"Murder!"

I don't know who shouted it.

Immediately afterward, as if ignited by the exclamation, the people outside rushed in, and in an instant, the room was packed with people.

When the steward rushed in with several guards, the servants were scrambling around Aunt Qiu's body in a panic, like headless flies, in complete chaos. Some screamed in terror, while others collapsed to the ground in fright.

Seeing the horrific scene before him, he was stunned and speechless, not knowing what to do for a moment.

After a long while, the steward called out in a trembling voice, "Quickly, go and fetch the Grand Tutor!"

Shen Wanwan finally couldn't hold back her sobs any longer. She stumbled to Aunt Qiu's body, knelt on the ground, and clutched Aunt Qiu's clothes tightly with both hands, crying out, "Mother! Mother! Wake up! Mother, you can't die!"

Her cries were shrill and desperate, as she tried to wake the already dead Aunt Qiu.

However, Aunt Qiu's body gradually lost its warmth, leaving only Chen Wanwan's sobs echoing in the room.

Shen Jintang just looked at her coldly, her eyes devoid of any warmth.

Xinghui exchanged a glance with Shen Jintang, and taking advantage of the chaotic scene, quietly ran out and disappeared into the crowd.

Before long, Grand Tutor Shen arrived hastily, surrounded by a group of servants. The moment he stepped inside, he saw Aunt Qiu's corpse, his face paled, and he roared, "What happened? Who did this?!"

Upon hearing Grand Tutor Shen's voice, Shen Wanwan immediately raised her head and cried out, "Father! It's Shen Jintang! She killed Mother! She killed Mother!"

She cried as she pointed at Shen Jintang, her eyes filled with hatred and fear, as if she wished she could tear Shen Jintang to pieces.

But the chilling aura that Shen Jintang had exuded when he stabbed Aunt Qiu to death still lingered, and she was so intimidated that she dared not step forward easily.

Grand Tutor Shen's gaze instantly fell on Shen Jintang, his eyes filled with anger and disbelief.

If it weren't for the bright red blood still on her hands, no one would guess that she was a murderer based solely on her cold and composed demeanor.

"Father."

Shen Jintang raised her head and looked at Grand Tutor Shen with indifferent eyes, as if everything in front of her had nothing to do with her.

This was the first time she had seen Grand Tutor Shen, but she felt none of the joy or hatred she had imagined; only endless indifference.

"Shut up! What right do you have to call me father?!"

Grand Tutor Shen's voice shook the air in the room. He snatched the knife from the servant's hand and walked towards Shen Jintang: "You are so vicious at such a young age. This world cannot tolerate you!"

Shen Jintang didn't flinch at all; instead, she stepped forward, a mocking smile playing on her lips: "Come on, kill me."

Her voice was calm and even, as if she were talking about something insignificant.

"You..." Grand Tutor Shen was originally furious, but seeing Shen Jintang's appearance, he suddenly deflated, and his anger was instantly extinguished.

His hand holding the knife trembled slightly; he had no idea what she was planning.

"I die in the Shen family today, and the entire Shen family will be buried with me tomorrow. If you don't believe me, just try it."

Shen Jintang stared into Grand Tutor Shen's eyes, her voice cold and firm, each word like hailstones pelting Grand Tutor Shen's heart.

"I have come to the Shen family in such a grand manner today because I have made full preparations."

"If I don't get out of here alive, soon the whole capital will be filled with news that the Shen family used torture to murder people."

“My death is a small matter, but your entire Shen family will be disgraced because of me. The men’s careers and the women’s marriages will all be ruined.”

Shen Jintang's voice echoed in the silent room, each word like a heavy hammer, striking the hearts of everyone present: "Father, are you sure you want to disregard the reputation of the living for the sake of a dead person?"

Grand Tutor Shen's hand holding the knife trembled slightly. His eyes lingered between the corpses of Shen Jintang and Aunt Qiu, his face full of struggle and hesitation.

Shen Jintang's words were like an invisible knife, piercing his weak spot.

"Father! She killed Mother! She killed Mother with her own hands!" Shen Wanwan cried out from the side, her voice shrill and desperate. "Father, kill her! Kill her to avenge Mother!"

Shen Jintang, on the other hand, sat leisurely in his chair, coldly observing this farce.

There was not a trace of panic in her eyes, but rather a hint of calm mockery.

Kill her?

Absolutely not!

If we kill her, word will spread, and her identity will no longer be a secret.

Once it is revealed that Grand Tutor Shen coerced a peasant woman in the countryside and even fathered a child with her, his upright reputation will be ruined, and he might not even be able to keep his official hat.

Even for his own sake, he had to keep the murder a secret from her.

"Thump—"

After much deliberation, Grand Tutor Shen threw the knife in his hand heavily to the ground.

He roared at the steward, "Lock this wretched child in the woodshed and keep a close watch on him!"

The butler immediately led his men forward, intending to grab Shen Jintang, but they stopped instantly when Shen Jintang swept them with her cold and sharp gaze.

Shen Jintang sneered, slowly stood up, and walked calmly toward the door.

As Shen Jintang was leaving, he ran into Shen Huaixu.

He was walking towards the door, his steps steady and powerful, his eyes cold.

The two brushed past each other at the doorway, their eyes briefly meeting in the air, like two cold lights colliding, before instantly separating.

Shen Jintang glanced at Shen Huaixu, a faint sneer playing on her lips, before turning away without looking back and walking in her own direction.

——

"Go in."

The steward gave a cold order and had someone open the door to the woodshed.

Without the slightest hesitation, Shen Jintang stepped inside.

Her expression was calm, as if being locked in the woodshed was just a trivial matter, and her face showed no emotional fluctuation.

Looking around, the woodshed was dark and cramped, filled with the musty smell and dust of years past.

The surrounding area was piled with old firewood and miscellaneous items, and a thick layer of dust had accumulated in the corners. Occasionally, a few startled insects could be seen crawling around.

The entire space appeared exceptionally desolate and dilapidated, exuding an indescribable sense of desolation.

The housekeeper didn't say anything more, but the moment Shen Jintang entered the door, he had someone quickly lock it.

The heavy iron lock fell with a "click," as if completely isolating Shen Jintang from the outside world.

Shen Jintang frowned slightly, gently blew the dust off her body, and then found a relatively clean spot on a pile of firewood to sit down.

She leaned against the wall, her gaze calmly fixed on the door of the woodshed, as if deep in thought.

Time seemed to drag on in the woodshed. Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the woodshed, falling on Shen Jintang. As time passed, the beam of light moved slowly across the ground, climbing from her feet to her knees, and then gradually moving to her shoulders.

After an unknown amount of time, suddenly there was a "creak" sound, and the door was opened.