Li Xiuniang hurried back under the moonlight, dragging a group of people along with her.
She had gathered the most notorious gossiping women in the village—each one with a tongue sharp enough to twist truth into lies.
Once they saw Xu Yinyin and Ding Chengyong lying on the same bed, their spit alone would be enough to drown Xu Yinyin!
Hmph. A noble daughter who lost her chastity before even returning home—could she still be considered noble?
Those aristocrats are all picky and proud—who would want someone else’s used shoes?
By then, when it came to choosing between a disgraced, impure woman and a well-educated noble lady, the Yongping Marquis’ household wouldn’t even need to think.
Trying to return and block her own daughter’s path? Dream on!
With these thoughts, Li Xiuniang couldn’t wait a second longer, eager to rush home immediately.
But just about 100 meters from her house, the village chief appeared with a large group of people. Torches in hand, they surrounded her and her party.
Li Xiuniang froze. “Village Chief? What are you doing?”
The village chief snorted coldly. “That’s what I should be asking you. What are you up to?”
Li Xiuniang’s eyes darted nervously. “There’s been a disgrace in the family… a scandal…”
She figured it was perfect the village chief showed up—she could use this to make a scene and let the whole village know the Yongping Marquis’ daughter had been caught with a man.
But the village chief wasn’t curious at all. Instead, he barked, “Tie her up!”
Li Xiuniang panicked. “Village Chief! What are you tying me up for, for no reason?! What crime have I committed?!”
The village chief was even angrier than she was. “You dare ask?!”
He shouted, “Take her in and show her what she’s done!”
The villagers dragged Li Xiuniang into the courtyard and over to the west wing.
Before she could understand what was going on, bang!—the door was kicked open.
In the moonlight, everyone saw two corpses lying on the ground. One of them—fat and bloated—was completely mutilated, the head unrecognizable. The other was more intact, but a pool of blood surrounded it.
The thick stench of blood drifted in the air, making everyone’s stomach churn. Li Xiuniang was petrified with fear.
The village chief pointed at the corpses and glared at her. “This—what do you have to say for this?! Huh?!”
Li Xiuniang’s soul nearly left her body. She never imagined that during the time she was out, Butcher Xu would die alongside Ding Chengyong in the west wing.
Her heart sank. That b*stard of a man had always harbored filthy thoughts about Xu Yinyin. It was only because she kept him in check that he didn’t dare act.
He must’ve tried to take advantage while she was out, and ended up clashing with Ding Chengyong!
Thinking this, she was consumed with rage. Without hesitation, she screamed, “Xu Yinyin, you little sl*t! You filthy wh*re! It must’ve been you—you seduced Ding Chengyong and killed your father!”
In front of everyone, Xu Yinyin burst into tears. “Mom! Please don’t hit me! I didn’t see anything—I didn’t see anything!”
Li Xiuniang was enraged and raised her hand to slap her.
But the village chief yanked her back and looked toward Xu Yinyin. “Don’t be afraid, child. Just tell us everything you know.”
The Yongping Marquis’ household had already sent word ahead, so as the village chief, he was well aware of Xu Yinyin’s identity.
That’s why, when she came to get him earlier, he agreed to come with her.
Xu Yinyin took a few trembling steps back, her voice shaking: “F-Father caught Mother and…”
She pointed at Ding Chengyong on the ground. “…caught her with him, and then he rushed over and started fighting.”
She cried even harder. “Father told me to get the village chief—he wanted to report their adultery!”
An uproar swept through the crowd.
Everyone’s expression toward Li Xiuniang changed.
Especially the gossiping women Li Xiuniang had brought—now they rolled their eyes in disgust.
Tch—so she called them out in the middle of the night just to slander someone?
Everyone in the village knew Xu Yinyin was hardworking and obedient, while Li Xiuniang was infamous for being sharp-tongued and difficult. She was known to be a menace.
Her having an affair with Ding Chengyong? Absolutely believable.
