Shang Yunzong’s kick carried his full strength, and Qiuyue immediately spat out a mouthful of blood.
From behind them, Shang Yunrou walked forward, eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Qiuyue in shock.
“Qiu Yue! How could you slander me like this? Pushing all the blame onto me—just because you want to please Elder Sister doesn’t mean you can spout lies and heap everything on me! Have you forgotten, when you angered Sister and the steward punished you, who gave you medicine, who comforted you?”
Shang Jing’s heart ached. After all, they all knew how gentle Shang Yunrou had once been toward the servants. And now this ungrateful maid dared to bite back at her!
“What a heartless creature!”
“Rou’er, don’t be afraid. Elder Brother will stand up for you.”
Shang Shiyan watched her two elder brothers rushing to defend Shang Yunrou, the corners of her lips curling into a faint, mocking smile.
Hubo spoke up, her voice sharp: “Two young masters, isn’t the most urgent matter right now the rashes on my lady’s face? Tomorrow she must enter the palace for the banquet, yet her face has been ruined!” She looked at them, feeling as though these brothers were strangers—so unlike the ones who used to care for and worry about the eldest young lady.
“Qiuyue, speak truthfully. Who ordered you to tamper with the soup?” Hubo pressed.
Qiuyue struggled to rise from the floor, her chest aching as though her bones had shattered from Shang Yunzong’s kick. The two young masters would never forgive her now. Her only hope lay with the eldest young lady. Her gaze darkened. “It was the Second Miss!”
Her voice was firm. “Everything I did was under her orders. From kneeling at the courtyard gate with wounds on my face to beg forgiveness from the eldest miss—that was all her design!”
“You still dare to speak!” Shen Zuizhi had entered Yaoguang Courtyard and heard Qiuyue’s words clearly.
Her eyes blazed with fury. She strode up to Shang Yunrou and slapped her hard across the face.
“I treated you as my own daughter—yet this is how you repay Ah Yan? Spying on her, plotting against her, scheming to ruin her! You even wished her dead. Shang Yunrou, how could your heart be so vicious!”
Shang Yunrou cried out in pain, clutching her face as tears streamed down. She protested in grievance: “Mother, it truly wasn’t me! Qiuyue is slandering me! I never plotted to ruin Sister’s face!”
At once, Shang Jing stepped in front of Shang Yunrou. “Mother! How could you raise your hand against her!”
Shen Zuizhi narrowed her eyes, looking at Shang Jing with deep disappointment. She raised her hand and slapped him again. “As their mother, why shouldn’t I discipline my foolish son and daughter? They’ve harmed my Ah Yan like this—how could I not strike them?”
A clear handprint appeared on Shang Jing’s face. He pressed his lips together, his gaze dark. “Mother! Didn’t you hear Rou’er? She’s innocent! It was Qiuyue deliberately framing her!”
Shen Zuizhi suddenly let out a cold laugh. “Chunhua said the one behind it was her—you claimed Chunhua was slandering. Now Qiuyue says the one behind it was her—you claim Qiuyue is framing. Have your eyes been eaten by dogs, that you’re blind to this degree?”
Shang Jing: “…”
“You may favor Shang Yunrou all you like, but if you harm Ah Yan, I, Shen Zuizhi, will risk my life before I ever let her off easily!”
Her face flushed with anger, her eyes sharp and commanding, making Shang Jing and Shang Yunzong uneasy. Their mother was truly enraged this time.
Ah Yan’s ruined face had crossed her bottom line.
Shang Jing clenched his fists secretly. Thinking of their maternal grandparents, he suddenly dropped to his knees with a thud. “Mother! It is my fault. I failed to protect Ah Yan and allowed her face to be injured. I am willing to accept punishment.”
Shang Yunrou saw Shang Jing kneel and couldn’t understand. She rushed forward, crying sharply: “Elder Brother, why are you kneeling? Sister’s face has nothing to do with me! I didn’t do this!”
“Still denying…” Shen Zuizhi’s gaze grew ever more dangerous.
Seeing this, Shang Yunzong grabbed Shang Yunrou’s wrist and pulled her down to kneel. “Rou’er, quickly apologize to Mother.”
Shang Yunrou’s eyes reddened with fury. “Why should I apologize? I did nothing wrong! Sister’s face has nothing to do with me!”
“Hurry!” Shang Yunzong and Shang Jing urged. “Mother, Ah Yan’s injury implicates us all. If you are angry, vent it on us. Rou’er’s body is delicate—she cannot endure punishment.”
Shang Yunrou felt her breath catch in her throat, choking her. She wanted nothing more than to slap Shang Jing and Shang Yunzong.
She wasn’t wrong! Why were they meddling, apologizing on her behalf?
“No matter how Mother wishes to punish me, it’s fine. But this vile maid keeps stirring up trouble—who knows how she might slander Second Sister’s reputation in the future. I beg Mother to have this wretch beaten to death and thrown out of the Marquis’ household, so she won’t continue to poison the bond between the two sisters.”
Shang Shiyan looked at her two elder brothers. For Shang Yunrou, they were willing to go this far—truly, family affection was precious.
Now, Shang Yunrou was beside herself with rage. She hadn’t done it, yet the blame was being forced onto her head. She was nearly driven mad.
How many times in her past life had Shang Yunrou framed her in this same way? Shang Shiyan couldn’t even remember. But now, she intended to let Shang Yunrou taste the same bitterness.
No one understands your grievance better than the one who wronged you.
When Shang Yunrou slandered her in her past life, making her brothers and father misunderstand her—did she ever imagine she would one day face such a fate herself?
As the mistress of the household, when Shen Zuizhi was truly enraged, her authority and severity silenced all opposition.
“Servants! Drag the Second Miss down and punish her with the family law.” Shen Zuizhi had no intention of sparing Shang Yunrou.
Shang Jing and Shang Yunzong’s faces changed instantly. They knelt and pleaded, “Mother! Rou’er’s body is frail—how could she endure the family law?”
“Yes, Mother. If Rou’er is beaten and His Highness the Crown Prince learns of it, he will surely vent his anger on Ah Yan. At that time, Ah Yan will also be implicated!”
Shen Zuizhi turned her gaze on Shang Yunzong. “Are you trying to use the Crown Prince to pressure me?”
“Your son wouldn’t dare. I only beg Mother to spare Rou’er. Her body is delicate—she cannot withstand such punishment. If you must punish someone, then punish us instead. We are willing to take her place.”
Shen Zuizhi sneered. “Fine. Since you’re so eager to take her punishment, then you shall suffer it!”
Two brainless fools!
Without hesitation, Shen Zuizhi ordered Shang Jing and Shang Yunzong dragged out for family discipline. As for Qiuyue, her mouth was gagged and she was hauled away, her desperate cries of struggle growing weaker and weaker.
Shang Yunrou knelt between Shang Jing and Shang Yunzong, crying.
“Elder Brother, Third Brother, it’s all my fault…”
The familiar scene made Shang Yunzong pause for a moment. Why did it feel as though he had heard these words from Shang Yunrou before? How many times had he and his elder brother already taken punishment on behalf of this younger sister?
Shang Yunzong only doubted for an instant, but the thought frightened him. How could he think such a thing—placing blame on Rou’er? This matter was clearly because Mother was being overly harsh, unwilling to let Rou’er go.
“We’re fine. Rou’er, go back to your room first.”