Eradicate All Threats

The wet nurse jabbed her finger at Mrs. Hu, fuming. "Mrs. Hu, everyone knows you've held a grudge against Miss Lawrence ever since she sent you packing when you were sick. But that's just how things roll around here! Now you want to kill her over it? That's not just petty—it's full-on treason!"

With everyone pointing fingers, Mrs. Hu felt like she could talk herself blue in the face and still not clear her name. She started shaking all over, panicking. "I swear it wasn't me! It wasn't! You guys ganged up to frame me—you're all out to get me!"

"Guards! Drag her out and beat her to death!" Prime Minister Zhu thundered. "She dares carry a grudge against her own masters? Take her whole rotten family and finish them off—leave no one breathing! Pull 'em up by the roots!"

From ancient times to now, the Lawrence Family only ever produced one Five Element Heavenly Spirit Root cultivator, and she almost got taken out by some crusty old servant!

If Dowager Lady Evelyn Zhu hadn't had that lifesaving pill on hand, Grace would've been toast.

Edward Lawrence was shaken to his core—and absolutely furious.

Mrs. Hu went wild, lunging at Vivian Wan, grabbing her skirt and bawling, "Lady Wan, Lady Wan, please save me! You know this wasn't me—I'm innocent!"

Vivian Wan just watched from the sidelines, face blank, lips sealed.

Suddenly, she had a total lightbulb moment.

The Grace Lawrence standing here today? She's nothing like the pushover she used to be—watch out, world!

She shouldn't have brought Madam Hu back.

Bringing her back only gave others leverage against her!

"You vicious servant! After all the trust I put in you, you dare plot against Qingluan! And you still have the nerve to ask me to save you?" Wan Xuezhen said, then raised her leg and kicked Madam Hu hard in the chest.

Madam Hu was just an ordinary person—how could she withstand such a kick?

That kick instantly ruptured her heart, and she spat blood!

She pointed at Wan Xuezhen, muttering, "You... so..." and died on the spot.

The guards came up and dragged her away.

"Old Madam, Prime Minister, Madam, please punish me!" Wan Xuezhen knelt on the ground, admitting her guilt. "She had someone come in and say her family was starving, so she wanted to come back and work. I thought she had served Qingluan since childhood, so I let her return. Who could've guessed she'd harbor such intentions?"

As she spoke, she wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

Zhuo Minghan looked at her with a dark expression, saying nothing.

Lian'er remembered what Qingluan had told her about Wan Xuezhen, and her brows furrowed tightly.

The person she brought back ended up releasing a poisonous mink on Qingluan. No matter how many tears are shed, that suspicion can't be washed away.

It was the old madam who spoke up: "From now on, don't meddle in the affairs of Wangyou Pavilion. I'll take charge myself."

Wan Xuezhen gritted her teeth in hatred, lowered her head, and replied, "Yes."

"Everyone, go back! Don't crowd here," the old madam said. "It's not good for Qingluan's recovery."

Wan Xuezhen said nothing, bid farewell, and left.

Every step she took was filled with hatred.

Liuxu turned to look at her mistress's frightening expression and asked in a low voice, "Madam, what's with the poisonous mink? Was it you...?"

"No, it wasn't!"

"Then what happened? Did Madam Hu really want to kill the eldest young lady?"

"It must have been Zhuo Qingluan's doing!"

"Her?" Liuxu frowned. "But why would she risk her own life for a stunt like that? The poison from that mink isn't something just anyone can cure!"

Wan Xuezhen's eyes narrowed slightly. "She can even attract the emperor of the Upper Kingdom—what can't she do?"

Liuxu's eyes were filled with deep wariness.

"In the past, I underestimated that girl!" Wan Xuezhen said, word by word. "Looking back now, a lot of things... were probably her doing!"