He only let go because you promised to care for Ji Ge and Xiang Jie!
Have you forgotten that promise?”
Brotherly bonds, once buried beneath self-interest, could easily be ignored.
Until they were spoken aloud.
Uncle Shen’s mind flashed back to that memory.
His younger brother, lying broken, barely breathing, eyes filled with pain.
Yet when he saw his elder brother, he relaxed, relief washing over his bloodied face.
“A…Brother…”
And then—he breathed his last.
Uncle Shen felt his throat tighten.
His hand instinctively wiped the corner of his eye, before heaving a long, heavy sigh.
“I have wronged you all…”
With those words, Shen Miao had won.
This visit was not just to expose the truth—
It was to clear Ji Ge’s name and set boundaries.
The Song Dynasty placed great importance on moral character and reputation.
If she had resorted to shameless brawling, she would have ruined her own standing, giving Uncle Shen and his wife an excuse to dismiss her.
But she had carefully pushed him into a moral trap, forcing him to admit his own guilt.
Her tears stopped almost immediately.
Shen Miao swiftly changed her expression, smiling politely as she turned to Ding Shi:
“Aunt, you’re absolutely right—every family has its disagreements. Teeth bite the tongue from time to time, but once we speak openly, misunderstandings dissolve. Let’s go inside and catch up properly.”
She then turned to the onlookers, offering a graceful bow:
“I have been married far away for too long and haven’t seen my uncle and aunt in years. I was overwhelmed by emotions earlier—thank you for your patience. This is a private family matter, so please, everyone, return to your day.”
With Shen Miao politely dismissing them, the gathered crowd slowly dispersed.
Uncle Shen visibly relaxed, collapsing onto his rocking chair with exhaustion.
Ding Shi, however, was still fuming, but there was nothing more she could say.
Their late younger brother had been brought up.
In Chinese tradition, the dead must be respected.
To argue against it now would make her look heartless and cruel.
But as she stared Shen Miao up and down, her expression shifted from anger to suspicion.
What on earth happened to this girl?
The timid, obedient niece from three years ago had vanished.
Now, she was sharp-witted, eloquent, and utterly fearless.
Her words were knives.
Her face changed expressions as quickly as flipping a book.
Ding Shi couldn’t help but snort coldly, twisting her thick waist as she stormed into the back hall.
Uncle Shen hesitated for a moment, then sighed, rubbing his still-reddened eyes.
“Come in and sit.”
“Alright.”
Shen Miao glanced at him, then took Ji Ge’s hand and gently wiped away Xiang Jie’s tears.
With the two reluctant children in tow, she followed them inside.
Start with an aggressive, public confrontation – Expose the injustice, gather sympathy, and ensure their wrongdoing is undeniable.
Force Uncle Shen into emotional guilt – Remind him of his dead brother’s final request.
Avoid losing control – Never resort to shameless brawling—maintain dignity.
Transition to reconciliation – Appear graceful and forgiving, making them owe her a favor.
Control the narrative – End on her terms, ensuring Ji Ge’s reputation remains untarnished.
This wasn’t just an argument.
It was a masterful negotiation.
Uncle Shen’s back courtyard was far more spacious than Shen Miao’s tiny shop.
It was a proper siheyuan (quadrangle courtyard), with:
Three main rooms.
Four side rooms.
Two opposite-facing rooms.
Altogether, nine rooms enclosed a central courtyard.
The courtyard itself was tastefully arranged—along the corridor stood a polished stone table, displaying various potted plants: pine, bamboo, plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, and orchids—all meticulously arranged.
At the center was a bamboo table and chair set, and in one corner, there was a well.
Shen Miao peered inside, spotting several cucumbers floating in the water—clearly, Uncle Shen was living quite comfortably.
The group sat around the bamboo table, Shen Miao holding Xiang Jie close, gently wiping away her lingering tears with a handkerchief.
Meanwhile, Ji Ge refused to sit, standing rigidly behind Shen Miao, his face cold and tense.
Shen Miao remained silent, allowing the awkward silence to stretch.
Her silence unsettled both Uncle Shen and Ding Shi, until finally, Ding Shi crossed her arms and coldly broke the tension:
“Well, niece, you’ve traveled all this way. Are you here to take these two children back to Jinling? If so, then just take them!
