Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge - Chapter 143

Sheng Mingjian sneered coldly. “Mother, if she is innocent, then no one in this world is!”

His intense dislike for Qingxin and his absolute insistence on her death practically confirmed Sheng Minmin’s earlier suspicions.

It seemed Sheng Mingjian truly had someone he loved in his heart, loved to the very marrow of his bones, and had been “preserving his purity” for this person over the last few years.

And there was a ninety percent chance that this person was Sheng Mingzhu.

Otherwise, given Sheng Mingjian’s scheming nature, after tonight’s incident, he would have simply taken Qingxin as a concubine.

That would ensure her future loyalty, rather than flying into a rage and demanding her death.

So, Sheng Mingjian turns out to be a ‘pure love warrior’, Sheng Minmin thought, finding this drama more and more amusing. On the surface, however, she looked at Sheng Mingjian with an expression of helplessness.

“This is your first time with a woman… losing control… I can understand—”

“Cough, cough, cough—”

Sheng Mingjian seemed both furious and disgusted, coughing violently.

Finally, Sheng Yong spoke up. “If she is innocent, she probably can’t stay in this estate either. Perhaps, Wife, you could give her some silver and send her away—”

Sheng Minmin still needed to use Qingxin to cause trouble for Sheng Mingjian; how could she let her leave?
“No—”
“No—”

Sheng Minmin and Sheng Mingjian spoke simultaneously.

“Your son must kill her!” Sheng Mingjian’s face was ferocious, a far cry from his usual gentle and noble demeanor.

“Nonsense!” Sheng Minmin scolded, her face stern. “If she is innocent, then since you have taken her, she is your woman now. How can you be so heartless? What if she is already carrying your child—”

“Urgh…”

Perhaps the word “child” had hit a particular nerve of disgust, because Sheng Mingjian started retching.

Sheng Minmin quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief and added, “I absolutely forbid you from acting recklessly! Whether you’re willing or not, she is already your woman—”

“Blergh—”

Sheng Mingjian vomited outright, filling the room with a sour, unpleasant stench…

Sheng Yong’s frown was deep enough to trap flies, and he called servants in to clean up—

After all the commotion, the murderous intent around Sheng Mingjian seemed to have weakened slightly.

The estate physician came in to check Sheng Mingjian’s pulse.

Actually, the physician should have done this first, but Sheng Mingjian had been too angry, ignoring his own condition in his insistence on dealing with Qingxin immediately.

Only now did he allow the examination. The physician took his time and finally concluded: Sheng Mingjian’s body was weak, but he showed no signs of having been drugged…

“Im—pos—si—ble!”

Sheng Mingjian ground out each word through clenched teeth.

The physician wiped sweat from his brow and respectfully suggested, “If the Young Master doubts this, you could invite a physician from Renxin Clinic to come and examine you as well…”

For such a significant matter, the estate physician also hoped for additional opinions to corroborate his own.

Sheng Mingjian immediately sent someone to fetch an outside physician.

Although it was dark outside, Renxin Clinic kept a physician on duty at night. An hour later, Gao Shan went out and brought back the physician from Renxin Clinic, who had been sound asleep. To be thorough, Gao Shan invited two other physicians as well.

After examining him, all the physicians stated that aside from being somewhat weak, Sheng Mingjian showed no signs of any drugs—

This made Sheng Mingjian doubt his own judgment for the first time.

Qingxin was also stunned.

She had clearly given the Young Master the medicine, so why… was everyone saying she was innocent?

Had she bought fake medicine?

But if it was fake, why had the Young Master been so wild with her?

Or was it really as the Madame said, that it was his first time and he didn’t know how to control himself?

Qingxin couldn’t figure it out, so she simply stopped trying! Right now, her heart was filled with joy—the joy of having narrowly escaped death! Tears of happiness streamed down her face.

