Shen Gui, still wearing his official robes, strode into the hall with large steps. It seemed he had rushed over immediately after hearing the news about Shen Qing.

Seeing him, Ren Wanyun instantly began to cry more miserably: “My lord… our Qing’er… she…”

The affection between Ren Wanyun and Shen Gui wasn’t particularly deep; otherwise, Shen Gui wouldn’t have been bringing concubines into the household one after another. Despite this, Shen Gui still maintained a respectful relationship with Ren Wanyun. This wasn’t without reason—Ren Wanyun managed the Shen household meticulously and maintained good relations with the wives of Shen Gui’s colleagues. As a competent helper, Shen Gui was quite satisfied with Ren Wanyun, so he would never fail to give her the respect she deserved.

“Shen Miao!” Shen Gui turned his head and glared at the young woman in the hall. He knew why Ren Wanyun had taken the three legitimate daughters to Wolong Temple. By bringing all three legitimate young ladies of the Shen family, she was preventing gossip. Who would have thought that his daughter Shen Qing would be the one to encounter trouble? The servant who delivered the message had secretly told him that everything was Shen Miao’s doing. Although it seemed incredible, someone had to be blamed. Since he couldn’t redirect his anger toward the Second Branch, he would push all responsibility onto the First Branch.

“You’ve harmed your sister with vicious methods! Today your father isn’t here, so I will discipline you on his behalf!” As he spoke, he shouted: “Bring the family punishment tools!”

Family punishment tools? Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Gui exchanged glances. Since marrying into the Shen family, Chen Ruoqiu had never witnessed the Shen family’s punishment tools. According to Shen Gui, these tools were used on concubines who had made mistakes; the Shen family’s descendants had never been subjected to them.

The Shen family was a military household, so naturally, their punishment tools were not ordinary. A servant quickly brought over a long wooden box. Shen Yue had been watching with curiosity, but when she saw the box open and its contents revealed to everyone, she couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath.

It was a long horsewhip. The whip had been soaked in some substance for many years, making it appear black and shiny. It was as thick as half an adult man’s wrist, clearly showing how solid and powerful it was. If struck by that horsewhip, one would likely lose half their life. If the wielder struck harder, it could easily cause death.

“Very good,” said the Elder Madam Shen, maintaining her dignity. Seeing her son return, she sat even straighter. She did have some genuine affection for Shen Qing, and was indeed angry to see her granddaughter harmed. Since Shen Gui had spoken, she naturally would go along with it.

“The fifth girl has made a mistake, and you, as her uncle, should naturally discipline her on behalf of your older brother. Our Shen family has always had complete rules—those who make mistakes must face family punishment. Fifth girl, you should be grateful your Second Uncle is kind-hearted and cares for you. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be as simple as family punishment. Opening the ancestral hall and requesting the clan elders’ judgment would result in you being expelled from the Shen family.” As she said this, her eyes suddenly flickered. Yes, if Shen Miao were expelled from the Shen family, wouldn’t that be good?

Seeing the Elder Madam’s expression, Chen Ruoqiu secretly cursed her as a fool. If Shen Miao were expelled from the Shen household, given Shen Xin’s temperament, he would certainly leave with the entire First Branch. Although they didn’t wish the First Branch well, many matters currently relied on the First Branch’s influence. This old woman’s thinking was too simplistic—truly befitting her origins as a singer, unsuitable for proper society.

Hearing this, Ren Wanyun also paused, roughly guessing what Elder Madam was thinking. She did not wish for Shen Miao to be expelled from the Shen household, not for any other reason but because it would be too simple a resolution for Shen Miao. She currently wished to keep Shen Miao in the Shen household so she would have more ways to take revenge on Shen Miao. Simply expelling her from the family—how could matters be so simple?

As everyone was lost in their thoughts, Shen Miao was heard sighing softly as she turned to look at Shen Gui.

Shen Gui was startled by her inexplicable behavior and frowned at her. In his official position, he often put on airs, with considerable official authority. If ordinary people were glared at like this by him, they would likely lose their composure.