I’ve raised them for three years, yet no matter how I handled them, I was always wrong—too strict, and you’re unhappy; too lenient, and you accuse me of negligence!”
Shen Miao shook her head:
“The eldest sister is like a mother. As Aunt said, I am indeed here to take Ji Ge and Xiang Jie back to raise them myself. However, I won’t be returning to Jinling.
I’ve decided to stay in Bianjing and reopen my father’s soup pancake shop.”
Ding Shi’s brows furrowed, and she bluntly asked:
“So… you got your mother-in-law to dismiss you?”
Shen Miao stiffened slightly—this aunt, despite her cold and selfish nature, was surprisingly sharp-witted, immediately guessing the truth.
Seeing Shen Miao remain silent, Ding Shi snorted in disdain:
“Back when the Rong family came to propose marriage, I never liked that Rong matriarch. What a ridiculous woman—every word out of her mouth was ‘my son this, my son that.’
Hah! And what was he? Just a mere tongsheng (a scholar who hadn’t even passed the county-level exams). She talked as if he would become a juren (a scholar who passed the provincial exam) tomorrow!
And that Rong Dalang—oily hair, powdered face—disgusting! How did you even take a liking to him? That whole family was penniless, yet still full of airs!
I hated everything about them, but your parents acted like they had been drugged, convinced that Rong Dalang would become successful! And now? Look what happened!
They pushed their own daughter into a fire pit! Hmph! Let me tell you, these so-called scholars and xiucai (county-level scholars) are all useless! Most of them are nothing but heartless bastards—what good are they?”
Uncle Shen coughed in disapproval—after all, he considered himself a scholarly man.
But Ding Shi ignored him and continued mocking: “Look at my four daughters! I arranged every single marriage myself.My second daughter married a silk shop owner’s son. My third daughter married a military officer.
My fourth daughter married a decent neighborhood lad. I only care about two things—wealth and character. All that flowery talk about love and ambition means nothing. A good marriage means a dependable husband and a harmonious in-law family.”
Hah… she’s actually quite clear-headed.
Shen Miao suddenly had a shred of admiration for Ding Shi.
Still, this woman had an unbelievably sharp tongue—if Shen Miao had still been the timid, naive girl from before, she would have been utterly humiliated by now.
Shen Miao sighed dramatically, pretending to look deeply regretful.
“Aunt, I never understood these things before. But after suffering through so much, I finally do.”
Her melancholy act was convincing enough to quell Ding Shi’s suspicion about her sudden transformation.
Ding Shi raised an eyebrow: “How did they dare dismiss you? You should have written home!
If it came to that, your uncle could have gone to Jinling to stand up for you!”
Ji Ge rolled his eyes—Aunt always talked big.
If Shen Miao had actually written home, Uncle Shen would have delayed for months before bothering to lift a finger.
But Shen Miao simply smiled: “I appreciate Aunt’s kind offer. But truthfully, I was already sick of that family.
And with our home in ruins, I might as well stay and rebuild our household—at least until Ji Ge comes of age.”
Now, the real reason for her visit was about to surface.
Ding Shi immediately caught on, glancing at Uncle Shen, before asking directly:
“So why have you come today?”
Shen Miao saw that it was time to get to the point—so she spared no words.
She glanced from Ding Shi to Uncle Shen, then spoke clearly: “Since I’ve returned, Ji Ge and Xiang Jie no longer need to trouble Uncle and Aunt. Which means—it’s time for Aunt to return our family’s land and house deeds to Ji Ge.”
With this bold and direct statement, the discussion had officially entered its most crucial phase.
Shen Miao was not just here to take back her siblings.
She was here to reclaim everything that belonged to them.
Test the Waters – Let Ding Shi and Uncle Shen talk first, revealing their biases and attitudes.
Feign Submission – Make Ding Shi believe Shen Miao had been humbled, reducing suspicion.
Control the Narrative – Turn the conversation from the past to the present, positioning herself as the logical caretaker of Ji Ge and Xiang Jie.
Time the Attack – Only after confirming their attitude did she drop the real request—the return of her father’s property.
This wasn’t just a demand.
It was a calculated move.
Would they return it willingly?
Or would the battle truly begin?