Chapter 37

As the red sunset faded, darkness fell. Xun Yunhe rushed tirelessly to the foot of Qingshan Temple, where the path became impassable on horseback, and he had to proceed on foot. Looking up, the swaying branches of the trees resembled ghostly figures in the night, and his heart felt as heavy as a stone.

On the way, he pondered where to find Qing Niang if she were indeed there. Just then, a frail young boy stumbled down the stone steps, and by the faint light of dusk, he saw the figure at the foot of the mountain and called out urgently, “Is that you, Father?”

Xun Yunhe was startled. His son should have been at the Imperial Academy. Why was he here? Sensing something was wrong, he stepped forward and asked sternly, “Why are you here?”

Xun Nianxi struggled to stand, saluted his father, and replied, “Mother sent me to bring you to the ritual site.”

That afternoon, Xun Nianxi had been resting at the academy when a message arrived saying his mother had fallen ill at Qingshan Temple and needed him to fetch her. Hurrying to the temple, he couldn’t find her but was told by a maid that his mother had arranged a ritual for Madam Zhang at the southeastern ritual site and was unwell, so he should go down the mountain to get his father.

Unaware of the true nature of Madam Zhang’s situation, Xun Nianxi believed the story and went down the mountain.

Xun Yunhe’s eyes narrowed. He had been wondering where to find Qing Niang, and now someone had sent his son to guide him, making him feel like he was stepping into a trap. Still, as long as Qing Niang and Nannan were alive, he could accept any consequences. “Lead the way.”

The higher they climbed, the brighter the light ahead grew. Vague shadows moved through the forest and on the high platform. They passed the temple gate and swiftly ascended the wide platform in front of the Mahavira Hall, heading towards the southeastern ritual site.

The ritual site, which should have been surrounded by the fire of talismans, was pitch black and eerily silent. The area was filled with the pungent smell of talisman oil. Xun Yunhe, without so much as a frown, stepped through a small door, bypassed a flower bed, and was surprised to find a group of people inside.

Leading the group was Pei Muheng, the third son of Prince Xi, along with Minister of Justice Xiao Yu, and the newly appointed Deputy Minister of Judicial Review, Liu Yue. Xun Yunhe, already suspecting a plot against him, was not too surprised by their appearance.

Earlier, as Pei Muheng and his party arrived at the city gate, they encountered a monk from the temple reporting an incident. He mentioned that a lady from an official’s family was causing trouble in the temple and provided directions, allowing them to find the location more precisely. They took a shortcut through the mountains, arriving just a little ahead of Xun Yunhe.

It was only a matter of seconds, though.

Pei Muheng silently bowed to Xun Yunhe, who returned the gesture. Just then, a heart-wrenching scream echoed from the side hall of Wang Sheng Ge Hall.

“What exactly do you want? What are you trying to do?”

Xun Yunhe recognized Madam Ye’s voice and turned around suddenly. At the same time, Xun Nianxi’s mouth was covered by a guard.

At the back of the ritual site stood a three-story tower, dim yellow light spilling out through the silk windows. Two shadows were cast on the window; a woman was bent over as if questioning someone, while the other knelt on the ground, seemingly pleading—Madam Ye.

Madam Ye saw Xiu Niang’s face and was immediately frightened out of her wits. “Who are you?”

Xiu Niang, folding her sleeves under the lamp, sneered, “You ask who I am, but I should be asking who you are. Your people have been following me sneakily all day and then lured me to the ritual site, trying to push me into the fire pit. What are your intentions?”

This statement hit Madam Ye like a thunderbolt.

Could the nanny have mistaken someone else? The woman in front of her resembled Madam Zhang seven to eight-tenths and dressed similarly. Most likely, things had gone wrong and been exposed. Madam Ye was instantly panicked and lost all composure.

“I… I didn’t…” she instinctively denied.

Xiu Niang sneered, “If that’s the case, then why does it say ‘Xun Yu’ on this?”