But Shen Miao didn’t move in the slightest. Her demeanor was calm, her gaze frank, even causing Shen Gui to have an absurd illusion. It was as if Shen Miao were the one in the superior position, while he was merely a servant.

This illusion was broken by Shen Miao’s words: “Second Uncle is indeed kind-hearted. With Elder Sister bedridden with illness, Second Uncle doesn’t rush to check on her condition but instead hurries to discipline me on behalf of my father. It seems Second Uncle truly cares for me, even more than for Elder Sister.”

With these words, everyone in the room fell silent.

A hint of mockery flashed in Chen Ruoqiu’s eyes, and Shen Wan frowned. Elder Madam Shen’s expression changed, Shen Yue opened and closed her mouth, while Ren Wanyun lowered her head, secretly clenching her fists.

Of the three masters in the household, although Shen Xin had neglected Shen Miao, he still genuinely loved her. Shen Wan cherished Chen Ruoqiu and treated their daughter Shen Yue like a precious jewel. Then there was Shen Gui.

Shen Gui was inherently greedy and lustful, generally lacking any sense of paternal responsibility. He treated his two sons somewhat better, but paid little attention to his daughter Shen Qing. In Shen Gui’s eyes, Shen Qing’s best value was in marrying into a noble family to add to his power and influence. His anger at Shen Qing’s misfortune might not stem from concern for his daughter’s tragic experience, but from frustration at having his plans disrupted, fear that the Prince Yu would be angered upon learning of it, and resentment toward Shen Miao for costing him a daughter who could have helped his official career.

It all came down to “benefit.”

A father who truly loved his daughter would surely first go to see her upon hearing such news. How could he rush back like this, merely to “discipline” the instigator? Thinking of it this way, one couldn’t help but feel sorry for Shen Qing.

A flash of embarrassment crossed Shen Gui’s face as Shen Miao’s words hit the mark. Looking at Ren Wanyun, he saw she had indeed turned her head away. Shen Gui was somewhat surprised, and when he looked at Shen Miao again, his gaze became thoughtful. With just one sentence, she had driven a wedge between husband and wife. Her provocation was both accurate and vicious. Shen Qing was Ren Wanyun’s lifeline, but to Shen Gui, she was merely a tool to be used. Using this incident to create displeasure between the previously united couple, Shen Miao’s technique was clearly like that of a seasoned official.

The young woman before him had clear features and appeared extremely docile, yet somehow there seemed to be an implicit authority flickering about her, making people unable to stare directly at her.

Suppressing his astonishment, Shen Gui angrily said: “Shen Miao, you still show no remorse. If that’s the case, if I don’t discipline you properly today, I would be failing as a son and failing your father.” He reached out to take the whip.

Shen Yue watched Shen Gui’s actions intently, with both schadenfreude and tension. Would Shen Gui strike? Shen Miao was so strong-willed, yet facing such a scene, she could only bow her head and accept defeat.

“How does Second Uncle intend to discipline me? Use this whip to kill and silence me? Or beat me half to death and send me to the countryside?” Shen Miao suddenly spoke.

Shen Gui’s movements froze.

Shen Wan also froze, perhaps not expecting Shen Miao’s resentment to be so strong. Although Shen Miao had changed in recent days, everyone still felt it was merely a pretense of strength. But now, in front of the entire Shen family, she shed even that pretense, completely tearing off her mask for all to see.

“Rebellious girl, what are you saying!” Elder Madam Shen was the first to shout in anger: “Are you suggesting your Second Uncle intends to murder you? You’ve completely lost all sense of propriety!”

“Indeed, Fifth Miss, how can you say such things?” Chen Ruoqiu finally spoke, subtly adding fuel to the fire: “You’ve harmed Qing’er, yet you turn around and accuse others. Where did you learn such conduct?”

Chen Ruoqiu thought, if Shen Miao and the Second Branch destroyed each other, then her Shen Yue would truly thrive in the Shen household. After all, their Third Branch—Shen Wan’s power was less than the First Branch’s, and they had fewer children than the Second Branch. Without some strategy, the benefits of this vast Shen household would fall to others.

