Shen Qingzhu’s voice instantly turned eight degrees colder.
“Speak.”
That single word made the servant who had rushed in rolling and crawling tremble violently. His words finally came out clearly:
“Th-the palace! Someone from the palace came! They said… they’ve sent the Second Miss back!”
Shen Qingdai?!
Her second sister—the one who, three years ago, had entered the palace with astonishing medical skills, becoming a female physician and the most brilliant jewel of the Shen family?
“Where is she?” Shen Qingzhu asked.
“At… at the front gate. Two eunuchs. They specifically said the Old Madam and you must personally go ‘receive’ her.” The servant deliberately stressed the word receive.
A flash of hostility crossed Shen Qingzhu’s eyes as she turned and walked toward the front gate.
Before reaching it, she ran into the Old Madam and Lin Shi, who had also rushed over after hearing the news, supported by maids.
“Zhu’er!” Lin Shi grabbed her arm as if clutching a lifeline, her voice trembling. “Your second sister… why would the palace suddenly…”
“We’ll know when we see.” Shen Qingzhu’s voice was steady, and the unshakable strength in it temporarily calmed the two women who were nearly losing their composure.
The main gate of the Shen residence stood open.
Two eunuchs in palace attire stood there, looking down at everyone with arrogant expressions.
When they saw the heads of the Shen family come out, the older eunuch lazily lifted his chin and spoke in a shrill, mocking tone:
“Well, Old Madam Shen, Young Master Shen. By verbal order of the Noble Consort, we’ve brought the female physician Shen Qingdai back to your residence. She’s in the carriage. Come take her away.”
The Old Madam’s heart sank and the color drained from her face, but she forced herself to ask:
“May I ask, sir… what offense did my granddaughter Qingdai commit?”
The eunuch snorted in laughter as if hearing a joke.
“Offense? Physician Shen is quite capable. While on duty she dared to speak rudely to a noble person and even offended His Majesty! Her Ladyship showed mercy—considering that she had at least served before—and only had her beaten with twenty court canings before throwing her out of the palace. If the palace rules had been followed strictly, she’d already be dumped in the mass graves by now!”
Twenty court canings!
Lin Shi’s vision went dark and her legs gave way. If Shen Qingzhu hadn’t caught her quickly, she would have collapsed.
Shen Qingzhu’s gaze moved past them and settled on the carriage curtain.
“Bring her down.”
Her voice wasn’t loud, yet the coldness in it made the two eunuchs shiver.
Intimidated by the murderous look in her eyes, they didn’t dare cause trouble. They merely waved at the coachman irritably.
The curtain lifted.
A heavy smell of blood mixed with medicine rushed out.
Two rough servant women carried down a figure wrapped in a thin blanket.
When the pale, paper-like face was revealed—lips cracked and purple, sweat covering her forehead—Lin Shi let out a heart-rending scream.
“Dai’er—!”
She broke free from the maids and staggered forward.
“My daughter! My Dai’er! Wake up!”
She clutched her daughter and sobbed uncontrollably.
The Old Madam trembled all over, tears streaming down her face, pointing at the eunuchs but unable to utter a word.
When a wall collapses, everyone pushes it down.
The Shen family had fallen so far that they no longer even had the courage to confront two palace eunuchs.
Shen Qingzhu crouched down, ignoring the pungent smell of blood, and lightly placed her fingers on Shen Qingdai’s wrist.
Her pulse was weak, her breathing chaotic, fever raging through her body.
But… her heart pulse was still there.
She could still be saved.
“Carry her inside,” Shen Qingzhu ordered the servants behind her.
“Wait.” The older eunuch suddenly spoke.
He pulled out a scroll from his sleeve and tossed it at Shen Qingzhu’s feet.
“This is the document removing Shen Qingdai from her position as a palace physician. From now on, she has nothing to do with the imperial palace. The Shen family should take care of themselves.”
With that, he flicked imaginary dust off his sleeve, turned around, got on the carriage, and left.
“Quick! Carry Second Miss into my courtyard!” Shen Qingzhu commanded sharply.
Her courtyard was the quietest—and most convenient for her to treat the injuries personally.
In the chaos that followed, Shen Qingzhu personally wrung out a hot cloth, gently wiping the cold sweat and grime from her sister’s face.
She ordered someone to quickly fetch wound medicine and clean bandages.
The Old Madam and Lin Shi stayed beside the bed, tears streaming as they watched Shen Qingdai lying unconscious.
