Chapter 33: Madame Shang's Regret
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Shang Feifei emerged from behind several rows of bookshelves, her expression complicated.
She had only come to the old master’s study today to look for a few old books. She had never expected that, while she was searching, Shang Yang would come looking for the old master.
The old master seemed to think it did not matter if she listened in. After all, she could hear Lin Xianxian’s inner thoughts as well.
Besides, she had already known that something might happen to Shang Yang later.
But even the old master had not expected that this matter would actually involve Shang Beiming and Shang Feifei’s mother and uncle…
Although he had found out halfway through, the old master knew that Shang Feifei was not someone incapable of distinguishing right from wrong. She would not secretly tell her mother and uncle because of this.
Even if they wanted to stop it, what with being able to hear inner thoughts and knowing about the plot…
Mrs. Shang and Jiang Zihu might not believe them anyway.
“Now that you know, remember to follow the arrangements your uncle and I have made. Don’t create any complications.”
Shang Feifei nodded. “I understand.”
She knew very well that even if she told her mother and uncle about this, they probably would not let the matter rest.
By then, they might simply change their method or choose another time…
And her uncle would still suffer an accident.
Shang Feifei respected, even idolized, her uncle. By contrast, she detested her own uncle, who was always dragging the Shang family down.
Her uncle had even suggested before that she marry into another family for strategic reasons, paving the way for Shang Beiming to inherit the Shang Corporation and becoming a source of support for her brother—or even for him.
As for her mother…
Although Shang Feifei had strong feelings for her mother, she had been raised by her aunt from childhood. Her mother had done little more than hold her occasionally and take her out to play.
Everything her mother had done for her—buying gifts and the like—had been no more than an impulsive purchase or a casual instruction.
Moreover, Shang Feifei knew perfectly well that, in order to ensure that her brother inherited the Shang Corporation smoothly, or to help him expand it, her mother would not hesitate to sacrifice her.
And besides, if all of this really happened, how innocent would her uncle be?
Would he lose both his legs, and eventually his life, merely because of her mother and uncle’s baseless suspicions and greed for wealth?
Shang Feifei could not accept that.
So she said firmly, “Grandfather, rest assured. I absolutely won’t ruin your plans!”
“However, Grandfather, my mother truly doesn’t have the courage to kill anyone. She has a man in her life… She’s only in her forties, and my brother and I can accept it. I hope you won’t be too harsh on her.”
Old Master Shang nodded.
His methods were swift and decisive. Before long, Shang Yang and Shang Feifei saw the decision he had made.
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The first person the old master intended to deal with was Jiang Zihu.
That detestable man had coveted the Shang family’s wealth long enough. How dare he harm someone from their family as well?
Old Master Shang had no intention of showing him mercy. He simply set a trap.
Jiang Zihu was indeed short of money. With such tempting bait before him, he soon took the bait of his own accord.
He was hardly innocent to begin with, and was sent straight to prison.
As soon as Jiang Zihu was imprisoned, his family went to beg Mrs. Shang for help, and Mrs. Shang, in turn, appealed to the old master.
The old master did not spare her feelings. He pointed out how much she and her brother had taken from the Shang family over the years, as well as the fact that she had secretly taken a lover outside the marriage…
Mrs. Shang was instantly overcome with shame.
She had never imagined that the old master knew about it.
In the end, unable to bear watching her brother suffer, Mrs. Shang tried to exchange her own departure from the family for the old master’s help in getting her brother out.
Old Master Shang, however, remained utterly impartial.
“He broke the law, and he has been breaking it for more than a decade. Those are the laws of this country. Even if I wanted to save him, I couldn’t.”
“And besides…”
Cold fury radiated from Old Master Shang as he showed Mrs. Shang the information uncovered while investigating matters from many years ago:
“Your husband’s death was also connected to Jiang Zihu. Back then, your brother borrowed your car—the one you shared with Shang Xu—and provoked someone. That person deliberately tampered with the vehicle, intending to kill your brother…”
“But your brother returned the car, and Shang Xu drove it…”
By the time Old Master Shang reached this point, he was trembling with rage.
The person who had killed his eldest son had already been brought to justice at the time. By now, the grass on that person’s grave stood two meters high.
The culprit’s family had gone bankrupt as well. Knowing they had offended the Shang family, they had immigrated overseas soon afterward and never returned.
Since the true culprit had been found, the old master had not investigated any further.
But when he looked into Jiang Zihu this time, he finally learned that there had been such a hidden detail back then.
He had always said that his eldest son was an upright man who rarely offended anyone, even in the business world.
At the very least, he had never offended anyone to the point of making them want him dead.
Moreover, the man who had killed Shang Xu had barely had any connection with the Shang family at all.
Their only connection was that Shang Xu had once stood up for his eldest brother-in-law.
At the time, the old master had assumed that Shang Xu had offended the murderer by defending Jiang Zihu, prompting the man to seek revenge by killing Shang Xu.
But only now did he realize—how could that man have possessed such courage?
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The person he had truly wanted to kill was Jiang Zihu!
And regardless of whether the man had initially intended to kill Shang Xu, everything from Shang Xu’s provocation of him to his eventual death had happened because of Jiang Zihu!
It was perfectly normal for a brother-in-law to protect his wife’s younger brother. Thus, although the old master had believed at the time that Shang Xu had offended the murderer because of Jiang Zihu, he had inevitably felt some resentment toward Jiang Zihu…
But in the end, he had done nothing to Jiang Zihu. He had not even blamed Jiang Wan, because she had been heartbroken after losing her husband.
But now…
Now that he knew Jiang Wan had secretly lent Shang Xu’s car to Jiang Zihu, leading to the death of his eldest son…
When the old master learned the truth, he suffered for a long time. Only after spending an entire night sleepless did he begin dealing with Jiang Zihu with ruthless determination.
“What… What?!”
Jiang Wan was unable to believe it.
Outside the door, Shang Feifei’s eyes widened, and her face instantly turned pale.
Her father…
Had he died because of her mother and uncle?!
Shang Feifei thought of how dearly her father had cherished her when she was a child, and tears immediately began streaming uncontrollably down her face…
Inside the study, Jiang Wan stared at the documents, utterly shaken.
She loved Shang Xu. She loved him so deeply that, although she now had a lover, she had chosen him precisely because he resembled Shang Xu…
Even though the old master was willing to let her remarry, she knew that she had merely found a man who looked like Shang Xu to comfort her temporarily. She had never intended to remain with him for the long term.
Now, learning this cruel truth without warning, Jiang Wan’s mind went completely blank.
After trembling her way through all the documents, boundless remorse surged through her heart.
It had happened because of her…
If she had not thought back then that Shang Xu owned so many cars and that lending one to her brother—whose parents had cut off his access to money—would be harmless; if she had not indulged Jiang Zihu as he went around provoking people…
Would Shang Xu still have died?
The thought drove Jiang Wan almost insane.
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