The moment Gu Suying said this, nearly everyone’s attention shifted entirely to the matter of Jiang Chen and Bai Feiyao’s affair, completely overlooking the poisoning itself.

This… how could this be possible!

Never mind the members of the Gu family—even Ziqing was astonished. How could Bai Feiyao possibly be involved with Jiang Chen… unless he was her kept male companion!

Otherwise, given the Bai family’s power and Bai Feiyao’s temperament, how could she possibly have taken a liking to someone like Jiang Chen!

And yet, only Jun Beiyue showed no surprise at all, the corner of his mouth curling with calculation.

The room fell silent, everyone stunned for a long, long moment. Gu Meiting was the first to recover, lunging straight at Gu Suying, grabbing her by the hair and slapping her hard across the face. “You slut, what nonsense are you spouting!”

Bai Feiyao was the proud young master of the Bai family—a grown man!

How could he possibly commit adultery with Jiang Chen? Gu Meiting could barely accept adultery with a woman, let alone with a man—wasn’t that the so-called “cut sleeve” affliction, and nothing else?

Gu Meiting pressed Gu Suying’s head down to the floor, raising her hand again to strike, but the family head immediately stopped her. “Enough. Bai Feiyao is a woman.”

At this, Gu Meiting’s hand froze in midair. She slowly stepped back, then abruptly sat down hard, dazed.

Gu Suying, hair disheveled and face covered in injuries, looking thoroughly abused, finally broke into loud wailing. “I’ve been wronged! Father, Mother, I’m an unmarried maiden, how can I bear such a wrongful accusation, how will I ever be able to marry after this!”

“Father, Mother, I was deceived by Jiang Chen. Once I learned the truth, I wanted to expose him, but he threatened to kill me if I dared tell anyone, and said he’d never give me the antidote!”

“Father, Mother, I didn’t mean to—I know I was wrong, I shouldn’t have harmed Beiyue, shouldn’t have listened to his slander. I know I was wrong, but I absolutely did not do anything shameful with my brother-in-law! Sister can’t wrongly accuse me like this!”

…

Gu Suying wailed to the heavens, utterly pitiful, on the verge of threatening to end her own life.

Ziqing couldn’t help but frown. This wretched girl really was capable—despite being the true mastermind, she had somehow managed to use Gu Meiting’s own hands to turn herself into the pitiable victim instead!

The family head’s sword-like brows knitted tightly, clearly less angry now, more resigned and helpless.

Gu Suying immediately rushed forward, wrapping her arms around his leg, sobbing until her voice went hoarse. “Father, I know I was wrong. I never intended, never dared intend to harm Beiyue—I was just afraid that once Beiyue woke up, they’d really drive me away, rush me into marriage!”

The family head looked troubled, while Madam Gu covered her mouth and began weeping softly. “My lord, what sins did we commit in our past life to be tormented like this in this one! My daughters! How did they end up with such worthless men!”

The family head sighed repeatedly, and only then finally turned to look at Jun Beiyue and Ziqing, his face full of apology.

“Beiyue, you… you’ve known for quite some time, haven’t you?” he said flatly.

“If Imperial Physician Gu hadn’t discovered the poison, if Ziqing hadn’t found the antidote, perhaps none of us would ever have known any of this,” Jun Beiyue said coldly.

“Beiyue, this old man… this old man has truly failed to raise his daughters properly, this old man…” The family head couldn’t even finish his sentence, sighing helplessly again and again.

Jun Beiyue’s face remained cold, saying nothing.

The family head’s anger was now entirely directed at Jiang Chen. Though he was angry at Gu Suying too, there was far more protectiveness in it. He took several deep breaths and said, “Beiyue, Suying is young and ignorant, deceived by that scoundrel Jiang Chen. This old man… this old man…”

Still unable to finish, the family head simply barked, “Suying, apologize at once!”

An apology—was a mere apology supposed to settle this?

Ziqing didn’t much care about Jiang Chen—her deepest displeasure was with Gu Suying!

Just as she was about to speak, Jun Beiyue tightened his grip on her hand, holding her back.

Gu Suying hastily stood, head lowered, not daring to look at Jun Beiyue and Ziqing, bowing repeatedly. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! Beiyue, Ziqing, it was my fault, I was foolish to believe that scoundrel Jiang Chen’s words. Please… please forgive me. I’ll tell you everything about Jiang Chen and the Bai family. Please forgive me, I truly know I was wrong!”

Ziqing’s brow furrowed tightly—she wanted nothing more than to drag this girl off to find Jiang Chen herself. But Jun Beiyue remained calm, saying coldly, “Words alone prove nothing. How do I know you weren’t the one who deceived Jiang Chen?”

At this, Gu Suying’s heart skipped a beat—she had thought she’d gotten away with it!

Just as she was about to explain, Gu Meiting, who had been sitting stunned to the side, immediately lunged forward. “Right! Why should we believe you—maybe Jiang Chen was the one deceived by you! Where have you hidden him, tell me!”

“I didn’t hide him. He must have fled out of guilt! Otherwise, why wouldn’t he even dare come back here, abandoning his wife and child!” Gu Suying retorted.

“He wouldn’t! It must have been you! You harmed him, and now you want to pin it all on him, don’t you!” Gu Meiting snorted coldly, moving to strike again, but this time Gu Suying dodged smoothly, without a trace.

Still sobbing pitifully, she said, “Father, Mother, Beiyue doesn’t believe me, and Sister keeps falsely accusing me. Even jumping into the sea couldn’t wash me clean of this—I demand we find my brother-in-law and confront him!”

The family head frowned as he looked at Jun Beiyue, clearly seeking his opinion. He understood perfectly well that Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing would never let this matter go easily.

And he himself wanted to know the truth as well! As for Jiang Chen—he would absolutely not let him off.

“Old Master Gu, I’m grateful to you for saving my life. As for this debt owed to the Gu family, I will bear it. But the true culprit who poisoned me—I will absolutely not forgive, even if it’s the Bai family. Find Jiang Chen as quickly as possible. This king will be waiting,” Jun Beiyue said coldly.

These words carried both threat and favor in equal measure. With that, he took Ziqing’s hand and rose to leave.

Gu Suying’s theatrics, Gu Meiting’s tantrums—he had truly had enough of watching all of it.

“Gu Suying certainly has some skill!” Ziqing said harshly, thoroughly displeased no matter how she looked at it.

Jun Beiyue only smiled faintly. “Qing’er, never berate an enemy in front of her own birth parents—it’s nothing but wasted effort.”

“Then what else can we do? Don’t you understand it was Gu Suying who deliberately had Jiang Chen sent away? Are you sure Jiang Chen is even still alive?” Ziqing shot back. To Gu Suying and Bai Feiyao, Jiang Chen was nothing more than a pawn, easily sacrificed to protect the more important pieces!

Without absolute certainty, Gu Suying wouldn’t have dared insist so firmly that Jiang Chen had deceived her!

Seeing Ziqing’s irritated expression, Jun Beiyue smiled indulgently. “Not satisfied?”

Ziqing turned her head away, refusing to let it go—she truly felt uncomfortable about this.

But then Jun Beiyue leaned down to whisper by her ear, laughing softly, “Silly girl, at a time like this, would this king really let Jiang Chen escape?”

This… Ziqing was suddenly startled. These words… he meant… Jiang Chen was already in his hands!

This man—what exactly was he planning?