So this was the real reason she’d grown covered in thorns.

Because the person who forced her to grow those thorns was the supremely skilled actress, Old Lady Ji.

So this was why all eleven people said she was the one who dug up the old lady’s grave.

Because beneath her arrogant, domineering mask lay her refusal to be bullied, along with indescribable fragility and loneliness.

Yan Sanhe looked at Lady Ning, whose eyelashes kept trembling, and said calmly: “Third Madam, while you misjudged the old lady, the old lady also misjudged you.”

Lady Ning’s eyes flew open. “What do you mean?”

Yes, what did that mean?

Pei Xiao was so anxious he wanted to ask aloud, but the atmosphere in the parlor pressed down on him so he didn’t dare speak. He could only bite down hard on his jaw.

Yan Sanhe was silent for a moment. “The old lady went far afield to bring you into the family. She actually had her difficulties.”

Lady Ning’s expression changed, and she said sharply: “What difficulties?”

“Don’t be nervous. I’m not speaking for her. I’m analyzing the whole sequence of events with you.”

Yan Sanhe: “Throughout the old lady’s life, she was secretly competing with one person. Can you guess who?”

Lady Ning shook her head blankly.

“Madam Zhang—that legitimate mother-in-law who passed away before you even entered the family.”

“Her?”

Yan Sanhe nodded.

“The old lady couldn’t compare to her in anything, except in bearing sons—there the old lady had a sure win. But regarding her two sons’ affairs, she couldn’t make any decisions.”

Lady Ning unconsciously glanced at the First Master.

Seeing she understood clearly, Yan Sanhe continued: “So for her third daughter-in-law, she expended great effort and scheming.”

Lady Ning sneered: “My dowry had one hundred and twenty carrying-loads, which should have surpassed the first two. I was marrying far from home, my natal family wasn’t nearby—I’d be obedient in everything, easy to control, easy to deceive.”

This Lady Ning wasn’t just not stupid—she was quite clever, understanding with just a hint.

“Originally this marriage, as long as you bore a son, would have been complete. But things didn’t go as hoped—you bore a daughter. And no one in the world understood the importance of bearing sons better than she did.”

Yan Sanhe: “So she consoled you on one hand while urgently arranging breeding for her son on the other.”

“Yan Sanhe, that’s too crude!” Pei Xiao jumped out again.

Li Buyan snorted: “Doing it inside while listening outside—if that’s not breeding, what is it?”

Pei Xiao: “…”

Fine!

Whatever you say goes!

Yan Sanhe: “What the old lady never expected was that a girl from a merchant family had a streak of recklessness in her, absolutely unwilling to endure everything like girls from scholarly families.”

Lady Ning sneered: “My mother taught me: if you want to live well, you must make a scene sometimes. Fighting with formidable people, you must be even more ruthless.”

“So you became a troublemaker, while she could only endure everywhere. You should have been her pride but became her greatest joke.”

Yan Sanhe was silent for a moment. “I must say, heaven is fair. What a person schemes for and gains, they will certainly lose something as well.”

These words gave Lady Ning a strange feeling in her heart. Before she could examine it closely, she heard Yan Sanhe say in a flat tone:

“Third Madam, life is short. Don’t live like a hedgehog, so lonely you can only fit a coffin in your chest.”

Like tens of thousands of fine needles suddenly piercing into her marrow, Lady Ning felt such pain that her mind went blank, unable to hear any sound.

What did I scheme for?

What did I gain?

What did I lose?

That strange feeling in her heart grew larger and larger, spreading to every part of her body.

In her confusion, a voice echoed in her ears—besides that coffin in your chest, you’ve gained nothing at all.

“Third Madam.”

“Ah?”

“The case is clear. The old lady’s coffin wasn’t dug up by you. You may leave!”

“Ah?”

Still saying “ah”? Pei Xiao raised his voice: “Third Aunt, Miss Yan says you can go now!”

Lady Ning stared blankly for a long time before responding with an: “Oh!”

She said “oh” but still sat without moving.

Pei Xiao didn’t look at her but stared straight at Yan Sanhe.

He had a premonition: when Lady Ning walked out of this parlor, she would never again live as a hedgehog. Her thorns had already been pulled out by Yan Sanhe—most of them.

Yan Sanhe, oh Yan Sanhe!

What are you doing?

No kind face for my uncle, but words of comfort for my third aunt…

Are you a man-hater?

And my grandmother…

Pei Xiao vigorously rubbed his face: What can I even say about you!

After a long while.

Lady Ning finally came to her senses. She rose and gave Yan Sanhe a deep curtsy. “To be honest, Miss, I actually had thoughts of digging up the grave.”

Yan Sanhe: “Is that so?”

Lady Ning: “When she was alive, I couldn’t peel off her outer layer of skin, so I thought when she died, I should at least let the world see her true face.”

“Why didn’t you do it?”

“There’s one thing I’m grateful to her for.”

“What thing?”

“That year, someone from the Zhang family came to arrange a match, wanting my eldest daughter to become a concubine in the Crown Prince’s residence. When I heard it was the Crown Prince’s residence—such immense wealth and honor—my heart wavered.”

Lady Ning laughed self-mockingly.

“It was the old lady who refused to relent, and the matter was dropped.

Now my eldest daughter lives well—her mother-in-law dotes on her, her husband loves her. I thought, for my eldest daughter’s sake, I shouldn’t do such a thing.”

Yan Sanhe’s eyes suddenly brightened.

“Third Madam, you mean the old lady was willing to offend the Zhang family for your daughter?”

“Whether she offended them or not, you’d have to ask the First Master.”

Lady Ning’s face was full of mockery.

“I only learned later that the Zhang family had no good intentions. Their own daughter was too old and not favored by the Crown Prince, so they wanted to find someone young and pretty, easy to control, to help them compete for favor.”

Yan Sanhe’s expression changed. “How did she refuse to relent?”

Lady Ning was startled by Yan Sanhe’s expression and quickly said: “She first pointed at my husband and me and cursed thoroughly, making us feel utterly ashamed. Then…”

Lady Ning’s eyes went to Ji Lingchuan again.

Ji Lingchuan sighed. “She cursed my second brother and me thoroughly as well, and said whoever wanted to send the girl there would have to step over her dead body first.”

Lady Ning clapped her hands: “That’s right! The old lady also locked herself in her room and refused to eat or drink for two days.”

She resisted unto death?

Yan Sanhe’s expression shifted slightly. Just as she was about to speak, suddenly the door was kicked open with a “bang.”

Everyone in the parlor was badly startled.

Outside the door was Xie Zhifei.

Pei Xiao was the first to react and said angrily: “Xie Fifty, what are you doing here? Why kick the door open? Are you sick?!”

Xie Zhifei had no time to deal with him. He looked toward Ji Lingchuan and said urgently: “Lord Ji, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has reached the alley entrance.”

“Ah…”

Ji Lingchuan shot to his feet, then his legs gave out and he collapsed back down, his whole body beginning to shake.

Lady Ning asked with a confused expression: “What? The old lady’s case has brought even the Embroidered Uniform Guard?”

Lady Ning knew nothing about it, but how could Lord Pei not understand? His eyes went red as he shouted:

“My dear third aunt, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is here to raid the house!”