Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 103 Paving the Way Forward
There was chaos in the ancestral hall.

The servants outside had no idea what was happening inside. They only heard the beating sounds, which had gradually subsided, suddenly intensify again. Questioning and accusations, crying and begging, mixed with screams, it was a complete mess.

The last time the palace was rocked by such a commotion was when news of the eldest son's sudden death in battle reached the palace. The battle reports were vague about the cause of his death, and the queen refused to believe them. She demanded his body from the Zhenxi Army, but all she received was a handful of black ashes and a long halberd. Ultimately, she had no choice but to accept the Zhenxi Army's excuses and compensation, weeping bitterly in the ancestral hall.

Now, the second young master had gotten into some kind of trouble that had caused the usually dignified and calm female monarch to lose her composure again.

Shen Tu Zhuo had been pampered by his parents and brothers since childhood, and inevitably had a somewhat spoiled temperament. The burden of the family had never fallen on his head. He had previously frequented places like Lanying Pavilion, taverns, and gambling dens, hanging out with entertainers, dancers, and other frivolous friends, all without ever receiving a single rebuke from the Lady. So what had he done this time to provoke the Lady's wrath?

The only remaining legitimate son of the Shentu family was punished, and everyone was silent. No matter how curious they were, they stayed away from the ancestral hall and buried their heads in their own work, for fear of being implicated.

Shentu Zhuo gritted his teeth and took the beating silently.

The old lady was so angry that she felt dizzy. With the help of Old Lady Liao, she finished another round of beatings. She pointed the cane at him and cursed, "I'll give you one more chance. Take back those nonsense words in front of your father and brother!"

Beads of sweat dripped onto the stone slab. Shentu Zhuo looked up at the tablets of Shentu Jianzhi and Shentu Heng and said, "Grandfather, please bless me with a successful examination and restore the Shentu family's prestige and glory. When I achieve success, I will ask you to divorce my wife and let my widowed sister-in-law remarry me, so that I will no longer suffer and attract criticism..."

The old lady lashed him with a cane: "Shut up!"

Old Lady Liao, confident of her status as the Lady's confidant, cursed Tan Huaike, "You vixen! I thought you'd be quiet now that you're a widow in a side courtyard, but who knew you'd set your sights on the Second Young Master! Seeing that you couldn't get the eldest young master's inheritance, you deliberately seduced the Second Young Master, instigating him to defy the Lady. You're hoping to seize control of the household, aren't you? You have such a vicious mind!"

Seeing that her son was unmoved, the old lady turned her spearhead towards Tan Huaike: "What have you done? I don't mind your Tan family replacing you with someone else in marriage. I even gave you land and property, and a place to live. How could I have wronged you? Why would you harm my son like this?"

Tan Huaike said calmly: "This was mentioned by my uncle. This is the first time I've heard of it. I should ask him what he thinks."

Shentu Zhuo defended her, "It's none of her business. I'm drawn to my sister-in-law! She was just a bargaining chip used by my mother and brother in the imperial merchant selection. She became a widow before she even married. How innocent! She's smart and virtuous. She's managed several shops to great success. She's endured so much criticism and has been targeted by the servants at home, but she hasn't had a single complaint. I'm attracted to her and want to take her as my own bride. Why not? Anyway, my brother doesn't have that blessing..."

"Second Young Master, have you been bewitched by this Hu woman and driven mad?" Old Lady Liao exclaimed. "Lady, Second Young Master has simply been bewitched. The family rules should be applied to this vixen!"

"Tan Huaike, I'm making this clear today: you won't get a penny of the Shentu Mansion's property, let alone dream of remarrying Zhuo'er and becoming the mistress of the household!" The old lady was furious and raised her hand to hit Tan Huaike with the cane. "I should have asked you to go down and accompany Heng'er!"

Tan Huaike didn't want to be beaten for no reason, so he immediately moved aside and the cane missed.

Old Lady Liao, who had a grudge against her, stepped forward, attempting to twist Tan Huaike's arms behind his back, allowing the Lady's cane to strike her firmly. Though old, the servant was quite strong, and quite experienced in punishing servants. Tan Huaike was too busy dodging the cane to resist, losing the opportunity to break free.

