Jin Minjing found it laughable. "Who's feeling guilty? Xin'er is indeed my maid, but I always thought she was an orphan. I didn't know she had a birth mother, nor did I know what relationship Song Shi had with her. She never told me. How could I let Song Shi harm someone?"

As she spoke, Jin Minjing began to sob, complaining to Hongli, "Fourth Prince, you saw it! Consort Su is clearly framing me. It was clearly Song who was avenging her daughter, but she insisted on dragging me into it. I am innocent!"

Hongli was already troubled by this, and hearing Jin Minjing's crying only made him more irritable. He ignored her and asked Xin'er in a deep voice,

"Xin'er, have you told your master about your entanglement with the Song family?"

“I…” Xin’er hesitated noticeably, her gaze shifting to Jin Gege, but Jin Gege’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, clearly carrying a hint of warning.

Xin'er was still shaken and didn't dare to say anything. She shook her head and said, "This servant didn't mention it, and the princess is unaware of it."

This scene unfolded before Su Yushan's eyes, and she became increasingly convinced that Jin Minjing was lying. However, Hongli, who was in the direction from which Jin Minjing was not visible, did not notice this and instead turned to question Song Shi about where the money for buying Liuzhu came from.

"Working in this household, I inevitably receive rewards from the masters; those are all my savings," Madam Song said, unwilling to elaborate further or defend herself, directly taking the blame.

"I did indeed administer the drug. Xin'er and Princess Jin were unaware of it. I only wanted to vent my anger for my daughter, to get closer to her, and to have her call me 'Mother.' I was bewitched and confused. I am guilty, and I am willing to pay with my life. I only beg Fourth Master not to blame Xin'er; she is innocent!"

After saying that, Madam Song stopped arguing, steeled her resolve, stood up, rushed towards the pillar to the side, and crashed straight into it!

The violent impact caused blood to flow freely. Song slid down the pillar to the ground, blood slowly dripping from her brow bone.

The sudden scene shocked Su Yushan, who cried out in surprise. Upon seeing this, Hongli immediately stepped forward, reached out and covered her eyes with his palm to shield her from the horrifying sight.

Kim Min-jung was also terrified and turned pale. Just as she was about to seek shelter, she found that Hongli had already pulled Su Yu-shan into his arms, leaving her all alone.

Witnessing this scene, Jin Minjing felt extremely sad, but she was too embarrassed to approach Hongli any further. She could only silently retreat and try to stay as far away from Song Shi as possible.

The most shocked was Xin'er. Her inner conflict had not yet been resolved, and she had always been unwilling to acknowledge her birth mother. Even when Song Shi said that she had drugged Su Gege for her sake, she thought that Song Shi was being unnecessary and causing trouble.

But now, witnessing Song commit suicide by hitting her head against a pillar, her last words lingering on her mind, left her speechless with shock. Instinctively, she rushed over and helped her up.

"Why would you do something so foolish when the Fourth Master hasn't given the order yet?"

Was she foolish? Madam Song knew her actions were foolish, but she had no other choice! To change her daughter's situation, she had no choice but to risk doing favors for others. Now that her daughter was still alive, some things could only remain unsaid.

“I know I’m guilty beyond redemption, but I don’t want to drag you down with me, Xin’er. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have sold you back then. It’s understandable that you hate me.”

At this moment, all the grudges seemed to fade away. Xin'er's cold and hard heart gradually melted, and her voice became choked with emotion. "Actually, I understand that you were forced by life to do this. I no longer hate you. As long as you are well, I will definitely stay by your side and take good care of you. Please hold on, I will go and fetch a doctor right away!"

Xin'er wanted to call for help, but Madam Song held her hand tightly, unwilling to let her leave. "Really? You really forgive me?"

Nodding heavily, Xin'er cried with tears in her eyes, "Really, I'm not lying to you, Mother, I don't hate you anymore..."

Hearing her daughter call out "Mother" with her own ears, Madam Song was overjoyed. The corners of her lips gradually turned up, and she slowly closed her eyes. The hand she was holding tightly to her daughter slipped limply to the ground.

Seeing this, Xin'er felt her heart being torn apart, the pain unbearable. "Mother, Mother..."

Those cries were so desperate. Su Yushan should have hated the Song family, but seeing this scene, she could no longer bring herself to hate them.

Song has committed suicide, and the matter is now closed. Yao Zhi, as an accomplice, cannot escape punishment. Hongli ordered him to be punished with twenty strokes of the cane and expelled from the mansion.

As for Xin'er, she also had to leave the mansion.

Jin Minjing couldn't help but plead for her, "Xin'er wasn't involved. It was all Song's idea. She's innocent!"

Now that things have come to this, she still has the nerve to plead for her? "I wanted to send her away from the beginning, but you insisted on letting her stay. If it weren't for her, why would so much trouble have arisen? If she's kept here, who knows if she'll try to avenge her mother and secretly harm Yu Shan. When will this cycle of revenge end?"

Hongli rebuked him sternly, which frightened Jin Minjing so much that she lowered her head timidly and immediately shut her mouth, daring not to utter another word.

Then someone carried Song out. When the doctor arrived, he shook his head and sighed, because she had already passed away.

Su Yushan was still in shock; the scene had a huge impact on her. Every time she stepped into that room, she would involuntarily stare at the pillar.

Someone died at Tingfeng Pavilion, which is considered unlucky. Hongli no longer wanted Su Yushan to live there and planned to move her residence to another place. However, the new residence needed to be rearranged, and it would take at least two or three days to get it ready.

During these few days, he made a special exception for Su Yushan, allowing her to stay in his bedroom.

Upon hearing this, Li Yu was greatly shocked. According to the rules, only the prince's wife could live in the prince's bedroom, and the maids were not qualified. Now that the Fourth Prince was not yet married and there was no wife in the mansion, he lived alone when he was not in the maids' quarters. But now the Fourth Prince actually let Su Gege live here, which was against the rules!

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!