Chapter 562: Chapter 551: I’ve Been Waiting a Long Time for Your Disgrace
Chun Yun seemed not to hear the conversation of the others. She knelt down respectfully.
"Sir, there might be a misunderstanding in this matter."
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xue furrowed her brows, "How could there be a misunderstanding? Sister, you are just too kind-hearted. You need to see clearly—he keeps a concubine right under your nose! You don’t even know whether the person by his side is human or a ghost."
"You may not know this, but my cousin was engaged to Shen Wei. While Shen Wei intended to marry you by exploiting you, he also couldn’t bear to part with my cousin, thus he hid the person in the second house of the Shen Family!"
"Our family’s head is kind and benevolent, how could he possibly do such a wrong thing?"
"I don’t believe it."
Chun Yun still looked gentle and delicate, her eyes shining as she gazed at Shen He Wen.
"Younger brother. For everything you’ve done previously, your elder brother has taken the blame. But this time, he can’t continue to bear the dishonor for your actions."
Shen Zhi also showed a stern face: "Second Uncle, you use Daddy’s name to keep a concubine at home, merely trying to deceive Second Aunt. Nephew thinks that this is really inappropriate."
"Over the years, the main house has supported the second house a lot. Just because of the phrase ’blood is thicker than water,’ you shouldn’t drag my father into this mess."
Shen Wei was thinking about countermeasures all the way, but unexpectedly, he didn’t need to speak, as the mother and son trusted him like this.
His eyes flashed, and he just coughed lightly.
This is an acknowledgment.
"I’ve always taught you not to always think of escaping when you encounter problems. This time, your brother can’t help you either."
Shen He Wen: "???"
So, does Shen Wei want him to take the blame alone?
Really great!
He gritted his teeth.
But he had already angered Shen Wei, and he still wanted to rely on him in the future, so he had to swallow this bitter pill.
He held his anger back and said word by word.
"It was my mistake."
The outside folks, they all believed it.
"I knew it, how could Old Master Shen possibly be that kind of hypocrite."
"This Shen He Wen really is no good."
County Magistrate Liu sneered inwardly upon seeing this.
"Where is Xue Mouyan?"
Bailiff: "Replying to your honor, when we went there, there was no such person in the second house."
Shen Zhushi’s hands trembled under her sleeves, but she heard Shen He Wen, who still had his senses, say very calmly: "She has followed me for many years, yearning for her parents. Over the years, she has also consistently sent money home for elderly care. Considering she has no merits but has had hardships, I let her go home to stay for a few days."
Saying this, he stared straight at Mr. and Mrs. Xue.
"You Xue family people are so capable, banding together to purposefully create this drama. You can’t possibly take the silver and not be satisfied, trying to set me up and extort more money."
"I still have the contract where your family sold the daughter for glory. Initially, I didn’t force her, and since she’s my person, she doesn’t carry the Xue surname. How could you still claim her from me now?"
With his shameless mouth, it turns out accusing the Xue family of suing was to extort money from him.
Chun Yun and Shen Zhi were not surprised. They had anticipated such a situation. Both were patient, but County Magistrate Liu was not so patient.
This matter! Can’t be messed up under his watch.
Mr. Xue timidly said: "You... don’t slander people without evidence."
The more he did so, the calmer Shen He Wen became.
Shen Wei suppressed the gloom in his eyes, his complexion pale, looking as if he was seriously ill: "Just say how much money you want, why go through such a convoluted route?"
Saying this, he sighed lightly, like once again the good elder brother settling issues for his younger brother.
"I’ll decide on this matter, and let it pass."
Mother Xue didn’t expect that the Shen family would still offer money. Just as she felt delighted, she heard Mrs. Xue coldly say.
"You’ve got your eyes on the money."
Xue Dan unexpectedly said, "Let it pass? How can it pass, using money to dismiss who? Your Shen family’s mouth is very sharp, twisting words to make us out to be the thieves crying ’stop thief’."
Mrs. Xue didn’t want to listen to this.
"My family’s business is none of your concern!"
"We, husband and wife, never thought of suing."