Ren Wanyun, weeping, kowtowed to Elder Madam Shen: “You see? Fifth Miss hates us so much! She harmed Qing’er without remorse and even tries to ruin my husband’s reputation. Such arrogance comes from relying on the First Brother-in-law’s influence to bully us. How could a young girl like Fifth Miss understand so much? Someone must be teaching her to behave this way. We’ve always supported First Brother-in-law, how could his family treat us like this…?”

Ren Wanyun’s lamentations were extreme, deliberately placing herself in a position of weakness. The more forceful she usually was, the more convincing her current display of vulnerability appeared.

Unfortunately, she had dragged Shen Xin into this.

Dragons have their reverse scales, and currently, Shen Miao was Shen Xin’s reverse scale.

Her gaze swept across the people in Rongjing Hall. They watched her like prey, united as a family, able to call black white and the dead alive. Surrounded by them, she was like a piece of meat before hungry wolves.

But what good were their silver tongues? In the imperial harem, among so many eloquent women, how many ultimately survived? How many became fertilizer for the lush flowers in the imperial garden?

“Second Aunt keeps saying I harmed Elder Sister. Let me ask Second Aunt a few questions. Can you enlighten me?” Shen Miao said.

Ren Wanyun was taken aback. Meeting Shen Miao’s clear eyes, she somehow felt guilty. But looking at the people around her, she regained her confidence. Everyone here was on her side—what power did Shen Miao have to turn the situation around?

“Ask away,” she wiped her tears.

“Very well.” Shen Miao’s lips curled slightly: “Let me ask, that day Second Aunt was staying right next to Elder Sister, very close by. If something happened, how is it that Second Aunt heard nothing?”

Ren Wanyun froze.

“If Elder Sister resisted, she would certainly have made noise. That day, Elder Sister was covered in injuries, so she must have struggled and called for help. Second Aunt was so close by, why didn’t you hear anything? Perhaps you did hear but were too exhausted to investigate?”

“You…” Ren Wanyun was about to refute, but suddenly broke into a cold sweat.

“Of course, perhaps Second Aunt truly didn’t hear any calls for help. Why? Naturally, because Elder Sister never called for help at all. Why wouldn’t Elder Sister call for help? Could it be that she knew the evildoer?”

“You’re talking nonsense!” At this, Ren Wanyun could no longer contain herself and sharply interrupted Shen Miao.

Shen Gui and Shen Wan, being men, didn’t have the delicate thinking of women, and hadn’t considered much about these inner household matters. But Chen Ruoqiu and Ren Wanyun immediately understood. Their gazes toward Shen Miao were filled with fear—the former from shock, the latter from dread.

Shen Miao’s words were terrifying. Indeed, that day, Ren Wanyun and Shen Qing’s rooms were so close. If Shen Qing had called for help, how could she not have heard? And if she heard, why didn’t she check? Could it be that Ren Wanyun deliberately ignored it? Ren Wanyun wouldn’t deliberately harm her daughter, but the room was originally supposed to be occupied by Shen Miao. Ren Wanyun had no reason to harm her biological daughter, but it wasn’t impossible that she might harm her niece. Shen Miao had directly exposed this, bringing Ren Wanyun’s hidden plans before everyone without disguise.

And she suggested another possibility: Shen Qing never called for help. Why? To endure such humiliation without calling for help—could it have been deliberate? Why would it be deliberate? This kind of matter, at minimum, meant being violated by a villain, but at worst, it could even lead to accusations that Shen Qing had deliberately engaged in illicit relations!

This world has always been particularly harsh on women. One must be prepared for all possibilities—once rumors start, they’re difficult to extinguish.

Shen Miao smiled faintly: “Second Aunt, I believe this matter has many suspicious points. Since Second Uncle claims to be fair and reasonable, why not send me to the magistrate’s office? I’ll openly tell the officials everything I know, and let them decide. Perhaps we might even discover who the villain is.”

“No!” Ren Wanyun and Shen Gui exclaimed simultaneously.

