Chapter Seventy-Two: If Not for You

The bloodstains on Shen Nanyuan's arm burned themselves into his eyes. How dare anyone treat the cherished young lady of the Duke of Zhen's household so cruelly. Shen Sinian lost control for a moment, his eyes reddening as he lunged, intent on killing the assassin. Yet reason returned, and he spared the assassin’s life—for now. He still needed to learn who was behind all this.

It was another attempt on the young lady from the Prime Minister’s residence. Shen Sinian narrowed his eyes, a sudden thought flickering in his mind. No matter who was responsible, this matter would never be allowed to fade so easily.

News of Shen Nanyuan’s injury spread swiftly throughout the Duke of Zhen’s mansion. Even the old matron, distressed, came to see her. Shen Sinian went straight to the palace to see the emperor, who, upon hearing the news, was furious and ordered a thorough investigation.

This was a matter of great importance—the one injured was the Princess of Yong’an, personally granted her title by the emperor. Accompanying her was the Second Miss of the Prime Minister’s residence. Moreover, the great general of the realm was still away at war; Shen Nanyuan was his most beloved daughter. If he learned of what had happened, he would not rest until justice was done.

It wasn’t just the court that was abuzz; all of the capital was discussing the incident. The true perpetrator must now be ill at ease.

Shen Nanyuan’s injury was to her right arm. Lady Shen was deeply distressed. Steward Li brewed nourishing soups for her, all of which Lady Shen fed her personally.

However, they did not intend to inform Shen Yi. He was already fighting at the front; if he heard of Nanyuan’s injury, his heart would be unsettled. It was better to keep it from him.

For now, with the emperor championing their cause, those who harmed Shen Nanyuan would certainly be brought to justice.

Within the Prime Minister’s residence, Lady Meng was restless, pacing back and forth in the courtyard, unable to sleep for days. The events of yesterday were the culmination of old and new grudges; she could not restrain her desire to kill Meng Chuyue any longer.

Meng Chuyue had been in the residence for a long time, waiting for an opportunity. At last, she heard that Chuyue would be going out to admire the peach blossoms, so Lady Meng sent people ahead to wait at Puyue Temple. She only intended to harm Meng Chuyue, but who would have guessed Shen Nanyuan would be injured instead?

The Duke of Zhen’s household was not to be trifled with.

Especially since Shen Nanyuan had only recently been granted the title of Princess of Yong’an by the emperor—it was no surprise that the incident had grown as serious as she expected. From yesterday to today, Lady Meng had been anxious, praying fervently that the investigation would not lead to her. If it did, everything would be lost. Even the Prime Minister would not protect her.

What would she do then? Lady Meng even considered confessing to the Prime Minister, but in the end, she gave up. He had long since lost all hope in her. If he found out, he would certainly not intervene.

At that moment, someone Lady Meng least wished to see suddenly appeared in the courtyard. Her anxious expression twisted into one of disgust as she looked at Meng Chuyue, her tone harsh: “What are you doing here? Get out!”

“Mother,” Meng Chuyue paid no heed to her words. She walked over, sat down, and poured herself some tea that had long cooled, her smile ambiguous. “Your daughter has come to see you. Why do you dislike me so much? After all, even elder sister has never visited.”

Mentioning this made Lady Meng’s face darken further.

“You dare bring up that matter? If it weren’t for you, how would the two of us have ended up like this! I truly regret not sending more people to kill you!” Her sharp, bitter words made Meng Chuyue lift her eyes coldly.

“Which time are you referring to?”

She set the teacup down with a crisp sound. “Was it at Puyue Temple, or was it yesterday?”

“You’re talking nonsense!” Lady Meng’s hands trembled.

“You know exactly what I mean.” Meng Chuyue continued coldly: “I know well who those assassins were meant to kill. At this point, do you really still hope the investigation won’t lead to you?”

“The emperor is furious and has ordered a thorough investigation,” Meng Chuyue mocked, “Do you think, with the matter so grave, you can stay safe within the Prime Minister’s residence? The Duke of Zhen’s household will not let this go, and father will no longer protect you. It’s a pity—elder sister’s reputation is already ruined, she’s bedridden and hasn’t come to her senses, and now her mother has landed in trouble.”

She sighed lightly, her gaze icy. “Do you think elder sister can endure?”

Lady Meng suddenly looked up, her eyes bloodshot.

“Oh, and mother, you probably don’t know this,” Meng Chuyue smiled. “When elder sister pushed me, it wasn’t enough to make me fall into the pond—I jumped in myself, just to frame her. The rumors in the capital were spread at my command, destroying her reputation.”

In Lady Meng’s crimson glare, Meng Chuyue went on: “The predicament you and elder sister face now is all because I orchestrated it behind the scenes. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for not killing me when I was young. If you had, there would only be one legitimate young lady left in the Prime Minister’s house, and you wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Meng Chuyue sighed. “It’s a pity, mother.”

As she finished speaking, Lady Meng suddenly lunged at her like a madwoman, viciously grabbing her hair and slapping her face with a loud crack.

She screamed shrilly: “Wretch! I should have killed you long ago! I should have strangled you when you were a child! If it weren’t for you, if it weren’t for you, how could I have ended up like this? I’ll kill you! I’ll make you die with me!”

The Prime Minister entered the courtyard just in time to see Lady Meng, eyes red and ferocious, clutching Meng Chuyue’s hair and reaching for the teapot to smash it over her head.

He was aghast: “Quick, bring Second Miss here safely!”

The guards rushed forward, and after much effort, managed to rescue Meng Chuyue from Lady Meng’s grasp. Her face bore the marks of Lady Meng’s blows, her hair was a mess, and her eyes were red, making the Prime Minister’s heart ache.

He raged: “What are you doing!”

Lady Meng, still wild-eyed, shouted: “She is a wretch! She destroyed me! You still protect her? Do you know what she’s done? Let me go! I’ll kill her!”

Meng Chuyue sniffed, her face streaked with tears, looking utterly aggrieved.

“Father, when I was attacked yesterday, I realized the assassins were after me. I rarely leave the residence, so it’s unlikely I would have enemies seeking my death. So I recalled the last time…”

She paused. “So I wanted to ask mother, but as soon as I spoke, she reacted this way.”