As a result, you came to the capital and wanted to marry that vicious woman, Xiao, in order to climb the social ladder. I've tolerated all of that, but Shuyu is your own daughter.

Even tigers don't eat their cubs. You knew perfectly well that Xiao had sold her to a fool, yet you stood by and watched, keeping it from me for so many years.

If it weren't for my good fortune, being rescued by kind people, and being forced to wander to the border town, where I was favored by the Prince of Dingyuan and married into his household, I can't even imagine what kind of hardships she would have had to endure.

These words had been bottled up in Madam Shen's heart for a long time, and today she uttered them all at once, bringing tears to her eyes.

She said, "Li Heng, you heartless and ungrateful beast, unkind to your wife and unloving to your children, I want a divorce from you!"

Li Heng had lived a respectable life and cared a lot about his reputation. Now, his past had been exposed in public by Shen Shi, and he was so angry that his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

"Enough, Madam Shen! I've let your past outbursts in the mansion go unpunished because of the children's reputation, but you've gone too far today!"

He was using Li Chenghe and his son to threaten Madam Shen.

Li Chenghe, who had come with Helian Qing, felt a surge of disappointment in his eyes.

His mother had just told him the truth, and to be honest, he didn't quite believe it.

But he respected his mother, so she asked him to go to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence to pick up the person, then hide nearby and come out when his father made a move against her. He listened to her.

Seeing his parents turn against each other, and seeing his father's reaction, he believed it.

"Father, Mother doesn't have hysteria. She just feels sorry for my sister. I'm willing to give up my reputation, but I also want to know if Father knows anything about my sister's situation?"

"I'd like to know too."

Helian Qing then spoke up, pointing to Xiao Shi, who was pinned to the ground and unable to speak, "Did you know when your concubine harmed my mother?"

Xiao Shi, "..."

I am not a concubine, but a secondary wife!

Li Heng frowned slightly, and then he recognized his relatives.

"If my Shuyu can truly leave me a grandson, I will be happy, but how can you, Young Master Helian, be so certain that your mother is my Shuyu?"

He would of course reunite with Helian Qing, but right now he wanted to know how Shen Shi and Helian Qing had found out about all of this.

Besides this, how much else do you know?

Helian Qing looked at him strangely, "Just how much do you dislike my mother? Your granddaughter looks so much like my mother, I could tell the problem at a glance."

Furthermore, since my maternal grandmother learned of Xiao's actions, my grandfather sent someone to investigate at Pillow Moon Bay and then sent a message back to the border town to investigate as well. Then my mother's identity would be clear.

He shrugged. "Is this any difficulty for me? I am the young prince of Dingyuan Prince's Mansion, extremely intelligent, even His Majesty praises me."

His tone was incredibly arrogant.

Li Heng didn't believe such vague words, and he suddenly looked at Ye Zhen.

"Does the princess also know about this?"

If Madam Shen had sent someone to investigate her daughter's affairs, it would have certainly alarmed him. Since he had not received any information, it was clear that the person who investigated the matter was not Madam Shen.

But Helian Qing couldn't do it alone.

Therefore, it must have been Ye Zhen or the Crown Prince who helped, or perhaps the Shen family's commotion here today was also part of their scheme.

He used his family affairs to divert attention from the children's case at the charity hall and buy time.

Ye Zhen knew that Li Heng was not easy to fool, so she shrugged and said half-truthfully, "The young prince asked me to borrow some men, and I, as a princess, could not refuse to lend him a hand, so I lent him a few."

However, this princess is also curious: with Prime Minister Li's strategic brilliance and far-reaching plans, is it truly possible that he knows nothing about the private affairs of his own family?

These words made Li Heng grit his teeth.

If he says he knows, then it's because Shen is accusing him of being unfit to be a father.

If he says he doesn't know, then he is incompetent; if he can't even sweep his own room, how can he sweep the world?

A sly glint flashed in Ye Zhen's eyes.

Even the most intelligent and resourceful man will lose his composure and wisdom once he gets entangled in family matters.

Marquis Zhongyong was one of them, and Li Heng was no exception.

Ye Zhen wanted Li Heng to be tied up in the inner quarters, so he wouldn't have time to be distracted, making it much easier to deal with him.

She pressed her advantage, asking, "Why is Prime Minister Li avoiding answering?"

"Because he didn't dare to answer."

Madam Shen spoke again, "Li Heng, I was not even as tall as a table when I entered your Li family, so we can be considered childhood sweethearts."

I overestimated you before; only today do I realize what a despicable person I married.

You're willing to sacrifice your daughter for that piece of trash who stole someone else's husband, but as her mother, I can't help but seek justice for my daughter.

The fate of our daughter separates us, making it impossible for me to be your husband anymore. Whether you like it or not, I must divorce you today.

If you refuse, then I will beat the drum of petition and appeal to the emperor, so that the world may seek justice for my daughter.

If the matter were brought before the emperor, Li Shuyu's true purpose in marrying into the Prince of Dingyuan's mansion would no longer be concealed.

Li Heng absolutely could not let the Shen family cause a big fuss, but he was also unwilling to divorce.

What Shen did today is to humiliate him. She wants a divorce, but how can he let her have her way?

Unexpectedly, Li Chenghe suddenly knelt down in front of him with his four children and kowtowed to him three times.

“When my father left home, Chenghe was only two years old and my sister was still in my mother’s womb. My father was gone for many years. Apart from sending letters home every year asking for money, my mother raised us siblings single-handedly.”

Having learned the truth about my sister's murder today, I beg Father to forgive my filial impiety. I can no longer be your son, otherwise my conscience will not be at peace, and I am even more afraid that my sister will come to condemn me in my dreams.

Today, Chenghe, in front of everyone, announced that he is severing ties with his father, changing his surname to Shen, and resigning from his position in the Ministry of Works.

Isn't the father just using his official position to blackmail the mother? Then he doesn't want it anymore. If his children are capable, they can take the imperial examinations and rise to prominence on their own merits.

"Rebellious son!"

Li Heng was furious.

Shen had just revealed his past embarrassment, and he already felt ashamed. Now even Li Chenghe was stepping on his face.

How will he maintain his position in the imperial court in the future? "Have you gone mad along with your mother?"

“Your son is not crazy. Your son has never been very successful. But your mother and sister are your son’s Achilles’ heel. Father, you have hurt them, so your son does not deserve to call you father anymore.”

After saying this, he suddenly tore off his undergarment, bit his finger, and quickly wrote a letter of divorce, saying, "Please grant my mother's request, Prime Minister Li."

His three sons and one daughter were all raised by Madam Shen, and they loved their grandmother dearly. They also cried out, "Please, Prime Minister Li, grant my grandmother's wish..."