Ren Wanyun’s objection was naturally out of fear of complications. If Shen Miao were to speak her previous words publicly, any discerning person would notice the inconsistencies. There were many noble families in the capital, and such matters could be hidden and suppressed for now, but once spread, some might see through her plot to harm her niece. Moreover, if this matter were made public, what would become of Shen Qing’s reputation? Once rumors spread, Shen Qing might even end her own life with a white silk rope.

Shen Gui’s objection, however, stemmed from entirely different concerns than Ren Wanyun’s. He feared the matter would implicate Prince Yu. Prince Yu had only recently begun to favor him because of Shen Miao. The plan had already failed when Shen Miao and Shen Qing’s identities were switched. If Prince Yu learned the truth, he would surely be furious. If the matter became entangled in some legal case, causing unnecessary trouble for Prince Yu, Shen Gui feared his official career would become exceedingly difficult.

Thus, the previously aggressive couple unanimously stopped Shen Miao’s proposal.

“Then what does Second Uncle intend to do?” Shen Miao’s gaze swept over the thick horsewhip in Shen Gui’s hand as she asked nonchalantly: “Still insist on family punishment?”

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 everyone’s surprise, Shen Miao softly laughed: “If Second Uncle insists on family punishment, so be it. But I’ve always been stubborn by nature. That villain forced me to bear a crime that wasn’t mine. When Father returns, I’ll certainly find a way to report to the officials.”

Her implication was clear: if Shen Gui beat her today, when Shen Xin returned, she would certainly file a complaint, and might even persuade Shen Xin to go to the officials. She claimed she would report the villain, but who knew who she would end up accusing?

“Second Uncle, will you implement family punishment or not? If you will, please proceed quickly.” Shen Miao’s clear eyes sparkled with faint mockery, her words carrying a subtle ridicule: “After all, with so many people here, I cannot escape anyway.”

She had practically painted everyone in Rongjing Hall as bandits, as if they were about to hold her down and beat her with the board.

Shen Gui never imagined that he—who navigated the imperial court with ease, adapting his words to all situations, priding himself on handling any circumstance smoothly—would be threatened by his niece today. It wasn’t that he couldn’t think of a way to respond, but Shen Miao had never given him a chance. She kept speaking, growing increasingly sharp and aggressive, leaving him nowhere to hide.

Shen Wan’s eyes also flashed with surprise. His second brother was an old hand in the imperial court, yet even political enemies had never cornered him so embarrassingly. The one who had driven him to such a state was merely a fourteen-year-old girl. The First Branch… was it truly so indomitable? Shen Wan’s gaze darkened.

“You…” Shen Gui’s face reddened. Today he had acted out of momentary anger, still believing Shen Miao to be that timid, easily deceived niece. Even if she were beaten with the family punishment tools, with a combination of coaxing and threatening later, she wouldn’t dare speak of today’s events. Who knew that Shen Miao had transformed into such a thorn in his side, not only refusing to submit but turning the tables on him, putting him in an impossible position.

If not for his wariness of Shen Xin, Shen Gui would have wanted to kill Shen Miao right then.

Elder Madam Shen, who had been sitting silently in the hall watching her son cornered to such an extent, looked at Shen Miao with a flash of anger in her eyes. After suppressing it, she said sternly: “Enough!”

The hall fell silent again. Shen Gui sighed in relief as everyone looked toward Elder Madam Shen.

Although Elder Madam Shen was ignorant of court affairs and external matters, she had been skilled in inner household conflicts in her day. Even she had to take notice of Shen Miao’s sharp responses to Shen Gui and his wife. However, the more intelligence Shen Miao displayed, the more venomous Elder Madam Shen’s hatred became. But Shen Miao now held Shen Qing’s reputation in her hands and could even threaten Shen Gui. This made Elder Madam Shen temporarily cautious about taking rash action.

She said coldly: “Fifth girl, your Second Uncle speaks reasonably. But let’s forget about the family punishment, considering your young age. However, since this matter started because of you, and Elder Miss suffered in your place, you shall kneel in the ancestral hall to atone for your sister. From today, you are confined. You will kneel daily in the ancestral hall copying Buddhist scriptures. You may come out only when Elder Miss recovers.”

She intended to confine Shen Miao indefinitely.

