Shao Mingyuan collapsing in front of Shao Xiyuan was a huge shock to this fourteen-year-old boy.

He had always disliked this brother because Mother would always become unhappy whenever the second brother was mentioned, sometimes even crying from anger.

What made him hate most was that the second brother had killed the second sister-in-law.

Second sister-in-law was the best woman he had ever seen – intelligent and beautiful, as if there was nothing she didn’t know. Even when he taught her archery, she could learn very well.

Second sister-in-law not only learned archery well, but was also gentle and kind. When he was injured during martial practice, she would carefully bandage his wounds and give him very effective bruise medicine.

Such a wonderful second sister-in-law, whom he felt no other woman could ever compare to, was killed by his second brother’s hand.

He couldn’t forgive such a brother!

However, the second brother’s heroic deeds, though rarely mentioned in the residence, he had heard countless times outside.

Many peers looked at him differently because he was Shao Mingyuan’s brother.

Such a capable second brother would cough up blood and faint?

Shao Xiyuan was extremely shocked. Even after Yang Houcheng and the others helped Shao Mingyuan into the room, he still hadn’t recovered.

“Third brother—” Shao Jingyuan called out with difficulty.

Only then did Shao Xiyuan come to his senses, looking at his bruised and swollen elder brother in great shock: “Elder brother, what happened to your face? Did you hit a wall?”

Shao Jingyuan: “…” Could hitting a wall cause this?

“Return… return to the residence…”

“But the second brother fainted.” Shao Xiyuan supported Shao Jingyuan, somewhat hesitantly.

Shao Jingyuan rolled his eyes and said with difficulty, “If we don’t return to the residence, I’m going to faint too…”

Shao Xiyuan hurriedly supported Shao Jingyuan and called out, “Someone, come help my elder brother.”

The personal guards in the courtyard glanced over with murderous looks in their eyes, but no one made a sound.

The fourteen-year-old boy was slender, feeling the weight pressing on his shoulders. Getting anxious, he said: “Can someone at least help call a coachman?”

Still, no one paid attention to him.

Only now did the boy realize that the identity of the Third Young Master of Marquis Jing’an’s residence meant nothing.

His eyes reddened with grievance as he used all his strength to drag Shao Jingyuan outside, feeling confused.

No matter what, wasn’t second brother moving into an imperial-bestowed residence something to be happy about? Why had things turned out this way?

The two Shao brothers returned to Marquis Jing’an’s residence by carriage. When Lady Shen saw Shao Jingyuan’s appearance, she nearly fainted. While calling for someone to fetch a doctor, she complained to Marquis Jing’an: “I said sending a steward would be enough, but the Marquis insisted on having the brothers go. Look what happened – Jingyuan was beaten like this by that beast! This is killing me! Someone, tell them I’ve ordered the Second Young Master to return to the residence!”

She had anticipated that Shao Mingyuan would be upset after seeing the contents of the box, but hadn’t expected that beast to dare strike Mingyuan so severely.

Shao Xiyuan couldn’t help saying: “Mother, elder brother wasn’t beaten by second brother.”

“If not by that rebellious son, then who else?”

Shao Xiyuan was stumped.

The second brother had first coughed up blood, then fainted. He was too shocked, his mind full of thoughts about his second brother and second sister-in-law, so he had no impression of who had beaten the elder brother.

“What, you fool, are you covering for that beast?”

“I’m not covering for second brother—”

Lady Shen sneered coldly and said to Marquis Jing’an: “Marquis, I’ve been holding back from saying this, but a few months ago second son beat third son, yet third son covered for him.”

Shao Xiyuan widened his eyes: “Mother, how did you know?”

Lady Shen glared at him: “I’m the mistress of this inner residence. If you were beaten, how could I not know?”

Perhaps feeling her youngest son was still too young, Lady Shen didn’t pay much attention. But Shao Xiyuan felt a chill in his heart.

Mother had sent people to spy on him?

Boys this age hated such things most. Anger immediately flared in his heart as he stubbornly said, “Anyway, the elder brother wasn’t beaten by the second brother. Father, you don’t know – second brother coughed up blood right after seeing what Mother sent, and even fainted!”

Seeing his mother and third brother starting to argue over this, Shao Jingyuan struggled to interject: “It was Young Master Chi from the Eldest Princess’s residence who beat me…”

But Marquis Jing’an couldn’t care about what his eldest son was saying. His expression changed as he grabbed Shao Xiyuan’s wrist: “Your second brother coughed up blood?”

“Yes, second brother’s complexion looked terrible – white as snow.”

Marquis Jing’an released his youngest son’s hand and looked gravely at Lady Shen: “What exactly did you send to the second son?”

Lady Shen raised her eyebrows: “For the sake of a rebellious son, the Marquis speaks to me this way?”

Coughed up blood and fainted?

Hehe, this was truly excellent!

She had said that beast couldn’t possibly remain cold and indifferent after seeing those letters. She wanted him to suffer, to feel life was worse than death!

“I’m asking you, what exactly did you send to second son?” Marquis Jing’an stepped forward and gripped Lady Shen’s shoulders.

Shao Jingyuan and Shao Xiyuan were stunned.

Father had been recuperating in the capital for so many years and had never raised his voice to Mother. Even when Mother was cold and harsh to Father’s most beloved second son, Father had never been as stern with Mother as he was now.

“It was letters…” Shao Xiyuan didn’t quite understand why the second brother would react that way to those letters. Fearing his parents would become more deadlocked, he quickly spoke up.

“Letters? What letters?” Marquis Jing’an’s voice was ice-cold, his hand on Lady Shen’s shoulder trembling continuously, showing his suppressed fury.

All these years, Marquis Jing’an had never lost his temper with Lady Shen, so she wasn’t afraid. Being embarrassed in front of her sons and daughter-in-law, she said unhappily: “I intercepted the letters that rebellious son wrote to Lady Qiao. What, is the Marquis going to divorce me over this?”

“Say that again!”

“What’s wrong with saying it again? They were letters the second son wrote to Lady Qiao. I’m giving them to him now – isn’t that allowed? Who knew your supposedly indomitable son was so fragile that he’d cough up blood just from looking at them?”

With a crisp slap, Marquis Jing’an raised his hand and struck Lady Shen hard across the face.

Lady Shen staggered and fell into a chair.

“Mother!”

“You hit me?” Lady Shen covered her face and asked hatefully.

Marquis Jing’an’s whole body shook: “Lady Shen, you have disappointed me greatly!”

He too had once commanded troops, was a Northern Campaign General who had commanded thousands of soldiers. Even though years in the Northern Territories had ruined his health and he returned to the capital to recuperate, he wasn’t one of those spineless men.

He had been tolerant and accommodating to his wife everywhere, for what? Simply because of guilt, unwilling to make her sad and upset.

All he sought was to hope she would show a bit more compassion toward Mingyuan.

Now it seemed he had been completely wrong.

The disappointment and anger in Marquis Jing’an’s eyes stabbed Lady Shen painfully. Those words that she felt couples understood between themselves but never planned to let their sons know in this lifetime spilled out: “I disappointed the Marquis? What about the Marquis? The Marquis disappointed me long ago. Back then, you spoke of mutual respect and deep affection, but it was all just a joke. My second son died long ago, died long ago!”

Ignoring Shao Jingyuan and Shao Xiyuan’s shock, Lady Shen said hatefully, “Marquis, tell me – where exactly did you pick up this bastard who is now Shao Mingyuan?”