That very afternoon, Zhao Zhongyu summoned Zhao Ji’s entire family before him and ordered, “Remove Big Sister’s luggage. You four siblings will remain and return to Yuzhou with Sanniang.”

Zhao Hewan looked up in surprise. Zhao Yi breathed a sigh of relief, though his eyes still reddened as he looked at Wu Shi.

Wu Shi gripped the handkerchief in her hand tightly without speaking.

Zhao Zhongyu said, “You’re already betrothed. I’ll immediately write a letter to Nanxiang Commandery and have the Zhong family select a wedding date within this year. You’ll marry from Yuzhou. Your parents and I face a long journey and cannot return to see you off, so Dalang will give you away.”

Zhao Hewan timidly lowered her head and acknowledged with a soft sound.

Zhao Zhongyu pointed at a bowl of medicine on the table and then at Wu Shi. “Drink it.”

Wu Shi collapsed to the ground, her face deathly pale. “Father, please spare me! I’ll never dare again, never again!”

“Dalang, plead with your grandfather, plead with him! Big Sister, Second Sister, Fourth Sister—quickly help your mother beg Grandfather!”

Zhao Yi immediately knelt down, looking hopefully at Zhao Zhongyu. “Grandfather, please spare Mother’s life. If she’s still angry, your grandson is willing to die in Mother’s place.”

Zhao Erniang and Zhao Siniang also quickly knelt. After a moment’s hesitation, Zhao Hewan followed suit.

“Do you think she came to see me this afternoon for what reason?” Zhao Zhongyu said. “She came to plead for mercy, to release the grievances rather than create new enmity.”

“Dalang, she is also your younger sister. The conflict between the main and second branches was our failure as elders—we shouldn’t have involved you younger generation. But now with the world in chaos, you’re alone and without great talent or ability—how can you support the family?”

“Even someone as talented as Wang Yan fell overnight into the hands of Jie barbarian slaves, and the Wang clan lost an outstanding talent in an instant. How do you compare?” He looked at Wu Shi on the ground, her face pale as death. “Right now, Wu Shi is the wedge driven between you. If we don’t remove it, this wedge will fester the wound in the future, and then more than one person will die.”

“But she’s my mother!”

“That’s why I’m the one taking action,” Zhao Zhongyu said expressionlessly. “When you make mistakes, you must pay the price.”

“Within the family, competing for power and position is acceptable. I won’t restrict you from using various methods. But human life and the clan’s reputation are the bottom line,” Zhao Zhongyu’s gaze fell on Wu Shi. “Wu Shi, you’ve crossed that line. You are all her children—I hope you’ll remember today’s events and never transgress again. Otherwise, regardless of whether you’re of Zhao bloodline, I will show no mercy.”

Wu Shi knew all was lost. She collapsed completely on the ground, lying there without even the strength to prop herself up.

The attendant who had been quietly waiting came forward with the medicine. When Wu Shi didn’t reach for it, he forced it down her throat.

Wu Shi instinctively struggled but still swallowed most of it. She clutched her chest in terror, trying to induce vomiting. Zhao Zhongyu said, “Don’t waste your effort. This poison won’t cause immediate death. Since I’ve told the Zhong family to select a date, I won’t let you die before Big Sister’s wedding.”

Wu Shi’s movements froze.

Zhao Zhongyu said, “This is Sanniang’s mercy.”

Wu Shi suddenly became agitated, crying out, “What kind of mercy is this—making me suffer the torment of approaching death every day! You might as well kill me now! She has such a vicious heart! Dalang, she did this deliberately, deliberately…”

“Silence!” Zhao Zhongyu saw her trying to sow discord in the relationship he had worked so hard to ease, and his fury erupted. “Gag her mouth!”

The attendant immediately stuffed a cloth in Wu Shi’s mouth.

Zhao Zhongyu was so angry he paced in circles. After two rounds, he still couldn’t restrain himself and pointed at her, cursing, “Foolish, poisonous thing! What good does it do you to drive a wedge between Sanniang and your four children at this moment? Your sons and daughters will all depend on her in the future…”

The more Zhao Zhongyu spoke, the angrier he became. He turned and slapped Zhao Ji across the face.

Zhao Ji, who had been in a daze, was knocked to the ground by the slap. He looked up at Zhao Zhongyu in disbelief, not understanding why he was being hit when it was Wu Shi who had angered him.

Zhao Zhongyu was both exhausted and furious. Pointing at him, he said, “Your wife is yours to teach. Look at what you’ve taught her all these years—she learned none of the good, only your stupidity!”

“Fool, fool! How did I give birth to such a fool—you could actually do something like abandoning your eldest uncle’s coffin!” Zhao Zhongyu clutched his chest, unable to catch his breath.

The four children were startled and rushed forward to support him. “Grandfather, calm down, please calm down…”

“Get out, all of you!” Zhao Zhongyu finally noticed them. Though he shouldn’t criticize parents in front of their children, with parents like these, there was no need to avoid it. Still, he drove the four of them out and proceeded to thoroughly berate the husband and wife inside.

The four siblings stood dazedly in the courtyard listening. After a long while, Zhao Erniang turned to ask Zhao Dalang, “Big Brother, what is Xiping like? I… I can’t remember what Xiping is like anymore.”

Zhao Yi shook his head blankly—he had forgotten too.

Wu Shi’s outburst made Zhao Zhongyu see the hidden danger. So before leaving, he replaced all the people around the four siblings overnight, installing his own people and leaving his personal attendant behind to assist Zhao Yi.

Everyone else would accompany him to Yuncheng.

The next day, the Zhao residence was filled with grief both inside and out. The four siblings had to separate from their parents, and among the servants, parents were separated from children.

They all knew in their hearts that this parting would very likely be forever.

Only Zhao Ji remained oblivious. He instructed Zhao Yi, “After returning to Xiping, learn clan management properly from Zhao Ming. In clan matters, don’t depend on Zhao Hanzhang for everything. Don’t forget—our branch is now the clan leadership.”

Zhao Yi looked up at his father with a complicated expression. After yesterday, he had realized that his father could no longer serve as clan leader. Even he himself was uncertain now. Otherwise, on this journey to Yuncheng, Grandfather wouldn’t have said nothing to him.

Those instructions had all been given to Zhao Hanzhang, hadn’t they?

Zhao Yi felt bitter inside, then heard the sound of orderly footsteps. He turned to look—it was Zhao Hanzhang leading people to see them off.

Zhao Hanzhang assigned them a contingent of her personal guards. “Great-Uncle, Yuncheng is too far. Let them escort you.”

“With General Gou present, the journey should be safe.”

But Zhao Hanzhang looked concerned. “Prince Donghai had considerable forces too, didn’t he still encounter Shi Le? So it’s better to be cautious. Let them escort you all the way.”

Zhao Ji was very wary and suspicious. “That’s unnecessary. If even General Gou cannot withstand a strong enemy, what could such a small guard contingent do?”

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t even bother acknowledging him. Zhao Zhongyu shot him a warning glance and nodded, accepting the guards. He said to Zhao Hanzhang, “You must also be careful. Gou Xi and the Emperor want you to seize people from Shi Le—they just want you and Shi Le to fight each other so they can profit from it.”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and nodded. “Great-Uncle, rest assured.”

She stepped back and waved her hand. The personal guards immediately integrated into the procession, focusing their protection on Zhao Zhongyu’s carriage.

She smiled. “Great-Uncle, let me escort you to the palace gates to meet with His Majesty.”

Zhao Zhongyu nodded. “Very well.”