“Miss Yan.”

Zhu Yuanmo pushed away his brothers’ hands and stumbled to Yan Sanhe’s front.

“You absolutely must not act rashly. We must plan carefully. Otherwise, otherwise…”

“Otherwise the Zhu family will face utter calamity.”

Yan Sanhe closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened them again. “I know. Everything should wait until after we see Madam off. Xie Zhifei, let’s go!”

The group departed, leaving only the three Zhu brothers in the main hall.

The younger brothers’ gazes all fell on their eldest brother, Zhu Yuanmo.

He was their eldest brother and also the current generation’s Zhu family head. No discussion was needed—whatever Eldest Brother said was final.

Leave clear-headed meant telling Mother the truth.

Depart confused meant concealing everything.

How to choose?

Yet Zhu Yuanmo uncharacteristically said, “What do you all think? Speak up.”

What to say?

Zhu Yuanzhao sat in his chair, enduring wave after wave of tinnitus.

The day the coffin split open, the second household lost one body and two lives.

He and Ren Shi had been husband and wife for over a decade with extraordinary feelings. The child in her belly was one he’d long anticipated.

Hearing Miss Yan say they died because of his heart demon.

Did Zhu Yuanzhao harbor resentment?

Yes.

But whenever he thought of how well Father had treated him before, always favoring him in everything, the resentment dissipated.

Even though he’d made Geng Songsheng so miserable, Zhu Yuanzhao still made excuses for him in his heart.

But who could have imagined…

Zhu Yuanzhao gritted his teeth. “I don’t want Mother to die with lingering grievances. Let’s keep it from her.”

“Second Brother is right.”

Zhu Yuanhao choked up. “With Mother’s temperament, once she knows the truth, even without a heart demon she’ll rage herself into having one. Since she’s been happy and carefree all her life, let her depart in peace.”

“I want to tell her.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s eyes were filled with vicious hatred.

“For no other reason than to make sure that in her next life, even if she’s reborn as a beast, she remembers to stay far away from that person.”

In this world—heaven is round, earth is square, yin and yang are equal, father is kind and son filial, elder brother friendly and younger brother respectful, husband righteous and wife obedient… all have rules and constraints.

The reason people can be called people is because of these rules and constraints.

Otherwise, what difference is there from beasts?

Concubine Fu was his mother. Just because she was slightly mistreated, he threw the entire Zhu family into chaos, harming this one, then that one.

Then what about Madam?

Madam was their birth mother!

They too had spent over nine months in Madam’s belly, lived and died together. They too had dependence on Madam, reluctance to part, deep attachment.

“Elder Brother?”

“Elder Brother?”

Zhu Yuanmo waved his hand at both of them, speaking in a tone of utter despair:

“Everything I have in this life was given to me by him. My life was given by him, my skills were taught by him, my position and power were left by him. By rights, even if he tore open the sky, I should stand by his side. But look—look what he’s done to our Zhu family!”

His tears slowly fell.

“I’m his son, true, but my surname is Zhu! The Zhu family has passed down for hundreds of years. In the ancestral graves sleep ancestor after ancestor who used all their life’s skills to bring the Zhu family to where it is today, making us first among the Imperial Observatory. If this matter truly involves the Imperial Observatory, the Zhu family will be destroyed by him. How can I have face to see Grandfather and them? How can I still have face!”

Unable to hide his overwhelming rage and anguish anywhere, Zhu Yuanmo, this dignified five-foot man, wept uncontrollably.

Weeping for the Zhu family’s fate, weeping for his birth mother’s misery, weeping for his dead younger siblings and nephew, weeping for Eldest Sister’s suffering.

Also weeping for himself.

…

At this moment, Yan Sanhe’s group had already reached outside the Zhu estate.

Xie Zhifei’s single foot touched ground. He only felt his head no longer hurt, eyes no longer blurred, breath smooth—finally alive again.

He supported himself on Ding Yi’s shoulder and turned to look at the Zhu estate.

Courtyard after courtyard, deep and profound.

It really felt like having a nightmare.

“Speak.”

He turned his face to look at Yan Sanhe’s dark eyes. “Do you have more to say?”

Yan Sanhe shook her head. “I already said everything just now.”

As expected.

Xie Zhifei: “Actually, letting the three Zhu brothers know early is good. At least it gives them mental preparation. Regarding the Imperial Observatory matter, Zhu Yuanmo must take the lead. No one else can help.”

He looked at the sky. “The snow has stopped. I’ll return to the ministry first. There are still matters at the ministry. Mingting, come with me.”

Why should I go with you?

Young Master Pei was about to speak when he saw Xie Zhifei’s gaze look at him hard and sharp.

Hey, you’re being hard and sharp?

I haven’t even settled accounts with you yet!

“Let’s go!”

Xie Zhifei didn’t move, but instead looked at Yan Sanhe’s pointed chin and said:

“The estate is about to have another funeral. You’re not made of iron either. There’s so much to investigate ahead. Go back to the manor and rest.”

Yan Sanhe made an “mm” sound. “I promised Madam I’d see her once. After I see her, I’ll go back.”

Just as the words fell, footsteps on snow sounded from behind. Turning around, they saw it was Zhu Yuanhao.

Zhu Yuanhao approached, his eyes red. “Miss Yan, please help us make a decision—should we tell Mother the truth or not?”

Yan Sanhe didn’t speak but waved at Xie Zhifei outside the threshold, indicating they should leave first.

Xie Zhifei didn’t waste words either. He cupped his hands toward Zhu Yuanhao, then was lifted onto the carriage by Ding Yi and Huang Qi, one on each side.

Pei Xiao followed, one foot on the low stool, his body turning back to look at the Zhu estate with lingering fear.

Forget it. Better to come less to this place in the future.

Who knows if there’s some formation that wasn’t removed, that might end up on him.

The carriage wheels began to turn. Only then did Yan Sanhe look at Zhu Yuanhao. “Don’t ask me about such matters. Decide yourselves.”

“Miss Yan, you must ask.”

Zhu Yuanhao’s face showed grief. “We three brothers don’t agree. Please choose a clear path for us. My mother… is pitiable.”

After death, everyone goes to report to King Yama.

Those with sins go to hell.

Hell has eighteen levels, divided by time and degree of suffering.

For his evil deeds, she would suffer. Just three lives were enough to send her to the Avici Hell, never to be reborn.

The so-called Avici means suffering without interruption—not one second of rest, eternal suffering.

When Mother was bitten by an insect, she’d wail for half a day.

How could she endure this!

How could she endure it!

Yan Sanhe’s nose tingled slightly. Frowning, she thought for a long while before saying softly, “When Madam wakes, let her make her own choice.”

…

In the carriage.

The two brothers stared at each other with big eyes, both with bellies full of words to say, yet both not knowing where to start.

After staring for a while, Young Master Pei simply closed his eyes and ignored this bastard.

“About Yan Sanhe, you probably noticed—I didn’t tell you because things weren’t even close to settled.”

Xie Zhifei: “My family situation is similar to yours. I’m probably even more difficult than you.”

What’s this situation?

Playing the victim!

This young master won’t listen, won’t listen!

“Actually, when you developed feelings, I also developed feelings. I didn’t dare compete with you because you’re my brother.”

What’s this situation again?

Singing about brotherhood?

This young master still won’t listen, won’t listen!

“In short, it went through quite a significant ordeal.”

Xie Zhifei spoke vaguely but without falsehood. “Later, after she rejected you and I got past that hurdle in my own heart, I developed feelings again.”