The Husband I Snatched Is Not Right!-Chapter 347 - 344: Eye-Opening

Not a single word was what Zhou Xuan wanted to hear!

He was almost spitting blood!

Yet Ning Yunling swaggered off to lead the way.

Zhou Xuan completely lost his mind, heading straight for the backyard without waiting for Ning Yunling to guide him. However, Xiao Huaian held him back.

"Why rush? Come with me."

Initially, not many dared to follow. After all, the power of the Duke Mansion was on display, and no one wanted to make a mockery of them.

But everyone was waiting eagerly for someone to take the lead.

Jiasan made a move.

She said calmly, "I indeed need to see for myself. Hearing is nothing compared to seeing. Without mentioning other things, the matter concerning the Chu siblings is a sure fact. It prevents the Duke Zhou Mansion from denying and falsely accusing me of defamation later."

"Previously, Duke Zhou’s own brother consumed Five Stone Powder as food, got addicted, hallucinated, and drowned, yet blamed it on the Gu Family. Later, his son Zhou Xuan got drunk, couldn’t stand properly, and fell from a building, breaking his leg, again blaming the Gu Family, causing multiple hardships. What is it that Duke Zhou dares not do?"

Though the latter was indeed done by Gu Fuju.

But does Duke Zhou have proof!

As she moved, Gu Fuju got up.

"Though it’s a family matter of the Duke Mansion, logically speaking, I shouldn’t get involved. However, it concerns widely, not only our Gu Family but also Duke Shun Mansion is involved."

"The Wei Family has been loyal for generations."

"Duke Zhou Mansion, being the Empress’s maternal family, cannot allow even a stain. It’s no longer a family matter of the Zhou Family."

That’s the mother of a nation!

The unsavory deeds of the wife’s family can be utterly magnified.

He Xuran did not come.

But the Imperial Censor present today, led by him, exchanged a few glances and stood up together.

"If someone at the Duke Zhou Mansion has done something disgraceful, the Imperial Censorate will report it to the imperial court without leniency for Duke Zhou being the Royal Father-in-law."

After speaking, they bowed to Duke Zhou.

"If Duke Zhou is innocent and has done nothing wrong, the Imperial Censorate will surely clear your name."

Gu Fuju nodded, then said, "The Young Madam of your mansion is a daughter of the Chu Family."

He called a name.

"Wang Quan."

The Minister of Rites stood up: "I am present."

"Her father works under you?"

"You remember correctly, sir. Chu Zhen serves as the Assistant Minister of Rites."

"The Ministry of Rites oversees the decrees of rituals, sacrifices, and tributes nationwide. If his sons or daughters lack virtue and disregard ethics, how can one govern strict family rules and fulfill their official duties?"

Gu Fuju casually glanced over the officials seated at the men’s section.

"Gentlemen."

Just two words.

All civil servants and military generals stood up respectfully, cupping their hands.

"Grand Tutor."

Grand Tutor Gu: "Why don’t we go together?"

Nearly 80% of the officials said without hesitation, "Yes."

As Gu Fuju left, more than half of the officials followed suit, leaving only the Crown Prince’s faction and those following Duke Zhou.

Among the women, seeing their men head out, they also got up and followed behind.

To say the procession was impressive would not be an exaggeration.

Duke Zhou’s blood rushed to his head; the situation came too suddenly, and he did not know what to do.

Stop them?

But at this critical moment, if he truly stopped them, the news of his shamelessness and involvement with his daughter-in-law would spread far and wide within the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

He felt as if his heart was dead.

He didn’t want to bear such a stigma.

Yet, for a moment, he even wished the child were his!

However...

He quickly calmed down.

Though the child wasn’t of the Zhou bloodline, it would never know its true origins.

The nanny couldn’t bear it any longer and walked straight toward Duke Zhou. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Your Grace, you..."

Duke Zhou knew what she wanted to ask.

Was it true that he was involved with Chu Ning?

At this point, Duke Zhou somewhat wished it were true!

That child at least carried the Zhou name!

