The legitimate daughter returns to the capital and embarks on a splendid life, tearing apart the fak

Chu Wanqing closed her eyes and thought carefully for a while before sighing, her tone full of self-mockery: "Back then, my mother was too confused. When I first married into the Yun family, I wanted to do everything according to his wishes. I was afraid that if I interfered too much, he would feel uncomfortable, so I let him make his own decisions."

The servants around him were all chosen by him himself; I didn't interfere with any of them. Later, when Madam Liu came to the mansion, the servants around her were also brought by herself, saying they were old servants she was used to, so I didn't ask any questions.

Looking back now, I realize my mother was unjustly deceived all these years, and I blame myself for being so careless as to never suspect anything.

Yun Jin held her hand and comforted her, "Mother, this is not your fault. It is Yun Heting who is heartless and treacherous. He got to where he is today because of your dowry and because of my grandfather's words in court, but he repaid kindness with enmity and plotted against you. This man came with an ulterior motive from the very beginning, and no one could have been guarded against him."

Chu Wanqing remained silent for a while before letting out a soft sigh and saying, "When I get back, I'll ask Qinghe and the others to see if anyone still remembers anything from back then. I've been living in a daze all these years; they might be more clear-headed than I am."

Yun Jin reminded her, "Mother, ask Aunts Qinghe and Bitao if there are any left of the incense Yunheting gave you back then. If there are, it can be used as evidence in the future."

Chu Wanqing nodded: "Okay."

The two returned to the Yun residence and went to Qingshui Garden. Chu Wanqing changed her clothes and then called Qinghe, Bitao, and Cuizhu over.

Chu Wanqing first asked Bitao, "Is there any of the incense that Master used for me back then left?"

Bitao was taken aback for a moment, then quickly replied, "This servant remembers there are still some, which have always been kept in the drawer under Madam's dressing table."

Chu Wanqing asked her to go find it, and she turned around and searched around. When she returned, she was holding a small box in her hands, looking somewhat uneasy. "Madam, the fragrant cakes inside are gone, only this empty box remains. I clearly remember putting them in here..."

Yun Jin took the box, opened it, and brought it to her nose to smell. She could still smell a faint fragrance, which smelled a bit like flowers.

She closed the box, looked at Bitao, and asked, "Aunt Bitao, do you remember when we started using this incense?"

Bitao thought carefully for a moment before saying, "It was about three months after the madam and master got married. One day, when the master came over, he brought a box of incense cakes, saying that they were a gift from a colleague. He said they smelled wonderful and he liked the scent, adding that they had a calming and sleep-inducing effect. From then on, whenever the master stayed overnight, he would have us light these incense cakes in the room beforehand."

"When he stayed overnight, didn't you keep watch at night?" Yun Jin asked again.

Bitao shook her head: "When Master came, he didn't allow us to stand guard. He said that with him there, Madam didn't need anyone to serve her, and that we should all go back to our rooms to rest. At first, we servants felt that this was against the rules and tried to persuade Madam, but Master insisted on doing so, and Madam spoke up for him, so we couldn't insist any further."

Yun Jin thought for a moment and then asked, "Does he always stay here all night?"

Qinghe replied, "Sometimes he would stay all night, and sometimes he would leave in the middle of the night. Before he left each time, he would tell us not to disturb Madam and to let her get some more sleep."

Yun Jin was silent for a moment. This man really knew how to take advantage of Chu Wanqing's trust.

Her gaze swept across their faces, and she asked again, "Didn't any of you ever have any doubts?"

Bitao asked with some concern, "Miss, is...is something wrong?"

Yun Jin glanced at Chu Wanqing.

Chu Wanqing shook her head slightly, and Yun Jin simply said, "It's nothing serious. It's just that this incense contains some harmful substances, and Mother's poor health over the years is mostly related to it."

Upon hearing this, Bitao knelt down with a thud, and Qinghe and Cuizhu also knelt down, their voices trembling as they said, "It was our negligence. If we had been more careful back then, Madam wouldn't have suffered so much..."

Chu Wanqing quickly waved her hand, telling them to get up: "This isn't your fault. Even I didn't expect it myself, so how could you have been prepared? Get up, all of you."

The maids then stood up.

Yun Jin then asked, "There's another matter I'd like to ask you aunts. When Madam Liu first came to the manor, were there any strange people around her or Yun Heting?"

After thinking for a long time, Qinghe shook her head.

Bitao frowned and thought for a long time before hesitatingly saying, "Back then... there seemed to be a strange nanny by Liu's side..."

Yun Jin quickly pressed, "What's strange about it?"

As Bitao recalled, she said, "That old woman was quite tall, but she was hunched over and always kept her head down. She rarely spoke, and her voice was a little hoarse. She usually stayed in Liu's courtyard and didn't come out. I thought she was a bit strange at the time."

Upon hearing this, Qinghe and Cuizhu also remembered.

Qinghe nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, yes, there is such a person. It seems to be Granny Qi's cousin, who said she came to see Granny Qi."

Yun Jin's eyes sharpened, and she quickly asked, "What accent does she have? Have you seen her before?"

The group exchanged glances and shook their heads.

Bitao said, "It's hard to tell from her voice. She doesn't leave the courtyard much, so we haven't heard her speak much."

Yun Jin then asked, "Think again, during the period before and after Yun Heting sent this incense to Mother, were there any suspicious people around him?"

This time, Qinghe said somewhat uncertainly, "This servant recalls that around that time, Master seemed to have brought someone back, saying that he was his classmate, who stayed in the guest room in the front courtyard for a few days. But he left after only a few days, and I haven't seen him since."

Yun Jin hurriedly asked, "Aunt Qinghe, did you see her leave with your own eyes?"

Qinghe shook her head: "No, I haven't seen that person at the mansion since. The gatekeeper said that he left the mansion with the master and never came back."

Yun Jin nodded, glanced at Chu Wanqing, and seeing her pale face and suppressed anger, she quickly said to the others, "Thank you all for your hard work today, aunts. Let's not mention these things again after we leave this room. Please go and get back to your work."

The group acknowledged and bowed before leaving.

Only the mother and daughter remained in the room. Yun Jin quickly went to Chu Wanqing's side, gently hugged her, and called out "Mother".

Chu Wanqing trembled all over, and after a long while, she managed to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth: "As expected, as expected, even you aren't..."

Yun Jin hugged her tightly and said firmly, "Mother, I will pretend that I don't have a father. With you and Lang Ge'er, that's enough. I don't want to know who that person is, nor do I need to know."

Chu Wanqing looked up at her, about to say something, when she suddenly heard Yunxiu's voice from outside the courtyard: "Is Mother inside? Xiu'er has come to pay her respects to Mother."