She staggered and leaned against the tree in the courtyard, finally stopping her cough, only to look down and see a patch of crimson on her handkerchief.
Her breath instantly weakened: “Second Uncle, Second Aunt, I don’t know how much longer this body of mine can hold on. I only wish to return to the place I once lived, to properly reminisce about Father, Mother, and my elder brothers.”
“As for this Marquis Estate…” she took a heavy breath, “I have no energy to manage it.”
As she lowered her gaze, she took in Second Uncle and Second Aunt’s relaxed expressions, covering her curled lips with the handkerchief.
No rush—she wanted them to kneel and beg to return the Marquis Estate to her before she would be satisfied.
The blood Shen Qingwu coughed up, along with her frail, seemingly on-the-verge-of-death appearance, instantly extinguished most of the suspicion and anger in Shen Wencong’s heart.
That’s right, no matter how clever she might be, she was ultimately a consumptive on her last legs! A dying person—how many carefree days could she enjoy, even if she occupied the finest courtyard? It was better than her causing a reckless scene and alerting the Grand Princess.
Shen Wencong’s expression shifted uncertainly, finally settling into a trace of impatience as he turned and snapped at Shen Wushi: “What are you standing around for? Have Xi’er move out of Shi Fang Courtyard immediately to make room for Qingwu!”
The muscles in Shen Wushi’s face twitched as she suppressed her reluctance: “Husband! Xi’er is still suffering from her injuries…”
“Can’t she recuperate in any other courtyard?!” Shen Wencong cut her off bluntly, his tone resolute. “Go take care of it now! Do you want this to become public knowledge?!”
With that, he cast a complicated glance at Shen Qingwu and stiffly tossed out: “Since you’re unwell, rest quietly in the estate. Do not go out.”
Having spoken, he couldn’t be bothered to maintain even superficial courtesy, flicking his sleeves and leaving.
Shen Wushi’s chest heaved violently as she forced a smile uglier than crying at Shen Qingwu, unable to even utter hypocritical comforts before turning to leave.
“Second Aunt,” Shen Qingwu spoke softly behind her, her voice quiet yet piercingly clear, “don’t forget to remind Qingxi to go to the ancestral hall and receive her punishment soon.”
She watched Shen Wushi’s back stiffen abruptly, her steps faltering before she stormed off in a huff. A cold flicker of mockery passed through Shen Qingwu’s eyes.
Another half hour later, Shen Qingwu finally stepped into the remembered Shi Fang Courtyard.
The early summer breeze brushed past, rustling the flowering trees in the courtyard, pink and white petals falling like scattering snow.
A soft petal drifted silently into her palm, and Shen Qingwu started slightly. For a moment, the scene before her blurred.
She saw three small figures chasing and playing beneath the trees. Beside the stone table, a perfect couple smiled as they played chess—the man handsome and dignified, the woman gentle and serene…
“Father… Mother…” she murmured unconsciously, reaching forward.
But her fingertips touched only cold air. The illusions dissipated like smoke, leaving only the courtyard full of fallen blossoms and the empty stone table.
She snapped back to reality, those memories deliberately suppressed surging up again.
The year she turned four, her mother’s courtyard suddenly caught fire. That day, her father happened to be escorting the Emperor to the temple for ancestral worship and wasn’t home. She and her two elder brothers were awakened and rushed over, but the flames had already spread to the roof, terrifyingly red.
Coincidentally, the Fangyu Official on duty at Wanghuo Tower that day was dead drunk with someone and failed to notice the fire in time. In the end, the blaze consumed the entire courtyard and her mother with it.
And the person drinking with that Fangyu Official… was Second Uncle Shen Wencong.
Shen Qingwu remembered that after that incident, her father had severed ties with the second branch of the family and driven them out. He had also taken to drinking heavily, often muttering “I’m sorry” in his stupor.
Meanwhile, her own frail constitution, worsened by incessant weeping over her mother’s death and frequent high fevers, led to her being sent to Medicine King Valley. When she grew older and wrote letters asking her father for details about the fire, he would always evade the questions or give vague answers.
This only deepened her suspicion that her mother’s death was no accident.
Years of doubt now coiled around her heart like venomous vines.
She abruptly clenched her hand, crushing the petal to dust.
