Looking at Madam Zhu, who stood before her in a rage, Wu Caiwei couldn't help but sigh. She had long anticipated this day, but when Madam Zhu finally stood before her, it was still difficult to articulate. The thought of two living souls disappearing before her eyes, even though she wasn't the direct cause nor had she killed them, left her with a sense of guilt.
Madam Zhu stared at Yu Jie, who was eating, with a shocked expression. Yu Jie, upon seeing her, instinctively recoiled and hid behind Wu Caiwei. In the past, she had longed to get closer to her mother, to gain her approval and elevate her status in the Zhu family. But after that one trip out with her, Yu Jie couldn't help but feel a sense of fear, afraid that Madam Zhu would drag her back to those terrifying places. She hadn't forgotten the suffering she endured those days, nearly not making it back.
"She's back. Where are my two sons?" Madam Zhu pointed at Wu Caiwei with a trembling finger, her eyes red, holding back tears with a defiant gaze.
"I'm afraid you've already guessed. All I can tell you is that they are no longer in this world. I didn't kill them." Wu Caiwei knew Madam Zhu harbored resentment towards her and dared not speculate on her thoughts.
Finally, she heard the worst possible outcome. Madam Zhu involuntarily took a few steps back, her mouth agape for a moment before she finally managed to speak, "How did they die?"
Wu Caiwei did not conceal anything and recounted the situation at the time.
"You still think my sons' deaths have nothing to do with you? You are too heartless. They were my lifeblood! How can I live without them? I already expelled you from Lan City, why did you come back?" Madam Zhu glared at them with hatred. While they weren't the ones who directly acted, the root of the problem lay with them. If they hadn't offended the Magistrate's wife, how would she have targeted the Zhu family? Although their status in the city plummeted, they could have lived together peacefully. If the sons had been obedient and diligent, perhaps in a few years, they could have passed the imperial examinations and brought glory to the Zhu family.
Wu Caiwei remained silent. This was the source of her guilt, but what had happened had happened, and she was powerless to change it.
"Having lived in the Zhu family for so many years, you must know the character of the remaining children. It's only my two sons who could inherit the Zhu family. Your late husband protected you so dearly; how will you face him in the afterlife?"
Madam Zhu looked at her with questioning eyes. No wonder she disliked her from the first meeting; the root of the problem was here. If she had known this would happen, she would have driven Wu Caiwei out, even at the risk of being divorced by her husband. At least then, her sons would still be alive.
Wu Caiwei watched her vent her anger silently, unsure how to comfort her. Zhang Changhe stepped forward, quietly held her hand, and eased her fear.
When only the two of them were left in the room, Wu Caiwei couldn't help but sigh. This was the first time she felt so dejected after so many lifetimes. Zhang Changhe patted her hand and comforted her, "Two innocent children died tragically. No one wanted to see this. If the conditions had allowed, we would have saved them. But at that time, we might not have survived ourselves. Besides, when he entrusted Yu Jie to Madam Luo, didn't he know what fate awaited her?"
Having lived through so many lifetimes, Wu Caiwei had long since developed a heart of stone. She had witnessed countless innocent lives sacrificed on the battlefield. It was just two deaths, and she wasn't the one who killed them. Wu Caiwei quickly suppressed her negative emotions, and positivity prevailed. If Madam Zhu hadn't been malicious in the first place, and hadn't notified her after her son was captured, instead handing her own daughter over, she wouldn't have gone searching there, and this disaster wouldn't have occurred. It was too late now to debate right and wrong. Henceforth, she would just focus on living her own life well.
Madam Zhu, who had returned to the Zhu family and wept, had also considered these points. In fact, when the steward proposed joining forces to find the children, she immediately refused. Firstly, she didn't want to bow to Wu Caiwei, feeling that pleading with her would be a loss. Secondly, deep down, she harbored the same thought as Madam Luo, believing Wu Caiwei's existence was a disgrace to the Zhu family and her happiness was a mockery of Madam Zhu's own.
Thus, she followed Madam Luo's instructions and took Yu Jie. How could she not know what unspeakable things a girl would endure in the hands of an enemy? At that moment, she felt a sense of vengeful satisfaction. Understanding the potential dangers her own sons might face, hadn't she sent people to rescue them? She just hadn't expected Wu Caiwei to be so swift. The thought of it made her heart ache, making it difficult to breathe.
She dared not imagine her two sons struggling in the icy water, how desperate they must have been, how much they must have wished for her to save them.
The next morning, she arrived at the dungeon Wu Caiwei had mentioned. The water had receded. Her sons' bodies were bloated and unrecognizable. Upon seeing them, Madam Zhu collapsed onto the ground, unable to walk.
Fortunately, the cages were made of ordinary iron. A single blow severed the locks. Their bodies were carried back. Madam Zhu, mustering her strength, held an exceptionally grand funeral for them, spending money as if it were going out of style.
Everyone could understand. From now on, Madam Zhu had no sons, and the money kept would only be given to others. It was better to spend it on her own sons. They felt the Zhu family was truly ill-fated. Mr. Zhu had passed away at such a young age, and the two young masters of the Zhu family had died tragically.
While the remaining young masters of the Zhu family rejoiced in secret, they couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache over the money. Madam Zhu no longer cared; the Zhu family wouldn't belong to her sons anyway. But they did. With the deaths of the two eldest sons of the Zhu family, a mountain that had weighed on them was gone. The Zhu family would belong to them brothers. One of the concubines' sons couldn't stand it and mentioned it to Madam Zhu, but she gave him a fierce look. It was the first time they had seen their madam truly angry, and he immediately fell silent.
After the grand burial of the two Zhu family sons, Madam Zhu fell ill. Lying in bed, she instantly aged ten years, reflecting on her short life, which had been filled with bitterness.
Perhaps their first meeting had been a mistake. Her father had long warned her that although Mr. Zhu was a decent man, he looked down on martial artists like them. Her own straightforward personality was not suited for the Zhu family.
What had she been thinking back then? She believed she could change for him. Although he didn't have much affection for her now, she thought she could warm his heart with her actions. Looking back on that journey, she realized how naive she had been.