The door suddenly burst open with a loud bang, and a gust of cold wind swept in. The fine horn pace nterns in the room swayed, casting shifting shadows, while the beautiful figures painted on them gently flickered with the breeze.

  Qiuju rushed in, and upon seeing Lady Fan and Nanny Zhang kneeling on the floor, she paused for a moment in shock. Then, quickly recovering, she closed the door behind her, moved forward a few steps, and knelt down before Lady Fan. She choked back sobs for a moment before finally daring to speak.

  "Da Chuan just sent word... saying that... the heir went to the Tongzhou pier, but the Jinyiwei were already waiting there... They shot the boat full of holes, turned it into a sieve, and then... set it abze..."

  Tears still glistened on Lady Fan's face as she tightly closed her eyes, her cold fingers pressing into her skin. Breathing felt almost unbearable.

  Nanny Zhang's eyes widened, and a foreboding dread took over her as she remembered the years that had passed, yet this camity could not be avoided. Her right eyebrow twitched, filling her with unease.

  Lady Fan knew well enough what Qian Ying was capable of. Why had he gone to the residence of Assistant Minister Wang in Tongzhou? The Wang family was deeply rooted in Tongzhou, well connected with the locals—he was the perfect person to seek out for help in finding someone. Clearly, her elder sister couldn't even remain a passive observer, terrified that if Han Zhi were captured, he might reveal something incriminating about her, so she rushed to silence him.

  Lady Fan's heart pounded faster and faster, her chest feeling as though it would burst open. At st, she let out a hollow ugh, covering her face as she wept and ughed, almost on the brink of madness. Qiuju held her shoulders, repeatedly calling her "Miss."

  The scent of sandalwood filled the room as Nanny Zhang walked forward with unsteady steps to support Lady Fan, her voice distorted by her grief. "The eldest miss... she... she's heartless... completely heartless..."

  They were blood-reted sisters. Even if they weren't born from the same mother, they had shared a bond for over a decade. Even if one raised a cat or dog for that long, one would feel something. But her elder sister's heart was as cold as stone.

  All because Lady Fan's mother was a concubine, and because Lady Fan herself didn't realize she was a mere concubine's daughter, her elder sister had harbored such hatred, determined to ruin her life entirely. It wasn't enough to destroy Lady Fan—she had to destroy her children, too.

  What kind of person does that? She had single-handedly destroyed the very girl she had raised! Nanny Zhang's trembling hand patted Lady Fan's back. "I'll give it to you... I'll give you the hairpin..."

  Lady Fan looked like a dying fish, her mouth opening and closing, gasping for air. After a moment, she finally responded, gripping Nanny Zhang's hand tightly. "Nanny, I have wronged you in this life. In the next, I will repay you, no matter the form."

  Nanny Zhang gave a bitter smile, brushing off any talk of being wronged. If Lady Fan hadn't let her go back then, she would have been dead long ago, killed by either Han Zhengqing or her elder sister. All these years were borrowed time, and she had already gained so much, watching her children find their paths.

  Nanny Zhang grasped Lady Fan's hand tightly. "But you must not act recklessly... Even with this hairpin... it may not be enough to bring down your sister..."

  Lady Fan nodded vigorously. She wouldn't act rashly. After all these years, there was nothing she couldn't endure anymore. Han Zhi was dead, and she would join him soon enough... Once Yueheng was safely sent away, she would have no more reservations. When the time came, she would make sure the Crown Prince learned of her elder sister and Han Zhengqing's sordid affair, so he could see what kind of woman he had cherished.

  (Transtor Xiaobai: Is Zhou Weiqi even the Crown Prince's son??? or...)

  With all her strength, she clung to Nanny Zhang's hand and struggled to stand, her face as pale as a ghost from the underworld. She turned to Qiuju and ordered, "Bring me paper and brush. Bring them now."

  Her life held no value. She had been nothing but a shield for Han Zhengqing, to be trampled upon. But Han Zhi and Han Yueheng were his own flesh and blood. She would ask him, how did things reach this point, and why had his children ended up like this?

  For days, Nanny Qi hadn't returned to the Marquis of Jinxiang's residence. She was a seasoned pyer, and recently, the way Han Zhi looked at her had filled her with a sense of dread. She knew the heir was far more alert and valuable than the madam, and he had likely discovered her true identity, so she had feigned illness and stayed away for several days.

  But she hadn't expected that as soon as she returned, she would hear that the dy was too occupied to meet her, as she was receiving a visitor from Xingyang—a woman who had been brought up from her hometown under the escort of an escort agency. The steward informed her that the dy hadn't even taken a meal yet.

  At this hour... Nanny Qi looked at the sky, thought for a moment, then went back to her room to gather a few things. She slipped a few pieces of silver to Granny Li by the west gate, asking her to make a trip to Jiujing Alley.

  Regardless of the circumstances, any visitor from Xingyang should be reported to Consort Fan.

  Consort Fan was watching the servant girl Lian Qiao carve a little cat from a plum, a faint smile appearing on her usually stern face. "Your skills are growing ever finer. Soon, you may even surpass the chefs of the Imperial Kitchen."

  Lian Qiao pced the carved cat onto a white porcein dish, shaking her head humbly, "Your Ladyship overpraises me..."

  Before she could finish, Nanny Fang called to her from outside the curtain, addressing her as "Your Ladyship." Hearing Consort Fan's reply, she quickly lifted the curtain and entered, walking around the dispy shelves of treasures before bowing to Consort Fan. "There is word from the prince. The matter has been settled. The heir put up a resistance and was shot by the Jinyiwei on the spot... The boat was burned as well."

  The Wang family in Tongzhou had deep, established roots there, connected with all the influential locals. When Consort Fan had sent them to handle this matter, she hadn't expected any failures. Upon hearing the news, she leisurely picked up a plum carved into the shape of a peony and examined it before tossing it back onto the dish. She turned to Nanny Fang and asked, "Has the Marquis of Jinxiang's household received the news?"

  Nanny Fang, her head bowed, nodded. "They had people accompanying the Jinyiwei in the search. Since the Jinyiwei have killed the heir, they must certainly be aware by now."

  Nanny Fang felt uneasy. Anyone would be driven mad by such news, and Lady Fan would undoubtedly be heartbroken by the loss of her son.

  But Consort Fan seemed completely unfazed. Lady Fan had no one on her side; she was like a caged bird, entirely at her mercy. A smile tugged at her lips, and she seemed delighted. "Go check with Nanny Qi and see if there's any reaction from that side."