She pointed a finger at Zhao Yunfei’s nose, sharply rebuking, “Dun’er is a full sixteen years older than the eldest young lady of the Dingyuan Marquisate! He’s old enough to be her father!”
Her voice suddenly rose to a piercing pitch, vibrating the window frames, her chest heaving violently—clearly, she was furious.
Yes, she had thought about letting her son live a normal life, marry, and have children.
But it certainly wasn’t about finding a girl who hadn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony yet.
Moreover, a few years ago, the imperial physician had informed her that her son had congenital kidney deficiency and might face difficulty in continuing the family line.
Although she wanted a grandson, she didn’t dare act rashly, so she had kept the imperial physician tending to her son’s health.
Just moments ago, she had confirmed this matter once again with the physician.
Originally, after the recuperation, her son might still have had a chance to have descendants. But now, with his foundation damaged by that potent and harmful medicine, he would likely be unable to have children for the rest of his life.
Thinking of this, sorrow welled up within her. She took her sister-in-law’s hand and poured out her grief.
“If I had known it would come to this, I shouldn’t have brought Dun’er back today, letting him be harmed and causing the Yuchi family to be cut off from descendants… I’ve failed my husband…”
Zhao Yunfei, unable to bear such severe accusations, collapsed limply to the ground, fainting.
The Old Madam of the Weining Marquis Estate twisted her handkerchief, trembling all over, while the Old Marquis’s temples bulged with veins. They hadn’t expected things to escalate to such an irreparable point.
But in front of the Lady of Duke Lieguo, they naturally couldn’t place all the blame on their young granddaughter.
So they shifted all the fault onto Yan Mingyue, framing Zhao Yunfei’s actions as standing up for justice.
Yan Zhuxing and her companions returned to the Dingyuan Marquisate.
Wen Rushuang had initially intended to keep Yan Zhuxing behind for a talk, but considering that she likely wouldn’t tell her the truth, she didn’t bother putting herself in an awkward position and let her leave, keeping only her own daughter.
“Mingyue, tell Mother the truth. Does today’s incident with the heir of the Lieguo Duke’s Mansion have anything to do with you?”
Yan Mingyue hemmed and hawed, not daring to speak the truth.
Wen Rushuang’s face darkened as she pressed, “Your last act of taking matters into your own hands already caused the Marquis’s Mansion to lose face. If you stir up any more trouble, your father will definitely not forgive you. He might even send you to the family temple.”
Hearing this, Yan Mingyue panicked and hurriedly said, “Mother, I don’t want to go to the family temple.”
Going to the family temple would ruin her life.
“Then tell me the truth,” Wen Rushuang said, looking at her, her temples throbbing.
Yan Mingyue bit her lip and shifted all the blame onto others: “This idea wasn’t mine; it was Zhao Yunfei’s. She prepared everything and found the people.”
She spilled the entire story from start to finish like beans pouring from a bamboo tube.
“You fool, what good does it do us if she marries into the Lieguo Duke’s Mansion?” Wen Rushuang was so angry with her daughter that her head ached.
How had she never noticed before that her daughter was so foolish?
“She now hates our entire family intensely. If she marries into a higher status, she will definitely use her in-laws to deal with us. By then, we’ll be like the mute who eats bitter herbs—unable to voice our suffering.”
“If this matter is exposed, the Lieguo Duke’s Mansion and the Weining Marquis Estate are in-laws and might not turn against each other. Instead, both families might unite in hating ours.”
Hearing her mother’s analysis, Yan Mingyue felt a wave of fear.
She had been too impulsive.
“Mother,” she suddenly grabbed her mother’s wrist, “is there any room for turning things around now?”
Wen Rushuang pressed her trembling daughter’s hand and said word by word, “This matter can only be pinned on Yan Zhuxing.”
This matter was better handled sooner rather than later.
She decisively led Yan Mingyue and went to the Weining Marquis Estate again.
“What are they here for again?” Lady Qian, wife of Marquis Weining, was somewhat displeased and puzzled.
Her mother-in-law’s sixtieth birthday celebration had caused such a commotion, and her father-in-law and mother-in-law were furious. It even led to her daughter being confined in the ancestral hall.
Right now, she disliked the Dingyuan Marquisate family the most.
“They said they came to apologize and make amends,” the servant respectfully reported.
Madam Qian frowned slightly but eventually had the mother and daughter brought in.
“Sister Qian, I am truly sorry about what happened today,” Wen Rushuang lowered her posture and had the maid present the gifts of apology.
Madam Qian leisurely took a sip of tea, “Oh? What matter?”
“A disgrace to the family. My eldest daughter, ah, truly has no shame. She actually wanted to drug the Lieguo Duke’s Heir,” Wen Rushuang sighed.
Madam Qian’s hand holding the teacup paused, not understanding why she would take the blame for her own daughter.
“Some days ago, after she found out she wasn’t my biological child, she kept worrying we would abandon her. First, she made a scene at the Metropolitan Prefecture, and today she tried to climb the social ladder…” Wen Rushuang took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
Once she decided to abandon Yan Zhuxing, she had to reveal this matter.
“What? She’s not your biological daughter? Wasn’t it said they were twins back then?” Madam Qian was shocked, never expecting to hear such a secret.
After all, when the Dingyuan Marquisate brought back the second young lady, they had invited many noble families in the capital to a banquet.
“Mingyue was swapped by the midwife at birth. Later, my husband happened to encounter her while traveling and brought her back. But by then, we had already raised Xing’er for ten years and couldn’t bear to send her away. After all, the child is innocent,” Wen Rushuang twisted the truth.
She had repeated this story for so many years that she almost believed it herself.
The astonishment on Madam Qian’s face grew more apparent.
“But who would have thought that after Mingyue was found, she would target Mingyue at every turn. Last time, I couldn’t help but tell her the truth about her origins, and instead of being grateful, she resented us,” Wen Rushuang’s tears fell profusely.
Beside her, Yan Mingyue also began to sob softly.
Both mother and daughter had reddened eyes, looking utterly pitiful.
“Ah, you’ve truly suffered, sister. All these years, you’ve raised an ungrateful wretch,” Madam Qian comforted her while pondering the purpose of her words.
Wen Rushuang likely said all this to abandon the adopted daughter and protect her biological one.
Madam Qian understood clearly that since the incident happened in their estate and the drug was prepared by her daughter, they couldn’t escape responsibility.
But if someone else could take the blame, her daughter could walk away unscathed.
Seeing a hint of hesitation in her expression, Wen Rushuang reminded her, “Given her temperament, she definitely won’t let today’s matter rest. If we don’t announce it to the world beforehand, I’m afraid the reputations of both our families will suffer.”
Madam Qian also realized that Yan Zhuxing’s temperament was not one to be trifled with.
What ordinary girl would dare to sue at the Metropolitan Prefecture?
What if she refused to let this matter go and insisted on reporting it to the authorities for a thorough investigation?
By then, the Marquis Estate’s reputation would be completely ruined.
Just as she hesitated whether to cooperate with Wen Rushuang,
a maid hurried in, leaning close to whisper in her ear.
“The maid who led the heir over was found dead, at the bottom of the well.”
“What?” Madam Qian’s expression changed drastically.
That maid must have been killed by Yan Zhuxing.
If Prince Yong’an had done it, he would never have concealed it so clumsily.
A girl who dared to kill and dispose of a body even before her coming-of-age ceremony was certainly no ordinary person.
This girl must not be allowed to remain.
They had to strike first, pressing her into the dust so she could never oppose them again.