Chapter 21: The True Face of Cui Mingzhu

Under Cui Jin’s intense gaze, Cui Mingzhu grew flustered, not daring to lift her head or meet her eyes directly. Seeing this reaction, Cui Jin immediately guessed that Cui Mingzhu had indeed said those things to Shen Ningyuan.

Cui Jin looked at her with a trace of disappointment. "Mingzhu, I have taught you to be prudent and cautious since you were a child; you should never say things that ought not to be spoken. How could you..."

Before she could finish, Cui Mingzhu’s eyes brimmed with tears. Watching her reddened eyelids, Cui Jin could not bring herself to scold her further. She sighed softly and said, "Yuan'er has just endured the agony of losing her husband. You must be more mindful and stop rubbing salt into her wounds!"

"Aunt, I understand," Cui Mingzhu said, wiping away her tears. She turned toward Shen Ningyuan, "Cousin, it was wrong of me to speak without thinking. I hope you won't hold it against me!"

Before Shen Ningyuan could respond, Cui Jin hurriedly interjected, "Yuan'er, your cousin has sincerely apologized. Won't you forgive her?"

Before Shen Ningyuan could speak, Song Yan'er, standing to the side, rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "Hmph... here we go again."

The sound was so faint that Cui Jin and Cui Mingzhu did not hear it, but Shen Ningyuan heard it clearly. She couldn't help but turn and give Song Yan'er a look of deep agreement. The two sisters-in-law exchanged a glance, both seeing the same disdain and helplessness in each other’s eyes.

Shen Ningyuan composed herself. It turned out that in this vast General’s Manor, everyone could see that her mother treated Cui Mingzhu as her own daughter. Yet, it seemed only Cui Mingzhu felt that her mother looked down upon her. With this thought, Shen Ningyuan took a long look at Cui Jin. Seeing the hopeful expression in her mother's eyes, her sense of helplessness deepened. It was not yet time to expose Cui Mingzhu’s true colors.

Thus, Shen Ningyuan nodded and said to Cui Mingzhu, "Very well. I will listen to my mother and forgive you this once."

"Thank you, cousin. I will never speak so carelessly again!" Cui Mingzhu said weakly. Though her voice was soft, the flicker of hatred in her eyes was caught by Shen Ningyuan. She knew she had to hurry; Cui Mingzhu could no longer remain in the Shen household.

Seeing the atmosphere remain tense, Song Yan'er quickly said, "Mother, you should take Mingzhu to see the physician quickly. Her hand is severely injured; she needs treatment immediately!"

Cui Jin nodded. "Very well. I will take Mingzhu away. Yan'er, stay here and keep Yuan'er company; join us in the front hall for a meal later." She then looked at Shen Ningyuan, "Yuan'er, regarding today's events, your mother has her own judgment. I know... you have been wronged. I know you are not one to act recklessly, but..."

Cui Jin could not finish the sentence, but Shen Ningyuan knew what she wanted to say. She nodded at her mother, "Mother, don't worry. I will not let today's events cause a rift between us."

People are made of flesh and blood, and naturally, they have weaknesses. Her mother’s weakness was her elder brother, who had died young. Years ago, her uncle and mother had been escorting a shipment of goods to the south when they encountered bandits. To protect her mother, her uncle had died by the bandits' blades. Her aunt, devastated by the loss of her husband, died in childbirth shortly after, leaving Cui Mingzhu behind. Since then, her mother had raised Cui Mingzhu as her own, often showing even more tolerance toward the sensitive and suspicious girl. It was precisely because of this that in her previous life, after discovering that Cui Mingzhu and Ji Yunchuan had conspired to ruin the Shen family, Shen Ningyuan had sat in the Chastity Arch for three days and nights before she could fully accept the truth.

Cui Jin did not know what Shen Ningyuan was thinking, but seeing her daughter’s sensible demeanor, she felt a pang of heartache. After a moment of hesitation, she took Cui Mingzhu’s hand and left the courtyard.

Watching them leave, Song Yan'er shook her head helplessly. "Your mother is a heroine among women, having ventured into business since before she came of age; she has seen countless people. How can she not see that this Cui Mingzhu is no good?"

"Sister-in-law, what did you say?" Song Yan'er’s words truly shocked Shen Ningyuan.

"Yuan'er, didn't you see it too?" Song Yan'er glanced at her. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have treated her like that just now." Thinking of Cui Mingzhu’s mangled fingers, Song Yan'er couldn't help but shiver. Shen Ningyuan was a kind person; if she hadn't discovered something, she wouldn't have been so ruthless. After all, they had grown up together, nursing from the same mother. Their bond was better than that of biological sisters.

Shen Ningyuan had not yet recovered from her surprise. She spoke in a hoarse voice, "Sister-in-law, did you discover something long ago, or are you..."

*...also reborn?* The words stuck in her throat.

Seeing Shen Ningyuan’s astonishment, Song Yan'er simply smiled, tilting her head playfully. "Little sister, you should know the saying: those involved are confused, while bystanders see clearly."

"Sister-in-law, you mean..." Watching Song Yan'er’s expression, Shen Ningyuan suddenly realized.

It was true. Cui Mingzhu had always lived in the Shen household, spending every day with them. Because they were accustomed to her presence, they failed to notice much. But her sister-in-law, having just married into the family, could see things from a bystander's perspective. It was no wonder that since Song Yan'er had joined the family, she had kept her distance from Cui Mingzhu. At the time, Cui Mingzhu had even complained to her that the new sister-in-law was difficult to get along with. Now, it seemed clear that from the very beginning, Song Yan'er had known Cui Mingzhu was not a good person, which was why she hadn't been close to her.

Shen Ningyuan couldn't help but smile bitterly. So many things had been hinted at from the very start, yet she had seen none of it, leading the entire Shen clan to their tragic end.

"Yuan'er, one can know a person's face but not their heart. In the future... you must keep your guard up," Song Yan'er whispered. "Especially regarding... Cui Mingzhu."

"I understand," Shen Ningyuan nodded softly. In her previous life, her sister-in-law had never told her these things. Speaking of them now, she had likely noticed that Shen Ningyuan’s attitude toward Cui Mingzhu had changed. Her cautious sister-in-law had her own concerns as well.

Meanwhile, Cui Jin brought Cui Mingzhu back. Once inside Cui Mingzhu’s courtyard, Cui Jin looked at the girl’s mangled hand with a complex expression. Cui Mingzhu, seeing her aunt's face, assumed she was feeling pity. Just as she was about to cry and complain, Cui Jin said coldly, "From now on, do not provoke Yuan'er again."

"Next time, I will not protect you like this."

There was an icy tone in Cui Jin’s voice that she had never used before. Cui Mingzhu’s heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Cui Jin with a nervous expression: "A-Aunt..."