I'm so angry that I can't even scold or beat you!
"Li Yan, are you insane? No matter what, she is our biological daughter!"
Mrs. Li pounded on Li Zhoumu's chest like a madwoman. "How could you do this? How could you…!"
Li Zhoumu's face remained cold. "My wife has lost her mind in grief. She didn't tie her up and drag her back home—what are you screaming for?" He grabbed Mrs. Li's mouth with one hand and flung her behind him.
Immediately, two burly servant women stepped forward, seizing Mrs. Li by the arms.
"Li Yantong!" Mrs. Li shrieked, struggling wildly, but the women overpowered her, dragging her into the carriage.
The vehicle sped away, leaving Mrs. Li sobbing and thrashing inside.
The crowd murmured among themselves, their curiosity stoked like a wildfire.
"Oh, how pitiful… the third young lady of the provincial palace strangled herself to death."
"And yet, before they even understood why their daughter died, Mrs. Li rushed to the governor's residence to make a scene."
"Isn't Lord Li even more ridiculous? His daughter dies under suspicious circumstances, and his only concern is dragging his wife back home? Does he even care she was his own flesh and blood?"
Though the onlookers whispered, Li Yantong caught every word. Each one stung, and his expression darkened with rage.
The lifeless body of his third daughter, covered in a white cloth, lay on the ground—a cruel joke in the middle of the street.
Mrs. Li's public outburst had pushed the entire provincial mansion into the eye of the storm. How could it come to this?
Just then, Lord Li's sharp gaze caught sight of a carriage pulling up hurriedly.
Governor Yu stumbled out in such a rush that he nearly tripped, only managing to steady himself with the help of his servant.
"Lord Li." Governor Yu clasped his hands in a respectful gesture.
Li Yantong fixed him with an icy stare before sneering, his voice laced with bitter sarcasm. "Governor Yu, you have raised a truly remarkable daughter."
Governor Yu's brows furrowed in confusion as Li Zhoumu turned and stormed away.
"Alright, alright, nothing more to see! Disperse!" A runner from the governor's office stepped forward to shoo away the crowd.
Once the mansion gates were shut, Governor Yu wasted no time in summoning his servants to explain the situation.
Meanwhile, Huo stormed into Yuchunyuan, dragging Yu Linlang and her maid along, her fury palpable.
"Get on your knees!" she bellowed, slamming the table so hard it shook. "Do you even understand the disaster you've brought upon this household, Yu Linlang?"
Seeing that Yu Linlang remained standing, Huo's face contorted with rage.
"Kneel!" she roared, pointing at the floor.
"Mother, please…" Yu Pianpian quickly stepped forward, offering Huo a cup of tea in a soothing tone. "Sister Linlang didn't mean any harm. She simply doesn't understand how powerful the provincial palace is in Weizhou City. Please don't let this anger harm your health."
Huo, however, was not pacified. Her finger jabbed toward Yu Linlang as she spat, "I sent you to beg Mrs. Li for forgiveness, but what did you do? A corpse examination?! Who do you think you are? A coroner?! What kind of respectable girl meddles with dead bodies?!"
She slammed her hand against the table again. "You humiliated this family! You enraged Lord Li! Do you not care about your father's future?! His entire career—ruined because of you!"
"A corpse examination… what kind of nonsense is that for a girl? You don't mind filth, but the rest of us do! Ugh, do you reek of death? Smell yourself!"
"Mother, please calm down," Yu Pianpian cooed, patting Huo's back gently before turning to Yu Linlang. "Sister Linlang, stop making Mother so upset… please."
Huo sat down heavily, her chest heaving with rage. But when she looked up, Yu Linlang was still standing there, expressionless, as if none of this concerned her.
"You ungrateful wretch! Kneel!" Huo shrieked.
At that moment, a voice cut through the tension—sharp and mocking.
"What right do you have to make my girl kneel?" Jiujin sneered, stepping forward. "If she had a choice, she wouldn't have been born from your womb, only to be scolded and abused every day. There are people in this world who love and cherish her, yet you, who were blessed with her, treat her like garbage."
"If you don't want her, fine—let her go. There are plenty of people eager to take her into their family, lining up and begging for the chance. But you? You wait twelve years before suddenly deciding to act like a mother? You're a joke."
Jiujin's lips curled. "You think you're a mother? What kind of mother treasures a bastard born from her belly but treats her own daughter like dirt?"
"You think raising her for twelve years gives you the right to discipline her now? Too late! Go look in a bronze mirror and reflect on yourself before you spew any more nonsense!"
Yu Pianpian's eyes welled up with tears. "I-I know Sister Linlang resents me, but please, don't take your anger out on Mother. She only said those things for your own good..."
Jiujin scoffed. "Oh, shut up. Do you really think my girl owes you anything? Go take a long look at yourself before you dare act pitiful in front of us. You think playing the weak, innocent girl makes you any less disgusting?"
Huo's hands trembled in fury. "You… you insolent wretch!" she shrieked. "Are you all just going to stand there? Restrain her and slap her until she learns some respect!"
Several burly servant women rushed forward to seize Jiujin. But she was faster. With one sharp twist, she snapped one of their arms, eliciting a bloodcurdling scream.
Two more lunged at her, but Jiujin grabbed a handful of their hair, yanking them into each other with a sickening crack. Blood splattered as their foreheads collided, and they crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
The gathered maids and servants shuddered, their faces pale. Just watching the violence made them wince.
Huo stared in horror at the scene, her anger now tinged with fear. Her gaze flickered to Yu Linlang, who stood there—calm, unshaken.
There was something terrifying about her, something cold and unfathomable in her pitch-black eyes.
At that moment, Governor Yu strode in, his expression grim.
"What is going on here?" His sharp voice cut through the room as his eyes landed on the unconscious women, their foreheads slick with blood.
His head throbbed.
This mess… was far from