"Shut your mouth!" County Magistrate Liu stood up and said coldly.
"What do you think the government office is? A place where you can come and go as you please? Bribing in front of me, Shen Wei, you really have the gall!"
’Thud!’
’Thud, thud!’
The sound of drumming came from outside the door again.
Soon, someone was brought inside.
As soon as he entered, he knelt down abruptly.
"My lord, I have come to confess of my own accord."
Hearing the familiar voice, Shen Wei felt a sense of loss of control and suddenly looked up.
The merchant trembled, not waiting for County Magistrate Liu to ask him anything, he rattled off his confession: "I trade in spices, and I have a formula that produces the most exquisite fragrance. However, it’s extremely expensive, and over the years, only a few households could afford it."
"But I only just found out that, though the spice is good, if used improperly, it can be deadly!"
"Yesterday, I heard that the Shen Family had urgently summoned numerous doctors well into the night, and I’ve been uneasy, fearing that Miss Shen, with the use of the spices, harmed her health. I am ashamed."
’Snap’, the folding fan in Chun Yun’s hand fell to the ground.
"Poisonous?"
The merchant heard the noise and looked over, seemingly noticing Shen Wei for the first time.
"Brother Shen, why are you here too?"
"Yes, yes, look at my memory. I learned of this half a month ago and had someone mention it to you. How’s your little girl doing since yesterday?"
The gentleness on Chun Yun’s face withdrew: "Shen Wei, what is going on here!"
Shen Zhi hurried to support her: "It must be this man’s memory playing tricks, how could it be half a month ago when just a few days ago Daddy instructed Yangyang to continue using the spice. Don’t spoil his good intentions. Daddy could never intentionally harm Yangyang."
The merchant internally cursed, but right now he very cooperatively opened his mouth to say: "No no, continuing to use this fragrance is harmless as long as the prescription is changed to avoid conflicts. I’ve already mentioned this to Brother Shen, he didn’t change it?"
Shen Wei: "???"
The merchant glanced at Shen Zhi, then back at Shen Wei, and realized: "Could it be?"
"It seems, Brother Shen, you are here to confess as well."
Just then, a scream came from outside.
"Who dumped a corpse at the government office’s entrance!"
A piercing outcry tore through the skies.
The crowd watching the drama all scattered, terrified beyond belief.
At the government office entrance, at some unknown time, there appeared a damp straw mat with a body lying on top, the face covered with layers of silk paper, making it impossible to discern. But the condition of death was horrific, the body severely swollen.
Shen He Wen broke out in a cold sweat.
She clearly dumped the body into the moat, tied a stone around the waist, and personally watched it sink down.
How is this possible?
Shen Zhushi’s pupils sharply constricted. Shen Zhi was already standing behind her without her knowledge.
He spoke softly.
"Second Aunt, look, Xue Mouyan has come to find you."
Being selfish already, her tense nerves completely snapped.
She screamed: "Xue Mouyan, that’s Xue Mouyan!"
She grabbed Shen He Wen, who warned her: "You and your brother did this together."
"Don’t speak nonsense!"
"Nonsense? You brothers are two of a kind, he keeps a concubine, and you also sneak around behind people’s backs, don’t you?"
"You killed people with your own hands, dumped the body yourself. Horrific beyond measure. And what about him, thriving off his wife’s endeavors, yet he even schemes against his own daughter! I bet from the beginning this spice was his plot, all for the embroidery workshop. Even sister-in-law was fooled, still foolishly trusting him, just like how you and Shen Zhi were speaking up for him just now! Utterly foolish!"
"My lord, I am a witness, I saw it with my own eyes."
Shen Wei unconsciously tried to stand up, but his legs failed him, and he collapsed to the ground.
He wanted to say something, but was met with Chun Yun’s indifferent and mocking gaze.
In the midst of chaos.
That mother and son duo remained very quiet.
They instigated the current situation, yet from the beginning to the end, they were merely spectators, only speaking a few timely words when appropriate.
Chun Yun looked down at him from her elevated position.
"I’ve been waiting for your downfall for a long time."
