"Madam Shen, this matter began because of you, so you decide!" Xue Zi Ning looked towards Madam Zhou.
Madam Zhou was slightly stunned. She hadn't expected the Empress to throw the matter back at her. On one side was her mother, and on the other, her sister-in-law. How was she to decide?
"Li'er..." Madam Fan finally understood. The Empress had placed their lives and fortunes in Madam Zhou's hands.
At this moment, she regretted her past actions. If she hadn't listened to Madam Sun's words and acted against her own daughter, she wouldn't be in this predicament now. It was all Madam Sun's fault for dragging her and the Zhou family down for her own selfish gain.
"Li'er, it's all mother's fault. Mother was blinded by greed and fell for Madam Sun's scheme. You don't have to forgive me, but the Zhou family is innocent."
"Mother, if you had ever thought of your daughter even once, this situation would not have arisen today," Madam Zhou said coldly.
Madam Fan trembled. She knew that Madam Zhou's words were entirely correct. If she had considered Madam Zhou even a little, they wouldn't have reached this point.
But there was no chance for regret. She had already come this far and could only accept it.
"Li'er, all the mistakes, all the wrongdoings, are mother's. Please spare the Zhou family!"
Madam Zhou tilted her head back, forcing the tears to recede, then lowered her gaze. Her eyes were no longer tearful. "Mother, what you did was utterly absurd, harming yourself and others. Because you felt you were my mother, you acted without fear. I can forgive you and the Zhou family, but I cannot forgive Sun Wan Yue."
Madam Fan looked back at Madam Sun, who had collapsed on the ground. "Mother knows, but she is, after all, your sister-in-law. You..."
"Mother, someone must take responsibility for this matter. It's either her or you."
Madam Fan said no more. Madam Sun knew her situation was hopeless and stopped struggling, allowing herself to be dragged away.
She had entered the Zhou family years ago, only to be divorced and driven out of the capital. She had no face to return home.
In a dilapidated temple, she intended to end her own life but was saved by someone. "Let me die. I have no will to live."
"If you're not afraid of death, are you afraid of living?"
Madam Sun was startled. She looked up at the woman before her and asked, "Who are you? Why did you save me?"
"Who I am is not important. What's important is whether you are willing to die."
"What good would it do if I'm not willing?" Madam Sun looked at the woman and asked, "I have lost everything. Divorced, driven out of the capital, where else can I go? What else is there to be unwilling about?"
"Don't you think that if you held a high position, those who wronged you would be in your place instead of you?"
"What's the use? I can never become that kind of person," Madam Sun shook her head.
"What if I said I could help you?"
Madam Sun looked up at the woman and smiled. "You've gone to such lengths to help me, you must not be sincere. What exactly do you want me to do?"
"I haven't decided what yet, but I know I'll figure it out soon."
"What if I refuse?" Madam Sun asked.
The woman smiled brightly. "Whether you live or die makes no difference to me. If you die, I'll just have one less person to help. It won't affect me at all."
"You... you really want to help me?" Madam Sun stared at the woman, hardly daring to believe it.
The woman said, "Whether you believe me or not is irrelevant."
"I believe you. I'm unwilling to end my life like this while they are all still alive and well. I'm unwilling, unwilling..."
"Since you're unwilling, then get up and come with me..."
Madam Sun rose from the ground, her face contorted with rage.
"Imperial Mother, you were looking for this prince?" Xue Xing Yue walked in with her short legs.
Xue Zi Ning stood up and bent down to pick up the little one. The child was slightly taken aback; in her memory, her Imperial Mother rarely held her.
After a moment of stunned silence, joy spread across the child's face.
"Xing Yue, your maid said you've been having nightmares recently?"
Xue Xing Yue was taken aback. "Who told you, Imperial Mother? I haven't."
"I heard that when you were at the Shi residence, Madam Shi slept with you every night?"
Xue Xing Yue's body stiffened, and she remained silent. Xue Zi Ning sighed. "Xing Yue, is there something you cannot tell Imperial Mother?"
Xue Xing Yue shook her head. "Imperial Mother, this prince did not intend to hide anything from you. However, this prince also knows that you are constantly busy with state affairs, and this prince does not wish to distract you for my sake."
"Silly child, why would you think that?" Xue Zi Ning was surprised at how much the little one's mind contained. Didn't she ever feel tired?
"Although this prince is young, this prince understands some things. So, Imperial Mother, please don't worry about this prince. Although this prince is young, this prince is definitely not unreasonable."
"You child..." Xue Zi Ning shook her head.
"Imperial Mother didn't call Xing Yue here just to talk about this, did you?" Xue Xing Yue felt that her Imperial Mother wouldn't do something so idle.
"Xing Yue, who was it that abducted you? Was it that Miss Yu?"
Xue Xing Yue nodded. "It was her. But later she sold me to human traffickers, and I ended up at the Shi residence."
"I heard that Madam Shi has not been eating or sleeping well recently. Why don't you go and see her!"
Xue Xing Yue looked at Xue Zi Ning and pouted. "This prince knew Imperial Mother wouldn't have called this prince over for a simple inquiry."
Xue Zi Ning smiled. "Children shouldn't be so clever."
Shi Residence
"Madam, please eat something. Otherwise, Master will be angry."
"I'm not hungry," Madam Xiao Min shook her head. The child had been gone for days, and she hadn't eaten or slept. Shi Lang had also advised her to let go.
But only she knew that letting go was not a simple matter. She couldn't let go.
Just thinking of the child who had once been in her arms made her unable to stop crying.
Even though she knew it was impossible, she still fantasized about the day the child would visit her from the palace and call her 'Mother.'
"Madam..."
"Put it down. All of you, leave." Madam Xiao Min said.
The servants had no choice but to place the dishes on the table and retreat. Madam Xiao Min looked at the clothes the child used to wear and held them close, as if she could feel the child's presence.
A voice suddenly came from behind her. Madam Xiao Min thought it was a servant from the residence and said coldly, "Didn't I tell you to leave after putting the things down?"
She never expected the person not to obey her command, but instead to eat heartily.
Madam Xiao Min turned around and said angrily, "No, you..."
When she saw the little one sitting on the chair, Madam Xiao Min could hardly believe her eyes. She rubbed her eyes several times before she could accept the reality.
"Little one..." Madam Xiao Min reacted quickly and knelt down to kowtow. "This subject pays respects to Your Highness the Princess..."