Chapter 137 The Death of "Shen Zifeng"

This time, the meals on the table were specially prepared to suit Shen Zhifeng's preferences. The two of them enjoyed a pleasant meal together, after which they dismissed all the servants and sat down to discuss the matter of taking a new secondary wife.

The Old Madame wore a somewhat worried expression. "I have only you as a son. In the past, Han Rou's infertility delayed you for over a decade. Now we must find someone who is fertile. It is simply unacceptable for a prestigious Duke's Mansion to be without a legitimate heir. Alas..."

With that, she could not help but sigh over Yue Niang. "If I had known, we should have divorced Han Rou sooner and taken Yue Niang in as a concubine. At the very least, she carried three pregnancies for you. It is only a pity she lacked that fortune."

Shen Zhifeng furrowed his brow slightly. Three pregnancies?

He only knew that Yue Niang had given birth to a son and a daughter for the real Shen Zhifeng, and the son, named Shen Minglei, was already dead. Could there have been another child between them?

To avoid saying the wrong thing, Shen Zhifeng remained silent, his expression turning somewhat dark.

Believing he was also displeased about this matter, the Old Madame pressed on with greater enthusiasm. "Tell me, why on earth didn't you let Yue Niang bring that child into the world back then? That would have been a grandson as well."

So it was a miscarried child.

Just then, a servant brewed a pot of Longjing tea for Shen Zhifeng. He picked up the teacup and lowered his head, blowing gently on the steam to mask the panic in his eyes.

"Let's not speak of past matters anymore." Fearing the Old Madame would dwell on the subject, Shen Zhifeng could only offer a lukewarm remark.

The Old Madame nodded with a sigh. "Yes, it is all in the past, and saying more is useless. It is simply heavy on my heart. If the incense and ancestral line of the Shen family were to end with you, how could I have the face to meet your father in the netherworld? Besides, did you forget what your father said to the two of us on his deathbed?"

Looking at the solemn Old Madame, Shen Zhifeng stammered, "Naturally, I dare not forget."

"Then tell me, what did he say? See for yourself whether you have lived up to it now."

The Old Madame stared intently at Shen Zhifeng's face, making beads of sweat break out on his temples. This was truly the death of him; how could he possibly know?

Having no other choice, he lowered his head and assumed a guilt-ridden expression. "I don't remember clearly."

At these words, a flash of astonishment crossed the Old Madame's eyes. The room plunged into an immediate silence, where even the sound of breathing became clearly audible.

"Have you forgotten? Your father told us back then that the Shen family had been an only-child line for three generations, and he did not expect you to elevate the family's power any further. As long as you fathered two or three plump baby boys, you would have fulfilled your duty to him." The Old Madame spoke with a complex expression, her eyes filled with disappointment at his failure to live up to expectations.

Shen Zhifeng nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes. I remember now. It was my fault. Mother, do not worry; I shall soon take a secondary wife to ensure our lineage branches out and flourishes. You need not fret."

At that moment, however, the Old Madame's expression turned sharply stern. She abruptly stood up, pointed at him, and demanded harshly, "You are not my son Shen Zhifeng! Who are you?!"

Shen Zhifeng trembled all over, his expression stiffening. "Mother, what are you talking about? Stop joking around. If I am not your son, then who could I possibly be..."

"No! You should remember your father's dying words. Only last time you brought it up yourself, and what your father said was nothing like this." The Old Madame's pointing finger began to tremble, and she prepared to rush toward the door to cry out for help.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Shen Zhifeng hurriedly stepped forward to block her.

"Someone come, someone help—mew..."

Seeing the Old Madame attempting to shout out, Shen Zhifeng, in his panic, clamped his hand tightly over her mouth.

With his palm covering her nose and mouth, the immense strength he exerted prevented her from breaking free. She kicked desperately at Shen Zhifeng's stomach a few times, but as seconds ticked away, she felt the air drain entirely from her chest, leaving her unable to breathe. Her struggles gradually grew weaker.

Just when the Old Madame believed she was about to suffocate to death, Shen Zhifeng's expression twisted in agony as he slowly collapsed to the floor, clutching his stomach and convulsing.

"Cough... cough, cough..."

The Old Madame coughed violently, staring in terror at the fallen Shen Zhifeng as she backed away a few steps, fearing he might rise again and try to smother her.

Yet, after convulsing on the floor for a few moments, Shen Zhifeng abruptly began to vomit fresh blood. He reached a trembling hand out toward the Old Madame, murmuring in acute agony, "Save... me..."

Within moments, he closed his eyes completely and lay motionless.

In a daze, the Old Madame stepped forward to check for breath, only to stumble backward onto the floor in a piercing shriek.

The senior maid guarding outside heard the cries and called out to inquire. Receiving no answer, she pushed open the door, only to be paralyzed with horror at the sight before her: "Old Madame! My Lord Duke, what has happened to my Lord Duke? Quickly, fetch the estate physician!"

A young maid immediately turned and bolted from the room.

The Old Madame stared in disbelief at the corpse before her. Could it be possible? Just a few kicks from her could kick him to death?

Seemingly recalling something, she hastily grabbed Shen Zhifeng's left hand and rubbed furiously at the birthmark there. Sure enough, the color of the patch began to fade away under the friction.

He truly was not her son—merely an impostor!

What on earth was going on here?

News of the incident involving Shen Zhifeng swept through the entire Duke's Mansion in an instant. When Shen Qingyun rushed to the scene, she found the Old Madame's senior maid pinning Wang Qingru to the ground, demanding viciously, "You wretched creature, speak this instant! Did you hide the real Lord Duke?!"

"I have been wronged! Old Madame, I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about!" Wang Qingru wept bitterly, her face tear-streaked like pear blossoms in the rain.

Naturally, the Old Madame was immune to such tricks and struck her across the face with a hard slap. "Vile woman! There are no men here for you to put on such a seductive display! The kitchen staff said they saw your personal maid acting suspiciously today—did you poison him?!"

Clutching her stinging cheek, Wang Qingru wore an expression of profound sorrow mixed with fierce resentment. "If there was poison in the food, Old Madame, why are you unharmed? The Lord Duke was a healthy man who vanished from this world in a single breath. He died right here in Yansong Hall, Old Madame; shouldn't you provide an explanation?"

Shen Qingyun stood frozen. "Shen Zhifeng" was dead?

She quietly asked Pearl beside her, "Didn't you replace the medicine Xiao Qiu administered?"

Pearl also knitted her brows. "Young Mistress, Xiao Qiu put the medicine in the broth, and I poured out the entire pot, though I hadn't yet had the chance to inform Auntie Wang."

Seen in this light, Shen Zhifeng had not been poisoned by Wang Qingru.

At that moment, however, Shen Qingyun could only put on a sorrowful and shocked expression as she stepped forward. "Grandmother, what on earth has happened? What befell Father?"

Seeing Shen Qingyun arrive with reddened eye rims, the Old Madame choked out, "Qingyun, you've finally come. Your father has been murdered by this wretched woman... No, that is not your father!"

"Grandmother, what are you saying? Qingyun does not understand."

Overwhelmed with grief and rage, her lips trembling, the Old Madame enunciated every single word: "Qingyun, I am saying that the man in this estate is not your father, Shen Zhifeng."