Chapter 40 A true testament to the Shen family's saga!
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Since Shen Qinglu left, Madam Xie has remained silent.
Most of the day has passed without food or drink.
No matter how much Granny Li tried to persuade her, she just shook her head, wiping away tears in her anxiety, and refusing to eat or drink.
The room was quiet, and so was the outside, until the door was pushed open. A blast of cool air rushed in, along with Yu Qingxue's face, which was covered in red marks on both cheeks but was incredibly gloomy.
"Mother, is that wretched child really cured?"
"Qingxue, did your sister-in-law... hit you again?"
“I told you long ago, she was just pretending. She looks down on us deep down. Look at me, what does she take me for? Less than the lowest servant in the manor. She can scold me and beat me whenever she wants. She’s trying to drive me to my death!”
Yu Qingxue knelt by the bedside, tightly grasped her hand, and pleaded with her through tears, "Mother, have you noticed anything wrong with that wretched child? Tang'er said she's better now, tell me, is that true?"
"It's true."
Even though she had already confirmed it with Yu Liuzhu, Yu Qingxue still refused to believe it. Now, upon hearing her answer, she slumped down in a limp position.
After a long while, she regained her composure and grabbed her hand tightly again. "Mother, please tell my sister-in-law that you didn't switch the children back then. You just doted on Ali, favored Ali, and wanted Ali to replace Tang'er. Is that alright?"
Now that things have come to this, how can we go back on our word?
Her gaze was heavy with sorrow, and her voice carried a hint of helplessness. "We were wrong to begin with, and we should have told the truth long ago. I am filled with regret now. I regret that I was too soft-hearted back then, and I regret that I made one mistake after another over the years, and that I didn't tell your sister-in-law in time. Qingxue, turn back before it's too late. You can't keep making mistakes, or you will be punished."
That child.
They know everything!
Yu Qingxue gripped her even tighter, her nails digging into her flesh. "Mother, my life is ruined. Tell me, how can I turn back?"
She was almost successful. If it weren't for her mother's interference, her daughter would still be the eldest daughter of the Yu family, and she wouldn't have ended up in such an embarrassing situation.
She was being pinched so hard it hurt, but she could only endure it.
In times of crisis, true nature is revealed. Seeing her own daughter like this, she was both disappointed and heartbroken.
Shen Qinglu's words kept echoing in her ears. She questioned through her pain, "You've raised Ali all these years, don't you have any feelings for her at all? She's your own niece! How could you drug her, turn her into a fool, and then have Dujuan try to kill her? Qingxue, how could you do this? How could you become like this?"
"Mother!" Yu Qingxue's face was contorted, and her eyes turned sinister. "Have you believed her nonsense and doubted your own daughter?"
"If you weren't my biological daughter, I..."
Xie couldn't continue speaking.
If they weren't my own flesh and blood, why would I have made one mistake after another?
"Qingxue, the mistake has been made. Let's try our best to make up for it in the future, okay?"
"Make amends?" Yu Qingxue seemed to squeeze out these two words through gritted teeth. "Mother, you promised me that you would tell me about this after Tang'er's marriage was settled. You broke your promise, hurting me and my Tang'er. Who will make amends to us?"
"Qingxue, stop being so stubborn!"
What good is it if she remains stubbornly unrepentant? There's no turning back for her now.
"Where are you going?" Xie asked hurriedly when she saw her about to leave.
“My mother won’t help me, but I can’t abandon my daughter.” After she finished speaking, she lifted the curtain and went out.
Before Madam Xie could send Granny Li out to chase after her, she was dragged in by two burly old women.
The curtain was opened wide, and a beautiful lady with a commanding presence entered.
The lady was adorned with gold and silver jewelry, exuding a dazzling aura without appearing vulgar. Instead, she radiated an air of nobility, walking with graceful ease, her hair ornaments remaining perfectly still.
"Dear... Sister-in-law, you... how did you get here?" Xie exclaimed in surprise.
The person who came was Gu Ruxu, Shen Linlang's sister-in-law and Shen Kunyao's wife.
