Chapter 5 Abused, Yet Still Believing in Mother's Kindness

"Smack!"

"Shen, what is wrong with you today? So clumsy! I asked you to do my hair, but are you trying to kill me with pain?"

Chu Mu looked at his hands, now red from the blows, then glanced at his mother's hair, which he had clumsily arranged into a tangle.

He had been struck no less than ten times that morning.

The first time, he failed to dress his mother properly and she struck his hands with a bamboo board.

The second time, the tea he brought her was too hot, and again she slapped his hands with the board.

But the tea had not been hot at all; he had adjusted the temperature himself, making sure it was just right. Perhaps his mother, being older, no longer liked her tea warm.

The third time, he hurt her while helping her put on her shoes, and she kicked him so hard in the chest he collapsed in pain.

This time, he had accidentally pulled out a single strand of her hair.

Madam Shen glared at herself in the bronze mirror, her anger almost beyond words.

That wretched little Shen must be doing all this on purpose today.

"Shen, kneel before me! Tell me, did you mean to harm me? I always knew you were up to no good, harboring resentment against me. That is why you keep making mistakes today, though you used to serve me well and make me comfortable. What is wrong with you now?"

As she scolded "Shen Zhao," she struck him again and again with the bamboo board in her hand.

Only once the bamboo board split did she finally stop, snorting coldly, "Bring me another."

Chu Mu endured the pain, confusion in his eyes.

Another? What did she mean by that?

Only when a maid brought in a tray did he understand.

On the tray were several bamboo boards, all the same size—just a little wider and longer than a palm. Some were split, some still whole.

He could no longer pretend not to understand.

Earlier, when Nanny Liu fetched a bamboo board for his mother, he had thought she had found it somewhere to punish his clumsiness today.

But it seemed he was wrong—these boards were always meant for Shen Zhao.

This realization was impossible for Chu Mu to accept.

He could not believe his mother would abuse Shen Zhao!

Wasn't Shen Zhao never one to be bullied?

But disbelief could not erase the evidence before him, nor the morning's events.

Perhaps his mother treated Shen Zhao this way because others had poisoned her mind. After all, she was always devout and kindhearted—surely she must have been deceived.

And since Shen Zhao was difficult by nature, his mother often said she needed tempering—perhaps that was it.

"Smack!"

Another blow landed on him. Chu Mu slowly lifted his head and looked resolutely at his mother.

He could not allow her to be deceived any longer.

"Mo—"

"Smack!"

This time, the old lady struck "Shen Zhao" directly on the mouth.

"You low-born thing, how many times must I tell you? Never call me mother, not in front of outsiders or even in front of Mu'er. You are not worthy! If you wish to stay in the Great General's Residence, you must know your place. Do not think to rise above your station, or I will have you cast out. Without the Great General's Residence as your shelter, imagine how wretched your life will be in exile."

Her gaze was so icy that Chu Mu felt a chill in his bones.

He had thought those threats against Shen Zhao had come from the manipulations of Nanny Liu. But now, his own mother said them—

Why was this happening? His mother was not such a person. Where had things gone so wrong?

"Why are you still standing there? Go and make me some soup at once."

The old lady kicked "Shen Zhao" again.

Chu Mu held his chest as he got up.

"Today, I want chicken soup stewed with old ginseng. Mind the heat."

She instructed one of the maids to redo her hair, watching "Shen Zhao" through the mirror with a chilling gaze.

"Chicken soup with old ginseng? Madam, do you really want chicken soup with old ginseng today?"

Chu Mu asked for confirmation, as if he had misheard.

His mother had always been vegetarian.

"Yes. Now go!"

Her expression darkened further. What was wrong with Shen today—so slow and stupid?

Chu Mu let the maids lead him to the small kitchen in his mother's courtyard.

When he saw the kitchen filled with meat, he asked the cook in a low voice, "Does Madam normally eat meat?"

The cook shot him a look. "Of course she does. Have you forgotten? You bought all this meat at her order."

Chu Mu was at a loss for words, pressing his lips together and asking no further. Perhaps his mother, being older, needed some meat. He should not have doubted her—it was unfilial.

"Why are you still standing there? Start making the soup for Madam," the cook urged.

He frowned. "And you?"

The cook sniffed dismissively. "We are to watch you, of course."

"I am the General's wife. As cooks in this household, shouldn't you be cooking while I supervise?" Chu Mu said with some indignation.

The cook laughed. "Oh, my lady, what has come over you today? Daydreaming in broad daylight? Everyone in this residence knows your status—officially, you are still the mistress, but in truth, you're just the steward and the purse-keeper. Steward? There are servants here with more power than you. Stop daydreaming and start making the soup. If you delay, Madam will punish you again."

Even the cooks dared mock her. Was her life here truly so humiliating?

Why had she never told him?

If she had, he would never have let anyone treat her so.

He would speak with her when he returned from court.

After Chu Mu had burned or scalded himself several times, ruining several pots of soup, the cook could no longer bear to watch and took over, finishing the soup herself.

What was wrong with Shen today? Not only was she distracted, she kept making mistakes.

Seeing Chu Mu's sorry state, she thought, surely Madam had punished her again.

Carrying the soup the cook had made, Chu Mu entered the room just as he heard sobbing from the inner chamber.

The sound was weak, broken—whoever was crying sounded exhausted.

As she placed the bowl of soup on the table, people came out.

His mother was first, supported by the shrewd Nanny Liu.

No matter what he said, his mother would not believe him now. Once he regained his identity, he would be sure to deal with Nanny Liu.

Next came his second sister-in-law, holding Lin Jiaojiao's hand.

It was Lin Jiaojiao who was crying.

Her eyes were still red and swollen, and she glared at him with unrestrained anger.

Utterly bewildered.

"Shen, kneel! Apologize to Jiaojiao," the old lady ordered harshly.

What had he done wrong?

Why should he apologize to Lin Jiaojiao?

And even if he had erred, as the General's wife, why should he kneel to a girl merely lodging in the residence?

It made no sense at all.

Seeing "Shen Zhao" refuse to kneel, the old lady immediately had the maids force her down before Lin Jiaojiao.

Chu Mu knew his mother misunderstood and resented Shen Zhao.

He turned to Lin Jiaojiao and said, "Miss Lin, have I done something wrong? Do you, too, believe that I must kneel to you?"