Shen Yue was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this. She had wanted to see Shen Miao beaten until she couldn’t leave her bed, or expelled from the family. Instead, it was just a painless confinement. In a few months, Shen Xin would return, and Shen Miao’s confinement would naturally end. By then, wouldn’t everything be the same as before?

Ren Wanyun was also dissatisfied, but Shen Miao’s earlier words had shaken her so much that she dared not act rashly. Her mind was in chaos, unable to think of a better solution. Although she had grievances about Elder Madam Shen’s decision, she knew it was expedient and held her tongue.

“Oh,” Shen Miao’s voice dragged slightly. Her tone was gentle, yet somehow conveyed a complex, winding feeling. She said: “I understand. I will ‘atone’ well for my sister before Buddha.”

Every sentence Shen Miao spoke now seemed to carry another meaning. Ren Wanyun couldn’t help but shiver. Not knowing what to say, she could only cover her face and sob again.

“Enough, enough,” Elder Madam Shen was quite impatient. Failing to control Shen Miao today left her feeling as if a stone were lodged in her heart. Seeing Ren Wanyun’s weeping face made her even more vexed. She said: “Second Son, take your wife out. How unseemly to have constant crying in Rongjing Hall! All of you, leave! Fifth girl, go kneel in the ancestral hall now. Don’t eat today either!”

Everyone took their leave in turn. Shen Miao didn’t quibble over this matter much. After leaving Rongjing Hall, she walked toward the west courtyard.

Little did she know that behind her, everyone’s eyes were fixed on her.

Shen Wan said gravely: “Fifth Miss has truly grown up.”

“Indeed,” Chen Ruoqiu curled her lips. “This time, Fifth Miss has truly opened our eyes.”

“Mother…” Shen Yue spoke softly: “Fifth Sister is somewhat frightening.” From Shen Miao’s calm demeanor at Wolong Temple to making Shen Qing suffer such a loss while emerging unscathed, even Shen Yue felt a hint of fear. She had no idea when that formerly agreeable and foolish cousin had acquired such capabilities.

“What is there for Yue’er to fear?” Shen Wan stroked Shen Yue’s head. Though his expression was loving, his words were grim: “She’s just a little girl who doesn’t know her limits. She’ll pay the price sooner or later.”

…

Shen Miao indeed went to the Shen family ancestral hall as Elder Madam Shen had arranged.

The Shen family was a military household, and the ancestral hall enshrined generations of ancestors. These ancestors had established the family’s prosperity from horseback, but unfortunately, by this generation, the Shen family was merely keeping up appearances while being close to decline.

Elder General Shen’s branch had initially been quite prosperous. Unfortunately, in one war, several Shen brothers perished in battle, with only Elder General Shen escaping alive. Elder General Shen had three sons, yet oddly only one followed the military path. Now the Shen household maintained its former glory on the surface, but except for the mighty General Shen Xin, it was an undeniable family of civil officials—quite ironic.

“Miss, are your knees getting numb?” Guyu asked.

Jingzhe and Guyu had followed her into the ancestral hall. Shen Miao was concerned that Ren Wanyun might act covertly, though she had deliberately sent Jingzhe and Guyu away at Wolong Temple, saving them from being silenced. In the vast Shen household, where everyone harbored ulterior motives, it was better to keep them close. Ren Wanyun’s reach was long, but she wouldn’t dare act openly in Shen Miao’s presence.

“Even if they’re not numb, the dampness here is heavy,” Jingzhe complained, glancing at the small window. “It’s already raining, and the ground is wet. What if kneeling like this causes a chronic illness? Besides, they’re being completely unreasonable. How is any of this Miss’s fault? Evil people making false accusations first—when the master returns, let’s see if they still dare…”

“Speak less,” Guyu reprimanded. “If someone overhears, Miss will suffer.”

Shen Miao smiled faintly, unconcerned.

Jingzhe thought for a moment, then asked: “But today was quite unexpected. So many people went to Rongjing Hall, and Miss had no one by her side, yet she emerged unharmed. Although kneeling in the ancestral hall is unpleasant, it’s much better than what this servant feared.”

