The scenery of Qingzhou City was vastly different from the capital. All along the official road into the city, the landscape was quite magnificent. Looking into the distance, the green mountains were shrouded in pristine white snow, and a bright sun gradually rose from the east, its morning rays painting half the mountain red.

Old Madam Song lifted the curtain to take a look. The weariness from days of rushing travel seemed to ease somewhat, and she slowly broke into a smile.

Traveling day and night, they had finally arrived at the territory where her daughter resided. All those feelings of being close to home yet fearful vanished without a trace in this instant. Just thinking that she would be able to see her beloved jewel whom she hadn’t seen in many years, her heart was filled with joy.

On the country roads, there were occasionally farmers carrying hoes on their shoulders. Third Master rode his horse up beside Old Madam Song’s carriage and asked through the curtain, “Mother, should we first find a place to wash up and freshen ourselves, or…”

He had been to Qingzhou before. For convenience, and to provide his younger sister with an additional layer of security, he had specifically asked a friend in Qingzhou to help purchase a villa.

Old Madam Song didn’t hesitate for even a moment. After a brief silence, she sneered coldly, “Go directly to the prefectural yamen.”

Their Earl’s household had always been prestigious, yet the Xiang family had never treated their daughter any better because of it. Now, even if they dressed themselves in the most splendid attire, what would be the point? Moreover, the Xiang family wasn’t worth the effort of observing all the proper courtesies.

Third Master acknowledged the order and directed the convoy into the city, heading straight for the prefectural yamen.

But the moment he saw the two white lanterns hanging high at the entrance, fluttering in the wind, his heart skipped a beat. For a moment, he had no reaction.

Luyi curiously lifted a corner of the curtain and was also stunned by these two white lanterns, unable to recover for a long while. After some time, she lowered the curtain and somewhat stammered to Song Chuyi, “Miss, the yamen has white lanterns hanging…”

White lanterns hanging?!

Song Chuyi felt an ominous premonition rising in her heart, and this premonition was soon confirmed.

Xiang Yunzhang, who had received the news and come out to greet them, stood in place with a grief-stricken expression. To this third brother-in-law who had arrived unexpectedly fast, he delivered completely unacceptable news: “Linlang… she… she passed away last night.”

Passed away?!

Third Master couldn’t process this for a long time. When he finally came to his senses, this man in his thirties already had eyes aching and brimming with tears. He stood dazed for a long while on the street that seemed especially quiet in the early morning, without any movement.

Xiang Yunzhang felt somewhat apprehensive. He raised his hand to wipe the corner of his eyes, his voice carrying some distress, “I ask that mother-in-law and brother-in-law please come inside to speak.”

Third Master swallowed, suppressing the soreness in his throat. After a long moment, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice, flat and expressionless, “Fine. Let’s speak inside.”

They removed the threshold to drive the carriage in. Song Chuyi got down from the carriage and went to help Old Madam Song from the carriage in front.

Old Madam Song couldn’t quite stand steady. Only with difficulty, supported by both Song Chuyi and Yushu, did she manage to steady herself. Her voice trembling, as if she felt she had misheard, she turned her head to ask Song Chuyi, “Just now, what did your third uncle say to him? Who passed away?”

The hand with which Yushu was supporting Old Madam Song gripped even more tightly, faintly trembling.

Old Madam Song was elderly. If she received such a shock again, who knew if she could withstand it…

Song Chuyi kept her head lowered without speaking. After a long time, she patted the back of Old Madam Song’s hand and said softly, “Grandmother, let’s go see Aunt first.”

This one sentence reminded Xiang Yunzhang. He looked at this young girl with some surprise and quickly said, “I’ll take mother-in-law and brother-in-law there.”

None of the Song family members gave him another glance. They silently followed behind and entered the main hall.

Only at this moment did Old Madam Song dare to believe that her daughter, whom she hadn’t seen for more than ten years, had truly been separated from her by death.

She now wore burial clothes, her face blue and purple as she lay with eyes tightly closed in the coffin, motionless, and would never move again.

Third Master’s emotions were on the verge of collapse. With just one glance, he turned his head away, not daring to look again. He rushed forward and grabbed Xiang Yunzhang by the collar, dragging him several steps to the front of Song Linlang’s coffin. Choking with emotion, he said, “Come, we’re inside now! Now look at my sister and tell me what happened! Speak! Tell me how she died! Speak!”

In his agitation, Third Master used tremendous force, practically grabbing Xiang Yunzhang by the neck and forcing him face-to-face with Song Linlang. Xiang Yunzhang’s pupils suddenly dilated. In his daze, it seemed as if he saw Song Linlang open her eyes again. Frightened, he let out a howl and struggled desperately to escape backward, covering his neck and panting heavily.

This was the first time Song Chuyi had seen Third Master lose his temper so badly, and also the first time Song Chuyi had seen Song Linlang. In her previous and current life, the first time she met this aunt who shared a similar fate was seeing her for the last time in a mourning hall.

She supported Old Madam Song, watching as Old Madam Song reached out with trembling hands to touch Song Linlang’s face. Unable to bear it, her heart aching, she turned her head away.

“Linlang…” Old Madam Song seemed unable to hear the argument between Third Master and Xiang Yunzhang. She called out with a sob in her voice, “Mother has come to see you…”

Originally, when coming here, she had planned to throw a little tantrum, to let Song Linlang know where she had been wrong. She had also thought about asserting her maternal authority, making her personally come to her to wheedle and apologize…

But in the blink of an eye, everything was gone. She no longer had a daughter.

The daughter she had raised at her knees and treasured for more than ten years would never open her eyes again to cry out “Mother” to her.

Old Madam Song sobbed as she bent down, with difficulty pressing her face against Song Linlang’s, tears falling in large drops onto her face. “Why couldn’t you wait for me?! Why couldn’t you wait for your brothers…”

Third Master’s tears immediately streamed down. He kicked Xiang Yunzhang, making him stumble.

Wave after wave of crying sounds rose in the mourning hall. Yun Shang knelt on the ground, nearly fainting, “When I left, she was still fine, still fine. How could this happen in less than a month…”

“How do you face us! Xiang Yunzhang, how do you face us!” Third Master’s fists clenched with crackling sounds, a fury rampaging through his heart. “Is this how you took care of her?! Is this how you took care of her that she’s gone at only twenty-nine years old?!”

Those heartfelt words Xiang Yunzhang had spoken when he came to propose marriage, those flowery promises—now they all became jokes, mocking their naivety that bordered on stupidity.

Song Chuyi coldly surveyed the scene, then suddenly lowered her head to ask Yun Shang, “Didn’t you say there were two elderly and capable nannies by Aunt’s side? Didn’t Yun He also return to the household to help? How come I don’t see any of them?”

Xiang Yunzhang was shocked and looked at this young girl with disbelief—even Old Madam Song and Third Master Song, immersed in grief, hadn’t noticed this matter…