Concubine Ruan had suspected early on that her medicine might have been tampered with, and she’d poured it out twice.
After sharing her suspicions with her son, he’d secretly taken the dregs to a doctor for testing—but nothing unusual was found…
Still unconvinced, Concubine Ruan found an excuse to have Wen Yan brew the medicine right under her watchful eye.
She monitored the entire process and saw that Wen Yan didn’t do anything suspicious…
Yet after drinking the medicine, she still felt lethargic, exhausted, and just wanted to stay in bed…
After a day or two of weakness, she’d feel better for several days, then the fatigue would return…
This cycle repeated itself, and Concubine Ruan couldn’t help but wonder—maybe the medicine wasn’t the problem. Perhaps she was just getting older and her body was failing her…
Besides, Wen Yan took such diligent care of her every day, so she eventually let go of her doubts.
But now, from her son’s mouth, she learned she had actually been poisoned!
It turned out that the Madam had happened to discover that the Eldest Young Master had once been in contact with Wen Yan’s husband. Fearing that the Eldest Young Master might harm her… the Madam had secretly sent Qingdai to take her pulse today, and that’s when they found the poison.
The Madam had also asked Qingdai to prepare an antidote for her and, in the process, informed Shu’er of the matter.
Shu’er felt that everyone in this courtyard was suspect, with Wen Yan being the most suspicious of all.
So he’d tampered with the food to set a trap for Wen Yan.
If nothing came of Wen Yan, Shu’er would then test the other two matrons…
Concubine Ruan gazed at her son.
Her son—who had been so soft and squishy as a child, like a little dumpling of milk.
Now he was growing up, becoming a tall, wise, and handsome young man.
Shu’er also carried an air of authority that commanded respect—an unassailable presence. He was already capable of shielding her from the storms of life.
Concubine Ruan felt both proud and comforted, but she knew she couldn’t rely on her son entirely.
As his mother, she too must do everything she could to support Shu’er and help him go even further.
Before Wen Yan entered the room, Concubine Ruan exchanged a look with Sheng Mingshu, and her face instantly twisted into an expression of utter heartbreak and fury.
Just then, Huaishan dragged Wen Yan inside.
As soon as he entered, he threw her to the ground and roared.
“Matron Wen! If you don’t want to die a miserable death with your guts rupturing, you’d better confess to your dirty deeds right now!”
Feeling the stabbing pain in her abdomen and seeing the furious faces of Concubine Ruan and the Fourth Young Master above her, Wen Yan knew her secret was exposed…
Terror seized her, and cold sweat poured from every pore…
The day had finally come.
In the dead of night, Wen Yan had often found herself unable to sleep, wondering what would happen if she were ever discovered…
Every time she thought about it, sleep would elude her for hours.
But she hadn’t wanted this—
If she’d had a choice, she would have simply stayed loyal to Concubine Ruan…
Concubine Ruan was a good mistress—kind, generous, and broad-minded—and had always treated her well.
As long as she did her job well, her life would be comfortable.
Maybe one day her son could even serve by the Fourth Young Master’s side.
The Fourth Young Master was an excellent scholar—in a few years, he was sure to make something of himself!
Then her entire family would rise with him!
When Wen Yan had first come to serve Concubine Ruan, she’d felt that her ancestors must be watching over her, blessing her with such good fortune.
But… then that person had found her…
That person had given her something, promising it wouldn’t kill the Concubine—it would just make her listless…
Even though they’d sworn it wouldn’t be fatal, it was still poison.
She’d wanted to refuse, but she didn’t have the right to.
None of this was what she’d wanted…
Everyone could see Wen Yan’s face was as pale as paper, drenched in cold sweat.
Her expression shifted from terror to remorse, then to guilt, with a faint trace of despair.
This was practically a confession without any prompting. The others in the room felt a chill run down their spines.
Concubine Ruan’s eyes burned red with anger. Clutching her chest, she demanded fiercely.
“Wen Yan, although you haven’t been with me long, I’ve treated you well by any measure. Why would you want to harm me?”
“Concubine…”
Wen Yan’s voice trembled, but she couldn’t say more.
She couldn’t speak—if she did, what would happen to her husband and son…
Her son was her very life…
“Why?” Concubine Ruan pressed on.
“Who put you up to this?
“Was someone threatening you? I know you’re a good person at heart—you wouldn’t hurt me for no reason—”
Wen Yan knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face.
The Concubine had always known she was a good person…
She wanted to beg for mercy. In truth, she hadn’t fully followed that person’s instructions…
Her heart had still been with the Concubine.
But the words of plea died in her throat—she felt too ashamed to say them…
Because no matter what, she had still fed the Concubine doctored medicine…
“Concubine, it was all this servant’s doing. This servant has wronged you…”
Concubine Ruan slammed the table in fury.
“Who is it?!
“If you confess everything, we’ll give you the antidote, and you can live!
“We’ll also protect your family!”
Still, Wen Yan dared not speak. She could only weep.
“This servant has committed a grave offense… This servant deserves to die…”
Beside them, Sheng Mingshu clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles went white, his eyes bloodshot.
He had only meant to bluff Wen Yan—he never expected her to cave so easily and confess outright.
But even though Wen Yan had admitted it, neither he nor his mother knew how she’d administered the poison, nor who had ordered her to do it.
His eyes, sharp as blades, bore into the woman on the ground.
Wen Yan was shrouded in an air of utter despair, as if she’d resigned herself to dying from the poison.
If she wasn’t afraid to die but still wouldn’t speak the truth, what did that mean?
It meant Wen Yan believed the person behind this was more terrifying and more ruthless than he was.
If she gave them up, not only would she die, but her husband and son would likely suffer too.
In other words, Wen Yan feared that person more than she feared him.
Rage roared through Sheng Mingshu’s heart!
If being a kind and good person meant being trampled like this, then he could become a demon too!
Sheng Mingshu let out a cold laugh.
“Do you think giving up your own life will make me let this go?
“If you don’t confess, I won’t spare your husband or your son either—”
His expression and tone were dripping with murderous intent.
Wen Yan hadn’t expected the Fourth Young Master to be so ruthless. She was terrified out of her wits.
Desperately, she kowtowed on the ground, begging for mercy.
“Fourth Young Master, please spare them! Everything was this servant’s doing—they had nothing to do with it…”
Thud, thud, thud…
Before long, Wen Yan’s forehead was bloodied from the floor.
But Sheng Mingshu’s gaze remained cold as ancient ice—he showed no sign of relenting.
Seeing that pleading with him was useless, Wen Yan turned to Concubine Ruan, sobbing and kowtowing again.
“Concubine, everything was this servant’s fault—they’re innocent…
“Thankfully, you’re not seriously harmed…
“This servant is willing to pay with her life—could you please spare them…
“I beg you, Concubine…”
At that moment, Huaishan, who had been standing at the door, couldn’t take it anymore.
He strode forward, kicked Wen Yan to the ground, and roared furiously.
“You worthless wretch—
“You’re going too far! You tried to poison the Concubine to death, and now you dare beg her to spare your family?
“I say we should break your husband’s and son’s legs, cut out their tongues, and throw them out of the manor—
“Let them beg on the streets, suffer humiliation every single day, and finally die of cold and starvation!”
