Chapter 9

Shen Yu’s eyes stung with tears as she stared at Shen Zhao intently.

Shen Zhao looked at her and understood her reluctance from her eyes. He comforted her, “Nothing will happen. Your brother is invincible in battle. Come on, give me a smile.”

Shen Yu pursed her lips and tried to force a smile, but it turned out more awkward than crying.

“Forget it, don’t force yourself to smile,” Shen Zhao reached out to pull her up, “Kneel for a while and then get up. Dad won’t know anyway.”

Shen Yu shook her head, pushing away his arm and continued to kneel, “When are we leaving?”

“In a couple of days,” Shen Zhao smiled and said, “It’s all because you poisoned us. I still feel weak, how am I supposed to ride a horse now?”

Shen Yu sniffed, “You’re so weak, no wonder you haven’t found a wife yet.”

“Tsk.” Shen Zhao pretended to hit her but just pinched her cheek. “Is it because I can’t find one? I’ve been too busy to look.”

“Nonsense,” Shen Yu pulled his hand away, “The third daughter of Minister Yu likes you, I know.”

Shen Zhao scolded, “Don’t tarnish her reputation.”

Shen Yu shifted her knees. The floor was hard, and without a cushion, kneeling was quite painful.

“It’s true, don’t think I don’t know. She sent some snacks, and you directly returned them. Then you sneaked a peek at her. Aren’t you being difficult?”

“You don’t understand.”

Shen Zhao sat down on the floor and pulled her to sit beside him. “Look, like Dad, only coming back once a year. Do you think Mother has no complaints? I don’t want to delay someone else’s daughter.”

“Maybe she’s willing to be delayed by you.”

Shen Yu glanced at him, unable to describe her current feelings, feeling like her heart was being suffocated by something, with no room to breathe.

She remembered the third daughter of Minister Yu was named Yu Wanqiu. When she got married, Yu Wanqiu had come to do her makeup and shed tears at her wedding.

They understood each other without many words spoken, both aware of the reason behind those tears.

At least until her death, Yu Wanqiu hadn’t gotten married yet, making her one year older than Shen Yu.

“Miss Yu is very nice. I want her to be my sister-in-law.”

“I know,” Shen Zhao said.

Shen Yu grabbed Shen Zhao’s hand. “This time, let’s go to battle together, come back together, and then you can go find her.”

Shen Zhao’s eyes flickered slightly as he turned to look at her, a gentle smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Okay.”

Shen Zhao stood up and walked away.

“Brother,” Shen Yu called out.

Shen Zhao turned back, “What is it?”

Shen Yu mustered her courage. “Do you believe people can be reborn?”

Shen Zhao furrowed his brow. “Reborn?”

“Yeah,” Shen Yu nodded. “It’s like feeling as if you’ve lived another life and have a chance to make up for past regrets.”

Shen Zhao walked over and crouched in front of her, touching her forehead. “Were you delirious a few days ago? What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Don’t you believe it?” Shen Yu asked hopefully.

“I do,” Shen Zhao smiled. “Why wouldn’t I? Alright, stop overthinking.”

Shen Yu’s heart sank. Indeed, no one would believe such absurd things. Shen Zhao said he believed it, but his eyes told a different story.

Shen Yu knelt until the sun set. The maidservant only came in to light the lamps and brought in food. She set up a small table in front of Shen Yu.

“The General said that kneeling in the dark would be invisible to the ancestors, so you don’t have to kneel, but you still have to during the day tomorrow.”

This was indeed something Shen Zhong’an would say. Clearly worried about kneeling in the cold night, he found a nonsensical excuse.

Sitting on the floor, Shen Yu slowly stretched out her legs. A tingling and stabbing sensation spread from her knees, making her unable to move for a while.

“Are my father and brother feeling better?”

The maid replied, “They are better, but they still need a couple of days to rest.”

Shen Yu nodded and took the chopsticks to eat.

She spent the night in the ancestral hall and was only released the next day when it turned dark.

Lu Yao and Hongqiao came to fetch her. Shen Yu couldn’t even stand up properly, so they had to support her on either side and bring her back, boiling medicinal soup and applying hot compresses for her.

Lifting her pants, her knees were swollen and bruised, some areas even showing signs of bruising.

Lu Yao couldn’t help but complain with red eyes, “The General is really heartless. You’ve knelt to this extent, and you’re still required to kneel tomorrow in daylight.”

Shen Yu gritted her teeth in pain. “Stop cursing me, will you? My legs won’t be ruined.”

Hongqiao scolded, “Who else can you blame? Miss, you drugged three people, including yourself, and then got punished to kneel.”

“You’re getting bold, huh—”

Hongqiao pressed the hot towel onto her leg, causing Shen Yu to scream in pain before she could say anything else.

The hot towel soaked with medicine pressed against her legs felt unbearable—itchy, painful, and prickling.

Shen Yu clenched the blanket and endured it for a while before speaking up, “You should have told me in advance.”

“It would still hurt whether you knew in advance or not.”

Both maids were chosen by herself and had been with her for many years. She never treated them as servants, fostering a familiar atmosphere.

“Is my father setting off tomorrow morning?”

“It’s the day after tomorrow,” Hongqiao said.

Shen Yu was puzzled. “So late?”

Lu Yao took the towel handed over by Lu Yao. “The Emperor dispatched another two thousand elite cavalry. The General has already ordered the main army to withdraw first, and they can catch up later.”

Shen Yu nodded. “That makes sense.”

After the leg treatment, Shen Yu instructed the two to pack up for her while she sat on the couch, directing them.

“We don’t need this,” she pointed at some items. “It’s almost snowing outside the Yanliang Pass in October.”

“Nor this,” she continued, “This fabric is expensive. Just bring a simple cloak, durable and easy to clean.”

The two maids arranged things for her, and after everything was done, they helped her lie down before leaving.

Once they left, Lu Yao whispered, “I didn’t dare say a word just now, afraid of letting slip. Would Miss kill me if she found out?”

Lu Yao was straightforward and stuttered when she lied.

Hongqiao said, “Hold it for now. If you dare to tell her, the General will kill you when he comes back.”

Lu Yao shrank her neck. “Preserving my life is more important.”

Shen Yu lay in bed all day and could barely get up and walk the next afternoon.

She would leave the capital tomorrow, and she couldn’t afford to slow them down with her current condition. She had to get up and move to recover.

As she walked around the room, she heard a commotion outside the courtyard.