A middle-aged woman rushed out. Her usually timid demeanor was entirely different at this moment, with fire seemingly blazing in her eyes.

When everyone recognized the woman, the entire scene fell silent for a moment.

Wasn’t this the Lord’s concubine? Why was she here?

Su Qingxue’s face grew even more unpleasant. Her lips trembled as if wanting to say something to the concubine, but she couldn’t utter a word.

The woman ran up to Zhen Shicheng and fell to her knees directly in front of him. “I was the one who pushed him into the lake. It has nothing to do with Second Miss.”

“This is—” Zhen Shicheng looked towards the Su patriarch.

The Su patriarch’s face darkened as he glanced at the kneeling woman, saying awkwardly, “She is my concubine.”

Zhen Shicheng suddenly understood, “Is she Second Miss Su’s birth mother?”

The Su patriarch nodded.

This concubine usually had so little presence that he had almost forgotten she existed.

Zhen Shicheng coldly appraised the woman.

When someone suddenly rushes out to confess to a crime, most people might think the concubine was acting out of maternal love, taking the blame for her daughter. But he never formed preconceived notions about people from the start, whether good or bad.

“Madam Concubine, please tell us the specific situation,” Zhen Shicheng said calmly.

The woman raised her head, quickly glancing at Madam You. Her anxious expression surprisingly calmed down, and she straightened her back, saying, “Not long ago, I met Second Miss. I wanted to have a good talk with her, but she was in a hurry to leave. I rarely get to see Second Miss, and I miss her terribly. When I finally ran into her but couldn’t say more than a few words, I felt awful. I walked on absent-mindedly and found myself here at Juxia Lake, where I saw Second Young Master and Miss Cousin…”

She spoke calmly and slowly. Everyone present listened silently, with only the rustling of wind-blown leaves and the rippling of lake water providing any animation to the scene.

The woman’s gaze fell briefly on Jiang Si’s face.

The young girl’s beauty was extraordinary, so young.

The woman’s gaze softened as she continued slowly, “Second Young Master was blocking Miss Cousin, wanting to play with her. Miss Cousin ignored him and hurriedly left with her maid. I saw Second Young Master standing there, very unhappy, so I went over and told him that Miss Cousin hadn’t gone far. I said if he didn’t believe me, he should look into the lake, where he’d see Miss Cousin’s reflection—”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhan angrily cursed, “Can’t you speak properly?”

Saying there was Fourth Sister’s reflection in the lake was like cursing her to fall in!

Jiang Ancheng slapped Jiang Zhan, scolding, “Don’t interrupt!”

They were at a crucial moment!

“Then what happened?” Zhen Shicheng asked gently.

The woman smiled slightly, “Second Young Master is simple-minded. Of course, when he heard this, he went to the lake’s edge to look. When he said he couldn’t see anything, I told him to lower his head and look carefully. Then, when he bent down and lowered his head, I pushed him hard into the lake…”

As she spoke, the woman’s expression grew increasingly cold, with a faint smile at the corner of her mouth.

“Why did you do this?” the Su patriarch couldn’t help but ask.

“Why?” The woman’s gaze slowly swept around, looking at the Su patriarch with an even colder smile. “Has my lord forgotten how Young Master Lin died?”

As soon as the woman said this, everyone began to whisper among themselves.

From people’s discussions, Zhen Shicheng learned about Young Master Lin’s identity. It turned out that Young Master Lin was the woman’s son, but he had died young and never been formally recognized among the younger generation, let alone entered into the family genealogy.

The woman simply stood up and said loudly, “Young Master Lin was pushed off the fake mountain by that fool and died! My poor Lin wasn’t even three years old. He was so smart and lovable, always softly calling ‘Mother’ as he threw himself into my arms. But he was killed by that fool.”

As she spoke, two clear tears streamed down her cheeks. “And what happened? Just because that fool came from the First Madam’s womb, he didn’t face any consequences. He wasn’t even scolded!”

“If that’s the case, why did Madam Concubine wait until today to act?” Zhen Shicheng asked without any emotion.

The woman laughed self-mockingly, “Because I’m a lowly person of humble birth. Even when my son was killed, I still had a daughter. For my daughter to live well, I could only grit my teeth and endure.”

“You’re not enduring anymore?”

“No, not anymore.” The woman wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes forcefully. “That fool has hurt someone again. He pushed the Third Young Master off the fake mountain. Third Young Master was lucky not to die, but who knows how many more people that fool will harm in the future? So, it’s better if he dies.”

By the end, the woman’s expression was as hard as a knife.

Second Madam Xu couldn’t help covering her mouth, her eyes instantly reddening.

She had been married for many years and only had one son, Bao’er, whom she cherished like a precious jewel. Yet he had been harmed like that. Now, every time she closed her eyes, she saw her Bao’er’s bloodied face, causing her to have nightmares almost constantly.

But she had no recourse. Others would say, “Are you going to hold a grudge against a fool?”

She hadn’t harbored thoughts of harming anyone, but it was impossible to say she didn’t have any resentment. She never expected someone would vent this anger to her.

Zhen Shicheng quietly looked at the woman for a long time before sighing, “Madam Concubine’s impulsive actions today are related to Second Miss Su, aren’t they?”

The woman couldn’t help but look at Su Qingxue.

Su Qingxue instantly lowered her head, not looking at the woman at all.

The woman suddenly smiled, “Yes, who told Second Miss to disdain even speaking a word to me, her birth mother? My son died, my daughter doesn’t treat me like a person, so why should I continue living so miserably instead of avenging my son?”

Today was the anniversary of Young Master Lin’s death. Her heart ached terribly, and she very much wanted to talk with her daughter, but all she received was her daughter’s contempt.

Su Qingxue suddenly raised her head, her eyes flashing with resentment as she looked at the woman.

“You lowborn slave!” Madam You pointed at the woman, her face ashen with anger.

At this moment, she wished she could order someone to flay this wretched woman alive, but her remaining reason prevented her from acting rashly.

The woman, on the contrary, laughed without restraint, “If Madam calls me a lowborn slave, then a lowborn slave I am. I’m just a worthless life anyway, hehe, not worth grieving over.”

“You, you madwoman!” Madam You had never imagined that the usually submissive concubine would speak to her like this, and she trembled with rage.

Zhen Shicheng, however, stared fixedly at Su Qingxue and said slowly and deliberately, “Second Miss Su, you were watching from Chaoyang Pavilion when the concubine pushed Second Young Master into the water, weren’t you?”

Although his experience told him that the concubine didn’t seem to be lying, without witnesses or physical evidence, it would be hard to close the case convincingly.

Su Qingxue swayed, her resentment towards the woman reaching its peak.

Why did they have to drag her into this? Couldn’t these people just leave her alone?

Zhen Shicheng’s expression turned serious as he said sternly, “With the handkerchief as evidence, if Second Miss Su still doesn’t tell the truth now, this official can only conclude that you and the concubine conspired to kill Second Young Master—”

Su Qingxue abruptly interrupted Zhen Shicheng, “I didn’t!”

Zhen Shicheng looked at her expressionlessly.

Su Qingxue suddenly deflated, covering her face as she said, “It’s true. I was in Chaoyang Pavilion at that time and saw the concubine push Second Brother into the lake…”