Gu Ruxu was born into the Duke of Yingguo's family and was the younger sister of the Duke of Yingguo.
Over the past century since the founding of the Great Ye Dynasty, the power in the capital has waxed and waned, and there are not many noble families and nobles who can still stand strong today. The Duke of Ying's mansion is one of them.
"I heard that my niece, a direct descendant of the Shen family, has been switched. I've come to my in-laws' old lady to demand an explanation."
"...It was my fault. If my sister-in-law wants to hit or scold me, I will not say a word." Xie couldn't even lift her head, feeling extremely ashamed and indignant.
Gu Ruxu snorted coldly, "You are an elder, how dare I, a junior, hit or scold you? If word gets out, people will think that our General's Mansion is bullying us, a widow who has lived alone for many years."
This isn't an insult, but it's even more offensive than one.
She didn't care how ugly Xie's face looked, or how ashamed and indignant she was. She raised her hand and slapped Yu Qingxue's face with both hands.
Yu Qingxue was being held by the two old women. She couldn't run away or even hide. She could only endure it.
"Don't tell me you knew nothing about the child swapping; I don't believe a word of it. I dare say that the reason your good mother swapped the children was probably because you instigated it, or you were the one behind it!"
I must say, that really hit the nail on the head.
Yu Qingxue's face was in pain, and her whole body was trembling.
She was very afraid of Gu Ruxu.
When she and Madam Xie were brought to the capital, they inevitably had to visit the General's Mansion. To show their respect, the Shen family held a grand banquet, which included not only the two families but also Shen's in-laws, namely the Duke of Ying's family.
She had only spoken a few words with Gu Ruxu's younger brother, the fourth young master of the Duke of Yingguo's mansion, and her throat was so sore that she couldn't speak that night.
At first, she didn't think much of it, assuming it was just a case of internal heat. However, when Gu Ruxu came to deliver medicine to her in person, she was flattered. But then Gu Ruxu said something that made her realize that she wasn't just experiencing internal heat, but that someone had deliberately caused it.
Gu Ruxu said, "You've just arrived in the capital and don't know the rules of high-ranking families yet. It's common for people to talk too much with those they shouldn't, and for their feet to hurt if they go to places they shouldn't. If you don't know your place, don't know your limits, and don't act recklessly, then it won't just be a sore throat or a sore foot; you might even lose your life."
That's when she realized how terrifying and ruthless her sister-in-law was.
“Sister-in-law Shen, I didn’t know anything. I don’t know anything at all. If you don’t believe me, ask my mother. Mother, please tell her, I really don’t know anything…”
"You don't know? Nobody would believe that!" Gu Ruxu didn't believe a word she said. "You're brainless, and you're also greedy and have ulterior motives. No matter how pretty you are, it's useless. It's really hard to like you. I used to wonder how the Yu family could have a girl like you. Now I know that like mother, like daughter. The upper beam is crooked, and the lower beam is crooked too!"
This isn't just about not daring to curse; it's clearly more painful than being hit.
Madam Xie has always been strong-willed and proud. In the past, she raised her two children alone, refusing countless matchmakers' offers. Neighbors and friends all praised her for her self-respect and dignity, but now she is being verbally abused.
His old face was flushed with embarrassment, yet he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
Gu Ruxu was still not satisfied. She couldn't hit Xie Shi, so Yu Qingxue had to take the blame for her mother and endure double the slaps.
Another slap resounded, so loud that it sounded painful to those outside.
Shen Qinglu and her daughter Shen Linlang stood at the door, listening to the sounds and movements inside. This was Gu Ruxu's arrangement. Gu Ruxu wouldn't let them in, so she made them listen from the outside.
Her angry and high-pitched voice rang out clearly again, "You all take advantage of my Linlang's kind and soft heart. One of you is Yu Zhiheng's biological mother, and the other is his sister. You think Linlang can't live without him, so you dare to bully her like this. If it weren't for Linlang, what would you be!"
Shen Qinglu subconsciously looked at Shen Linlang. Shen Linlang, who had been looking down, slowly raised her head upon hearing this, as if something innate but suppressed for many years was slowly awakening.
