The next morning, as his niece, Qin Shuying appeared in Qin Yongtao’s mourning hall.

Seeing Qin Shuying’s figure, Dong Shi and Qin Yunyun, who had been weeping beside the coffin, both shuddered.

Qin Feifei was also mourning. She merely looked at Qin Shuying with jealousy but showed no fear.

Dong Shi had always been shrewd. Qin Yongtao had died suddenly, and before his death, Qin Shuying had sent Ziteng to deliver some letter. Then, so coincidentally, both Zhou Qin and Qin Shuying had fallen unconscious.

Dong Shi felt that Qin Yongtao’s death was inseparably connected to Qin Shuying.

However, she had no evidence whatsoever.

Qin Yunyun shuddered because Qin Kaiyu had shared his theory with her. Qin Kaiyu said that Qin Yongtao had been killed by Qin Shuying.

The evidence lay in the contents of that black iron box.

When Ziteng was interrogated, she said the black iron box contained a letter and some jewelry left by Old Madam Qin. As for why Qin Shuying wanted to give this to Qin Yongtao, it was because Qin Shuying felt Liang Zhe had little chance of survival, and if Liang Zhe died, Qin Shuying would follow him. So before her death, she was returning the Qin family’s belongings to the Qin family.

Qin Kaiyu completely disbelieved Ziteng’s court testimony. During his travels with his teacher, he had learned about some strange and mysterious matters. Among them was a peculiar poison that was extremely toxic and needed to be sealed immediately after being applied to objects. Otherwise, it would quickly lose its effectiveness, and nothing could detect it.

Qin Kaiyu believed that Qin Shuying had placed a letter in the black iron box with poison applied to it, and both Zhou Qin and Qin Yongtao had been poisoned while reading the letter.

But the toxicity on that letter quickly dissipated, so even later investigations couldn’t detect anything.

Yet no one knew that such a colorless, odorless poison needed only a tiny amount to cause hallucinations, mental confusion, and even death.

Qin Kaiyu firmly believed that both Qin Yongtao and Zhou Qin had been poisoned by this substance.

Unfortunately, Qin Kaiyu could produce no evidence.

As for why Qin Shuying would poison them, Qin Kaiyu had been running between Qin Yongtao and Zhou Qin during this period and knew some of Zhou Qin’s affairs – Qin Shuying was retaliating.

This foolish woman truly deserved to die!

Didn’t she know that even if the Sixth Prince had used her, he had completely brought down the Fifth Prince by leveraging Liang Zhe’s severe injury?

She couldn’t distinguish between what was important and what wasn’t!

Without Liang Zhe’s injury, His Majesty wouldn’t have ordered a thorough investigation. How else could the Fifth Prince’s affairs have been completely exposed so quickly?

With the Sixth Prince succeeding, what would Qin Shuying lack in the future? Liang Zhe had merely suffered a bit – was it necessary for Qin Shuying to be so ruthless?

Learning these things from Qin Kaiyu, Qin Yunyun both hated and feared Qin Shuying. She hadn’t expected that Qin Shuying would dare to kill even Qin Yongtao and attack even Zhou Qin.

Her ruthless cruelty was beyond Qin Yunyun’s imagination, exceeding her understanding of life.

Qin Shuying offered incense before Qin Yongtao’s spirit, knelt and kowtowed three times, then rose with Ziteng’s support, covering her face in tears.

Seeing Qin Shuying’s hypocritical appearance, Qin Kaiyu and Qin Yunyun were indignant but helpless.

Soon, someone announced from the front that the Sixth Prince Zhou Qin had arrived.

Except for the filial sons and grandsons, everyone else stood solemnly to the side as Zhou Qin approached slowly.

As he passed Qin Shuying, his gaze lingered on her for a moment before he went to offer incense to Qin Yongtao.

Zhou Qin’s eyes were sinister, while Qin Shuying met them calmly, showing no fear.

Since they had come, they needed to see the funeral through.

Zhou Qin hadn’t left yet, and Qin Shuying also needed to finish before departing. They went to the back hall to drink tea and wait.

There weren’t many people of their status in the back hall. After Zhou Qin entered, those of lower status retreated, and soon only a few people remained in the room.

Zhou Qin walked directly toward Qin Shuying. “Madam Liang, this prince has something to ask you.”

