30 Suspicion

The night grew deep and voices faded. Only after the house fell into a long, profound silence did the figure, who had been lurking for who knows how long, quietly slip away.

Making their way from the West Courtyard to the East, passing through gardens and moon gates, the person walked alone in the darkness. As they neared the Liufang Pavilion, they caught sight of lantern light from the shore and immediately ducked into hiding.

The lamps inside the Liufang Pavilion were extinguished. Only the lanterns hanging from the eaves cast their glow upon the cold, still pond, where the light rippled in a silent, ceaseless dance. The light on the bank moved constantly, as if searching for something.

"Madam, it should be here," Mother Yu said, supporting Shen Linlang and pointing to the spot where Yu Qingxue had stood earlier.

In the gloom of the night, Shen Linlang’s expression was unreadable. As she looked from that position toward the window of Yu Liuzhu’s room, her body seemed to sway. Mother Yu steadied her, her eyes filled with worry. "Madam, what is wrong?"

Shen Linlang did not know how to answer. It felt as if a damp cloth were lodged in her throat, choking her, leaving her barely able to breathe.

"Zhilan, do you remember the circumstances of Tang’er’s birth?"

"How could I ever forget?" Mother Yu felt a lingering chill at the memory. "The eldest young miss was in a breech position; you suffered terribly. I was so terrified back then, focused entirely on you, not daring to look away even for a second."

"Yes, you were so worried about me that you had no time to look at the child."

"Madam..." Mother Yu sensed something was amiss. "What is really wrong?"

Shen Linlang herself did not know. Once the seed of suspicion was sown in her heart, it took root immediately, impossible to pull out. What frightened her even more was that she was subconsciously seeking to verify her doubts—questioning, probing, hunting for any trace of evidence. She could not even tell if she wanted to confirm her suspicions or dispel them.

The drizzle continued, dense as an all-encompassing net, airless and stifling, making her breath grow tighter until she felt she might suffocate.

"Tang’er is grown now, and these past few days, I keep thinking about the time she was born. Not long after, the woman from the Zhao family passed away. Otherwise, I could have asked someone."

Mother Yu, who had served her for years, could see she was troubled. "Perhaps after the Zhao woman returned home that day, she mentioned it to her family. Shall I summon her son and daughter-in-law to ask?"

She nodded without a moment’s hesitation.

The rainy night was dreary, pregnant with hidden storms. Mother Yu, born into the General’s household and well-versed in the Shen family’s ways, acted not only with speed but with the utmost discretion.

She returned in less than an hour with the daughter-in-law in tow. She had told the woman, "My mistress woke from a dream and suddenly remembered the time she gave birth to the eldest young miss. She is grateful for your mother-in-law’s hard work, which ensured mother and child were safe, and wishes to bestow a reward upon you."

Hearing of a reward, the daughter-in-law had no reason to doubt. She had been grinning from ear to ear since leaving her home. After paying her respects to Shen Linlang and receiving two large ingots of silver, she became so fawning that her eyes vanished into her smile, and she didn't stop singing praises.

Shen Linlang spoke as if making casual conversation. "The events of that year—your mother-in-law truly worked hard. I imagine she must have mentioned the dangers to you after she returned home."

"She did, she certainly did!" The daughter-in-law slapped her thigh, seizing the chance to curry favor. She spoke with vivid detail. "My mother-in-law said she had never seen anyone as blessed as you, Madam. To survive such a dangerous labor! And the eldest young miss—the moment she was born, her arms and legs were so strong, and her eyes were open. She was so spirited; you could tell she had been perfectly nourished in the womb."

She did not realize the terrifying nature of what she was saying, nor did she notice the subtle shift in the expressions of Shen Linlang and Mother Yu. Far from questioning why the mistress would summon her so late at night, she continued to perform, eager to please.

"My mother-in-law also said the eldest young miss was robust, the easiest kind of child to raise, and possessed a destiny of great fortune."

"Your mother-in-law delivered many babies. Are you sure you remember correctly?" Mother Yu asked.

"How could I forget?" She looked slightly embarrassed. "The red packet your old mistress gave was so large—I’ve only seen that much once in my life. I couldn't mix that up even if my life depended on it."

Mother Yu instinctively looked at her mistress’s face. Shen Linlang’s complex expression made her shudder. By now, she could no longer ignore what her mistress was suspecting.

The shock was immense, but she forced a smile and said to the woman, "It was thanks to your mother-in-law that my mistress and the young miss are safe. I remember you have children of your own; take these pastries home for them to enjoy."

With that, she gathered all the pastries on the table and pressed them into the woman's hands. Delighted by the silver and the snacks, the daughter-in-law left in high spirits.

But Shen Linlang’s face sank deeper with every passing second.

Sixteen years ago, after ten months of pregnancy, her labor began. The midwife, the woman from the Zhao family, had told her the baby was in a breech position and the situation was grave. The labor had started at mid-morning and continued until the following dawn before the child finally entered the world.

Madam Xie had been busy managing the servants, and after the birth, she had seen off the midwife and personally brought her the washed, swaddled infant.

That tiny, crimson bundle in the swaddling clothes had soothed her physical exhaustion and the grief of knowing that, due to complications during birth, she would likely never conceive again.

Mother Yu returned after seeing the guest out. Seeing Shen Linlang’s devastated state, she felt a profound sense of unease. "Madam, it is all my fault. If only I had spared a moment to look..."

Shen Linlang’s gaze shifted, becoming increasingly frightening. "Zhilan, do you remember what Tang’er looked like when she was born?"

"I remember, Madam. The eldest young miss was a bit weak; she didn't open her eyes until three days later."

It was the complete opposite of what the Zhao woman’s daughter-in-law had said!

"Madam, those people are used to saying whatever sounds good to get a reward. They would call black white; you cannot take their word as truth."

"Yes, you cannot take it as truth." Shen Linlang tried to convince herself, but her thoughts drifted back to years ago against her will.

The day after she gave birth, she learned that Yu Qingxue had gone into premature labor and had also delivered a baby girl, two hours after her own child.

Yu Qingxue had been only eight months pregnant, not yet at her due date. She had claimed that because she knew the Zhao woman was tied up and didn't want to trouble anyone, she had delivered the child alone.

When Shen Linlang heard the news, she first thought her sister-in-law was considerate, and as a woman, she felt a sense of pity, even ordering that all her postpartum meals be specially provided.

Because the two children were born on the same day, she had visited after her own confinement. Compared to her own daughter’s frailty, that child had looked remarkably healthy, with eyes like black jade, full of spirit—exactly as the daughter-in-law had described.

Could this really be a coincidence?

Her mind swung between suspicion and regret. The intense emotional turmoil left her unable to stand. She leaned against Mother Yu, murmuring in suppressed agony, "My child..."

No one would ever know that her real child had died—except for Shen Qinglü.

Under the west window, as a dark silhouette raised its head, a flash of lightning cut across the sky, illuminating a face of incomparable, vivid beauty.

It was Shen Qinglü.