Madam Ye’s body felt as if struck by lightning and stiffened like wax.

Outside, Xun Yunhe’s expression also changed drastically. He subconsciously thought the speaking woman was Qing Niang; her figure looked very similar, but her voice was different.

Qing Niang spoke softly and gently, not with such force.

Xun Yunhe felt a wave of despair wash over him. It seemed Qing Niang wasn’t there; someone was plotting against him. His face turned pale as he kept his eyes fixed on Madam Ye.

Madam Ye was initially terrified but quickly regained her composure. Since this woman wasn’t Qing Niang, things hadn’t reached their worst. Hastily wiping her tears, she pleaded, “Good sister, you must be mistaken. Please give me that.”

This was an admission that she had written the paper crane.

In the adjacent darkroom, Xu Yunqi gently pursed her lips while the abbot of Qingshan Temple, seated in the main seat, shook his head and silently chanted a prayer.

Xiu Niang casually sat in the chair opposite Madam Ye, holding the paper crane between her fingers and smiling.

“Really? Who is Xun Yu? He can’t be your lover, can he? Or maybe you’re having an affair, and someone found out, so you wanted to silence them?”

Madam Ye, embarrassed and angry, retorted, “What nonsense! He’s my husband.”

Xiu Niang blinked, “Really? But your daughter said otherwise.”

Madam Ye’s heart tightened, and she glared suspiciously at Xiu Niang, “Where did you take my daughter?”

Xiu Niang smiled, “Don’t worry, she’s locked in the next room. I also tell you, I’m a wanderer with some skills. If you don’t explain why you tried to kill me, I’ll send you, your daughter, and the old nanny to the court.”

Madam Ye felt a metallic taste rise in her throat, realizing that things had indeed been exposed in Xiu Niang’s hands.

Already at her wits’ end and barely holding on, Madam Ye was now thoroughly terrified, collapsing to the ground and sobbing uncontrollably.

Xiu Niang leaned forward slightly, “Won’t speak? Then I’ll speak for you. I’ve seen many tricks in my wanderings. It seems you’ve done something evil and want to silence me. Do I look like the person you wanted to kill? Did your people make a mistake?”

Xiu Niang’s words hit Madam Ye’s heart precisely, pushing her to the brink of collapse. She lowered herself further, crying even more fiercely.

Seeing this, Xiu Niang clapped her hands, intending to stand up, “Alright, if you won’t speak, I’ll call someone to take you to the authorities…”

At that moment, a cry came from the inner room, “Mother, Mother…” followed by a muffled grunt as the mouth was quickly covered.

Recognizing her daughter’s voice, Madam Ye’s pupils dilated in shock. Seeing Xiu Niang about to rise, she quickly crawled over and clung to her leg, “I’ll talk, I’ll talk.”

Xiu Niang smiled leisurely and sat back down, “Start from the beginning.”

Hearing this from outside the window, Xun Yunhe had almost pieced it all together.

Recalling the green-clad woman at the birthday banquet and Madam Ye’s questioning in the ancestral hall, it was evident that Madam Ye had also spotted the woman, believed Qing Niang was alive, and feared she would usurp her position. Therefore, she plotted to eliminate her in the mountains. Realizing this possibility, Xun Yunhe’s eyes grew cold and sharp. He had never known the seemingly gentle Madam Ye to be so ruthless.

The question then was, how did Madam Ye recognize Qing Niang’s appearance if she had never seen her before?

At that moment, Xun Yunhe felt as if he were standing on the edge of a cliff, one step away from an abyss.

Despite being married for over a decade, he had spent little time truly understanding Madam Ye. Unable to contain himself, he took a step forward. Deputy Minister Liu Yue of the Court of Judicial Review gently raised his hand to stop him, signaling him not to act rashly.

On the way, the monk had already informed Liu Yue that they had caught the perpetrators red-handed with evidence and witnesses and needed their help.

Everyone present was a seasoned court official, well aware that tonight’s events were far more complex than an attempted murder.

