More than terrifying!

Yan Sanhe looked at Zhu Yuanmo’s face, thinking of all the words Madam Mao had said to her, feeling indescribably chilled.

“Now we can finally understand why when Madam gave birth to you with difficulty, Zhu Xuanjiu unhesitatingly said those two words ‘save the adult.'”

Young Master Pei slapped the table angrily: “Because he hadn’t yet taken the family head position. If Madam died, who would bring him prosperity? Who could he borrow fortune from?”

“Zhu Yuanmo.”

Yan Sanhe: “Even if he calculated it would be a son, in that situation, you as the legitimate eldest son were worthless in his eyes.”

“Miss Yan, stop. Please stop.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s voice was indescribably pained.

“If we don’t say it, how can we peel away the human skin he wore layer by layer? If we don’t peel it away, how can we dissolve thoughts and resolve demons?”

Yan Sanhe’s tone was stern.

“Arranging Madam in this courtyard, saying it was most beneficial for her health, yet he himself continued living in Begonia Courtyard—what was the reality? The reality was the Eight Gates Formation and Seven Kill Formation were waiting!”

“Bah!”

Li Buyan was so angry her teeth ground: “Still making excuses that Madam Mao snored, saying he didn’t want Madam Mao to suffer hardship with him—all lies.”

Yan Sanhe: “Calculating his end was near, he shamelessly had Madam go to temples to burn incense and pray for him. Madam felt sorry for him and went to the temple without fail on the first and fifteenth of each month, rain or shine.”

Xie Zhifei found strength from somewhere and interjected: “Madam had no idea Zhu Xuanjiu did so many unconscionable things and feared entering hell after death.”

Yan Sanhe: “When he fell ill, he wouldn’t let Madam attend him. His mouth said it was out of consideration, but the reality? The reality was he still wanted to use Madam Mao’s good fate and fortune to let himself live a bit longer.”

Ding Yi suddenly stood up: “If anything happened to Madam, the Zhu family’s sons and grandsons would have no one to protect them!”

After speaking, he realized something was wrong. Looking around, he quickly shrank back down.

Mama!

Following Miss Yan, I’ve grown bolder—I even dare challenge the Zhu family now?

Yan Sanhe: “What about listening to everything Madam said?

False.

What about thinking of nothing but Madam until death?

False.

What about decades of marital affection?

False.

What about one lifetime, one world, one couple?

All completely false.”

As the last word fell, everyone felt wave after wave of cold air assault their faces.

Not just the Zhu family—even Xie Zhifei and the others’ faces were indescribably ghastly.

Especially Zhu Weixi—she seemed truly frightened, her whole body trembling, her teeth making clicking sounds.

Zhu Yuanmo looked at his sister and wanted to comfort her, but what comfort could he offer?

An hour ago, the three brothers had also collapsed in the snow, unable to cry out though they wanted to cry, unable to shout though they wanted to shout, as if a large hand was choking their throats.

Finally, Third Brother fell in the snow, limbs curled, mouth making muffled sounds like an injured wild beast.

This was his howl, and also the inexpressible pain of all the Zhu children.

It truly hurt!

Like ten thousand arrows piercing the heart.

That was their own father!

“Zhu Yuanmo, your father Zhu Xuanjiu was a complete and utter hypocrite. Outwardly refined and gentle, actually with an extremely vicious heart. That crow that descended from the sky and rushed into the well…”

Yan Sanhe paused. “Maybe it was some wronged soul he killed, desperately wanting to expose his true face.”

Young Master Pei shuddered. “I feel like it was Eldest Master.”

Li Buyan nodded: “What you feel is what I feel.”

Young Master Pei: “…”

Hearing Young Master Pei’s words, Yan Sanhe’s heart suddenly sank.

If one crow represented one wronged soul, then all those crows in the yin realm—weren’t they all people Zhu Xuanjiu killed?

While thinking, she suddenly saw Xie Zhifei’s gaze look toward her, wanting to speak but hesitating, his eyes full of deep worry.

Yan Sanhe’s eyes widened: You think so too?

Xie Zhifei closed his eyes once: Girl, I think so too.

Yan Sanhe’s eyes opened to maximum: Thousands of people?

Xie Zhifei closed his eyes again: Thousands of people!

Yan Sanhe’s mind buzzed.

She suddenly thought of when she first sensed this heart demon—the fear that welled up in her heart and the panic that made her want to flee…

It’s over!

These matters might really just be the tip of the iceberg.

But something was wrong.

Yan Sanhe’s brows furrowed tightly.

The heart demon was formed after Zhu Xuanjiu’s death from thoughts he had while living.

Could it be that after death, he felt regret and wanted to reveal his evil deeds one by one to repent?

“Miss Yan, Miss Yan.”

“Ah?”

Yan Sanhe came back to herself.

Having slowly caught his breath, Zhu Yuanmo asked: “We’ve clarified his character. Have you discovered anything on your end?”

“Yes!”

This single “yes” was probably too forceful and resonant—even Zhu Weixi stopped trembling, clutching her handkerchief with ears perked to hear Yan Sanhe continue.

But Yan Sanhe didn’t speak. Instead, she stood and paced back and forth in the main hall.

Clearly, she was thinking about something.

No one dared rush her.

One by one, their gazes followed her steps, swaying back and forth.

Yan Sanhe organized her thoughts and finally spoke.

“The real purpose of Zhu Xuanjiu marrying Madam Mao was because of her uniquely good fate. This good fate helped him compete for the Zhu family headship. He had not half a bit of affection for Madam Mao.

So the concubine-born son rising to power wasn’t due to his extraordinary talent, but rather his calculating and plotting through the Peach Blossom Well and fate-urging nails.

Having her move into the new residence was to resolve the backlash and heavenly punishment from his evil deeds. These two points—Zhu Yuanmo, you have no objections, right?”

Zhu Yuanmo shook his head.

What objections could there be? Everything was already crystal clear.

“The Peach Blossom Well incident happened when Zhu Xuanjiu was seven or eight years old. From that time, or even earlier, he already had designs on the Zhu family headship and was slowly plotting.”

Yan Sanhe walked before Zhu Yuanmo. “Is this inference correct?”

Zhu Yuanmo: “Correct.”

Yan Sanhe: “When we were seven or eight, we were still confused and ignorant, understanding nothing. But at seven or eight, Zhu Xuanjiu had already set a lofty goal. Why is this?”

Everyone was stunned by the question.

Right—why?

Yan Sanhe: “Because of one person.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s pupils suddenly contracted: “Who?”

Yan Sanhe’s lips parted, lightly uttering three characters.

“Concubine Fu.”

These three characters made Xie Zhifei, Young Master Pei, and Li Buyan’s hearts surge.

It’s here, it’s here.

From the Ordination Platform Temple all the way until now, she was finally willing to speak!

These three characters also made the Zhu siblings’ faces turn completely bloodless.

Concubine Fu was their real, blood-related grandmother. Unfortunately she died early—not only had they never met her, even Mother had never met this mother-in-law.

How could it be related to her?

Even paler than the Zhu siblings was the old steward Zhu Jing.

Zhu Jing couldn’t believe the matter also involved Concubine Fu.

That sickly woman had always been uncontentious.

It took the old steward quite a while to find his voice.

“Miss Yan, could it be that all this was instigated by Concubine Fu?”