Old Madam Song felt somewhat emotional. Indeed, it was a case of new people replacing the old. These younger generations—each one spoke honeyed words to people and ghost stories to ghosts. Their skill at adapting to circumstances far surpassed her generation. They could probably even argue that the dead were alive.

Compared to these people, Song Chumi obviously fell short. No wonder she was used as a weapon. Old Madam Song looked at Song Chumi with a half-smile as the girl hung her head, then raised it again.

Song Chumi stiffened her neck, feeling somewhat defiant. Inside she was both panicked and aggrieved. Just before coming, Third Master had viciously slapped her across the face. This was the first time she had been struck since growing up. Third Master’s own eyes had also reddened as he pointed at her with a trembling finger: “How did I raise such a muddled thing like you?! Did you not take to heart anything your mother and I told you before you married? You have such a good life ahead of you, yet you insist on trying to harm people! How can you be so stupid!”

Song Chumi heard Third Master say he would immediately have the Feng family send someone, and she panicked then and there. Actually, she didn’t truly dislike the Feng family or Scholar Feng that much. Only after marrying over did she realize that the Feng family had an innocent background and conducted themselves very properly. Although Scholar Feng was young, he knew how to read people’s expressions and understood how to care for others. Once the Feng family learned of what she had done at her natal home…

Song Chumi closed her eyes. Even now she dared not think of this possibility. She opened her mouth and pointed at Chen Mingyu, rather weakly: “I—I only thought of drugging her first because I listened to your words…”

What she said wasn’t wrong. Chen Mingyu had indeed quietly but sentence by sentence taught her how to proceed.

But Chen Mingyu let out a cold laugh. With full force, she pointed at Song Chumi, her entire bearing aggressive: “Fourth Sister must be careful with your words! What do you mean you listened to my words? Am I supposed to be the villain now? There wasn’t just me present that day. They should have all heard our conversation. Did I say a single word teaching you to harm people? How dare you falsely accuse me!”

How could Song Chumi be her match? After being berated, she retreated several steps before steadying herself. Under Third Madam’s disappointed gaze, she lowered her head and somewhat unwillingly, in a voice as thin as a mosquito’s, retorted: “But if you hadn’t told me where this medicine was sold and where to find the master, I wouldn’t have…”

“Miss Chen shouldn’t be so quick to extricate herself either.” Third Madam couldn’t contain herself. She bit her teeth and glanced at her own incompetent daughter, then turned to stare at Chen Mingyu: “The Shen family matter is still fresh in memory. We’re very clear about what kind of person Miss Chen is. We know Miss Chen is capable, but we didn’t expect this mouth could be so sharp, forcibly turning black into white…”

Chen Mingyu listened without servility or arrogance, then smiled faintly, her attitude distant and cold: “I don’t understand what Third Madam means by these words. What happened at the Shen family back then? When did I ever do anything at the Shen family? As for what kind of person I am, I’m quite clear about that myself.”

Old Madam Song had no patience for riddles. With a sweep of her eyes, Yushu respectfully stepped forward to report softly: “Rest assured, Old Madam. When we set out, we sent someone to the Chen family with a calling card. Calculating the time, Old Madam Chen should arrive very soon.”

Only then did Chen Mingyu panic somewhat. Her brow twitched as she struggled to maintain her composed appearance: “What have I done that Old Madam would alarm my grandmother?”

“Whether you did anything or not, naturally we’ll know when your grandmother arrives.” Old Madam Song smiled at her meaningfully: “Miss Chen may not like hearing some words, but this old woman must still say them. You’re still too inexperienced. When you can’t do things thoroughly, it’s best to put away those harmful thoughts. Otherwise, you’re just lifting a rock to drop on your own foot.”

Chen Mingyu’s gaze shot toward Song Chuyi like a sharp arrow. She thought she had been quite secretive in establishing connections with Song Chuning. That Song Chumi could only have been caught by Song Chuyi while doing bad deeds. Even so, Song Chuyi had the ability to dig her out from Song Chumi’s mouth? With a stone weighing on her heart, making her feel stifled, she couldn’t help but rapidly think about how to explain all this to Old Madam Chen later.

But clearly someone had already done this for her. Old Madam Chen quickly arrived. She swept her eyes over her granddaughter once, then didn’t look at her again, turning instead to ask Old Madam Song: “I know about this matter. How does Elder Sister wish to handle it?”

Chen Mingyu turned her head away under her grandmother’s gaze, her eyes reddening. Remembering Old Madam Chen’s lecture after the Shen family incident last time, she ultimately didn’t cry. She did her utmost to maintain her expression and called out “Grandmother.”

Old Madam Chen didn’t respond, raising her hand to stop her subsequent defense. Earlier in the carriage on the way here, someone had already reported to her the name of the spirit medium Chen Mingyu had found in advance. This spirit medium frequently visited the Chen family’s inner quarters and had some reputation among the circles of noble ladies in the capital.

The person had already been pointed out. Although they hadn’t been dragged directly before her, she wasn’t a fool—she knew this matter couldn’t be evaded.

Old Madam Song enjoyed sparring with straightforward people like Old Madam Chen who didn’t speak empty words. Hearing this, she glanced at Chen Mingyu: “This isn’t for me to say. I’ll listen to you, younger sister. However you say to handle it, that’s how we’ll handle it.”

Old Madam Chen heard the deeper meaning in her words. She was angry that Chen Mingyu’s actions were still too immature with too many vulnerabilities, but she couldn’t truly ignore the matter. After thinking, she said: “Elder Sister, it’s not that I’m biased toward my own family’s girl. But if this matter becomes public, it’s not good for either of our families. After all, the one who truly conceived and acted on this was your granddaughter. This incompetent one in my family can at most be counted as an accomplice. Do you think I’m right?”

Old Madam Song stopped Third Madam, who was eager to interject, and nodded imperceptibly.

Old Madam Chen paused slightly. She knew Old Madam Song was different from First Madam Song she had encountered at the Shen family. First Madam Song was easier to fool, but Old Madam Song wouldn’t release the hawk without seeing the rabbit. To have her release Chen Mingyu, who had now been caught red-handed, without bleeding a little—that was absolutely impossible.

But this was a negotiation. The conditions had to satisfy both parties, or at least the Chen family had to be able to afford them. Thinking of this, she passed the conversation back to Old Madam Song: “Since Elder Sister sees it the same way, why don’t you tell us how to handle this matter. However you say, that’s how we’ll do it.”