Shen Yanxi's head was knocked to the side, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. He seemed to have never expected such a sudden slap.
Everyone else was stunned, but Ye Rou looked gloating, secretly curling her lips into a smug smile, while pretending to be innocent and saying, "He's just a junior, I won't mind."
"Heh, she doesn't even deserve my apology." Shen Yanxi licked his dry lips and scoffed disdainfully.
To expect him to apologize to someone who harmed his sister and spoke rudely to her is simply a pipe dream.
“You unfilial son, I…” Shen Feng’s raised hand froze in mid-air, his wrist held firmly by Shen Yuzhou, unable to move at all.
Even though Shen Yuzhou's leg was crippled, his imposing aura remained undiminished. When confronting Shen Feng, he never came out on the defensive. "Fourth brother is right. There is no need for him to apologize."
"Are you trying to rebel?" Shen Feng was extremely embarrassed by his own son's humiliation and began to speak recklessly.
He turned his anger towards Shen's mother, feeling that she was easy to manipulate, saying, "They are all good sons you raised, but none of them are as filial as Rushan."
"Since Shen Rushan is so kind, then I will make room for them, mother and son." Shen's mother said this calmly, and her heart suddenly felt much relieved.
"What do you mean by that?" Shen Feng froze, repeating the question in disbelief.
Summoning her courage, Mother Shen finally spoke the words she had kept hidden in her heart for so long: "Divorce me."
From the very beginning, she was the one who was completely fooled.
She actually thought she was the happiest woman in the entire capital, with a husband who didn't favor concubines over his wife, and children who were filial. So many noblewomen envied her.
But in the end, the truth that was revealed was so cruel.
Now, he actually dared to openly beat Yan Xi, a concubine, just to protect her. Suddenly, Madam Shen could no longer tolerate it.
She was cowardly her whole life, endured her whole life, and was made a laughingstock her whole life.
But her child shouldn't have to suffer like this.
Shen Yuzhou and his brothers were also very surprised; they seemed to have never seen their mother so assertive.
But this was followed by relief; they couldn't stay in this disgusting mansion any longer.
Before Shen Feng could respond, Shen Ru cried out. She grabbed her mother's collar and screamed, her sharp voice piercing the ears, "Who do you think you are? My older brother feeds you well, and you think you can just leave like that?"
Shen Yanxi kicked the person away, stood in front of Shen's mother, and glared coldly at Shen Ru, who was lying on the ground crying.
How come he never noticed how ugly these people were before? No wonder Yu'er dislikes everyone in the Marquis's mansion.
"How dare you hit an elder! This is outrageous! Brother, you must stand up for me!"
"No wonder my elder brother kept a mistress. Look at your own children. How can they compare to Shu'er and Rushan? They even dared to hit their elders. They have no manners at all."
"Brother, you should divorce her immediately. This shameless woman is only a menace to the family."
"..."
The entire courtyard echoed with Shen Ru's angry curses and screams; her words were as horrible as could be.
It's unclear what Shen Ru's words touched Shen Feng, but he finally spoke, his eyes fixed on Shen's mother, "Do you really want me to divorce you?"
“Yes, I don’t ask for a divorce. Just give me a letter of divorce.” Mother Shen nodded and took a step back.
She knew that Shen Feng would never agree to a divorce, as that would damage his reputation, but he might not agree to divorce her.
"You don't think you're so confident now that Song Zhiyu is a county princess, do you? Don't forget how you treated her before. She's very vengeful, how could she possibly care about you?" Shen Feng suddenly laughed, showing his utter contempt for his mother.
A flicker of pain and shame at being exposed crossed Shen's mother's eyes; she always felt that she and Shen Feng were different.
She carried the child for ten months and gave birth to him, showering him with all her love. Even if she didn't raise him, she was still grateful for his life.
The debt of gratitude for being born is greater than heaven. As long as she is willing to admit her mistake, Song Zhiyu may forgive her.
Enraged, Shen Feng wrote a letter of divorce and threw it at his mother's face. "Fine, I can give you the letter of divorce. I'll see if Song Zhiyu cares about you or not."
He was just waiting to see the woman regret it.
*
Song Mansion.
"Miss, Madam Ling has arrived." Lu Bai led her into the pavilion, poured tea, and then quietly withdrew.
Song Zhiyu pushed the teacup in front of Madam Ling and introduced it in a gentle voice, "This is a newly developed flower tea. It tastes quite good and should suit your taste, Madam. Please try it."
"Not bad." Old Madam Ling took a sip and nodded emphatically.
Song Zhiyu smiled and put down her teacup. "Does the old lady have something to say?"
Seeing that the old lady looked preoccupied and tried to speak several times but only moved her lips without saying a word, she kindly asked her.
"You are indeed a clever girl." Old Madam Ling gently tapped Song Zhiyu's head, her cloudy eyes overflowing with affection.
A few tears seemed to well up in Madam Ling's eyes. "I think I've found my daughter."
Song Zhiyu was taken aback, then laughed, "That's a good thing, the old lady can finally get her wish."
"You know this person too?" Old Madam Ling's eyes were complicated. She was both happy and helpless to find her daughter.
"Who...is it?" Song Zhiyu paused, a strange feeling welling up inside her.
Madam Ling never expected such a twist of fate. "She is your biological mother."
Fortunately, she took a liking to the little girl at first sight; she was her own granddaughter.
However, there will likely always be a rift between these two.
Song Zhiyu was somewhat surprised, "Does she know about this?"
"I don't know yet." Old Madam Ling shook her head. In fact, she did not have any conclusive evidence to prove Shen's mother's identity.
Seeing Song Zhiyu remain silent, Madam Ling sighed softly, grasped her hand firmly, and said gently, "No matter what, I will respect your choice, and that will never change."
Actually, she cares more about Song Zhiyu than her daughter whom she hasn't seen for many years.
This might not be fair to her daughter, but people are always biased. She will make up for what she owes her daughter, but that doesn't mean she will force Zhiyu to do things she doesn't want to do or accept people she doesn't want to accept.
*
Shen Feng never expected that his weak and incompetent wife, who had only been gone for a short while, would transform into the long-lost daughter of the Duke of Ling's mansion.
It seemed as if fate was playing a cruel joke on him: his daughter, whom he had just signed a letter severing ties with, became a county princess and gained the emperor's favor.
His wife, whom he had rejected and divorced, quickly rose to prominence in the Lingguo Duke's mansion.
What a huge joke!
Shen Feng was filled with remorse. If he hadn't written the letter of divorce, he would be the son-in-law of the Duke of Ling's family now.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
