"Because you are a member of the Shen family!"
Shen Huaixu's voice was deep and powerful, each word seemingly squeezed out from his chest, carrying an undeniable weight.
He stood in front of Shen Jintang, his hands behind his back, his posture as upright as a drawn sword, his eyes filled with heavy worry, as if he were carrying a burden of a thousand pounds.
"You may not know this, but the Shen family has benefited from the kindness of the people for generations. Since the ancestors of the Shen family, they have taken it as their responsibility to serve the country and the people."
He paused, his voice tinged with a sense of vicissitude: "The Shen family members may become politicians in the imperial court, or they may ruthlessly vie for power and profit, but in the final analysis, they are doing it for the people. The glory of the Shen family is not built on power, but on the peace and trust of the people."
The candlelight in the room flickered, casting his long shadow on the wall, making it appear particularly heavy.
Shen Jintang's expression changed slightly, her eyes filled with struggle.
Shen Huaixu's gaze, however, was like a nail, piercing straight into her eyes, as if trying to see through her thoughts: "The Shen family can fight and scheme in the court, but all of this must never involve the common people. The common people are innocent; they only want to live a peaceful life, not be affected by the power struggles of the rich and powerful."
Shen Huaixu closed his eyes, recalling the scene from that day.
His proud father, who had been arrogant his whole life, never softened even when his most beloved son died in front of him.
But when he heard that countless people had died in the Yellow River floods, he bowed his head to him for the first time.
Shen Huaixu recalled the words his father had taught him when he was a child, and the countless ways his father had worked for the benefit of the people; those memories suddenly became clear.
"Jin Tang, this is the best way." He opened his eyes, his voice tinged with urgency. "Every day you hesitate, the people will suffer for another day; every moment you delay, more people will die."
Shen Jintang's face paled slightly. Shen Huaixu's words struck her heart like a heavy hammer.
She knew that having Grand Tutor Shen beat the drum to appeal for justice was indeed a good idea and would benefit the people.
But... did those who died because of Grand Tutor Shen die in vain?
Can Grand Tutor Shen's reputation be so easily cleared?
She gritted her teeth, her fingers gripping the teacup tightly until her knuckles turned white.
Seeing that she was somewhat swayed, Shen Huaixu quickly continued, "Although the Grand Tutor isn't all-powerful, he's still quite famous in the capital. His words carry a lot more weight. You just need to mention it to the Princess and ask her to mediate..."
"Bang!"
Shen Jintang slammed the teacup on the table, splashing tea all over it, the crisp sound echoing in the room.
She raised her head, her eyes filled with anger and resentment, staring straight at Shen Huaixu: "Just because he is Grand Tutor Shen, can those innocent lives be wiped away with a single stroke? Can those bloody facts be erased with a simple 'for the country and the people'?"
Shen Huaixu's expression darkened slightly, but quickly softened, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Jintang, you must understand that the lives of the people are more important than anything else. The reputation of the Shen family is a minor matter; the lives of the people are the most important. If we don't prioritize the greater good, what will happen to those affected by the disaster?"
The room was eerily quiet, with only the flickering candlelight casting the stubborn and contradictory shadows of the two people.
"Oh!"
Shen Jintang sneered, her gaze as sharp as a knife as she stared directly at Shen Huaixu: "Have you forgotten that I wish Grand Tutor Shen were dead? How could I possibly give him such an opportunity to go down in history?"
She leaned back slightly in her chair, her tone tinged with disdain: "You want me to persuade the Princess? Do you think I would risk offending the Crown Prince for the sake of the Shen family's reputation?"
Shen Huaixu's expression stiffened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.
His tone remained gentle, yet carried a hint of firmness: "Shen Jintang, we are both members of the Shen family, and we should prioritize the greater good. The plight of refugees concerns the lives of all people; how can we ignore it for our own selfish reasons?"
"The Shen family? The Shen family's glory? The Shen family's foundation?"
“Shen Huaixu, don’t forget, I have never felt any favor from the Shen family. Grand Tutor Shen tried to kill me time and time again, and I almost lost my life at his hands. The glory of the Shen family is nothing but a joke to me.”
Shen Huaixu was silent for a moment, then sighed softly, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes: "Shen Jintang, I know you resent your father, but this matter concerns the lives of all people and the future of the Shen family. If we can use this opportunity to restore the Shen family's prestige, wouldn't that be a good thing?"
Shen Jintang smiled slightly, a hint of mockery in her smile: "Shen Huaixu, you're always so high and mighty. Unfortunately, I'm not you, and I won't be swayed by these empty titles. The future of the Shen family is determined by the Shen family's fate. I only care about what I want to do."
She rose, her skirt brushing lightly against the floor with a soft rustling sound, and walked straight out of the hall.
"All I know is that Grand Tutor Shen wanted to kill me, and I almost died at his hands! I have never been a person who repays evil with kindness! He must receive the punishment he deserves!"
As Shen Huaixu watched her retreating figure, a complex emotion flashed between his brows, a mixture of helplessness and regret.
He knew Shen Jintang's personality well, but he still couldn't help wanting to try again.
Just as Shen Jintang was about to walk out the door, Shen Huaixu suddenly stood up, his voice carrying an undeniable urgency: "Shen Jintang!"
Shen Jintang stopped in her tracks, her body stiffening slightly, but she did not turn around.
Shen Huaixu's voice sounded from behind, tinged with coldness: "If you walk out of this door, from now on, the Shen family will have nothing to do with you anymore."
Shen Huaixu stared at her retreating figure, his gaze deep.
He was threatening her, but he didn't believe she would abandon the Shen family as her backing.
The protection of the Shen family is the source of her confidence in standing firm in the imperial court.
In the past, she was able to carry out her crimes in the Ministry of Revenue and question others in the imperial court, all thanks to the reputation of the Shen family and his status as the head of the family.
His colleagues in the court gave him face, and also because of the Shen family.
Without the Shen family, Shen Jintang is just an orphan with no background. How can she gain a foothold in the court?
Shen Jintang slowly turned around, her gaze calm as water, yet carrying a hint of coldness, and looked directly at Shen Huaixu.
When Shen Huaixu saw her turn around, he breathed a slight sigh of relief, thinking that she still cared about her future after all.
However, Shen Jintang only smiled lightly, a smile full of mockery: "Shen Huaixu, you've spent your whole life scheming. Scheming against others, and scheming against yourself."
She paused, her tone growing colder: "Now you just want to give Grand Tutor Shen a dignified end, and have me help you finish this last task so that his death has some value. How laughable!"
“You think I can’t live without the Shen family, but you’ve forgotten that my path, Shen Jintang’s path, has never been paved by the Shen family.”
Shen Jintang turned and left, his back view appearing particularly aloof in the interplay of light and shadow, leaving behind only a cold remark: "Shen Huaixu, give up, I won't help you."
The two parted on bad terms.
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