Chapter 269: Touching the Bottom Line

Su Wanrou watched helplessly as Hong Yu, like a host of stars surrounding the moon, was ushered out by members of the Duan family, and she instantly felt an intense chill run through her body.

She had put in so much effort, even willing to commit her first murder, all to swap identities with Jinzhi.

But Jinzhi ultimately snatched away Zhao Lang, who should have been hers, and the happy life that belonged to her, forcibly turning it into Jinzhi's.

She had always despised Hong Yu, merely a country maid that Xiao Yin bought to amuse her.

Apart from her looks being tolerable, in what way could she be superior to her?

She had merely treated her like a dog; what right does she have to become a human, what right?

She actually made a wedding dress for those two bastards!

No! I'm not willing to accept this! I'm not willing!

Su Wanrou rushed to the fence, shaking it violently while crying and shouting.

"Let me out! Let me out, please!"

"I am Miss Wan of the Rui Wang Fu! You lowly scum, what right do you have to imprison me?"

"Let me out!!"

The jailer was fed up with her shouting; this wave after wave late at night—how could anyone sleep?

Su Wanrou was brutally slapped several times, instantly her face and body covered with bloodstains, yet she kept screaming hoarsely, demanding to get out.

The prison chief still tried to strike her, but another jailer stopped him.

This woman was about to be executed; if they killed her, that would cause trouble.

After three long days, the prison chiefs were tormented by Su Wanrou's hoarse cries, their minds in turmoil, and finally on the third day, officials from the Ministry of Justice arrived to issue a death warrant.

Several prison chiefs were as happy as if it were New Year; earlier Su Wanrou had been too noisy, so they had to stuff her mouth with hemp gauze.

When the subordinate officer came to deliver the prisoner, they hurriedly whispered, "Sir, the hemp gauze in this condemned woman's mouth—shall I remove it? She was indeed too noisy before."

"No need, what's the point of taking it? We've been complaining about her noise all the way."

"We can take it out later when the slicing begins, it won't be too late."

Su Wanrou struggled to escape, but there was nowhere to run; several men forced her out of the cell.

Soon after, she was thrown into the prison cart; her limbs were chained, only her head protruding outside, and she was taken along Chongwen Street toward the Cai Market.

Su Wanrou's previous deeds had utterly angered the citizens of Shang Jing, and the legendary events surrounding Jinzhi only added to it.

Those tea houses and guild halls spread storytellers' scripts, even turning them into plays that were performed.

Now, watching this demon who harmed Jinzhi finally face justice feels like a nationwide celebration.

The crowd of onlookers was enormous; soon rotten eggs and wilted vegetable leaves were hurled at Su Wanrou's forehead, and the people behind couldn't even get a turn to throw.

The egg yolk smeared Su Wanrou's eyes; she felt she could not breathe, instinctively lifted her head upward, only to see the second‑story balconies along the street packed with people.

Southern Qi has never seen such a vile villain among its people, and today everyone treated it like a performance.

Su Wanrou's gaze suddenly stiffened, fixed on a young couple standing on the second floor of the tea house.

The man was tall and robust, exuding heroic aura, with an exceptionally handsome and striking appearance.

He tightly embraced the delicate woman beside him; half of her face was burned, yet she still received his pity.

Su Wanrou's expression suddenly turned fierce, her body thrashing violently, while the surrounding onlookers shouted angrily, hurling objects at her.

Someone tossed a tea cup at her, smashing her forehead and drawing blood; the stream of blood ran down her face, making it look even more terrifying.

Jinzhi, watching from above, felt a slight jolt in her heart and a faint tremor in her body.

She not only hated this woman, but was even more afraid.

She has nightmares every time she closes her eyes; if it weren't for the dying grandmother, she wouldn't have come to watch Su Wanrou's execution.

But Su Wanrou went too far, killing someone important to her.

She must personally see her fate on behalf of the grandmother.

Yet, seeing her lift her head, that blood‑stained, snarling, hideous face, Jinzhi's body still trembled slightly.

"Don't look!" Zhao Lang lifted his hand gently over Jinzhi's eyes, speaking softly, "It's over now; that nightmare died today. From now on, every day, my Jinzhi will be very happy, very happy."

Jinzhi leaned into Zhao Lang's embrace and began to weep loudly without a sound.

Zhao Lang gently pulled her into his arms, softly stroking her hair, as if handling the most precious thing in the world.

The final image frozen in Su Wanrou's mind was the couple embracing on the upper floor.

She is unwilling!

Why did it turn out like this?

Why was she born a financial burden in her parents' eyes, both fatherless and motherless, while Jinzhi receives so much goodwill, and she is bullied by her uncle's whole family?

Everyone is human; why can she have a better life than her! Why?

Zhao Lang held Jinzhi tightly, waiting for her emotions to gradually calm down.

The people on the street swarmed to the Cai Market; he didn't want Jinzhi to see such a bloody side, and he would personally shape her future world.

To keep her away from harm, from scheming, from all turmoil.

Even if there is turmoil, he will bear it for her; he is her man.

Zhao Lang carried Jinzhi out of the tea house, rode a horse back to the Zhao family; Mrs. Zhao had already prepared fragrant pastries, waiting for her son and daughter‑in‑law to return.

Let the past stay in the past; people must move forward step by step to continue properly.

The drama in Shang Jing about the false and true heiress finally concluded, and Su Wanrou, on the third day, died in agony; her corpse was dumped at some random burial mound.

No one retrieved her body; even the most heinous murderers, lacking relatives, would have their corpses collected by the charitable hall in Shang Jing, but Su Wanrou's crimes had crossed everyone's bottom line.

Everyone sneered at this woman, even too lazy to collect her corpse.

Thus she could only end up being torn apart by stray dogs.

Chief Physician Chen excelled at diagnosing this joyous pulse; of the pregnant women he treated, eight hundred to a thousand, he could even tell with his eyes closed that Hong Yu was carrying a Heir Apparent.

It must be the Heir Apparent; how could it be otherwise? Only this one sprout remains; who else could inherit?

Not long after, Duke Duan actually came to the prison himself.

For a moment, the Ministry of Punishments' death cell was as bustling as a vegetable market; upon hearing the news, Duke Duan personally took the decree that Consort Duan had begged the emperor for and entered the prison leading his men.

These past few days, the Duan family, saddened by the Third Prince's lack of heirs, have been so despondent that old and young alike are on the brink of clutching their heads and weeping; now that the Third Prince has taken a consort, they have not yet lost this round.

This is the royal family's first grandchild generation.

The eldest grandson! What does that mean!

Among the princes born to Emperor Longqing, they have only just reached marriageable age; none has married yet, let alone raised children.