“That is…” the fort master hesitated somewhat, “Old Sister Feng, what Xiaoyi says does not seem to be entirely without reason. Let us investigate further.”

“Fort Master, I am tired. I wish to go back and rest.”

Chen Xiaoyi fixed her gaze on the fort master’s eyes and spoke with an aggrieved expression.

“You may not!”

Before the fort master could say a word, Feng Jiu’er’s voice rang out. “If she leaves the dungeon, she will very likely find yet another excuse.”

“Old Sister Feng, what do you mean by that?”

The fort master looked at Feng Jiu’er, his thick brows tightly knitted.

On one hand, he did trust Feng Jiu’er — but on the other, he was deeply unwilling to see Chen Xiaoyi come to harm, and equally unwilling to see anything happen to what he believed to be his child.

Feng Jiu’er held Xiao Nu’s evening meal up to her nose and sniffed again. Her entire demeanor became considerably more somber.

“Fort Master, I am almost certain this poison is the same one used to kill all twelve members of the Liang family.”

“When we entered, only Xiao Nu and Miss Chen were here. Xiao Nu would certainly not have poisoned herself — therefore, the poison was administered by Miss Chen.”

“Miss Chen also said just now that she had no intention of killing anyone, only of frightening Xiao Nu into speaking the truth.”

“That is equivalent to her openly admitting the fact that she administered the poison. Miss Chen, I wonder whether you might explain — how did you come to have such a poison?”

Feng Jiu’er’s words left Chen Xiaoyi speechless.

She had thought that as long as she flatly refused to admit anything, and with the protection of her presumed pregnancy, she would surely manage to slip through this time.

She could never have imagined that this woman could detect poison by scent alone.

“What… what poison?” After a brief stupor, Chen Xiaoyi said in a hushed voice. “That was just ordinary rat poison. I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“You may continue to deny it, and the fort master may choose not to believe my judgment.”

Feng Jiu’er’s firm voice rose.

“But as long as the poison is taken out for comparison, or shown to a physician within Nanman Fort, the truth will come to light.”

“Miss Chen — will you confess yourself, or shall we continue to waste everyone’s time with an investigation?”

“You should know — paper cannot wrap fire. The truth of the murders you committed will eventually surface.”

The corners of Feng Jiu’er’s lips still carried a faint curve, yet the killing intent in the depths of her eyes was intense.

To think there truly existed someone so ruthless and perverse — slaughtering an entire family, even sparing not a single pregnant woman, all for personal gain.

“Xiaoyi, did you truly do all of this?”

The fort master’s brows were twisted in a hard knot; he was completely at a loss.

Chen Xiaoyi glanced up at him, then immediately looked away.

Just as she drew a deep breath and was about to speak again, Feng Jiu’er’s firm voice rose once more. “Fort Master, I know what weighs on your heart.”

“But can you imagine what the three Liang brothers are feeling? The third Liang brother especially — he lost his child before he even knew what the child looked like, and he lost it forever.”

“If, even at this moment, you still shield this woman, how will you command the respect of your people?”

The fort master’s eyes flickered for a moment, yet he finally set Chen Xiaoyi down.

“Fort Master.” Chen Xiaoyi clutched at his sleeve, her face streaked with tears as she called out to him.

But the fort master remained unmoved. He raised his eyes, drew a deep breath.

As his gaze lowered, his manner turned considerably colder.

“Xiaoyi — is this what you have done? You had best confess everything!”

“Fort Master.” Chen Xiaoyi took hold of the fort master’s hand and shook her head. “It was not me. I was framed. Truly, it was not me.”

“Fort Master, even if you gave me ten times the courage, I would not dare do such a thing. Is that not so? I was truly framed.”

“Then tell me — where did you get this poison?”

Xiao Yingtao asked in a firm voice.

For someone who had slaughtered an entire family, Xiao Yingtao harbored nothing but a desire for the fort master to execute Chen Xiaoyi on the spot.

But the pressing question right now was — who stood behind Chen Xiaoyi?

Did that person have any connection to them?

Feng Jiu’er suspected there was a traitor among her own people. Xing Zizhou knew it. Xiao Yingtao almost certainly knew it as well.

Xiao Yingtao also hoped to root out the traitor as soon as possible, so they could all act with greater peace of mind going forward.

Chen Xiaoyi leaned in gently and wrapped herself around the fort master’s arm, then turned to look back at Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao.

“The poison — I stole it from the medicine storehouse. It was clearly labeled as rat poison. I had no idea that the poison which killed the Liang family was also rat poison.”

“Fort Master.” Her gaze returned to the fort master, and Chen Xiaoyi threw herself directly into his arms. “I know nothing — I truly…” “Fort Master, my stomach feels unwell — this time it is real, truly unwell. Could it be that our child has also been frightened? Fort Master…”

Seeing the fort master beginning to waver, Feng Jiu’er furrowed her brow and asked in a firm voice, “Fort Master, if matters are as I have described, what would you do?”

The fort master met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze, drew a deep breath, and then suddenly reached out and pushed Chen Xiaoyi away.

“Press her down!”

“Fort Master.”

Chen Xiaoyi tumbled to the ground with the motion.

She pressed her hand to her own abdomen and raised her eyes to look at the fort master with an expression of utter disbelief. “You — you actually dared push me? You actually dare…”

The fort master looked down, his heart softening and aching at once, but in the end, he did not step forward to help her up.

“She is fine. Not a thing wrong with her.”

Feng Jiu’er glanced down and shook her head.

“Someone who had the cunning to conspire with a so-called master to make you believe she could bear you children, and who slaughtered over a dozen people just to secure the position of Fort Mistress — how could anything possibly go wrong with her?”

Feng Jiu’er gave a cold snort, withdrew her gaze, and looked at the fort master.

“I apologize, Fort Master. I deceived you just now. Chen Xiaoyi is not pregnant at all.”

“I did so only to test whether, upon learning she was carrying your flesh and blood, you would shield her and overlook her crimes.”

“Fortunately, the fort master did not disappoint me, and did not disappoint all the brothers of Nanman Fort.”

“What did you say?”

The fort master held Feng Jiu’er’s gaze. “She is not with child?”

“Correct.”

Feng Jiu’er nodded. “And even if she truly were with child, it would not necessarily be your flesh and blood.”

“Old Sister Feng — what do you mean by that?”

The fort master’s eyes looked as though they might fall out of his head.

Feng Jiu’er raised her eyes toward the entrance and said softly, “Qiao Mu, bring them in.”

Qiao Mu, who had been standing guard outside for some time already, led several people in.

Today, while working in the North Hall, she had overheard a piece of extraordinary news and had brought the relevant individuals along.

Qiao Mu walked at the front, three people following behind her — with the one in the middle being escorted forcibly forward.

The fort master turned to look at those who had entered, his aura so oppressive it suggested a desire to kill.

Qiao Mu stepped to one side. Two brothers escorted a tall man forward.

The man raised his eyes to look at the fort master and voluntarily sank to his knees.

“Fort Master, it was not my wish — it was Chen Xiaoyi who seduced me. I had no choice but to be with her.”

“Fort Master, please do not kill me. I truly had no intention of it. Chen Xiaoyi… she seduced me. She wanted to conceive as quickly as possible…” “I am sorry, Fort Master. Truly, I am sorry!”

The man bent at the waist and knocked his head hard against the ground.

“Fort Master, I am sorry! I truly had no intention!”