Chapter 79: Sowing Discord

Churenjie was carried in, lying face-down on the stretcher. His face was full of schadenfreude as he looked at Churenqing. At first, he hadn’t wanted to come—what reason had he to be pleased about the eldest brother’s household entering the capital? The eldest brother seemed honest and upright, but in truth he was cunning beneath that simple facade. In earlier years, he’d refused to come to the capital, staying at the old estate to attend to their grandfather and grandmother—not for filial piety, but to privately claim the estate’s properties for himself. Though those assets were meager and not worth much in his eyes, they still belonged to the Chus, and the second branch had a share as well. Yet now, their grandfather had left it all to the eldest, and though the eldest hadn’t lived in the capital, he still made his presence known. Every festival, two carriages laden with gifts arrived, with half meant to curry favor with the third brother. The letters to the family always mentioned the third brother most, clearly a bid for his favor—more sycophantic than even Churenjie himself, utterly shameless.

Now, the whole family was rushing to the capital, all hoping to bask in the third brother’s glory. The more he thought about it, the angrier Churenjie became. In the past, he would have kept silent, but things were different now. The third brother no longer respected him as he once did, and if the eldest took advantage of the situation and soured their fraternal bond, Churenjie could forget about living comfortably off the third brother’s support. He was still unaware that Lady Liu’s embezzlement from the Grand General’s estate had been exposed. Even without Churenqing’s arrival, he could not expect things to go back to the way they were.

The matron, worried for Churenjie after his punishment and injury, had ordered everyone in the household to conceal Lady Liu’s foolish deeds from him. Churenjie’s heart was jubilant now; it seemed the servant who’d reported to him earlier was telling the truth—the eldest and third brother had stormed angrily into their mother’s chambers. There must have been a conflict, and now, seeing their displeased faces, it was confirmed. Though he didn’t know the details, he could tell from the third brother’s tone that the eldest had finally revealed his true colors and the third brother had caught him. No wonder he’d heard the magpies singing outside his window this morning.

Both the eldest and third brother’s faces were clouded with displeasure, and the eldest had even summoned the household physician. Doctor Chen had served the third brother loyally on many campaigns and was deeply trusted by him. The eldest was courting disaster—how dare he touch the third brother’s people without considering his own standing?

“Third brother, don’t be afraid. He may be the eldest, but if he’s done wrong, he should be punished. Mother and I are here with you. Just speak honestly, no need to hold back,” Churenjie said, ordering his bearers to move him closer to Shen Zhao. Now was the time to show his loyalty to the third brother, to prove he would always be his closest ally.

Although he was furious the third brother had struck him, he couldn’t deny that the third brother was the one who treated him best and was most tolerant of his faults. He may be unruly, but he knew who was truly sincere and who was false.

Shen Zhao sighed deeply. “Since the matron and second brother wish me to speak, I will not shield anyone.” A hint of confusion crossed Churenjie’s face—why did the third brother address their mother as “matron”? It was the first time he’d heard him use that term. Among the three brothers, the third had always been the most filial. How strange!

Chen Kang, enduring pain, struggled violently and kept casting desperate glances at the matron. She saw but ignored him, glancing briefly before turning away. Now he was afraid, but he should have thought of that sooner. Without a lesson, he’d never learn.

Chumu, watching the increasingly frantic Chen Kang, suppressed his urge to snap the man’s neck and delivered a vicious kick to his chest. This was the same cruelty the venomous woman often used on Ah Zhao, and who knew how she would feel seeing it—surely, she must be heartbroken, for this was her lover after all.

Chumu’s kick was precise and powerful, knocking even Churenqing, who was restraining Chen Kang, off balance and to the floor. Chen Kang finally fell silent, his mouth still gagged. Unable to cry out in pain, his face turned purple from suppressed agony, his body convulsing as if seized by violent spasms. He looked utterly tormented.

The matron’s breath caught in her chest—how dare Lady Shen harm Chen Kang again right before her eyes, knowing full well that the physician belonged to her? Was Shen trying to defy her authority? And what about those unsightly robes—why hadn’t he removed them yet? Was her command meaningless?

The matron was about to erupt when Shen Zhao spoke slowly, “Madam’s strike was well deserved. Even killing such a man wouldn’t ease the anger. Isn’t the matron curious why eldest brother despises Doctor Chen so much? It’s because Doctor Chen—”

The matron listened intently—was it something Chen Kang said or did? Shen Zhao deliberately paused, making the matron even more anxious. Chumu’s stammering only heightened her impatience.

After a long moment, Shen Zhao continued, “Doctor Chen claimed that eldest brother is the son of him and the matron.”

“What!” The matron’s shriek rang out, sharp and piercing, filled with shock and furious outrage. Her gaze was venomous as she stared at Chen Kang, not doubting Shen Zhao’s words for an instant. Chumu would never lie to her, not in this hesitant, guarded manner. She knew her son’s character well; if not for Chen Kang’s words, he would never have acted so.

How dare Chen Kang! Was he bent on destroying her and her child? Churenqing was his child too, yet he could not bear to see their mother and son trio live well.

Chen Kang lifted his head with effort, frantically shaking it at the matron and uttering muffled sounds, begging her not to believe that wretch’s words. Shen Zhao was trying to sow discord and turn them against one another.

Churenqing, still on the ground, was struck numb by Shen Zhao’s words. He stared at him in disbelief—was this vengeance against their mother? He couldn’t possibly be that man’s son—never! He was the Chus’ eldest, son of Chu Chang, eldest brother to Shen Zhao, simply Churenqing—not some bastard child!

Shen Zhao repeated slowly, “Did the matron not hear clearly? Doctor Chen claimed you had an illicit affair before marriage, conceived a child, and schemed to climb into Lord Chu’s bed, entering the household pregnant as a concubine.”

These words, designed to wound, changed the expressions of everyone except Chumu. The matron’s blood surged, a bitter taste rising to her throat, but she forced herself to swallow it and remain composed. She must not betray herself now.

Though she longed to tear Chen Kang to shreds, only Churenqing and Chen Kang knew her past. Chumu could not possibly know, and Churenqing only knew she became the principal wife, not that he was Chen Kang’s child. Only Chen Kang could have revealed it!

Well done, Chen Kang—well done indeed.

Shen Zhao watched the matron, whose fury threatened to explode, and continued in a low, cold voice: