Chapter 50: The Full-Blooded Younger Sister Who Sees Ah Zhao as an Enemy

"Qianran, Zhao Zhao is your elder sister. You cannot keep calling her such vile names."

"Shut up! I am the Princess Yanran, not some Qianran! Just because you are my birth mother does not mean you can disrespect me. I am now the adopted daughter of Her Majesty the Empress, personally granted the title of Princess Yanran by the Emperor himself. If not for the fact that you are my birth mother, do you think I would let you stay by my side as a stewardess? I could have sent you off with those witless fools of the Shen family to suffer exile!"

"Qianran... Princess Yanran, but they are your father and brother. How can you—" Madam Shen’s voice was tinged with quiet sorrow.

"They are not my father and brother. They are Shen Zhao’s father and brother. When have the Shen men ever seen me as family? When have they shown me a shred of affection?" Resentment sharpened Shen Qianran’s words.

She hated Shen Zhao—hated her more than anyone.

Both were daughters of the Shen family, but in their father and brother’s eyes, there was only Shen Zhao, never her.

Chu Mu, overhearing the commotion inside, nimbly leapt down from the carriage.

He already knew who was causing such a ruckus at Jinyu Pavilion.

It was Shen Zhao’s full-blooded younger sister, Shen Qianran.

He remembered this Shen Qianran well—a scheming woman with a mind full of calculations. To call her Zhao Zhao’s sister was a courtesy; she was more like Zhao Zhao’s nemesis.

In his memory, Shen Qianran had plotted against Shen Zhao more than once, both openly and in secret. Every time she was caught, she showed no remorse.

Though born of the same mother, Shen Qianran would gladly see Shen Zhao dead.

He had scarcely stepped into the main hall of Jinyu Pavilion when a whip, fierce as a flaming serpent, lashed toward him, accompanied by a triumphant voice: "My darling sister, you’re finally here. I haven’t come to Jinyu Pavilion every day for nothing."

Chu Mu’s expression turned icy as he bent low to evade the whip, catching it deftly as it grazed past him. He yanked the whip forward with force and, raising his hand, delivered a stinging slap across the face lunging toward him.

"Ah! Shen Zhao, you wretched woman! You dare strike me? I am the Empress’s adopted daughter, the Emperor’s own Princess Yanran—" The shrill scream pierced the air.

Chu Mu snorted coldly. Such a vile mouth—she deserved to be hit!

He reversed his hand and landed another hard slap on Shen Qianran’s other cheek.

He had longed to do this, but as a man, he could not lay hands on a woman. Now, as Zhao Zhao, he saw no reason to spare a wretch who threw herself at him.

"Zhao Zhao, stop! How can you hit Qianran? She’s your younger sister!" someone cried out, halting Chu Mu’s raised hand.

Madam Shen, her eyes bloodshot, seized his wrist. "Zhao Zhao, you’ve truly disappointed Mother. Qianran is your sister—how can you be so heartless?"

Chu Mu regarded Madam Shen with a stony face.

Zhao Zhao had rarely spoken of her mother before him. In Zhao Zhao’s world, it seemed, only her father and brother existed; her mother was a shadow. His memory of Madam Shen was equally poor—she was a woman blind to right and wrong, swayed by hearsay and favoritism.

Just listen to her words—how deeply her heart leaned.

Was Madam Shen selectively blind? Did she not see Shen Qianran raise the whip against Zhao Zhao first? Rather than ask if Zhao Zhao was frightened, she rushed instead to scold her for being cruel. Would she rather Zhao Zhao stand there like a wooden post and be beaten by Shen Qianran, just to prove she was not heartless?

"Guards! Seize this wretched woman—seize Shen Zhao for me!" Shen Qianran retreated, shouting at Chu Mu.

At once, the guards and servants accompanying her surrounded Chu Mu.

Only then did Chu Mu notice, in a gap revealed by the crowd on the far side of the hall, a young girl lying motionless in a pool of blood—barely clinging to life.

Not far from her, five or six people, likely staff of Jinyu Pavilion, lay bound in a corner, their mouths stuffed with rags.

The bloodied girl, upon seeing him through the throng, gazed at him in worry and mouthed weakly, "Miss, run!"

It was Zhao Zhao’s personal maid, Zisu.

