Chapter 492: I have come for the future of your family

Blue-tiled roofs and elegant halls; vermilion-painted gates gleaming faintly beneath the fading daylight. Smooth flagstones paved the courtyard, and the entire residence carried an imposing, dignified air.

The ridges of the roof arched upward at both ends, their graceful curves resembling wings poised to take flight. From a distance, the silhouette almost looked like a phoenix rising from flames, ready to soar into the sky.

Above the vermilion gate hung a large plaque, crafted in imitation of the imperial examination proclamation. The characters engraved upon it were bold and powerful:

“Zhuangyuan and First Scholar.”

Even a casual glance revealed the pride and prestige contained within those four characters.

“Second brother’s house is truly impressive…”

Old Master Zhu stopped before the gate and tilted his head upward, staring at the residence for a long while. Only after several moments did he sigh softly and utter those words.

There was a complicated emotion behind the remark.

Perhaps the sight of the grand home stirred memories of the past—memories of decisions made long ago, and of how things had once been.

Eldest Uncle Zhu Shouren had once sighed in admiration at this very gate as well.

But today, standing here again, he felt none of that earlier sentiment.

Instead, a different thought stirred quietly within him.

As long as today’s matter succeeds…

I will never again have to stand here looking up like this.

He straightened his clothes carefully, smoothing the front of his scholar’s robe. Then he stepped forward and pushed open the vermilion gate.

“Eh? Grandpa… Grandma… you… you’re here?”

In the courtyard, Juan’er—the wife of Zhu Pingchuan—was crouched beside a small stove, boiling medicinal herbs for Madam Chen.

Hearing the creak of the gate, she instinctively looked up.

The moment she saw Old Master Zhu and Zhu Shouren leading the others inside, surprise flashed across her face.

Didn’t they just leave after the wedding banquet?

Why have they come back again so soon?

“Why? Are we not allowed to come?” the eldest aunt asked sharply, her tone tinged with accusation.

“No, of course not,” Juan’er replied quickly with a polite smile, shaking her head.

But inwardly, she felt quite the opposite.

Truth be told, she had little fondness for the eldest uncle’s family.

Every time they visited, trouble seemed to follow. Either they came asking to borrow money, or some other troublesome request would arise. And no matter the situation, they always carried themselves with an air of entitlement—as though everything they asked for was perfectly reasonable.

Worse still—

Whenever they borrowed money, they never paid it back.

Not once.

“Sister-in-law, we came to help clean up,” Zhu Pingjun’s wife said cheerfully, rolling up her sleeves as if preparing to start work immediately.

“Oh, thank you so much,” Juan’er replied with a bright smile. “At crucial moments, it really does take family to lend a hand.”

She tossed another piece of firewood into the stove beneath the medicine pot and glanced up again.

“But everything has already been cleaned up. You’ve made the trip for nothing.”

As she spoke the words “family” and “already cleaned up,” however, she couldn’t help rolling her eyes internally.

When the banquet ended earlier, you all ran home faster than anyone else.

It was obvious you were avoiding the cleanup.

Now that everything’s finished, you come strolling back pretending to help?

Who would believe that?

“Ah—what terrible timing…” Zhu Pingjun’s wife exclaimed dramatically, drawing out her words as though she had just missed a prize worth millions.

“Yes, it’s such a pity you made the trip,” Juan’er replied with a nod and a pleasant smile.

“So everything’s already finished… I see.”

Zhu Shouren nodded thoughtfully.

“Well, since we’re already here, we might as well find your father and have a word.”

With that, he casually walked toward the main hall of the house as if it were his own home, showing not the slightest trace of restraint.

Juan’er felt her heart skip uneasily at the sight.

Quickly, she added another piece of firewood beneath the medicine pot before standing up.

“I’ll go pour some tea for everyone,” she said, walking briskly toward the house.

The reason her heart had jumped was simple.

Zhu Shouren had said he wanted to talk to Zhu Ping’an’s father.

In the past, whenever Zhu Shouren came here asking for money or causing trouble, Madam Chen would inevitably stop him cold. Every attempt would end in failure.

But whenever he managed to succeed, it was always because he avoided Madam Chen and worked directly on Zhu Ping’an’s father instead.

Zhu Shouren was very skilled at this.

He would talk about brotherly loyalty, about family responsibility, or he would invoke Old Master Zhu’s authority—pressing Zhu Ping’an’s father step by step until he gave in.

