In an instant, she realized that her resentment towards the person in front of her seemed to have faded considerably.
She thought to herself that if she were in her mother's shoes, she would probably make the same choice without hesitation.
Feng Qingyun sighed and continued, "If this matter ends here, from a certain perspective, it can be considered a barely satisfactory ending."
But the wheels of fate continued to turn, and the story did not end there.
"The matriarch of the Wen family is a meticulous person. Having lived in this deep mansion for many years, she has developed a keen eye for detail."
As time went on, she gradually noticed something unusual about her second son.
Her second son and her husband stood together, and they had absolutely no resemblance in their features or their demeanor, as if they came from two different worlds.
In contrast, her eldest daughter was exceptionally intelligent at a young age, and every move she made reflected the Wen family's style. This comparison only fueled her suspicions.
Although the matriarch of the Wen family was full of doubts, in this family with strict rules and emphasis on lineage and bloodline, such a matter concerning the family's reputation and bloodline inheritance was of great importance.
She could only speculate in silence, daring not to speak out easily, for fear of causing a huge uproar, attracting unnecessary trouble, and plunging herself into an abyss of no return.
"But what really aroused her suspicion was not just the difference in appearance."
It was a sweltering summer afternoon, the incessant chirping of cicadas was irritating, and the entire Wen residence was shrouded in a lazy yet oppressive atmosphere.
The head of the Wen family and his second son returned from an outing together, but were unexpectedly injured.
The servants hurriedly carried the two people through the gate, calling out for the family physician.
The matriarch of the Wen family was enjoying tea in the pavilion in the backyard when she heard the noise. She nearly dropped her teacup, her heart filled with anxiety.
In her haste, her shoes were a little disheveled, and she tripped over her skirt, almost falling. But she didn't have time to fix herself and rushed to the scene of the incident.
She stood aside, watching the physician bandage the two of them. Her hands unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes, her nails digging into her palms, leaving shallow marks.
Just then, she paced restlessly to the side and inadvertently caught a glimpse of the two people's blood dripping into the lotus pond.
Under the sunlight, they did not merge, but instead separated, like two streams that would never meet.
At first, she thought she was seeing things, or that one of the servants was also injured and their blood was mixed together.
After some questioning, it was confirmed that only Liangren and his second son were injured, which was a great shock.
It was as if a thunderclap had exploded in her ears, leaving her mind blank and frozen in place.
She forced herself to remain calm, but her mind was in turmoil. Under the pretext of checking the injuries, she took blood from both of them. With trembling hands, she watched as the two drops of blood once again failed to mix.
Her legs went weak and she almost collapsed to the ground, but the maid beside her reacted quickly and caught her.
At this point, the matriarch of the Wen family finally confirmed that the second son was not her biological child.
She was filled with doubt and fell into deep self-doubt and confusion.
After all, when she gave birth, she was surrounded by trusted confidants from the household who had known her well for many years, and no outsiders came and went. How could the child have been switched right under her nose?
With this doubt in mind, the matriarch of the Wen family tossed and turned, unable to sleep, spending every night in agony.
She lay on the carved bed, gazing at the gauze curtains above her head, her mind filled with countless thoughts. Scenes from her childbirth kept flashing through her mind as she tried to find a clue to the truth.
She secretly dispatched her trusted confidants, sparing no expense, to search for any clues from that year.
During those days, she lost her appetite and became very haggard. Her former radiance was gone, leaving only exhaustion and anxiety on her face.
Finally, on a dark and stormy night, the truth came to light—it was the nanny he trusted most who had done it.
Upon learning this result, the matriarch of the Wen family felt dizzy and nearly collapsed.
The nanny she regarded as family betrayed her, personally shattering her life.
She collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face, overwhelmed by a torrent of pain and anger.
"But that old woman had already passed away, and her son had been imprisoned by the government for his many evil deeds."
Now only the daughter-in-law remains, and she lives in dire straits, homeless, and struggling to make ends meet.
When the matriarch of the Wen family found the old woman's daughter-in-law, she was lying in a dilapidated thatched hut. The hut was filled with a damp and rotten smell, and it was dark and oppressive.
The thatched roof had several holes, and sunlight shone through the gaps onto the dusty ground, forming beams of light in which dust particles danced freely.
The woman's face was as pale as paper, her eyes were sunken, and she was on the verge of death.
Upon seeing the matriarch of the Wen family, a flicker of fear and guilt flashed in her eyes. With her last ounce of strength, she revealed the truth of what happened back then.
After saying all this, she breathed her last, leaving the matriarch of the Wen family standing there, filled with anger and resentment, with nowhere to vent her grief and indignation.
She looked at the cold corpse, her heart filled with mixed emotions—resentment towards the old woman, but also a touch of pity.
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