When Shen Miao entered Rongjing Hall for the confrontation, she hadn’t brought any maids with her. Thus, her servants didn’t know what had happened inside.

“Miss must have convinced that roomful of people all by herself,” Guyu said admiringly. “Facing so many without fear—Miss is increasingly showing the master’s demeanor.”

So many people? Shen Miao laughed inwardly. It was just the small Shen household, merely some insignificant clowns. When Fu Xiuyi wanted to change the crown prince, all the officials stood with Madam Mei and Fu Sheng. Her Fu Ming was almost under house arrest. Wearing the Empress’s court dress, she faced all the officials in the Golden Hall, arguing with them, every word wrung from her heart’s blood.

How weak is one person’s strength? Despite being the most noble woman in the world, married to the most noble man, she couldn’t even protect what rightfully belonged to her son. No one stood by her side, yet she couldn’t retreat because there were people she needed to protect.

Precisely because she failed to protect her precious person that time, she would use more drastic measures this time. Cruel? Heartless? Hypocritical? Cunning? None of that mattered. As long as the blade was pointed at enemies, as long as it was opponents who fell, what did it matter if the process was cruel? She would bear the sin alone.

She closed her eyes. The ancestral tablets were right in front of her. Shen Miao silently prayed: Ancestors on horseback, if your spirits still linger, please grant me the sharpest arrow and the fastest horse. Please bless me to slay my enemies with my own hands.

As she finished praying and opened her eyes, she saw Jingzhe blinking at her. Jingzhe pulled out a package of pastries from her bosom, smiling: “Miss has been hungry for so long—it won’t do to go without food. This servant still has some pastries; Miss should fill her stomach.”

Shen Miao wouldn’t fast just because Elder Madam Shen ordered it. She took the paper package and opened it, startled: “This is…”

“This is what this servant found in Miss’s room at Wolong Temple,” Jingzhe scratched her head, embarrassed. “When Miss gave me the pastries, I tried one and had never tasted anything so delicious, so I couldn’t bear to finish them. After returning to the manor and coming to the ancestral hall with Miss, there was no time to get food from outside, so only these were left.”

Shen Miao looked at the exquisite little pastries. They were left by Xie Jingxing during their night conversation. Thinking of this, she seemed to see again the handsome face of the young man in the rain, with his mysterious identity.

Xie Jingxing… Shen Miao pondered, wondering what kind of person he was.

…

In Caiyun Courtyard.

The doctor had just left, and Shen Qing, having taken the calming medicine, was already asleep.

Even after seeing them several times, whenever Ren Wanyun looked at the wounds on Shen Qing’s body, she couldn’t help but feel as if her heart were being sliced by a knife. The doctor was their person and naturally wouldn’t speak of this outside. He had told Ren Wanyun that Shen Qing’s injuries were severe, and her mind was no longer clear—she would need considerable time to recover. As for why her mind was unclear, it was obviously from being frightened to such a state.

Ren Wanyun dared not imagine what kind of torment Shen Qing had suffered that night. She had been staying next door to Shen Qing that night and had even heard Shen Qing’s cries for help midway through. But thinking it was Shen Miao, she had not gone forward, resulting in her own daughter being violated. Just thinking about this made Ren Wanyun’s heart and entrails twist with regret.

Shen Gui glanced at Shen Qing on the bed, seeming to find it extremely troublesome, and turned to leave.

“Stop!” Ren Wanyun called to him. “With Qing’er in this state, are you still going to those vixens’ chambers?”

Shen Gui was lustful, with several chambers of concubines, each beautiful and gentle. Ren Wanyun was formidable and had disciplined these concubines to complete submission. Though Shen Gui was lustful, he knew only Ren Wanyun could help his official career progress more smoothly, so nothing too outrageous would happen. Therefore, Ren Wanyun usually couldn’t be bothered to manage him. Men were all the same—concubines were merely playthings, why should she contend with mere objects of amusement?

But today, she was somewhat abnormal.

