Madam Huang realized she had been betrayed, her gaze towards Yu'er filled with anger and terror.
Yu'er, still shaken by the wicked woman, quickly retreated to Zuo Yun's side.
The Old Duke Zhongyong and Fang Xiuqi remained bewildered, asking again, "What exactly happened? That fetus just now..."
Fang Zheng then slowly revealed Madam Huang's scheme.
His voice was low and clear, suppressing his anger, his gaze at Madam Huang as cold as winter snow.
Madam Huang met his eyes, the muscles around her eye twitching.
The Old Duke Zhongyong and Fang Xiuqi were even more stunned, their eyes and mouths wide open, their expressions more shocked than shocked.
They understood a little, yet not entirely, and turned to Madam Huang in unison.
Madam Huang's expression shifted instantly.
She too appeared shocked, heartbroken, and confused, as if she were hearing about it for the first time herself.
"A'zheng," she said to Fang Zheng, her voice full of anguish, "Are you possessed? How can you say such things? I have always treated you as my own son."
In that moment, the Old Duke Zhongyong and Fang Xiuqi thought the same. Perhaps everyone in the Duke's mansion who was unaware of the truth thought the same.
Madam Huang had been married for over a decade, and had always treated Fang Yuan and Fang Zheng as her own flesh and blood.
Fang Zheng sneered, "You don't need to act anymore. I have seen through you long ago. Yu'er, you tell me, where did that stillborn fetus come from?"
Yu'er quickly stepped forward and said, "It was given to me by Granny Li, who serves the Duchess. The Duchess captured my brother and threatened to kill him if I didn't do as she said. Though I was eager to protect my brother, I could not betray the Heir's wife and do such a heinous deed. I have reported everything to the Heir."
Only Madam Huang felt that everything was still within her control. Yu'er had betrayed her, and she inwardly vowed to send someone to kill Yu'er's brother later, and to torment her parents severely.
Little did she know that Fang Zheng had already sent people to monitor Yu'er's brother and her other family members, and had remained inactive only to avoid alerting her.
Madam Huang's eyes welled up with tears as she adamantly denied it, "A'zheng, why are you framing me like this? If you don't want to acknowledge me as your mother, just say it directly, and I promise I will never appear before you again."
Fang Zheng sneered, "Guards, bring Granny Li here."
Granny Li was Madam Huang's wet nurse, and like Granny Yu who had bled on the street, she was one of her confidantes.
Madam Huang's face changed color. It was then she realized she hadn't seen Granny Li since Zuo Yun had "stomach pains," and she couldn't help but clench her fists.
Granny Li was brought in, her face ashen.
Madam Huang looked at Granny Li nervously, "Granny, did they torture you?"
Her implication was that whatever Granny Li said next might be a coerced confession and therefore unreliable.
Granny Li lowered her head, not daring to meet Madam Huang's eyes. She knelt before the Old Duke Zhongyong and Fang Xiuqi and confessed everything.
This included where and from whom the stillborn fetus was purchased, how much money was paid, how she secretly brought it into the mansion, and how she gave it to Yu'er.
It also included everything Granny Yu had done to Zuo Yun back then.
The Old Duke Zhongyong and Fang Xiuqi were already shocked, but upon hearing about Granny Yu, they felt as if struck by lightning, their eyeballs nearly popping out.
Madam Huang's face turned ashen, and she murmured, "Granny Yu is already dead, and you still want to smear her name?"
Fang Zheng said, "If you deny it, you can summon Imperial Physician Lu for a confrontation. When Imperial Physician Lu examined Yun'er, he stated that she showed signs of multiple miscarriages."
He sneered repeatedly, "Didn't you say Granny Yu was skilled in nurturing women's bodies and had excellent medical skills? She examined Yun'er's pulse daily, yet never detected her pregnancy? And you had to rely on the Princess of Ding'an and Imperial Physician Lu?"
Madam Huang's lips trembled, unable to speak.
Fang Zheng was prepared today to condemn her, having investigated everything thoroughly. The evidence was conclusive, and he was ready to confront Madam Huang at any moment.
Seeing Madam Huang's state, how could the Old Duke Zhongyong and Fang Xiuqi not understand?
Fang Xiuqi was deeply hurt, looking at Madam Huang with immense grief, "You... why would you do this?"
Fang Xiuqi couldn't comprehend why Madam Huang, since marrying into the Duke Zhongyong's mansion, had not only been harmonious and loving with him, but had treated the children from his first wife as her own, managed the household impeccably, and earned the praise of everyone in the mansion. Why would she do such a thing?
Madam Huang, seeing that the evidence was irrefutable and she could no longer deny it, wiped away her tears and laughed heartily.
"Why did I do this? Why did I do this?" she seemed to ask others, and yet also herself.
Zuo Yun paused here, creating suspense.
She asked Wang Qingyao, "Guess why she did it?"
Wang Qingyao's thoughts were always unconventional, "Could it be that she fell in love with Fang Zheng, and thus was jealous and resentful of you, not wanting you to have children? Love turned to hate?"
Zuo Yun was stunned, her face blushing, "Your guess is too outlandish. Didn't you forget? She tried to harm Fang Yuan before. Does that mean she also fell in love with Fang Yuan?"
Wang Qingyao thought carefully again but still couldn't figure it out.