Chapter 369

The infant who died prematurely at twelve years old was unrecognizable to her own kin. Not even her mother could recognize her.

If evidence really had to be provided, they could only... dig up the grave and touch the bones.

It was still possible to discern the differences in the bones between a full-term infant and a seven-month fetus.

However, whether in the previous dynasty or the current one, digging up graves was quite taboo, even more so for the grave of a young child that could not be entered.

Old Lady Jiang had also gone through repeated psychological struggles before gritting her teeth and instructing, "Go call on the Yao family. Have Yao Siqing and her father come to know where exactly that child was buried."

"Old Madam..." Tan Yue said anxiously, "This is offending the Yao family!"

"Go!" Old Lady Jiang said sharply. "Even if it offends the Yao family, I have to make Mrs. Liao know her mistake and realize how preposterous her error is!"

Tan Yue had no choice but to hurry away.

With guards escorting her, she rode a horse at the fastest speed back to Fengjing.

No one knew how much was said and how many lips were worn out, exhausting the goodwill between the two families. After half a quarter hour, there was finally movement outside the temple.

Mrs. Liao, slumped on the ground, also looked up, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.

Before long, the entrance to the meditation room was opened. The dust-covered Yao Family Patriarch appeared with Yao Siqing, carrying a black box in his arms, looking exhausted and distressed.

Old Lady Jiang leaned on her cane to stand up. Before she could say anything--

Mrs. Liao suddenly rushed towards the box. "I knew it, I knew you would dig up my child. My son is in here, isn't he? My son..."

The guards reacted swiftly to block her firmly.

"Don't stop me. I want my child. I want to see her. It's been twelve years..." Mrs. Liao wept. "I miss her, my child."

Old Lady Jiang realized why Mrs. Liao refused to take out evidence but instead demanded that the Jiang family produce evidence. She was certain that Jiang Sheng was the Yao family's child and was also certain that the corpse buried in the Yao residence was the baby she had carried for seven months.

What kind of misunderstanding made Mrs. Liao so firmly convinced?

And who had misled her to this point?

Old Lady Jiang's eyes turned fierce. "Open the box."

"Aunt..." The pained Yao Family Patriarch said, "Must we really open it? Little Rou has been resting for twelve years already."

"Open it," Jiang Jizu said firmly. "Cousin, what I owe you, I will repay, but today, we must give my niece justice."

Yao Siqing also shook her father's arm.

With tears in his eyes, the Yao Family Patriarch finally opened the box, revealing the tiny corpse the length of a child's arm.

Mrs. Liao's cries beside them grew even more hysterical, grief-stricken.

Tan Yue remembered a key point. "Old Madam, we haven't called for a doctor yet."

Even if they could discern whether an infant was full term by touching the bones, it would have to be a highly experienced elderly doctor. Ordinary people would not be able to tell.

Old Lady Jiang did not reply. Her gaze swept around and landed on the four stunned brothers.

Chang Yan reacted the fastest, slapping Fourth Brother.

Wen Zhiyun seemed to wake from a dream. "I, I know some medicine, but I'm not very familiar with touching bones. Should we please invite an experienced doctor instead?"

"Good child, there is no need to invite other doctors." Old Lady Jiang said gently. "Do you have silver needles with you?"

The silent, melancholic Yao Family Patriarch shuddered.

"Silver needles? Of course I have them with me." Wen Zhiyun took out a small cloth bag from his sleeve pocket with three whole silver needles stuck in it. "Old Madam, what do you need the silver needles for?"

Old Lady Jiang sighed deeply.

She did not answer Wen Zhiyun, but brought up another tragic case instead.

Twelve years ago, Yao Siqing's father was considered one of the few playboys in Fengjing, although he had a wife and daughter. He still fooled around and had taken in two concubines named Chunhua and Qiuyue.

Chunhua was gentle and did not like to fight. Qiuyue was fiery and good at arguing. Relying on favoritism, she often clashed with the Yao Family Patriarch's wife and even almost injured her at her worst.

At that time, Old Lady Jiang had summoned the Yao Family Patriarch over for a severe scolding, demanding that he restrain Qiuyue properly and not let the disgraceful matter of a favored concubine destroying the wife happen. Although a playboy, the Yao Family Patriarch respected his aunt. He immediately berated Qiuyue and restricted her for two months.

They thought harmony would be restored between wife and concubines, but Qiuyue's intentions were malicious. She actually poisoned the Yao Family Patriarch's wife, causing the previously healthy woman to be bedridden.

Later, Qiuyue was disposed of. Filled with guilt, the Yao Family Patriarch cared for his wife and their days were happy again.

The change happened when the Yao Family Patriarch's wife conceived again and was about to give birth. Someone poisoned her again, causing the originally full-term child to be stillborn.

Only then did the Yao family realize the true culprit was Chunhua. Qiuyue had died wrongfully. The Yao family's eldest daughter had died wrongfully. Although the Yao Family Patriarch's wife was rescued, she did not last much longer before passing away.

After dealing with Chunhua, the Yao Family Patriarch also changed his ways and never fooled around again.

But the dead could not be revived, and the happy household could never be the same again.

Even today, whenever the Yao Family Patriarch recalled the past, tears would fill his eyes, filled with guilt, regretting not acting sooner.

Such was life. A wrong step, a moment of carelessness, and disaster struck, irrevocable.

No matter how hard one lamented, it changed nothing.

"To preserve the Yao family reputation and for my unworthy nephew, the Yao family covered up this story. They only announced externally that the full-term child died prematurely." Old Lady Jiang took a deep breath. "But every member of the Yao family knows the child died from poisoning."

After twelve years, the poison in the corpse of a poisoned infant could still be detected. Wen Zhiyun's eyes lit up. He immediately pulled out a silver needle and carefully probed. Upon contact, it immediately blackened.

Apart from the Yao father and daughter, everyone else's expressions changed.

"Impossible." Mrs. Liao cried out hysterically. "You're lying to me. You poisoned my child. It can only be you who poisoned her!"

Stubborn to the deathbed.

Seeing the coffin before shedding tears.

Even the timid Wen Zhiyun could not help but speak. "The toxicity exhibited on an infant poisoned to death in the womb and one poisoned after birth are different."

He picked up the dark silver needle. "The discoloration upon contact, as deep as ink, shows the toxicity has penetrated to the bone marrow while still in the womb."

Moreover, there were many ways to kill an infant - strangulation, drowning, throwing. Poison was less convenient than those methods.

Mrs. Liao did not dare contemplate further, shaking her head vigorously with tears flung onto the floor, congealing into little mud pellets. "Impossible. My mother would not lie to me. She said my child had two moles on her feet. Jiang Sheng's body is smooth and flawless. She cannot be my child. Impossible."

This mother she spoke of was obviously not Old Lady Jiang.

Unexpectedly, after all the twists and turns, everything led back to the Liao family.

Jiang Jizu clenched his fists and turned to the guards. "Take all the Liao family members in the meditation room and tie them up. Not a single one, whether family head or servant, should be spared."