allonlinenovel Chapter 186 Everything is Retribution
Chapter 186 Everything is Retribution
Zhao Jue returned to the Duke's mansion in a depressed mood, and happened to run into Shen Qingtan inside the side gate.
"Tan'er, wait a moment." Zhao Jue blocked Shen Qingtan's path: "I have a few words to say to you."
Shen Qingtan ignored him and gestured for Jiang Mu to clear the way.
Jiang Mu, Liu Yue, and Ting Xue stood between the two, clearing a path for them.
Shen Qingtan walked over by herself.
Zhao Jue's face darkened, suspecting that Shen Qingtan had found a powerful backer and was putting on airs in front of him.
On second thought, Shen Qingtan wasn't the kind of person who would be arrogant and conceited just because of her status.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have had such a close relationship with Boss Qin.
Suddenly, he remembered the times Shen Qingtan had reminded him to pay attention to the rules.
He tightened his jaw and squeezed out two words through his teeth: "Second Sister-in-law."
Shen Qingtan stopped and looked at him properly.
Zhao Jue almost crushed his back teeth; she actually wanted to be his second sister-in-law!
He felt incredibly stifled, remembering how Shen Qingtan had treated him with all her heart and could never see another man.
She admired people with outstanding talent and learning. When Zhao Yi became the top scholar in the imperial examination, she tried to get his opinion on him.
Shen Qingtan smiled and said, "You are skilled in both literature and martial arts, and your talent is no less than that of Second Master Zhao. If you had not joined the army and had taken the imperial examination, you might have become the top scholar."
Now, she only has Zhao Yi in her eyes, and no longer sees him.
He regretted it. He regretted that he was short-sighted and abandoned Shen Qingtan without hesitation after learning from Marquis Chengen that she was not their biological daughter.
If he insists on marrying her, he will be the son-in-law of the Prince of Zhenbei.
"Believe it or not, I have to tell you that it was Marquis Chengen who forced me to marry Shen Mingzhu. If you don't agree to the marriage exchange, they will plot against you and ruin your reputation."
Zhao Jue's eyes showed pain: "I have no say in the household and can't help you at all. In order to protect you, I have to compromise."
Shen Qingtan sneered inwardly. Zhao Jue was putting on this sentimental act because he saw that the Chengen Marquis's mansion was about to lose power and had learned her true identity.
She raised an eyebrow: "Are you done?"
“Tan’er, abandoning you was not my wish. Whatever the reason, it has already happened. I was wrong, and I have no face to ask for your forgiveness.” Zhao Jue’s eyes were fierce: “I will make those who have humiliated you pay the price they deserve.”
"Is that so?" Shen Qingtan asked calmly, "Including Shen Mingzhu?"
Zhao Jue clenched his fists and remained silent.
Shen Qingtan got an answer from his resolute eyes.
She asked, "Do you remember the copy of the Records of the Grand Historian you borrowed from me years ago?"
Zhao Jue was taken aback. He had borrowed many books, but he had never read a single one of them.
So many years have passed, I've completely forgotten about it.
"A very capable and cunning general married a woman from an enemy country. When the two countries were at war, in order to become a general, he personally killed his wife, who had shared his hardships, to show his loyalty to the monarch. The monarch appointed him as a general, and he used his military skills to defeat the enemy army and made great achievements. However, the monarch did not give him a proper position."
Shen Qingtan asked, "Why do you think the monarch doesn't give this talented general an important position?"
Zhao Jue replied without hesitation, "The monarch lacks tolerance for others and is wary of him, which is why he has not given him an important position."
Hearing Zhao Jue's completely different answer from back then, Shen Qingtan couldn't help but look up at him.
“The monarch is indeed wary of him.” Shen Qingtan quoted his answer from years ago: “He killed his own wife for power. How could the monarch dare to give an important position to such a selfish, heartless, and ungrateful person?”
Zhao Jue would also kill his wife for power.
