Zhong looked at Gu Xin, her eyes returning to their previous expression. She lowered her head and said, "Qiangzi is my son. Although he is not my biological son, I believe I have never mistreated him. After my husband passed away, I never considered remarrying for Qiangzi's sake. But Qiangzi is disobedient. When I send him to school, he doesn't study properly and only knows how to fight. Sometimes I wonder if my choice back then was wrong."

Du Sanniang sneered, "Sister Zhong, others may not know why Qiangzi got into a fight, but don't you? When he first came to my inn, I heard from everyone that those people outside were saying bad things about you, and he fought to protect you. In the end, you dragged him to the academy to apologize, but he refused, preferring not to study anymore. Didn't he tell you what those people were saying about you?"

A waiter chimed in, "Yes, yes, those boys used to bully Qiangzi all those years ago. Aunt Zhong, do you know that they said you seduced their fathers to pay for Qiangzi's school fees? That's why Qiangzi got into a fight and was punished by the academy's teacher."

Zhong said, "What's wrong with saying a few words? Does saying a few words make it the truth? Didn't he see how I earn money? Does he have to believe everything others say? Does he blame me, his mother who gets up early and works late to do embroidery, for not studying hard himself?"

Gu Xin frowned and looked at Zhong Shi. What Zhong Shi said made sense; one should not let other people's words affect one's emotions.

However, this also reflects a problem, which is what she often heard her parents say about children's education.

In situations like this, we shouldn't just assume it's the child's fault. We should patiently teach the child and reason with them, rather than simply making them apologize and send them back to school.

Gu Xin asked, "Do you know why Butcher Liu dismembered the body? And where is Butcher Liu now?"

Zhong looked at Gu Xin, pursed her lips, and then glared angrily at Du San Niang.

Du San Niang felt a little uneasy and confused by Zhong Shi's gaze. She didn't know why Zhong Shi was looking at her like that, as if she had done something wrong.

Gu Xin slammed her hand on the table: "Hu Zhongshi, answer this princess's question!"

Zhong turned to look at Gu Xin again and said, "Dismemberment was to prevent the authorities from finding the whole body. They wanted to conceal the evidence. Princess, do you want to know why the most important part—the head—was found at the Qi'an Inn?"

Gu Xin suddenly looked at Du San Niang, suspecting that this problem was related to Du San Niang.

She looked at Madam Zhong again, her expression unchanged: "You speak."

Zhong turned to Du Sanniang: "Du, do you know? If you hadn't taken Qiangzi in, I might have been able to get him back to school. Do you know? Over the years, you, a woman, have been the object of desire for a young man who hasn't even married or had children yet. I don't know what methods you used to seduce Qiangzi into wanting to marry no one but you and even wanting to go to the capital to make a fortune, all so that he could be worthy of you. So, I'm sending his head to your inn! Qiangzi is gone, but even though I'm not his biological mother, I will help him fulfill his wish so that you'll remember him for the rest of your life! I believe he'll be very happy down there and will thank me for what I've done."

The crowd gasped in surprise, partly because of what Zhong had said, and partly because of what Zhong had said.