At this time, Shentu Zhuo stood up, pushed Liao Ao away, took the cane from his mother's hand, and hit Liao Ao on the altar with a snap.

He threatened, "Auntie Liao, relying on my mother's trust, you usually act arrogantly in the mansion, and you really think you are the master of the Shentu family? It was clearly my rude words, but you are trying to shift the blame to someone else. I'm afraid you are looking for revenge! After all, Tan Huaike is still the eldest lady of the Shentu family. You are restraining her like this, which shows that you don't respect my brother at all!"

Almost being whipped by the cane, Old Lady Liao trembled with fear and said tremblingly, "Second Master, this vixen has caused unrest in the mansion. I am doing this for your own good!" "No need for Old Lady Liao to worry about me." Shen Tu Zhuo turned to his mother, who was patting her chest and panting, and said, "I have explained everything and apologized for my crime. I still have to go and supervise the digging of ditches in various counties, so I'm sorry I can't stay at home for long. If you still want to vent your anger, wait until I finish my official business and come back to punish you."

"You...Zhuo'er you..."

After saying that, Shentu Zhuo, with whip marks all over his body, strode out.

Tan Huaike didn't want to stay and bear the wrath, so he took advantage of the fact that Old Lady Liao was still in shock and pulled Shen Tu Ji, who was already stunned, away.
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The farce ended, and the entire Shentu Mansion fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone thought Shentu Zhuo had gone straight to the county, but Tan Huaike, under the pretext of going to the cloth shop to check the accounts, found him at the Yuefu. The doctor had just applied medicine to his back, and he was gasping for breath, lying on a cushion to endure the pain.

Tan Huaike sat outside the screen and said, "If you feel pain, you should scream. Given Aunt Jun's soft heart towards you, the more miserable you scream, the less you'll be beaten. Who told you to be so stubborn?"

Shentu Zhuo sighed, "She's going to have to learn a lesson eventually. It's better to let her vent her anger. Otherwise, she'll get so angry that she might develop some kind of illness."

Without anyone else present, Tan Huaike said bluntly, "Shentu Zhuo, are you plotting against me?"

Not to mention that both of them were burdened with unresolved troubles, Shentu Zhuo had not informed her beforehand at all, and he openly told her in the ancestral hall that he wanted her to remarry, which really caught her off guard.

Shentu Zhuo laughed stiflingly, "How could it be a plot? I was clearly expressing my affection to my sister-in-law."

Tan Huaike was also amused by this. "That was truly a thrilling display of affection, and it nearly got me beaten to a pulp by the family rules. You're not simply trying to use such a ridiculous act to cover up the guilt of secretly participating in the imperial examination, are you? Using me, your poor widowed sister-in-law, as a shield, you really don't do yourself any good at all, uncle."

"I'm really expressing my feelings, why doesn't my sister-in-law believe me?"

"..." Tan Huaike remained silent, waiting for his next words.

It's not that she doesn't believe in his feelings, but she doesn't understand why he is so reckless and doesn't leave any room for negotiation.

Not getting a response, Shentu Zhuo smiled helplessly.

Even though he was frightened by the sudden impact, Tan Huaike remained sober and accompanied him to complete the play. They had such a tacit understanding, but it was like a mountain and sea blocking their way, so close that they could only be seen but not reached.

"After expressing my true feelings, I can kill two birds with one stone." He explained solemnly, "First, I can take all the blame on myself. Whether my sister-in-law admits it or not, my mother will only have to deal with me. Secondly, you will soon leave for Andu as Princess Mohe, so Madam Shentu should have a reason to disappear."

"You've planned this all along... Now, if I ever suggest leaving the county to do business, Aunt Jun won't stop me. She'd love for me to be as far away from you as possible." Tan Huaike couldn't help but be moved. "To pave the way for me, are you willing to go to such lengths?"
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　Next chapter: I...I appreciate your kindness, and you don't have to be polite to me.

　　(End of this chapter)