“Can you not be so unreasonable?” Shen Gui was rather irritated. Today he had been rendered speechless by his niece, and he still didn’t know what Prince Yu’s reaction would be—whether he would be angered at him. Thinking of these things, Shen Gui was extremely vexed. Seeing Shen Qing at this moment only added fuel to the fire. His tone became impatient: “My staying here is useless. Better for me to clear my mind and think about what to do next.”

“Think, think, think!” Ren Wanyun, abandoning her usual composure, shrieked: “All you know is thinking! What exactly is Qing’er to you? She’s in this state, yet you, her father, neither ask nor care about anything! In your heart, there probably isn’t even a daughter named Qing’er. How can there be such a heartless father in this world!”

As soon as she spoke, even Ren Wanyun’s two personal maids, Xianglan and Caiju, were stunned. Usually, Ren Wanyun could remain calm and collected. Even when Shen Qing encountered trouble at Wolong Temple, she could still maintain her composure and prioritize the bigger picture. As for her interactions with Shen Gui, she had never spoken harshly to him. For someone as rational and smooth as Ren Wanyun to quarrel with Shen Gui like a shrew today was truly unbelievable.

Ren Wanyun herself didn’t know why she was acting this way. Seeing Shen Gui’s demeanor, Shen Miao’s earlier words in Rongjing Hall echoed in her ears.

When Shen Gui learned of Shen Qing’s misfortune, the first thing he thought of was not to check on Shen Qing’s injuries but to discipline Shen Miao. This was certainly not the behavior of a true father. Shen Gui did not care about his daughter’s life or death. Perhaps to Shen Gui, Shen Qing was merely a valuable tool—previously valued enough to keep, but now without value, not even worth another glance.

Shen Miao’s provocation had minimal effect in Rongjing Hall but had accumulated until now, exploding.

“You shrew!” Shen Gui was now often flattered in official circles—when had anyone ever pointed at his nose and cursed him? Though angry in his heart, he knew he couldn’t completely tear apart his relationship with Ren Wanyun. He sneered: “You say I’m not a good father, but have you been a good mother? You took Qing’er to Wolong Temple; you should have been caring for her. You were right beside her, yet let this happen under your very nose. Weren’t you staying next door that night? If you truly loved her, how could you not realize it was Qing’er who was in trouble, given that short distance?”

With these words, Ren Wanyun froze.

What she regretted most, what she hated most, was that night in the North Pavilion. She had heard the cries for help and had a chance to save her daughter, yet through a strange twist of fate, Shen Qing had been harmed. Now Shen Gui was stabbing her heart and rubbing salt in her wounds, leaving her standing there in shock.

Seeing she was speechless, Shen Gui snorted coldly, turned, and left with a swish of his sleeves, going to who knows which concubine’s chamber.

Ren Wanyun stood blankly for a moment, then suddenly her legs weakened, and she collapsed to the ground. Covering her face, she began to cry softly.

Xianglan and Caiju were both frightened and alarmed, having never seen their mistress like this. The current Ren Wanyun seemed like someone whose support had completely collapsed overnight, utterly defeated—where was the previous triumphant demeanor?

The two maids could only step forward to comfort her. After crying for some time, Ren Wanyun wiped her eyes and stood up again. She said: “Bring paper and brush. I want to write a letter to Yuan’er.”

Shen Yuan was the eldest son of the Second Branch, Ren Wanyun’s eldest son. He was currently serving in Liuzhou and would return to the capital to serve as an official once his term was complete.

In the Third Branch, Shen Yue was the most praiseworthy. In the Second Branch, Shen Yuanbai was young, and Shen Qing’s qualifications were ultimately poor, but this Shen Yuan was exceptionally gifted. At a young age, he had already achieved academic honors and performed well in his duties. Even Shen Gui would be somewhat genial in front of this son.

“Your father can’t be relied upon, but at least there’s your brother.” Ren Wanyun looked at the sleeping Shen Qing on the bed and said through gritted teeth: “Yuan’er loves his sister the most. Shen Miao, that little slut—this time, I’ll make you regret your actions for the rest of your life!”

Xianglan quickly ran to get paper and a brush. Ren Wanyun took a deep breath and asked Caiju beside her: “Are those maids still there?”

