Chapter 34: Mother and Son at Odds

The old matron’s face was sallow as wax, one hand pressed to her chest, the other to her forehead. Her breath came in long, labored gasps, as if she might slip away from this world at any moment if she swayed a bit more. At last, she found release. Fury surged within her chest, and she raised her leg to deliver a fierce kick to the Second Madam, caring not whether Chu Mu was present. She cursed in a voice thick with rage:

“Foolish woman! Are you trying to kill me, you brainless thing? Who told you those two kneeling in the hall are Shen’s paramours? These two stalwart men belong to Mu’er. Renjie’s miserable state today, his foolish actions—he’s been dragged down by the likes of you!”

The maids and old women attending nearby hurried forward to help soothe the old matron’s anger. Earlier, the Second Master and Second Madam had clung to either side of her, leaving no room for the servants to approach.

The Second Madam, sent sprawling by the kick, let out a cry, and as she looked up, the old matron’s vicious glare silenced her immediately.

“Mother, you mean those two… are with Third Brother?” Chu Renjie’s face blanched, his eyes wide with shock. He looked around at the crowd in the hall, wondering what they must think of him, how they must secretly mock him. How could he ever show his face again? Bitterness twisted within him.

As if blind to his mother’s sickly pallor, he spat his resentment: “Since you knew they were Third Brother’s men, why didn’t you tell me earlier? Did you have to wait until I’d made a fool of myself before everyone? Do you hate me so much, want to see me humiliated like this? Am I truly your own son?”

At these words, the old matron’s just-quelled rage flared up once more, her head pounding as if it would split apart. This wretched second son—anyone could question her, but not him! What had she birthed?

“Someone, haul the Second Master away and thrash him soundly—maybe that’ll clear the fog from his mind!” Without waiting for Shen Zhao to speak, the old matron delivered another kick, sending Chu Renjie sprawling.

He tried to protest, but a single glare from the old matron silenced him. She pointed at the servants approaching, “Gag him at once!”

The Second Madam, trembling, crawled up and retreated, afraid to utter another sound. If even her own son was beaten, what would become of an outsider like her? Inwardly, she prayed: “Let them not see me, let them not see me…”

Chu Renjie struggled as he was dragged away, his gaze toward his mother burning with anger.

Shen Zhao observed the look he cast at his mother, and inwardly rejoiced—so the second son now hated her. There might soon be a spectacle of dog-eat-dog to enjoy. How delightful.

The old matron, seeing this, beat her chest in frustration—this ungrateful wretch now bore her a grudge.

Letting out a long breath, she looked to Shen Zhao, resentment in her eyes.

“Mu’er, what happened today was your second brother’s fault. I’ve punished him. He’s not evil at heart, and you are bound by blood as siblings. I’ll keep him in check in the future; I won’t let him make such mistakes again. Is this enough for you?”

“Mother, please be at ease. How could I bear a grudge against Second Brother for this?” She already hated Chu Renjie to the core. Ever since he and his wife had caused Baishao’s death, she had wished nothing more than to kill them. But a swift death would be too kind a fate.

The old matron, hearing this, said no more, closing her eyes as if to nap, her fingers still turning her prayer beads.

Shen Zhao glanced at Chu Mu, who wore a look of deep concern for his mother—a blockhead, if not for her inhabiting his body, she would have made him taste a real beating. Filial fool!

From the courtyard came pig-like screams of pain. Even with his mouth gagged, Chu Renjie’s heart-rending cries could be heard. A true darling of his mother—never having suffered before, a few blows and he was wailing as if the sky were falling.

The hall fell utterly silent.

No one knew how long it was before the sounds of flogging ceased. A servant hurried in to report, “General, Second Master has fainted from the beating. Should we continue?”

Shen Zhao clearly saw the old matron’s hand tremble. So much for her tough love.

“How many strokes have been given?”

“Twelve, there are eighteen remaining.”

“Well, since Second Brother has fainted, then—” Shen Zhao deliberately drew out her words, and saw the old matron sigh with relief.

“Douse him awake and continue.” She turned to the old matron. “Mother, you often taught me to finish what I begin, to never quit halfway. I’ve always remembered. We can’t stop now just because Second Brother fainted from pain, can we? Don’t you agree, Mother?”

The old matron forced out through clenched teeth, “Mu’er is right,” her face contorted as she strove to maintain a kindly appearance.

Soon, Chu Renjie’s agonized screams rose again. Shen Zhao closed her eyes, listening—the sound was truly music to her ears.

At last, a servant came to report the punishment was complete.

Shen Zhao opened her eyes lazily, only to see the old matron urgently directing the Second Madam.

“What are you standing there for? Go summon the physician and have Renjie carried back to his quarters!”

The Second Madam hastily agreed and hurried to leave.

“Wait.”

The old matron looked anxiously at Shen Zhao. “Mu’er, what do you mean by this?”

Shen Zhao explained, “Don’t be nervous, Mother. Didn’t Second Sister-in-law just request that she take full charge of her household’s provisions and expenses? With her wisdom, how could I refuse?”

The Second Madam’s face brightened, but before she could rejoice, Shen Zhao continued,

“From now on, all expenses for Second Brother’s household will be managed entirely by Second Sister-in-law. This will save the family a considerable sum—Second Sister-in-law is truly selfless, willing, like Shen, to support the household with her own dowry.”

The Second Madam froze. That wasn’t what she meant! She had hoped, like Lin Jiao-jiao, to draw freely from the household accounts, not to support her branch with her own dowry!

She tried to protest, “Third Brother, that’s not what I meant! Perhaps you misunderstood, I only meant—”

“Oh? Second Sister-in-law, if that’s not what you meant, then what did you mean? Did you not say you wanted to take full charge of all your household’s expenses? Now that I’ve agreed, you say otherwise. Are you making sport of me?”

Shen Zhao’s expression grew cold, her eyes sharp and chilling. The Second Madam shrank back under her gaze.

“I… I meant, to have the same access to the accounts as Miss Lin…”

Her voice trailed off.

Shen Zhao let out a short, mocking laugh. “Second Sister-in-law, you may come from a modest background with some bad habits, but you shouldn’t be eyeing your sister-in-law’s dowry every day. All the public funds in this house are supplemented by Shen’s family. As a daughter-in-law of the Chu family, there’s no reason you shouldn’t contribute as well, rather than spending your sister-in-law’s money.”

At the thought of using her own dowry, the Second Madam protested at once, “Third Brother, as you said, I come from a humble family. How could I possibly have the means to cover our household’s expenses as generously as Sister-in-law? Surely you jest. We will accept whatever the household provides, no more. My husband needs me; I’ll return to him at once.”

Shen Zhao smiled, “Don’t rush off, Second Sister-in-law. There’s still one thing I’d like to ask of you.”