RWNEFE -Chapter 56 Shen Yuanyuan’s Choice

Grandmother Shen immediately shouted in anger, “A lowly concubine! You have no right to speak here!”

Frankly, that was just foolish.

Wei Rulan snorted coldly. “Now everyone here is a prisoner. No one is more noble than anyone else!”

Those words hit the Shen family like a dagger to the heart. Each of them glared furiously at Wei Rulan.

“You! How can you let a lowly concubine speak to your mother like this? Your family raised you, taught you to read, to know propriety and honor—have you swallowed all of that into a dog’s belly?” The usually quiet and reserved Old Master Shen suddenly spoke up, sharply rebuking his eldest son, Shen Congwen.

Shen Congwen had never been scolded like this by his father. For a moment, he was stunned, unable to reply.

“Big Brother, we won’t speak of the Shen family’s troubles now. But because of you, Father and Mother have lived in hardship even in their old age. And now a concubine is bullying them—Big Brother, you are unworthy of being a son!” Shen Congyi immediately accused him.

Shen Congwen clenched his fists and slapped Wei Rulan across the face.

“Shut up! Since you accompanied the Shen family into exile and were diligent along the way, this slap is only a punishment for disrespecting your elders. Next time, there will be no leniency!”

Tears welled in Wei Rulan’s eyes. She stared at Shen Congwen with all her frustration and resentment in her voice: “They humiliated our main branch of the family, and I spoke up for them. And this is how you treat me?”

She had devoted herself to defending the main branch, risking herself with no gratitude in return. The master’s lack of appreciation was one thing, but to be treated like this?

Wei Rulan’s heart gradually turned cold.

Grandmother Shen looked disdainful. “What status do you have? A lowly concubine. If this were the capital, you would have been sold long ago!”

Wei Rulan’s heart completely froze. She forced a self-mocking smile onto her face, walked to a corner, and sat down, refusing to say another word.

The children of the Shen family’s main branch all stared blankly at their father. How could the once refined, wise, and intelligent man turn into this?

Shen Congwen felt his face burning with shame and didn’t dare meet his children’s eyes.

“Father, Mother, Second Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, let’s pool money and buy water!”

Second Madam Liu pulled Shen Conglian aside, speaking sharply.

“Big Brother, no matter what you say, you just don’t want to use the main branch’s money for us, right? Don’t forget Father and Mother are still alive, and the Shen family isn’t divided yet. The family funds should be managed by Mother. The money you put in Lanxi’s hands should, by the rules, be handed over to Mother.”

Shen Congwen had no words to defend himself and instinctively looked to his children.

Each of them turned away as if they hadn’t heard, ignoring his embarrassment.

“Second Sister-in-law, even if Lanxi has money, it’s hers. Our main branch’s money has already been handed to Mother,” said Third Madam Miao.

“Big Brother, that’s wrong. After Lanxi divorces, she returns to our Shen family. She is still one of us. When she married, her dowry included 208 items carried from the Shen household. After the divorce, all of it must be returned. Any money she has belongs to every Shen family member!”

Shen Congwen hadn’t expected that, even after making so many compromises, his family would press him further. Had he really done something wrong?

“If you want money, then go get it yourself if you have the guts!” Shen Yuanjing suddenly said.

“Let’s see if Big Brother, provoked, will abandon us and go back to the capital alone!”

The Shen family glared at Shen Yuanjing, but none dared to speak against him.

After a while, Grandmother Shen, feeling parched, noticed everyone else had water except them. Afraid it would all be sold out, she urgently demanded her sons to contribute money.

“Mother, we have no money. You have some, don’t you? Use that first. When Big Brother gets money from Lanxi, give it all to you!”

“Yes, Mother! All the money Big Brother brought was given to you. We didn’t see a single coin!”

Grandmother Shen, seeing her sons feign poverty, felt chest pains from anger.

“You unfilial brats! Had I known, I should have expelled you from the household long ago!”

Even Grandmother Shen’s harshest words couldn’t make them pay. Seeing no hope, she reluctantly pulled her purse from her sleeve.

“Mother, buy us some water too! We’re dying of thirst!”

Seeing Grandmother Shen bring out money, Shen Conglian and his brothers immediately crowded around.

“Go away! You claim to give money for water, yet cry poverty. Don’t expect me to pay for your water—buy it yourself!”

Grandmother Shen took the purse and went to the officials.

At first, Shen Conglian and his brothers watched, thinking their mother wouldn’t be so ruthless. But when she returned empty-handed, they had no choice but to reluctantly pay for water themselves.

Soon, the other branches of the Shen family had water, while the main branch watched helplessly.

“Father, I’m thirsty~”

Seeing his son’s lips cracked and dry, Shen Congwen gritted his teeth and went to borrow money from Mother and the brothers.

The result was predictable.

~

Without enduring the scorching sun, the prisoners rested a bit, regaining their strength. Those without money to buy water reported to the officials and began searching the village.

The result was predictable: whatever could be carried away had already been taken. In some houses, they found corpses—likely elderly who could no longer move. Some had voluntarily stayed behind to avoid burdening their children; others had been abandoned as dead weight.

After this, the prisoners no longer wanted to search and found places to rest, waiting for nightfall.

By evening, Liu Laohu had traced footprints and wagon tracks—all heading southeast.

Southeast also led toward Jinmen, which coincidentally was their destination.

“Everyone up! Let’s go!”

After feeding the horses a little water, Liu Laohu immediately commanded the group to move.

All officials rode in the wagons. Prisoners who could afford it rode as well; those who couldn’t ran alongside.

Now horses were more valuable than human life.

Those who had spent all their silver on water could barely afford to ride. Only a few could sit in the wagons. In the Shen family, only Grandmother Shen and Grandfather Shen rode; everyone else ran. The main branch, being the poorest, ran the most.

Some endured; some couldn’t. After another collapse, Shen Yuanyuan’s eyes grew wild as she watched wealthy riders clutching water sacks.

Her father was right: every man for himself. She didn’t want to suffer, and she was not wrong.

After running for an hour, the officials stopped the horses to rest.

Seizing the moment, Shen Yuanyuan quietly approached the wagon.

~

Shen Lanxi lifted her stick and stepped out of the wagon, mounted her horse, and rode toward Liu Laohu.

“I’m going ahead to scout the path!”

Liu Laohu looked at the stick in her hand and silently nodded.