The village chief narrowed his eyes. “What else do you have to say for yourself?”
What could Li Xiuniang say? She was furious and lashed out, “You poisonous little wench! How dare you slander me?!”
“My underwear is cleaner than your face!” she screamed and tried to break free and lunge at Xu Yinyin.
Xu Yinyin shrieked in terror and crouched down, crying.
“Mom! I won’t do it again! I swear I didn’t see anything—I really didn’t!”
Just seeing how terrified she was now, one could only imagine how horribly Li Xiuniang must’ve treated her all along.
As the village chief scolded Li Xiuniang, he suddenly noticed something sticking out of Ding Chengyong’s clothes.
His expression changed. He stepped forward and yanked it out—it was a small purple-blue garment embroidered with osmanthus flowers.
He gave it a shake, revealing a delicate inner piece of clothing.
Everyone gasped and turned toward Li Xiuniang.
She happened to be wearing an outer garment in the same color—clearly, the two pieces belonged to the same set.
A woman’s intimate clothing found in another man’s arms—what else could that be but adultery?
It matched everything Xu Yinyin said.
Li Xiuniang was stunned—then it hit her.
That inner garment had a tear. She had tossed it to Xu Yinyin to sew on a few osmanthus flowers for her.
And now it was found on Ding Chengyong!
Xu Yinyin!
That little wench set her up!
Furious, she bared her teeth and lunged at Xu Yinyin: “I’ll kill you, you evil-hearted wh*re!”
“Hold her down!” the village chief barked.
People rushed forward and restrained Li Xiuniang.
Watching her thrash like a madwoman, the village chief snorted coldly. “An adulteress who caused two deaths and tried to frame a child—have you lost your mind completely?!”
He turned to the village elders. “Uncles, according to our village rules, how do we deal with adulterers?”
The old men were furious, as if they’d been cuckolded themselves. Gritting their teeth, they said, “Drown her! Two lives gone, and she tried to ruin a child—this venomous woman must be drowned!”
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, adultery was a severe crime.
If a husband caught his wife cheating and killed her and the lover in a fit of rage, he would often be acquitted.
And cases like these were typically handled by clans, not reported to authorities—the government usually turned a blind eye.
The village chief had full authority to deal with Li Xiuniang.
And this case was truly atrocious. Stroking his beard, the village chief made up his mind. “Very well—then drown her. Go prepare!”
For shameful cases like this, the faster it was handled, the better.
Xu Yinyin looked pale with fear. It wasn’t until Li Xiuniang was locked in a cage that she ran over to the village chief.
She asked anxiously, “Village Chief, I… I want to see my mother.”
Everyone looked at her with complicated expressions.
The village chief said, “Child, you’re too softhearted. She caused two deaths and tried to frame you. Don’t you understand?”
“If you hadn’t listened to your father and come to get me today, she would’ve gotten to the others first and accused you of murder.”
Xu Yinyin nodded. “I know. But she did raise me, after all. Please, let me say a few words to her.”
The village chief sighed. “Fine. Go.”
Li Xiuniang was already locked in the cage, now just a few meters from the water.
When she saw Xu Yinyin approach, her eyes nearly popped out in rage. “You wh*re! How exactly did your father die?!”
Xu Yinyin crouched down and looked her straight in the eye. With her back to the crowd, a smile appeared on her face. “Of course I killed him.”
Li Xiuniang’s scalp tingled.
It was still Xu Yinyin’s face—but her eyes were now like those of a viper: cold, indifferent, laced with venomous hatred.
Before Li Xiuniang could react, Xu Yinyin leaned in closer and whispered: “And Ding Chengyong—I killed him too.”
Her voice was so soft only the two of them could hear.
Watching the color drain from Li Xiuniang’s face, Xu Yinyin smiled again. “What now? Your scheme has failed. I’ll be returning to the Yongping Marquis’ household in one piece.”
Li Xiuniang looked as if she had seen a ghost. She fell backward in the cage in terror. “Y-You… who are you?”
