After the person was dragged away, an eerie silence fell over the entire Longevity Hall.
Grace glanced around—everyone looked a little rattled.
So, being the kind soul she was, Grace helpfully summed it up: "Looks like Cecilia Chen is totally crazy! Maybe there really is someone named Lily Bai in General's Manor, but for some reason she imagined it was me."
Minister Zhuo’s face looked awful. He said nothing.
The old lady, ever calm, asked, "Minister Zhuo, has Jason Zhuo come back yet?"
Speak of the devil, and he appears.
Just as the old lady finished speaking, a tall, handsome young man walked in from outside—the very same Jason Zhuo.
He was a descendant from a branch of the Zhu Family.
His mother ran off with someone else.
His father died in battle alongside Grace’s grandfather, leaving him an orphan.
Later, when Grace’s mother fell gravely ill, it became clear she could no longer bear Minister Zhuo a legitimate son.
So Minister Zhuo adopted him, registered him under Grace’s mother’s name, and he was considered Grace’s older brother.
But, in the end, he wasn’t her real brother.
Compared to her real brother Kevin Zhuo—the playboy who’d slept with every pretty maid in the manor—Grace thought Jason Zhuo was more like a proper foster son.
Whenever his father needed something done, eight or nine times out of ten, he’d call on him.
This time, it seemed to be the same story.
As soon as he walked in, he reported, "Grandmother, Father, Aunt, I’ve investigated—Evan Xiao really does have a maid named Lily Bai. She’s skilled in medicine and is highly valued by Evan Xiao."
"Did you see her with your own eyes?" the old lady asked.
"I did." Jason Zhuo glanced at Grace and said, "Her back really does look a bit like Grace’s."
Before Grace left General's Manor, Steward Qin had spoken with her.
There were two main points in their conversation.
First, he said he’d find someone who looked a bit like her to play the part for a while.
The person Jason Zhuo saw was probably that stand-in.
Second, since Lily Bai’s entry into General's Manor was on record at the human trafficking agency, she couldn’t use that name at the Prime Minister's Residence—she had to change it.
So, Grace cleverly suggested, "Let’s just use my little sister Claire Bai’s name!"
That’s why both Evan Xiao and Steward Qin thought she was now working for Grace under the name Claire Bai... (insert evil grin here)
Jason Zhuo was a pretty grateful guy.
Ever since her father adopted him, he’d been fiercely loyal, earning Minister Zhuo’s complete trust.
So when Minister Zhuo heard Jason Zhuo say this, he believed it instantly.
So Grace really was innocent all along!
Was it Grace Wan and her brother stirring up trouble?
His gaze instantly swept over Grace Wan like a knife.
Grace Wan forced herself to stay calm, glaring angrily at Leon Wan.
Leon Wan, caught by Grace Wan’s stare, was immediately terrified. He quickly found a scapegoat, kicking poor Eric Chen in the back and yelling, "You useless dog! Cecilia Chen is crazy—can’t you see that? Yet you believed a lunatic and came here spouting nonsense!"
Jane Jing had just been dragged out and executed, and now Eric Chen was so scared he was about to wet himself. He crawled on the ground, trembling, and pleaded, "Minister Zhuo, please spare me! Cecilia Chen seemed perfectly sane before—she didn’t look crazy at all! I don’t know how she suddenly lost her mind..."
"Take him away and beat him to death!" Minister Zhuo said coldly.
"Yes, sir!" Two fully armed guards came in and dragged him off.
"Minister Zhuo, spare me! Master, save me! Grace Wan, help..." Eric Chen reached out in despair, begging Leon Wan and his sister for help.
But Leon Wan was already furious with him!