards, with sunlight slanting through the window onto her, softening her features to appear almost like a young girl’s. Shen Wan was adjusting his collar when he saw this, couldn’t help but smile, walked to her side, and embraced her from behind.

“Ah!” Chen Ruoqiu scolded gently: “What is Master doing? You’ve made me write this card poorly, wasting it.”

“Let me see,” Shen Wan pretended to examine the card and commented: “The handwriting is graceful, just like its owner—how could it be poorly written?”

Chen Ruoqiu’s pretty face turned crimson. Seeing this, Shen Wan couldn’t help but be moved.

Even after so many years, his wife still had a captivating charm that prevented him from looking at other women.

This was where Chen Ruoqiu excelled. Among so many daughters in the Chen family, only she had firmly secured her husband’s heart. It wasn’t for any other reason than her ability to endure. Whatever kind of woman Shen Wan liked, she would transform herself into that type. One’s temperament could be feigned, clothes could be changed, catering to his preferences. Over time, men were like raised cats and dogs—they would eventually have eyes only for you.

“Second Sister-in-law should return today, right?” Chen Ruoqiu nestled in Shen Wan’s arms. “I wonder if Yue’er is accustomed to the temple’s food, if the mountain path is good, if there was any bumpy ride.”

Shen Wan smiled: “Why are you worrying so much? Second Sister-in-law certainly won’t let Yue’er go hungry or cold.” Seeing Chen Ruoqiu still looking worried, he laughed: “You always treat Yue’er as a child. She’s so grown up now, in a few years she’ll be of marriageable age. What will you do then?”

“When Yue’er marries, I will naturally choose a perfect match for her. One with top family background and character, not like Fifth Sister…” She suddenly stopped.

That night, Old Madam Shen had spoken with Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu about secretly giving Shen Miao to Prince Yu as he wished, thereby supporting the Second and Third Households of the Shen family. Afterward, Chen Ruoqiu had told her husband. Shen Wan naturally agreed; he had been obsessed with power all his life, but no matter how much he climbed, his power and reputation could never match Shen Xin’s. He had been jealous of the First Household for years and felt not the slightest bit of affection for Shen Miao. If Prince Yu obtained Shen Miao and was pleased, he might support Shen Wan in official circles—for Shen Wan, this would be an unexpected delight. As for how Shen Miao would fare afterward, whether her future would be good, Shen Wan didn’t care at all.

“I wonder if Second Sister-in-law has handled this matter properly,” Shen Wan’s expression turned serious.

Seeing this, Chen Ruoqiu’s heart sank slightly. She knew her husband always put power first. Although Chen Ruoqiu also didn’t care about the First Household, as a woman, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of shared fate.

This time, Ren Wanyun had suddenly proposed going to Wolong Temple to burn incense, and those in the know understood there must be some hidden agenda. Likely, when they returned from the mountain, there would be terrible news about Shen Miao.

“Don’t worry,” she said softly. “Second Sister-in-law always handles matters appropriately. This matter… should also be a foolproof plan.”

“Let’s hope so,” Shen Gui nodded.

As they were talking, they suddenly saw Chen Ruoqiu’s first-class maid, Shi Qing, running in with a panicked expression: “Madam, Second Madam has returned with the three Young Ladies.”

Seeing Shi Qing’s expression, Chen Ruoqiu felt somewhat relieved, knowing the matter had probably succeeded. She smiled, exchanged a glance with Shen Gui, then changed to a concerned expression and asked Shi Qing: “Are the three Young Ladies well? Are they tired?”

“Not… not well,” Shi Qing stammered. “The Eldest Young Lady has gone mad.”

Chen Ruoqiu’s smile froze.

…

Everything felt like a dream. The once orderly Shen mansion had fallen into chaos in just a single day.

Shen Qing had gone mad.

The Second Household’s Ren Wanyun usually had the bearing of a household matriarch. Although she always wore a smiling face, everyone had witnessed her thunderous methods. Regardless of her character, over the years, the Shen mansion had not experienced any mishaps under her management, and her ability to run the household was recognized by all.

However, this elegant lady who always faced situations with a composed smile showed a tired and frantic expression in front of the servants for the first time. If not for the maid beside her, others might have thought she was some madwoman who had wandered in. And the young lady in her arms was indeed a genuine madwoman, constantly screaming and struggling, the commotion even alarming Old Madam Shen.

Although the reason was unknown, the fact that the Eldest Young Lady of the Shen family had gone mad was true. However, the Shen family was very taboo about this matter. All the maids who had witnessed Shen Qing’s madness were sold off—though who knows if “sold off” meant they were buried in some wild grave?

Shen Qing’s two maids, Shen Yue’s two maids, and even Mama Gui were all locked up.

With this outcome, only Shen Miao remained unharmed.

In Rongjing Hall.

Old Madam Shen sat in the high seat, her face tightly drawn. Her eyes were fixed on Shen Miao standing in the middle, malevolent like a poisonous snake about to devour someone.

Three perfectly fine young ladies had gone, yet the one who should have met with trouble didn’t, while the one who shouldn’t have did. The person who should have suffered these hardships stood here, while the Second Household’s Shen Qing had suffered in her place. Just thinking about this made Old Madam Shen’s chest feel so congested it was as if a stone was lodged there.

Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan stood to one side, with Shen Yue standing aggrieved beside Chen Ruoqiu. Her two personal maids had been locked up for no reason. She had heard Shen Miao say before that it would be difficult to protect Huang Ying and Qing Luan.

On the other side, Ren Wanyun knelt before Old Madam Shen. Shen Gui had official business in court today and had not yet returned home. The manservant sent to fetch him had not returned either, so naturally, he didn’t know his legitimate daughter was in trouble.

“Old Madam, you must seek justice for Qing’er!” Ren Wanyun cried with tears and mucus streaming down her face, shocking even Shen Wan. This Second Sister-in-law, who usually carried herself with such dignity, now appeared so out of control—it was truly eye-opening. Chen Ruoqiu, however, felt somewhat gratified.

Ren Wanyun always relied on having household management power in her hands and didn’t take the Third Household seriously. Now that her daughter was in trouble, she could only grovel on the ground like a dog.

“Fifth Sister, I’ve treated you as my own, and Qing’er has always yielded to you in everything. You are sisters of the same blood—if not supporting each other, how could you be so vicious? Do you know that Qing’er’s entire life has been ruined by you? How could you be so heartless!”

Shen Yue had told Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan about Shen Qing being violated by villains. All servants had been driven out of this place, so Chen Ruoqiu wasn’t afraid of being overheard.

Just as Shen Miao was about to speak, she suddenly heard an angry shout from behind: “Wicked daughter! You have poisoned your sister, your heart is like that of a snake and scorpion! You should be imprisoned, death would not be enough!”

Shen Miao laughed coldly, turned around, and faced the man striding toward her.

Her Second Uncle, Shen Qing’s father, Shen Gui.