Chapter 84 The Abandoned Eldest Daughter Makes a Comeback (8)

A hint of surprise flashed in Xiao Yuheng's eyes.

He knew his son fairly well and naturally understood the purpose of his impeachment.

But it was precisely because he understood that he was surprised.

Xiao Chengxu, who was made crown prince at a young age, appeared humble and polite, but was actually arrogant.

This pride is not arrogance, but stems from the rigorous education he received from childhood and his own outstanding talent.

That is why he had lofty aspirations and never cared about romantic relationships.

However, at this moment, Xiao Yuheng realized that he had actually fallen in love with a woman, and that this woman held a very important place in his heart, so much so that he was willing to risk damaging his reputation to stand up for her.

For the first time, Xiao Yuheng felt a woman's curiosity.

What kind of woman could have made the crown prince fall so deeply in love with her in such a short time?

Xiao Yuheng suppressed a thought that suddenly arose in his mind and looked at Shen Zhengde, whose face was ashen.

"Minister Shen, do you have anything to say?"

Shen Zhengde naturally couldn't admit it, and he knelt down on the ground with a thud.

"Your Majesty, I am innocent! My wife, Zhang, died young due to illness, and my eldest daughter also fell seriously ill as a result. I had no choice but to send her to the estate to recuperate, hoping that she could recover soon."

A large household cannot exist without a mistress to manage it, and the children in the family also urgently need someone to teach them. Lady Liu has always been respectful to Lady Zhang and dotes on the children. It is for the sake of the children that I have made her my principal wife.

As for my deceased wife's dowry, I have absolutely no intention of appropriating it; I am merely holding it for her temporarily. When my eldest daughter reaches marriageable age, I will certainly hand it over to her without fail.

Shen Zhengde truly didn't understand why Xiao Chengxu had pulled this stunt.

Just to vent her anger for that wretched girl? She gave up on winning him over because of that?

Shen Zhengde understood that as the crown prince of a country, he didn't really need to actively win people over; people would naturally come to him.

But it is precisely because I understand this that I find it even harder to swallow my anger.

Ultimately, it's because they wield too little power that they are treated with such contempt.

Shen Zhengde has even greater ambitions, and now he is even more determined in his ideas.

"Lord Shen is truly eloquent, but as far as I know, Zhang has always been healthy. How come she died of illness just a few years after marrying you? Only a hundred days after her death, Liu was made the official wife, yet she was unwilling to observe a year of mourning for her husband. Could it be that you and Liu had ulterior motives from the beginning?"

Furthermore, Zhang's dowry is now in Liu's hands and has become her private property; the names have even been changed in the government records. Lord Shen, is this how you manage your first wife's dowry? You've actually transferred it to your second wife's name.

As for the claim that Miss Shen is frail, that's utter nonsense; she's perfectly healthy. Besides, it's much better to recuperate at home with family and servants by her side than to stay in a dilapidated and shabby estate. What kind of logic is that?

If the other party hadn't been the Crown Prince, Shen Zhengde would have wanted to curse him out.

Shouldn't there be a reasonable explanation for this? Digging deeper is pointless and only makes the crown prince seem petty, short-sighted, and only interested in the trivial matters of his ministers' backyards.

Would someone really go to such lengths for that wretched girl?

But he is, after all, her father. Can he really completely disregard her feelings?

Xiao Yuheng gave Xiao Chengxu a strange look, then looked at Shen Zhengde.

"Does Minister Shen have anything else to say?"

Shen Zhengde respectfully said, “Your Majesty, these are all Your Highness’s conjectures. Everything I said before was true. Zhang was bedridden after giving birth, and her death was foreseeable. The dowry was recorded under Liu’s name only because some troublemakers caused trouble, and Liu recorded it under her own name for easier management. My daughter is indeed weak. I even consulted the imperial physician for her, and I have her medical records as evidence. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth.”

Fortunately, he had a backup plan back then, otherwise it would be difficult to explain now.

As for the dowry, Shen Zhengde was also secretly annoyed by Liu's short-sightedness. He would never admit that he was tempted by the huge family fortune, otherwise he would never have acquiesced to Liu's actions.

He had feelings for Liu's Shen Zhengde.

They grew up together as childhood sweethearts. For him, she compromised and gave up her official position, willingly becoming a concubine. She was humiliated by Zhang and struggled to survive under her control, which made Shen Zhengde feel even more sorry for her.

Therefore, not long after Zhang's death, he couldn't resist her pleas and made her his official wife, as a way to make up for what he owed her.

Xiao Chengjin's eyes flickered, and then he stepped forward and said, "Although some of Lord Shen's actions were inappropriate, his intentions were out of a sense of responsibility as a father and husband. However, he is, after all, a man, and it is inevitable that he will not consider things thoroughly enough when dealing with these matters of the inner quarters. Second brother, please don't make things difficult for Lord Shen anymore."

Xiao Chengxu smiled warmly, but his eyes were cold. He ignored Xiao Chengjin and kept looking at Shen Zhengde.

Chengxu glanced coldly at Xiao Chengjin, "Brother, how can this be dismissed as something that was poorly thought out or not properly considered?"

"Putting everything else aside, Lord Shen said that Zhang was bedridden after giving birth, so why was her medical record not found before? And why was there never any news of her serious illness before she passed away?"

Even if her health was poor after childbirth, and she passed away just a few years later, isn't that suspicious? Perhaps there are other hidden reasons for Madam Zhang's death, and it's an undeniable fact that Miss Shen has been abandoned and neglected on the estate for so many years.

Shen Zhengde's heart skipped a beat, and he panicked for a moment, but his face still showed a humiliated expression of being wronged.

Zhang trusted Shen Zhengde, but the people around her protected her so tightly that Shen Zhengde naturally couldn't find an opportunity to cheat. Later, it was also because the people around her were gradually driven away.

Because the process was so lengthy, and the maid who replaced her was exceptionally attentive, Zhang didn't notice anything else, and that's why...

Shen Zhengde opened his mouth, about to speak, but Xiao Chengxu spoke again.

"I heard that Lord Shen was supported by his mother's weaving and embroidery. Now he is only in his forties and has been promoted to the third rank. His first wife died early, but he has beautiful wives and concubines in his arms. Lord Shen is really capable."

It is profound and thought-provoking.

Shen Zhengde's face instantly turned ashen.

What he hated most in his life was that people said his smooth career advancement was entirely due to the help of his wife's family, which made him feel extremely humiliated.

In an instant, all eyes were on Shen Zhengde. He felt extremely uncomfortable, as if he were sitting on pins and needles, but he had no choice but to pretend to be calm, straighten his back, and feign indifference.

However, with these words today, Shen Zhengde's reputation for rising to power through his wife and living off her has been thoroughly spread.

If you say he didn't rely on the Zhang family's help, he can refute it with a straight face, but can he?