Glory

Cai Shi was about to remarry, but her future husband's family was definitely inferior to the Ye family, and she would only become a stepmother. It was foreseeable that her life would be difficult. Rather than serving a large family and enduring the grievances from her in-laws and stepchildren, it was better to stay with the Ye family.

However, while staying with the Ye family would bring comfort and wealth, she couldn't bear the loneliness. In the end, she sacrificed her daughter for a life of ease and a man.

Cai Shi had managed to carry on an affair for over a decade without being exposed, even going so far as to live in seclusion for it. She was a woman of strong will.

She cried out, "How could I have known she would turn out like this? Which young lady from a respectable family doesn't stay within the inner quarters? But what’s the use of dwelling on this now? Doing as I say is the best solution. I’ve done wrong—I’ll pay with my life, isn’t that enough? What more do you want?"

With that, she began to sob.

Tao Shi and Yin Shi both looked toward Old Mrs. Ye.

Old Mrs. Ye said, "Let’s wait until the interrogation over there is finished."

She then rose and left the room.

Returning to the main hall and taking a seat, Old Mrs. Ye recounted the situation to Ye Chongming, then frowned and said, "Who knows which of her words are true and which are false? She keeps changing her story."

Ye Chongming looked at Ye Yaming. "Ming'er, what do you think?"

Ye Yaming asked, "Was Cai Shi always unsociable in the past? What was her temperament like when she first married into the Ye family?"

Tao Shi and Yin Shi exchanged glances.

Tao Shi said, "She truly wasn’t one to engage much with others. She didn’t like going around chatting idly with people. But when she did meet someone, her manners were still proper."

Yin Shi added, "Her temperament was a bit peculiar."

"According to her, that man entered the household when Fifth Sister was three years old. That was nine years ago. Did Cai Shi undergo any sudden changes nine years ago?"

At this question, both Old Mrs. Ye and Tao Shi were startled.

"She moved to that courtyard exactly nine years ago," Old Mrs. Ye said. "I advised her against it at the time, saying the place was too remote, but she insisted on moving."

Tao Shi nodded in agreement.

Ye Yaming said, "The truth of this matter lies with the servants in her courtyard. If Mama Lu is skilled at interrogation, it shouldn’t be hard to uncover any discrepancies."

It seemed that Cai Shi’s later statements were indeed true.

Initially, she claimed Ye Yayu was not of Ye blood, probably thinking that the Ye family, being benevolent, wouldn’t demand her life for such a matter and would allow her to leave the household through divorce.

But she couldn’t bear to part with Ye Yayu, or perhaps she knew that with Ye Yayu’s temperament, the girl would completely fall apart if she left. If Ye Yayu weren’t of Ye blood, Old Mrs. Ye would surely let Cai Shi take her away.

However, she must have later come to her senses.

If she had been committing adultery with that man early on, wouldn’t that mean she had cuckolded Ye Hongfan while he was still alive? The Ye family might very well blame Ye Hongfan’s death on her.

Frightened, she quickly retracted her statement.

In Ye Yaming’s view, the vast majority of people in the world are ordinary. They may scheme in small ways, make mistakes, and often act without thorough consideration. But they are by no means profoundly wicked.

Cai Shi had spent her entire life within the inner quarters, with no worries about food or clothing. Apart from losing her husband early, she had never experienced any major hardships in life. To say she was exceptionally cunning might not be entirely accurate.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have trapped herself in such a desperate situation from the start. She had simply made a foolish mistake.

If she had spoken the words she later revealed from the beginning, Old Mrs. Ye probably wouldn’t have suspected her of murdering her husband but would have instead pondered how to deal with her.Ye Chongming and Old Mrs. Ye naturally had their own considerations.

But no matter how they speculated, they had to let the evidence speak.

Ye Chongming stood up and said, "Then let's go take a look as well."

So the group went to where the servants were being detained.

Mama Lu had just finished interrogating a maid. Seeing the masters arrive, she signaled to pause for now.

"How is it?" Old Mrs. Ye asked.

"Their statements are consistent and don't seem like lies. It appears what Cai Shi said about the man only entering the residence years later is true," Mama Lu replied.

These servants didn't want to risk their lives for Cai Shi. As long as they weren't being asked to testify that Cai Shi was the murderer, they answered whatever questions were put to them.

"However, over the years Cai Shi has released some servants and brought in new ones. Some people didn't even know the person was male. He only lived in Mama Zhang's courtyard and rarely came out. Those maids all said he was Mama Zhang's relative."

Mama Zhang was second only to Mama Zeng in status within Cai Shi's courtyard.

