Song Chuyi didn’t dare think about what happened after her death in her previous life.

At that time, Grandmother had already passed away, Big Brother wasn’t there, and A’Yan had been dead for several years. Aside from Luyi, she had nothing left.

She didn’t know if after her death, her body had simply been wrapped in a mat and tossed on some abandoned hillside.

But looking at Song Linlang now, she suddenly felt that in her previous life, she had been not only despicable but also selfish. She had hung her true heart on someone who didn’t cherish her at all, and in doing so, had broken how many other hearts. In the end, she had died alone from illness with nothing.

If Cui Shi knew from the grave, if her mother could see—how heartbroken would she be?

She composed her emotions, glanced at Xiang Yunzhang whose expression had frozen, and asked Yun Shang again, “How is it that the people close to Aunt don’t seem to be here helping at all?”

Only then did Xiang Yunzhang confirm that Song Chuyi’s question wasn’t just a passing thought—she had truly noticed this point. Song Linlang was dead, yet not a single person close to her was handling matters.

He tugged at the corner of his mouth, forcing out a smile that wasn’t very strained. He stared at Song Chuyi meaningfully and asked, “Who might this be? When Linlang and I married, all the younger generation in the family were still very small. It seems only Brother Jue was older. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can’t even recognize who’s who.”

His eyes deliberately revealed a somewhat fierce light, trying to frighten this fearless young girl into retreating.

Who knew that Song Chuyi was not only not frightened away, she didn’t even answer his question. Instead, she lowered her head and tugged at Old Madam Song’s sleeve, saying softly, “It seems Cousin isn’t here either.”

Yun Shang sobbed for a moment. Hearing Song Chuyi say this, she looked around and indeed burst into tears again with a wail, “Yes, the young lady and Nanny Zheng—not a single one of them is here!”

Old Madam Song carefully withdrew her hand. When she turned around, her eyes were as cold as could be. She looked at Xiang Yunzhang, her face showing undisguised impatience and disgust. She asked coldly, “Originally, we came to discuss the matter of divorce. But in our Great Zhou Dynasty, after all, there has never been a precedent of divorcing the dead.”

Indeed, the Great Zhou Dynasty had never seen a precedent of divorcing the dead. Xiang Yunzhang looked with complex emotions at Song Linlang in the coffin, whose appearance still seemed fresh and lifelike. For some reason, he felt sour and uneasy in his heart.

But Old Madam Song suddenly laughed—a laugh both bleak and heartbreaking. “But today, this old woman will be the first in Great Zhou, taking charge to divorce her daughter’s corpse. Even in death, Song Linlang will not enter your Xiang family’s ancestral hall!”

Xiang Yunzhang was startled by Old Madam Song’s sudden declaration. Immediately, he looked at Old Madam Song with disbelief. It wasn’t that he lacked quick wit, but in front of the shrewd and experienced Old Madam Song, he had always felt himself inferior. Especially now, with Song Linlang dead and himself in the wrong, he dared not respond.

Third Master sneered coldly and immediately picked up on Old Madam Song’s words. “What my mother says is correct. Even in death, my sister will not enter your Xiang family’s ancestral hall. This time we came originally for the matter of your divorce. All these years, you as someone’s son-in-law seem to have never fulfilled a son-in-law’s duties. Not only could you not take care of your own wife, you actually drove your first wife to this point. Xiang Yunzhang, my sister died at your hands!”

He paused for a moment. Seeing Xiang Yunzhang completely powerless to retaliate, he looked at him with mockery and disdain. “If you still have any manly spirit, then inventory my sister’s dowry and trousseau. We will also return your betrothal gifts according to the list at that time. From now on, everyone will have nothing to do with each other until death.”

Xiang Yunzhang had indeed always been ashamed of relying on the Song family. Whenever he needed to ask someone for help regarding his position, he would rather frown and sulk at home, throwing things about, than proactively seek help from the Song family.

Every time it was Song Linlang who would sigh and write to the Song family, asking them to help.

But after each matter was resolved, while he was happy, he couldn’t help feeling inferior in his heart—without the Song family, wouldn’t he be nothing?

Because of this, whenever Old Madam Xiang criticized Song Linlang for being a spoiled young lady from a high-ranking household who didn’t understand the hardships of common people and dressed in splendid clothes to show off in the streets every day, even though he knew it was Song Linlang’s dowry, he would turn a blind eye…

But now, Song Linlang was truly dead, and the Song family had truly come to sever ties. He began to feel afraid again.

His ability to become a prefect—the Song family had definitely played no small role in it. Ordinary people, even if they didn’t say so on the surface, would help him a bit more considering he was the Song family’s son-in-law. It was just that since others didn’t point it out, he was happy not to acknowledge the Song family’s favor…

Song Chuyi completely understood Xiang Yunzhang’s current state of mind. This kind of cowardly yet inferior, inferior yet arrogant man had always been the type who only knew regret after being cast aside like an autumn fan.

And his hard days were only just beginning.

She looked around and felt she had laid enough groundwork, so she gently tugged on Old Madam Song’s sleeve.

Old Madam Song’s expression became even more gloomy. The look she gave Xiang Yunzhang was like looking at a vicious dog, filled with disdain and barely suppressed anger. “Since we’ve come to this, Magistrate Xiang should also inventory all the things Linlang brought as her dowry. Especially the household servants she brought with her—we want to take them all back. If even one is missing…”

She looked meaningfully at Xiang Yunzhang’s pale face and coldly threw down a harsh threat. “Then we’ll see each other in court!”

Xiang Yunzhang understood Old Madam Song’s meaning. In the dead of winter, he broke out in a cold sweat. He thought of what the doctor had said during the examination and couldn’t help feeling extremely terrified. Before, he had thought he could cover it up, but he really hadn’t expected the Song family to arrive so quickly, nor had he expected that even after the death, the Song family would still be thinking about divorce…

But if he released Nanny Zheng, Nanny Wang, and the others, then the matter of the arsenic would inevitably become known to Old Madam Song. And if the furious Old Madam Song and the Song family members learned that Song Linlang had actually died of poisoning, then after that… Xiang Yunzhang simply didn’t dare think further.

He suddenly came back to his senses and saw Old Madam Song staring at him without blinking. The accumulated panic and pressure in his heart intensified. In his emotional agitation, tears actually flowed down.

“Mother-in-law…” He choked and couldn’t form words. After pausing for quite a while, he finally bowed deeply, his expression grief-stricken. “Linlang… even in death, she still protected me…”

Song Chuyi sneered inwardly. This kind of selfish and self-serving man had always known how to read people’s expressions and had always known how to trim his sails to the wind. Now, seeing the situation turning unfavorable, he was starting to change his tune.

Old Madam Song couldn’t be bothered to look at his unseemly behavior. She waved her hand, her face full of impatience. “Enough! Don’t bring these things up to me. I’m sick of hearing them.”

Xiang Yunzhang’s face stiffened as he pressed his lips together, but his mind began racing rapidly.