All four sat back in their original seats. Zhu Qing also took the opportunity to replace the paper.

Xie Zhifei saw Taiwei had rested enough and asked again: “After returning from the Fu home, what changes occurred in Zhu Xuanjiu?”

Taiwei lowered his head to write: “Organized.”

Xie Zhifei: “He organized everything he heard from the madwoman, stroke by stroke?”

Taiwei nodded.

Xie Zhifei: “Have you seen what he organized?”

Taiwei nodded.

Xie Zhifei: “What was it?”

Taiwei wrote: “Harm people.”

Indeed, all methods to harm people.

Xie Zhifei: “We didn’t find this thing in his study.”

Taiwei wrote: “Three months, burned.”

Xie Zhifei: “After studying it for three months, he burned that thing?”

Taiwei nodded.

Xie Zhifei looked toward Zhu Yuanmo: “Now the truth has come to light.”

Zhu Yuanmo was about to say “yes” when he heard Yan Sanhe say quietly: “Only by finding that madwoman can the truth truly come to light. How old was that madwoman?”

“Taiwei.”

Xie Zhifei quickly asked: “How old was that madwoman?”

Taiwei thought for a moment: “Thirty, forty.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s expression changed slightly.

Thirty or forty?

Then about the same age as Grandfather.

Could the Zhu family and Xing family really have some connection?

At this time, he heard Xie Zhifei ask again: “Later, did you ever see that madwoman again?”

Taiwei shook his head.

Xie Zhifei: “How did Zhu Xuanjiu target Madam Mao?”

Taiwei lowered his head to write: “Divination slip interpretation.”

Xie Zhifei: “When Madam Mao had Monk Liaoliao interpret her divination slip at Jietai Temple?”

Taiwei nodded.

That day, Little Fourth Master didn’t let them follow inside. He and Tianshi waited outside the hall, happening to overhear Monk Liaoliao interpreting the slip for Madam.

By this time, he and Tianshi had both learned some basics. Hearing this fate configuration, their ears immediately perked up.

Little Fourth Master emerged from the hall, and Tianshi told him Madam’s birth date and hour.

Little Fourth Master immediately had Tianshi investigate Madam’s background.

“What happened next? What did Zhu Xuanjiu do?” Xie Zhifei asked.

Taiwei bit the brush to write: “Studied.”

Xie Zhifei: “Studied Madam’s fate configuration?”

Taiwei nodded.

Xie Zhifei: “Then Third Master falling from his horse and breaking his arm should also be your doing?”

Taiwei’s face showed some shame.

It was indeed done by him and Tianshi.

The method was very simple—find a beggar child, give him a tael of broken silver. When the horse galloped past, throw a worn shoe at it. The horse was guaranteed to spook.

“Then…”

Xie Zhifei slowly drew a breath: “The chance encounter with Madam at the Luoyang Lantern Festival was also arranged beforehand by you and Tianshi?”

Taiwei nodded.

Not only was the chance encounter arranged by them, even that rat lantern had been tampered with beforehand.

The rat lantern’s frame was soaked in water containing talismans made from Madam’s birth date and hour. As long as Madam passed by, she would definitely be attracted to that lantern.

He only needed to wait by the side, a simple case of waiting by a tree stump for rabbits.

Once the rabbit arrived, it couldn’t escape at all.

Never mind Fourth Master’s incomparable appearance—even retreating ten thousand steps, if Madam couldn’t appreciate looks, there was still a love curse waiting for her.

After Young Master Pei read the last character, everyone’s gaze fell on Yan Sanhe. The admiration in their eyes nearly burst forth.

Too incredible.

Not a single thing was guessed wrong.

Yet Yan Sanhe felt no happiness in her heart and said quietly: “Ask if he harmed anyone else?”

Xie Zhifei was just about to turn and relay the question when Taiwei had already lowered his head to write.

Clearly, he had heard Yan Sanhe’s words.

“Old… Madam!”

Young Master Pei read out three characters. The teacup in Zhu Yuanmo’s hand shattered with a crash.

He paid no attention to the water stains on his body and rushed straight before Taiwei, his voice trembling: “The Old Madam was also killed by him?”

Taiwei seemed not to hear what he was saying and continued writing on his own: Corpse stone.

Zhu Yuanmo’s shocked eyeballs nearly popped out.

Seeing his expression, Young Master Pei knew the matter was serious and quickly asked: “Big Brother Zhu, what is a corpse stone? Speak quickly.”

“Pebbles from beside century-old graves that have absorbed the death energy from corpses day after day, year after year.”

Young Master Pei broke out in goosebumps all over: “Then, then what?”

“Placing this kind of pebble beside a seriously ill elderly person accelerates their death.”

Speaking to this point, Zhu Yuanmo’s expression suddenly turned stern. He crouched down and stared directly into Taiwei’s eyes.

“But I, but I…”

Taiwei looked at his horrified expression and nodded gleefully while shouting “Ah ah ah!”

Zhu Yuanmo’s bottom hit the floor, nearly fainting.

In this world, there were few little boys who didn’t love playing with pebbles.

He was no exception.

He collected oddly-shaped pebbles from various places, treasuring them like jewels in his pocket, sometimes giving them to this person or that person.

He remembered giving Old Madam a pile of pebbles. Old Madam couldn’t bear to throw them away and had servants place them in the courtyard flower bed.

And that pile of pebbles was precisely what Tianshi and Taiwei had given him to play with.

Old Madam’s days were already numbered, her twilight energy very heavy. Once touched by the death energy of corpses… no wonder before she passed, there was no warning—not one of her sons sent her off to the end.

“Ah ah ah…”

Zhu Yuanmo pounded the floor with his fists, crying out even more pitifully than a mute.

Completely hysterical.

Concubine Fu died early. Old Madam was Zhu Yuanmo’s own grandmother. Though she didn’t treat him like a blood grandson, she never shortchanged him in good food or fun things.

How could Zhu Yuanmo have imagined he had become an accomplice?

Yan Sanhe couldn’t bear to listen and said: “Ming Ting, help him up.”

Young Master Pei tried to help but couldn’t move him.

Xie Erli quickly came over to help. The two supported him on the left and right before finally getting him into a chair.

“He moved against Old Madam—was it because he feared she would whisper in the master’s ear and complications would arise from delay?”

Taiwei looked at Yan Sanhe and nodded vigorously.

Both sons were ruined one after another. Old Madam harbored suspicions but Fourth Master was too obedient, too well-behaved. Without evidence, Old Madam couldn’t do anything to him.

So Old Madam spoke ill of Fourth Master before Old Master.

After Fourth Master learned of this, he formed the intent to kill.

“Another life added.”

Li Buyan, who hadn’t spoken in a while, looked at Taiwei and laughed coldly.

“You and Tianshi helped him commit so many evil deeds. In the end, one crippled, one dead—that’s also Heaven’s retribution.”

These words hit the mark.

Taiwei’s chest heaved up and down before finally hanging his head powerlessly.

Yes, all retribution.

“Once Old Master died and he claimed the position of family head, though you became his meritorious officials, you also became his heart’s affliction.”

Yan Sanhe didn’t need Xie Zhifei to relay words anymore but asked directly.

“Since ancient times, few meritorious officials end well. Tianshi should have been killed by him. Privately selling talismans was just a pretense, because only dead men don’t leak secrets.”

Taiwei stared at her blankly.

Why?

How could she guess so accurately?

Why?

At that time, wasn’t there a single person to warn Tianshi and him?

“Taiwei.”

Yan Sanhe slowly called his name: “Tell us about you and Tianshi.”