Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 161 Brothers Have a Big Argument
"I insulted her?" Shen Tu Zhuo was furious and ashamed. "We were of one mind, but I couldn't control my emotions. Does that mean I insulted her?"

"The court is employing all sorts of tactics against the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin. You are barely able to protect yourself, so what promises can you make to her? She has been keeping her chastity for me for three years, and she will be able to regain her freedom and sever all ties with the Shentu family, so she won't be implicated by those frame-ups. But if you insist on acting on your emotions, are you going to make this innocent person bear the risk of our revenge?"

“Yes, she remained chaste for you…” Shentu Zhuo was furious. “Wasn’t it your and Mother’s scheme that dragged her into this mess? Then you almost died on the battlefield and went missing, causing her to marry in your place and become a widow. Now you’re blaming me? It was clearly you who insulted her first!”

"How could I have known things would turn out this way!" Shen Tu Heng slammed his hand on the table. "No matter what, she's still your sister-in-law. Have you thought about how she'll cope with this?"

"Now you're trying to give her the title of elder sister-in-law? Didn't you say the eldest son of the Shentu family is dead? What connection does she have with you?" Enraged, Shentu Zhuo slammed his hand on the table. "Brother, I think you're not trying to persuade me to let her go, but rather to use the title of husband and wife to bind her! Do you think I can't see that you've developed feelings for her?"

"Shut up!" Shen Tu Zhuo roared. "At least I know what I'm doing. What about you? She's at a crucial time right now, trying to join the Chamber of Commerce and be selected as a royal merchant. Are you going to ruin her reputation at this time?!"

"Fine, you can righteously criticize me, but do you dare to ask her directly what she wants?" Just now, Tan Huai Ke was actually more carefree and proactive, but Shen Tu Zhuo knew that he had lost control and had no way to refute it, so he said, "You are her rightful husband, and your memorial tablet shows that you have performed the wedding ceremony with her. Why don't you go and show her your identity and openly protect her from the wind and rain?"

"I am but a wandering ghost; I will only bring her misfortune!"

“Brother, what are you afraid of? Are you afraid she’ll despise your burned face? Are you afraid she’ll blame you for making her a widow?” Shentu Zhuo stabbed him in the heart. “Or are you afraid that the great hero in her heart who risked his life to rush into the valley to rescue her will no longer exist, and that you’ve become a coward who lives a life of shame?”

"Shentu Zhuo, that's enough!"

“Brother, you have no idea how much she once admired you,” Shentu Zhuo said with self-deprecation. “On the night she performed the wedding ceremony with your memorial tablet, she recognized your halberd. She regarded you as her savior and was willing to become your widow. If she hadn’t thought you were already dead in battle, perhaps I wouldn’t have had a chance at all…”

Shen Tu Heng was suddenly stunned.

Only then did Shen Tu Zhuo finally reveal the inferiority complex he had buried deep in his heart: "Such a shrewd and insightful person is willing to guard your desolate little courtyard, but has never coveted your family property. She only wants five acres of land in the Shen Tu family to live on alone. Who do you think she is doing this for?"
“Brother, from childhood to adulthood, you have always been the one on whom the greatest hopes were placed. In terms of martial arts, I can't beat you. In terms of academics, the teacher said you are a great talent, while I only know how to use some petty tricks. Even I myself felt that there was nothing to compete for. I just wanted to follow behind you and be a playboy. You would restore the glory of the Shentu family. Who knew that everything would be destroyed in an instant?”

“Your memorial tablet brought her into the house. I thought the Tan family had ulterior motives, and I even considered asking her to ask for a divorce, but she refused. Even now, when she has almost broken free from the Tan family's control, she has never mentioned wanting a divorce from you.”

"Brother, do you know how insanely jealous I am?"

Shen Tu Heng was taken aback: "Xiao Zhuo..." Thinking of the suffering his mother, younger brother, and bride endured after his "death in battle," he felt extremely guilty.

