Chapter 618: Chapter 616: The Transmigrated Woman Who Self-Destructed 18 Times 47
The Marquis Mansion has recently become a laughingstock.
Shen Zhengjie and his sister felt powerless, desperately hoping that the Fourth Prince would ultimately prevail.
Jiang Yuan, with the help of Daoist Bai Hong, used him to accomplish some things and indeed gained some attention recently. The other princes, confronted by him, were forced to retreat repeatedly and suffered considerable losses.
Thinking of Jiang Zhi, who was still busy in Jiangnan, he wished that his sixth brother would remain there forever and never return.
He found Daoist Bai Hong, and the two began a new plot.
Shen Zheng’an, however, hoped to resolve the issues of the Marquis Mansion before the imperial examination, so he could take the exam with peace of mind.
When the Marquis Mansion was bustling with activity, he sent someone to inform Shen Jun about the matter of Shen Jun and Shen Hong being switched at birth by Shen Hong’s biological mother. At the same time, he revealed to Shen Hong that Shen Jun had learned of this and was planning to trouble him.
Shen Hong, although aware of a manipulative force behind everything, immediately arranged for someone to deal with Shen Jun upon hearing this news, leaving no room for leniency.
Shen Jun was not killed; he was saved by Ah Chen and Shen Zheng’an.
However, his condition wasn’t good, as if he had half a life left.
The two delivered Shen Jun to the Marquis Mansion, and on the way, Shen Jun didn’t make a fuss, only gazing at Shen Zheng’an with a complex expression.
Shen Zheng’an sipped wine with Ah Chen, paying him no mind.
Shen Jun wanted to say something but ultimately remained silent, for the first time so quiet in front of Shen Zheng’an.
Shen Zheng’an observed his remorse, still finding it laughable.
Whether Shen Jun regretted it or not was inconsequential to him; that his birth father, who had harmed his own mother and oppressed him for years, was not doing well brought him some comfort.
If not for wanting to see the people of the Marquis Mansion torment each other, he wouldn’t have saved Shen Jun today; he wouldn’t have blinked if the other died before his eyes.
When they arrived at the Marquis Mansion, sensing the carriage stop, Shen Jun suddenly asked, "Zheng’an, do you hate me?"
He didn’t even know why he asked such a thing, knowing well that Shen Zheng’an was likely the one behind everything, and he wasn’t entirely oblivious about it.
This son he had never liked, yet he hadn’t expected him to plot so deeply; he didn’t know how to describe his feelings at the moment.
Shen Zheng’an looked at Shen Jun, smiling, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. What kind of nonsense was this man asking?
"Are you worthy?" he replied.
Shen Jun wasn’t even deserving of his loathing; whoever crossed paths with such a foolish person would have bad luck.
Shen Zheng’an ordered Shen Jun to be carried out, yet Shen Jun refused to enter the Marquis Mansion. Though weak, his voice was loud: "I want to see the Old Madam." Many within the mansion aligned with Shen Hong; going in like this, he might be killed before seeing the Old Madam. Losing face was preferable to losing his life. Shen Hong had robbed him of everything. If they hadn’t been switched back then, all these things would not have happened later.
This outburst attracted quite an audience.
Seeing this, Shen Jun once again resorted to his rascally tactics.
"Shen Hong, if you have the guts, come out. You’ve stolen my identity, my beloved, and now you want my life, but you’ve miscalculated! I’m not dead; I’m still alive!"
Those gathered were shocked—what did this mean?
While the people inside hadn’t emerged yet, Shen Jun recounted what he had learned, and then those around him began to understand. Despite having witnessed several scandals lately, this news was still shocking.
Shen Hong and Shen Jun were switched at birth; originally, Shen Jun was born to the Old Madam of the Marquis Mansion, while Shen Hong should have been the son of a mere maid.
Shen Zheng’an chuckled, for Shen Jun only resented Shen Hong for taking everything from him, yet still didn’t consider his mother innocent.
Such a person didn’t deserve a good life in his later years.
The Old Madam had initially heard Shen Jun was being brought back—barely alive—and called her to go outside, suspecting he was causing trouble again, and didn’t want to go. But then her confidante reported what was being said outside, and the Buddhist beads in her hand suddenly snapped.
Her expression changed drastically, and she stood up abruptly.
What?
How could this be?
How could such a thing happen?
This surely cannot be true.
She had always been satisfied with Shen Hong as a son.
Now being told that at the time of delivery, that wench had meddled and switched her son, how could Old Madam Shen not be furious? She nearly collapsed, having no choice but to go out and see.
This must be false.
Yet a voice in her head told Old Madam Shen that it was highly likely true.
She even recalled the strange smile that wench had before dying, which she hadn’t paid much attention to at the time. Ever since the wench climbed into bed, she had been meek, tolerating beatings and scoldings without complaint. But she had never quite moved past it. Her leniency toward the second son was just to make that wench suffer. Fortunately, that wench’s life wasn’t long, and the son she birthed was unremarkable.
Never could she have imagined it was like this!
Old Madam Shen’s eyes nearly turned bloodshot, wanting to dig up that wench’s grave.
She didn’t want to believe it, but various doubts kept bubbling up in her mind. The biggest doubt was that Shen Hong had sent people to assassinate Shen Jun! And that unseen hand, she had sensed it too. She even guessed who that hand belonged to; none other than Shen Zheng’an, it couldn’t possibly be anyone else.
Shen Hong wasn’t home; he held an official position and didn’t have that much free time.
Upon learning that the Marquis Mansion had stirred up once again, he felt uneasy, speculating that Shen Jun had indeed returned alive.
With a gloomy expression, he took leave and hurried to the Marquis Mansion by carriage.
"The person has been delivered into the Old Madam’s hands, and I’m leaving now," said Shen Zheng’an. Whether Shen Jun lived or died, and what happened afterward to the Marquis Mansion, was no longer his concern; his objective had been achieved.
Shen Hong’s title was no longer tenable.
The Old Madam hated that bed-climbing wench greatly; to tolerate Shen Hong continuing as the Marquis for the sake of benefit was impossible.
Ah Chen and Shen Zheng’an, however, didn’t return directly to the house but planned to stroll around.
By the time they returned, news from the Marquis Mansion arrived: the Old Madam, indeed unable to bear it, immediately sent a placard to the palace, intending to have the Emperor revoke Shen Hong’s title and then have Shen Jun inherit it.
Likewise, she hadn’t forgotten about Shen Zhengjie.
Seeing the situation beyond rescue, Shen Hong dared not become further entangled. Deprived of his title, he still possessed his official status.
However, the Old Madam and Shen Jun didn’t spare him, using the reason that Shen Hong had arranged for someone to assassinate Shen Jun, they accused him. Having already lost face, they didn’t care about anything anymore.
Those assassins—Shen Zheng’an had left two for Shen Jun, precisely to testify against Shen Hong, which led to Shen Hong losing even his official position.
The changes happened so quickly that many couldn’t react in time.
The astute ones, once they collected their thoughts, understood that someone had been secretly instigating things, and it wasn’t hard to guess that the person was none other than Shen Zheng’an.
Shen Zheng’an didn’t mind being guessed; wasn’t it rightful for him to expose these scandals?
The downfall of the Marquis Mansion had nothing to do with Shen Zheng’an; he wasn’t a part of the Marquis Mansion.
