That’s Right, I Killed Her (1)

Once Madam Wei’s affair with Sang Zheng was exposed, the hall fell very quiet suddenly. Everyone looked rather shocked.

Lu Yuxue had a flicker in her eye as she glanced past Madam Wei and she set her teacup down on the table again before letting out a scoff.

Her scoff was very soft, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear her. It carried some disdain and disgust, as if she was saying, what a good pretense you put up. So, you’re actually capable of something like that.

Besides her own surprise, she was doing this for one more reason – to support her cousin. Everything her cousin said was correct and she would be on his side no matter what he said.

Zhao Zhi had exposed this matter because he wanted to put these people on the spot. Of course she was going to support his cause as publicly as possible.

In this era, it was common and acceptable for men to lust after women and have more than one wife. Nobody would berate them for it and some would even say that the man was charming. But if a woman even had a thought that crossed the line, it would be as though she had committed the greatest crime in the world and would be rejected by society.

A woman’s reputation affected her husband’s family, and affected her own family even more. If a family had such a daughter, that would affect all the women, regardless of whether they were married or not. Madam Wei was from the Wei family and this matter had been exposed in such a public manner, so there was no way anybody could cover it up.

This made Wei He’an very unhappy.

He really didn’t think his aunt would be this shameless. How could she do such a thing?

Because he had been sent away at a young age and grew up in a separate village, Wei He’an did not have much attachment to the Wei family. But over the last two years, the women in the family had taken very good care of him. Madam Wei’s behavior was going to ruin their lives!

“Aunt, I’m really disappointed in you.” Wei He’an sneered at her. He could no longer suppress the disdain in his heart.

“No… I… no… I didn’t do anything like that! I’m being slandered!” Madam Wei’s face paled and her hands trembled as she looked toward Sang Zheng and pleaded with him, “Tell them… tell them there’s nothing between us… there’s nothing between us…”

But Sang Zheng remained expressionless as he looked at the floor with his hands folded in front of him. It was as though he hadn’t even heard her, much less talk about responding to her.

After a moment, he finally reacted. But instead of looking at Madam Wei, he turned to look at Zeng Deyong.

Zeng Deyong did not look away and met his gaze. Both of them had an especially aggressive look in their eyes, as though a storm was brewing.

Madam Wei was too stunned to speak.

Neither man looked at her, and neither chided her nor hit her. But she knew that she wasn’t going to meet with a good end…

“No… that’s not what happened… that’s not…” Her face was pale and she looked like she was about to collapse.

She really couldn’t understand how this could happen. Everything was going so well, so how… how did things suddenly become like this?

Was it true after all, that retribution would always come to those who deserved it, but it was just a matter of when and how…

Exposing her affair was really just bait and Madam Wei was just a way to push the interrogation along. Zhao Zhi stopped paying attention to her and just smiled faintly at Zeng Deyong. “Look. Your husband clearly knows everything.”

Zeng Deyong narrowed his eyes.

Qi Yan peeked out from behind Wen Yuansi with a big grin on his face and added, “That’s right! That’s right! He knows everything! Otherwise, how could he have been that devoted and besotted husband on one hand while also hankering after other women? Only a man pretending to be devoted would happily do such a thing! It was all a pretense! An act!”

“Tsk! Women are no better! They’re sluts, licentious people who go around seducing other men! Fourth Missy Gan was like that, and so is Madam Wei!” said Zeng Deyong suddenly. His eyes were red and there was a crazed look on his face.

Since everyone else already knew, there was no point in hiding the fact that he knew too.

It was embarrassing, but he knew this day would eventually come.

But what he said… seemed to imply more.

Song Caitang and Zhao Zhi exchanged glances. They could zero in on this part.

Madam Wei had clearly been having an affair under his nose, but what about Fourth Missy Gan? Why did he say that she had gone around seducing other men? Had he seen her do that?

If he did, then it meant that he had actually met with her or seen her before she returned to Bianliang.

“I didn’t…” Madam Wei’s tears could not stop flowing. She knelt before Zeng Deyong and hugged his leg as she tried to beg for forgiveness and mercy, “My husband! I didn’t…”

But Zeng Deyong kicked her aside. “You didn’t, my foot! You thought I really didn’t know at all? You and that bloody Sang Zheng already started way back on Beiqing Mountain that night 18 years ago! You used this benefactor relationship to continue meeting him, and because you noticed I was often out of the house, you began to lust after him and you started sleeping with him a long time ago!”

