Chapter 18: I Have Heard Your Voice Before

In an instant, the entire hall was shrouded in a chilling aura of murderous intent. The concubines huddled together in terror, their faces drained of color.

Ji Tianxin strode forward, step by step, her voice icy: "I told you, whether you admit it or not, it doesn't matter to me. I will only do what I must."

"Master, master..." Madam Chen was also frightened by Ji Tianxin's murderous aura.

Ji Tianxin's gaze suddenly swept to Granny Zhang, who stood beside Madam Chen. Her eyes sharpened.

Granny Zhang abruptly raised her head. The moment she met Ji Tianxin's gaze, her legs gave way and she collapsed to her knees, trembling in fear.

"It wasn't me, Miss, please see clearly! It... it was the mistress who ordered it, it has nothing to do with this old servant! Nothing at all!" Granny Zhang blurted out instinctively.

At that moment, her mind was no longer her own. As soon as Ji Tianxin looked at her, she felt as though death itself had come for her. This terror left her unable to think, her only instinct was survival.

Granny Chen's sudden confession changed the expressions of everyone present.

Especially Ji Huaili and Ji Yuanruo.

"Granny Chen! What are you saying?" Ji Yuanruo called out loudly. "Do you realize you are slandering my mother?"

"What did you say?!" Ji Huaili's voice betrayed his clenched teeth.

Madam Chen's face was contorted with fury. She marched forward and kicked Granny Zhang to the ground, snarling, "You wretched servant, how dare you spout such nonsense!"

She turned to Ji Tianxin, her eyes burning with resentment, as if she wished to tear Ji Tianxin apart and devour her. Yet her face was the picture of grievance and injustice: "So you bought off the servants by my side long ago. I've no quarrel with you, why must you harm me so?"

The others in the hall exchanged glances but remained silent.

In their hearts, they had already concluded that this child must be Li Xiaodie’s daughter.

The servants and women of the inner courtyard knew all too well what went on behind closed doors; the men of the household were the least informed.

So now, everyone kept their eyes forward, their minds attentive, ears pricked for every word.

Ji Tianxin paid Madam Chen no heed, her attention fixed on Granny Zhang, still trembling on the floor after being kicked.

"Miss, please don't kill me! I only followed the mistress's orders. For the sake of me not obeying her command to kill you, I beg you to spare this old servant’s life!" Granny Zhang now saw Ji Tianxin as a vengeful spirit returned for retribution, sobbing and kowtowing in terror.

But Su Qing knew that her master must have exerted a pressure that overwhelmed Granny Zhang alone. Villains may be bold, but this old woman was cowardly; faced with her master, her resolve shattered in moments.

Likely, she had done much wrong and was plagued by guilt.

"Ah, it's you," Ji Tianxin seemed to recall something. "Your voice—I remember it."

That voice belonged to the woman who gave the order to nail shut the coffin lid.

The one who buried Li Xiaodie alive within the coffin.

Her eyes grew colder. "So you mean to say I should be grateful for your burial?"

But then she paused. "You’re not wrong. If not for your burial, perhaps I wouldn't be standing here today."

A faint twist appeared at her lips. "Then, I’ll leave you a whole corpse."

Granny Zhang’s eyes widened in horror. Suddenly, a fierce pain struck her face, sending her body flying across the room. She crashed heavily into the wall and fell to the ground.

With a dull thud and a muffled groan, Granny Zhang spat blood and died instantly.