At that moment, Madam Ye’s shaky voice came from inside, “If I confess, will you let my daughter and me go?”

Xiu Niang shrugged, “I have no personal grudge against you. As long as you explain everything clearly and assure me you’re not my enemy, I won’t pursue today’s matter.”

Madam Ye’s body went limp, her forehead touching the ground. She took deep breaths, sobbing for a long time. Finally, she gritted her teeth, looked up, and cried, “I’ll tell you the truth. You look very much like someone, that person is my husband’s first wife!”

Upon hearing this, Pei Muheng, Xiao Yu, and the others looked at each other in surprise.

Could the accusations in the complaint be true?

They all turned to Xun Yunhe, who, unaware of the complaint, stared intently inside, waiting for Madam Ye’s next words.

Xiu Niang looked at Madam Xun in astonishment, “So it’s true? You’re afraid your husband’s first wife will come for him, so you tried to get rid of her first.”

At this point, with no way out, Madam Xun nodded tearfully, “That woman is utterly wicked, trying to ruin my husband’s future. I had no choice but to…”

Xiu Niang interrupted her with a cold laugh, “Really? Your nanny said otherwise. She said you stole someone’s husband!”

Madam Xun was so shocked by this that she almost couldn’t catch her breath, her face turning pale.

Seeing Madam Xun was on the verge of collapse, Xiu Niang stepped closer, “You didn’t perhaps fancy someone’s husband and used some means to force him to divorce his wife and marry you, did you?”

“No!” Madam Xun vehemently denied, her eyes filled with tears as she stared blankly at Xiu Niang. The beautiful face in front of her seemed to blend with Madam Zhang’s, constantly shifting, and she couldn’t distinguish who was who.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to harm you…”

“I had no choice…”

Xiu Niang pretended to speak to herself and smiled, “No choice? Look at you, dressed so finely, clearly wealthy. Did you really need to steal someone’s husband?”

“No, no…” Tears flooded Madam Xun’s mind as if she were trapped in a massive quagmire, struggling in vain.

Seeing her dazed expression, Xiu Niang knew the moment had come. She leaned in close and whispered, “The fire would be all-consuming. If I were pushed into it, it would be excruciating… If I died, I would haunt you even as a ghost!”

At that moment, outside the window, Xun Yunhe staggered back, nearly falling.

Pei Muheng quickly stepped forward to steady him.

“No, no, no,” Madam Ye felt Madam Zhang’s face infinitely magnified before her eyes, her vision obscured by the thick smoke from that day, her mind collapsing,

“Don’t blame me, I didn’t know he had a wife and daughter when I met him…” Her voice trembled violently.

It was a year of light rain among apricot blossoms, early March, when the chill of early spring had not yet receded. Her father, Old Scholar Ye, had been demoted and returned home, setting up a teaching altar next to the mansion’s gate and recruiting many students from the county school. One of the young men, holding a worn oil-paper umbrella and dressed in a thin, tea-white long gown, exuded an extraordinary and carefree demeanor. He was a prodigious talent, impressing everyone with his eloquence and becoming famous overnight. It wasn’t just her; even the girls secretly peeking through the carved windows were smitten by him.

One of these admirers was the daughter of the county magistrate, a bold and arrogant girl who declared that she would marry Xun Yu.

Though she came from the capital, her father’s proud and aloof nature had made him unpopular with his colleagues, resulting in his demotion. The county magistrate was ordered to keep an eye on him, so Madam Ye didn’t dare show her feelings openly in front of the county magistrate’s daughter and kept her affection hidden.

Xun Yu emerged victorious that day, being taken in as her father’s last disciple.

While Madam Ye’s face showed nothing, inwardly, she felt indignant. She believed the county magistrate’s daughter had a crude and unworthy temperament for Xun Yu. In secret, she couldn’t help but try to attract his attention, seeking his advice with books and even writing poems for his critique. After initially responding to her inquiries, he later ignored her advances, frustrating her to no end.