Just then, someone hurried over from outside the courtyard; it was Yu Zhiheng and his son Yu Jingxian.
Yu Zhiheng frowned and glanced at Shen Linlang with displeasure. Just as he was about to say something, Gu Ruxu's voice came from inside.
"You are truly a bunch of ungrateful wretches! You eat the food of the Shen family, live in the house of the Shen family, and yet you bully the flesh and blood of the Shen family. My Shen family has only had one daughter, Linlang, for three generations. My womb is useless, I only gave birth to sons, and our Shen family only has one daughter in the fourth generation, and you actually switched her with someone else!"
"If you don't want that child, you can simply return him to the Shen family. To put it bluntly, Madam, don't think you've raised a good son. Someone ranked outside the top hundred on the imperial examinations—the Shen family doesn't even care for him!"
Yu Zhiheng's expression changed instantly. He stopped walking in, his lips pressed tightly together, and stood with his hands behind his back, looking extremely unpleasant.
If he didn't go in, Yu Jingxian naturally wouldn't go in either.
Another slapping sound rang out, followed by Yu Qingxue's sobbing, as if she wanted to cry but dared not.
"You still have the nerve to cry? You exchanged your own bastard child for the flesh and blood of my Shen family, and we spoiled your bastard child for more than ten years, while you ruined my Shen family's child to the point of being inhuman. I think you've gotten tired of living a good life and forgotten who helped you get out of the Su family back then."
When the Su family ran into trouble, Yu Zhiheng had just entered the Jixian Hall and was only an eighth-rank inspector. He had no way of navigating the complexities of relationships, so all the smooth dealings were handled by the Shen family.
"We can get you out of this mess, and we can send you back to the Su family!"
“Sister-in-law, take your anger out on me. Please stop hitting Qingxue. She really doesn’t know anything. It’s all my fault…” Xie choked up, sounding as if she was about to faint.
"Of course it's your fault. If a daughter is not properly taught, it's the mother's fault. If it's not your fault, whose fault is it?"
Yu Zhiheng couldn't listen anymore, but as a man, he couldn't argue with a woman. He could only look at Shen Linlang with disapproving eyes, signaling her to go in and stop Gu Ruxu.
Shen Linlang loved him deeply, and their years of affection gave her the upper hand. She moved, but Shen Qinglu stopped her.
“Mother, Aunt is in a bad mood right now. If you go in now, she will probably get even angrier when she sees you and thinks about the grievances you have suffered.”
He thought about it and realized it made sense.
The wife of my brother-in-law usually appears to be a wealthy and leisurely person, but in reality, she is the most difficult to deal with.
On one occasion, he was dragged by his colleagues to a brothel for drinks, where he happened to be seen by his brother-in-law. He begged his brother-in-law not to tell his wife, but his brother-in-law let it slip to his own wife.
In front of her brother-in-law, the aunt smiled and said that men sometimes have social obligations and have no choice but to go to certain places. Behind his back, she had someone deliver a dagger to him, along with the words: "Lust is a knife; it can kill, and it can also kill oneself."
“Madam, you are the elder, and it is only right that I, as a junior, should be teaching you. You said that you switched the children back then, and you watched my Linlang treat that bastard child like a treasure. How could you just stand by and watch your good daughter treat the children of the Shen family as less than human?”
"I...I...I thought she was doing well..."
Gu Ruxu seemed to laugh out of anger, her laughter dripping with sarcasm. "I saw that child once. Not only was she poorly dressed, but her eyes were glued to food, as if she had been mistreated for a long time, looking like she was poor and deprived. Yet you say you think she's doing well? Are you lying through your teeth, or are you truly blind!"
An outsider's perspective is often clearer; a single sentence reveals Yu Qingxue's ruthlessness and Xie's indifference.
The four people standing at the door—a couple and their two children—are a family in the true sense of the word.
Shen Qinglu had personally experienced what a family of four should look like, and of course she knew they shouldn't stand apart like this, becoming two separate groups.