Finally, Sheng Minmin paid the physicians handsomely, asking them to keep silent about the matter…

She also warned the servants to guard their tongues, stating that the day’s events were all a misunderstanding.

As for Qingxin’s placement, there were hardly any empty courtyards left in the inner residence, and besides, it wasn’t suitable for Sheng Mingjian’s “woman” to live there.

Years earlier, Huang Yaning had built several fine courtyards in the central compound of the estate, intended for the Sheng male heirs after they married.

Sheng Minmin casually assigned a small courtyard in the central compound to Qingxin, also assigning two maids and two older serving women to her.

Anyone could see that with this treatment, Qingxin was very likely to be promoted to concubine status once the Young Master married—

——-

“Why did you insist on keeping that woman when the boy clearly dislikes her?”

After dealing with Sheng Mingjian’s matter, Sheng Yong had followed Sheng Minmin to Peony Court.

“What does Master wish to say?” Sheng Minmin asked.

“With our eldest’s talents, he’s sure to pass the exams this year. Only after his name is on the list can we find him a good match—”
“Arranging a woman for him now will harm his future marriage prospects—”

Sheng Yong’s words were sincere, but he also had a small, private motive.

He found that maid Qingxin rather… tantalizing. Since his son didn’t want her, if she were sent away, perhaps he could…

Sheng Minmin knew Sheng Yong was primarily driven by profit and wanted to use Sheng Mingjian to “climb high.” But she had no intention of letting Sheng Yong have his way.

Not only that, she intended to “sully” Sheng Mingjian’s reputation.

So, she let the corners of her mouth droop, putting on a worried expression.
“Master, what did you think of that maid Qingxin’s appearance?”

“What kind of question is that?” Sheng Yong lightly scolded, seeming displeased.

Sheng Minmin gave a bitter smile. “Master, in other wealthy families, young masters of fifteen or sixteen probably already have several children by now—”
“But our eldest son, these past few years, hasn’t gone near women at all. He doesn’t socialize with young ladies from other families outside.”
“At home, we’ve never seen him show particular favor to any maid; sometimes he even avoids them…”
“All day long, he just keeps two young male servants by his side, inseparable…”

Seeing Sheng Yong’s expression shift from displeasure to puzzlement, she continued.
“I’ve heard before that some men are naturally not fond of women, but prefer… men—”
“I’m truly worried. That’s why I placed such a pretty maid by his side—”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Sheng Yong rebuked angrily. “How can you say such a thing about your own son?”

Sheng Yong was genuinely furious, his heart aching. For him to slander his intelligent eldest son like this—was Huang Shì mad?

If word got out that the eldest young master preferred men, what kind of good wife could Mingjian possibly marry?

Without a good wife and influential in-laws for support, even if Mingjian topped the exams, the Sheng family’s current influence wouldn’t be enough to secure him a high position…

“Master, I’m also worried about him! He’s a young man in his prime, with a beautiful maid right beside him, yet he remains completely unmoved—”
“Don’t you find that strange?”

Initially, Sheng Yong hadn’t found it strange, assuming his eldest son was simply focused on his studies.

But hearing this now, his heart couldn’t help but sink. He had been young once too.

Even when he was studying hardest, he would still occasionally… relax once or twice.

Could it be… his eldest son… truly preferred men?

The thought that his most outstanding, most valued son might prefer men filled Sheng Yong with an indescribable discomfort, and a touch of disgust!

But he was an old fox after all. He didn’t show what he was thinking, instead lowering his voice to scold her.
“Stop these wild imaginings! If the boy really had such a problem, why would he have… acted like that tonight?”

Sheng Minmin had already planned her response. Hearing the conversation reach this point, she stamped her foot.
“Master, that’s precisely what troubles me!”
“If he truly favored women, the simplest solution tonight would have been to take Qingxin into his household. Why did he instead want to kill her?”
“I’m afraid… I’m afraid our son’s body favors women, but his heart favors men…”
“That’s why his behavior seems so contradictory—”