Chарtеr 3: Вrоther, Don’t Leаvе Me
Jiаng Xun’s eхрrеssiоn wаs iсy аs his gаzе swеpt ovеr the crowd.
“Mingshu fеll ill аfter drinking. I stауеd in thе rоom tо lооk after hеr fоr a whilе. Is there anуthing imprоper abоut that?”
Нis tonе wаs not heаvy, yet it sеnt а сhill dоwn the spinеs оf thоsе presеnt.
Evеryonе knew that Jiаng Xun was thе adoptеd sоn оf the Shеn fаmily. He hаd entеrеd the housеhold as а child, аnd аt sеventеen, he hаd triumphed in thе раlace examination, bесoming a rare уоung top schоlаr in a century. He was restrained, calm, and extremely proper in his conduct—even the most critical old officials at court could find no fault with him.
He was the model their fathers praised daily, often using Jiang Xun’s example to admonish them since childhood. As a result, even hearing his name now filled them with a sense of dread.
They had never expected that the person inside the room would be him!
But… how could it be him?
Jiang Xun and Shen Mingshu were not close, and someone as aloof as him—how could he come to care for Shen Mingshu? He was the type who wouldn’t even spare a princess’s feelings!
While the group was filled with confusion, Jiang Xun spoke again, “You, in the Fourth Prince’s residence, have recklessly gossiped about an unmarried young lady with vulgar words.”
He paused, his voice turning cold. “Tomorrow, I will submit a memorial to His Majesty, accusing your fathers of failing to educate their children and tarnishing their family’s reputation!”
The faces of the young nobles turned ashen, their souls nearly frightened out of them.
Given the emperor’s favor toward Jiang Xun, if he truly submitted such a memorial, would their fathers—or they themselves—fare well?
They would surely be beaten to death by their fathers!
“Lord Jiang, please forgive us! We were momentarily foolish and meant no harm!”
“We’ll leave right away, immediately!”
The group fled as if their feet were greased, disappearing in an instant.
No spectacle was worth risking their lives!
Earlier, fueled by anger, Shen Mingshu had barely managed to hold herself together.
Now that the others had left, her heart relaxed, and her body softened along with it.
A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she swayed weakly to the side.
Jiang Xun instinctively reached out to catch her.
He lifted her into his arms and placed her gently on the daybed where she had been resting earlier. Just as he was about to stand up, she suddenly reached out and tightly grasped his arm.
“Don’t go…” Her voice was faint, tinged with a sob.
“Brother, don’t leave me.”
She didn’t want to be alone anymore, truly she didn’t…
Thinking of her past life—so lonely and helpless, dying in despair by crashing into a blade—her heart began to ache fiercely.
She couldn’t bear to let him leave.
He was the only person in this world who had ever treated her sincerely and with genuine kindness.
Jiang Xun looked down at her, seeing her curled up on the daybed, her eyelashes trembling lightly, a single tear still clinging to the corner of her eye.
He knew perfectly well that staying like this was highly improper.
She was unmarried, and he was her adopted brother.
If even a whisper of this were to spread, how would others speak of her? And how would they speak of him?
It was a grave mistake in terms of propriety, etiquette, and their standing.
But seeing her cry like that, her lashes trembling, the tip of her nose red…
She resembled a small creature on the verge of drowning, as if the slightest movement from him would cause her to sink.
He simply couldn’t bear it.
That selfish desire within him—dirty, despicable, and hidden from the light—now grew wildly like weeds.
A quarter of an hour later, the courtyard gate creaked open, and the attendant Qing He led someone in hurriedly.
After examining Shen Mingshu’s pulse, Dr. Meng prescribed medicine and advised that she rest for another three or four days, explaining that it was an extremely potent aphrodisiac.
Shen Mingshu drank the medicine and soon fell asleep.
Jiang Xun sat beside her, took the empty bowl, and gently tucked the quilt around her.
Only then did he turn and walk out of the inner chamber.
In the side room, the lamplight was dim and yellow. Several young nobles knelt on the floor, their faces pale.Jiang Xun stood beneath the lamplight, his expression cold and detached. “Who told you to barge into that courtyard? Who informed you there was a drugged woman inside?”
The men exchanged uneasy glances. One of them gathered his courage and spoke up, “We… we overheard it by accident. While heading to change clothes, we heard two servants talking outside the courtyard. They said there was a woman behaving indecently in the rear courtyard. We only wanted to see what the commotion was about…”
Jiang Xun asked, “What did those two servants look like? Did you see their faces?”
