“You—” Marquis Jing’an’s lips trembled as he couldn’t speak.

Lady Shen’s momentum increased: “Speak! Say something! Can’t say it now? Hehe, do you think I’m a fool? A mother and child share hearts. When you took Erlang away to see doctors and brought him back, I knew immediately – that wasn’t my Erlang anymore!”

At this point, Lady Shen collapsed against the chair back, sobbing uncontrollably.

She had been in confinement then. Her Erlang had just been born a few days before when he was taken from her side due to poor health.

How could they think that she, as his mother, wouldn’t recognize her son?

Even if she had only looked at him once, even if in everyone else’s eyes all newborn babies looked the same, in her eyes and heart, her Erlang was unique!

Lady Shen gripped the chair back and wailed loudly.

The servants had long been dismissed from the room, leaving only Lady Shen’s cries echoing.

After a long while, Shao Jingyuan asked: “Father, is what Mother said true?”

Marquis Jing’an’s face looked extremely ugly as he remained silent.

Lady Shen raised her head and sneered coldly: “The Marquis can’t speak? Since we’ve come this far, I want to ask the Marquis – where exactly did you take my Erlang?”

“Erlang—” Marquis Jing’an struggled to speak, but found the following words so difficult to say.

“Speak! Speak! Did you kill my Erlang to make room for that bastard?”

“Lady Shen, in front of the children, what nonsense are you spouting?” Marquis Jing’an looked at Lady Shen incredulously.

Had she been thinking this way all these years?

They were husband and wife from the beginning. Though they hadn’t spent much time together when young, they had never quarreled. How could she think he was capable of harming his biological son?

“I’m spouting nonsense? Then tell me, where did Erlang go? Where did my Erlang go?”

“Erlang is dead!” Marquis Jing’an finally said it.

“Lady Shen, don’t you know yourself? Erlang was born weak. The imperial physicians said early on he wouldn’t survive. Erlang died of illness!”

“I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it! You harmed Erlang for that bastard!” Lady Shen screamed hoarsely.

Marquis Jing’an felt utterly exhausted. He raised his hand to his forehead and asked Lady Shen, “Madam, we’ve been husband and wife for so many years. Must you pin the crime of killing our child on me to feel at peace? If so, then have it your way.”

Years of illness had made the once powerful Marquis Jing’an as frail as a scholar, his complexion pale with a greenish tinge. Combined with his current dispirited demeanor, he looked quite alarming.

Lady Shen softened slightly and changed her tone: “Erlang died of illness?”

Countless nights, she had tossed and turned, unable to sleep, thinking that the child she had carried for ten months was probably already dead, while a bastard occupied his identity and enjoyed his treatment – it made her hate to the point of bleeding.

But after the hatred, deep in her heart, there was also a hidden hope.

Perhaps her Erlang wasn’t dead?

Maybe he was just taken away by his heartless father.

Marquis Jing’an slowly nodded: “Yes, our Erlang died of illness. Lady Shen, you are Erlang’s mother, and I am Erlang’s father. Don’t you think I would have wanted Erlang to live?”

“Wuu wuu wuu—” Lady Shen covered her face and wept bitterly.

Shao Jingyuan and Shao Xiyuan didn’t dare breathe heavily.

Shao Xiyuan was still alright, but Shao Jingyuan was miserable.

His pig-head face was still waiting for the doctor to apply medicine. When would this wait end?

The father and two sons remained speechless.

After Lady Shen finished crying, she suddenly raised her head to look at Marquis Jing’an: “Then what about Shao Mingyuan? I’ve kept this in my heart for twenty-one years. Today, can the Marquis tell me where exactly he came from?”

Shao Jingyuan and Shao Xiyuan both looked toward Marquis Jing’an.

Yes, since their second brother had died, who was the current second brother?

Marquis Jing’an remained silent.

“Marquis, speak!”

Marquis Jing’an’s lips moved, but he was rendered speechless.

After Lady Shen pressed him repeatedly, Marquis Jing’an continued to say nothing.

“I understand now. That bastard was born from you and an outside woman, right?”

Marquis Jing’an was startled.

“Speak! Speak!” Lady Shen was furious, standing straight: “Since we’ve come this far, the Marquis shouldn’t hide from me anymore. If you don’t explain clearly today, I’ll dash my brains out here! Tell me, is he or isn’t he born from you and some vixen outside?”

“Yes!” Marquis Jing’an closed his eyes and said heavily.

Lady Shen was stunned, then began coughing violently.

“Mother—” Shao Xiyuan was frightened and went to support Lady Shen.

Lady Shen coughed and cried simultaneously: “I knew it, I knew it! Get away from me, I never want to see you again! And that bastard too – better he dies early and stops bothering me!”

“Shut up!” Marquis Jing’an shouted coldly.

Lady Shen widened her eyes: “At this point, you’re still self-righteous?”

“Why can’t I be self-righteous? All these years, has there been a single concubine in the marquis’ residence? A single bedwarmer? No, right? Madam can go inquire – which noble family doesn’t have wives and concubines in abundance? Even those civil officials and literati, even the renowned Qiao family – didn’t Censor Qiao’s wife feel she was getting old and take a concubine for her husband? Even if I once kept an outside woman, is that some unforgivable crime?”

Marquis Jing’an’s series of counter-questions nearly made Lady Shen faint with anger, yet she found herself unable to refute.

Yes, how unfair this world was to women. Men taking concubines was natural and right, but if women did the same, even someone as noble as Eldest Princess Changrong keeping a few male favorites would be criticized behind her back.

“Since we’ve spoken openly, let me be clear with Madam. Although Shao Mingyuan didn’t crawl out of your belly, he is my flesh and blood. According to propriety, it’s natural for him to call you Mother. Therefore, I don’t want to hear your harsh words anymore. Also—”

Marquis Jing’an glanced at his two sons, then looked back at Lady Shen: “Those previous rumors about Mingyuan can be overlooked – I can let bygones be bygones. But if Mingyuan’s identity as an outside son spreads in the future, then Madam, don’t blame me for not cherishing our years of marriage – return to your natal family.”

“Father!” Shao Jingyuan and Shao Xiyuan were shocked.

Marquis Jing’an’s expression was dark as he said word by word: “You two remember this too – if even a single word about your second brother’s identity gets out, I’ll send your mother back to her natal family!”

After speaking, he turned and strode outside.

Shao Xiyuan couldn’t help asking: “Father, where are you going?”

“To see your second brother!”

Marquis Jing’an departed with a flick of his sleeves. Lady Shen was overcome with bitter anger and fainted from holding her breath.

The Marquis Jing’an’s residence was immediately in chaos.

In Marquis Guanjun’s residence, the atmosphere was equally tense.

Yang Houcheng urgently wanted to fetch an imperial physician, but was grabbed by Chi Can: “We can’t fetch an imperial physician!”

Shao Mingyuan’s identity was far too sensitive. Once news of him coughing up blood and fainting spread, it would likely give various factions inappropriate ideas.

Even the Emperor’s attitude would change.

“Not fetch an imperial physician? Then what about Tingquan?”