Whether Heaven had opened its eyes or not, Baizhi didn’t know.
But Baizhi felt certain—her young lady must have eyes that saw clearly and a heart that saw true.
She silently picked up a stone, and suddenly hurled it toward Duke Chu’s estate. “Die, you dog men! Ptooey!”
Qi Yuan turned her head and glanced at her.
Baizhi chuckled awkwardly, “Miss, I really couldn’t hold it in. That man is shameless beyond belief!”
Qi Yuan shook her head expressionlessly. “It’s fine. I brought you here for exactly this.”
The rock she’d thrown at Zhou Ping last time had been pretty effective, too.
Now, this single stone sparked a storm.
The crowd, who had just been watching with curiosity and excitement from the sidelines, suddenly had their emotions ignited.
The man on the ground kept kowtowing and crying for justice, even as the Duke’s estate guards clawed at him like wolves and tigers, beating and dragging him, he still held his head high and shouted his grievance. His forehead split open and bled, but he kept crying, begging Heaven to open its eyes.
It was heartbreaking!
If not for a grievance of monumental injustice, how could anyone have the courage to do this?
Godd*mn it!
Murdering your wife and stealing another man’s wife—how could someone be this shameless?!
Someone in the crowd shouted, “Dog man!”
Others joined in the curses: “Pan Jinlian! Killed Wu Dalang, married Ximen Qing, and then teamed up to kill Wu Yueniang! Adulterers! A pair of filthy wretches!”
So what if she’s the emperor’s mother-in-law?
So what if he’s the emperor’s father-in-law?
Does that make it okay for the emperor’s mother-in-law to be Pan Jinlian?!
Infuriating!
Utterly outrageous!
Xing Min coughed and quietly took a few steps back, not wanting to get hit by flying rocks or random shoes now being flung about.
Duke Chu’s face turned red and his neck bulged with anger.
He had sent out more and more guards, but it was useless.
These enraged commoners, stirred up, were like people injected with adrenaline—they’d gone completely mad, chasing after the guards with beatings and curses!
They were mad!
Completely mad!
He trembled with fury, pointing at the unruly mob, wishing he could have them all punished for disturbing the peace!
Old Madam Liu felt as if the sky had collapsed. The sight of the commoners pointing fingers at her and cursing with righteous indignation deeply rattled her.
She was the high-ranking Duchess. She was the grandmother of a princess and a prince. Her whole life had gone smoothly and gloriously!
And now these lowborn commoners…
Reputation was a fragile thing—easily ruined, hard to rebuild.
After today, even if she managed to clear her name, her reputation would never return to what it once was!
What would people say about her?
They’d say she was Da Zhou’s Pan Jinlian!
It was over!
With her reputation ruined and her past exposed, even Noble Consort Xiao Liu in the palace would be affected!
What would happen to Noble Consort Xiao Liu then?!
She reached out a trembling hand, pointing at the man making a scene—the man who was pinned to the ground by guards, yet still shouting and cursing nonstop.
“You’re lying! All lies!”
When had she ever murdered her fiancé?
Yes, she had been engaged at the time—but that had never been her choice!
It was because her parents had fallen on hard times and needed help from that Hu fellow that she was forced into it.
Later on, all she did was propose breaking off the engagement. It was Hu who couldn’t take it—he happened to see her with Duke Chu, and that’s what drove him to death.
How was that her fault?
Why was it said that she killed Hu?!
Hu Yichuan, hair disheveled, was pinned to the ground, with blood seeping from his forehead, ears, even his face—he was in utter disgrace.
But he bit down hard on the servant’s hand, shook him off, and endured the fists raining down on him as he lifted his head and roared toward the sky: “Ye Jinxiu, my brother is watching you from Heaven! You fickle, wanton sl*t! You murderer of your own fiancé! Even if I die, I won’t let you off! I will never let you off!”
The servants panicked and began beating him more violently.
But the more they did so, the angrier the onlookers became.
This wasn’t how you treated a man—even a criminal!
Suddenly, the crowd surged forward, and a full-on scuffle broke out between the people and the Duke’s guards.
Duke Chu was momentarily stunned with rage.
Weren’t these lowly commoners usually cowardly and trembling in fear of the powerful?
Why were they acting like rabid dogs today?
By now, Hu Yichuan had broken free from the guards. Seeing the people fighting the Duke’s men for his sake, he let out a wild laugh.
He pointed at Old Madam Liu and cursed her loudly while laughing: “Ye Jinxiu! You are cruel and immoral, ungrateful and heartless—you deserve to die a miserable death! A miserable death!”
Old Madam Liu pointed back at him, her mind racing with countless retorts.
But as she looked around at the furious faces in the crowd—each one seeming to want her dead—her heart sank further and further.
A vein in her head throbbed uncontrollably, growing tighter and tighter, until—buzz—it suddenly snapped.
She stiffened and fell straight backward, the back of her head slamming hard against the ground.
Madam Liu realized what was happening and rushed to catch her, but she was already too late. All she could do was watch helplessly as the old matron collapsed, blood immediately pooling out beneath her.
She screamed in terror and cried out in panic: “Lord! Lord! Someone come—quick, someone come!”
Old Madam Liu hadn’t lost consciousness yet. She raised a trembling hand, pointing directly at Hu Yichuan. Word by word, she forced out: “Kill… kill… kill him!”
Kill him—kill that lying b*stard!
The scene before them had erupted into utter chaos. Qi Yuan gave a cold, mocking smirk.
Baizhi couldn’t help but sigh. “Miss, why is it that every time…”
Why was it that every time commoners gathered together, things always escalated like this?
It had been the same with the Zhou family incident.
Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow: “To silence the people is more dangerous than guarding a river. Many voices melt gold; accumulated slander grinds bones to dust. Rumors can kill.”
This knife—no matter who it’s pointed at—must draw blood.
Duke Chu had wanted to use this knife to kill.
But too bad. She had always been the type to think ten steps ahead before taking one.
So now, let Duke Chu and Old Madam Liu taste the edge of that blade themselves.
Duke Chu turned in panic and saw his wife collapsed on the ground, while Madam Liu knelt beside her sobbing uncontrollably, her hands covered in blood.
In an instant, he ignored the chaos all around and rushed over in a few quick strides, dropping to his knees to cradle Old Madam Liu.
Only then did he realize the back of her head was bleeding continuously.
It felt like someone had grabbed his heart and was squeezing it. Waves of rage surged up inside him, and his face twisted with fury as he turned to glare viciously at Hu Yichuan.
Then, carrying Old Madam Liu in his arms, he quickly headed back inside, shouting as he went: “Go out the side gate! Get our family’s name tokens and summon Imperial Physician Hu from the Imperial Medical Academy—also call for Court Official Sun and Sun Gongfeng! Bring them all! Hurry!”
Old Madam Liu clutched his hand tightly: “Kill… kill him…”
Kill Hu Yichuan!
Duke Chu nodded frantically: “Yes, yes, yes! Don’t worry—I’ll kill him! I’ll kill him!”
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