“How does it feel, Madam Wei? All these years, you’ve had a lot of fun, haven’t you? You’ve been living in my house, spending my money, all while keeping another man! You feel very smug about it, don’t you? You always think you’re very capable, throwing parties and boasting all the time, so the women from other families are always envious of you. It made you very happy, didn’t it? You were basking in their praises, weren’t you?”

Madam Wei had been kicked in her chest, so it hurt quite badly. Her face was pale and she was perspiring as she clutched her chest and couldn’t move for a long time.

She watched in fear as Zeng Deyong slowly walked toward her and said those words. His expression, his posture and the aggression in his movement was terrifying.

It was true that she had really enjoyed the times when people envied her and buttered her up. She had sensed something amiss, but she simply couldn’t give it up. She had considered before that perhaps her life might not be so smooth-sailing forever…

But even so, she thought that she would be able to hold up even if all of this was exposed. She didn’t expect that the shame she felt after being exposed would make her feel like dying on the spot. She felt completely consumed by her shame.

She finally began to regret her actions. She had made a terrible mistake. She had gone down a path that she should never have taken, a path that had no way out once taken!

She was finished. Finished.

“Did you really think that there was no limit to my love for you, that I loved you so much that I would be happy no matter what you did, even if you cuckolded me?” Zeng Deyong squatted in front of her and reached out to touch her face.

She was scared and turned away to avoid his hand, but he narrowed his eyes as he gripped her jaw hard and forced her to face him.

“It’s too bad that you weren’t smart enough after all… I suppose you still have no idea? I’ve had a mistress for a long time now. She’s borne me a son and I’ve secretly added him to the family register.”

Madam Wei felt a terrible pain in her chest and vomited a mouthful of blood. She stared at him in disbelief. “What… what did you just say?”

The man had a mistress and had a son with this woman?

Zeng Deyong had a huge smile on his face, as though he was enjoying taking revenge on his wife. “That’s right. A clever, well mannered son who looks just like me. How’s that? Aren’t you surprised? Aren’t you happy for me?”

That really surprised everyone in the room for a moment.

Regardless of Madam Wei’s morals, she had definitely been excellent at protecting her position as the count’s wife. She knew Zeng Deyong was sleeping around, but nobody ever turned up with an illegitimate son. That was how sensitive she was and how decisive she was toward these women.

But now, Zeng Deyong had actually managed to secretly have a son and even made him an official member of the family without her knowing at all…
Zeng Deyong had really been an excellent actor. He was capable of great things.

Madam Wei stared at him. “You…”

“What? You are allowed to do such a thing while I’m not?” Zeng Deyong smiled brightly at her, then suddenly slapped her across the face. “You think I don’t know?! The current heir to my estate is not my son at all!”

That slap landed hard on her face and even echoed in the room.

As far as everyone knew, the Count of Peace had only one son all these years, and that was the son that Madam Wei gave birth to. He was not officially named as the count’s heir yet, but since he was the only male descendant, he was bound to be the heir in due time. But now, Zeng Deyong was saying…

The room was silent again and everyone was shocked once more. There were simply too many twists and turns to this story to even keep up!

Everyone stared at Zeng Deyong, then at Sang Zheng. So… was that true?

Sang Zheng clenched his fists. His gaze was still angry, but he did not refute this claim.

So… it was probably true.

Only Madam Wei continued denying it, “No! Li’er is your son! He’s my son with you—”

“Ha! You’re not sure whose son he is either, right?” Zeng Deyong sneered at her. “After all, you were sleeping with someone else besides me… It’s too bad I took so long to find out, so I wasted so much of my love on a bastard!”

Madam Wei broke down, “Why… why do you have to treat me like this…”

She couldn’t accept the truth as such. Even though she had indeed slept with someone else at that time, this child was definitely Zeng Deyong’s! Or rather, he had to be Zeng Deyong’s, or he’d die!

But Zeng Deyong had his suspicions so many years ago and even made sure he had another son. So, why didn’t he say so earlier? Why did he continue to treat her well until now? Why did he continue to care for her son?

“Because I could.”

Zeng Deyong had a sinister and smug smile on his face. “I’m a count and so were my ancestors. I have so many assets, I’d take a few lifetimes to spend it all. How much could it possibly take to feed and clothe a useless woman like you? Do you know how ridiculous you look when you boast about how smart you are? Laughing at your little performance puts me in such a good mood, I could eat another two bowls of rice!”

