Shen Yunan’s sword flashed, then fell.
Lu Rou was still trembling with fear; it was only when she saw the green snake sliced into two that her expression softened. A breeze, coming from nowhere, swept through the bamboo grove, creating a rustling sound that sent a chill down one's spine. Just then, the wailing of a baby echoed, making the surroundings feel even more eerie.
"Brother Yunan, this bamboo grove is infested with snakes. The noise from earlier must have been caused by them," Lu Rou said, clinging to Shen Yunan, terrified.
"Yunan, Rou’er, what are you doing out there? Come inside and check on the child quickly."
Hearing Old Madame Shen’s voice, Lu Rou added, "Brother Yunan, the child has woken up. Shall we go and take a look?"
Only at the mention of the child did the expression in Shen Yunan’s eyes change. He gave a soft grunt of acknowledgment, then, holding Lu Rou close, led her out of the bamboo grove.
The moment the three of them entered the house, Xu Yuan and Cuiliu breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a close call!
"My Lady, this is no place to stay. We must leave at once." Cuiliu looked at the young master in Xu Yuan’s arms. If she hadn’t learned a few tricks for catching snakes, they would have been bitten before they were even discovered.
But just as they were about to move, they saw Lu Rou and Shen Yunan emerge from the house again after only a short while. Fortunately, they only stayed in the courtyard this time and did not go near the bamboo grove.
Lu Rou nestled into Shen Yunan’s arms, her voice choked with sobs. Her pitiful expression made her look even more frail and helpless. "Brother Yunan, I know this is wrong, but I only want a bright future for our child. If you feel it is inappropriate, I will go find the midwife and have the children swapped back right now."
Before Shen Yunan could speak, a stern voice interrupted them.
"What could possibly be inappropriate about it!" Old Madame Shen emerged, leaning on her cane, her face dark. "Yunan, you must understand that the child Rou’er bore is your own flesh and blood—the true heir to the Marquis’s Estate. As for that woman Xu, she used her status as a daughter of a Duke’s Estate to deceive you and commit adultery; what she carried was merely an illegitimate bastard!"
"The fact that we didn't dash that baby's brains out the moment it was born, but instead swapped it, is the only mercy the Marquis’s Estate has shown her."
Lu Rou kept her head bowed, playing the part of a terrified woman, and looked up at Shen Yunan with teary eyes. "Brother Yunan, I have no family left in this world. I only hope to stay by your side at all times and serve Mother. I hear that the older sister comes from a distinguished background as a daughter of the Duke’s Estate; surely her upbringing is far superior to mine."
Shen Yunan looked at the two of them. "Mother and Rou’er are right. Not killing it immediately was only out of regard for the past."
"If that poisonous woman hadn't used her status to force her way in, this position of mistress would have been yours, Rou’er."
"Move into the house I purchased tomorrow. Once I have everything arranged, I will bring you into the estate. However, I must ask you to endure the hardship of caring for that bastard."
"I think since the children have already been swapped, we might as well just have it put to death," Old Madame Shen added, her tone filled with disdain and loathing.
"I don't mind the hardship," Lu Rou said, her voice filled with tears but a show of resolve. "My child has already been given to the older sister, so it is only right that I raise the older sister's child."
Xu Yuan frowned, feeling nothing but disgust at their performance. In her previous life, she had truly believed that if she gave enough sincerity, she would receive the same in return. Now, it seemed utterly ridiculous.
From the moment of the swap—no, from the very day she met Shen Yunan—it had been a conspiracy from start to finish. Lu Rou’s interference in Old Madame Shen’s suggestion to kill the child was merely because she wanted to keep it to humiliate her in the future. She would like to see the looks on their faces when the truth was eventually revealed.
"Waa..."
The sound of crying came from the room again. Old Madame Shen frowned and cursed with displeasure, "Truly the spawn of that poisonous woman—she doesn't let anyone have a moment of peace!"
"Marquis, Mother, let’s go inside. It’s windy out here."
The moment the door closed, Xu Yuan signaled to Cuiliu and whispered, "Go!"
Once they were far from the courtyard and back by the carriage, Xu Yuan held the baby in her arms again.
"My Lady, the Marquis and the Old Madame have gone too far! We should return to the Duke’s Estate now and tell the Duke everything, and ask him to stand up for you and the young master!"
While in the bamboo grove, she had been suppressing her anger, terrified of causing trouble for her mistress. Who could have imagined that the Marquis, who had always been so attentive to her mistress, was actually such a ruthless and vicious man! Coupled with what those people had said, the more Cuiliu thought about it, the more frightened she became. The Marquis’s Estate was nothing but a man-eating den!
"We will return to the Duke’s Estate, but not yet. Cuiliu, drive the carriage; we will discuss this once we reach the capital."
Xu Yuan looked at the baby in her arms with concern. Because of the sedative smoke, he had been in a deep sleep, which had inadvertently helped him avoid the commotion earlier. But the child was only two days old; first the swap, then the smoke—if it wasn't dealt with quickly, he would certainly suffer long-term health issues.
As for Shen Yunan... a cold, piercing glint flashed in Xu Yuan’s eyes. She only blamed herself for being blind in her previous life to have fallen for such a beast.
He had once been a pauper living in a shack, relying on his mother to survive. Because he offended the local magistrate, they were driven into the wilderness. By chance, they ran into a group of bandits who wanted to plunder relief grain. Shen Yunan fought to the death to protect it, and was beaten to the brink of death, holding on until the government reinforcements arrived.
When her father heard of this, he was moved by his actions and grew to appreciate him. Hearing that he was educated and had practiced martial arts, her father thought highly of him. It was a pity that he had missed the time for the imperial examinations, so, out of a desire to cherish talent, he recommended him to the military to train, with the intention that he could take the exams the following year—no matter the outcome, it would serve as a backup plan.
Shen Yunan’s mother was even granted the protection of the Duke’s Estate and brought into the household, and that was when she had first met him. Later, it was said that because of Shen Yunan’s tactics, he played a role on the battlefield. The following year, he topped the imperial examinations, rising rapidly until he became the most powerful Grand Secretary.
She never expected that the first thing he would do upon achieving such success was to strike at her father, using her father's trust to forge his handwriting and report him to the Emperor for collusion with the enemy. Because of his status as the Duke’s son-in-law and the evidence presented, the Emperor had no reason to doubt him and even praised Shen Yunan for placing righteousness above family.
Her father was beheaded, and the entire household, including one hundred and thirty relatives, was wiped out. She herself ended her life with a cup of poisoned wine.
Even getting the child back and divorcing him was too light a punishment for Shen Yunan and his family! In this life, the blood debt owed must be paid with blood!
"Cuiliu, how much further to the capital?"
Xu Yuan held the child with one hand and lifted the carriage curtain with the other to look at the passing scenery, a sense of unease rising in her heart.
"Two more miles. I am worried the carriage is going too fast and will jostle you and the young master." Cuiliu, driving the carriage, looked back at Xu Yuan, her gaze inevitably falling on the baby. "My Lady, why hasn't the young master moved since just now? Could it be that he has already..."