“Why?” Shen Xihe asked.

Geng Liangcheng was Shen Yun’an’s first martial arts teacher. Shen Xihe vaguely remembered that in her childhood, when the Turks tried to take advantage of the court’s eunuch troubles to occupy the Northwest, whenever Shen Yueshan had to lead troops into battle, he would leave her and her brother in the Geng household.

Geng Liangcheng and his wife cared for them as if they were their own, differing from their parents only in showing a touch more respect.

“Because of Geng Zhongji,” Shen Yueshan said.

Geng Zhongji? The name felt strange to Shen Xihe for a moment, but she quickly remembered – he was Geng Liangcheng and his wife’s only child.

Geng Zhongji was actually several years older than Shen Yun’an but had been separated during the wars and was only found five years ago. By then, he was already a good-for-nothing wastrel, previously involved in petty theft and fraud, and after Geng Liangcheng found him, his behavior only worsened.

He bullied merchants and extorted bribes in the streets, indulging in drinking, gambling, and visiting brothels. Geng Liangcheng had beaten and scolded him harshly, even thrown him into military camps to toughen him up, but Geng Zhongji never changed. He knew clearly that Geng Liangcheng and his wife wouldn’t beat him to death, and with his thick skin, a beating barely fazed him. After each punishment, he would return to his old ways.

Later, when she went to her uncle’s home, something happened, and when she returned, Geng Zhongji had been executed by her father.

When she returned that year, she had asked about it briefly, but everyone was tight-lipped and unwilling to speak of it. She had no good impression of Geng Zhongji, so she didn’t pursue the matter.

“What exactly did he die for?” Shen Xihe asked again.

To make Geng Liangcheng turn into a traitor because of it.

“He committed a grave crime. The victims came to me, and when I questioned him, he confessed without remorse, even showing complete fearlessness…” Shen Yueshan spoke very briefly.

Shen Xihe didn’t ask for details; Shen Yueshan didn’t want to tell her the specifics.

“When I returned that year and heard about Geng Zhongji’s matter, I went to visit Uncle Geng and Second Aunt – they treated me the same as always.” Geng Liangcheng was second in rank, so Shen Xihe called his wife Second Aunt.

Shen Yueshan was an only child; the Shen family didn’t have many descendants. Shen Xihe’s grandfather had three brothers, but they all died in the wars without leaving any children. Her grandfather had four children, but only her father survived. In those years, the Previous Emperor’s debauchery and incompetence left the Northwest constantly in turmoil. How many prominent military families had withered away in the wars?

“All these years, we never mentioned this matter, and they never grew distant from me or you siblings…” A flash of bitterness crossed Shen Yueshan’s eyes. “Thinking about it now, how could there be no resentment? Having resentment would be natural; having none means it was hidden very deep.”

“How much does Uncle Geng know, and how much has he told His Majesty?” Shen Xihe was more concerned about this.

Geng Liangcheng had earned Shen Yueshan’s complete trust. Over the years, nothing in the Northwest had been kept from him; Shen Yueshan had been completely open with him.

“Fortunately, your father has no ambitions.” Shen Yueshan glanced at Xiao Huayong, who was ladling soup. “What he knows, I don’t fear His Majesty learning about. At most, he can tell His Majesty about the Northwest’s prosperity these years and the Shen family’s wealth.”

As for the Northwest’s military strength and the power of the Shen army, it would be better if His Majesty knew – then he wouldn’t dare act rashly.

Regarding more matters like the Northwest’s defenses, Geng Liangcheng wasn’t a fool. Even if he hated them, he wouldn’t sacrifice so many innocent Northwestern civilians, and he knew that if he revealed everything to His Majesty, he would lose his value as a tool.

“Does he want Father-in-law’s life or Father-in-law’s power?” Xiao Huayong handed the first bowl of soup to Shen Yueshan.

Shen Yueshan accepted it, giving Xiao Huayong a deep look: “What’s the difference?”

“If it’s the former, he might still consider the Northwestern civilians; if it’s the latter…” Xiao Huayong handed the second bowl to Shen Xihe.

Hatred can blind one’s eyes, but doesn’t necessarily erase one’s humanity; however, the desire for power can easily transform a person beyond recognition, turning them into a slave to power who would disown even close family.

Shen Yueshan took a sip of soup. Though his hands and feet weren’t cold, he could feel warmth spreading through his limbs. He let out a long breath: “Even now, I can’t determine if he betrayed us out of hatred, or if hatred was just an excuse for his betrayal.”

Brothers who once shared everything had finally come to this point – impossible to see through, impossible to judge clearly.

“If Father-in-law trusts my judgment, I can say with certainty it’s the latter,” Xiao Huayong sat down with his bowl of soup.

Both Shen Xihe and Shen Yueshan looked at him, and Shen Yueshan asked: “How can you be so certain?”

“Because he exposed himself to his Father-in-law,” Xiao Huayong smiled slightly. “I don’t know this general, but I know His Majesty. When Father-in-law suddenly disappeared and couldn’t be found, given Father-in-law’s abilities, this shouldn’t have happened. His Majesty must have suspected Father-in-law’s disappearance was a scheme.

Why would Father-in-law devise such a scheme? And how to resolve it? Given the Father-in-law’s important position, disappearing without notice and not reporting to court – His Majesty could reasonably punish the Father-in-law for this.

His Majesty would consider what reason could make Father-in-law act this way, yet remain fearless of later consequences.

What could be more reasonable than exposing a traitor in the Northwest?”

No one would believe this disappearance act of Shen Yueshan; the main reason was simply to let Shen Xihe naturally attend her only brother’s wedding. Even if they explained it, people probably wouldn’t believe it.

In their eyes, pure family affection no longer existed. They saw every move of those in high positions as extremely complex.

Xiao Huayong’s words gained the agreement of both father and daughter.

“Since His Majesty thought of this, he naturally ordered his men not to act rashly,” Xiao Huayong concluded. “With His Majesty’s orders in place, he still moved, arousing Father-in-law’s suspicions. This means… he was too tempted by the opportunity of Father-in-law’s disappearance, tempted enough to disregard His Majesty’s instructions.”

If he purely hated Shen Yueshan, he shouldn’t have made any unusual moves at this time; if he did act, it should have been under the pretense of searching for Shen Yueshan to assassinate him. Why would he start stirring up trouble among the Northwestern army?

Shen Yueshan’s grip tightened on the ceramic bowl, veins bulging on the back of his hand. He lowered his head and drained the bowl in one gulp, then violently smashed the empty bowl on the ground.

The shattered bowl reflected Shen Yueshan’s current state of mind.

Before this, Shen Yueshan had felt sorrow, melancholy, and complexity about Geng Liangcheng’s betrayal.

That’s why he had drunk himself into a stupor. Now that Xiao Huayong had laid this ugly truth before him, he felt both heartbroken and furious.

Had Shen Yueshan never considered that Geng Liangcheng wanted to become the next King of the Northwest?

He must have thought of it, but he didn’t want to believe it. This was a brother who had fought life-and-death battles with him, shed blood on battlefields, and jointly guarded their territory!

How could he have been blinded by the desire for power?