“Xia Chun, Xia Zao, burn all of the Second Young Lady’s belongings,” Shen Qingwu said softly, having regained her composure, so they couldn’t see the murderous intent swirling in her eyes.
“Have you gone mad?!” Xia Chun exclaimed in shock, but Xia Zao quickly grabbed her wrist.
Xia Zao immediately curtsied, bowing her head as she replied, “Yes, Eldest Young Lady.” She forcibly dragged the still-muttering Xia Chun into the inner chamber to begin packing.
Shen Qingwu glanced at them from the corner of her eye. Did they really think planting two spies beside her would be of any use?
Meanwhile, in the side chamber of the ancestral hall.
Shen Qingxi lay on a temporarily moved daybed, pressing a silk-wrapped ice pack to her swollen cheek, her face dark with fury.
Two young maids trembled as they copied scriptures nearby.
When Xia Zao reported that Shen Qingwu had burned all the belongings she hadn’t moved out, Shen Qingxi shot up from the bed and shrieked, “What?! How dare she!”
With a sharp “crack!”, she swept the jade bowl of Binglao to the floor, shattering it. The maids in the room dropped to their knees in terror.
“A country bumpkin raised in the mountains dares to throw her weight around in my Marquis Estate! I’ll teach her a lesson!” Qingxi trembled with rage, making to storm out.
Xia Zao hurried forward to stop her. “Second Young Lady, you mustn’t! You’re still under confinement. If the Grand Princess finds out, the punishment could be even worse!”
Qingxi’s steps faltered. Remembering the stern Grand Princess, she shuddered, but with no outlet for her fury, she grabbed a pillow and hurled it violently to the ground.
“What am I supposed to do then? Tolerate her for three months? Watch her occupy my courtyard, steal my status, and swagger about the estate?”
Gritting her teeth, she cursed inwardly: Useless assassins, why didn’t they finish her off!
“Don’t worry, Second Young Lady. This servant has observed that her health is very fragile. With just a little interference, her body won’t be able to withstand it,” Xia Zao whispered, bowing her head.
“You’re right.” Qingxi’s anger gradually cooled, replaced by a venomous sneer. She crooked a finger, signaling Xia Zao to lean closer, and murmured a few instructions, her eyes glinting with malice. “…Do exactly as I say, and make sure it’s done cleanly.”
“This servant understands.”
…
Shortly after, outside Shi Fang Courtyard.
“Thump!” A stone struck the window lattice.
A five- or six-year-old boy dressed in brocade stood with his hands on his hips, shouting insults toward the room:
“Wicked woman! Vile woman! You’re the one who bullied my Sister Xi!”
“Come out! Give the courtyard back to my Sister Xi!”
Xia Chun stood under the eaves, feigning alarm. “Oh dear! Young Master, do be careful, mind your hands!” But her feet seemed rooted to the spot, showing no intention of stepping forward to intervene.
This is the sole heir of Second Master, the Shen family’s golden, revered young master Shen Qingyun. Offending that mad mistress inside might not matter much, but if you offend this little ancestor, don’t even think about having peaceful days in the mansion from now on.
Shen Qingyun was still throwing a tantrum at the courtyard gate, tossing stones with even more enthusiasm. As he threw them, he shouted, “You wretched woman! Get out here now! Or I’ll smash your windows and break down your door!”
Just as he hurled a stone, the door before him creaked open. Shen Qingyun immediately broke into a smug grin, waiting to see the wretched woman get hit square in the face.
But the next moment, he froze in astonishment.
That very stone had been caught firmly between two slender fingers!
In the next instant, the stone shot back through the air with greater speed and force than when it was thrown!
“Ugh!” With a dull thud, Shen Qingyun clutched his mouth in pain, tears instantly welling up in his eyes. Soon after, he tasted the faint metallic tang of blood.
As a plain white embroidered shoe stepped over the threshold, Shen Qingwu slowly emerged. Her face was as pale as paper, but her eyes were dark and heavy, as if coated with a layer of frost.
She bent down, unhurriedly picked up a few more stones from the ground, and clenched them in her palm.
Then, under Shen Qingyun’s terrified gaze, she abruptly swung her arm—!
A barrage of stones, like a sudden storm, rained down upon Shen Qingyun’s head and face!