Chapter 89: Brothers Turn Against Each Other

Shen Zhao saw that Du Kang was barely breathing and immediately sensed that something was wrong. He ordered at once, “Hurry to Qihuang Street and fetch a physician.” Du Kang must not die now!

Du Qi’an was just as determined not to let Du Kang die. This was not the time for his death—he still hadn’t figured out whether this Second Master of the Chu family was truly a descendant of the Du family or not. If it turned out he wasn’t, and Du Kang died, what explanation would he have to offer his father?

Suppressing his revulsion and pain, Du Qi’an forced himself closer to Du Kang. Reluctantly, he drew a small jade gourd, the size of a pinky, from his sleeve, its surface a translucent green. With the utmost care, he took out a single pill, pinched it between two fingers, and disdainfully moved closer to Du Kang, commanding, “If you wish to live, open your mouth.”

Chu Renjie’s face changed dramatically. “Lord Du, what are you doing?”

Du Qi’an didn’t so much as glance at Chu Renjie. He had no desire to bother with this wretch, even if the man was likely his cousin.

“Open your mouth!” Du Qi’an repeated. At his words, Du Kang struggled to open his mouth as wide as he could. The pill dropped from above and landed squarely on his tongue. Du Kang swallowed instantly; every direct descendant of the Du family carried such a life-saving elixir. He had already used his own years ago, while fleeing for his life, and he knew well the miraculous effects of this pill. Now, he would not die.

Never before had he been so close to death—not even in those years past had he suffered such agony. His current frail state was a gift from his devoted son. At this moment, a trace of resentment rose in Du Kang’s heart.

Chu Renjie shouted anxiously, “Third Brother, are you just going to stand by? Will you let someone else save that adulterer? He’s just admitted it—he was Mother’s paramour, consorting with her before she was married! Eldest Brother is nothing short of the bastard child of an adulterer and a harlot! That pair of shameless dogs have brought disgrace upon our ancestors!”

Du Kang glared furiously at Chu Renjie. Had this ungrateful son forgotten all the kindness he once showed him? Would he not be satisfied unless he saw his own father dead?

Before Shen Zhao could respond, Chu Renqing erupted in anger and retorted, “Enough of your nonsense! Under your tortures, he only admitted to an affair with Mother—he never said I was his son. If anything, perhaps you’re the bastard born of that adulterer and Mother. That man called out just now—he said he was your birth father. Everyone here heard it!”

Provoked by Second Brother, Chu Renqing, too, wanted to let him taste what it was like to be called a bastard—Second Brother wielded the term so freely, after all.

Chu Renjie hurled the rattan switch at Chu Renqing. “Utter rubbish! I am the legitimate son of the Chu household, born to the late Madam, while you are the bastard who crawled from the belly of a faithless, wanton, poisonous woman fit for any man!”

“You…” Chu Renqing was so incensed he was nearly speechless. This fool could not help but drag the late Madam into things yet again. But since he himself had not revealed his identity, he had no right to expose Chu Renqing’s, and could only endure it for now.

“What—cat got your tongue? Have nothing to say, bastard? Usurper of the Chu family estate, you bastard!” Chu Renjie snarled, turning to Shen Zhao. “Third Brother, now that all is clear and the truth has come out, shall we hand these people over to the authorities, or deal with them ourselves?”

The Matron nearly choked for breath, listening to her sons hurl accusations and curses at each other. How had she given birth to such a pair of dullards?

After speaking, Chu Renjie cast a venomous glance at the Matron. “Third Brother, I wish to restore my mother’s good name. While you were not present, that adulterer confessed everything he and the poisonous woman did in their younger days. Don’t blame me, Third Brother. I know that woman is your mother, but her actions were a crime against heaven—she, together with her lover, sullied my mother’s reputation and brought her to ruin, causing the clan to drown her in the pond.”

The Matron ground her teeth in rage—he still wished to vindicate that wretched woman? Even a club would be more useful than him!

Chu Renjie’s eyes turned crimson with hatred. “Third Brother, in the past, both the General's estate and the old Chu residence sent yearly subsidies to the clan. In my opinion, those degenerates are unworthy. If they hadn’t stirred up trouble and clouded right and wrong, would my mother have died such a miserable death? Therefore, I intend to cut off all subsidies to the clan.”

What Chu Renjie said was precisely what Shen Zhao had in mind. The Chu family not only had to support so many wastrels, but also provide substantial yearly subsidies to the clan. What’s more, the ties between the clan and Chu Mu’s branch had grown distant over the generations. Once, they had indeed been family, but now they were little more than strangers who happened to share the same surname.

From Chu Renqing’s words, it was clear the so-called clan members—afraid that any scandal would ruin the father’s political career—had colluded with the Chu household to execute Chu Mu’s birth mother, without ever investigating the truth, or waiting for the father’s return from the capital. This alone showed their utter selfishness.

They feared that, should the father’s career falter, they would lose the chance to bask in the Chu family’s reflected glory. For decades, only Chu Mu’s branch had unconditionally supported the clan, while the rest contributed nothing, content to live off others’ generosity.

Not only that, but every year, the Chu family hosted scholars traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations—at the General’s estate, no less, and all at no charge. The household bore all their expenses.

“Second Brother is right,” Shen Zhao said. “There is no need for the old Chu residence or the General’s estate to continue subsidizing the clan. In all these years, the Chu family’s generosity has gone above and beyond. Thanks to our support, the clan has produced several scholars and officials. It’s time they gave back.”

He paused, then added, “I wonder, Second Brother, how you intend to deal with this adulterer and the Matron? And how do you plan to restore the late Madam’s name?” This was a tacit endorsement of Chu Renjie’s proposal.

This emboldened Chu Renjie further—he had always known that upright Third Brother would not shield anyone, not even the Matron, poisonous as she was.

Meanwhile, Du Qi’an frowned slightly. Everything seemed shrouded in confusion—what game was this General Chu playing? Only moments before, the general had told him that Du Kang had conspired with others to harm his mother. Yet now, Second Master Chu claimed the general himself was the Matron’s son, while he, Du Qi’an, was the victim whose mother had been killed by the old Madam. A possibility occurred to him—if true, this Chu fellow was even more scheming than he’d thought.

“Third Brother, I do not ask much,” Chu Renjie declared. “I only ask that you make public the adultery of this pair, reveal to all how they framed my mother, and have them kneel before her memorial tablet to beg forgiveness.”

He hesitated—for them to go and beg at his mother’s grave in Jinzhou would take months, and he could not wait that long.

“Have them kneel before her spirit tablet here. Let the Matron, who professes to love Buddhist rites, spend the rest of her life repenting before the Buddha—chanting scripture and copying the Sutra for Rebirth in my mother’s name, every day, until she deems their sins forgiven.”

Thinking of the nameless spirit tablet enshrined in the side hall, Shen Zhao sighed softly.