Xun Yu lived up to expectations, achieving first place in the county exams the following year. It was customary in the capital to marry off the top scholars, and the same tradition existed in the county. The county magistrate’s daughter insisted on marrying him, causing quite a stir in the town. Madam Ye was heartbroken, crying in secret on several occasions.

The county magistrate publicly announced his intention to make Xun Yu his son-in-law. Yet the elegant young man in his white gown, standing out among the crowd, responded decisively, “I am already married with a daughter and have pledged to be faithful to her alone, never taking a concubine.”

He declared this in front of all the prominent figures of Jiangling on the day the results were posted, thereby thwarting the county magistrate’s plans.

The county magistrate’s daughter, however, was obsessed with Xun Yu.

“One evening, she came to see me at the Ye mansion, claiming she had visited Xun Yu’s hometown and met his wife and daughter,”

“Just a village girl, wearing a floral dress, she couldn’t hold a candle to Xun Yu’s elegance. I pressured her to give up Xun Yu, but she refused. How outrageous!”

She vividly remembered that day, the girl’s indignant and spirited expression. It was then she thought, a village girl naturally wasn’t worthy of Xun Yu.

Not long after, Xun Yu was about to leave for Jingzhou Prefecture to study. The county magistrate’s daughter couldn’t sit still and drugged Xun Yu at the county school’s farewell banquet. But Xun Yu was resilient, fighting his way out of the county office and returning to the school.

“So, you took advantage of the situation when he was drugged, like a mantis stalking the cicada?” Xiu Niang whispered coldly in Madam Ye’s ear.

Madam Ye was about to nod but suddenly regained her senses and shook her head vigorously, “No, no… I didn’t mean to… it was an accident…”

Outside the window, Xun Nianxi’s eyes widened in disbelief, unable to accept that his mother had resorted to such methods to be with his father. His righteous young heart couldn’t bear the shock, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsing to his knees.

Xun Yunhe, his eyes vacant, looked at the brightly lit Wang Sheng Ge Hall. Slowly, he stripped off his official robes, revealing a pristine white long gown. He stood in the courtyard like a lost soul, silent for a long time.

“An accident?” Xiu Niang scoffed, pulling Madam Xun’s hands away from her face, forcing her to look at her. “Look at me and tell the truth. Was it really an accident? The county magistrate’s daughter discussed the plan with you, so you were fully aware of it. Xun Yu went back to the school library, and you, a well-bred lady, sneaked into his bed at midnight!”

This was the source of Madam Xun’s lifelong guilt, a thorn in her heart that she could never remove.

“No!” she screamed, pushing Xiu Niang’s hands away and covering her face, crying.

“Do you think it was easy for me? I grew up without a mother. My father only had me, his daughter, and he fell ill, dangerously ill. If he died, what would I do? I couldn’t just marry any scholar!”

“Xun Yu had already become the top student in the county school. My father said more than once that with his intelligence and talent, he would one day be a high-ranking official, perhaps even a grand secretary,” Madam Xun cried, covering her face with her hands.

“How could I watch such wealth and honor fall into someone else’s hands? So, I found an excuse to help my father look for books at the school library.”

At that time, Xun Yu had almost lost his mind and was tossing and turning on the bed. She pretended to blow out the lamp, took off her clothes, and shamelessly threw herself at him. She would never forget how hot his body was. When she got close, he came at her like a man parched with thirst finally finding water.

She had never felt such… joy in her life.

Joy and shame.

A mouthful of blood spilled from Xun Yunhe’s mouth, and his vision went black.

“And then?” Xiu Niang asked with disgust on her face, her expression wooden. “You didn’t force him to divorce his wife and marry you, did you?”

“No!” This time, Madam Xun’s tone was resolute like never before. Shaking her head, she stared blankly ahead as if recalling the scene from that day.

A man deeply influenced by Confucian teachings from a young age couldn’t accept that he had touched another woman. The rules ingrained in his bones caused him immense pain.

