Just as Yun Chu was speaking with Qin Mingheng, a team of soldiers suddenly burst into the courtyard. Qiutong tried to stop them, but there were too many of them and she couldn’t hold them back.

“Qin Mingheng, you’re indeed here. Surrender immediately!”

Two soldiers stepped forward and seized him from left and right.

Yun Chu exerted force and pulled out the short sword. Qin Mingheng’s right shoulder immediately gushed blood like a fountain.

“Lady Xie, pardon the intrusion.”

The two soldiers apologized very respectfully, then left the room with Qin Mingheng.

Yun Chu stood in place with pursed lips.

She could sense Qin Mingheng’s resentful emotions. He truly regretted not being able to defile her in time that night.

So what he said should be true.

That night, there was someone else.

Who could snatch her from Marquis Xuanwu’s hands and leave him helpless?

Many figures floated through Yun Chu’s mind, but she couldn’t be certain.

Qin Mingheng had escaped privately during his exile journey—this was a capital offense. He might be beaten to death tonight.

Once Qin Mingheng died, then regarding the events of that night, she would never know.

In her previous life, she lived in confusion. In this life, she wanted to be someone who understood clearly.

Yun Chu draped a dark-colored cloak over herself and stepped outside. Qiutong followed: “Where is Madam going? There are soldiers everywhere at the gate. We can’t use the main door.”

Yun Chu was about to speak.

Then she saw that under a large tree in the courtyard, someone was actually sitting there.

This tree stood next to the courtyard wall, with much vegetation growing beside it, and there were no lights. At a glance, you really couldn’t see clearly that a person sat there.

She walked forward two steps before seeing clearly—it was Xie Jingyu.

Her brow furrowed: “What are you doing here?”

Xie Jingyu sat in a patch of dark shadow. He raised his head, his face covered in gloom, his voice squeezed out from his chest: “I came long ago… When the soldiers entered the Xie residence to search, I came. I was worried the escaped prisoner would break into Sheng Residence, worried you would be harmed…”

Of his four limbs, only his right leg could barely exert force. This journey wasn’t far, but for him, it was extremely difficult.

Outside, many soldiers were searching for the escaped prisoner. After he learned the prisoner was Marquis Xuanwu Qin Mingheng, he immediately rushed over.

He knew Qin Mingheng’s thoughts too well. He feared something would happen to her…

But after entering this courtyard, he heard her talking with the escaped prisoner Qin Mingheng.

Xie Jingyu looked at Yun Chu: “When did you find out?”

Yun Chu waved her hand.

Qiutong and Tingxue led all the servants in the courtyard out.

In the vast courtyard of Sheng Residence, only the two of them remained.

It was already autumn. No matter how sweltering the daytime, the night wind carried threads of coolness.

A smile floated onto Yun Chu’s lips: “When did I find out that someone was switched on the wedding night, or when did I find out that you threw away my two children, or when did I find out that my two children still had breath when you threw them away?”

Xie Jingyu felt something in his heart shatter with a bang.

So she had known everything all along…

All the events that had occurred during this time replayed in his mind over and over.

His voice broke as he spoke: “The He family matter being exposed—was it all orchestrated by you? You’ve been plotting this for a long time, haven’t you?”

“Not just this one matter.” Yun Chu’s smile deepened. “That your Xie family has walked step by step to today’s predicament—it can be said that I added fuel to every single event. Xie Shiwei’s matter, He Shi’s death, the old lady’s death, Xie Shi’an’s imprisonment, and you, Xie Jingyu’s death—all are related to me.”

Xie Jingyu’s eyes widened sharply: “What do you mean?”

“I mean your life will soon end.” Yun Chu smiled brightly. “Haven’t you felt your life slowly draining away?”

“It was you—you poisoned me under the pretext of conditioning my body!” Xie Jingyu’s face was full of disbelief. “You—how could you do such a thing, you venomous woman!”

“I admit I’m a venomous woman. Then do you dare admit you’re a hypocrite, a petty man?” Yun Chu drew out her short sword and pressed it against his neck. “You killed my two children. You must pay with your life for them!”

Tremendous oppressive force enveloped Xie Jingyu.

His body tilted and he fell from the flower bed, his entire person sprawled disgracefully on the ground.

“Yun Chu, you’ve gone mad. You’ve truly gone mad. Do you know what you’re doing? This is murder, this is murdering your own husband!” Xie Jingyu’s voice was hoarse as he roared lowly. “What poison did you give me? Quickly hand over the antidote. I can act as if nothing happened!”

“Yes, I have gone mad!”

“From the moment I learned my children weren’t stillborn but were killed by you, I went mad.”

“Why should you live gloriously while my two children still haven’t been properly buried?”

“Why should your children all grow to adulthood while my children died on that snowy night?”

“They could have lived. They could have enjoyed all the beauty of this world. But because of your selfishness, they lost their lives.”

“Xie Jingyu, this isn’t murdering my husband. It’s called—blood debt paid in blood. You must pay with your life!”

The blade left its sheath and pressed against Xie Jingyu’s neck.

Xie Jingyu truly felt the killing intent emanating from Yun Chu.

She would really kill him!

But he couldn’t die yet!

An’er was still in the prison cell waiting for him, this father, to save him. The Xie family still needed to rely on him to stand up again… If he died, the Xie family would truly be finished.

“Madam, Chu’er, things aren’t as you think.” Xie Jingyu swallowed a mouthful of cool air. “That day after you gave birth, when the servants brought the children to me, they did still have breath, but their breathing was very weak… I could only hold the children and go find Marquis Xuanwu, because I was clear in my heart that these were his children. He would definitely go to the palace to request an imperial physician to save the children… I never thought of throwing away the children. I was seeking a way for them to survive, which is why I placed the children at the entrance of the Marquis Xuanwu residence.”

Yun Chu’s hand paused: “You’re saying the children were left at the marquis residence?”

Xie Jingyu nodded: “He threatened and enticed me, making it so I had no choice but to send you out. Under such power, I had no second choice… Chu’er, I am indeed a hypocrite, but I never thought of harming lives. When the children were still alive, I handed them to Marquis Xuanwu… The children’s deaths were entirely caused by Marquis Xuanwu. They have nothing to do with me…”

“Shut up!”

Yun Chu didn’t want to hear his sophistry anymore.

She said coldly, “You’re saying all this just because you want to live. Kneel down and confess and apologize to my son and daughter. As long as you truly repent, I’m willing to spare you.”

Xie Jingyu gripped the dirt on the ground tightly.

A man’s knees bear gold—one kneels to heaven, earth, and ancestors. This woman actually wanted him to kneel to two children…

But what could he do?

First preserve his own life, then plan slowly in the future.

Xie Jingyu used his right leg to borrow strength and knelt on the ground, speaking with difficulty: “Children, back then I was wrong. I shouldn’t have carried you away, shouldn’t have sent you to the Marquis Xuanwu residence… That you couldn’t survive was entirely caused by me. I’m willing to use twenty years of my lifespan to seek a chance for forgiveness for my sins…”

As he spoke, he saw Yun Chu take out a porcelain bottle from her sleeve.