“The happier you were from boasting, the more you enjoyed your life, the more pathetic I imagined you would be when I finally exposed your deeds when you’re too old to find another man and you have nothing to rely on! How would you face your son? How would you even carry on living?”

Madam Wei’s eyes were bloodshot and she clawed at the floor so hard, her fingers were bleeding. “You… you hate me so much?”

“Of course!” Zeng Deyong sniggered. “I wanted you to lose everything in one day, to fall from the clouds above into the mud below. To have nothing to rely on in your old age, to die in a ditch like a filthy worm, as stinky and as disgusting as one! By the way, I’ve already captured that son of yours. Bastards have no place in this world!”

Madam Wei panicked. “You’re insane! He’s your son!”

Or at least, he was very likely to be the count’s son.

Sang Zheng couldn’t stand it anymore and yelled, “That’s enough!”

Madam Wei’s attention was all on Zeng Deyong, so Sang Zheng’s sudden shout shocked her into silence. She trembled hard as she clutched her chest.

“Tsk, you fool.” Zeng Deyong looked at Sang Zheng with an evil smile on his face. “Are you thinking that… blood is thicker than water, so since that bastard might be mine, I wouldn’t bear to kill him? At most I might keep him at a distance but I’d still take care of him Psh! You’re wrong!”

“I don’t lack sons! I can have as many as I like! I’d rather kill a thousand wrong ones than to let off one that might not be mine! And so what if that bastard turns out to be mine? If he dies, so be it! It’s too bad that he didn’t reincarnate well and came to this world through Madam Wei! But you…”

Zeng Deyong burst out laughing, as though he had won the lottery or something. “As for you, I’m afraid that this boy might be your one and only descendant, right? Others might not know, but I’ve made a thorough investigation. You met with an accident ten years ago and hurt your reproductive organs, so while you’re still able to get it up and enjoy life, you can’t have children anymore!”

“HAHAHAHA!”

“Shut up!” Sang Zheng flew into a rage. “I’m warning you, let go of the boy and we can talk things out. But if you don’t let go of him—”

“If I don’t let go of him, what will you do to me? What can you do!” Zeng Deyong shouted angrily at him.

Then he turned back to Madam Wei and pointed to Sang Zheng, “If I just took a second look at another woman, you would chide me and get angry with me. But instead of enjoying your life as my wife, you decided to sleep with another man? You think he’s true to you? What a fool you are!”

“He was just using you to make himself look like the perfect loyal and grateful man, because that made it easier for him to get around society! Having credibility and good character references is often the way to succeed in life. Do you know how many resources, networks and deals this image and reputation of his has gained?”

“All he has to do is to coax you from time to time. He doesn’t even need to utter any honeyed words or do anything romantic. He just needed to stay by your side, to listen to everything you say, to agree and allow you to do anything. Tolerating you for a bit gave him your body, gave him a son and even granted him success in life! Of course he was going to do it!”

The more Zeng Deyong spoke, the angrier he got, “I thought only a naïve 13 or 14 year old girl with unrealistic ideas about romance would believe such a man! To think that you weren’t able to see through him even after all these years! You thought he only liked you and was good only to you? Actually, he was nice to you because he had an ulterior motive! Initially, it was to build up his image and reputation. Later on, it was for his son! He couldn’t have children anymore, so that bastard you gave birth to is his only descendant! He has to protect him and he can’t abandon him!”

Madam Wei looked horrified and she struggled to stand up. “No, I don’t believe you… I don’t believe you…”

To her, Sang Zheng was never attracted to other women. He had excellent self-control and only had eyes for her. That was why she didn’t mind giving him everything she had even though she knew it wasn’t the right thing to do…

She regretted it and knew it was wrong, but she was very certain about Sang Zheng’s character. That was how she managed to hold up until now!

“Tell me… tell me…” She grabbed hold of a corner of Sang Zheng’s robe, “Tell me it isn’t so… tell me!”

Sang Zheng frowned at her. He didn’t say anything and just pulled her hand away.