For some reason, his eyes stung faintly, his nose prickled with sourness. He knew this was not his own reaction, but the body’s instinctive response.

He did not know where the strength came from, but he snatched up the whip taken from Shen Qianran and lashed out at those who closed in.

Feinting first, he used the moment of distraction to coil the whip, swift and ruthless, around Shen Qianran. With a jerk, he dragged her close, clamped his hand around her slender neck, and kicked her sharply in the leg.

With a thud, Shen Qianran collapsed to her knees—facing Zisu, who was covered in blood.

"Zhao Zhao, what are you doing? Let go of Qianran! She merely taunted you with words—can’t you, as her elder sister, be a little more magnanimous? Why must you be so hard-hearted toward your own sister? When did you become so cruel?" Madam Shen cried, looking at Zhao Zhao with disappointment, as if all blame was hers.

Chu Mu cast a sidelong glance at Madam Shen. "Is Madam Shen blind?"

Madam Shen froze, hardly able to believe what she’d heard. How could Zhao Zhao say her own mother was blind?

Chu Mu ignored her wounded expression. "Who is truly intolerant here? Shen Qianran came to Jinyu Pavilion to stir up trouble, attacked me with deadly intent, and beat my people half to death! Do you not see, Madam Shen?"

Madam Shen hastened to explain, "Zhao Zhao, Qianran did not even hurt you, but you struck her instead. You and Qianran are both daughters to me—flesh of my flesh. I cannot bear to see either of you wronged. As for Zisu, she is merely a lowly servant. You should not let such an insignificant person ruin the bond between sisters. Now that your father and brother are suffering in exile, can’t you be sensible and unite with Qianran, so they might suffer less?"

Madam Shen looked at Zhao Zhao in pain.

Why couldn’t Zhao Zhao understand her?

Did she really think Zhao Zhao was the same as Qianran?

Suddenly, Chu Mu understood why Zhao Zhao never spoke of her mother.

"Madam Shen, if I hadn’t been quick, Shen Qianran’s whip would have struck my face. Have you considered the consequences?"

"Zhao Zhao, I am your mother. How can you call me Madam Shen? That is unfilial of you!"

When will you become as thoughtful and filial as Qianran? How can you think so ill of her? Even if you had not dodged, she would never have scarred your face. Qianran is playful, yes, but she knows her limits. Release her at once—the floor is cold, she cannot kneel like this."

Madam Shen’s words made Chu Mu’s expression darken.

Calling her Madam Shen was unfilial, but Shen Qianran could demand to be called "Princess" and treat her mother as a mere servant, and that was considered filial?

What kind of logic was this?

His hand around Shen Qianran’s neck tightened.

He said coldly to Madam Shen, "Send for a doctor to tend to Zisu at once, or if anything happens to her, Shen Qianran will pay with her life."

Shen Qianran’s face twisted with a strange expression, her cheeks flushed red and purple. She managed to choke out, "No one is allowed to go!"

She did not believe that little wretch Shen Zhao would dare strangle her. She was, after all, the Empress’s beloved daughter. If not for the Emperor’s refusal, her mother would have made her a princess.

Meanwhile, far away at court, the obedient Shen Zhao was sauntering boldly down the official road beside Xie Yuheng.

Ahead of them, the loyal Prince Zhongyi walked with equal swagger.

Behind them trailed a crowd of ministers, unable to stand the sight of these three.

The three were unbearable—morning court had ended, but they insisted on lording it over everyone.

Especially among the young lords from official families, those with broken arms and battered bodies wore sullen faces and cursed in their hearts.

Could they not walk faster? They were really in pain.

Once they exited the palace gates, Xie Yuheng climbed directly into Shen Zhao’s carriage.

Shen Zhao had no choice but to follow inside.

Having just used both the old and the young, it would hardly do to throw them out now.

Silly Xie Yuheng was bubbling with joy inside.

He was going to the Capital Garrison with Brother Chu.

He imagined the two of them appearing at the barracks together and announcing to the four thousand soldiers sleeping on the ground that they now had proper lodgings.

He could already picture the soldiers’ reactions and was beside himself with excitement.

But... something seemed wrong... Brother Chu’s carriage was not heading out of the city.

Instead, it was making straight for Vermilion Bird Street...