Old Madam of Marquis Taining fainted directly upon seeing Lady Zhu’s corpse.

Madam Wen, the wife of Marquis Taining, forcibly suppressed her urge to go mad and hurriedly sent people to fetch the Old Marquis, who had gone out to fight crickets, and Marquis Taining, who was socializing with friends.

Everyone from Earl Guchang’s residence rushed over.

Du Feiyang and Du Feixue threw themselves onto Lady Zhu’s body, crying their hearts out in anguish.

Earl Guchang knelt straight before Old Marquis Taining, kowtowing repeatedly.

Old Marquis Taining raised his foot and kicked Earl Guchang several times, but was stopped by Marquis Taining: “Father, younger sister is already gone. The key now is how to handle the funeral arrangements. You must not let anger damage your health further.”

He had already heard from his wife that Earl Guchang had given his sister a divorce letter. Strictly speaking, his sister had been divorced and sent back to her natal family. As for burial, it was still unclear whether it would be at the Marquis residence or the Earl residence.

If Earl Guchang acknowledged that his sister was still the Earl residence’s legitimate mistress and buried her in the Du family ancestral grave, his sister could still enjoy incense offerings. But if she were buried back at her natal family, not only would the Marquis’ residence become the laughingstock of the capital, but his sister would have no one to worship her in the future—such a desolate ending.

Marquis Taining looked at Earl Guchang kneeling on the ground, suppressing the anger in his eyes.

His mother had fainted, his father was furious—he couldn’t act impulsively. It would be best if he could make this scoundrel take back the divorce letter.

“Brother-in-law, my sister married into the Earl residence over ten years ago. She served her parents-in-law with filial piety above and raised children below, managing your distinguished residence in perfect order. Even if she had no merit, she certainly had hard work. No matter what disagreements you two had, now that she’s gone, I wonder what you have to say?”

Upon hearing the words “brother-in-law,” Old Madam of Earl Guchang understood Marquis Taining’s meaning and smoothly said: “This scoundrel and Lady Zhu were married for over ten years with few quarrels. This was just a moment of anger that led to such a rash action. I’ve already scolded this confused fool. I hope the Marquis residence will not hold it against him for the sake of the pair of children my daughter-in-law left behind.”

Speaking to this point, Old Madam of Earl Guchang raised her hand to wipe away tears: “My daughter-in-law was a person of the Earl residence in life, and naturally should be buried in the Du family ancestral grave after death, to enjoy the incense offerings of descendants. What does the Marquis’ residence think?”

Marquis Taining’s expression darkened slightly: “I wonder if Old Madam can make decisions for the Earl?”

Old Madam of Earl Guchang heavily struck Earl Guchang: “Beast, speak up!”

Earl Guchang, pale-faced, kowtowed: “Mother’s intention is my intention.”

After saying this, he seemed to have all his strength drained away and collapsed to the ground.

He truly hadn’t expected Lady Zhu would seek death.

Lady Zhu, someone who could only wrong others but never herself—how could she bear to seek death? Even if seeking death, it should have been to frighten him.

Earl Guchang sat in a daze, unable to sort out what he was feeling.

Did he resent Lady Zhu? Having his husband’s authority undermined for over ten years in front of her, naturally, he harbored resentment. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have kept a gentle and considerate mistress outside.

But even with resentment, they were still a married couple after all, with a pair of children together. He had never wished for her death.

Over ten years—even without feelings, the entanglement between them was beyond words. Even this divorce letter was just done in anger.

How could she have sought death?

Earl Guchang couldn’t help but silently ask himself this question again.

Marquis Taining looked at Earl Guchang’s appearance with both anger and hatred, but for the sake of his sister’s posthumous affairs, he couldn’t tear off all pretense. He said coldly, “Since that’s the case, the Earl’s residence should quickly set up the mourning hall and send death notices to various residences.”