The sound of slapping came from the room again, and it sounded even stronger than before.
Yu Qingxue felt her face was swollen, and her mouth tasted metallic. Even without looking in a mirror, she knew what she looked like, because she had seen an old woman being slapped when she was in the Su family.
At this moment, she was just like that old woman.
She is not a servant; she is the eldest aunt of the Yu family. What right does the Shen family have to be the master of the Yu family? Why do they beat her and treat her worse than a servant?
"You can't do this to me..."
"I can't?" Gu Ruxu scoffed. "I'm standing up for the children of the Shen family, what's wrong with that I can't do it!"
Yu Zhiheng clenched his teeth, his jaw taut.
His hands, clasped tightly behind his back, were about to rush in when the curtain was lifted from the inside, and Gu Ruxu walked out leisurely. She glared at him with bright, sharp eyes and said, "Brother-in-law is always busy with outside affairs and doesn't care about anything at home. In this respect, you are not as good as your elder brother. When your elder brother returns to the capital, I will have him teach you a lesson."
Gu Ruxu emphasized the words "I'll teach you" very heavily.
Anyone who listens will understand the other layer of meaning.
That disdainful demeanor and condescending tone made Yu Zhihengshan very uncomfortable.
"aunt."
Yu Liuzhu stood at the courtyard gate, seemingly hesitant to enter.
Gu Ruxu gave birth to four sons in one go, but had no daughters. Over the years, she had been very doted on. Not only did he send her gifts during festivals, but whenever there was anything fashionable among young ladies in the capital, whether it was jewelry, clothing, or trinkets, he would send it to the Yu residence as soon as possible.
You can distinguish between truth and falsehood, and you can remove a title cleanly, but the feelings between people that have lasted for many years and are infused with warm hearts cannot be easily severed.
Even though he was calling her a bastard just now, when he actually saw her, some emotions couldn't be ignored. A thousand mixed feelings and a lot of helplessness came out, and in the end, he could only say, "Take care of yourself from now on."
"Aunt, Tang'er really can't understand why things turned out this way?"
People often say that the kindness of raising someone is greater than the kindness of giving birth.
Yu Liuzhu couldn't understand why they had all loved her so much before. Could it be that just because she wasn't her mother's biological daughter, they could abandon her after raising her for over a decade?
Why?
Were all those good things in the past just a lie?
Gu Ruxu was quite upset, but she would never tolerate herself being so confused. "You can ask your own mother about this."
Yu Liuzhu burst into tears, "Aunt, even you don't like Tang'er anymore?"
After all, this was the child she had raised for sixteen years, the child she had cherished like her own flesh and blood for sixteen years. Under such circumstances, the person who was most heartbroken was naturally Shen Linlang.
Shen Linlang almost rushed over to hug her and comfort her, but she pulled back as soon as she moved.
Upon seeing this, Gu Ruxu sighed, then her expression turned cold as she said to Yu Liuzhu, "I used to like you because I considered you my own niece from the Shen family, and it had nothing to do with you as a person."
After saying that, he didn't look at anyone again and walked straight ahead.
After taking a few steps, he turned back to look at Shen Linlang, who had a sorrowful expression, and then glanced at Shen Qinglu beside him, and said, "Come with me."
The eldest sister-in-law is like a mother, and this saying is most fitting for her.
She was very fond of Shen Linlang even before she married into the general's mansion. Shen Linlang's frankness, simplicity, and kindness were especially precious to her, who grew up in a complicated and high-class family.
She opposed Shen Linlang's insistence on marrying Yu Zhihengshan back then. Even after many years, she still felt resentful at the thought of her sister-in-law marrying down to such a low status.
"Linlang, I know you value your son-in-law and are reluctant to break ties with your mother-in-law because of his reputation, but do you know that the more you do this, the more you encourage their greed?"
"Sister-in-law, I was wrong. I will never be like that again."
"I know your personality. You're kind-hearted and always considerate of others' feelings. This time, the facts are too outrageous and I really feel sorry for you. With your background, even if you married down, you shouldn't have ended up with such a family. They are utterly heartless!"
