The family of three worked quickly. Within minutes, the cart was packed and ready.
Shen Yaozong pushed the cart, Xiang Meimei walked in the middle, and Shen Shuangshuang brought up the rear, ready to follow the officials’ group.
“Stop!”
A voice from behind rang out—it was Shen Yaowen, lying on the makeshift wooden cart lifted by Zhang and Shen Zihan. His face was pale, the soreness from the punishment board still aching.
“Third Brother, wait a moment!”
Shen Yaozong frowned but didn’t respond.
Shen Yaowu and Shen Yaozu also came over, and finally even Old Master Shen, supported by Shen Zixiang, slowly made his way to block their path.
“Third Brother, what you’re doing isn’t right.”
Shen Yaowen panted, eyes fixed on Shen Yaozong’s bare neck. “The officer loosened your shackles, but you only thought of yourself? Didn’t you see father still has that heavy thing on?”
Shen Yaowu immediately chimed in, “Exactly, Third Brother! Father is old; wearing that twenty-pound shackle all day will tear up his neck. You should’ve asked the officer to help him first—how could you think only of yourself?”
Shen Yaozu nodded as well. “Third Brother, you can’t be this selfish. We’re a family. If you get benefits, you should pull the family along, especially father. He shouldn’t suffer this!”
Shen Yaozong snorted coldly, utterly disillusioned. “Selfish? When the elder branch was living in luxury, did you ever think about helping our branch? Now my own daughter helps me loosen the shackles, and suddenly you moralize?”
“Third Brother, you can’t speak like that.”
Shen Yaowen assumed the big brother tone. “Back then, it was our fault—we didn’t take care of you. But now, father is the priority. If anything happened to him, the Shen family would truly be finished. Consider it filial duty: plead with the officer to give him the shackles off first. Can you do that?”
Shen Yaowu’s eyes lit up. He had long wanted to curry favor with the officials, and this was a perfect excuse.
“Big Brother’s right! Third Brother, if you’re too shy, I’ll do it. The officer just ate our niece’s cooking, his mood’s good—he might agree immediately.”
Shen Yaozu’s expression darkened. He also wanted to relieve his father, but with the two legitimate elder brothers speaking first, he dared not interfere and could only echo, “Yes, Third Brother, think of father’s sake.”
Old Master Shen stood silently nearby, but his eyes were full of expectation, clearly approving of their suggestion.
Wearing the shackles was unbearably painful. Every step tugged at his neck and skin—he longed to remove them.
Shen Shuangshuang watched clearly from the side, inwardly smirking: Big Brother’s scheming is sharp. He’s lying there on the cart, unable to move, and yet he manipulates Second Brother like a pawn.
If it works, he’s the filial eldest brother.
If it fails, Second Brother gets beaten, and he suffers nothing.
Xiang Meimei whispered into Shen Yaozong’s ear, “Don’t agree. Your second brother is simple-minded; Big Brother will use him. The officer already said not to push it. If you plead now, it’s just asking for trouble.”
Shen Yaozong understood perfectly. Looking at his brothers, he found them laughable. “I don’t have the ability to change the officer’s mind. Earlier, he spared me because Shuangshuang’s cooking was good. If I go plead now, I might even lose that small advantage.”
“Third Brother, how can you say that?” Shen Yaowen pressed, anxious. “Father is our own! Can you really watch him suffer? Fine, if you won’t speak, I’ll have Second Brother do it. We’ll say it’s just filial duty, nothing to do with you.”
He turned to Shen Yaowu, entrusting him. “Second Brother, Big Brother can’t move well, so it’s on you. If father gets his shackles off, Big Brother will remember you.”
Shen Yaowu, thrilled by the idea, saw a perfect chance to curry favor with the officer. He patted his chest. “Don’t worry, Big Brother! For Father, this is nothing! I’ll speak to the officer right away!”
Shen Yaozu watched Shen Yaowu run off excitedly, face darkening but saying nothing. He didn’t want to provoke the officer’s wrath.
Shen Shuangshuang shook her head, stepping aside with Xiang Meimei to watch the show.
Sure enough, not long after, Boss Wang’s furious shout rang out in the distance, followed by the cracking of the whip and Shen Yaowu’s screams.
“Are you crazy?!”
Boss Wang’s voice pounded their ears. “What did I just say? Don’t push it! I let your Third Brother’s shackles loose because his daughter cooked well. Who the hell do you think you are, bargaining with me?”
“Officer! I’m not bargaining!”
Shen Yaowu staggered backward, two red marks appearing on his arms from the lashes, teeth gritted in pain.
“I was just asking you to loosen Father’s shackles… he’s old, can’t bear it…”
“You still have to bear it!” Boss Wang cracked the whip again. “Exiles don’t get privileges! Too heavy? Why didn’t you think before committing a crime?! Keep whining, and I’ll break your arm!”
Shen Yaowu’s soul nearly left his body. Terrified, he clutched his arms and scurried back, face red and swollen, tears almost falling.
“Second Brother, how did it go? Did the officer agree?” Shen Yaowen asked anxiously.
Shen Yaowu glared at him, venting his anger on Shen Yaozong instead. “What do you think? The officer didn’t agree and whipped me twice! It’s all your fault, Third Brother! If you hadn’t gotten your shackles off first, I wouldn’t have had to touch this hot potato!”
“I never told you to go,” Shen Yaozong said coldly. “You wanted to please the officer yourself, and now it backfired, and you blame me?”
“You!”
Shen Yaowu was furious, yet dared not act against Shen Yaozong. He had seen Shuangshuang’s skill firsthand—he definitely wasn’t her match.
Old Master Shen’s earlier hopeful expression turned into disappointment. His neck, still shackled, swayed slightly from the pain. He had approved of the sons’ plan, expecting relief, only to end up like this—his frustration indescribable.
Zhou also came over, scolding Shen Yaozong, “You brat! If you had pleaded for Father, maybe the officer would have agreed! Now Yaowu got whipped, and Father still has the shackles—are you satisfied?”
“It has nothing to do with my Third Brother!”
Shen Yaowu suddenly roared, his anger finally finding an outlet. “It’s your son Shen Yaowen who caused us to be exiled! If he hadn’t embezzled, how would we have suffered this? And now he dares blame others?”