This was one of the reasons Old Lady Xiang found wealthy families so incomprehensible—country folk would never go to such lengths to keep these "useless burdens." If they bore daughters, it wasn't unusual for them to drown, abandon, or dispose of them.

  Yet these wealthy families seemed to have an unusual attachment to these "useless daughters," even treating them more preciously than sons. Back then, seeing Song Linng's endless dowry flow into their household had made her green with envy.

  Now that Song Linng was dead, surely the Song family wouldn't bear to watch Xiang Mingzi suffer hardship?

  She chuckled, her gaze calcuting as she looked at her son. "If she's dead set on divorce, then you stay firm on keeping Xiang Mingzi. After all, she bears the Xiang name, and she's your daughter. Even if they take it to court, there's no reason to award custody to an outsider..."

  As for whether the divorce went through or not, she didn't care at all—she had never wanted a daughter-in-w like Song Linng in the first pce.

  Xiang Yunzhi, a bit confused, sat down on the stool and took a sip of the porridge his mother had served. The warmth filled his empty stomach, and his mind began to clear a bit. "But what if they keep demanding the attendants? If Nanny Zheng and Nanny Wang reveal the arsenic incident, even with a hundred mouths, I couldn't talk my way out of it!"

  "You really are a fool!" Old Lady Xiang jabbed him again, gritting her teeth. "Of course, we can't comply with their demands! If you hand over those people, you'll never be able to expin the arsenic incident. But if you refuse, they'll only accuse you of embezzling her dowry—then just say those attendants, fearing punishment for their poor service, ran off. Without any proof, what can they do?"

  Xiang Yunzhi couldn't help but feel a bit impressed with his mother. Years of dealing with trouble in the countryside had honed her wit, making her sharper in a pinch than he was, even as a high-ranking official.

  He quickly agreed, jumping to his feet. "There's no time to waste; I'll arrange to send off her close attendants right away."

  Old Lady Xiang nodded and then asked, "And what about the physician? What are you going to do about him?"

  They couldn't just send the physician away—wouldn't that cause a stir at Hechun Hall?

  Xiang Yunzhi thought for a moment, frowning. "Then let's find a reason to detain him for a few days. Once the Song family has left, we can deal with it."

  Old Lady Xiang found the idea feasible and, seeing her son about to rush out the door, said, "Now that there's no evidence in their hands, stand tall and firm. What are you afraid of? You're a prefect; let them make a scene if they want."

  Xiang Yunzhi responded affirmatively, grabbed his coat, and headed out.

  Old Lady Xiang turned to the maidservant attending her and asked, "Where is that little jinx?"

  Although she believed she was tough enough not to be affected, having the girl in her quarters made her uncomfortable. In the end, she'd changed her mind and instructed the maid to take the girl to sleep in the side courtyard.

  The maid curtsied, gncing nervously at her. "She's still in the side courtyard. Should I bring her back?"

  Old Lady Xiang shook her head with disgust. — Bring her back for what? Once the Song family left, she pnned to take the girl straight to the shaman and have her burned. The girl brought enough bad luck already.

  Song Chuyi hadn't gone to rest. She put herself in Xiang Yunzhi's shoes, wondering what she would do in his position. If there was truly something suspicious about Song Linng's death, then perhaps there was another reason he was holding back those close to her. What would he do if he feared they might reveal something?

  Silencing witnesses? With the Song family present, any such action would likely be discovered quickly. Killing without a legitimate reason, even for a prefect, would be a responsibility too heavy to bear.

  That left only one option—to send them away. Selling them to a trafficker would probably be the most discreet method Xiang Yunzhi could think of. He would undoubtedly be cautious, not daring to send them to any estate under his or Song Linng's name to avoid suspicion.

  Qingtao draped a golden fox-fur cloak over her shoulders and, noticing her frown, asked, "Is Miss worried about Aunt's situation?"

  These days, Song Chuyi had grown more withdrawn, so Qingtao and Ziyun often encouraged her to speak more. While a reserved demeanor suited a young dy, being too quiet could dull her youthful vitality.

  Song Chuyi nodded, pcing her hands on the table to stand up. "Let's go see Grandmother."

  The dead could not come back to life, this Song Chuyi knew well. But even so, the dead deserved justice. How could a heartless man like Xiang Yunzhi, who couldn't even keep his promises, live so comfortably?

  She was determined to seek justice for Song Linng.

  Old Lady Song hadn't rested either; she hadn't dared to close her eyes, her heart aching as she had anticipated seeing her long-lost daughter, only to see her for the st time, enduring the tragedy of a mother burying her child. Her heart was filled with sorrow and anger.

  Seeing Song Chuyi enter, she forced a smile and motioned for her to sit beside her, gently running her fingers through her hair. "I sent your Third Uncle to investigate which physician attended to your aunt's illness. We should know soon. But not seeing your cousin yet... it leaves me uneasy."

  Although they had reason on their side, Xiang Mingzi still bore the Xiang name. If the Xiang family truly hardened their stance and resolved to make an enemy of the Songs, the Song family wouldn't be able to take Xiang Mingzi away.

  Song Chuyi rested her head on Old Lady Song's knee, listening quietly before sitting up to look at her. "Grandmother, it's not just the physician I'm concerned about. I suspect Lord Xiang might not want us to meet any of Aunt's attendants either. If there's really something suspicious..."

  Old Lady Song paused, catching the underlying meaning in her words.

  "Third Uncle has spent time here before; perhaps he knows someone who could gather some information?" Song Chuyi pondered. "If Aunt's death truly has suspicious circumstances, the Xiang family would likely sell off those close attendants far away. By then, we'd have no evidence. Even if we're certain her death wasn't straightforward, we'd have no recourse."

  Old Lady Song instantly understood the hidden implications of inner-court intrigues with just that small hint from Song Chuyi.

  With a cold chuckle, she turned and instructed Nanny Huang and Nanny Qin, "The two of you, go out quietly and find out which brokers are taking in and selling people. Be sure to ask around the smaller, independent brokers, especially."

  No one knew the ways of the market better than Nanny Huang and Nanny Qin. After hearing Old Lady Song's orders, they quickly agreed, then went to change into simple clothes to blend in as ordinary women and began their inquiry.

  As Old Lady Song's anger grew, the veins on the back of her hands stood out prominently.