He shook his head heavily.

The nanny’s heart sank further, finding the situation absurd!

But...

This far in, the mistake had to continue; no one else knew about the switch.

The nanny repressed her compassion.

The Crown Prince’s own daughter would likely carry the stigma of misfortune for a lifetime.

But...

Nothing could halt the Empress’s and the Zhou Family’s grand plan.

Even if a sacrifice, it paved the way for the Zhou family.

Being born female unable to contend for the throne was a destined fate.

The nanny hardened her heart.

"Today’s events, this old servant will report everything to Her Majesty."

She had no interest in watching the scene, already convinced of the Chu siblings’ scandal.

The officials earlier were all astute; how could they fail to see it! At this moment, following the Grand Tutor was merely to gather evidence!

This affair had developed to the point of no return, leaving the Zhou family to accept defeat, with Duke Zhou’s only option being to extricate himself.

But...

The Gu Family came prepared, and the Duke Shun Mansion was also involved. If they controlled the narrative, it might end up being impossible to disentangle.

Shen Zhiyi followed the large group anxiously, but just after leaving the hall, Yu Tingwan stopped.

Yu Tingwan was kicking a stone down.

"Why? Stunned? Go on! Let’s watch the drama."

Yu Tingwan whispered softly, "Xiao Huaian and Ning Yunling are paving the way up front; I have to stay and manage the aftermath."

Shen Zhiyi: ??

She didn’t understand.

Not until Tan Jiang tugged at Yu Tingwan’s hem.

"Madam, here they come."

Yu Tingwan smiled, kicked the stone far, and let out a gentle sigh.

Shen Zhiyi: "What’s... the matter now?"

"I suddenly thought of something and couldn’t help but sigh."

Shen Zhiyi: ...?

What was she sighing over?

She almost felt like scolding Yu Tingwan, thinking she might be ill.

But meeting Yu Tingwan’s clear eyes, she suddenly felt there must be deeper meaning!

Shen Zhiyi humbly asked for guidance.

"What?"

Yu Tingwan: "We come from impoverished lands where many cannot find wives. Eventually, elders arrange marriages between close relatives."

"Grandparents arranging marriages for cousins. Some exchange marriages with aunts, marrying a cousin to an aunt’s son, then marrying a girl from the aunt’s house, thus saving money on dowries."

"But somehow, many of the children born are not quite right. Of the families I know, one woman had eight children, six of whom had issues. At first, deceptions went unnoticed, but as the children grew, irregularities became apparent."

Shen Zhiyi initially didn’t grasp it.

She nodded.

"How could that be? As far as I know, cousin marriage is not allowed, even among close ones, marriage is rare."

Yu Tingwan said calmly, "In desolate and uneducated places, knowledge is shallow. Even knowing the risks, being too poor to eat well, for the sake of continuing the family line, they become selfish."

Those with disabilities were sent into the mountains, becoming prey to wild beasts, or if abnormalities were noticed but not wanted, they were strangled."

Having one normal child out of eight, for those people, seemed worth it.

Yu Tingwan: "So, I worry."

Shen Zhiyi realized: "You worry that the child might also be mentally challenged."

"It didn’t seem an issue before, but now that you mention it, I begin to doubt. I noticed earlier that the child was quite listless, lacking vitality. I thought it was due to premature birth, but I’m afraid it’s not."

She whispered, "If it belongs to the Duke, well, it still bears the Zhou name. But if it’s from the Chu family..."

Yu Tingwan’s voice wasn’t quiet, but added, "What if the child is also mentally challenged? That would truly be an added sin."

As she spoke, she turned.

Looking at the nanny who had unknowingly approached from behind.

The nanny was stiff, her face gloomy.

Shen Zhiyi instinctively shrank back in fear.

Yu Tingwan met the nanny’s eyes, slowly clutched her chest pretending to be scared.

Her voice was gentle and soft, taking the initiative, speaking with more confidence than anyone else.

"Truly an eye-opener."

"How come you’re eavesdropping?"