She would never forget his expression when he woke up, his eyes hollow like a lost soul, his steps heavy as he walked into the Ye family house and knelt before her father to admit his wrongdoing.

“In front of my father, I forced him to demote his wife to a concubine and marry me, but he would rather die than comply!”

“My father was a pedantic old scholar who couldn’t accept that his daughter had lost her virtue before marriage. He was so furious that he coughed up blood and fell seriously ill. My father didn’t want to force him, so he ordered me to be sent away from Jiangling,” she recalled, tears streaming down her face.

She vividly remembered her father, weak and gasping for breath, saying, “This happened at the school… I can’t escape blame. I permitted my daughter to go get a book, thinking you were still at the county office. In hindsight, this was a grave mistake. Yu’er, last night’s incident will be treated as if it never happened. In a few days, I’ll arrange for her to marry far away. You should return home, pack up, and go to Jingzhou. Never come back to Jiangling.”

Madam Xun’s tears flowed uncontrollably, “I didn’t realize that would be the last time I saw my father. After Xun Yu and I left, he died. He was literally angered to death by me. Xun Yu, feeling guilty, took care of my father’s funeral arrangements.”

“I didn’t find out my father had passed away until I had lived in a villa outside the city for half a month. I fainted on the spot, and when I woke up days later, the nanny told me I was pregnant…” Madam Xun said, clutching Xiu Niang’s sleeve with tear-filled eyes.

“Can you imagine the situation of a weak woman, alone and pregnant? You’ll never understand why Xun Yu’s wife and daughter were living peacefully while I was suffering outside. The nanny didn’t give up; she advised me to be patient and wait for the right opportunity.”

“I stayed in that villa for two years. The child was born wrinkled and pitiful, but her father knew nothing about her…”

These thoughts had weighed heavily on her for too long, like a stone pressing down on her chest, and speaking them out loud brought some relief.

Xiu Niang shook off her hand, “You brought this upon yourself and still blame others? You, the daughter of a Hanlin scholar, could have married any suitable gentleman with dignity, yet you chose to steal someone else’s husband. This sin is unforgivable.” Xiu Niang paused, then asked,

“And then?”

“And then…” Madam Xun sat on the ground, taking a deep breath, her face pale. “I endured for two years. One day, when I went into town to buy supplies, I overheard that an epidemic had broken out in Xiushui Village. Isn’t that Xun Yu’s hometown?”

“I thought something must have happened to him. Even though he ignored me, I couldn’t let him go,” Madam Xun said through gritted teeth. “So, I went to the county office to find the magistrate’s daughter. Maybe it was fate.”

Madam Xun’s expression turned eerie as she recalled the day, the sparkle in the county magistrate’s daughter’s eyes.

“Sister Ye, I’m telling you, this is a golden opportunity. To stop the epidemic from spreading, the only way is to seal off the village. Isn’t Xun Yu studying in Jingzhou Prefecture? Right now, his weak wife and child are alone and helpless. I plan to take this chance to kill them. When Xun Yu returns, he will think it was the epidemic and the village’s quarantine that caused it. He won’t suspect us!”

Hearing this, Xun Yunhe let out a sinister laugh similar to Madam Xun’s. He knew the only way to protect his wife and child was to gain more power, so he studied diligently, hoping to enter the Imperial Academy, takee the exams sooner, and eventually bring his family out of Jingzhou.

But he never expected the county magistrate to be so ruthless. To contain the epidemic, he ordered the mountain to be sealed and set on fire. The informants in the county office quickly relayed the news to Jingzhou Prefecture. Xun Yunhe went to the prefecture first and filed a complaint by beating the drum, and the prefectural office quickly dispatched people to Jiangling County. The prefectural office agreed to quarantine the village but forbade setting fires.

Unfortunately, it was too late. By the time he arrived, the lush green village had turned into a charred wasteland. The once vibrant village had become a blackened crater, with the remains of the burnt forest and unrecognizable corpses washed away by torrential rain, sliding down to the village outskirts.