“N-no, we didn’t. It was dark… we only heard their voices…”
The young noblemen kowtowed repeatedly. “We deserve to die! We disturbed Miss Shen! Please spare us, Lord Jiang!”
“But we truly didn’t mean any harm! We really don’t know who was behind it!”
Jiang Xun stared at them for a moment before speaking coldly, “Understood. Leave.”
The men glanced at one another, momentarily frozen in place.
“Can… can we really go?” one of them ventured cautiously.
Jiang Xun’s dark eyes were unfathomable. “Of course.”
Instantly relieved, they thought to themselves—this was Jiang Xun, after all. He never lied, always conducted himself with propriety and restraint, never overstepping boundaries!
If he said he would let them go, he would surely let them go!
As if granted a pardon, they scrambled out of the side room on hands and knees. Yet, not long after leaving the Fourth Prince’s residence—
“Swish—”
A coarse sack descended from above, accurately trapping them, followed by the dull thuds of fists and kicks landing.
Each blow aimed at their vulnerable spots, leaving them curled into tight balls, unable even to cry out in pain.
Not far away, Qing He stood by the corner of a wall, watching coldly.
His lord’s propriety was reserved for decent people.
As for these worthless scoundrels who weren’t even worth kicking—being overly courteous to them would be foolish!
Beat them! Beat them half to death!
They couldn’t lose limbs, but they had to be left with half their lives hanging by a thread!
Inside the Fourth Prince’s residence, lamplight flickered across the courtyard.
Jiang Xun had not yet left. He sat quietly by the small pond, pinching fish food between his fingers. His knuckles were distinct, slender, and pale.
Footsteps approached softly. Qing He reported in a low voice, “The matter has been handled.”
Jiang Xun gave a faint “Mm” without turning around.
Seeing his calm expression, Qing He waited a moment before cautiously asking, “Should we continue investigating the matter concerning the Second Miss?”
Jiang Xun had been brought to the Shen family when he was six years old.
At that time, Shen Mingshu had not yet been born. Though he was adopted, Lord Shen and Lady Shen treated him exceptionally well, and the servants always addressed him as the Eldest Young Master.
After Shen Mingshu was born, the servants grew accustomed to calling her the Second Miss.
The Jiang family had originally been a prominent clan in Jiangnan, with ancestors who had served as Grand Secretaries, Third-Rank Salt Commissioners, and Vice Ministers of War.
But after a sudden tragedy, the Jiang family was massacred, and only Jiang Xun survived.
Jiang Xun’s mother was a distant cousin of Lady Shen, though the relationship was so distant it could hardly be considered close.
Lord Shen and Jiang Xun’s father, however, had been close friends for many years. Out of regard for their past friendship, Lord Shen and Lady Shen took the orphaned Jiang Xun into the Shen family, adopting him as a foster son and allowing him to reside there temporarily.
They intended for him to establish his own Jiang residence once he grew up, so they never changed his surname.
In his childhood, the household referred to him as the Eldest Young Master. Later, after Jiang Xun entered the Grand Secretariat and became an official, the address changed to Lord Jiang.
Shen Mingshu, however, was still called the Second Miss.
Jiang Xun gazed at the koi in the water. “Continue investigating.”
Shen Mingshu lay on her bed, staring blankly at the sandalwood canopy above.
When she woke up this morning, she found herself back in the Shen residence, back in her own bedchamber.
She had dreamed of this room countless times, only to wake up crying from those dreams just as many times.
She had returned. She had truly returned!The door was pushed open from outside, and Xiao Tang and Chun Xing entered one after the other.
“Young lady, you’ve finally woken up. You frightened us so much.”
Xiao Tang and Chun Xing were maids who had followed her since childhood and were the most trustworthy.
After taking her medicine, Shen Mingshu sat before the dressing table. The mirror reflected an exceptionally beautiful face.
Her skin was as smooth as fine jade, her lips naturally red without rouge, and her eyes were both pure and captivating—peach blossom eyes that seemed to hold affection even when she wasn’t smiling, with slightly upturned corners that carried an innate charm.
This was a face she had adorned with makeup countless times in her past life, and one she had watched grow increasingly haggard day by day in the Xiao family.
“Where is my brother now?” Shen Mingshu suddenly asked softly.
Chun Xing, who was tidying her hair, paused for a moment and exchanged a glance with Xiao Tang, both unable to hide their surprise.
Xiao Tang hesitated briefly before answering, “The master is having breakfast in the front courtyard. Does the young lady need to see him for something?”
“Let’s go to the front courtyard.” Shen Mingshu finished preparing and stood up directly.
She was going to find Jiang Xun.