When Dongbai and Baiqi returned, they brought back Green Pearl and the rusty silver needle under the paulownia tree.
The old lady and Madam Min both wanted to speak and take the initiative, but Ye Qingxue swept her whip out and struck them in front of them, frightening them into retreating and not daring to utter another sound.
Green Pearl flinched. She didn't know what had happened, but seeing Madam Min's ashen face like a defeated dog, she assumed that the evidence against Madam Min for murdering Marquis Zhongyong was conclusive.
So without hesitation, she became a witness and confirmed that she had indeed seen Madam Min commit the crime nine years ago and then buried the murder weapon.
At present, there is both witness testimony and physical evidence.
No one spoke. The crowd that had just questioned Ye Qingxue's framing of Madam Min were now all silent.
Ye Qingxue's eyes were bloodshot, her icy gaze sweeping over everyone, her eyes sharp as knives: "The Emperor's men should be arriving soon. Should we tie up Madam Min now and hand her over to the Emperor's men? To execute her to appease my father's spirit in heaven?!"
Ye Qingxue's murderous aura surged into the air, collapsing like a mountain and pressing down on Madam Min.
Madam Min's face was completely drained of color, and she almost begged for mercy, but suddenly, she turned and rushed towards the old lady, hugging her legs and crying out in anguish, "Mother, save me!"
A hint of surprise flashed across Ye Qingxue's face.
The father was the grandmother's child, and Madam Min was the grandmother's daughter-in-law. From a blood relationship perspective, the father was much closer and more important to the grandmother than Madam Min.
She cut off Ye Xiaowei's arm, and her grandmother shouted for her to be beaten and killed, but Madam Min killed her father, yet she turned to her grandmother for help.
Logically speaking, upon learning that Madam Min had killed her son, the grandmother should have been the first to pick up a knife and kill Madam Min to avenge her son.
But...but!
The old lady took a deep breath, walked past Madam Min who was kneeling on the ground and weeping, and came to Ye Qingxue.
She actually took Ye Qingxue's hand.
Ye Qingxue initially wanted to avoid it, but she resisted the urge. She wanted to ascertain the old lady's true attitude towards her father.
At this moment, she had a strong intuition that her greatest enemy in the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion might not be Madam Min, but her father's mother—her grandmother.
In her previous life, she was poisoned and her physical condition prevented her from going out, while the old lady spent her years in the temple worshipping Buddha and chanting scriptures, so they rarely met.
Although she did dislike the old lady's beautiful but mean appearance, there was no conflict or hatred between them.
Only now, having reached this point in her life, did she notice the old woman's strange behavior. The old woman seemed quite indifferent to the truth about her father's death.
This is not a normal reaction a mother should have.
Isn't the father the old lady's biological child?
Could the old lady have been involved in my father's death as well?
Ye Qingxue felt the old lady's hands and noticed the distinct crisscrossing lines. The old lady's hands were old, but still strong and powerful, indicating that she was very healthy and robust.
"Qingxue, Min Shi killed your father. I am just as heartbroken and angry as you are. I wish I could tear her to pieces!"
"But she is still your second aunt, the birth mother of the Vice Minister of War, and the second wife of the Marquis of Zhongyong. If this matter gets out, I'm afraid the future of the Marquis's mansion will be ruined."
"Not only will your elder brother's career be ruined, but your sisters' marriages will also be devastated. If your father knew this from beyond the grave, he would not be happy to see such a scene."
"How about this? We'll ask the emperor's men to leave, instead of handing Min over to the authorities. We'll punish her according to family law until you're satisfied!"
"It will teach her a lesson, preserve the reputation of the Marquis's mansion, appease our hatred, and comfort your father's spirit in heaven. It's a win-win situation, what do you think?"
Everyone stared at Ye Qingxue expectantly, as if the matter could be resolved simply by her nodding.
Ye Qingxue looked around and found that none of these relatives cared about her father's real death, whether it was the second wife, her grandmother, or Madam Zhou!
The old lady continued, "Although your father died unjustly, he is still dead. We must think of the living."
These words infuriated Ye Qingxue; they were a complete misrepresentation. She pulled her hand away: "If my father had died a natural death, my grandmother could have said that, for the sake of the living, we should not dwell on the grief of his death."
"But he was murdered. Why can't his name be cleared? Why shouldn't the murderer be punished as he deserves? Does the survival of the Marquis's family mean my father has to be murdered in vain?"
A hint of annoyance flashed in the old lady's eyes, but she quickly suppressed it: "Hasn't the truth about your father's death already been found out?"
"We didn't say we wouldn't deal with your second aunt, we're just using a different method to protect the reputation of the Marquis's mansion. After all, this Marquis's mansion was built by your father, don't you cherish it!"
Someone had said this to Ye Qingxue before.
She did not agree.
Looters should return what they have stolen; murderers should pay with their lives for their victims!
That would truly comfort the souls of the victims in heaven!
The rest are nothing but sophistry, clinging to life, shirking responsibility, refusing to take charge, and showing no remorse.
However, Madam Zhou also wept and said, "Qingxue, I am just as heartbroken and saddened as you are by your father's murder, and I hate your second aunt just as much as you do. But you must also think of the Marquis's mansion and your sisters. Don't go too far!"
Ye Qingxue felt a chill in her heart and her hands and feet were icy cold.
“I told you before that Madam Min wanted to kill me and Chunxia Qiudong, but you didn’t believe me and thought I was framing Madam Min.”
"Now that I've laid out the truth about my father's death before you, you say I've gone too far? Madam Min witnessed you killing someone; is she really worth you protecting her like this?"
Madam Zhou became angry again: "I asked you to think about your sisters. If this gets out, how will they get married in the future?"
Just as Ye Qingxue was about to speak, the old lady stepped forward: "What your mother said makes sense. We must always think about the marriages of the sisters in the family. Putting aside others, even you, if word gets out that your second aunt murdered your brother, you will have a hard time finding a good husband."
"As long as you don't expose Min's crimes, Grandma promises you that she will be severely punished according to family law. I will also find you a good husband. As long as you like someone, Grandma will do everything she can to help you until the marriage is settled."
Ye Qingxue understood; the old lady meant to severely punish Min Shi, not to take Min Shi's life.
Her own son was murdered, and this is the old lady's attitude? She's biased towards Madam Min, and her bias is excessive.
There must be some untold secrets behind it.
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