The evening sunset shone into the flower hall.

Orange light fell on Chu Yi’s face, making the man’s features appear even softer.

Yun Chu hadn’t expected herself to ask that question so directly.

She thought she should ask clearly face-to-face.

Some matters might be easier to discuss when laid out in the open.

She didn’t need to scheme about how to get the children back to her side.

She only needed to reach some kind of agreement with him, and they could still be reunited as mother and children, couldn’t they?

What surprised her was that Chu Yi actually showed a bitter smile. “If I said I’ve never met the children’s mother, would you believe me?”

This was the most troubling matter of his life.

Unable to find peace.

Unable to reconcile with himself.

When facing Yun Chu, he felt deeply ashamed.

Five years ago, he had ruined a woman’s entire life.

Someone like him—was he worthy of Yun Chu?

“You… you’ve never met the children’s mother?” Yun Chu was shocked. Could the truth really be as Sister-in-law said—that Prince Pingxi knew nothing?

She swallowed a mouthful of cool air blown by the autumn wind. “Then how could you tell the two children that their mother was already dead?”

Chu Yi knew he had to face that part of the past.

He spoke with difficulty. “The day of your wedding, I went to the Yun family to attend your wedding banquet. I accidentally fell victim to a scheme—someone drugged me with an unclean substance. I fainted at the gate of the Marquis Xuanwu’s manor. Following the principle of proximity, Chengxu used a maidservant from the Marquis Xuanwu’s manor to neutralize the drug’s effects…”

Speaking these words made it even harder for him to face the woman before him.

He was a despicable and shameless person, awaiting judgment.

Yun Chu’s heart shook.

So that was it.

The truth from five years ago was like this.

She had been schemed against.

He had been schemed against as well.

The turbid air in Yun Chu’s chest slowly dissipated.

She asked, “Who schemed against you back then?”

A flash of murderous intent appeared in Chu Yi’s eyes. “The Bai family.”

Yun Chu knew of the capital’s Bai family.

The second day after she married into the Xie family five years ago, she heard that the Bai family’s eldest daughter had mysteriously fallen ill, followed by Madame Bai falling ill, and then Master Bai following suit with a persistent illness.

Later, she heard that Miss Bai had been married off to a remote place in the south, Madame Bai had died of illness with tears, and Master Bai had been stripped of his position after making frequent mistakes in his duties…

The second-rank official household of the Bai family just disappeared from the capital like that.

Just like her, who had destroyed the Marquis Xuanwu’s manor that had schemed against her, and the entire Xie family had also fallen.

“Does Your Highness know why I interrogated the Marquis Xuanwu?” Yun Chu asked slowly.

Chu Yi vaguely knew something.

The Marquis Xuanwu kept two outside women, one of whom was called Chu Niang and looked almost identical to Yun Chu.

Anyone who had seen that outside woman could guess the Marquis Xuanwu Qin Mingheng’s thoughts toward Yun Chu.

After escaping on the exile road and fleeing back to the capital, the first thing he did was sneak into the Xie family to see Yun Chu.

This showed the depth of this person’s obsession.

He must have done other disgusting deeds in secret, which was why Yun Chu went to interrogate him.

Those deeds concerned a woman’s reputation.

Therefore, he hadn’t specifically had people investigate.

He hadn’t expected Yun Chu to bring this up on her own initiative.

“Your Highness might as well also interrogate the Marquis Xuanwu.” Yun Chu’s lips carried a mocking smile. “His lies come as easily as breathing. Your Highness, please distinguish carefully.”

While Chu Yi went to interrogate, she needed to think carefully about how to reach a unanimous decision with Chu Yi regarding the two children.

A crease formed between Chu Yi’s brows.

Could it be…

He had suspected it before.

But he thought it too absurd and didn’t think deeply about it.

Looking at it now, anything was possible.

Wild joy surged in his heart.

