The eldest daughter-in-law, Bai Qingrou, nodded in agreement: "Yes, I heard from the cook that Ziqian has actually been learning to cook lately. It's really not easy for a man to do that."

"I'll even pick plum blossoms for you and collect dew. I'll buy all the clothes and jewelry on the street. Your second sister-in-law and I are envious."

"Yes, he has been doing really well lately."

Su Yujiao listened quietly without offering any opinion.

After they finished speaking, she calmly said, "Sister-in-law, I know you meant well."

"But since things have come to this, my two sisters-in-law, please don't try to persuade me anymore."

“I’ve already made an appointment with him. We’ll go to the government office to complete the divorce procedures after I finish my shift tomorrow.”

"If my eldest and second sisters-in-law have time in the future, they can come and visit me often."

The two women sighed and handed over their silver notes and jewelry, and like Zhou, they were adamant about not accepting them or letting them leave.

Su Yujiao could only accept the gifts with gratitude and thank them profusely.

Suddenly, she felt that life wasn't so bad after all; at least there were people who genuinely cared about her.

After Su Yujiao left, Zhou's expression immediately changed.

"Go and find Chen Yunniang for me."

She was involved in this whole affair, turning the General's Mansion upside down, and she thought she would get away with it.

"Butler, you go yourself."

"yes."

Immediately afterwards, Zhou went to the woodshed.

Chunmei was locked in the woodshed and was on the verge of death.

"Who exactly ordered you to do this?"

Aren't you going to tell me?

Chunmei tried to get up, but she couldn't get up no matter what she did.

“Madam, no one… no one ordered me around. I am in love with the General and jealous of the Young Madam.”

"It was all done by this servant alone."

"I heard from Xiao Liu about the General and Miss Chen going to the Ghost Temple, and out of curiosity, I went to the Ghost Temple myself."

"I saw Miss Chen's jar, which contained a straw doll with a talisman for warding off evil spirits attached to it."

"I didn't do anything at the time; I just watched it as a spectacle."

"It's just that the general has been treating the young mistress better and better lately, and he doesn't even look at me. I was jealous, so I changed the doll in the jar."

Zhou smashed her teacup in anger: "You lowly servant, how much did Chen Yunniang give you that you're still taking the blame for her even when you're about to die?"

"Do you really think I'm a fool?"

"If you really did it, with such a good opportunity, you would be eager to pin all the blame on Chen Yunniang."

"Would they be foolish enough to take all the blame upon themselves?"

A look of panic flashed in Chunmei's eyes: "Madam... this servant, this servant also wants to pin the blame on Miss Chen."

"But I'm afraid that if I don't tell the truth, my family will be implicated."

"This servant dares not lie!"

Zhou said fiercely, "I see you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin, so..."

Before Zhou could finish speaking, Chunmei slammed her head against the wall, her head breaking open and bleeding profusely.

"This servant...this servant is willing to die to prove my innocence, and I hope that Madam will not implicate my family."

Zhou was so frightened that she took a step back, her face turning pale.

Granny Zhang stepped forward to check the person's breath, then shook her head and said, "Madam, the person is dead."

Zhou frowned. What tricks did Chen Yunniang use to force Chunmei to refuse to confess even at the cost of her life?

This woman is as ruthless and vicious as a venomous snake, full of cunning schemes.

She can cause trouble in the General's Mansion even while living outside. If she were to succeed in her scheme and marry into the Lu family, the entire General's Mansion would likely fall into her hands.

Thinking of this, Zhou's gaze turned cold. This woman was a menace and absolutely could not be allowed to live!

"Aunt Zhang, come here." She whispered a few words in Granny Zhang's ear.

"yes."

A moment later, the butler rushed in to report: "Madam, the person has been brought."

"Take him to the side hall and wait for me."

"yes."

Chen Yunniang was taken to a side hall, where several old women immediately held her down and stuffed a rag into her mouth to gag her.

Chen Yunniang struggled in terror, trying to call for help but only able to make muffled sounds.

She knew that Zhou would not treat her well after inviting her over, and she was prepared to be humiliated and harassed.

Unexpectedly, Zhou was so fierce that she tied her up right away, not even giving her a chance to speak.

With a creak, Zhou Shi entered the side hall, supported by her maids and servants.

Granny Zhang handed over the tea, and Madam Zhou took a small sip, saying casually, "Let's begin."

"Mmm...mmm..."

Chen Yunniang watched as four or five burly old women approached, carrying trays with silver needles of varying lengths and thicknesses.

Two of the old women pinned Chen Yunniang to the ground, rendering her immobile, while Granny Zhang held Chen Yunniang's fingers and inserted silver needles one by one into her fingertips.

"Ah... um..."

The remaining old women weren't idle either; they took silver needles and specifically targeted hidden and soft spots to prick.

Waves of excruciating pain surged through Chen Yunniang, who endured inhuman torture, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, her whole body writhing in agony.

Zhou did not intend to let her off easily. Although she could not kill her in one go, she could subdue her once and for all, so that she would not dare to do anything bad in the future!

Although she desperately wanted to kill Chen Yunniang, now was not the time, otherwise she would have a hard time explaining herself to the palace.

Chen Yunniang was, after all, a county princess bestowed by the emperor and a renowned physician in the eyes of the people.

If she dies, it will cause a lot of trouble, which will be detrimental to both the General's Mansion and the Empress.

Therefore, Chen Yunniang cannot die, but she can make her wish she were dead.

Chen Yunniang fainted several times and was woken up by the splashing several times. At this point, she didn't even have the strength to call for help.

"Untie her."

Just when Chen Yunniang thought the torment was over, Zhou spoke up again: "I just got a bottle of skin cream, and it works quite well. You should try it."

Granny Zhang took the skin cream from Zhou's hand, scooped out a large dollop, and evenly applied it to Chen Yunniang's face.

"No...I don't want to..."

"What is this? I don't want it applied!"

Chen Yunniang was terrified and resisted frantically. Although she didn't know what the skin care cream Zhou was talking about was, she was sure it was no good.

Did Zhou want to ruin her appearance?

"How dare you! I am a county princess bestowed by the Emperor, while you are merely a washed-up noblewoman. How dare you... how dare you use torture on me?"

“Zhou, if you don’t kill me today, I will report you to the Emperor.”

Chen Yunniang knew that since she had just been granted a title, Zhou Shi would not dare to take her life.

Otherwise, it would implicate Lu Ziqian and the Crown Prince in their crime of deceiving the emperor.

Madam Zhou took a sip of tea: "I only invited the county princess over as a guest. Who said I was going to kill you?"

Suddenly, Chen Yunniang felt a sharp pain on her face. She reached up and touched it, only to find that it was rotting and oozing pus.

"What...what exactly did you put on me?"

Zhou retorted sarcastically, "Aren't you a miracle doctor? You don't even know this?"

"If you don't heal your face, how dare you go to the Emperor to report me?"

"You can cure the plague, but you can't cure your own face. Doesn't the Emperor suspect something?"

"I'd like to see whether your crime of impersonating a miracle doctor is more serious, or my crime of using vigilante justice?"