Jiang Zhan stared dumbfounded. “Fourth Sister, you can’t be serious?”
After all, debts should be settled with their rightful owner, and their eldest cousin was a good person.
“Of course I am serious,” Jiang Si gazed at Madam Yu with a cold smile. “Children must pay for their father’s debts. You can deny it all you want, but don’t blame me for being ruthless to Eldest Cousin.”
“You… Qing Xun has always treated you well!”
“Has he? I’ve barely interacted with Eldest Cousin during my visits to the Marquis Manor. I fail to see how he’s treated me particularly well. Besides, even if he had, what of it? Grandmother treated you well too, yet you still plotted against her!”
Unable to maintain his composure, Elder Master Su grabbed Madam Yu’s collar. “You wretched woman, if you won’t confess, I’ll write you a divorce letter right now!”
“My Lord, you can’t do this—” Madam Yu cried out in shock, looking at Elder Master Su in disbelief.
Elder Master Su’s face was stern and cold as ice. “There’s nothing I cannot do. Whether you confess or not, everyone knows what you did.”
They had witnessed the insect crawling out of the Elder Madam’s finger with their own eyes—there had to be someone who administered the poison. And Madam Yu’s fingers bore both old and new cuts, exactly as Jiang Si had described.
Under these circumstances, it didn’t matter if Madam Yu refused to confess.
He could not tolerate a woman who harmed the Elder Madam, especially when it would offend his niece, Prince Yan’s consort, and affect Qing Xun’s future.
Elder Master Su didn’t believe Jiang Si would harm his eldest son, but Su Qing Xun was the most outstanding among the younger generation of the Su family and the heir to the Yining Marquis Manor—he couldn’t risk anything happening to him.
Elder Master Su’s icy words combined with Jiang Si’s naked threats completely shattered Madam Yu’s resolve.
Her legs gave way as she collapsed into a chair, her heart turning to ashes. “Yes.”
That single word evoked different reactions from everyone present.
The Elder Marquis of Yining struck the table heavily with his pipe. “Speak! Why did you harm the Elder Madam?”
The already cracked jade mouthpiece of his pipe instantly became covered in countless fine cracks, completely ruined.
The Elder Marquis paid no attention to it, fixing his gaze on Madam Yu.
If she weren’t his daughter-in-law, he would have struck her head with his pipe already!
“Father is asking you a question!” Elder Master Su was both embarrassed and furious, wishing he could strangle the woman before him.
This was his wife of nearly twenty years—he never imagined she would do such a thing.
“Why?” Madam Yu glanced at the Elder Marquis, then at Elder Master Su, finally fixing her gaze on Jiang Si with hatred. “It was all because the Elder Madam protected you!”
Jiang Si listened in confusion.
“What does this have to do with the Princess Consort?” Elder Master Su asked.
Madam Yu laughed coldly. “On the day of Elder Madam’s birthday celebration, when Yi drowned, I initially believed Jiang Si was responsible and treated her unkindly. The Elder Madam became displeased with me after that. My Lord, haven’t you noticed how since then, the Elder Madam has been cold toward me, gradually transferring household management duties to Madam Xu?”
She shook her head and continued, “But I was wrong—how would you men notice such things?”
Elder Master Su asked incredulously, “Just because of that?”
Madam Yu countered, “Isn’t that enough? First, she gave some authority to Madam Xu. In a year or two, once Madam Xu became experienced in management, I might have been completely sidelined. I am the Heir’s wife of the Marquis Manor—why should Madam Xu interfere with household affairs? Just because I offended her beloved granddaughter?”
“Bah!” Jiang Zhan spat, criticizing her harshly, “Are you mentally ill? How can you blame this on my Fourth Sister? Your concubine killed our cousin—it was your incompetence in managing the household that led to that tragedy. How is any of this related to my Fourth Sister?”
Jiang Zhan was truly infuriated. He had seen people shift blame before, but never so shamelessly!
Madam Yu’s face reddened at Jiang Zhan’s contempt, her lips trembling.
A soft laugh broke the tension, and everyone turned to look at Jiang Si.
After her laugh, Jiang Si sighed softly. “Are you certain Grandmother’s coldness toward you was because she was protecting me, and not because she suspected certain actions of yours?”
Madam Yu’s face turned pale, her eyes shifting uneasily.
Noticing the Elder Madam’s growing distance and resentment over Madam Xu’s involvement in household affairs was one thing, but she had indeed grown increasingly uneasy.
Men might be oblivious, but women in the inner court understood each other best.
Had the Elder Madam guessed her schemes against Jiang Si?
This suspicion made her more anxious with each passing day, and the thought grew stronger: if the old lady died, wouldn’t that page be turned completely?
Finally, she had acted…
“What actions?” Elder Master Su asked.
At this point, he wouldn’t be surprised by anything this woman had done.
Jiang Yi quietly tugged at Jiang Si’s sleeve.
It wouldn’t be proper for people to know that Fourth Sister had nearly been violated by Su Qing Yi.
Jiang Si understood her sister’s concern and said indifferently, “The specific actions aren’t important—what matters is that Madam Yu harmed my grandmother!”
Everyone nodded.
Plotting against one’s mother-in-law was an unforgivable crime.
“There’s one more thing,” Jiang Si stared at Madam Yu, asking deliberately, “Why did you kill my mother back then?”
Madam Yu kept her eyes lowered, not responding immediately.
“I asked Elder Sister—my mother’s symptoms before her death were the same as Grandmother’s. Since Grandmother was poisoned, there couldn’t possibly be any ridiculous hereditary explanation. This poison came from your hands too, didn’t it?”
Jiang Zhan clenched his fists tightly, his teeth grinding audibly.
“Your mother’s death was connected to this vile woman?” Elder Master Su pointed at Madam Yu.
Jiang Si calmly countered, “Uncle, surely the poison couldn’t have come from the Earl’s Manor?”
Elder Master Su was rendered speechless, staring at Madam Yu with a numb expression.
This woman had been killing people for over a decade?
Back then, Madam Yu had been a young and beautiful woman—how could she have such a venomous heart?
Elder Master Su felt as if he was looking at a stranger.
Jiang Si placed her hand on the armrest of Madam Yu’s chair and said softly, “If you tell me the true reason from back then, not only will I spare Su Qing Xun, but I’ll also ask the Prince to help him in the future.”
As for Madam Yu, having killed both her mother and grandmother, she would have to pay with her life.
Madam Yu remained silent, head bowed.
Jiang Si didn’t rush her, standing quietly before her, waiting.
After a long while, Madam Yu finally raised her head, her expression strange. “You want to know the reason?”
Jiang Si nodded.
Madam Yu understood clearly that from the moment she admitted to harming the Elder Madam, she had no chance of survival. At this point, securing some benefits for her son was better than nothing.
Madam Yu met Jiang Si’s gaze, her eyes showing traces of a mocking smile.
Jiang Si could see it was schadenfreude.
She maintained an expressionless face while waiting for Madam Yu’s words, though her heart inexplicably tightened.
Madam Yu said softly, “Someone told me to do it.”
“Who?” Multiple voices asked in unison.
Madam Yu looked around at everyone before pronouncing each word clearly: “Princess Rongyang.”
Everyone’s expressions changed dramatically, except for Jiang Si, who maintained her emotionless facade.
She had known it—she had found another small goal!