Peony Courtyard.
Sheng Minmin had just received word that her people had arrived at the estate. But before they could even get settled, a child from the estate had spotted someone crying for help in the pond.
The child was so terrified that he burst into tears. By the time the others heard the commotion and rushed over, it was already too late…
When the drowned body was pulled out of the water, it was none other than Qingxiang.
Qingxiang had really met with misfortune…
That uneasy premonition that had been lingering in her heart had now become reality.
And what were the odds—her people had barely arrived when Qingxiang turned up dead?!
Sheng Minmin had a sickening, sticky feeling, as if she were being secretly watched by someone.
Her mind raced through all the possibilities. Whether it was the poison on Concubine Ruan, the method of poisoning, the threat to Qingxiang, or the way Qingxiang had been silenced at the estate without a trace—every step showed that the person behind it all had wealth, resources, manpower, and cunning in equal measure. This was a very dangerous individual!
She had someone summon Sheng Mingshu and Concubine Ruan. When the two learned that Qingxiang had drowned and the trail had gone cold, they both fell silent, their expressions dark and grim.
Sheng Minmin let out a silent sigh.
Although she had been the one to warn Sheng Mingshu about Concubine Ruan’s poisoning, it was Qingxiang—her former head maid—who had instructed Wenyan to administer the poison in the first place.
And now, just as she’d sent someone to find Qingxiang, the woman had died—on her estate, no less…
If one thought too deeply about it, she herself could even look suspicious—as if she’d staged the whole thing…
Over the years, she had grown distant from Sheng Yong. She hadn’t been particularly warm to her “legitimate sons,” but instead had favored her two “bastard sons”…
It seemed she had all but abandoned her roles as “wife” and “mother,” and the servants had naturally begun to wonder—some in secret, some more openly.
Some thought she was foolish. Others suspected she might be scheming something…
Did Sheng Mingshu and Concubine Ruan have their doubts too? And now, with Qingxiang’s death adding to the mix…
Sheng Minmin couldn’t be certain that Concubine Ruan and Sheng Mingshu would still trust her as steadfastly as they once had.
Still, in this world, fortune and misfortune often walked hand in hand.
This matter with Qingxiang might drive a wedge between her and Concubine Ruan and her son.
But if handled well, she felt it could actually turn them into even stronger allies.
Sheng Minmin believed that now was the perfect time to explain why she had been “growing apart” from Sheng Yong and Sheng Mingjian and his brothers. She’d already had the reason prepared for a long time.
“Qingying, Qingdai—the two of you go guard the door personally!”
Sheng Minmin ordered, and the two maids immediately stepped out.
Now only the three of them remained in the room. Sheng Minmin glanced at the tightly shut doors and windows, then said gravely,
“Over these past few years, I’ve kept my distance from Sheng Yong, and I wouldn’t say I’ve shown much care toward Sheng Mingjian and his brothers. Do you know why?”
Concubine Ruan looked taken aback, clearly not expecting her to suddenly change the subject.
Sheng Mingshu was also stunned for a moment, then asked with some confusion,
“Mother… what are you trying to say?”
“I want to tell you something. But this is merely my suspicion—I have no proof. Whether you want to hear it or not, that’s up to you.”
Her expression and tone made it clear that whatever came next might be dangerous.
So the moment those words left her mouth, the atmosphere in the room grew noticeably heavier and more serious.
After a long pause, Sheng Mingshu finally asked,
“Does this thing you want to tell us… have anything to do with my aunt’s poisoning and Qingxiang’s death?”
“I can’t say for certain. Maybe yes, maybe no.”
Concubine Ruan and Sheng Mingshu exchanged a glance, and both understood each other’s thoughts.
The matter of the Withered Grass poison had nearly cost Concubine Ruan her life. If they’d been even slightly careless, she truly would have died.
Now that they were already at the center of this whirlpool, the more information they had, the safer they’d be. They could no longer afford to play deaf and dumb.
