After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

"You really don't care about the Ke family mother and son anymore?" Cen Mingzhu expressed her doubts, but Zhu Yixuan spoke with certainty and composure, which meant that what he said was probably true. If Zhu Yixuan really dismissed them so thoroughly, it would only make things more difficult for her if she pursued the matter further.

Zhu Yixuan nodded emphatically, looking at her with deep affection. "Since meeting you, Madam, I have realized that there are such noble women in this world. Cui and Ke are no match for you. As for Ke, I would have almost forgotten about her if you hadn't mentioned her. But Cui, out of consideration for our past as husband and wife, although I divorced her, I gave her all the compensation she deserved. Yet she still dares to spread rumors in front of you. Does she really think I wouldn't dare to touch her!"

Zhu Yixuan clenched his fists tightly, his anger reaching its peak.

Cen Mingzhu coaxed him playfully, "Alright, husband, if she wants to stir up trouble, I'll have to deal with it first, right? I didn't listen to her, and we've already talked things out. The Cui and Ke families have nothing to do with us anymore!"

Zhu Yixuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, "Madam is so understanding. We were supposed to be celebrating our wedding night tonight, but my mother just passed away, and we still have to wear mourning clothes."

Cen Mingzhu pressed her finger to Zhu Yixuan's lips, "Husband, you don't need to say anything, I understand."

After Zhu Yixuan left, Xiaoshuang came over to help Cen Mingzhu rest.

"Miss, is everything the young master said true?"

Cen Mingzhu sneered, "Whether it's true or false, we can find out by sending someone to investigate! If Zhu Yixuan dares to lie to me, don't blame me for being ruthless! The Yao family member who disappeared without a trace back then can disappear just as quietly, so can this one."

Xiao Shuang's body trembled slightly, and her head drooped.

At the same time, Zhu Yixuan, who had returned to his study, immediately summoned his attendant and ordered, "Go and investigate how Liu knew about Bai Feng's cause of death. Find out who Liu had been in contact with."

"Master, Lady Liu is in the dungeon. What should we do?" The attendant hesitated.

Zhu Yixuan angrily retorted, "Don't you understand the value of spending a little money? She's just a crazy woman; a few simple tricks will make her confess."

He was furious, not only because Liu had killed Madam Zhu in the Zhu family, but also because Liu had publicly accused him of killing Bai Feng. Her desperate move had confirmed his guilt, and even if he reported it to the authorities and the county government came forward to clear his name, the people probably wouldn't really believe him.

He is currently in a very passive position.

After thinking for a moment, he instructed, "Also, go to Ximen Village to investigate Xiong Kai's whereabouts."

Only he and Xiong Kai knew the cause of Bai Feng's death. The most likely reason was that Xiong Kai betrayed him and took revenge. If that were the case, he would definitely make Xiong Kai suffer a terrible death!

Zhu Yixuan clenched his fists, his sharp gaze fixed on the dark night, his expression cold and resolute.

The servants who went out to investigate soon had news.

"Master, Liu couldn't withstand the torture and confessed. It was a man in black who told her, but she never saw his face, only his approximate height. Xiong Kai isn't home, only his wife is. I asked the villagers, but no one knows his whereabouts."

Zhu Yixuan slowly closed his eyes. At this moment, he was certain that it was Xiong Kai who had used underhanded tactics against him.

He angrily kicked over the stool, spitting out each word through gritted teeth, "Xiong Kai! You really are something! You want to play, huh? Then I'll play with you properly! Someone! Go to Sangjia Village in Fufeng Township!"

While Zhu Yixuan was busy taking revenge on Xiong Kai, Cen Mingzhu wasn't idle either. She specially took Xiao Shuang and the guards to the Bai residence.

The gate of the Bai residence was tightly shut, and there wasn't a soul in sight at the entrance.

Xiao Shuang went to knock on the door and announced Cen Mingzhu's name. The servants didn't dare to stop them outside and carefully led them to see Madam Zhu.

Overnight, Zhu looked haggard and dazed, as if she had aged more than ten years. Upon hearing that Cen Mingzhu had come to see her, she immediately rushed out of the courtyard, crying bitterly, "Sister-in-law! I didn't know my mother-in-law would be so heartless as to try to kill my mother. I really don't know anything. Please beg my elder brother and my father for me. I really don't know anything."

Her world collapsed the moment Master Zhu said he was going to sever ties with her yesterday; she didn't even know how she got back.

Cen Mingzhu subtly broke free from Zhu Shi and went straight into the house.

"Sister-in-law, I came here today to ask about what happened yesterday. Why would your mother-in-law say such things?"

Madam Zhu shook her head vigorously. "I don't know, I really don't know anything. She's crazy, she's been crazy for a long time, yes! She's crazy. Granny Li has been with her for decades and is her confidante. I told her that Granny Li was dead, but she acted as if nothing had happened and didn't care at all. At the time, I just thought she was heartless and cold-blooded. I never thought that if I had known she had a problem, I would never have taken her out."

Cen Mingzhu frowned in displeasure, but patiently comforted her, saying, "The deed has already happened. You should think about how to make amends instead of constantly shirking responsibility."

"Make amends? How can we make amends?" Zhu looked bewildered. Her mother was already dead, and there was no way she could come back to life!
Cen Mingzhu coaxed, "I need your help with something. If you help me, I'll help you. Even if the Zhu family really can't forgive you, and the Bai family has no place for you, I can still be your support, right?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu's eyes lit up instantly, but she gradually calmed down. "Sister-in-law, just tell me what you need me to do, and I will definitely do it well for you."

This was exactly the effect Cen Mingzhu wanted. She immediately asked slowly, "You know your elder brother is keeping a mistress, right? How much do you know about this? I want you to tell me everything you know, without missing a single word."

Zhu was shocked. She wanted to refuse, but then she thought of her situation and had no choice but to grit her teeth and tell everything she knew. "The servants who served Ke were a family. My husband couldn't stand his page, so my brother took the page's family away. It was because of that page that my husband found out that my brother was keeping a mistress and that she had a child."

Later, Cui led people to that courtyard to arrest the person, but unfortunately the person had already escaped, and she came up empty-handed. After my eldest brother went to the battlefield, my mother did some things secretly. I don't know exactly what she did, but it should be related to that mistress.

Now that my mother is dead, those things are all secrets, but I know the story of the servant's hometown, so I can make a trip there for my sister-in-law.

Cen Mingzhu was not entirely satisfied with the result, but Zhu's attitude was good, and since she didn't want to create any discord with Zhu Yixuan, it was perfect to have Zhu intervene, so she agreed.

Zhu dared not slack off for the sake of her future.

As soon as Cen Mingzhu left, she immediately ordered someone to prepare a carriage to head to Dongmen Village.

February was still very cold, and the roads were difficult to travel. It took her two days to finally reach Dongmen Village. After finding out where Su Chunsen's family was, she immediately asked the driver to take her there.

Seeing the large courtyards of every household in the village along the way, she instinctively felt somewhat uncomfortable. (End of Chapter)