Chapter 1257: One End
Ms. Qin clutched her chest, her tears flowing freely. “Ye, Ye, that wretched man is pure evil! What is he doing here? Why hasn’t he met his end outside? We must devise a plan to rid ourselves of him!”
Zhao Ye seethed with irritation, humiliation, and rage.
When he had first entered the mansion, he was but a mere child, fully aware of his status as a lowly concubine’s offspring, miles apart from the rightful heir of the Zhao Family.
The moment he set foot inside the Zhao Mansion, it left him awestruck. He had never beheld such opulence, such an exquisite abode, or tasted such sumptuous fare.
From that day forward, avarice began to creep into his heart.
Ms. Zheng had shown mercy, refraining from tormenting the trio, which only stoked his arrogance. As he grew older, his ambition and greed swelled beneath the surface. He concealed his true nature, yet in reality, he had long ceased to care about Ms. Zheng and Zhao Shu.
In his eyes, mother and son were merely insignificant entities. He believed that eventually, the entire family would fall into his hands.
Then, tragedy struck when Ms. Zheng met her untimely demise in an accident. Zhao Shu spent an additional three years at their ancestral home, cementing the trio’s dominion over the mansion.
No one dared to challenge him; he reveled in his untroubled existence and, in the process, forgot his humble origins as the son of a concubine.
However, the arrival of the legitimate heir shattered his illusions. He couldn’t bear the thought of humiliation before Ms. Qin.
Yet he concealed his turmoil, for he knew that, apart from being a laughingstock, he had little else to offer.
“Mother, fret not. Even if the mulberry garden is lost, Father will surely recover the money owed to him. The legitimate heir can’t outmatch Father, can he? If Father requests the funds, he’ll have no choice but to yield!”
“I truly hope he doesn’t! If he doesn’t, Father will never forgive him, and he’ll be forced to leave the mansion…”
A sinister gleam crossed Zhao Ye’s countenance. That would be ideal. If the legitimate heir departed the Zhao Family and Yangzhou altogether, he would stop at nothing to ensure their separation, reuniting him with his mother.
Ms. Qin clenched her teeth. “He’s not a fool. He wouldn’t genuinely incur your father’s wrath. The Zhao Family is far too prominent, and he knows how to avoid crossing your father.”
“Mom, there’s a long road ahead. If he doesn’t offend Father today, we’ll find ways for him to do so in the future. In truth, it doesn’t matter if he actually offends Father. As long as Father deems him unfilial, then he is.”
“What right does he have to claim the Zhao Family’s assets?”
Ms. Qin’s eyes gleamed, her sneer laden with malice. “You’re absolutely right. In that case, he should remain in the mansion, shouldn’t he?”
Zhao Ye smiled in agreement.
Whether he stayed or left, his fate was sealed, with no alternative outcome in sight.
“While I’m at it, I’m concerned that your father may take a second wife. Ye, help me find a way to prevent him from doing so.”
Zhao Ye found himself at a loss for words.
He didn’t desire a legitimate mother in the household either.