After the divorce, I was adorned in a phoenix robe, while my ex-husband's entire family dug up

When Wei Zhaoning was invited to the Xiao residence, the scene she saw was utterly desolate.

Everyone in the household was heartbroken, especially Xiao Mengxi. She fainted several times from crying and woke up each time. Upon seeing Wei Zhaoning, she went berserk and tried to rush towards him, yelling, "I'll kill you! You vicious woman! Give me back my brother! You wretch!"

Beside them was the Regent, who was holding Xiao Mengxi back, preventing him from doing anything extremely harmful to Wei Zhaoning.

Wei Zhaoning was somewhat curious: who told the Xiao family that she was the one who killed Xiao He?

General Xiao was old after all, and this wasn't the first time he'd encountered something like this. Unlike Xiao Mengxi, who could cry and vent his emotions as a child, he didn't do anything out of line, even though he looked sorrowful.

Since General Wei had a close relationship with him, he wouldn't do anything to his granddaughter right away.

"Miss Wei, your sister-in-law admitted it herself, saying that she personally witnessed you...you killed He'er and threw her into the well at the banquet that day. Do you have any explanation to offer?"

General Xiao recounted these words in their entirety, demonstrating the immense determination he had made; each word was like a sharp blade, piercing his heart.

Wei Zhaoning understood; it turned out that the Lu sisters were behind this.

These two really impressed me. One minute they were full of righteous indignation, full of remorse, and even apologized, and the next minute they turned around and bit me. Impressive, I admire them.

Wei Zhaoning remained calm and composed. "Grandpa Xiao, you are aware of this matter. You can't convict me based solely on one person's accusation. What motive would I have to harm Young Master Xiao?"

General Xiao's expression grew increasingly grim before he spoke, "You were the last person to see him. If you didn't, then fine, I'd like to ask, where did you go after you entered my Xiao residence with your lord? Do you have any evidence to prove it?"

Wei Zhaoning lowered her eyes, and General Xiao said again, "The coroner has come."

"Guess what the coroner found on He'er?"

Wei Zhaoning was startled, but then feigned composure and said, "Grandpa Xiao, don't you think the Crown Prince is even more suspicious? Since you're on the same side, why didn't the Crown Prince even show his face when Young Master Xiao died?"

"you!"

When Wei Zhaoning finally emerged from the front hall of the Xiao family, she seemed to have exhausted all her strength.

All the evidence points to Wei Zhaoning, but most of it is just conjecture and intuition. She is the prime suspect, so no one can touch her for the time being.

She went outside and saw Pei Yi and... Xiao Mengxi at the pavilion in the middle of the lake.

Pei Yi looked at Wei Zhaoning from afar, and felt a pang of pain in his heart.

Xiao Mengxi couldn't sit still any longer and rushed forward, yelling, "What has my brother ever done to wrong you! You wretch, I'll take your dog's life today!"

Before the tears had even dried from her eyes, she swung her whip over, almost hitting Wei Zhaoning. At the last second, Pei Yi grabbed her wrist.

"Stop fooling around!"

Xiao Mengxi sniffed, looking at Pei Yi in disbelief. "Brother Yi, you're still going to help her? Can't you see it? You're the Regent! Can't you even understand this? My brother was really killed by this poisonous woman! It was Wei Zhaoning, not someone else! You're my fiancé, and you're still protecting the murderer who killed my brother!"

Pei Yi fell silent, a long silence.

Wei Zhaoning was the same. What did she hear? Her fiancé?

fiancé?

She looked at Pei Yi, who surprisingly did not deny it. Wei Zhaoning gave a self-deprecating smile, feeling as if her heart had been pierced by something and silently shattered into pieces.

So she was the most ridiculous person after all?

She had planned to confront the Regent after this was over, but she never expected that the two of them were actually engaged!

What did he say that night? He said he wouldn't marry anyone else, that he couldn't love anyone anymore—was that a lie? Why did he say that? It made her sound like a shameless mistress who had interfered in someone else's marriage?

Is it all for a night of passion? Because he's never experienced it, he's resentful and will try to trick her into taking his body to make it all worthwhile?

She has truly misjudged him all along.

No wonder, after their night of passion, the Regent didn't contact her at all, not even once!

She felt incredibly stupid! How could she have done such a thing? She had no bottom line, no shame, no self-respect or self-love, blindly trusting someone, and ended up losing her virginity!

Nineteen years of self-discipline and adherence to propriety were undone by one night of absurdity, plunging her into an abyss from which there was no room for struggle.

How pathetic, how laughable!

Her self-righteous dedication is no different from Lu Jieshuang's self-degrading behavior. What is she trying to empathize with?

She began to tremble all over; her old problem had flared up again. She gripped her dress tightly, her fingers drained of color.

Pei Yi broke the silence, "Is it really you?"

He was very reluctant to doubt Wei Zhaoning. He had known Wei Zhaoning for a long time and trusted her. However, he was a sharp-eyed person and could see through this. Wei Zhaoning was definitely involved.

Even though he already knew the answer, he still asked.

Wei Zhaoning sneered, her gaze becoming sharp and piercing, as if she wanted to tear Pei Yi's heart out.

He actually doubted himself.

"Yes, so what? Do you have concrete evidence? Come and arrest me yourself after you have concrete evidence, Regent."

Pei Yi's heart sank. Seeing Wei Zhaoning like this, his heart ached involuntarily. He felt something was changing uncontrollably, and he had no power to stop it.

Xiao Mengxi's eyes were bloodshot with rage, and she choked out, "I'll kill you today, or I'll go to jail, I won't let you get away with this!"

Taking advantage of the Regent's inattention, she broke free, grabbed the whip, and lashed it across Wei Zhaoning's body.

The whip was delivered with full force, leaving Wei Zhaoning with torn and bleeding skin, but she only let out a muffled groan.

"Xiao Mengxi! Calm down!" Pei Yi's eyes burned with anger as he stepped forward and restrained Xiao Mengxi.

But how could he blame someone who had just lost his brother? If it were him, could he really remain calm in front of the culprit?

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Please calm down, okay? You won't feel good if you hurt her."

Wei Zhaoning smiled coldly. From her perspective, Pei Yi was holding Xiao Mengxi, and Xiao Mengxi was struggling in his arms.

"Brother Yi, let me go!"

Pei Yi: "You don't want to marry me anymore? If you hurt her and go to jail, who will I marry? Don't ruin your life for someone or something unworthy. Don't act rashly before the evidence is conclusive!"

Xiao Mengxi's struggle lessened, and she began to cry, "Brother Yi..."