Chapter 289: Internal Struggle

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Liu Piaopiao’s eyes widened. It was unknown if she was relieved or something else, but she subconsciously asked, “Could it be you?”

Mo Yuan said, “She spoke rudely to Miss. I wanted to kill her.”

“However, when I arrived, I saw two old women coming out of her room. When I entered, she was already dead.” Mo Yuan explained.

“I followed the two old women and watched them enter Madam Liu’s courtyard.”

The first time Shen Yijia went to the Liu family, she visited Madam Liu. Mo Yuan followed her.

How could the two old women have the guts to kill someone? It could only have been done under the master’s orders.

“That’s impossible.” Liu Piaopiao denied it. “How could my mother do that? She eats vegetarian food and prays to Buddha all year round. She can’t even bear to step on an ant. How could she kill someone for no reason? Besides, my mother has no reason to kill Cai Yun.”

Shen Yijia frowned and pulled Mo Yuan behind her. She puffed up her cheeks and asked, “Then are you sure that Mo Yuan or I killed her?”

Liu Piaopiao shook her head. “I believe you when you say it wasn’t you, but Mo Yuan just said that she went to the residence herself.”

“That’s right, but she didn’t make it in time, right?” Shen Yijia felt a little guilty when she said this. She did not expect Mo Yuan to try to kill someone behind her back.

“How do you know that she’s telling the truth?” First, she had been plotted against, and now someone was telling her that her mother, who she had always thought was the kindest, had killed her personal maidservant.

Liu Piaopiao felt that her brain was not enough. Could it be that everything she had seen in the past was an illusion?

Shen Yijia said seriously, “That’s right. She admitted that she went to the Liu family to try to kill someone. If she really did it, there’s no need for her to deny it and accuse others.”

She still found it strange. She had seen Madam Liu once. She was really a gentle woman.

Perhaps it was because she burned incense and prayed to Buddha all year round, but she smelled like incense.

However, compared to Madam Liu, who she had only met once, she trusted Mo Yuan more.

With this thought in mind, she understood why her beautiful husband did not directly tell Shangguan Han about his suspicions.

That’s right. If Mo Yuan really wanted to lie, there was no need for her to admit that she’d been to the Liu family’s residence.

It was unknown if Liu Piaopiao believed her or not, but she went back in a daze.

Shen Yijia was worried about her. Although she was a little angry at being wronged, she still asked Mo Yuan to follow her from afar.

Mo Yuan only returned after seeing that Liu Piaopiao had safely entered the Liu residence.

Shen Yijia pursed her lips and said, “Mo Yuan, don’t do that again.”

Mo Yuan lowered her head in silence. She clearly did not think that there was anything wrong with her actions.

Shen Yijia puffed up her cheeks. “Even if you killed someone, you can’t admit it.”

What if Liu Piaopiao wanted to sue her?

However, if Shangguan Han wanted to establish his prestige, he definitely couldn’t openly bend the law. When the time came, it was impossible for her to ignore Mo Yuan’s life and death, so she could only break into the prison to rescue Mo Yuan.

She suddenly understood why her beautiful husband did not let her admit it when she hit someone in Xiagou Village. It was to prevent any future trouble.

Besides…

“If you think that she offended me and want to teach her a lesson, you can beat her up to vent your anger. You can’t kill her over such a small matter. We have to be reasonable,” Shen Yijia persuaded earnestly.

She felt that she had to make things clear to her. Otherwise, if anyone said anything bad about her in the future, Mo Yuan would kill them.

Although she had killed many people since she came here, that was because those people would threaten her or her family’s lives if they didn’t die. She had no choice.

Fortunately, Cai Yun did not die at the hands of Mo Yuan. Otherwise, she would not know how to explain it to Liu Piaopiao.

After all, Cai Yun did not deserve to die.

Mo Yuan pondered for a moment before nodding. It was unknown if she would not casually kill people in the future or if she would not admit it after killing someone.

Shen Yijia did not think too much about it and heaved a sigh of relief. After being interrupted, she forgot about her plans to mess with Eunuch Li.

Eunuch Li did not know that his disaster had been resolved so silently.

When she returned home, Liu Piaopiao struggled internally. She could question Shen Yijia righteously, but when it came to Madam Liu, she retreated.

She did not dare to believe that her gentle and kind mother would treat human lives like grass.

“Baby, why are you standing outside and not coming in? It’s so cold. Don’t you know how to wear more clothes?” A gentle voice pulled Liu Piaopiao back to reality.

Only then did she realize that she had unknowingly walked to the elegant residence.

“Mother, you…”

“Let’s talk inside first. Look at your cold hands,” Madam Zeng rebuked.

She stuffed a hand warmer into Liu Piaopiao’s hand and helped her adjust her cloak.

Liu Piaopiao pursed her lips and swallowed her words, letting Madam Zeng pull her into the house.

As soon as she sat down, Madam Zeng instructed an old woman, “Nanny Cai, bring up the red date and silver fungus soup I asked you to prepare.”

“Yes.” Nanny Cai smiled and left.

Nanny Cai was in her early forties. Madam Zeng had brought her over from her maternal family. Apart from Nanny Cai, there was also Nanny Liu.

Madam Zeng liked silence, so she only kept these two old women to serve her.

Although their family’s conditions were not bad, they were not extravagant. Her own courtyard only had Cai Yun as a personal maidservant and two maidservants in charge of cleaning.

As for her father, he only had a servant by his side, but he had hired many guards. However, in Xunyang City, it was normal for those with a little money to hire more guards to guard the house.

Liu Piaopiao suddenly thought of the two old women that Mo Yuan had mentioned.

“Madam knows that Miss likes this the most. She kept all the silver fungus she brought back from Liang County for Miss. She didn’t even give it to Master when he came!” Nanny Cai carried a porcelain bowl in and placed it in front of Liu Piaopiao, teasing her with a smile.

Liu Piaopiao’s family was in Liang County.

At the mention of Old Master Liu, Madam Zeng covered her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled. “Nanny, what are you talking about? This girl hasn’t been home all day recently.”

“A few times, the silver fungus soup I prepared for her was eaten by her father. Isn’t he ashamed to snatch this bit of food from his daughter?”

Although she was complaining, Madam Zeng was smiling. The couple was clearly on very good terms.

Liu Piaopiao closed her eyes. Yes, this was what a mother should be like. Gentle and kind.

His mother was definitely not the murderer who killed Cai Yun.

Noticing Liu Piaopiao’s abnormality, Madam Zeng stopped smiling and waved her hand to dismiss Nanny Cai.

Only the mother and daughter were left in the room. She held Liu Piaopiao’s hand with a pained expression. “Are you still sad about Cai Yun’s death?”

Liu Piaopiao’s eyes moved and she nodded at Madam Zeng.

Madam Zeng sighed and reached out to gently touch her cheek. “That girl is also unlucky. I originally wanted to marry her to a good family in a few years.”

“It’s not in vain that she’s served you for so many years. Why did she commit suicide?”