He dug in the rain for three days and nights, unearthing a charred body and a small arm with a silver bracelet. He ran back and forth to the prefectural office, saving two neighboring villages but failing to save his own.

In the following days, he obsessively sought the county magistrate’s mistakes. He finally found two crucial pieces of evidence and filed a formal complaint to the prefecture. He beat the drum at the prefectural office for three days and nights, his hands bleeding, fasting, and exhausting himself to seek justice for his wife and child. The county magistrate, entrenched in Jingzhou for many years, was not easily shaken. What could be done? Fortunately, he had anticipated this over the past two years. He found someone at odds with the county magistrate and secretly used them to expose the case to the capital.

In less than half a month, the capital sent people to deal with the county magistrate’s family. The thirty lives lost in Xiushui Village, though under the guise of preventing the epidemic, were still a horrifying massacre. The new inspector was an upright and impartial man, sentencing the county magistrate to death by strangulation. The county magistrate’s wife and daughter were exiled to the frontier as slaves.

When his wife and daughter died, Xun Yunhe lost the will to live and his motivation to pursue the imperial exams. He planned to seek revenge and make the culprits pay with their blood.

Perhaps fate had other plans for him, as the county magistrate’s wife and daughter died on the way.

When he returned to Jiangling, emaciated and frail, he saw Madam Ye holding a one-year-old girl at the city gate.

It was a snowy day, and the thin child shivered beside her mother’s feet, reminding him of his daughter Nannan, who had been waiting for his return. His heart ached with unbearable pain.

Madam Ye knelt at his feet, asking for shelter without regard for her status, and the little girl called him “father” with her innocent eyes.

Xun Yunhe closed his eyes in despair.

He felt ashamed of his mentor, Madam Ye and the child. Ultimately, he accepted them into his life, but now he realizes that Madam Ye has been involved in the plot all along.

Inside, Xiu Niang asked, “Where were you when the county magistrate was burning the village?”

Madam Ye trembled all over, avoiding Xiu Niang’s intense gaze.

“You watched them burn to death, didn’t you?”

The words “watched them” pierced her memory, causing her entire body to shiver. “I… I had no choice,” she sobbed uncontrollably.

“No choice?” Xiu Niang laughed as if hearing a joke. “Did fate force you to kill?”

The word “kill” struck Madam Ye’s weakest nerve, making her feel as if she were in a black vortex from which she couldn’t escape. Looking into Xiu Niang’s eyes, which resembled Madam Zhang’s, she completely broke down.

“The county magistrate’s daughter personally led people to Xiushui Village. Hundreds of barrels of kerosene covered the hillside. One spark, and everything would be burned clean. The county office soldiers first set fire to the most heavily infected area. Unfortunately, midway through, a soldier reported that the prefectural office had forbidden further fires. The Xun family was one of the two households in the innermost valley, far from the fire. Seeing the plan about to succeed, what could I do?”

She screamed hysterically, “I took advantage of the moment when no one was watching and rushed to their door, throwing the torch without hesitation. The fire… it surged up immediately.”

Upon hearing this, the devastated Xun Yunhe could no longer contain himself. His blood-red eyes, filled with intense hatred, dashed forward and kicked open the door, grabbing Madam Xun by the throat.

“You venomous woman!”

He had kept the murderer of his wife by his side. He felt utterly wretched!

As if his heart was being wrung in boiling oil, Xun Yunhe’s reason was drowned in hatred and regret. He used all his strength to strangle Madam Xun. She didn’t even have time to see who it was before she was choked unconscious. Just as she was about to be killed by Xun Yunhe, two guards rushed in, grabbing his wrists from both sides, forcing him to release her.

Deputy Minister Liu Yue of the Court of Judicial Review jumped in next, stopping in front of him and advising, “Minister Xun, you are the Chief Cabinet Minister; you can’t sully your hands with such a vile woman!”

