Chu Huaishan’s expression darkened. "My son has already risen to the first rank in office—what more is there to say about his career? As for gossip, that’s even more laughable. My son conducts himself with integrity. Should I sever my own flesh and blood over the idle chatter of others?"
With a sweep of his hand, ignoring Old Madam Chu’s livid face, he declared firmly, "Listen well—what happened today must remain sealed! Ruoyin has been raised in this household for years, no different from my own daughter. As for my wife, even if she has erred, judgment must wait until the truth is uncovered!"
"You—!" Old Madam Chu raised her hand in fury.
Chu Huaishan did not flinch. "If Mother wishes to discipline her son, I will accept the punishment. But if this is about overriding the Duke’s decree, then I must beg your pardon."
Invoking the Duke’s authority made it clear—he would shield them at all costs.
Old Madam Chu let out a cold laugh and stormed away.
Lady Jiang the Younger gazed at him tearfully, but Chu Huaishan only said, "No need for further words. I’m heading to the Ministry of Justice now. You stay and take care of Ruoyin."
By evening, Chu Ruoyin slowly awoke, mistaking the familiar bed curtains of her chamber for a dream.
Then her mother and sister entered. The former wore a face full of remorse. "Ruoyin, it’s my fault…"
Memories of the day flooded back, chilling her to the bone. Panic seized her heart. "Mother, it’s not true, is it? What Yuetao said earlier—it was all lies, wasn’t it?"
Lady Jiang the Younger clasped her hand tearfully, while Chu Ruolan added softly, "Second Sister, don’t be afraid. Father said you’re no different from his own daughter—"
"No!" Chu Ruoyin shut her eyes in agony.
How could it be the same?
Blood ties, the bond of kinship—she wasn’t her father’s daughter. How could anything remain unchanged?
Lady Jiang the Younger wept bitterly. "It’s all my fault! I’ve wronged you!"
Chu Ruolan’s eyes reddened too. "Mother, Second Sister, please don’t… If you keep crying, I—I’ll start too…"
And so, the three women embraced, weeping for a full half-hour before finally quieting.
Chu Ruoyin’s gaze turned hollow as she looked at Lady Jiang the Younger. "So… all those years you kept me at arm’s length, favoring Third Sister over me—it was because I wasn’t Father’s daughter, wasn’t it?"
Lady Jiang the Younger trembled but did not deny it.
A bitter smile touched Chu Ruoyin’s lips. "I see now…"
Forcing her to study the arts she despised, even killing her maids to pressure her into entering the palace…
How foolish she’d been, believing that if she just worked hard enough, her mother might look at her the way she did at Third Sister.
From the very beginning, she’d never stood a chance.
Chu Ruolan opened her mouth but found no words.
Yuetao, standing beside Lady Jiang the Younger, couldn’t hold back. "Second Miss, the strictness wasn’t because Madam didn’t love you! She feared that if the truth came out, she wouldn’t be able to protect you! Think—every tutor she hired for you, every master of the arts—were they not all renowned?"
"Yes, she pushed you toward the palace, but only to secure you a high position, so you’d have somewhere to go if the truth came to light. Everything she did was for your sake!"
"For my sake?" Chu Ruoyin let out a low, exhausted laugh. "I’m tired. I’d like to rest alone. Please… leave."
At this point, she didn’t even know how to address Chu Ruolan.
Call her "Third Sister"? Did she still have the right?
Chu Ruolan looked desperate to speak, but Lady Jiang the Younger stopped her. "Very well. Rest, Ruoyin. We’ll leave you in peace."
Once outside, Chu Ruolan stamped her foot. "Mother, how could you leave Second Sister alone at a time like this?"
Lady Jiang the Younger sighed, about to explain, when Chu Zhong hurried in, his expression grave. "Madam, Third Miss—the Duke was taken by Eunuch Xu, the Empress Dowager’s man, right after leaving the Ministry of Justice. He sent me to assure you it’s nothing serious."
"What?"
Lady Jiang the Younger swayed, nearly collapsing. Even the usually carefree Chu Ruolan sensed the danger. "The Empress Dowager’s men took Father, and at such a critical moment—how can this be nothing?"
Chu Zhong’s face darkened, but he dared not elaborate.
Outside the Ministry of Justice, tensions had been high.
The Duke had intended to return home first, but the Empress Dowager’s men blocked his path, nearly coming to blows.
Lady Jiang the Younger lamented, "It’s all my fault!"
Chu Ruolan’s eyes lit up with sudden inspiration. "Eldest Sister! Quick, we must find Eldest Sister!"
Lady Jiang the Younger brightened. "Yes! The eldest! Her husband is the Chief Minister now. Even if the Empress Dowager moves against us, he could intervene!"
They rushed to the Chief Minister’s residence by carriage, only to learn that neither the Chief Minister nor his wife had been home since the previous day.
Their hearts sank into despair.
Staring into the endless night, they were at a loss.
Meanwhile, atop the Hundred Insights Pavilion—
A shadow appeared soundlessly, gesturing to Meng Yang.
Meng Yang promptly reported, "Young Master, the Chu family is in turmoil. Doubts about Second Miss Chu’s parentage have reached the Empress Dowager’s ears. At the first hour of dusk, she had Duke Chu taken away. There’s been no word since."
Yan Zheng’s brows sharpened like frost. Before he could speak, a crash echoed from inside the room, followed by Yun Lang’s voice—"Yan Zheng! Get in here!"
Without hesitation, he pushed the door open.
In the stifling chamber, Chu Ruoyan had awakened.
Her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes were cold as winter. A sword—where had she gotten it?—was leveled at the room’s occupants. "So… you all want her back that badly?"
Yan Zheng’s chest tightened. To the side, Yun Lang knelt awkwardly, one arm shielding Hongxiu, his left wrist dripping blood. Clearly, the strain of refining the Gu had left him too weakened to stop her.
"Don’t listen! Protect the Divine Wood Cauldron!"
The words barely left his lips when the icy blade swung toward the sacred vessel.
Yan Zheng moved like lightning, intercepting her.
"Step aside!" she hissed.
He only said, "Ayan, be good."
"Be good?" Her lips curled in mockery. "Do you want me to obey, or do you want your ‘Ayan’ to obey?"
Yan Zheng frowned.
She sneered. "Don’t think I don’t know. You love her. All of you prefer her. But why should she have sole claim over this body?"
With a flash—
The frost-edged sword descended. Yan Zheng’s eyes deepened as he caught the blade bare-handed.
"!"
Shock flickered in her gaze. "Have you gone mad? Your hand will be severed!"
Unfazed, he let the edge bite into his palm.
"Ayan, be good."
He repeated it, and her killing intent flared. "If you stand in my way, then you don’t love me either. Fine—join the rest and die!"
The sword twisted, blood splattering.
Yet the blade remained locked in his grip, unmovable.
"Ayan—"
He stepped closer, his lips curving into a familiar tenderness. "I’ve never not loved you."
