Decision

After reading the letter, Lady Shi dismissed all the servants and spent most of the day alone in her room. She skipped lunch and only rose from her seat in the late afternoon to visit the residence where Zheng Kun lived, known as the Yiwu Courtyard.

Yiwu Courtyard.

When Lady Shi arrived, the surprise on the face of Zheng Kun's legal wife, Ceng Yuwei, was evident. Her mother-in-law rarely visited her daughter-in-law's courtyard.

"Mother, why have you come?" Ceng Yuwei asked, her voice laced with surprise.

Lady Shi glanced at Ceng Yuwei, her expression slightly distant.

Back then, to help Zheng Kun marry Ceng Yuwei, Lady Shi swallowed her pride and sought assistance from her former friend, Marquise Yong'an, who acted as the matchmaker. She had even used a portion of her dowry as the bridal gift, making the marriage possible.

For Zheng Kun, she had genuinely invested her heart and mind in his upbringing, planning for his future with utmost care. However, the thought of her son suffering mistreatment by the Li family and sacrificing himself for them left her breathless with anger.

Seeing the odd look in Lady Shi's eyes, Ceng Yuwei felt somewhat uneasy. Her mother-in-law was generally easy to get along with, but she was also known for her resourcefulness and strong character.

"It's been a couple of days since I've seen Zheng Kun. I wanted to check on him," Lady Shi explained.

Upon hearing this, Ceng Yuwei quickly responded, "Please forgive me, Mother. These days, Zheng Kun has been occupied with matters at the Imperial Academy. By the time he returns, it's usually quite late, and I didn't want to disturb your rest, so I refrained from paying my respects."

Lady Shi nodded. "Duties are important, but one should not neglect their health. Take good care of yourself in daily life."

Ceng Yuwei hurriedly agreed.

As Lady Shi walked around the courtyard, she noticed the various potted plants and shrubs that she had personally selected and arranged. An overwhelming sensation of pressure weighed on her chest, causing a suffocating feeling.

"I'll go sit in Zheng Kun's study."

Ceng Yuwei hesitated momentarily, then followed after Lady Shi, who was already headed towards the study.

Zheng Kun's study was spacious, with three interconnected rooms—a bright one in the middle and two darker ones on either side. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with volumes collected by generations of the Shi family. While a few books were passed down to the legitimate seventh son, Shi Zhengye, the rest were left here with Zheng Kun.

Lady Shi refrained from disturbing anything in Zheng Kun's study. She stood before his desk, leafing through the calligraphy exercises he had practised during his childhood.

Before Zheng Kun began his formal studies, Lady Shi had personally taught him calligraphy, patiently guiding him through the process. Recalling these memories used to evoke warmth, but now...

Lady Shi clutched her chest, feeling an intense ache.

If the Li family had treated her son well, even if he had been switched at birth, she wouldn't be feeling this torment, pain, and profound sense of self-blame and guilt.

Lady Shi remained in Zheng Kun's study until it was dark outside. As she left, Ceng Yuwei escorted her back to Yixiang Hall. Upon returning to the Yiwu Courtyard, Ceng Yuwei was greeted by Zheng Kun, who had just returned.

"Darling, you're finally back."

Zheng Kun looked at his wife. "What happened?"

Ceng Yuwei replied, "Mother came over this afternoon. She waited for you in the study, and I just sent her back."

Zheng Kun appeared surprised. "Did Mother have something to discuss?"

Ceng Yuwei shook her head. "I think she just missed you. You've been coming home so late these days that she couldn't help but worry. She spent the afternoon in your study, looking through your childhood calligraphy exercises."

Hearing this, Zheng Kun chuckled. "My calligraphy was taught by Mother herself." This was a privilege that his elder brother and seventh brother never had.

"I'll go and pay my respects to Mother right now."

Zheng Kun went to the Yixiang Courtyard but didn't find anyone there.

"Fourth Master, Lady Shi has already gone to bed. She asked you to focus on your tasks and visit her when you have the time," informed a servant.

Zheng Kun looked puzzledly at the lit bedroom window. His wife had just said that his mother wouldn't have gone to bed so early. He then recalled the young servant who had been by his father's side when he arrived. It made sense – his father had come home, and his mother probably wanted to speak with him. That must be why she hadn't been available to see him.

Once he made sense of the situation, Zheng Kun left with a smile.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Lady Shi and Lord Shi sat on the Kang near the window, one gazing at the gradually disappearing figure of Zheng Kun, while the other clutched the letter and breathed heavily.

"How could this happen?!" Both Lord and Lady Shi reacted similarly, struggling to accept the idea of their child being switched at birth.

The most unbearable aspect for both of them was the mistreatment of Li Changsen by the Li family.

"He became a soldier at the age of thirteen and served as a garrison soldier. Did the Li family already know that he wasn't their biological son?" Lord Shi's voice trembled.

He had been waiting outside the temple when his wife gave birth. He decided to allow the wife of the military household to seek refuge in the temple for the birth, considering the woman had been frightened by the attack on Rong City by the Northern Yan. The servants and midwives from their household had helped with the delivery.

If blame had to be placed for the child-switching, he knew it would be on him.

"That woman intentionally switched the children!" Lady Shi stated firmly. "But I can't understand how she managed it. Even if I had passed out, there were servants and midwives around."

Lord Shi, a mixture of anger and frustration, added, "You gave birth late at night. The servants and midwives were terrified by the Northern Yan's attack on the city and then travelled dozens of miles to help with the delivery. They were likely exhausted and fell asleep, giving that woman a chance to switch the babies."

Lady Shi closed her eyes in discomfort. After a while, she opened them again. "We need to bring our child back."