“Take her away and bring her back to the office for interrogation!”

The guards carried Madam Xun out, and one of them pricked her neck with a needle. She shuddered, and her head jerked back, bringing her back to consciousness.

In front of her stood numerous guards, torches alight. Familiar faces were illuminated by the fire, showing expressions of disdain, mockery, or disgust. Only Xun Yunhe, his eyes like two blood-red hollows, stood alone on the steps, not looking at her, as if she were filth.

Seeing Xun Yunhe’s figure, all of Madam Xun’s remaining hopes were extinguished, and she collapsed.

At that moment, Xun Nianxi crawled over on his knees, looking at his mother in agony, “Mother, why did you do this? Why?” He cried bitterly in front of her.

Madam Xun’s throat, recently strangled, could still produce no sound, and she only muttered as she looked at her child, “Nianxi…”

It took Xun Yunhe three years to accept her. Because Xun Yunling was an illegitimate child, he had never liked her. Later, they finally had a son, and to gain a little of his favor, she insisted on naming the boy Nianxi.

The side room doors of Wang Sheng Ge Hall were opened, and Xun Yunling, the old nanny, and a few confidants were brought out.

Behind everyone stood the abbot of Qingshan Temple, Master Mingjie, along with several martial monks. He bowed to Pei Muheng and the others, “Amitabha, I am deeply ashamed to have disturbed you, Third Young Master and esteemed officials. This evening, Madam Xun secretly instructed someone to commit a crime, but it was discovered beforehand.” The old abbot pointed to the kneeling individuals. “Master Liu, there is complete evidence and witnesses. The rest is up to you.”

Taking them back for interrogation? That wasn’t Xu Yunqi’s goal.

Xiu Niang leisurely descended the steps, pointing to the gagged Xun Yunling and Xun Nianxi, and asked Liu Yue, “May I ask, Master Liu, what is the sentence for Madam Xun, who has committed murder? What will happen to her two children?”

Liu Yue, well-versed in Jin Dynasty law, thought for a moment before replying, “Madam Ye first committed murder and then attempted another crime today. Additionally, she deceived the Chief Cabinet Minister. For these multiple crimes, the sentence is immediate execution.”

“And what about her two children?”

Liu Yue answered without hesitation, “If the charges are proven, Miss Xun, having participated in the crime, will be imprisoned for life in the Inner Palace. As for Young Master Xun…” Liu Yue’s gaze fell on the sobbing, tormented boy, and he replied with reluctance, “Being implicated by his mother’s crimes, he will be stripped of his title, demoted to commoner status, and exiled a thousand miles away.”

Upon hearing this verdict, Madam Xun’s eyes widened in horror, and she screamed frantically towards Xun Yunhe, “Xun Yunhe!”

“The children are innocent; you have to save them!”

“Xun Yunhe, I have been with you for so many years. If not for merit, then for hardship. They are your own flesh and blood; how can you bear to let this happen…”

But the man in white on the steps, standing like an ancient pine in meditation, his face almost translucently pale, tightly grasping those two talismans, showed no reaction.

Xiu Niang crouched down, sighing innocently at Madam Xun, “Regret it? One moment of poor judgment ruined lives, and now you’re left in disgrace. Look at your daughter, she’s not even seventeen yet. She should have been the most prominent young lady in the capital, but now she’ll be sent to the Inner Palace prison. Do you know what kind of place that is?”

“That place is filled with eunuchs and maids who have committed crimes in the inner court. It’s dark as night, and if they develop sores, no one cares!”

“And your son… Look at him, such an innocent and bright young man. He’s so vibrant and righteous, but all his honor is lost because of a mother like you. His bright future is utterly destroyed. I pity him. As a mother, does your conscience hurt?”

“Ah…” Madam Xun screamed in pain, her face twisted like a vengeful ghost, always crying in the direction of Xun Yunhe.

