After being married for many years, how could Qian not know Bai Chong's thoughts? Only those who manage a household don't know the cost of firewood, rice, oil, and salt!

How could she possibly bribe the Chen family if she didn't save money? With him being just a low-ranking official of the sixth grade, how could his daughter participate in the imperial concubine selection, and how could his son enter the Imperial Academy to study?

If we don't skimp on the food for Bai Yan's two sisters, are we going to skimp on our own family?

But all she could do was beg Bai Chong to save her: "My lord, it is all my fault, please forgive me this time, for I have borne three sons and one daughter for the Bai family..."

Bai Chong had many things to consider, especially his family's reputation and his children.

So he turned to Bai Yan and, for the first time, spoke to her in the same tone he used with Bai Ruier and her siblings: "Xiao Yan, I've wronged you all these years. It's all my fault for not investigating before. I will make it up to you in the future. As for this wicked woman, I will punish her severely!"

Bai Yan's lips curled slightly as she looked at Bai Chong: "How will you punish her?"

Bai Chong looked at her face and said in a consultative tone, "How about we send this woman to a country village... After all, she is the birth mother of your younger siblings, let her off this time."

"I only have one older sister, and no younger brothers or sisters."

"I won't let Qian Shi off the hook either," Bai Yan said. "She took my life, and I'll take hers too."

Bai Chong gasped for breath: "You're a woman, how can you be so vicious and threaten someone's life!"

He further emphasized, "Xiao Yan, we are family after all; if one suffers, we all suffer. Besides, if this matter really blows up, what good will it do for your reputation?"

"Lord Bai, if you can't treat everyone fairly, then don't talk about compensation here."

She lowered her gaze to Qian, who was kneeling to the side: "She's even prepared to risk my life to secure a future for Bai Ruier, and you want me to let her go?"

As Bai Yan spoke, she raised her aggrieved gaze to Huo Jin beside her, and gently shook his sleeve: "Ninth Uncle, I... I really feel so wronged. Am I just supposed to be a sacrifice for this family for nothing?"

"I don't want to let Qian Shi get away with this. She bullied me and almost killed me. I want her dead."

As Bai Yan spoke, she seemed afraid of something and timidly asked, "Ninth Uncle... do you think I'm cruel, just like Father?"

Huo Jin: Looking into her red eyes, his heart ached terribly!