Lord Shi nodded in agreement. "Certainly. The bloodline of the Shi family cannot be left elsewhere."

They fell into silence again.

After a while, Lord Shi broke the silence. "What about Zheng Kun?"

Raising a child for over thirty years, investing in his education, and arranging his marriage and offspring—all of this involved not only emotion but also considerable effort and resources from the Shi family.

Except for their eldest son, Shi Zhengmao, Zheng Kun received more support from the Shi family than their other children. This was something they couldn't easily let go of.

Lady Shi's face was marked by internal conflict. "Although the mistake isn't Zheng Kun's, just the thought that all of this happened because of his biological parents... Our child suffered so much in the Li family. My heart aches, and I don't know how to face him."

Lord Shi sighed, his emotions as complex as those of Lady Shi. He felt more guilt than even she did.

"If only I hadn't allowed her to enter the temple and give birth with you."

At that moment, a maid stood outside the curtain, reporting in a hushed voice, "Lord, Lady, the Eldest Master and his wife have arrived."

Lady Shi didn't feel like meeting anyone at the moment, gesturing for the maid to ask their eldest son and his wife to leave.

However, Lord Shi spoke up, "Let them come in." Seeing Lady Shi's questioning look, he explained, "They should be informed about this matter. After all, the future of the Shi family will depend on them. We should hear their thoughts as well."

Shi Zhengmao and his wife entered the room, their faces filled with concern.

Seeing the unusually grim expressions on their parent's faces, Shi Zhengmao anxiously asked, "Father, Mother, has something happened to the Jiang family?"

Lady Shi realized that her earlier reaction had caused her daughter-in-law to misunderstand, so she quickly clarified, "No, nothing has happened to the Jiang family."

Confused, Shi Zhengmao looked at his parents, both of whom seemed deeply affected. "Then what is this about?"

Lord Shi glanced at Lady Shi and handed the letter to Shi Zhengmao. "You should read this yourself."

As Shi Zhengmao read the letter, his expression mirrored that of his parents – shock and disbelief. His curiosity grew, and he looked up, asking, "What's happened?"

After reading the letter, Shi Zhengmao shook his head repeatedly, an expression of disbelief on his face. He sought confirmation from Lord and Lady Shi through their eyes, and upon receiving it, he handed the letter to his wife.

She was already curious about the matter and eagerly took the letter to read. As her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in astonishment, she exclaimed, "How could something like this happen?!"

To think that their fourth brother, Shi Zheng Kun, was not their husband's biological brother but the son of a border military household! This was the kind of melodramatic plot that one would expect only in a novel, and yet it had unfolded in their own family!

As she finished reading the letter, she understood why her mother-in-law had been so distraught earlier in the day. If she had raised someone else's child for decades, while her biological child was subjected to servitude, she would surely have been overwhelmed.

Carefully placing the letter back on the table, Shi Zhengmao's wife looked at her father-in-law's troubled expression and couldn't help but feel sympathy.

A respected uncle, deceived by a mere pair of border military couple for decades, he must be feeling deeply humiliated and distressed.

Both Shi Zhengmao and his wife found themselves at a loss for words at the moment. They silently sat on their chairs, refraining from offering their opinions.

Seeing their silence, Lord Shi and Lady Shi exchanged glances. Lord Shi spoke, "Eldest son, what do you think?"

After considering it for a moment, Shi Zhengmao responded, "Father, Mother, I agree that we should bring Li Changsen back home. However, we must also consider Zheng Kun's feelings."

Glancing at his parents' expressions, he continued, "Once this matter becomes known, it might be embarrassing for Zheng Kun. He's currently working in the Hanlin Academy, and if others find out he's not a biological Shi family member, he might have to endure a lot of rumours and gossip."

Lady Shi frowned, asking, "So what do you suggest? Not bringing back your brother?"

Shi Zhengmao quickly shook his head, "No, that's not what I mean. I just think that we shouldn't let this matter become too humiliating. Although Zheng Kun is not our biological brother, the Shi family has raised him for over thirty years. He's not a biological son, but he's as good as one."

"Furthermore, consider all the effort and care that our parents have invested in him. To cast him away now would render all that effort meaningless."

Lord Shi remained silent.

Shi Zhengmao's wife spoke up, "There might be a compromise. We can keep this matter within the family and not make it widely known."

Lady Shi wrinkled her brow, "But we have to explain if we bring Li Changsen back. How can we prevent others from finding out?"

After a moment's hesitation, Shi Zhengmao's wife continued, "Li Changsen is your son and daughter's son. Once he's back, do we have to declare that Zheng Kun is not your son? They're both sons, raised with care since childhood."

Upon hearing this, both Lord Shi and Lady Shi fell silent.

Shi Zhengmao clapped his hands, "This is a good solution. Regardless of Zheng Kun or Li Changsen, they are both your sons, both my brothers. We can just say that Li Changsen was raised outside."

"Let's think about it further. You both should go rest now."

As they left Yixiang Courtyard, Shi Zhengmao praised his wife, "You're truly clever. Your approach is balanced. Zheng Kun was nurtured by the Shi family, and Li Changsen is your biological son. It's not wise to choose between them; accepting both is the best solution."

His wife smiled faintly, "I'm not that smart. Don't you think Father and Mother could have thought of this too? They are parents, after all, and there are certain things they find difficult to bring up."

Bringing Li Changsen back was nearly a foregone conclusion. Why else would they seek their opinion?

It was clear that the Shi family was unwilling to part with Shi Zheng Kun. Whether it was due to sentiment or the significant resources they had invested in him, it was likely both.

A Hanlin Academician and a son-in-law of the Zeng family, these were aspects of Shi Zheng Kun that the Shi family could not afford to lose.