Just as Ji Yunshu finished her last word, it was as if the mask First Madam wore on her face had been stripped away, and her entire hideous and terrifying visage was gradually revealed.

Those unfathomably deep and frightening eyes flashed with murderous intent, as if a knife could stab out from them at any moment.

Then pierce Ji Yunshu until she was a bloody mess!

But she was also very clear in her heart that at this moment, she was like someone with bound hands and feet. What awaited her was only imprisonment and the executioner’s blade that would fall on her neck.

Death was certain!

So she laughed self-mockingly and stopped hiding.

“Yes, everything you said is correct, but I was wrong.” She smiled, glaring with huge eyes, and said through gritted teeth, “I shouldn’t have killed that beast Zhang Han. I should have cut off his hands and feet and slowly tortured him to death, letting him experience that feeling of wishing for death.”

Full of resentment and rage.

Ji Yunshu watched her quietly without responding!

At this moment, Third Madam limped over, unable to believe it. “Elder Sister, why did you kill the master? In all these years, when has the master ever treated you badly? For decades, you’ve been in charge of everything big and small in the manor. What exactly did the master do to you that you could be so heartless?”

Denouncing!

Like a cat that had smelled catnip.

Frenzied, agitated.

Zhang Yimo quickly pulled his mother back, trying to persuade her, “Mother, at a time like this, don’t say anymore.”

“Why not say it?” She shook him off. “All these years, when has she ever treated me as part of the Zhang family? When has she ever treated you as part of the Zhang family? For these decades, she’s targeted us mother and son at every turn. Now, she’s even heartless enough to kill the master. Yimo, that was your father.”

“Mother…”

Zhang Yimo was famous for his filial piety and famous for his gentleness.

He was kind to others, never quarreled with anyone. Even though he now knew his first aunt had killed his father, he wasn’t angry.

Instead, his heart ached terribly.

He held his mother’s hand and wouldn’t let go no matter what.

First Madam curved her lips in a smile, her hands hanging at her sides. She no longer had any desire to live. She dragged her tottering body before Third Madam.

She said, “I truly regret it. I should have killed you too, let you go to hell together with that beast Zhang Han. No, and your son too. You all deserve to go to hell. If you hadn’t bumped into me back then, I wouldn’t have miscarried. The position of Zhang family’s eldest son wouldn’t have fallen to your son. I thought that beast giving me the Zhang Manor to manage was to compensate me, but actually, I made wedding clothes for him for over twenty years. Some time ago, he actually told me he wanted to hand everything in the manor over to your son. On what basis? The Zhang Manor’s family fortune is what I painstakingly built up. On what basis can you take it from my hands? On what basis?”

Unwilling to accept it!

Third Madam’s eyes reddened, slightly shaking her head. “Elder Sister, you’re wrong. I never thought of competing with you. Yes, back then I accidentally bumped into you and caused your miscarriage, but in these twenty-plus years, have I had it easy? You suppressed me at every turn—did I say anything? The injuries large and small on Moer and me—which one wasn’t inflicted by you? When the master said he wanted to give the family fortune to Moer, I strongly opposed it. Even if he gave it, Moer and I wouldn’t take it.”

Zhang Yimo also continued, “Yes, First Aunt, Mother and I could never take the Zhang Manor’s fortune. After Father died, Mother and I said we would leave the Zhang Manor and never return. We already packed our things last night and planned to leave this morning. If Magistrate Liu hadn’t summoned us here, we would have already left.”

What?

First Madam was shocked!

“You’re willing to give up the Zhang family fortune?”

“First Aunt, we don’t want anything. I only want to return to Anlang with my mother and live well.”

First Madam laughed bleakly. “I never imagined that after all my scheming and calculating, in the end, the one who lost is me.”

Tears fell.

This woman was actually quite pitiful too.

Third Madam also cried along with her.

Before long, First Madam took a deep breath and looked toward Magistrate Liu on the high seat, saying, “Magistrate Liu, I admit it. I killed him. You can arrest me, but can you release that performer?”

Magistrate Liu said, “That performer did indeed put poison in the teacup. Her crime cannot be forgiven. After this official reports to the Ministry of Justice, she will naturally be dealt with.”

Just as he finished speaking, a jailer came stumbling in from outside.

Gasping for breath, he reported, “My lord, this is bad, that… that criminal… the criminal is dead.”

Liu Zhiliang sprang to his feet. “What did you say?”

“That female performer who killed Master Zhang—she’s dead. She died of illness.”

“Dead? This…”

Liu Zhiliang was shocked and momentarily speechless. He slapped his sleeve and let out a sigh.

After all, she died of illness—what more could he say?

When First Madam heard this news, her entire body collapsed powerlessly to the ground. She said, “Sins, all sins. They say when will the cycle of revenge end? I didn’t believe it before, but now I do.”

Hmm?

Everyone didn’t understand why she said these words.

But Ji Yunshu understood.

She crouched down, kneeling on one knee, looking at First Madam’s eyes filled with regret.

She said, “That girl’s passing is liberation. She lived for twenty-five years and also hated for twenty-five years. Countless performances of ‘The Zhuang Person’s Dream’ were actually just a dream.”

First Madam looked at her.

She shed tears once more.

The others didn’t understand their words.

What connection did that murderous performer have with the Zhang Manor?

Why poison Master Zhang?

But now the person was already dead—what was the point of asking?

Ji Yunshu straightened up and retreated to the side, one hand reaching into her sleeve to grasp the case report hidden inside.

Liu Zhiliang thought that since the case was closed, he ordered First Madam and Steward Zhang kneeling on the ground to be imprisoned.

When Steward Zhang was seized, he struggled desperately, lunging toward the high seat. “My lord, I didn’t kill him! First Madam ordered me to do it! First Madam said after it was done, she’d give me a sum of silver. My lord, I beg you, let me go. I have elderly parents above and young children below. I can’t die! My lord, I beg you!”

Liu Zhiliang shouted, “Take him away.”

“My lord…”

Wailing to heaven and earth.

But First Madam was extremely calm, as if she’d lost her soul, yet—

When the bailiffs were about to drag her out, she suddenly said, “Wait.”

“What else do you have to say?” Liu Zhiliang asked her.

“I want to file a report.”

Four words spoken!

Extremely solemn!

Shocking!

Ji Yunshu’s hand gripping the case report inside her sleeve tightened considerably.

After Liu Zhiliang recovered from his shock, he asked, “What case do you want to report?”

“A theft case.” First Madam hardened her voice. “Du Sanniang of the Lin’an Inn stole the Guanyin Seal from my Zhang Manor.”