Having said all that, Shen Tu Zhuo wasn't afraid of losing face even more: "You saved her twice when you were the masked man, and she still remembers you fondly. Brother, perhaps she truly admired you, but you must not waste her life."

Shen Tu Heng sighed: "I understand."

Shen Tu Zhuo retorted unwillingly, "If you dare not show her affection, you have no right to interfere with me."
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The two sat down and drank a cup of tea, finally calming their resentment.

Shentu Zhuo asked, "What brings you here?"

As the Crown Prince's messenger, Shen Tu Zhuo concealed his identity as a night watchman. His sudden appearance tonight was not to catch the uncle and sister-in-law in the act, but rather for another important matter. Shen Tu Heng put down his teacup: "The Crown Prince asked me to convey two messages. First, the Guangli Merchant Guild wants to take over the development of the western trade routes. This is an excellent opportunity for us, allowing us to seize a portion of the financial power from Qi Zhengchu, so we must make it happen. Yu Sufeng is adept at changing her stance depending on the wind; if we can get... cough, she to take over completely, it will be a huge boost for us."

Shen Tu Zhuo nodded: "I know, we're already thinking of a solution. What's the second thing?"

"The second thing is related to Ah Weng's wrongful conviction."

"Have you found evidence to exonerate Aweng?" Shentu Zhuo sat up straight. "So many years have passed, and those people have all risen to high positions by taking advantage of the situation. How could they possibly have left any evidence?"

“If it had been proven that my grandfather had colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country back then, the punishment would not have been so lenient. Therefore, the evidence used to frame him was untenable. His Majesty knew that my grandfather was just a scapegoat, but he could not withstand the condemnation of the officials and was eager to quell the border disputes, so he issued an edict of demotion for my grandfather,” Shen Tu Heng said. “However, the Crown Prince’s spies recently learned that when my grandfather went on a mission to the western border, he left behind five scrolls of documents, but when the documents were confiscated and searched, they could not be found and were reported lost.”

"So His Highness suspects that these five lost scrolls contain crucial information about the case from back then, and may very well be the real reason why my grandfather got himself into trouble?"

"exactly."

"How should we search for it? Are there any clues?"

“No.” Shen Tu Heng shook his head. “If it were that easy to find, it would have been unearthed back then. Moreover, we cannot determine the actual value of these bamboo slips. They may be evidence pointing to the leaders of the rebels, or they may be evidence that my grandfather hid himself. Whether it is a blessing or a curse remains to be seen.”

“It’s alright, it’s at least a direction.” Shen Tu Zhuo frowned and said, “I’ll search carefully in the Grand Herald’s Office later, maybe we missed something back then.”

"Yes, just do your best," Shen Tu Heng comforted. "The Crown Prince told us about this to remind us to be cautious. The deeper we investigate, the easier it is to fall into the enemy's trap."

"Don't worry, brother. I'm not as good as you when it comes to fighting, but when it comes to those underhanded tricks, you're not as good as me."

Shen Tu Heng picked up a sachet from the side of the table and said meaningfully, "I am indeed not as good as you."

Those were items Tan Huaike was wearing, containing spices she had blended herself, long-lasting, elegant, and refreshing. She must have accidentally dropped them during her moment of passion.

Snatching the sachet from his fingertips, Shentu Zhuo touched his nose: "Ah, thank you, brother."

Shen Tu Heng left with his lantern: "Why are you thanking me? Do you think I can't see through your intentions? Don't think that I'll soften and give up just because you're showing weakness to me. The outcome is still undecided. Since I have the upper hand, why should I give in?"

Shentu Zhuo: "..."

A few days later, Aisha was the first to make a move.

Through the introduction of the Guangli Chamber of Commerce, this envoy from Mohe placed a large order with the Wangchen Fragrance Shop.
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Next chapter: What is her background? How does she possess such abilities?