Shen Qianxue looked at Mai Zizi, who looked completely lost. She still didn't know what had happened to Aunt Fang, why she wanted to kill her, or why she had been told she had no heart.

But Maizizi didn't have the courage to stand up and question him.

She panicked!

However, the maid beside Mai Zizi retorted angrily, "Miss treats you like family and gives you the best of everything. How dare you say she has no heart? I think you're the one who has no heart!"

Aunt Fang snorted lightly, full of disdain, "That's because you don't know what family is. Fei Niang treated me like family... but she still heartlessly abandoned me and went alone. It was you who forced her, it was Phoenix Pavilion that forced her!" As Aunt Fang spoke, tears streamed down her face again.

She was filled with grievances, grievances that had been building up for over a decade, and today was simply the day they finally erupted.

Su Jinxia stayed inside and didn't come out, but the door was open, and the situation outside was completely visible.

Lu Ming sat down in the room with her.

Su Jinxia keenly noticed that Lu Ming's emotions changed as Aunt Fang talked about Fei Niang, and his eyes revealed an unusual coldness.

Was there more to the story behind Shen Qianxue's mother's death?

Su Jinxia's gaze fell on Shen Qianxue's straight back, as if deep in thought.

It seems that very few people in the entire Phoenix Pavilion talk about Fangfei.

Footsteps came from outside the courtyard. Shen Xi grabbed a person by the back of the neck, strode in, and threw him to the ground.

“It’s Steward Du, Aunt Fang’s lover. I’ve seen them meeting in secret.” A maid recognized him.

"Tell me! What have you done?"

Shen Xi placed a long sword against Steward Du's neck, his whole body exuding a murderous aura, like a hellish Yama, his voice chillingly cold.

Seeing that Fang Xia had also been captured, Steward Du could no longer cover up the situation. He kowtowed to the ground and shouted, "Fang Xia begged me to help her avenge her daughter. I was confused for a moment. Please forgive me, young master."

Manager Du had assumed that Su Jinxia possessed a deadly hidden weapon that would allow him to kill Mai Zizi silently, but to his surprise, Su Jinxia appeared out of nowhere and was even faster than his hidden weapon.

Shen Qianxue's gaze fell on Mai Zizi again, but this time it was frighteningly serious.

Avenging his daughter? That's a completely different matter.

Mai Zizi was startled by Shen Qianxue's terrifying gaze, and finally remembered to argue, "Didn't Ding Lingling die of illness? I only heard about it when I came back this time."

Speaking of her daughter, Aunt Fang's eyes turned bloodshot, and she roared angrily, "If you hadn't made her kneel in the snow for half the night, how could she have gotten sick? How could she have died? She just accidentally broke a bracelet, and you heartlessly made her kneel in the snow. Do you know how cold that night was..."

Aunt Fang recounted in despair that Ding Lingling had lost her life because of that one night.

Mai Zizi froze; she remembered.

"I... I didn't mean to punish her for so long. That jade bracelet was a gift from my father, that's why I was so angry... I didn't know she was sick..."

Mai Zizi was somewhat incoherent; she never imagined that Ding Lingling's death would be blamed on her.

Before the two of them could even begin to grapple with each other, the truth of the matter gradually came to light.

One night six months ago, Ding Lingling broke a jade bracelet while tidying up.

That jade bracelet was a gift from Maizizi's father. Those who know Maizizi know that her father doesn't value this daughter, so Maizizi cherishes this gift very much.

In her anger and distress, Mai Zizi punished Ding Lingling by making her kneel outside.

She cried for a long time afterward, and eventually fell asleep while crying, naturally forgetting that Ding Lingling was still kneeling outside.

In the middle of the night, Fang Xia knocked on Mai Zizi's door to plead for Ding Lingling. Mai Zizi didn't make things difficult for them and let them all go home.

Two days later, Mai Zizi returned home and stayed away for half a year.

She had no idea that Ding Lingling fell seriously ill after that night, and passed away two months later.

Su Jin nudged Lu Ming and gave him a look.

Did Ding Lingling really die because of that kneeling?

Lu Ming instantly understood and gently turned his head, saying, "I wasn't there then."

If he were here, there might still be a chance to save it.

Fang Xia laughed sarcastically, "Not on purpose? Do you think you can erase her death with just one sentence like 'not on purpose'? I treated you like my own daughter, but how did you treat me? What did I get in return!"

"I'm sorry," Mai Zizi murmured.

Mai Zizi is naive and willful, and acts recklessly because of Shen Qianxue's favor. In reality, she is very timid. She is afraid and guilty from the bottom of her heart because Fang Xia scolded and resented her so much.

If she had handled things better, Ding Lingling wouldn't have died, and Fang Xia wouldn't have been heartbroken.

Over the years, Mai Zizi knows in her heart how Fang Xia has treated her, so this apology comes from the bottom of her heart.

But Fang Xia was not grateful. Could an apology bring her daughter back?

They claim to treat them like family, but they still beat and scold them whenever they want. The lives of their servants are never on the minds of these nobles.

The truth of the matter is already quite clear. Shen Qianxue gently closed her eyes and waved her hand wearily.

The guards quickly took Aunt Fang and Steward Du away.

Mai Zizi moved closer to Shen Qianxue, her voice hoarse, and whispered, "Brother Qianxue, I..."

She wanted to explain that she really didn't mean it.

"Chen Xi, take her back!" Shen Qianxue didn't want to talk to her while she was angry, afraid that she would lose her temper.

Mai Zizi dared not be willful anymore and left, looking back every few steps.

Everyone in the courtyard suddenly left.

Seeing that there was nothing for him to do, Lu Ming followed along.

Shen Qianxue rested her elbows on the table, rubbing her aching temples.

Su Jin walked over and gently massaged him.

Shen Qianxue still remembered that Su Jinxia had an injury on her hand. She gently grasped her hand to stop her from moving around. When she opened her eyes, they were full of exhaustion.

The conflicts of the martial world, the turmoil of the imperial court, and the deceit and treachery had never made him feel so exhausted.

"Am I a failure? I didn't teach her well." Shen Qianxue rarely questioned herself.

Su Jinxia comforted her, "You're not that much older than her, you're talking as if she's your daughter."

Shen Qianxue was only twenty years old, not much older than Mai Zizi, but he acted like an old father.

Having lost his parents at a young age, Shen Qianxue was left with only heavy shackles. It was already difficult enough for him to grow up properly, so how could anyone blame him for what others did?

Shen Qianxue gently put her arm around Su Jinxia's waist, buried her head in Su Jinxia's waist, and said softly, "I used to think that giving her the best was enough, but I forgot to teach her how to conduct herself in society. That was my mistake."

Su Jin patted his head and said, "You've done very well. Although Mai Zizi is willful, lacks social skills, and isn't thorough in her actions, no one is perfect. At least she's pure at heart and doesn't really have any intention to harm anyone."

While Ding Lingling's incident is regrettable, it cannot be entirely blamed on Mai Zizi.

Next, it remains to be seen whether Mai Zizi can figure out her problems, handle them properly, and act cautiously.

Shen Qianxue sighed softly. Before he could process the pent-up emotions in his heart, someone came to report something and called him away.

Su Jin picked up the forgotten guqin, wiped it clean, and put it back in its original place.