Both sides reached an agreement. Soon, residences related to the Earl’s residence received death notices, and news of Lady Zhu’s suicide spread throughout the capital’s streets and alleys like it had grown wings.

In the West Residence of the Li family, Second Madam Liu was doing needlework with her two daughters in the warm pavilion of Jinrong Courtyard.

Liu was making shoe soles, Fourth Miss Li Yan was embroidering shoe uppers, and Sixth Miss Li Chan, being young, helped her mother and sister.

Thinking that Second Master Li Guangshu would return home soon, Liu’s heart overflowed with joy, and the shoe sole in her hands was being made for Li Guangshu.

She had just finished a pair of shoe soles when she heard gossip from a servant woman about Lady Zhu hanging herself. She was so shocked that her mouth stayed open for a while before she could close it, bit through the thread, and clasped her hands together, muttering prayers.

“Mother, what are you reciting?”

Liu coughed: “Nothing, just asking Buddha to bless your father’s safe return home.”

Of course, she couldn’t tell her daughters that she had just been thanking heaven, earth, and all gods and Buddhas.

How correct her original strategy of following Third Miss’s footsteps and never opposing Third Miss had been!

“You young ladies don’t need to bother with such distressing outside matters. Yan’er, I remember you just finished embroidering a plain brocade carp pouch. Your Third Sister likes wearing plain clothes, and a plain pouch would suit her perfectly. Take it to her, and let your Third Sister see if your embroidery skills have improved.”

Fourth Miss Li Yan secretly pursed her lips.

Third Sister clearly couldn’t even embroider a single leaf properly—what ability did she have to judge whether her skills had improved? She always had the feeling that Third Sister was Mother’s real daughter.

However, under Liu’s subtle influence, Li Yan felt inexplicably close to Qiao Zhao, though she hadn’t noticed when she had grown close to this Third Sister. She nodded in agreement.

Liu didn’t forget to remind: “Play with your Third Sister more. It’s fine if you come back late.”

After the two sisters left, Sixth Miss Li Chan pouted: “Sister, why do I feel like Third Sister is Mother’s real daughter?”

Li Yan patted her sister’s head and sighed wistfully.

How would she know why? She was equally helpless.

After receiving the death notice, as relatives by marriage to Earl Guchang’s residence, the Li family’s West Residence naturally had to send people.

Since Lady He was pregnant and it was inconvenient for her to go, Li Guangwen went alone with Li Jiǎo and Li Hui.

Although Qiao Zhao was Lady He’s daughter and should have accompanied Li Guangwen to pay respects, she was stopped by Old Madam Deng.

In the old lady’s words, it was better to avoid trouble—why let the child go listen to gossip and rumors?

Du Feixue couldn’t help but lose her temper with Li Guangwen, who came to pay respects: “Uncle, why didn’t you bring Li Zhao? Is she too guilty to come?”

Faced with the young lady’s questioning, Li Guangwen was completely puzzled and asked in shock: “Could it be that Madam Earl’s death has other hidden circumstances?”

This question made everyone in Earl Guchang’s residence break out in cold sweat. Old Madam of Earl Guchang laughed dryly: “Children speak nonsense. Don’t take it seriously, son-in-law.”

Even though many people now believed that Lady Zhu had ordered someone to splash filth at the Li family’s gate, the Earl’s residence would never admit it.

Li Guangwen let out a long sigh of relief: “You scared me. I was wondering—Madam Earl has passed away, what would my daughter have to feel guilty about?”

How righteously confident you sound! Everyone present rolled their eyes in unison.

“My mother was—” Du Feixue was about to say more when Old Madam of Earl Guchang pinched her hard.

“The eldest miss is overcome with grief. Take the eldest miss to rest in the back.”

Li Jiǎo quickly stepped forward: “Grandmother, let me console my cousin.”

In the back, Li Jiǎo sighed: “Cousin Feixue, if you’re sad, just cry it out.”

Du Feixue suddenly hugged Li Jiǎo and burst into loud sobs.