Zeng Deyong merely sniggered at her. As if he still hadn’t gotten enough of this drama, he went on in a mocking voice, “There is no legal brothel, no place of entertainment, no private prostitute gathering or illegal brothel in all of Bianlliang that our dear Mr. Sang has not been to. “Fun-loving but low profile” is his nickname. You can’t find another man who’s so promiscuous he’s a legend, who has also not fallen for any of the women he’s slept with. There’s Little Taohong, Qingxin, then there’s Luyao…”

Sang Zheng’s expression darkened with each name Zeng Deyong uttered.

He seemed to feel ashamed and afraid of others finding out about this. His gaze darted about frantically as he observed each person’s expression.

People like Zhao Zhi, Song Caitang, Wen Yuansi… he wanted to know what they thought of him.

“Madam Wei, I’m afraid you had no idea that many other women got the same gifts as you did. Mr. Sang didn’t want to get into trouble, so if he wanted to buy a gift, he’d have to buy them in bulk so that every woman got one. In fact, sometimes the things he gave you weren’t the best. They were flawed items or imitation goods…”

Zeng Deyong watched the change in Madam Wei’s expression and became even more gleeful. “I even heard that Sang Zheng talked about his affair with you at a private brothel. He said you have a beautiful face for nothing because you’re like a piece of wood in bed who’s always tense and doesn’t move at all. You’re always waiting for him to keep things going and you’re not cute at all. He prefers his women flirty and…”

“Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!!” Madam Wei covered her ears and really broke down this time.

These were words and scenes that she had never imagined would happen. She couldn’t take anymore of it…

Why was everything so different from what she had imagined? The one who was blind, made the wrong decisions and had bad judgment was her?

So, it wasn’t that others were stupid. The one who thought they were smart and was full of themselves was herself.

She thought that she was in full control of the situation, that she knew what was going on all the time, that she could have anything she wanted, that she could do whatever she liked, that she was a winner in life. She never realized that she was actually a donkey that had been blindfolded. She had walked into a trap long ago and was being controlled by another person without realizing it at all…

The ugliest character in this drama had turned out to be her.

Zhao Zhi and his team silently watched this drama unfold without interrupting them.

They had plenty of time and they knew they could finish going through this case. The insights they gained from their back and forth was also very important. At least they found out something they hadn’t discovered earlier – nobody was sure who fathered Madam Wei’s son.

So, Zeng Deyong had known about Madam Wei and Sang Zheng’s affair for a long time, but he had hidden this knowledge very well.
But what about Sang Zheng? Did he know that Zeng Deyong actually knew about it?

The atmosphere in the room was rather awkward now, as though there were still many unsaid things and emotions in the air.

“And you think you’re a real gentleman? That nobody knows what you’ve done?”

Sang Zheng was probably really angry now and actually flung a stool at Zeng Deyong.

In the past, these two men were well known for being calm and steady, and experts at acting. But when it came to a real showdown, both proved that they could also get angry and fly into a rage.

Zhao Zhi and his team remained silent as they opened their eyes wide to observe everything that was happening and stood as still as possible.

“You and Madam Wei grew up together, trusted each other and were from families of similar standing, so you were betrothed to one another from a young age and life was smooth sailing. If you didn’t lust after other women, why would she give up on you? Both of you were once very much in love and swore to be true to one another!”

“Madam Wei is born beautiful and was raised to be an excellent woman, but somehow, you weren’t satisfied. As long as you saw a young woman along the streets who was just a little above average in looks, you would find yourself so mesmerized that you forgot how to walk! You dragged absolutely any woman into your bedroom, regardless of how filthy or stinky she was. You even wanted a woman who had been humiliated multiple times by bandits! Don’t you have any shame? What about your family? Your wife?!”

“That Fourth Missy Gan was great at pretending and you forced Madam Wei to accept her. But Fourth Missy Gan was ambitious and secretly ran away. Instead of consoling and returning to your wife, you secretly went around looking for her! You told Madam Wei that you didn’t know where she’d gone and you had no further contact with her, but actually, you knew where she was, right?”

Sang Zheng scoffed loudly. “And you thought nobody knew about it? Just five years ago, I saw you head for Luanze! And you’ve done that more than once now! You pretended you were going there for a variety of reasons, but actually, you were going there to meet with Fourth Missy Gan, right?”

“You never cut off contact with her and you’ve been involved with her all these years! Otherwise, how could Gan Zhixuan have found out about this incredibly wealthy father of his despite how hard Fourth Missy Gan tried to hide it from him?”

That point really hit home.