Xiang Mingli’s gaze, however, fell on the doorway. "I... was wrong... I was wrong... Brother..."

Xiang Minghou stood motionless. The moonlight illuminated his resolute face, which was completely drained of color.

"COUGH COUGH, Bro... ther, I’m begging you... please take care of the children... They’re still so young... I’m begging you..." Xiang Mingli reached out a trembling hand toward him.

Xiang Minghou took a deep breath. Without a word, he turned, a motion that seemed to drain all his strength. He walked out of the room step by step, never looking back, no matter how the voice behind him called out.

Once he rounded the corner of the building, he could no longer stay on his feet and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

"Dad—"

Before he lost consciousness, he vaguely saw a small figure running toward him.

The next day, it was nearly noon, and Xiang Minghou was still unconscious, having collapsed from the overwhelming shock.

Although Ye Qianning’s medical skills were excellent, she couldn’t treat the psychological root of his ailment. ’That outburst has left Dad with chronic health issues. The most significant one is that he absolutely cannot get agitated anymore.’

’The Old Madam had so much blood on her hands; her death would be no great loss. It was only after hearing her admit to pushing Dad into a well as a child that I realized she was truly insane. A demon practically lived in her heart.’

A person like her was a scourge upon the world.

"Young Miss, the authorities came and took the Old Madam away," Luo Wen reported as he entered the room.

"Did she cause a scene?"

"No, she was very quiet. I watched her get into the carriage myself, and I’ve had men follow her discreetly."

"And the second branch?"

"The Second Master is severely injured, so they won’t be able to move him until tonight. He’ll be held in the main prison for now and sent to the mines up north once his condition stabilizes."

Ye Qianning nodded slightly. "Go and dismiss all the maids and servants who ever served the Old Madam or the second branch. Expel them from the estate. This household has no place for troublemakers."

"Yes."

"Have you found anything on that matter I asked you to investigate?" Ye Qianning asked.

Luo Wen shook his head. "I’ve interrogated the matrons and maids who served the Old Madam, but there’s no information about that person."

Ye Qianning fell into thought. ’The Old Madam isn’t cunning enough to have orchestrated this so flawlessly. There must be someone else advising her from the shadows, someone with formidable methods.’

’Based on what the Old Madam said yesterday, she’s connected to the deaths of the Xiang family’s elders. The steward said the previous head of the Xiang family and his wife both died of a sudden illness.’

’A sudden illness... It was most likely poison!’

’To be so eager to murder the family elders... this person is most likely the man who fathered Xiang Mingli with the Old Madam.’

’Dead or alive, I have to find him. Otherwise, he’s bound to cause trouble again.’

*COUGH COUGH...*

Hearing the coughing, Ye Qianning rose and hurried to the bedside. "Dad, you’re awake."

"Yes... COUGH COUGH." Xiang Minghou coughed as he tried to sit up.

"Dad, you can’t move right now."

"I’m fine."

"How can you be fine? Your wounds have reopened, you’ve lost so much blood, and your breathing is unsteady. Do you think you’re made of iron?" Thinking of the chronic health problems he would now face, Ye Qianning felt a surge of helpless anger.

’He’s only thirty-one, in the prime of his life, and he was literally angered to the point of vomiting blood. Physical wounds, no matter how severe, are easy enough to treat. It’s the internal damage and the wounds to the heart that are the most difficult to heal.’

"It won’t happen again," Xiang Minghou said softly.

’It was only yesterday that he finally saw the truth. She had committed so many wicked acts in secret. His own father had died without ever knowing that Xiang Mingli wasn’t a true member of the Xiang family...’

’Father, Grandfather, Grandmother... they had all died unnaturally. He never could have imagined that the culprit had been by his side all along.’

Ye Qianning wanted to vent her frustrations, but seeing the subdued way her father spoke, she couldn’t bear to pick at his fresh wounds. She forced herself to swallow her words.

"Let me go! I want to see my uncle... Uncle..."

"Zhenzhu, your uncle is very ill. He’s not awake yet."