Chapter 18 You also have your faults.

Shen Qingci knew perfectly well that her child was her trump card; as long as she used this trump card well, she could put Liu Ruolan to death.

And that is indeed the case.

Two months before Huo Yunzhan faked his death, she had not yet been reborn, and her grief-stricken appearance was not fake.

After her rebirth, although she no longer attempted suicide, she meticulously shifted all blame onto her child, as if she had placed all her hopes on him.

Now that her child is gone, everyone will only pity her.

I would never believe that she would use her child, whom she cared so much about, to frame Liu Ruolan.

Sure enough, seeing Shen Qingci's appearance of being in unbearable pain, Huo Yunzhan and Old Madam Huo's attitude clearly softened.

Clearly... he believed her.

Shen Qingci was still sobbing as she cried, "I really don't understand, Yun Zhan is already dead, why are you still treating me like this, sister-in-law? Why are you still plotting to harm my child! Is it just because I got pregnant before you?"

“You mentioned to me countless times before that I entered the Huo family later than you, but I was extremely lucky to get pregnant with Yun Zhan’s child earlier than you.”

"I always thought that you might have felt some envy, but it was nothing more than envy. I never imagined that you were actually jealous of me!"

Huo Yunzhan's expression shifted several times. Liu Ruolan had indeed said something similar to his face, but at the time he hadn't really thought much of it. Could it be...?

"You're jealous of me because I got pregnant before you, and Yun Zhan had someone check beforehand and said the child in my belly is a son. Are you afraid that I'll give birth to the Huo family's eldest grandson before you?"

"Even if I give birth to the eldest grandson of the Huo family, he will only be Yun Zhan's child! As long as my elder brother doesn't adopt my child into his name, he won't be a threat to your future child at all!"

Huo Yunzhan was shocked!

Although Shen Qingci was unaware of this, he had indeed considered taking over both branches of the family and registering the children born to Shen Qingci under his name.

That was originally his child!

But he had only mentioned this idea to his mother and never told anyone else!

Could it be that Liu Ruolan knows?

Huo Yunzhan turned his head and exchanged a glance with Old Madam Huo, a deeper suspicion rising in his heart.

Just then, someone rushed in from outside. It was Huo Yunzhan they were looking for: "My lord! There was someone lurking suspiciously outside the back gate of the manor. We arrested him. He said he was looking for Miss Bitao!"

"We interrogated him severely, and he said he was a servant of the Prime Minister's mansion. Miss Bitao told him to lead a group of men to guard the mountains on the way back to the city, pretending to be bandits. They were to rush up and rob the Marquis's carriage when it passed by, and also kidnap the woman dressed in plain white clothes, ruin her reputation, and get rid of the child in her womb!"

Shen Qingci's eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief: "My sister-in-law actually... wants to ruin my reputation?"

“I have brought the man here and checked him. He is indeed a servant in the Prime Minister’s residence. The gatekeeper at the back gate said that this man came to the Marquis’s residence last night, saying that he had something to do to see the Marquis’s wife. He stayed at the Marquis’s residence for about half an hour before leaving.”

No sooner had the servant of the Marquis's residence finished speaking than the people who had gone to the Sandalwood Pavilion to investigate earlier hurriedly returned: "Your Highness, we have asked the shop assistants at the Sandalwood Pavilion."

"The shopkeeper said that this morning, before dawn, a girl did go to the Sandalwood Pavilion and bought two strings of Buddhist prayer beads from them. She even asked them to tie the strings of the beads loosely so that they would come undone in less than fifteen minutes if she held them in her hand."

"And the girl even made them hide the thread in the prayer beads so that no one could see it."

A servant from the Prince's residence produced a portrait: "This is a portrait of the woman who bought those two strings of Buddhist beads this morning, painted by an artist based on the description given by the shop assistant at the Sandalwood Pavilion."

The portrait was unfurled, and everyone's eyes turned to Bitao behind Liu Ruolan.

"The woman in the portrait has a distinct mole on her chin, which is clearly Bitao's mark!"

Shen Qingci took a deep breath, her eyes filled with despair and hatred: "Things have come to this point, and the evidence is overwhelming! Sister-in-law, what else do you have to say?"

Liu Ruolan's eyelids twitched violently. Shen Qingci, that bitch!

She's so cruel.

It's all a mix of truth and lies; they're trying to kill her!

"It wasn't me!" Liu Ruolan hurriedly shook her head. "I don't know what happened! I know nothing!"

"Besides, if I really wanted to harm her and the child in her womb, how could I send Bitao? Or send someone from the Prime Minister's residence? That would be so obvious, would I be crazy?"

"Someone is framing me!"

The veins on Huo Yunzhan's forehead throbbed repeatedly, with his former wife and his tragically deceased child on one side.

On one side is his current wife, and his future support.

He was truly caught in a dilemma!

But... no matter what, persuading Shen Qingci to return to the Marquis's residence is the most urgent task.

As long as Shen Qingci agrees to go back, Chu Jichen will no longer have the right to interfere in the affairs of their Marquis's mansion.

Then... once Shen Qingci has calmed down a bit, he'll coax her a little...

Thinking of this, Huo Yunzhan took a deep breath and looked up at Shen Qingci: "Sister-in-law, I have learned all the details of the matter. Don't worry, I will definitely investigate the truth and give you and the child an explanation!"

“You should come back to the Marquis’s residence with us first. You are Yun Zhan’s wife, and the Regent is not yet married. It is not appropriate for you to stay in the Regent’s residence.”

"Go back to the Marquis's residence. If my handling of this matter does not meet your expectations, you can file a complaint with the Emperor or do whatever you wish, I will not stop you!"

Shen Qingci's eyelashes trembled, her eyes filled with mockery. Is that so?

Shouldn't we stop her?

Madam Huo, who was standing nearby, quickly chimed in, "Yes, come back with us first. Look at you covered in blood, it really makes us... feel sorry for you."

Old Madam Huo wiped away her tears: "Don't worry, the child in your belly is my eldest grandson! I will definitely pursue this matter to the end for you!"

Shen Qingci bit her lower lip lightly, a hint of hesitation flashing across her face.

Seeing Shen Qingci's reaction, Huo Yunzhan and Madam Huo knew that there was hope: "Although the baby is small, you have miscarried, so you must take good care of yourself during your postpartum period. You can't possibly have your postpartum period outside, can you? It would be so embarrassing if word got out."

"Come back with us, that's your home."

Shen Qingci took a deep breath: "Okay, I'll trust my mother and elder brother one last time."

She was still weeping, her face full of sorrow: "If my elder brother and mother don't give my child justice, then I will kill myself by crashing my head against the gate of the Marquis's mansion!"

Shen Qingci turned to look at Chu Jichen, and the two quickly exchanged a glance: "Thank you for today's matter, Your Highness. I will return to my residence now."

"Once I'm feeling better, I will personally deliver a gift to express my gratitude."

With Wan Qing's help, Shen Qingci followed the Huo family members out of the Regent's Palace and into the carriage to return to the Marquis's residence.

Just as she returned to her courtyard and lay down on the bed, Huo Yunzhan walked in. His gaze swept over Shen Qingci's blood-stained dress, his eyes dark and brooding: "Today, sister-in-law has suffered and been wronged."

"Don't worry, sister-in-law, I will definitely keep my word and thoroughly investigate this matter."

"But..." he abruptly changed the subject, "I think my sister-in-law is also at fault in this matter..."