“The four maids and Nanny Gui are all in the woodshed. Does Madam want to give them mute medicine or directly…”

These maids were, of course, those who had witnessed Shen Qing’s misfortune. There were Shen Qing’s maids, Yanmei and Shuibi, Shen Yue’s maids, Qingluan and Huangying, and a Nanny, Gui.

“Give Shen Yue’s maids mute medicine and return them to Qiushui Courtyard. Let Chen Ruoqiu handle them as she sees fit. As for Qing’er’s two maids…” Ren Wanyun said viciously: “Sell them to the lowest-grade brothel. If they just died, wouldn’t that be too easy for them? Failing to protect their mistress is an unforgivable crime.”

Caiju couldn’t help but shudder. Brothels and flower houses were different. Girls in flower houses could choose to sell their art or their bodies, but girls in brothels all sold their flesh. And ninth-grade brothels were the lowest of all brothels. The people there received only the rudest of lower-class clients. Because these clients were laborers of the lower class, they were naturally not gentle with women—some were even extremely brutal. The girls had to receive clients continuously from morning to night, and the money earned wasn’t even theirs but went directly to the madam. If any girl contracted a venereal disease, she wouldn’t even get medicine. They would be wrapped in a mat and thrown out, left to freeze to death, starve to death, or be bitten to death by dogs—all common occurrences.

Therefore, people sold to ninth-grade brothels were either servants who had committed unforgivable mistakes or those who had a vendetta with their masters. But Yanmei and Shuibi had been by Shen Qing’s side since childhood. After so many years, even if they had no merit, they had toiled hard. Who would have thought they would end up with such a fate?

“This servant understands. And Nanny Gui…” Caiju asked tentatively. Nanny Gui had long ago pledged her loyalty to them, so she was considered one of Caiyun Courtyard’s people.

“Nanny Gui…” Ren Wanyun lowered her head and gave a cold laugh: “What exactly happened that night, I don’t know. Thinking about it now, I should have a good talk with Nanny Gui, after all, she’s the one who knows the whole story.”

…

In the abandoned woodshed, a musty odor permeated everywhere. Due to the continuous rain over the past several days, the ground had even grown bluish-green moss. Normally, it might have seemed serene, but in this pitch-black place, it felt somewhat eerie.

This woodshed had confined countless people—those who had made mistakes in the Shen household, both masters and servants. The fate of these people was never good. The common trait was that after being locked here for a while, they would silently disappear from the Shen household, as if they had never existed in this world.

At this moment, strange sounds were coming from the woodshed. It seemed someone was struggling desperately, kicking against something, with suppressed cries.

A lantern was casually placed to the side, illuminating the woodshed. In the dim light, the woodshed appeared even more sinister. Two burly older women were each gripping a maid by the neck, forcibly pouring contents from bottles into the maids’ mouths.

The two maids struggled constantly, but their frail bodies were like little chickens in the women’s hands. With their jaws locked, they couldn’t spit out what was in their mouths. After some time, the two maids finally stopped struggling, clutching their throats with painful expressions.

“Drag them out,” one old woman ordered the servants behind her. Two servants entered and dragged the two maids out.

“These two…” the old woman pointed at the other two maids: “Drag them out too, but Madam specifically instructed to take good care of them. After all, they’re to be sold to that place. If you’re willing, you can be a bit casual with them.”

Hearing this, the two male servants’ eyes revealed a covetous look. Looking at the two maids, only despair remained on their faces.

Seeing that they had dealt with most of the work, the two old women were about to walk out.

“Did Madam say what to do with this old servant?” A figure suddenly lunged from a dark corner, grabbing one of the old woman’s legs: “What about this old servant?”

It was none other than Nanny Gui.

“Nanny, don’t be anxious,” the old woman pried Nanny Gui’s hands from her leg and said with a strange, mocking tone: “Madam values Nanny so highly, she must have made complete plans for you. Just wait.”

Having said this, she left without looking back.

The room immediately fell back into darkness. Nanny Gui curled up in the corner, her expression showing extreme fear.

No one wants to die. She wanted to live.