When maids reached twenty years of age, they had to be married off. Otherwise, keeping them in the residence would inevitably lead to dissatisfaction with the masters, if not worse incidents.

The Ye family originally had them matched with pages. But the maids in Cai Shi's courtyard were all brought from the Cai family, with their Indentured Servant Contracts in her possession. Cai Shi had peculiar tendencies, so when she wanted to release these maids for marriage and purchase replacements from outside, Old Mrs. Ye didn't interfere, letting her handle it as she pleased.

Ye Yaming asked, "How many servants are there in her courtyard total?"

"Eight for her, six for Fifth Miss, plus one Mama Zeng—fifteen in total."

"How many were brought in initially and never married off?"

"Three, including Mama Zeng, all older women who were already in their thirties or forties when they entered the Ye family. One manages purchases, another is a rough work maid."

Ye Yaming asked, "Manages purchases? Isn't the supply for the third branch's courtyard centrally procured?"

Mama Lu said, "It is centrally procured. But sometimes when Third Madam wants to eat something different or needs something purchased, she would send that Mama Zhang to buy it."

"Does Mama Zhang go alone?"

"No, she always takes a maid with her."

At this point, everyone began to sense something amiss.

Cai Shi had lived in the inner quarters since childhood. If she was naturally quiet and willing to confine herself for a man, it might be understandable. But for a man to stay here for ten years—anyone would find it unbearable.

Could he have frequently left the residence with Mama Zhang?

Ye Yaming said, "While you're interrogating people, also investigate the relationship between this Mama Zhang and that man."

"Alright, you continue the interrogation. We'll wait in the next room," Old Mrs. Ye said.

Ye Yaming knew that during interrogations they might ask questions unsuitable for a young lady like her to hear, and perhaps even employ private punishment. Her presence would make Mama Lu uncomfortable.

She said, "You carry on with your work. I'll go check on Fifth Sister."

Old Mrs. Ye patted her hand and said, "Go ahead."

Ye Yaming nodded and returned to the Main house, going to the room where Ye Yayu was staying.

When she arrived, she didn't enter but called Mei'er out to ask about Ye Yayu's condition.

Mei'er said, "Fifth Miss is very frightened and has been crying continuously. Her wet nurse and we servants have been trying to comfort her for a long time without success."

"Did you not avoid Fifth Miss when entering the third branch's courtyard?" Ye Yaming asked."Fifth Miss happened to be in Third Madam's courtyard at the time. Third Madam seemed to be scolding her, saying she wouldn't allow her to keep cats anymore. We couldn't avoid running into them even if we tried."

"Brother Shen!"

"Hmm!"

As Shen Changqing walked along the path, he would exchange greetings or nod when encountering acquaintances.

But regardless of who it was.

Everyone's face bore no superfluous expressions, as if they were completely indifferent to everything.

Regarding this.

Shen Changqing had grown accustomed.

Because this was the Demon Suppression Division, an institution responsible for maintaining the stability of Great Qin. Its primary duty was to slay demons, monsters, and supernatural beings, though it also handled some secondary operations.

It could be said.

Every person in the Demon Suppression Division had much blood on their hands.

When one becomes accustomed to life and death, they grow indifferent toward many things.

When Shen Changqing first arrived in this world, he found it somewhat uncomfortable, but over time he became used to it.

The Demon Suppression Division was vast.

Those who could remain in the Demon Suppression Division were either powerful experts or individuals with the potential to become experts.

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter category.

The Demon Suppression Division was divided into two main professions: Garrison Envoys and Demon Subduing Envoys.

Anyone entering the Demon Suppression Division started from the lowest rank of Demon Subduing Envoy,

then gradually advanced through promotions, with the ultimate goal of potentially becoming a Garrison Envoy.

Shen Changqing's predecessor was a probationary Demon Subduing Envoy in the Demon Suppression Division, the lowest rank among Demon Subduing Envoys.

Possessing his predecessor's memories.

He was very familiar with the Demon Suppression Division's environment.

Without taking much time, Shen Changqing stopped before a pavilion.

Unlike other solemn and murderous places in the Demon Suppression Division, this pavilion stood out like a crane among chickens, presenting an unusual tranquility within the blood-soaked Demon Suppression Division.

At this moment, the pavilion's main door was wide open, with people occasionally entering and exiting.

Shen Changqing only hesitated briefly before striding inside.

Upon entering the pavilion.

The environment suddenly transformed.

The scent of ink mixed with faint traces of blood assailed his senses, causing him to instinctively frown before quickly relaxing.

The bloodstained aura that clung to every person in the Demon Suppression Division was nearly impossible to wash away completely.