She is a good example.
Shen Qingtan observed Zhao Jue's reaction, wondering if he remembered the state of mind he had when he said those words back then.
But Zhao Jue seemed lost in thought, pondering the meaning of her words.
I've completely forgotten my answer from back then.
It's clear that his initial answer was to please her, rather than reflecting his true feelings, which explains why he had no recollection of it.
This shows that Zhao Jue was a person whose very nature was rotten from a young age.
She ignored Zhao Jue and left the Duke's mansion with her entourage to meet with Old Madam Shen and Shen Shaoheng.
As Zhao Jue watched Shen Qingtan's departing figure, he understood the meaning of those words.
In order to climb up to the Prince of Zhenbei, he killed Shen Mingzhu.
How could she trust such a heartless and ungrateful person?
Zhao Jue's face turned pale and then red, extremely embarrassed.
But now he has no way out and must do something to surrender to the Prince of Zhenbei and dispel the Prince's hatred towards him.
As for Shen Qingtan... he will regain her trust.
Zhao Jue went to the study to retrieve the evidence of Cheng'en Marquis's crimes and then left the Duke's mansion.
-
Madam Shen rode in a carriage to visit Marquis Chengen in prison once again.
After the Prince of Zhenbei was pardoned, Shen Shaohuai released her from the study.
She couldn't wait to ask Marquis Chengen for Princess Yizhen's belongings. Only if she held something in her hands that could save her life would Shen Shaohuai listen to her as before.
When Marquis Chengen saw Madam Shen arrive, he hurried to the prison gate and asked, "How did it go? What did the Prince say?"
"My lord, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." Madam Shen burst into tears: "The prince said he wanted to protect you, so he gave him the evidence you had against him. I believed him and found the evidence and gave it to him. Who knew... who knew he destroyed it and refused to save you."
Madam Shen's words were like the last straw, breaking the last glimmer of hope for Marquis Chengen.
"It's over...it's all over..."
Marquis Chengen was greatly shocked. He staggered a few steps, his eyes filled with despair.
Madam Shen said with a face full of guilt, "My lord, I am useless, I was unable to save you... Ah..."
Marquis Chengen lunged forward, his eyes filled with hatred, and said, "You did it on purpose! You deliberately gave the evidence to Prince Yu! We've been husband and wife for half our lives, why did you betray me!"
Mrs. Shen protested, "I...I didn't..."
"You won't cast your net until you see the eagle. If there were no other benefit, would you give him the evidence?" Marquis Chengen's eyes were bloodshot as he gripped her collar tightly. "I never imagined... that the one who would betray me in the end would be you!"
"My lord, I... I had no choice. The prince is in dire straits himself, how can I save you?" Madam Shen's face was streaked with tears. "I did it for Huai'er, to preserve the bloodline of the Marquis's mansion. The prince said that as long as the evidence is handed over, he will save Huai'er's life."
Marquis Chengen stared intently at Madam Shen, seemingly never expecting that the person he had schemed against for half his life would now be betrayed by his own wife.
retribution.
It's all retribution.
"My lord, all of this we've painstakingly schemed for is for our children, isn't it? Your fate is sealed. Do you really want your children to lose their lives because of the mistakes you've made?"
Seeing that Marquis Chengen seemed somewhat hesitant, Madam Shen continued to persuade him: "All the effort you've put into Huai'er, in the end, is it just to make him die with you? Your children are still alive, they can make a comeback and continue your bloodline. If our entire family is wiped out, then it's all really over."
“My lord, we have been husband and wife, how could I betray you? As long as our children are alive, I have no other desires.” She held the Marquis of Chengen’s hand and said sincerely, “Wherever you go, I will accompany you.”
Marquis Chengen stared intently into Madam Shen's eyes, as if trying to discern any trace of her lying.
After a long silence, he seemed to believe Madam Shen's words and relented, saying, "What you want is under the painting vat in the study."