Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

In the study, Fu Wenzhao held a fine wolf-hair brush between his fingers, his wrist suspended and his mind focused. The tip of the brush was fully dipped in ink of just the right shade, and he carefully outlined the strokes on the snow-white Xuan paper.

What was spread out on the table was not a landscape of mountains, rivers, bamboo and rocks, but an unfinished painting of a beautiful woman.

Full lips are tinted with vermilion, spreading out a perfect shade of red. Even though it's only half done, the breathtaking beauty is already overwhelming.

"Young Master." The voice of Fu Qi, a trusted bodyguard, rang out from outside the door.

Fu Wenzhao didn't even raise his head, only saying, "Enter."

Fu Qi pushed the door open and entered, then gently closed it behind him.

Fu Wenzhao looked up at him: "You found out? Who is it?"

Fu Qi said, "Young Master, I followed the clues to investigate those who first spread nursery rhymes and incited people in the streets and alleys. After many twists and turns, I finally found the person who was instigating them."

"It is the young mistress of the Chu family."

"Xie Yihua?" Fu Wenzhao paused, his initial shock momentarily overshadowing his anger. "Are you sure?"

"After repeated verification, it was indeed done by the young mistress of the Chu family."

Xie Yihua and Chu Zhiyin simply did not have the ability to do things secretly.

Once you do it, there's a high probability it will be detected.

So they were betting on hitting the bullseye on the first try.

Fu Qi: "Including the confessions of those idle men who took money to do things, as well as the nanny who secretly contacted them and served the young mistress of the Chu family, all of them have given consistent testimonies."

"How could it be her?!" Fu Wenzhao frowned.

Logically speaking, Sese should be marrying Xie Jue soon, and she and Xie Yihua should be considered family.

Fu Wenzhao couldn't understand it.

Has Xie Yihua gone mad with greed and loss?

What benefit would she gain from doing this?

Even if she was unhappy that Sese married Xie Jue, she would never have resorted to such vicious methods.

This is no longer a simple quarrel between women; it's a matter of life and death for her!

The sinister nature of their intentions sent a chill down Fu Wenzhao's spine.

Fu Wenzhao's expression was uncertain.

Sese had finally escaped the shadow of the rumors and was starting to feel more relaxed. Moreover, she was about to marry Xie Jue.

Xie Yihua is Xie Jue's younger sister, whom he has doted on since childhood.

Once Sese finds out that the person who went to such lengths to kill her is her future sister-in-law, Xie Jue's own sister... what will she think?

How sad would she be?

The marriage hasn't even taken place yet, and such a deep rift has already been sown.

If Sese and Xie Jue start arguing because of this, then... will this marriage still be possible?

Fu Wenzhao was aware of Xie Jue's feelings for Jiang Sese. However, Xie Jue was also known for doting on his sister and protecting her.

Fu Wenzhao didn't dare to think about whether Jiang Sese or Xie Yihua, Xie Jue would favor one of them.

To be honest, he should be happy if this marriage didn't happen. But even if Sese didn't marry Xie Jue, there was no possibility between him and Sese. Because she was already his sworn sister.

...In any case, he didn't want to see Jiang Sese sad and upset.

"Young Master?" Fu Qi called out tentatively when he saw that Fu Wenzhao remained silent for a long time with an uncertain expression.

Fu Wenzhao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging anger and the urge to immediately go to the Chu family for an explanation, and said, "Put this matter aside for now, you may leave."

A hint of confusion flashed in Fu Qi's eyes, but he did not question her, simply replying, "Yes!"

"Xie Yihua..." Fu Wenzhao murmured the name, his eyes flashing with a chilling light, "You really have a lot of nerve!"

Fu Wenzhao's suppression of the matter does not mean that he will not pursue it at all.

Whoever's sister it is, that person should be responsible for disciplining her.

Fu Wenzhao originally planned to write to Xie Jue immediately, but when he thought about the situation in Jiangnan, he was worried that Xie Jue must be in a terrible state there. If he wrote to him about such a trivial matter, he was afraid that Xie Jue would take his anger out on Se Se when he returned.

Actually, it's because you care too much that you become confused.

The more you care, the more careful you become.

Fu Wenzhao ultimately decided to wait for Xie Jue to return before asking him for an explanation on Jiang Sese's behalf.

Fu Wenzhao originally thought that the matter was over, but that afternoon, one of the people who had spread the rumors suddenly died. The family said that the person was forced to death by the Duke of Dingguo's mansion in order to quell the rumors.

The crowd was immediately outraged.

The Duke of Dingguo's mansion actually drove someone to suicide?!

……

Hongdou rushed into the house and said, "Girl! Someone has died!"

Jiang Sese asked, somewhat puzzled, "What murder? What happened?"

Hongdou said urgently, "That local ruffian who talked nonsense before is dead. His family members, dressed in mourning clothes, knelt in front of our mansion, wailing and crying, saying... saying that the Duke of Dingguo's mansion forced him to his death!"

"Dead?!"

Jiang Sese had long guessed that the other party might not give up so easily. After all, the other party was after her life and was not afraid of offending the Xie family and the Fu family. Naturally, they would not let it go easily.

But I never expected the opponent's killing move to come so quickly and so ruthlessly!

But Jiang Sese wasn't very panicked.

If it's true that the Duke of Dingguo's mansion forced someone to their death, then we might need to panic.

But why panic about something you've never done before?

Jiang Sese thought for a moment, then calmly asked, "What did the deceased usually do?"

"It was a lazy bum named Wang Da who was always idle. His wife, children, and some neighbors were all kneeling at the gate of our mansion, crying and shouting. They said that because some gossip had spread a few days ago, people from our Duke's Mansion came to our door to threaten and intimidate him, driving Wang Da to his death! They kept saying that it was the Duke's Mansion that drove someone to his death! They want... they want you to pay with your life."

"There are already countless people gathered outside the mansion gates. That Wang family woman is crying her heart out, and there are people fanning the flames, saying that the Duke of Dingguo's mansion is abusing its power and driving innocent people to their deaths. They're also saying that the young lady is indeed a jinx, bringing bad luck to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion! Right now, it's practically chaos outside!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Sese stood up without hesitation: "Let's go see my godfather and brother!"