Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge - Chapter 6

As Sheng Yong reached the doorway, he heard Madame Huang angrily scolding her own son for being unfilial. A surge of irritation rose in his chest.

Has Huang lost her mind today? “Unfilial” wasn’t a word to be thrown around lightly.

But given how Madame Huang had catered to his every whim over the years, he had to maintain her dignity as the matriarch in front of others. Suppressing his anger, he stepped in with a dark expression and asked,

“What’s going on? Why such fury, Madam?”

Sheng Minmin’s face was stiff. “Ah, Master, you’ve arrived.”

“Why are the children kneeling?” Sheng Yong asked impatiently.

“Master, as the matriarch, it has always been my duty to manage the household. I merely thought Sixth Daughter’s meals needed adjustment and summoned her wet nurse for discussion.

“Yet the moment I saw her, I noticed that the Ruan Yan Luo silk we had sent to Sixth Daughter was being worn by this wretched woman—”

“Father, I was the one who gave that dress to Wet Nurse! Just this one piece, I swear—”

Sheng Mingzhu hastily cut in, her face streaked with tears, eyes pleading pitifully.

Sheng Yong had always doted on Mingzhu—his only daughter. Seeing her in such distress melted his heart, and he completely forgot the earlier tension at the dining table.

“Madam, if it’s just one dress, let it go. Since Mingzhu gifted it—”

Hearing this, Concubine Hong, who had followed Sheng Yong to witness the drama, immediately scowled.

Ruan Yan Luo was an extremely expensive, lightweight silk. Even after years of being Sheng Yong’s favorite, she had only ever received two bolts of it!

She took a closer look at Taoniang, who had fainted on the bench. The woman wore a moon-white jacket with subtle embroidery and a layered, misty sky-blue gauze skirt. Though the skirt was now stained with faint traces of blood, Concubine Hong recognized it immediately—it was Ruan Yan Luo.

High-ranking servants in the Sheng household received six sets of fine clothing each season. As Sixth Miss’s wet nurse and the head maid of Haitang Courtyard, Taoniang naturally dressed well. Over time, everyone had grown accustomed to her “respectable” attire.

At first glance, Concubine Hong hadn’t noticed anything unusual. But now, upon closer inspection, Taoniang’s outfit wasn’t just “respectable”—if she’d worn a few more accessories, outsiders might have mistaken her for a mistress of the house!

This realization made Concubine Hong sneer inwardly.

While it was customary for masters to dress their personal servants well—as they represented the family’s face—servants still needed to know their place! Taoniang’s attire was clearly out of line.

Concubine Hong was beautiful, domineering, and sharp-tongued, standing out among the gentle and submissive concubines. Sheng Yong adored her fiery personality. Over time, spoiled by the master’s favor and the matriarch’s leniency, she had grown even bolder.

If Sheng Yong upset her, she wouldn’t hesitate to show her displeasure.

And right now, she was very displeased.

Flicking her embroidered handkerchief, she scoffed, “Master, I had no idea our household had become so wealthy!

“A mere servant wears silk worth a thousand taels per bolt—how luxurious of her!

“Ah, but of course. This slave is Sixth Miss’s favorite—pretty, clever, and so skilled at dressing above her station. No doubt she’s destined for great things. How could a lowly concubine like me ever compare?”

Her sarcastic, mocking tone made Sheng Yong frown.

But then he chuckled, shaking his head as if amused by her antics. He took her hand and chided lightly, “What nonsense are you spouting? Why would I ever fancy—her?”

His words sounded more like coaxing than scolding.

Concubine Hong huffed but didn’t pull away.

Sheng Minmin observed Concubine Hong’s expression carefully.

There was no love in the concubine’s eyes—only disdain for Taoniang’s extravagance and Mingzhu’s spoiled lifestyle.

Concubine Hong only cares about her own luxuries, not Sheng Yong.

Yet Sheng Yong seemed to mistake her words for jealousy, softening further instead of reprimanding her.

From Huang Yaning’s memories, Sheng Minmin knew none of the concubines liked Sheng Mingzhu.

If they were clever and ruthless, they’d seize every chance to make Mingzhu’s life difficult.

And Concubine Hong was clearly one such woman—perhaps a future ally.

Mind racing, Sheng Minmin feigned outrage and declared,

“This Taoniang is a vile wretch! Just because she nursed Sixth Daughter, she thinks she can disregard her place and disrespect the masters of this house!

“Sixth Daughter’s kitchen expenses amount to 1,600 taels monthly—no doubt this parasite has been embezzling a fortune!”

The mention of 1,600 taels reignited Sheng Yong’s anger from dinner.

His treatment was worse than his daughter’s? Even his concubines were outshone by his daughter’s wet nurse?

His authority as head of the household was being challenged.

Furious, he snapped, “Such a servant has no place in the Sheng household! Why spare her, Madam? Throw her out at once!”

“No, Father—!” Sheng Mingzhu cried in panic.

She truly adored her wet nurse, who had taught her countless ways to charm others. She needed her.

Besides, hadn’t Mother herself gifted Taoniang many valuables in the past? If not for Mother’s previous indulgence, Taoniang would never have dared wear Ruan Yan Luo. Why was Mother suddenly turning against her?

“Enough! You kneel too—!”

Sheng Minmin cut off Mingzhu’s pleas with a roar.

Stunned by her “mother’s” unprecedented fury, Mingzhu’s legs gave way, and she dropped to her knees.

“Sheng Mingzhu, if you truly care for your wet nurse, you could have asked me properly. But as the Sheng family’s legitimate daughter, bawling over a lowly servant—what kind of disgraceful behavior is this?

“If outsiders hear of this, they’ll assume your father and I failed to raise you properly—that you lack the grace and dignity befitting a noble lady!”

Being scolded repeatedly in front of the servants, Sheng Mingzhu suddenly hated her mother. Her hands clenched her handkerchief tightly, but she dared not shed another tear.

The Sheng brothers wanted to defend their sister, but the accusation of “unfilialness” was too severe.

Today, “Mother” was clearly determined to punish Taoniang, and her reasoning was flawless. They didn’t dare intervene.

Sheng Minmin then turned her wrath to the kneeling “sons.”

“And you! I am your mother and the matriarch of this house! If I punish a servant, I have my reasons. Must I consult you first?

“The moment you entered, instead of greeting your mother, you dared to question me? Do you even see me as your mother anymore?”

“Mother, forgive us! We were wrong and will accept any punishment!”

The three brothers kowtowed in unison.

Sheng Minmin’s gaze darkened.

She longed to beat them half to death, lock them up, and torment them slowly—but she couldn’t.

If a “mother” severely punished her sons over minor matters, even Sheng Yong and the servants would think her mad—and grow suspicious.

She couldn’t act recklessly yet. But a little suffering now was permissible.

Remembering how often the Sheng family had forced her to kneel in the ancestral hall in her past life, she declared coldly:

“All three of you—go kneel in the ancestral hall! None of you may rise without my permission. And no one is to bring them food or water!”