If your father and brother knew how much you and your child had suffered, who knows what they would do. No matter how good Yu Zhiheng is, he can't outweigh the sins committed by his own mother and sister. Linlang, let's get a divorce!
Shen Linlang's face paled. "Sister-in-law, my husband has been very good to me all these years. He listens to me in everything and has never even raised his voice to me. We also have three children, I..."
She never considered that all the expenses of the Yu family, both internal and external, were hers, and everything was spent with her money. Why shouldn't Yu Zhiheng listen to her?
A faint hint of mockery flickered in Shen Qinglu's slightly lowered eyes.
It's true what they say, "A snake trying to swallow an elephant"—even so, the Yu family is still not satisfied, and it seems no one appreciates her kindness. Not to mention Gu Ruxu's pity for her, even she feels sorry for her.
Gu Ruxu doted on her and was used to indulging her. Seeing that she had no intention of divorcing, he could only compromise and said, "If you still want to live with your husband, I won't be the bad guy who breaks you up. But Linlang, you must remember that you are the eldest daughter of the Shen family and the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion. You are not an orphan who can be bullied by everyone, nor are you a soft persimmon that the Yu family can manipulate at will! From now on, you must be more assertive and not only suffer grievances yourself but also implicate your child."
When the topic turned to children, she glanced at Shen Qinglu indifferently.
As the saying goes, "love me, love my dog," and vice versa.
Shen Qinglu knew that she definitely didn't like her.
Because she looks like Yu Qingxue, she dislikes Yu Qingxue. She probably wouldn't like someone who not only looks like Yu Qingxue but was also raised by Yu Qingxue for over a decade either.
Perhaps to comfort herself, or perhaps to find a reason to accept it, she looked at Shen Qinglu a few more times and then said to Shen Linlang, "At first glance, this child doesn't look like you, but upon closer inspection, her eyebrows and eyes clearly belong to your Shen family."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Now that the child has been switched back, take good care of her. My niece is from the Shen family, so it's only right that she acknowledges her uncle's family. Tomorrow, take the child back to the General's Mansion."
Shen Linlang readily agreed.
"Sister-in-law, I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble."
“We’re family, why are you speaking like that? If you could act like you did when you were a girl at home, I wouldn’t be so angry.” Gu Ruxu said, her expression revealing a hint of exasperation at her lack of self-control.
Shen Linlang looked ashamed, like a child who had done something wrong.
When she was about to see Gu Ruxu off, Gu Ruxu refused.
Gu Ruxu gestured for Shen Qinglu to step forward and said, "Let this child see me off."
The sky, which had been overcast for several days, was filled with clouds that seemed to be piling up and growing thicker and thicker, but in an instant, a crack appeared, bursting out with bright light.
Shen Qinglu followed silently behind Gu Ruxu, taking exactly three steps, neither too many nor too few.
When Gu Ruxu walked fast, she walked fast; when she walked slow, she walked slow. Along the way, she walked at different speeds, but she did not appear chaotic or disheveled. Instead, she seemed quite calm and composed.
"Your name is Ali?"
"yes."
It made a very crisp sound, so crisp and clean that there was not a trace of hesitation.
Gu Ruxu raised an eyebrow, stopped in her tracks, and stared intently at her. "I heard that as soon as you were recognized, the missing soul and spirit returned to their rightful place. What a coincidence."
She neither avoided nor dodged, her gaze calm. "It wasn't a coincidence, it was inevitable."
Upon hearing this, Gu Ruxu's eyes gleamed brightly.
"What an inevitability!"
This kid is no ordinary person!
A wise person speaks only a few words.
“Your mother is kind-hearted and treats people with sincerity. If she encounters someone who is also sincere, it is a blessing. But if she encounters someone who harbors evil intentions, that will be her doom.”
“You’re right, so having an elder sister-in-law like you is the greatest blessing in her life.”
Gu Ruxu's eyes never left her, not missing a single expression or gesture. After hearing her finish speaking, he showed a hint of excitement.
After a long pause, he said, "As expected of a child from the Shen family."
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