And so, the moment Juan’er heard he wanted to speak to Zhu Ping’an’s father, alarm bells rang in her mind.

She hurried ahead, raising her voice deliberately.

“Father! Grandpa and Grandma—and Eldest Uncle—are here to see you!”

Then, after calling out to Zhu Ping’an’s father, she raised her voice even louder.

“Mother! Eldest Aunt and the others have come!”

Madam Chen’s health was not good at the moment.

But if Zhu Shouren managed to borrow money—or extract something—from Zhu Ping’an’s father again without her knowing…

Her condition would only worsen.

“Cough… cough… there’s no need to trouble the second brother’s household,” Zhu Shouren said awkwardly, his old face flushing slightly.

“Eldest Uncle, why be so polite? We’re all family,” Juan’er replied reassuringly.

“Besides, Mother hasn’t been feeling well recently. It’ll do her good to have Eldest Aunt and the others chat with her for a while.”

As she spoke, she raised her voice again, calling loudly for Zhu Ping’an’s father and Madam Chen.

Afterward, she used the excuse of fetching tea leaves and slipped directly into the room where Madam Chen was resting.

Zhu Shouren’s expression froze slightly.

A short while later, everyone gathered in the front hall of the main house.

Juan’er placed a cup of hot tea before each person on the table.

Soon afterward, Zhu Ping’an’s father and Madam Chen entered the room.

Madam Chen moved slowly, supported slightly by Juan’er, yet her posture remained composed and dignified.

As soon as she stepped inside, her sharp eyes swept across everyone present.

“Juan’er,” she said calmly, “later go to the storeroom and fetch a bolt of cloth for Father and Mother. The weather will soon grow warm—let them take it back and make new clothes.”

“Alright, Mother,” Juan’er answered loudly as she helped Madam Chen sit down.

Hearing this, Old Master Zhu’s wrinkled face immediately brightened with a smile.

“No need, no need,” he said quickly, waving his hands. “There are still two bolts left from the last time you sent some—”

Before he could finish speaking, Old Madam Zhu suddenly pinched him hard on the arm.

“Ah!” Old Master Zhu yelped in pain, completely unprepared for the attack.

The interruption was rather conspicuous.

Madam Chen glanced at them briefly but said nothing.

Zhu Ping’an’s father, seated beside her, flushed faintly with embarrassment at the scene.

“Father,” he asked after Old Master Zhu finished rubbing his arm, “did you come today for something in particular?”

Old Master Zhu turned toward Zhu Shouren.

“Eldest son, you explain it.”

Zhu Shouren cleared his throat slightly.

“I came today, Second Brother… because it concerns the future of your household.”

He stopped speaking there.

Then he deliberately lifted his teacup and took a slow sip, raising his eyes to look meaningfully at Zhu Ping’an’s father and Madam Chen.

The pause felt theatrical—almost like the opening line of a wandering persuader from ancient times.

“General, your life hangs by a thread, yet you do not realize it. I have come here precisely to save you.”

“My household’s future?” Zhu Ping’an’s father asked, momentarily puzzled by the dramatic declaration.

“Since the examination is approaching,” Madam Chen said coolly, lifting her gaze toward Zhu Shouren, “Eldest Brother should focus on studying and preparing.”

“There’s no need to trouble yourself with our family’s affairs.”

Her voice carried a faint note of sarcasm.

“After all, if our trivial matters delay your glorious success on the imperial list, we wouldn’t dare bear such a crime.”

She made little effort to hide her disdain.

Madam Chen had always disliked Zhu Shouren deeply.

Simply seeing him made her feel uncomfortable.

Every time she looked at him, she was reminded of that old incident—

The time he borrowed money from loan sharks in Zhu Ping’an’s father’s name, leaving Zhu Ping’an’s father nearly beaten crippled by debt collectors.

If not for the fact that Zhu Ping’an’s father still cared about brotherly ties, Madam Chen would have cursed Zhu Shouren out every single time she saw him.

From that day until now, Zhu Shouren had never once offered an apology.

He behaved as though nothing had ever happened.

He showed no regard whatsoever for brotherly affection.

Yet whenever he needed money or help, he would suddenly begin speaking of brotherly bonds and family duty.

People like him truly had thick skin.

He had taken others’ tolerance and turned it into the very foundation of his shamelessness.