"How dare you! This is my Xiao family! Who gave you permission to lay a hand on my Xiao family!" Old Madam Xiao protected Xiao Ruyan, glaring at Chen Xingfeng and the other two. "You little bitches! Do you have any manners at all?! How dare you lay a hand on someone else's property!"
Xiao Ruyan, hiding behind, chimed in, "This is my home! Get out of here!"
Chen Xingfeng and Chen Lingfeng didn't take these insults seriously at all. After all, when they were still in the countryside, they were envied for their good grades and were insulted in much worse ways.
But Bai Tuantuan is angry!
He rushed forward, grabbed Xiao Ruyan's arm, ignored her punches and kicks, and pulled her out.
"What are you doing! Let go!" Old Mrs. Xiao rushed to rescue Xiao Ruyan, slapping Bai Tuantuan hard with her large hand. The pain made Bai Tuantuan smile mockingly.
She knew that no matter how good she and her mother were to Old Madam Xiao, in her heart there was only one granddaughter, Xiao Ruyan. After all, she was like grass, while Xiao Ruyan was a treasure.
"You bastard! How could you lay a hand on your sister!"
Grandma Xiao scolded and hit Bai Tuantuan at the same time.
Enraged, Chen Xingfeng and Chen Lingfeng each grabbed Old Madam Xiao's arm and restrained her.
"Someone come here!" Old Mrs. Xiao shouted loudly.
Bai Tuantuan didn't even lift her eyelids, giving Old Madam Xiao a dismissive glance: "Do you really think that my mother and I came to the Xiao family and did nothing?"
"What do you mean?" Old Mrs. Xiao looked at Bai Tuantuan in horror. She realized that even Granny Fang was not protecting her.
Bai Tuantuan sneered, "The Xiao family is all show and no substance. Your servants and maids are exploited by you, and you beat and scold their personal maids. Where is their loyalty?"
"Moreover, Zheng Fangyu only cares about herself when she takes charge of the household, and the income is insufficient to cover the expenses. There have been many complaints, but you all act as if you don't hear them. You think that just because you have their indenture, they will work for you. But why should they do that!"
“My mother and I did nothing; we simply paid for their monthly allowance out of our own pockets.”
"Old lady, you used to be an ordinary person too. Logically speaking, you should understand the hardships of these people better. But you always think you are superior. Tsk tsk, I don't know where you get your confidence from."
Seeing the stunned look on Grandma Xiao's face, Bai Tuantuan felt extremely bored. She took out the bottle from her arms, squatted down, pinched Xiao Ruyan's chin, and poured the contents down her throat!
"ah!"
Xiao Ruyan screamed, but this time, no one could save her!
Meanwhile, at the Jingzhao Yin's residence, Lord Shen looked at the evidence in his hand, growing increasingly alarmed. He slammed his gavel down: "Xiao Guangyuan! Zheng Fangyu, do you know your crimes!"
Xiao Guangyuan said in a deep voice, "My lord, I do not know where I have committed a crime!"
"Then please take a good look for yourself, Lord Xiao, and see if this is indeed your handwriting!"
The yamen runners took the letters away and handed a few to Xiao Guangyuan, while the others were given to literate people in the surrounding area.
"Quickly read it aloud, what does it say inside?"
"Let me see." A scholar opened the letter, glanced at its contents, and was shocked. "Outrageous! Too outrageous! Vicious! Utterly vicious!"
"Don't just read it yourself, read it aloud so we can hear it!" the surrounding villagers urged.
The scholar glared at Xiao Guangyuan and loudly proclaimed, "Chen Zhixiu and Xiao Tuantuan must die, and the Chen family must also be silenced to avoid unnecessary trouble! Although Tuantuan is my child, I will have many more children in the future, so I don't need to care about one. Just kill her! Chen Zhixiu will only block my way if she lives!"
"Even tigers don't eat their cubs..." someone remarked.
The scholar then opened the second letter: "Take the letter of divorce to Chen Zhixiu. From now on, we will have no further dealings with each other in our marriages. If she does not agree, then kill her."
The scholar opened the third letter: "Quickly silence her! Zheng Fangyu has already become suspicious. I must not let Chen Zhixiu ruin my official career!"
"How hateful!" The scholar threw the letter at Xiao Guangyuan. "Back then, when Lord Xiao became the top scholar in the imperial examination, we students saw his exam paper and recognized his handwriting. The handwriting in this letter must be Lord Xiao's. Lord Xiao abandoned his wife who had shared his hardships and wanted to kill her to cover it up. With such character, how can he be an official who stands up for the people!"
"Well said!" the students around him chimed in.
The moment Xiao Guangyuan saw the letter, he knew he was finished!
He opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but couldn't utter a single word. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chen Zhixiu and knelt down with a thud. "Xiu'er, I was wrong, Xiu'er!"
Chen Zhixiu let Xiao Guangyuan kneel down and said calmly, "So, you admit that you hired someone to kill him?"
"I...I..." Xiao Guangyuan's eyes were filled with panic. Suddenly, he saw Zheng Fangyu standing to the side, and his eyes lit up. He immediately said, "Xiu'er, this is not my fault! It's her! It's all her fault! She was stirring up trouble! Otherwise, why would I want to kill you! Xiu'er, you know I have feelings for you!"
Upon hearing this, before Chen Zhixiu could speak, Zheng Fangyu began to sob softly, "Master, I don't know anything... I didn't ask you to hire someone to kill someone..."
"Why not you! You're the one who said you can't tolerate any nonsense!"
“Yes, sir, that’s what I said! But what I meant was that you can’t have other concubines!” Zheng Fangyu stared at Xiao Guangyuan and said, word by word, “You never told me you were married. You lied to me and to my parents!”
"How despicable! To curry favor with the powerful, abandon one's wife who shared hardship, and deceive others—how can such a person be an official!" the scholar shouted. "Your Honor! Xiao Guangyuan must be severely punished!"
"Yes, sir! Xiao Guangyuan is unforgivable!"
"That's right, how can someone like that stand up for us ordinary people!"
As the voices of the people rose, Xiao Guangyuan panicked completely and kept looking outside.
"Are you waiting for Prince Ping?" Chen Zhixiu asked softly. "Then you won't be able to wait any longer, Prince Ping has entered the palace."
Xiao Guangyuan's face turned deathly pale. He opened his mouth and said in a hoarse voice, "You hate me that much? Was everything before just a lie?"
"Actually, if you hadn't allowed Xiao Ruyan to poison me, I might have kept you around a little longer and helped you rise to the position of a first-rank minister. It's just a pity."
Xiao Guangyuan looked at Chen Zhixiu in disbelief.
Before he could say anything more, Lord Shen slammed his gavel: "Silence! This matter involves officials, and I need to report it to the Emperor! Guards, arrest Xiao Guangyuan! As for Zheng Fangyu..."
"My lord!" Chen Zhixiu stepped forward and said slowly, "The one who bribed the assassins was Zheng Fangyu's man! She deliberately led these assassins to Xiao Guangyuan. I have witnesses!"
Zheng Fangyu suddenly looked up and stared at Chen Zhixiu in disbelief.
Chen Zhixiu curled her lips into a smile: "Sorry, the person you wanted to kill was saved by my brothers."
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