Both nodded and spoke in turn.
“Please, Madam, speak.”
“Please, Mother, speak.”
Sheng Minmin took a deep breath and said,
“I suspect that there’s something off about the Huang family tragedy back then.”
Those words struck like a thunderbolt, exploding in the middle of the room.
Concubine Ruan’s eyes widened in terror, and Sheng Mingshu’s face went pale.
When the Huang family tragedy occurred, Concubine Ruan had already entered the household, so she knew about it.
Sheng Mingshu had likely heard the story from her as well.
Back then, the Huang family wasn’t the wealthiest in the land, but they were certainly well-off.
In the social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, merchants ranked the lowest.
But if a merchant family was rich enough to offer a generous dowry, many officials’ families would still be eager to marry into it.
However, those officials’ families would only offer the status of a concubine—and a lower-ranked one at that.
But Huang’s father deeply loved his daughter and didn’t want her to become anyone’s concubine. So he had been planning for Huang Yaning’s future from early on.
It was well known outside that Huang’s father was unwilling to let his daughter be a concubine, and no family had come trying to forcibly take her as one either.
Before Huang Yaning came of age, the Sheng family sent a matchmaker to propose.
The Sheng family had few members, no clan protection, no ancestral property, and lived in poverty. To most people, Sheng Yong hardly seemed like a good husband.
But Old Master Huang had a different view.
He thought: What does it matter if they lack money? The Huang family had plenty.
As for the Sheng family being small—well, small had its advantages.
A merchant’s daughter was of low status. If she married into a large, thriving family, she’d have to endure endless ridicule and sarcasm from countless elders and sisters-in-law. She’d be miserable every single day.
But if she married into the Sheng family, there would be no sisters-in-law to deal with, no other elders—just a sensible and easygoing mother-in-law. Her daughter would become the head of the household the moment she married in!
Sheng Yong was talented and handsome to boot. Her daughter would have a bright future with him!
After weighing everything, Old Master Huang agreed to the match. Half a year later, he sent Huang Yaning off with a lavish dowry to marry into the Sheng family.
But just a few years later, Old Master Huang, along with his son and grandson, went out on a trip and encountered bandits in the mountains—and all of them perished.
Huang Xianjing’s mother, upon hearing the terrible news, took her own life out of grief, leaving behind her infant daughter, Huang Xianjing.
Later, Sheng Yong took charge. The authorities captured several bandits.
Those bandits never confessed to the crime, but the officers found Huang family belongings among the stolen goods they’d seized, and so the case was closed.
Then, Huang Xianjing was brought back to the Sheng residence, and all the Huang family’s assets fell into Sheng Yong’s hands…
“Madam… are you suggesting that…”
Concubine Ruan’s body and voice were trembling slightly. She twisted her handkerchief in her hands, unable to bring herself to say those two words out loud.
Sheng Minmin nodded. Talking to intelligent people was always simple.
She’d only said one sentence, and they both understood.
“I only started suspecting him in recent years.
“My ‘father’ and ‘brothers’ had been in trade for years. They knew exactly which mountain passes were controlled by which gangs, and how much toll money they needed to pay. They’d been safe for so long—why would they suddenly be ambushed?
“And if it really were bandits, what they wanted was money and goods.
“I know my family’s character. They would have gladly given up every last coin and every piece of cargo to save their lives.
“The bandits could have taken the goods without fighting the guards. Why would they take the extra risk of killing them? And after killing them, why wouldn’t they flee—why would they stick around waiting to be caught?
“The bandits who were beheaded by the authorities never once confessed to their crimes…”
“Also, my sister-in-law’s death was very strange…
“A mother’s love makes her strong. She still had little Xianjing by her side—so tiny. For Xianjing’s sake alone, she should have lived. Why would she take her own life?
“At the time, I was too devastated to think deeply about it. But now, looking back…”
