Chapter 74: “I Don’t Want to Hear It, I Don’t Want to Hear It”

“You scoundrel, I don’t want to live anymore. I’ll just die.

Anyway, the Emperor is going to imprison the Wen family sooner or later, so whether I die sooner or later, I’m dead, boohoo.”

“Enough! What’s the name of that woman?” Minister Wen shouted sternly, trying to stay calm.

Madam Sun, taken aback, replied, “Xiao… Xiao Liangliang.”

Minister Wen frowned, “Xiao?”

Just a few days ago, someone had died, also with the surname Xiao—Xiao Ziran.

It was because of him that the Imperial Examination scandal had been exposed.

‘Thud——’

Wen Qingyuan knelt down.

Madam Sun: ?

“Son, why are you kneeling? Do you want to plead for your father? Let me tell you, I don’t want to hear it, I don’t want to hear it, your father betrayed me—”

“Grandmother, Father, Mother, the child… is… is mine.”

All three were stunned.

Minister Wen came to his senses, “Is this Xiao Liangliang the same one who was involved with Shangguan Ze, the one who cuckolded the Princess?”

Wen Qingyuan nodded, “Yes… yes, she is.”

“Wen Qingyuan! You! You scoundrel!” Minister Wen kicked Wen Qingyuan in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground. “How could you get involved with someone like that? Speak! Do you have any connection with Shangguan Ze? Are you involved in the Imperial Examination scandal?”

Wen Qingyuan was dumbfounded, “Father, no! I really have nothing to do with it! It was Xiao Liangliang… she seduced me. At the time, I couldn’t control myself, and then we slept together. Who knew, it was just once! Just once, and it happened. She said she was pregnant, but I didn’t believe her. She… she didn’t just sleep with me.”

“She was even involved with Shangguan Ze.

But she said that Shangguan Ze was incapable and couldn’t have children…”

Minister Wen’s body shook. The affair between Shangguan Ze and the Princess had spread throughout the court since it was exposed. The Princess had indeed endured a lot over the years. Shangguan Ze was an ungrateful wretch, a scourge of the court!

“You will deal with the consequences of your own actions! If I find out that you’re involved in the imperial examination scandal, I will disown you!” Minister Wen stormed off in anger.

Madam Sun finally realized, “Son, is Xiao Liangliang’s child yours? Not your father’s?”

Wen Qingyuan shook his head. “No.”

“Good, good, good. You almost scared me to death. It’s fine as long as it’s not your father’s,” Madam Sun breathed a sigh of relief, standing up and dusting off her clothes. “Wait, so Xiao Liangliang’s son is yours?”

Wen Qingyuan nodded.

Madam Sun immediately kicked him again!

Wen Qingyuan: “…”

Today was truly a day of beatings.

“You really have the worst taste! You even found Xiao Liangliang appealing. Are you blind? Now that you’ve fathered a child, what do you plan to do?”

The Old Madam intervened, “Stop arguing. The situation is already a mess. Even if you beat him to death, it won’t change what happened.”

Madam Sun suppressed her anger, “You’re right, Mother. But this… sigh.”

She had seen Xiao Liangliang before and knew she wouldn’t make a good wife. Moreover, if they brought Xiao Liangliang into the family, it would be an affront to the royal family, given her past with Shangguan Ze.

Madam Sun understood this clearly, as did the Old Madam, who was over seventy.

“Yuan’er, what do you think? Do you want to marry her?”

Wen Qingyuan quickly shook his head, “Mother, you know me. I was just fooling around. I…”

Madam Sun snapped, “Fooling around? And you got her pregnant!”

Wen Qingyuan scratched his head, regretting everything. Couldn’t he just undo it all?

“Enough, enough. Give Xiao Liangliang some money and send her to the countryside,” Madam Sun suggested, looking at the Old Madam. “Mother, what do you think?”

The Old Madam sighed, “This is truly a disaster. I’m old now and can’t manage things anymore. You handle it. Yuan’er… sigh, it seems our family’s reputation will be ruined because of you.”

Leaning on her cane, the Old Madam left the hall, not wanting to see Wen Qingyuan any longer. This grandson was a disappointment.

“Yuan’er, let me ask you one more thing,” Madam Sun thought for a moment before asking, “Did Shangguan Ze implicate the Wen family in the imperial examination scandal? Are you involved?”

Wen Qingyuan wanted to deny it.

Madam Sun slapped him on the forehead, “Answer honestly!”

Wen Qingyuan lowered his head and, feeling wronged, nodded slightly.

Madam Sun was on the verge of exploding with anger, “You really were involved? You colluded with Shangguan Ze?”

Wen Qingyuan nodded again.

Madam Sun rolled up her sleeves and kicked him once more, “Nodding, all you do is nod! Can’t you shake your head for once?”

Wen Qingyuan: “…Mother, you told me to tell the truth.”

“You!” Madam Sun was so angry that she nearly passed out.

Wen Qingyuan said bitterly, “Mother, it’s not entirely my fault. Xiao Liangliang was the one who persuaded me. That deceased Xiao Ziran was her younger brother. When I was with Xiao Liangliang, she kept asking me to help her brother. Then, when Shangguan Ze approached me, I couldn’t resist their persistence, so I helped Xiao Ziran.”

“You’re a fool!” Madam Sun trembled with anger. “Xiao Liangliang is nothing! And yet, you got involved in the imperial examination scandal because of her words? Do you want to die? Do you think the Wen family can stay out of this?

Xiao Ziran is dead, Shangguan Ze is in prison, and now the Ministry of Justice is investigating our family. Do you think the Wen family can avoid this? Your father has been working tirelessly to deal with this situation. If this is proven, our family could face confiscation of property and exile!”

Wen Qingyuan hadn’t realized how serious the situation was, “But imperial examination scandals have happened before, and people have bought and sold official positions without any issues. How could I have known that the Emperor would suddenly decide to investigate this year? Mother, don’t worry. Isn’t my sister an imperial Concubine? If things get really bad, can’t we ask her to plead for us?”

Slap!

Madam Sun slapped Wen Qingyuan across the face.

Wen Qingyuan felt utterly wronged. He’d been hit more today than in his entire seventeen years.

“Are you trying to get your sister killed? She’s the only one in this family who’s made something of herself, and you’re a complete disgrace! You’re driving me crazy.”

“Should we ask Father for advice?”

“You stay right here! If your father finds out you were involved in this, he’ll throw you out of the house. Do you want to lose this family?”

Wen Qingyuan: “…No matter what I do, it’s wrong. Mother, what should I do?”

He felt numb and dazed.

“We’ll keep it from your father for now. The Ministry of Justice hasn’t found out yet. Let me think of a plan.”