EIP 58

Zhou Jun looked at the shattered inkstone, fully aware of how much force his older brother had used. What startled him even more were Zhou Yan’s words. What exactly was his sister-in-law doing, and how much did he know? Zhou Jun slowly exhaled, raising his chin as if doing so somehow gave him more confidence. “A few days ago, I saw sister-in-law feeding the pigeons in the courtyard.”

Zhou Yan slowly sat back down. Half of his face was hidden in the shadow cast by the bookshelves, making it impossible to see clearly. Zhou Jun stepped forward a few paces, his gaze fixed on his brother. He continued, “I think the people she used to associate with back in school are still in touch with her. You know about it, don’t you?” He chuckled bitterly, knowing his brother must be aware of it.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been caught so easily, especially since he had poisoned several of his sister-in-law’s messenger pigeons. Under his older brother’s stern gaze, Zhou Jun found a seat for himself and leisurely smoothed the creases in his clothes. “Sister-in-law wouldn’t contact those people without a reason. It must be something on your end, elder brother.”

Zhou Yan remained silent, and the room was as still as death. Zhou Jun pointed to the desk and said, “Last time, I saw military codes here. You’ve been in contact with the military. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve been collaborating with them.”

His elder brother sneered. “Didn’t I tell you before? Our Zhou family has always had no dealings with Yong Jin…”

Zhou Jun interrupted him. “The Yong family doesn’t only have Yong Jin. You know I’m not talking about him. The highest authority in this land doesn’t lie with Yong Jin. You’ve been working with Governor Yong, haven’t you?”

Zhou Yan slowly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then said, “So what if I have? So what if I haven’t? You don’t care about the family business, so why should you know so much?”

Zhou Jun suddenly stood up. “Why didn’t you tell me? You’ve been working with the Yong family, but does Yong Jin know about it?”

Zhou Yan slammed his hand on the table. The teacup rolled across the edge and crashed to the floor. His voice rose in fury, mixing with the sound of shattering porcelain. “Yong Jin, Yong Jin, it’s always him. That hypocrite. I don’t know what you’re obsessing over. So many good women, and yet you reject them. You insist on getting involved with a man.”

Zhou Jun’s face turned red with anger. “Why are you saying this about him? Does he know about the things between you and his father?”

Zhou Yan sneered several times. “Yeah, he doesn’t know. So what, now you’re going to go tell him? Of course you would. You’ve always been rebellious, never caring about this family. No matter how many times I’ve tried to talk to you, you never listen. So go ahead, ask him if he knows. You’ll find out if you ask.”

Zhou Jun’s forehead was throbbing with veins. If he went now, what good would it do? He had already separated from Yong Jin. Bringing up the matters between his father and his elder brother would only harm Yong Jin. What position did he have to speak on it? What if Yong Jin misunderstood? He needed answers, but he no longer dared to act recklessly.

Seeing that he remained silent, Zhou Yan laughed instead. “I know. He doesn’t want you anymore, and now you’re too scared to confront him.”

The words hit Zhou Jun like a dagger to the heart. They were painfully true, and there was no way to refute them. Frustrated, Zhou Jun threw something in anger and stared at his elder brother for a long moment before speaking. “Yeah, he doesn’t want me. But how much better are you? Maybe you should pay more attention to your wife, or else one day, she’ll really bring about your downfall, and I’ll be the one to clean up after you.”

Zhou Yan was so enraged by his brother’s words that his face turned pale. The word “you” was stuck in his throat, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Zhou Jun, intending to leave, suddenly heard a series of muffled thuds behind him. He assumed his elder brother was losing his temper again, but when he turned around, he was shocked to see Zhou Yan collapsed on the floor, face down. Zhou Jun’s expression turned pale with fear. “Elder brother.”

No one knew exactly what the two brothers had argued about inside, but the outcome was clear to all. The eldest son of the Zhou family was so enraged that he collapsed. The family doctor, Dr. Wu, who frequently came to check on them, said that Zhou Yan’s constitution was too weak. A moment of extreme anger had triggered a severe attack on his health. Zhou Yan lay on the sickbed, his face pale and drained of color, while Zhou Jun stood beside him, ashen and motionless. After writing out a prescription, Doctor Wu packed up his medical bag and prepared to leave.

Zhou Jun hurriedly chased after him. His voice was low as he asked about his elder brother’s condition, hoping for a clearer explanation. Doctor Wu, seeing the fear in Zhou Jun’s eyes and the redness in his nose sighed deeply. He spoke gently to comfort the second young master. “Second Young Master, you and I both know your elder brother’s health. He’s been sick since birth, and with his indulgence in opium, he’s worn his body down. I must speak frankly. If he doesn’t quit, next time it could be…”

The words struck Zhou Jun like a thunderclap. Anger flashed across his face. He was about to reprimand the doctor for speaking so bluntly, but before the fury could rise, he stifled it. In this moment, he couldn’t afford to act rashly or offend the doctor. He bowed respectfully, saw the doctor out, and returned to the room.

His sister-in-law sat silently by the bedside, her shoulders trembling slightly as she gazed at Zhou Yan’s unconscious form.

Zhou Jun felt the weight of his actions pressing down on him, guilt consuming his every thought. He knew he had messed up by causing a ruckus and making his older brother so angry that it led to his current condition. The feeling clung to him like a heavy chain, making him feel as though his head was being forced to the ground. Muttering something about going to buy medicine, he hurriedly exited the room.

As he walked through the courtyard, his sister-in-law’s voice called out to him. She stood at the steps, her eyes holding back tears. Just as Zhou Jun looked up, a sharp slap landed across his face. He didn’t flinch or avoid it, taking the blow fully. In that moment, he almost felt the slap wasn’t enough. He deserved worse for his rebellious ways.

Unexpectedly, after slapping him, his sister-in-law gave herself a slap as well. She then crouched down, covering her face as she sobbed. Zhou Jun stared at the top of her head, where a delicate orchid hairpin—a, gift from his brother during a business trip was still nestled in her hair. He thought, a man who clearly knows what his wife is doing but pretends not to, and a deeply loving wife who still holds steadfastly to her own beliefs.

No matter what he said, it wouldn’t help. This was something his elder brother and sister-in-law had to resolve themselves. So, in a low voice, he said to her, “Don’t hurt his feelings too much.” He didn’t even know if he was talking about himself or about his sister-in-law. Maybe both.

Zhou Jun left the Zhou family home, dazed and distracted, clutching a piece of paper with a prescription written on it. His eyes were fixed on it, but his thoughts had wandered far away.

The streets were unexpectedly crowded today, not just with pedestrians but also groups of soldiers marching in formation. Colorful flyers littered the ground, trampled and crumpled underfoot, while a faint sense of unrest and tension seemed to hang in the air. Zhou Jun pulled up the scarf around his neck, covering half of his face. He quickened his pace and hailed a rickshaw.

When he arrived at the pharmacy, Zhou Jun handed over the prescription for the herbs. As he went to settle the bill, he was shocked by the exorbitant price of the medicine. It was so high that he realized he hadn’t brought enough money to cover it. Usually, he only carried enough for entertainment and vices, such as cigarettes and alcohol. Now, searching his pockets and purse, he found he was still short.

This wasn’t a task meant for him. It was something the servant should have done. He just wanted to do something for his elder brother, but even this small task was too much for him. With no other choice, Zhou Jun told the clerk to leave out one packet of medicine. He asked casually, “Are medicines this expensive nowadays?”

The clerk sighed and replied, “Not really. It’s just that they say war is about to break out again. Everything is expensive now, and we have to find a way to make a living too.”