Chapter 007: The Eunuch Appears

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“Ugh—”

With that forceful grip from Mrs. Chen, Ji Yunhuan's throat tightened, and a painful choking sob escaped her lips.

Ji Yunhuan struggled to raise her hand, grasping Mrs. Chen’s wrist, tears streaming as she begged bitterly.

“Mother, please don’t— I am Huan’er, your daughter. Do you really intend to kill me with your own hands?”

“I never wanted to kill Sister-in-law. It was clearly you... ugh, ugh, ugh…”

Before Ji Yunhuan could finish her words, Mrs. Chen tightened her grip, causing only feeble choking sobs to come from her.

Mrs. Chen’s mind was consumed by the family’s reputation and her status as Marchioness. She would not allow any words from Ji Yunhuan that could harm the Ji family or herself.

With this thought, Mrs. Chen’s grip only grew stronger.

Until Ji Yunhuan was nearly suffocating, unable to utter any more pleas.

“Huan’er, I’m sorry. It’s your mother who’s failed you… In the next life, I want you to be my good daughter again.”

Mrs. Chen closed her eyes, unable to meet the sight of Ji Yunhuan’s suffocating, eyes rolling back.

She gritted her molars, preparing to send Ji Yunhuan on her final journey.

“Stop!”

At this critical moment, a strong, commanding voice echoed from outside the ancestral hall.

Hearing the voice, Shen Ningyuan was startled.

Ji Zehai—why had he come at this moment?

Ji Zehai was her father-in-law and the current head of the Ji family.

The crowd parted to make way as Ji Zehai swaggered into Shen Ningyuan’s view.

Entering the hall, Ji Zehai narrowed his shadowed eyes, casting a cold glance at Shen Ningyuan before signaling the house steward nearby.

The steward immediately understood, lowering her head as she approached Mrs. Chen.

In a low voice, she said, “Madam, I’m sorry.”

Then she delivered a sharp slap.

Smack—

With a crisp sound, Mrs. Chen’s body tilted, staggering to the side.

Afterward, the steward respectfully retreated behind Ji Zehai.

Witnessing this, Shen Ningyuan’s gaze narrowed as she examined Ji Zehai closely.

She had never expected her usually reclusive father-in-law to show himself so boldly.

In her previous life, Ji Zehai had not appeared until after she had died; then he feigned shock and grief over her supposed suicide, bringing a group of people in.

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Shen Ningyuan remembered that scene vividly.

Ji Zehai had wept uncontrollably, appearing more heartbroken than Mrs. Chen or Ji Yunhuan.

Many who witnessed it grew suspicious.

Rumors spread—that after Ji Yunchuan went to war, Shen Ningyuan, unwilling to remain a widow or uphold proper conduct, had seduced her father-in-law!

How hateful the Ji family was—to poison her and then let her suffer such slander!

They even dragged the Shen family into this!

But now, why was Ji Zehai appearing so prematurely?

Could it be that her survival had disrupted the Ji family’s plans, so he had come to “take control”?

As Shen Ningyuan scrutinized Ji Zehai, he was also sizing her up.

Having been married into the family for just over a year, Ji Zehai had met her only a handful of times.

He only bothered to acknowledge her briefly when money or formalities were involved.

Though their encounters were brief, in his mind, Shen Ningyuan was always a well-behaved, straightforward woman without hidden schemes.

So why would she now openly, in front of so many, threaten Mrs. Chen to the point that she nearly killed her own daughter?

Thinking this, Ji Zehai’s gaze towards Shen Ningyuan turned more serious.

Mrs. Chen took a moment to recover from the slap.

She turned to Ji Yunhuan, whom she had nearly strangled, and burst into a ragged sob.

“Huan’er!”

Mrs. Chen collapsed onto Ji Yunhuan, sobbing uncontrollably.

“It’s my fault, I couldn’t protect you!” she wailed, clutching Ji Yunhuan.

Her cries caught Ji Zehai’s attention.

He strode over, confirmed Ji Yunhuan was unharmed, then looked at Mrs. Chen trembling with tears, his eyes full of disdain.

She’d lived so many years and couldn’t even control Shen Ningyuan, allowing herself to be manipulated.

How utterly foolish!

With that in mind, Ji Zehai coldly snorted, “Even a tiger does not eat its own cubs. When faced with trouble, you fail to find a solution, yet you dare to try strangling your own daughter in front of all these people… Mrs. Chen, you truly are something else!”

Ji Zehai’s rebuke caused Mrs. Chen to choke back sobs.

“Master, I didn’t mean to. I don’t know why just now… why I—”

Her words stumbled as she tried to explain.

But Ji Zehai cut her off sharply.

“Huan’er better be fine, or I won’t spare you!”

Mrs. Chen shrank her neck, lowering her head in fear.

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She knew she shouldn’t have tried to strangle Ji Yunhuan.

But… she was only thinking of the Ji family’s reputation!

Thinking this made Mrs. Chen feel wronged.

She was clearly acting for the family’s sake—why couldn’t Ji Zehai understand?

Though hurt, she dared not argue against Ji Zehai’s scolding.

After she quieted, Ji Zehai turned to Shen Ningyuan, his expression colder than before.

“And you, as a daughter-in-law of the Ji family, when trouble arises, you do not consider your husband’s family, instead forcing your mother-in-law to nearly kill her own daughter with her own hands. Shen Ningyuan, your heart is truly wicked!”

With these words, he shifted all blame onto Shen Ningyuan.

Shen Ningyuan raised an eyebrow, scoffing.

“So you mean to say that because Ji Yunhuan poisoned me and I didn’t obediently die, it’s my fault?”

“The matter hasn’t even been properly investigated; to say she was the one who poisoned you is too rash!”

Ji Zehai stubbornly blamed Shen Ningyuan without hesitation.

Hearing this, Shen Ningyuan narrowed her eyes.

She spoke slowly and deliberately, “Everyone present saw what happened here just now. They can all testify that Ji Yunhuan poisoned me—and she herself admitted it!”

Ji Zehai looked at Ji Yunhuan, whose face was flushed deep purple, and said gravely, “She is still young and may have spoken wrongly out of panic. There’s no need to fuss. You shouldn’t hold a grudge against a child.”

“Moreover, you are her elder sister-in-law; she has no reason to harm you!” Ji Zehai emphasized once more.

His words dissipated much of the crowd’s suspicion toward Ji Yunhuan.

Indeed, an unmarried young lady had no reason to harm her elder sister-in-law.

After all, if the matter escalated, her own reputation would suffer.

“Is the meaning of the master of the house that today’s incident will simply be let go?” Shen Ningyuan’s tone turned cold.

Though the Ji family had declined, Ji Zehai still held an official position at court.

If he insisted on sparing Ji Yunhuan’s life, Shen Ningyuan would gain nothing.

Seeing Shen Ningyuan silent, Ji Zehai continued, “I know today’s matter is ugly. But you must understand, today is Yunchuan’s funeral. He treated you so well, held you in the palm of his hand. You should never, absolutely never disgrace him and the Ji family’s honor on his funeral day!”

Hearing this, Shen Ningyuan’s expression flickered.

Ji Zehai’s eloquence was worthy of his office.

In just a few words, he had pinned all the blame on her.