It was always like this. Li Shi’s acting must have become so immersive that she probably believed her own performance, thinking herself a loving mother. When dealing with Song Yan, she was as kind and benevolent as a Guanyin statue, responding to every request.

Yet when dealing with her own biological daughter, she was cold and distant. The corners of Song Chuning’s lips curved upward in a smile of disdain and coldness.

Some things, once you got used to them, no longer seemed strange or unfair. Those feelings of injustice and grievance had long been dried by tears in her sleep.

Song Chuning was supported by Nanny Yu to sit in a chair. Enduring the stinging pain on her face, she looked at the now-stunned Li Shi with some impatience. “You have a dowry estate in Tongzhou, don’t you? Didn’t the estate manager used to help you do many things?”

Li Shi looked at Nanny Yu with shock and fear, then looked at Song Chuning with probing and vigilant eyes. “Who exactly told you these things?!”

Did anyone need to tell her?

In the dream, these matters were originally taught to me through your own actions. Song Chuning caught a glimpse of her expression from the corner of her eye and just shook her head disdainfully. “As long as you did it, you’ll always leave traces. It just depends on whether people can find them or not. Look, now don’t I know? If you were afraid of people talking, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”

Although Song Chuning had previously lacked respect when speaking to Li Shi, she had never been this sharp. This sudden attack truly made Li Shi lose face.

Li Shi was embarrassed and angry. Having her ugly deeds discovered by her own biological daughter and being scolded to her face was truly humiliating and awkward. But this time she grasped the key point and didn’t stand up to overturn tables and smash things again. Instead, she restrained her temper and asked, “How did you find out? And how do you know Song Chuyi also knows?”

“Whether she knows or not, I don’t know. I only know that her going to Tongzhou for no reason is very suspicious.” Song Chuning naturally took over the conversation, looking at Li Shi. “Moreover, I advise Madam—she’s no pushover. You should think about whether the losses you’ve suffered recently all came from her. Also recall carefully when the Old Master and Old Madam started becoming cold toward you. Can’t you see any clues? This stepdaughter is no longer what she used to be. You’d best abandon those fantasies and stop dreaming of killing with a blunt knife while gaining both reputation and profit. Striking ruthlessly to kill her first is the proper course.”

Nanny Yu nodded with concern. “Speaking carefully, something is indeed wrong. She suddenly became completely different from before. Look at her daily behavior and conduct, look at how much the Old Master and Old Madam favor her. Even the Heir and the Princess Consort give her respect—this was unimaginable before.”

Li Shi’s face darkened. Suddenly, as if she had made up her mind, she looked at Song Chuning. “Then what do you say we should do? Kill her? She goes out with so many people around her—how could it be so easy to kill her?”

Moreover, in the Earl Manor after all, she couldn’t be the one in charge. There were many restrictions on her.

“Tongzhou has had Tartar violent soldiers. If she were killed by violent soldiers in the chaos of battle, no one would suspect anything.” Song Chuning was too lazy to explain further to Li Shi. “You can’t accomplish this matter yourself. Go back to your natal family and find Maternal Grandmother!”

Li Shi had no time to continue fighting with her own daughter. She carefully pondered Song Chuning’s words, then connected them to Song Chengru’s resolute attitude today, and suddenly understood that Old Madam Li’s approach of slow and steady progress was also unworkable.

Song Chuyi was after all a girl, so regarding upbringing issues, as long as she herself performed well, Song Chengru and Old Madam Song were happy to entrust the responsibility to her.

But Song Yan was different.

He was Song Yi’s only son now. The Song family would not allow her to act arbitrarily.

“Nanny Yu, go pack. I’ll go report to the Old Madam. Tomorrow we’ll make a trip to the Li family.” Having made her decision, Li Shi turned to look at Song Chuning. “Are you going?”

Song Chuning nodded. She didn’t quite trust Li Shi’s abilities. Although she had indeed successfully eliminated Cui Shi and taken her position, playing the virtuous wife and loving mother for several years, most of this was Old Madam Li’s achievement.

If it were up to her alone, she probably couldn’t even get near Song Yi’s bed.

Perhaps because she had just rejected her request that evening, this time Old Madam Song agreed very readily, even instructing her to bring more people to serve her, and specifically had First Madam draw up a gift list.

Harboring a chest full of indescribable thoughts, Li Shi had nightmares all night.

Cui Shi’s tear-filled, desperate eyes lingered before her, refusing to leave. Large pools of blood bloomed beneath her body, her eyes slowly becoming desperate and then angry.

Such resentful eyes made her unable to withstand them. For the first time in six years, she was startled awake from a nightmare under Cui Shi’s gaze, her whole body gasping heavily for breath and streaming with cold sweat.

Yes, she couldn’t wait, couldn’t wait.

If the events of that year were exposed, everything she had now would be gone. Even her mother would be criticized and cursed. These things could never be allowed to happen.

She clutched her quilt with eyes wide open, enduring until daybreak, then couldn’t wait to return to her natal family with Song Chuning.

First Madam Li seemed unwilling for her to come, exchanging cold pleasantries with her rather distantly before leading them to Old Madam Li’s room.

Li Shi no longer had time to concern herself with her sister-in-law’s coldness. As soon as she sat down, she told her mother about Song Chuyi going to Tongzhou.

A startling gleam burst forth from Old Madam Li’s turbid eyes. She turned her head to look at her and repeated, “Tongzhou?”

Of course she remembered what was in Tongzhou, and because of this she was even more sensitive.

Li Shi nodded, wrapped her hands around Old Madam Li’s arm, and said worriedly, “That girl is indeed somewhat strange. If this time she really went because of Cui Shi’s matter, there’s no guarantee she won’t catch some trace of evidence. Why don’t we simply go all the way…”

Old Madam Li glared at her, then looked at Song Chuning and suddenly smiled. “This idea probably isn’t your own—it’s Aning’s, isn’t it?”

Li Shi admitted somewhat awkwardly, then said, “Mother, do you know about the Tartar violent soldiers entering Tongzhou? If she just happened to be killed by violent soldiers, wouldn’t we solve everything once and for all with no more worries?”

Old Madam Li lowered her head and fell silent for a long while.

She had only one son and one daughter in her lifetime. Both children were the flesh of her heart—neither could suffer injustice.

Back when Li Shi was delayed in finding a match, those concubine-born daughters waited to see this tail-too-big-to-wag daughter’s joke, all looking down on Li Shi for not finding a good family. Didn’t they still overcome all obstacles to get rid of Cui Shi? Now which of those concubine-born daughters married better than her own daughter?

Now it was merely two little brats left behind by Cui Shi who hadn’t yet amounted to anything. Could they possibly be more difficult to deal with than Cui Shi back then?

This was indeed a rare opportunity. If missed, who knew when they’d have to wait again.