Qin Shuying neither dodged nor avoided, saying calmly, “Sixth Prince, please speak.”

Zhou Qin lowered his voice. “Why did you do this?!”

“What Your Highness speaks of, this subject’s wife doesn’t understand.”

“What a fine ‘doesn’t understand’! Truly ruthless and heartless!”

The corners of Qin Shuying’s eyes lifted slightly. “Your Highness, what do you mean by sentiment and loyalty? Do you mean diverting disaster to others, having someone severely injure Ziyu and nearly kill him?”

“Those who achieve great things aren’t constrained by small matters. Without sacrificing something, how can one laugh last? Isn’t Liang Zhe fine now? This prince originally wanted to bring generous gifts to visit him, but you know the current situation – such action would be inappropriate. This prince promises to compensate him well in the future. Zhou Li can’t rise again – we succeeded. Can’t you see clearly?”

“We? Your Highness, please forgive this subject’s wife’s dullness, but who does ‘we’ refer to?”

Faced with Qin Shuying’s sarcasm, Zhou Qin paused slightly, anger rising. “Madam Liang, you are mother consort’s cousin. Who this prince means by ‘we’ – how could you not know? Honor and disgrace are shared, bones may break but sinews remain connected. Madam Liang, this prince advises you to see the facts clearly.”

Qin Shuying no longer dwelt on this question but changed to another. “Your Highness, I wonder if Noble Consort Lian’s background has been clarified?”

Zhou Qin was furious. “Madam Liang, what do you mean by this?!”

Qin Shuying covered her face and glanced lightly, her mocking derision unmistakable.

Zhou Qin trembled with rage.

Last night, Qin Kaiyu had personally told him that both Qin Yongtao’s death and his own unconsciousness were connected to Qin Shuying, and Zhou Qin believed it. They even thought that spreading rumors about Lianpin not being Qin Yongtao’s bloodline was also Qin Shuying’s doing.

Although they had no evidence, they all believed it completely.

How hateful that he clearly knew yet could only watch helplessly as Qin Shuying appeared proud and got away with it.

After the Seventh Prince was deposed, Zhou Qin’s mentality had undergone subtle changes. Toward Qin Shuying, he alternated between wanting to win her over and wanting to step on her.

Until Zhou Li attacked the Liang family and stole Qin Shuying’s jade artifacts, Zhou Qin’s disappointment in Qin Shuying reached its peak – she had so many good things in her hands that should have been given to him long ago! If he had possessed that batch of treasures, how could he have been suppressed by Fifth Brother and Seventh Brother for so many years?

Without showing Qin Shuying some consequences, she wouldn’t understand the Sixth Prince’s importance!

So Zhou Qin immediately schemed behind the scenes, intensifying the conflict between the Fifth Prince and Qin Shuying, finally achieving his goal.

He hadn’t expected Qin Shuying’s revenge to come so quickly.

This woman was utterly foolish!

Yet at this moment, he could do nothing, because due to Lianpin’s background, everyone was watching Zhou Qin, wanting to see his embarrassment and drama.

If he made the slightest disturbance, Emperor Delong would know, and all previous efforts would be wasted.

But now, even if he behaved properly, great waves still arose in the court. Zhou Qin’s grandfather had been overjoyed after Zhou Li was confined and had frolicked with maids until he died from exhaustion. Not only was Qin Yongtao’s son implicated by the scandal, but Lianpin became the target of all criticism.

Lianpin was so ashamed she dared not walk in the harem.

As for why Qin Yongtao had chosen to be so arrogant after Zhou Li’s confinement, everyone understood the reason.

Qin Shuying said, “Your Highness, this subject’s wife is of Qin family blood, but whose bloodline Noble Consort Lian truly is remains uncertain. Therefore, this subject’s wife dares not claim kinship with Your Highness. So such words about broken bones and connected sinews – this subject’s wife cannot bear them.”

Zhou Qin clenched his fists, his mouth taut. “Qin Shuying, don’t go too far!”

Qin Shuying looked at Zhou Qin with ice-cold eyes, speaking with perfect clarity: “Your Highness, what this subject’s wife hates most in life is being used like merchandise. After being used, then discarded like garbage. Your Highness, your status is noble – this subject’s wife cannot aspire so high. This subject’s wife takes her leave.”

Zhou Qin watched Qin Shuying’s unhurried retreating figure, his vision darkening.