“Your Highness, this is terrible!” Chengxu suddenly rushed in. “Fourth Miss Fang has hanged herself! The entire palace is in an uproar. Your Highness, please go quickly!”

Chu Yi found it hard to believe.

She hanged herself because he defied the decree?

Only four or five people knew about his defiance in refusing the marriage—it couldn’t be considered having ruined Miss Fang’s reputation. What reason did Miss Fang have to hang herself?

Moreover, he had compensated the Fang family both openly and secretly, considering himself to have fulfilled his duty.

Her sudden suicide attempt, making it known to everyone—this wasn’t truly wanting to die, but rather forcing him to accept the decree.

“Your Highness, please go take a look.” Yun Chu stood up. “I’ll have someone carefully escort Yu’er and Changsheng back to the manor. No need to worry.”

Chu Yi nodded. “Thank you, Miss Yun.”

By this time, the sky had already darkened. Lanterns were just being lit on the streets, and the capital’s night market was very lively with people coming and going.

Chu Yi quickly arrived at the Fang family’s main gate.

Standing inside the gate were eunuchs and nannies from the palace—people sent by the Empress and Imperial Concubine Yin to provide comfort.

“Your Highness arrives at just the right time. Please go in and see Fourth Miss Fang.” The nanny beside Imperial Concubine Yin looked anxious. “Earlier she hanged herself but was rescued. The imperial physician said there was nothing seriously wrong. Just after waking, she tried to kill herself again, insisting on bashing her head to death. If she really dies, Your Highness will be dragged into this mess…”

Chu Yi walked to the back courtyard. Before even stepping into the yard, he heard the commotion.

“Mother, don’t hold me back. Just let me die…” Fang Xinyan was crying hysterically. “I’m a pure and innocent woman who was refused in marriage. How can I have the face to live in this world? Let me bash my head and die—death would be cleaner!”

Madame Fang held her daughter around the waist. “Xin’er, what foolish words are you saying? This matter isn’t your fault. Why do you torture yourself like this!”

Master Fang was so angry his beard bristled. “You’ve just been spoiled in daily life! Thinking that whatever you can’t get, you can obtain by crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide—too naive! Originally, few people knew you were refused in marriage. With this commotion, now everyone knows that Prince Pingxi would rather be beaten than accept this marriage. You’ve ruined your own reputation yourself—you’ve brought this upon yourself!”

Who was Prince Pingxi? He had been to the Western Border battlefield and taken enemy generals’ heads from among millions.

He had slain over ten million bandits—bandits within Great Jin had been completely exterminated.

Would such a person compromise when forced by a woman’s suicide attempt?

Absolutely not!

Originally, Prince Pingxi owed the Fang family a favor.

This way.

It would show Prince Pingxi’s magnanimity if he didn’t hold a grudge.

Master Fang was truly about to be angered to death by this daughter.

Even more infuriating was that his wife had actually indulged their daughter in bringing this matter before the palace.

Just as he was about to continue scolding.

He heard the voice of servants outside the room greeting: “Greetings to Prince Pingxi!”

Fang Xinyan, who had been seeking death, immediately lit up with radiance in her eyes. Because of the screen between them, she could only cry loudly: “I love Prince Pingxi, I love him! I will marry no one but him in this lifetime. Since he’s unwilling to marry me, what meaning is there for me to live…”

With such a heartfelt confession, she didn’t believe Prince Pingxi wouldn’t be moved.

Chu Yi’s eyes were very dark.

So it turned out he himself had attracted this rotten peach blossom.

He leisurely sat down in a chair and spoke. “Does Fourth Miss Fang truly refuse to marry anyone but this prince?”

Hearing him say “Fourth Miss Fang,” Fang Xinyan trembled uncontrollably.

She had long admired him, but because of various rules about propriety between men and women, the two hadn’t even spoken a single word.

Hearing “Fourth Miss Fang” spoken from his mouth made her even more infatuated.

Unable to care about anything else, she walked directly around the screen and came before Chu Yi.