The eldest sister Shen Qingyao was also helped over. Seeing her younger sister’s miserable condition, she covered her mouth and cried while trembling.
The entire room was filled with a suffocating despair.
“Everyone out.”
Shen Qingzhu’s quiet voice immediately halted the crying.
She stood up and looked sharply at the women in the room.
“Will crying bring her back to life? It’ll only disturb her and make the fever worse.”
She looked at Lin Shi.
“Mother, go to the kitchen and personally prepare a bowl of ginseng soup to sustain her life. Grandmother, return to your room and rest. The Shen family hasn’t fallen yet—you can’t collapse first. Elder Sister, your body is heavy with child. Go back and rest. The Shen family needs that baby.”
“Leave this place to me.”
Her arrangements were clear and authoritative.
But the Old Madam suddenly lifted her head and stared at her with bloodshot eyes.
“Tell me honestly. Does the Shen family… really have no way out?”
Shen Qingzhu was silent for a moment.
She did not answer yes or no.
Instead she asked calmly,
“Grandmother, how many servants are still in the residence?”
The Old Madam froze.
“Counting guards, cooks, maids, and matrons… about forty or fifty.”
“Too many.”
“What?”
“Tonight, dismiss them all.”
“You’re mad!” The Old Madam stood abruptly. “Dismiss all the servants? Even if the Shen family has fallen, we can’t have no one to serve us! What about our dignity?!”
“Dignity?” Shen Qingzhu laughed, full of ridicule. “Grandmother, our heads may soon not even remain on our shoulders, and you’re worried about dignity? If we keep them, when the confiscation officers arrive they’ll be exiled three thousand li with us. They have parents and children. Why should dozens of families die with us?”
She paused, her gaze sharp.
“And besides—too many people means too many mouths. With so many incidents in the residence, can you guarantee everyone will stay silent? What we need now is not appearances. We need silence. Absolute silence.”
The Old Madam looked at the unconscious second granddaughter, the heavily pregnant eldest granddaughter, and then at this “grandson” whose calmness was almost frightening.
Her final shred of aristocratic pride finally collapsed.
“…Alright.”
She sank down weakly.
“…We’ll do as you say.”
Half an hour later, in the Shen residence courtyard.
Over forty servants gathered anxiously.
Shen Qingzhu stood on the steps while Steward Shen Zhong held the account book and a chest of silver behind her.
“You all know the Shen family is facing a great disaster,” Shen Qingzhu said clearly. “I didn’t call you here to share our fate. I called you to give you a way to live.”
“From today onward, your master-servant contracts with the Shen family are void. You are free.”
“Here are your wages and three times the severance pay. Take the money and leave tonight. Go as far away as possible. From now on, marry, work, and live your lives. We owe each other nothing.”
The courtyard fell into stunned silence before erupting in noise.
Some were overjoyed.
Some cried.
Some knelt to thank her.
“I won’t leave!”
Steward Shen Zhong, along with the maids Lingyin and Lingyu, knelt together.
“My life was saved by the old master! I’ll die in the Shen family if I must!” Shen Zhong cried.
“We grew up in this house! We won’t leave!”
Shen Qingzhu looked at them quietly. A trace of emotion flashed in her eyes, but she said nothing.
Some loyalties only appear in times of crisis.
She would remember it.
She merely nodded.
“Uncle Zhong, distribute the money according to the roster.”
She then looked toward the two guards who had followed her to the Qian family earlier that day.
“You two, step forward.”
The two men approached nervously.
Shen Qingzhu grabbed several large silver ingots from the chest and stuffed them into their hands—several times more than what the others received.
“You did well today,” she said.
“Take the money, bring your families, and go somewhere no one knows you. Live well. And remember—don’t look back.”
The men were stunned.
Their eyes reddened. They knelt and gave a deep bow before leaving decisively.
Soon the silver was distributed.
The once bustling Shen residence quickly became empty, leaving only the bleak sound of wind through the courtyard.
Just then, someone ran in through the gate, panting heavily.
It was the steward from the Qian family.
Looking at the strangely empty courtyard, he froze for a moment before bowing to Shen Qingzhu.
“Y-Young Master Shen… Our old master has ordered me to return the Eldest Madam’s dowry, property deeds… and thirty thousand taels in banknotes… Please… show mercy.”
Shen Qingzhu stood on the steps, night wind stirring her robe. Her face showed no surprise.
She looked at the heavy chests and thick stack of banknotes.
Her gaze was deep.
Good.
The people were gone.
The money had arrived.
Her first startup capital was now in her hands.