Madam Shen of the eldest branch sneered, her eyes full of schadenfreude.
Clutching her bleeding ear, Madam Shen hurriedly looked toward Commander Li and spoke up.
“Commander, Mu Wanting is not the bride Xinglan originally intended to marry. This disaster should not implicate her.”
Mu Wanting felt somewhat touched.
But she had already intended to go into exile with them from the start. If she could win over the Shen family, all the better—after all, whether searching for her mother or building achievements in the future, she would need capable people.
She looked at Madam Shen gently yet firmly.
“Mother, even though my younger sister switched the marriage, from the moment I became Xinglan’s wife, I also became part of this family. Wherever you go, I will go. Whether it is wealth and honor or exile and hardship, I will advance and retreat together with you.”
Madam Shen and Shen Xinghe looked at Mu Wanting in surprise.
Shen Yujiao curled her lips, though her tone softened somewhat.
“You really are foolish. Who volunteers to walk toward death like this?”
Mu Wanting smiled.
“If family stays together, how can it be called seeking death?”
The Shen family began reassessing Mu Wanting.
Only then did they realize that aside from behaving somewhat excessively while pursuing Shen Xinglan, she was actually someone deeply loyal and affectionate.
At that moment, the unconscious Shen Xinglan was carried back, his entire body soaked in blood.
Fortunately, compared to the previous life, his condition was far better.
His spine was broken and his tendons and bones severely damaged, but he was not merely hanging onto his last breath.
As long as he received proper treatment, Shen Xinglan would not be crippled in this life.
But recovery would take time.
Unfortunately, the escort officers had already forced prison garments onto them and locked them in shackles and chains, leaving her unable to properly treat him.
During the exile journey, Shen Xingchi carried Shen Xinglan on his back.
After checking his injuries midway, Shen Xingchi’s eyes had remained red for the entire road.
Once they stopped to rest, Mu Wanting prepared to examine Shen Xinglan.
After all, even if there was no love between them anymore, there was still the debt of saving his life.
But the moment she reached toward him, Shen Xingchi blocked her path.
His eyes brimmed with thick, unmistakable disgust.
“Mu Wanting, you know exactly how you married into this family, and I can’t even be bothered to pursue it anymore. Even if you chose to follow us into exile out of loyalty, I will never allow you to touch my brother again.”
His voice choked with emotion.
“My brother… he really can’t endure any more suffering. He’s practically crippled now. Please, just leave him alone.”
Mu Wanting replied coolly:
“I’ll tell you this—the fastest way to kill him is to leave him untreated.”
After saying that, irritation rose in her heart, and she put away the wound medicine.
It was Madam Shen who sighed softly and blocked the escort officers’ view.
“Wanting, I’ll trouble you then.”
Mu Wanting liked dealing with intelligent people.
As she applied medicine to Shen Xinglan’s wounds, she explained:
“The medicine will only stop bleeding and ease the pain. Tonight, when we rest, the wounds still need to be thoroughly cleaned.”
Madam Shen nodded.
“You’re probably the only one here who understands medicine. I’ll leave him in your care from now on.”
Mu Wanting nodded.
Her medical skills had been personally taught by her mother since childhood. Back then, she had not thought much of it.
Only later did she realize that even the greatest physicians in the world could not compare to even a fraction of what she and her mother knew.
At noon, everyone was given coarse black-flour buns to eat.
How could people raised in luxury possibly stomach such food?
It was only after they reached the long pavilion outside the city that relatives finally came to deliver supplies to the Shen family.
But almost all the visitors came for the eldest and second branches.
There was also someone who came for the third branch—a woman carrying bundles and an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes.
It was Shen Mingjiao, the eldest daughter of the third branch, who had already married out.
She knelt before Madam Shen, crying bitterly.
“Mingzhu is useless. I can’t save everyone, so I requested to join you in exile instead. My husband’s family feared implication and even prepared divorce papers. The moment they heard my decision, they immediately allowed me to bring Qin’er and leave.”
Shen Yujiao’s eyes reddened, so angry she almost wanted to hit Shen Mingjiao.
“Big Sister, how could you be so foolish? You even have a child! You should have clung stubbornly to the Zhao family no matter what. This journey is long and harsh—what about the baby?”
Shen Mingjiao’s eyes remained resolute.
“Even so, I accept it.”
Compared to the smugness of the eldest and second branches, the gloom surrounding the third branch deepened further.
Just as everyone prepared to leave, another rider came galloping toward them.
It was Murong Rong.
The escort officers were happy to wait.
Only when these people brought money and goods could the officers profit along the exile road.
Shen Yujiao had always been close friends with Murong Rong and felt touched.
“Rongrong, you came.”
Murong Rong looked at Shen Yujiao gently and placed a bundle into her arms containing some spare clothes.
“Our family was robbed too. We borrowed money just to buy these things for you. I’m sorry—I can’t help much.”
Shen Yujiao hurriedly shook her head.
“It’s already wonderful enough that you came to see us off.”
Murong Rong then looked softly toward the unconscious Shen Xinglan, speaking with obvious regret.
“No need to thank me. If not for… what happened, I almost would have become your sister-in-law.”
Shen Yujiao pressed her lips together.
Though grateful for Mu Wanting’s earlier rescue, she still harbored resentment.
After all, it was undeniable that Mu Wanting had used schemes to marry her second brother.
Murong Rong glanced at Mu Wanting several times before smiling gently.
“Elder Sister, with this journey lasting years, we sisters may never meet again. I wish to say a few words to you.”
Mu Wanting remained seated ten meters away without moving closer.
“I’m too tired to walk. Just say it from there.”
Murong Rong nearly exploded with anger.
She had not come today for a farewell.
She had come specifically to drive wedges between Mu Wanting and the Shen family.
If she shouted openly, then even fools would realize she was trying to sow discord.
Suppressing her fury, Murong Rong walked over to Mu Wanting.
With pity and malicious delight in her eyes, she spoke softly enough that only the two of them could hear.
“Elder Sister, although you’ve never been especially famous in the capital, your beauty and talent are no worse than mine. Do you know why Shen Xinglan never accepted you?”
Mu Wanting smiled faintly at her without asking further.
Murong Rong’s expression darkened with even greater anger.
“Elder Sister, surely you know there has always been someone at the very center of Shen Xinglan’s heart. He’s been waiting for her.”
Mu Wanting curled her lips slightly.
“So?”
Murong Rong failed to get the reaction she wanted, making her even more furious.
Mu Wanting had loved Shen Xinglan so obsessively.
Upon learning he loved someone else, shouldn’t she be angry? Shouldn’t she lose control?
Why was she acting as though it concerned someone else entirely?
“Elder Sister, that means he will never truly accept you. Isn’t that enough?”
Mu Wanting smiled lightly.
“I’m afraid I must disappoint your good intentions, Younger Sister.”
Love was always something vague and insubstantial.
Even the most passionate feelings eventually became mutual disgust.
Love was merely a seasoning in life—occasionally enjoyable for amusement.
But abandoning everything for love, allowing a man to control one’s emotions—
That was entirely unnecessary.
She no longer loved Shen Xinglan.
Who lived in his heart, whom he loved—she did not care.
As long as she tightly grasped power and wealth, that was enough.