“Wenhe! You shut up.”
“Fine, this is what you said.”
Old Master Shen and Mrs. Shen spoke in unison.
Shen Wenhe glanced at his father, ignoring any attempts to stop him, and said firmly, “Yes, I said it.”
“Enough! Wenhe is my son. How can he leave empty-handed and sever ties with the family?” Old Master Shen shouted in protest.
“Father, it’s not me who wants him to leave empty-handed. It’s your good son who wants to sever ties,” Mrs. Shen said, seeing a chance to finally get rid of this thorn in her side, and she was happy to go along.
“If it weren’t for your mistreatment, why would he want to cut ties with the family? And now you still don’t even realize it,” Old Master Shen shouted angrily.
“Why should I reflect on anything? What did I do wrong? You yourself promised me in front of our parents that you would take a concubine, but what did you do? In just ten short years, you fell in love with someone else. And she’s a lowly maid, sneaking around in your study with you. Do you know how painful that was for me? I was pregnant at the time! I worked hard to bear your children, yet you told me you wanted to take that shameless woman as a concubine. Where did that leave me? Was your promise just empty words?” Mrs. Shen’s voice trembled as she recalled the bitterness of that time.
“Which man hasn’t had multiple wives? Why is it wrong when I do it? Yes, I once promised your father-in-law I would take a concubine, but that was under pressure from your family. Over all these years, I’ve only taken Wenhe’s mother as my concubine. If you think I didn’t know how much hardship you endured, think again. It wasn’t jealousy that caused Jinxiu to die young. And Wenhe—though he’s concubine-born, he’s still my son. How have you treated him all these years? Did you really think I knew nothing? What happened to Wenhe’s wet nurse? And the maid in his room?” Old Master Shen lost his composure and clashed with his wife.
“You? It was you all along? No wonder the wet nurse suddenly resigned. And that maid broke out in rashes and had to be sent away for treatment. So it was all you?” Mrs. Shen exclaimed, shocked.
“Of course it was me. If I weren’t vigilant, Wenhe would have long been ruined by you, that poisonous woman. How could he have survived otherwise?” Old Master Shen glared at his wife, full of contempt.
The couple dug into each other’s past mistakes, leaving Shen Wenbo and his brothers stunned.
They had thought the matter was just a simple property division, but now their parents were quarrelling. And the content of their quarrel was shocking even to the younger generation.
“Father, Mother, what are you talking about? Are we even discussing the property division now? Why bring up all this old nonsense?” Eldest son Shen Wenbo finally couldn’t hold back and stood up.
Old Master Shen and Mrs. Shen suddenly realized the children were still in the room and immediately stopped talking.
“Yes, yes, let’s talk about the property division now. Fourth son, if you think half a share is too little, then your three brothers can each give you a share,” Old Master Shen said, feeling that he and his wife had gone too far and hurriedly steering the topic back.
“Father, if the property is to be divided, it must be done fairly. Otherwise, I will leave empty-handed and sever ties. I know how much property there really is, and what you’re offering isn’t even a third,” Shen Wenhe insisted. He wanted a clean break, but he also knew that insisting on fairness would force someone to take responsibility.
“Fair division? Why? He’s a concubine-born son! Giving him half a share is already too much. And now he wants equal shares?” Mrs. Shen immediately objected.
She had tolerated Shen Wenhe all these years, thinking that a few ounces of silver would be enough to push him out. Now he even dared to demand equal treatment with her own sons—how could she agree?
“Wenhe, you…” Old Master Shen wanted to speak, but under Shen Wenhe’s unwavering gaze, he swallowed his words.
Shen Wenhe’s eyes were fixed on him. With everyone else, he didn’t care, but with his father, he still had some attachment.
Yet he also knew his father would ultimately compromise. Not for anyone else, but because while his father cared for him, he still prioritized Shen Wenbo and the other legitimate sons.
Seeing Shen Wenhe’s expression, Old Master Shen realized his son was determined to sever ties with the family.
He knew he had indeed treated this son unfairly, but there was little he could do. For the sake of family harmony, even if he knew Fourth Son’s life was difficult, he couldn’t intervene too much.
This also led to Shen Wenhe’s deep, complicated feelings toward his family—one could even call it a kind of resentment.
Suddenly, Old Master Shen felt there was nothing more to say. Since Wenhe wanted to leave empty-handed and sever ties, he might as well let him.
“Fine. If this is your determination, then so be it,” Old Master Shen said, feeling as if he had aged ten years in an instant.
Mrs. Shen and her children hadn’t expected him to agree to let Shen Wenhe leave empty-handed.
“Fourth Son, think carefully. Leaving empty-handed is not something to take lightly,” eldest son Shen Wenbo warned, even though he didn’t care much for his concubine-born brother.
“Yes, Fourth Son, don’t act impulsively.”
“The world outside isn’t easy. Think it through,” second and third sons added.
Shen Wenhe looked at their hypocritical faces and scoffed. “Fine. I want to leave empty-handed too. Since you all say that, what’s the difference if I get half a share? All the benefits go to you, and now you pretend to be generous. Ha!”
After Shen Wenhe spoke, Shen Wenbo and the others fell silent. They realized that him leaving empty-handed might actually benefit them.
“Fine, you said it. Don’t regret it later,” Shen Wenbo said, his expression hardening.
Mrs. Shen, realizing she couldn’t argue anymore, softened her tone and said to her husband, “Father, since Wenhe insists, let him have his way.”
“Very well, if that’s the case, so be it,” Old Master Shen said, feeling ten years older in an instant.
“Fourth Son, when will you move out? Don’t say I’m petty. There’s a small house on Changning Street. It’s not big, but it’s enough for you and your family. You can have it,” Mrs. Shen pretended to be generous.
“No need. I said I’ll leave empty-handed, and I mean it. Don’t worry about me trying to cling to this house. I’ll move out tomorrow,” Shen Wenhe said.