Chapter 91: A Former Lover Turned Mortal Enemy

“Mu'er, are you going to have your mother locked away? Is that damned woman truly so important to you? For the sake of someone already dead, are you going to wound your mother’s heart as your eldest and second brothers did?”

She could understand how the eldest and second sons had behaved toward her.

After all, the eldest had feelings for that woman, and perhaps even regarded her as closer than his own birth mother.

As for the second son, he was muddled now and had taken that woman for his real mother. It was only natural that he would grow hostile toward his true mother. She could understand that too.

But Mu'er could never do this to her.

She could not endure it, and she would not allow it.

After all, Mu'er knew nothing yet. In his heart, she was still his mother.

How could he imprison her for the sake of some wretched harlot?

Mu'er had been raised by her through years of hardship and sacrifice. His heart should belong to her and lean toward her alone.

Otherwise, that would make him unfilial.

Mu'er could not, and must not, be unfilial to her.

All the effort she had spent on him over the years could not simply be dismissed. Even if he learned the truth of his birth, he was not allowed to hate her.

He had no right.

If not for her care all these years, how could the infant Mu'er have grown up safe and sound?

Though more than once she had wanted to quietly kill him without anyone knowing, she had never found the chance to act.

When the master was still alive, Mu'er was her talisman of survival. She knew that once she killed him, her position as mistress of the house would no longer be secure.

Later, after the master died, Mu'er had already slipped from her grasp and become an outstanding general.

Rather than killing him, it was better to enjoy everything he brought to the Chu family.

These past few years, Mu'er had shown her great filial piety, and she had convinced herself to regard him as her own child.

So he could not fail her as a son.

Shen Zhao urged patiently and earnestly, “Old Madam, stop being so willful. Do you believe me when I tell you that Second Brother has already sent someone to the authorities? I am doing this for your own good!

Second Brother is now determined to prove his identity. Have you not seen what happened to Physician Chen?

If this were not in the Grand General’s Residence, if I were not the Grand General, do you think that with the hatred Second Brother carries in his heart, you would still be sitting here so calmly?”

The old madam’s expression changed.

So Mu'er's meaning was that that beast of a second son had likely already sent someone to report them to the authorities!

No wonder he had left in such haste. So he had found a way to turn against his own mother.

How could this be allowed!

What was this beast trying to do? In the end, the one who would suffer would be their mother and son!

Her hatred made her grind her teeth. No, she could not let the second son go to the authorities.

“Cough... take me... take me with you...” At that moment, a weak voice came from Du Kang.

The old madam’s eyes turned cold as she looked at Du Kang, who was slowly beginning to recover.

He wanted to leave?

Impossible.

Unless he were dead.

Everything today had started because of this old beast.

It was also he who had exposed what they had done all those years ago.

Why had Renjie not beaten him to death just now?

If he had been killed, she would not have so many things to worry about.

As long as Du Kang died, no one would be able to threaten her.

She wanted him dead.

But right now, the most important thing was to stop that foolish second son.

She could no longer rely on herself; the second son would not listen to her.

Sending the eldest son was no use either. Given the eldest son’s state of mind, he might well help the second son instead.

At the thought of this, the old madam was so angry she could have spat blood. The people she now had to guard against were, unbelievably, the three people closest to her.

How had things come to this? Where had it all gone wrong?

The only one she could still depend on was Mu'er. Only Mu'er would listen to her and think of her, his mother.

A flicker of relief passed through the old madam’s heart. At least she had not driven him to death.

“Mu'er, hurry and have someone stop your second brother. Do not let him do anything foolish.

He has been blinded now. You must not let him do anything that would disgrace the family.

He has not thought this through. If he reports it to the authorities, our Grand General’s Residence will become the talk of tea tables and dinner tables, a laughingstock throughout the capital and even Jinzhou.

Mu'er, as the master of the Grand General’s Residence, and as the only one of the Chu family serving in court, you must not allow your second brother to destroy your reputation or the Chu family’s name.

And Mu'er, you must trust your mother. The three of you were all born of my body. You are all descendants of the Chu family.”

As she spoke, she pointed at Du Kang and said bitterly, “It was all him. It was all that dog servant’s wicked intent. First he humiliated your eldest brother, then he falsely accused your mother of having an affair with him, and now he has driven a wedge between you and your mother, causing your second brother to grow distant from me.

Mu'er, look at him. Coarse and vulgar, no more than a lowly servant. Your mother would have to be blind to take a fancy to him.

Mu'er, Physician Chen was bought into our Chu family. His deed of indenture is in my hands. Even if he is put to death, the authorities will not interfere.

After all, he slandered his masters and sowed discord first. That kind of dog servant who dares to defy his betters deserves death!”

She was reminding Mu'er that there was no need to fear. Du Kang was nothing more than a dog of the Chu family now.

Even if the Du clan came looking for him, so long as the Chu family refused to release him, they could not take Du Kang away.

Back then, in order to fool the world and make the deception convincing, she had indeed had Du Kang sign an indenture and enter the Chu household.

Shen Zhao and Chu Mu exchanged a glance, and both of them saw delight in the other’s eyes.

They had truly not known that Du Kang had entered the Chu family as a bond servant.

After all, the deeds of indenture for the Chu servants were kept together in one place, and his name was not among them. More than that, Du Kang’s position in the household was practically that of a half-master.

Because he belonged to the old madam and had followed Chu Mu through campaigns north and south, everyone in the residence had always treated him with three parts respect.

Who would have thought the old madam still had such a hand in reserve? Who would have thought that Du Kang, a son of the Du clan, had actually signed away his own freedom as a servant?

Shen Zhao looked thoughtfully at Du Kang. She had just been scheming about how to keep him in the Chu residence, and now she had been spared quite a lot of trouble.

The corners of her mouth lifting slightly, she looked away from Du Kang and turned to Du Qi'an, whose face had gone livid.

Lord Du probably wished he could swallow Du Kang alive right now.

Perhaps she could also take this chance to squeeze the Du family for a little more.

“Lord Du, my apologies. What I said just now is no longer valid.”

Du Qi'an nearly died of anger. The surname Chu had no word of honor.

They were plainly trying to rob him in broad daylight.

But if blame was to be laid, it should be laid on that wretch Du Kang. How could he sell himself into bondage? He was rubbing the face of the Du clan into the dirt!

He had placed his own life in someone else’s hands.

Even if he died, it would not be because the Du clan refused to save him. It would be because he deserved it.

Wretch! He was enough to make a man explode with rage!

Still, he had to resist, however futile it might be. He could not let the surname Chu drag him by the nose.

That man was the type to press an advantage the moment you gave him an inch. The softer you were, the harder he pushed back.

“General Chu, a gentleman’s word must be his bond. How can you simply withdraw what you have said?”

He could not let the surname Chu raise the price on the spot. Judging by that sinister look on Chu’s face, who knew what he was plotting now?

First he wanted to stand with him in the court, then he wanted ninety thousand taels in compensation for the Chu family, and now he wanted him to look after his father-in-law and elder brother-in-law.

Was that not enough already?