Many officials staying overnight squeezed in through the small door, and the once spacious hill was now crowded with people. Those who once flattered her now looked down on her with disdain, pointing and sneering, “She’s the daughter of Old Scholar Ye. I think the old man was literally angered to death by her.”

“The Ye family has several distant relatives in the capital. Hearing about this, they are all too ashamed to lift their heads.”

“She pretended to be dignified and graceful, but she killed the first wife to take her place. She’s the most vicious mistress!”

“That’s right, just a mistress!”

“Her daughter is a mistress’s daughter, too!”

“Ugh, I once dined with such a person. How disgusting!”

“She grew up without a mother’s guidance. No wonder she did such vile things. Grand Secretary Xun must have believed in the Ye family’s upright reputation, never knowing how dirty her heart was.”

“The most pitiable ones are Minister Xun’s original wife and his eldest daughter. Their deaths were truly tragic!”

“Being deceived by such a bedfellow for over a decade, if it were me, I would kill her myself to avenge it.”

The crowd’s scornful comments poured in like a tide. Madam Ye, feeling icy cold, could no longer support herself. Seeing her husband remain indifferent, she used her last bit of strength to break free from the guards’ hold and rushed towards the ritual altar at the back. The nearest imperial guard was knocked aside, dropping his torch, which ignited the talisman oil instantly, forming a ring of fire. Madam Ye plunged into the fire.

“Ah!” The searing pain pierced through her skin, burning into her organs.

“Miss!” Seeing the flames engulf her, the old nanny broke free from the martial monks and rushed towards the fire pit.

Rather than enduring the suffering of imprisonment, it was better to die here.

Xun Nianxi, hearing his mother’s anguished groans, knelt on the ground, crying loudly.

Xun Yunling, held by a martial monk, struggled desperately, attempting to approach the fire pit several times but was pulled back by the monks. In the struggle, Xun Yunling was slammed against the steps and fainted.

The bright flames reflected in Xu Yunqi’s dark eyes as she stood alone outside the ear chamber, watching the master and servant struggle in the fire pit, her face expressionless.

“Pang Niu, Pang Aunty, may you rest in peace.”

Everyone remained silent, the only sounds being Madam Ye and the old nanny’s agonizing screams echoing through the night. Madam Ye, seemingly unwilling to accept her fate, struggled and shouted at Xun Yunhe, “For so many years, everyone said how glamorous I was, how loving my marriage was. Every time I heard it, it felt like a knife in my heart. I couldn’t help but question myself—did I make a mistake all those years ago?”

“But as long as I looked at you, at your face, I could endure anything. Today, I finally realized that I am a complete joke. Xun Yunhe, I hate you!”

“Stop talking…” The old nanny, heartbroken, tried to pull her away with tears in her eyes. Another surge of flames engulfed them completely, their piercing screams ending abruptly. Xun Nianxi watched the figure grow faint and stop struggling, blood filling his mouth as he fainted on the spot.

Xiao Yu sighed twice, waving his hand and signaling the guards to take all the prisoners away. The horrifying scene of self-immolation caused the women to leave early in fright.

The abbot and others silently chanted “Amitabha.”

Seeing her work was done, Xiu Niang sighed in relief and was about to leave when a tall figure blocked her path.

Xun Yunhe, with bloodshot eyes, stared intently at her, “Who wrote this note?” He held up the white paper, bringing it to her eye level.

Xiu Niang glanced at it and crossed her arms with a smile, “Oh, Minister Xun, you didn’t search for her fifteen years ago. Why bother now? Just assume they’re dead. From now on, you go your way, and I go mine; we won’t interfere with each other. As for you, don’t pretend to be so sentimental. You’ve been an official in the capital for years, and no one knows you had a wife, treating a concubine as your wife.”

“Since you changed your name and swore to sever ties with the past, why act so deeply emotional now?”

“You’re already the Chief Cabinet Minister. Your wife is just a plaque with no title or rank. How can you have the audacity to ask who wrote this note?”