Things weren’t going any easier for Song Ren. Although Cui Yingshu didn’t put on a cold expression like Madam Cui did, he was equally unambiguous. As soon as he arrived, he laid out Lianyi’s testimony and even brought the midwife, Granny Zheng, who had delivered Cui Tingting’s baby back then, to the Earl’s residence.

Having completely failed to anticipate that the Cui family, who hadn’t visited for several years, would suddenly come to investigate Cui Shi’s death from years ago, Song Ren was so shocked he didn’t know how to respond. Despite the heat of the day, he broke out in a cold sweat across his forehead.

He had no idea about the events from back then, but now the Cui family had clearly come prepared, with all the witnesses and evidence from that time completely assembled, making it impossible to deny even if one wanted to.

“This…” Great Master Song, who had never been very good at wrangling disputes, was utterly bewildered: “This…”

Song Jue was even more dumbstruck. The second aunt he had always respected was actually such a malicious person—pregnant before marriage, causing the death of the previous second aunt…

He suddenly felt that the Song family’s rules were somewhat laughable. If the Cui family hadn’t come, would they have allowed someone as heartless and ruthless as Li Shi to manage the second household’s affairs and manipulate the lives of Song Chuyi and Song Yan?!

Seeing that the situation before them was simply beyond what he and his father could handle, Song Jue thought briefly, then went out to find a young servant and told him to ride swiftly to the government office to fetch Song Chengru home.

Nanny Yu was so anxious she was nearly in tears, looking at Song Chuning in helpless confusion, her eyes staring blankly.

She had no idea how to handle the current situation. With the hired assassination scandal exposed, given Old Madam Song and Old Master Song’s temperaments, Li Shi would certainly face dire consequences.

Su Zhi, who had been waiting for news at Ningde Court, suddenly pushed open the door. Nanny Yu immediately stood up: “How is it?! What did they say to do? Where is the Madam?!”

Su Zhi’s expression was even worse. Having run around for half the day in the scorching heat, she gasped breathlessly for quite a while before patting her chest urgently: “This is terrible now—Madam Cui has arrived!”

Madam Cui?! Nanny Yu didn’t react at first, but once she did, she collapsed to the floor in shock.

Madam Cui—legitimate daughter of Prince Zhuang, the current emperor’s own niece, married into the prestigious Cui clan… Back then, aside from Old Madam Cui, the person Old Madam Li feared most was her.

Yet now this fearsome figure had actually traveled all the way from Jinzhong. She must have heard some news… Even if she hadn’t heard any news, now that she’d arrived, she would certainly force Old Madam Song to severely punish Li Shi. This Madam Cui had a high status and was arrogant and domineering. Even the emperor doted on and indulged her, and Old Madam Song had to show her some face. Moreover, Li Shi had already committed wrongdoing…

Song Chuning glanced at Nanny Yu with detached coldness, though her heart was also unsettled and anxious. She had seen this Madam Cui in her dream. In the dream, after Song Chuyi’s death, she had forcibly barged in and slapped Shen Qingrang dozens of times, looking as if she wouldn’t stop until she beat him to death—though at that time the Cui family had already been suppressed by Prince Duan, who later ascended the throne, to the point where they had to restrain their influence.

She pressed her temples, feeling her veins throbbing faintly.

“This is the end…” Nanny Yu stared straight at Song Chuning: “Miss, you must think of something, think of something!”

Of course she had to think of something! Although she and Li Shi didn’t share any real mother-daughter affection, they were still biological mother and daughter. Moreover, if Li Shi were divorced, how would she herself maintain her standing in the future?

“Send someone discreetly to find Maternal Grandmother,” Song Chuning lowered her voice and carefully instructed Nanny Yu: “Be quick! Explain everything clearly. Given the current situation, I have no say in the matter, and there’s no one in the household who can speak up for Mother. We can only seek Maternal Grandmother’s help!”

The matter of sending people to kill Song Chuyi was done by Old Madam Li. When the time came, they could just send out a few Li family servants to take the blame. At worst, they would suffer a bit more censure from the Cui family, which was better than the current situation where Li Shi was isolated and helpless, passively accepting the crime of hiring assassins.

There was no better option now. Nanny Yu dared not delay and immediately went to find Li Shi’s several trusted servants who had come with her as part of her dowry.

Li Shi had now been forced into constant retreat. Madam Cui’s words were sharp and she held evidence in hand. Each sentence stabbed into her heart like a knife, wounding her until blood flowed freely.

“I’ve seen many shameless people, but I’ve never seen anyone as shameless and malicious by nature as you!” Madam Cui completely ignored First Madam’s attempts to stop her, pointing at Li Shi’s nose as she cursed: “What kind of virtuous lady from a scholarly family are you? Bah! I’ve never seen any refined lady from an illustrious family seduce a married man, nor have I seen anyone who, after seducing someone’s husband, would write letters to provoke the legitimate wife! You even dared to bribe the midwife to cause the legitimate wife’s difficult labor…”

Madam Cui was so angry she finally couldn’t help but reach out and slap her: “Where did you get such audacity?! How are you worthy of being called Second Madam like Tingting was?! She was a true genteel lady from an illustrious family, while you’re nothing but a crow who stuck bird feathers on herself pretending to be a phoenix!”

Because she was in the wrong, and also because of the difference in status, absolutely no one in the room dared to speak up to stop Madam Cui. Li Shi cried until tears streamed down her face, gasping for breath as she retreated again and again.

Madam Cui kicked Li Shi in the back of her knees, sending her stumbling, then turned to look at Old Madam Song: “Old Madam, you’ve always been fair and impartial. How do you plan to handle this matter?”

As she spoke, she laughed lowly again: “If you cannot provide an answer, then I’ll have no choice but to ask my uncle to make the decision.”

Li Shi fell to the floor. Only now did she regain her reason, crawling forward to clutch Old Madam Song’s legs, crying uncontrollably: “Old Madam… save me… I didn’t…”

Old Madam Song was already furious. As people age, their thinking inevitably slows. Only now did she finally understand the reason for Madam Cui’s anger—it wasn’t because Li Shi had gotten pregnant before marriage and seduced Song Yi, but because Cui Shi’s death was connected to Li Shi!

Even though Li Shi’s family background and character weren’t bad, compared to Cui Shi they were worlds apart. Moreover, Cui Shi had been properly betrothed through formal marriage negotiations, while Li Shi had shamelessly thrown herself at them without regard for propriety.

Old Madam Song’s heart was filled with the anger and disappointment of being fooled, and she viciously kicked Li Shi over.

The Cui family had come aggressively to demand justice, and they held evidence in their hands. If the Earl’s household dared to show favoritism, not only would the friendship between the Cui and Song families be destroyed, but the Song family’s reputation would be ruined forever.

She would not, and could not, sacrifice the Song family’s reputation and the friendship between the Cui and Song families for such a morally corrupt and depraved daughter-in-law as Li Shi.

“Send someone to invite Old Master Li and Old Madam Li here,” Old Madam Song turned to instruct First Madam. After seeing First Madam leave, she turned back to Madam Cui and said: “Today, we’ll have the Li family give both our families an explanation!”

She was nearly at the point of losing her reputation in her old age because of Li Shi. Back then, she had only thought that Li Shi had been involved with Song Yi before marriage, but she never imagined that Li Shi had Cui Zhanmei’s life on her conscience as well.