A scumbag husband fakes his death to escape his marriage? I'll burn down his funeral hall and s

Chapter 23 78 Grannies with the Surname Wang

Granny Wang's left eye was completely blind. Madam Gu was furious and immediately ordered that the old woman be beaten to death to avenge Granny Wang.

It wasn't until later that they learned the old woman was originally a personal maid of Consort Sun in the former mansion. After Consort Sun died, she was sent to the estate.

Granny Wang did many evil things for Gu's mother, but she only ruined one of Gu's eyes, which was considered lenient on her.

"Did you see clearly? Her eyes were fine before." Chu Ruohan's gaze was fixed on the waiter kneeling on the ground.

Song Ruyan, accompanied by her assistant, secretly went to take a look at Granny Wang.

"I saw it all clearly. It was a secret plot with the shopkeeper. That old woman was older than her, and she was hunched over. I remember she had a mole on the back of her hand, was it her left or right hand?" The waiter scratched his head, he really couldn't remember.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I...I just remembered, I was so scared that day..." the waiter answered tremblingly, his head almost touching the ground.

Chu Ruohan frowned, a hint of annoyance in her eyes, because Granny Wang didn't have any moles on her hands at all.

It was also because she had preconceived notions. Gu's mother had put Gu Junze in a life-or-death situation, so she wouldn't let anyone close to her do it. If it were exposed, she wouldn't be able to escape responsibility either.

It seems we should ask Aunt Zhao about this. She's an old hand in the household and has managed the household before, so she should have some memory of the servants.

Chu Ruohan immediately got up and hurried towards Aunt Zhao's residence. After careful inquiry, she learned that there were actually seventeen or eighteen old women surnamed Wang in the household?

Her eyes were full of urgency. "Auntie, do you know which one is older, hunched over, and has a mole on the back of her left hand?"

Aunt Zhao was slightly taken aback. "You must be referring to someone close to the Marquis's birth mother."

Chu Ruohan's hand clenched slightly inside her sleeve. This was something she hadn't expected, but it also made sense.

The Marquis of Anyang's birth mother was once the aunt of the old Earl Marquis, while Gu's mother was her niece from her maternal family. At that time, the village was flooded and her parents died, so she came to seek refuge with Gu.

Later, after Princess Anyang died, she became the second wife of the Marquis of Anyang.

In her previous life, Chu Ruohan only learned about this by chance. Now, thinking about it carefully, the people left behind by the birth mother of the Marquis of Anyang were just what Gu's mother wanted to use. Even if the matter was exposed in the future, it would have nothing to do with her.

However, Chu Ruohan had never met this person in her previous life.

"Where is this old woman now?" Chu Ruohan asked anxiously.

"It's in the small Buddhist shrine in the backyard, where we burn incense and do some cleaning on weekdays..." Before she could finish speaking, Chu Ruohan hurriedly left.

"Sigh...sigh, why are you in such a hurry?" Aunt Zhao murmured.

The weather, which had been cool, suddenly turned muggy, without a breath of wind. Along the way, Chu Ruohan felt a vague unease, as if some inexplicable force was drawing her closer to unknown danger.

When she reached out and pushed open the old Buddhist temple door, the sight that came into view made her instantly pale.

"what……"

An old woman's body was hanging from the roof beam, the rope tightly around her neck. Her face was a horrifying bluish-purple from suffocation, and her body had long since lost its vitality.

What was originally a solemn little Buddhist shrine has become terrifying.

Soon, the Marquis of Anyang received the news and rushed over. As soon as he stepped into the Buddhist hall, his eyes fell on the old nanny's cold body, and a sharp pain shot through his heart.

The old nanny cared for him and his mother through their most difficult times, never abandoning them. She even took the initiative to guard his mother's memorial tablet, showing unwavering loyalty.

In an instant, grief and anger intertwined in his heart, his eyes became bloodshot, and he turned to glare at Chu Ruohan.

"What are you doing here all of a sudden?"

Chu Ruohan was still in shock, and her body trembled again at the Marquis of Anyang's reprimand.

Upon seeing this, the wet nurse hurriedly stepped forward to explain, "My lord, the young mistress was just strolling around the garden when she suddenly heard a commotion here, so she came to check. Who would have thought that she would stumble upon such a horrifying scene?"

The Marquis of Anyang's eyes were filled with suspicion and anger. "This Buddhist hall is usually deserted, yet you happen to come at this time. What a coincidence!"

"Father!"

Yingqing rushed over, pushing Gu Junze in a wheelchair. When Marquis Anyang saw him, his grim expression softened somewhat.

"Ruohan was frightened, so my son took her home first."

Out of consideration for him, Marquis Anyang finally waved his hand and let them leave.

Gu Junze grasped Chu Ruohan's hand, clearly feeling the slight coolness of her palm, and his heart was filled with tenderness. "Let's go."

Chu Ruohan nodded slightly and followed him away.

The two returned to their lodgings. Chu Ruohan sat on the couch, still looking somewhat dazed. Gu Junze ordered someone to bring her hot tea, saying, "Have some tea to calm your nerves."

Chu Ruohan took it, sipped it lightly, and said, "It seems she already knew we were investigating this matter, which is why she took the initiative to kill us beforehand."

Gu Junze's brows furrowed tightly, and his gaze towards her was filled with a mixture of reproach and lingering fear.

“You acted far too recklessly today. That Buddhist temple was in a remote location, yet you went there alone. Did you ever consider that what if it wasn’t a corpse inside, but a deadly assassin, then you would be the one to die?”

Chu Ruohan lowered her head, feeling a little scared. It was because Song Ruyan had made Aunt Zhao cry last time that she hadn't taken her with her.

The main concern is that she might speak recklessly and say something shocking or outrageous.

Seeing her like this, Gu Junze didn't blame her too much, but just told her to remember to take Song Ruyan with her in the future, as the Marquis's mansion was not absolutely safe.

"With the old woman dead, the trail has gone cold." Chu Ruohan frowned, her heart filled with worry. Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she asked urgently, "Has Mo found any clues?"

Ying Qing glanced at Gu Junze subconsciously first, and only after seeing him nod slightly did she speak: "The ink that the young master usually uses is not produced locally in the capital, but is transported from the south, thousands of miles away. And the Chu family is responsible for escorting it."

How did the Chu family get involved?

Chu Ruohan remembered that the Chu family's caravan was managed by her fourth uncle, a relative of the clan.

After his parents died in his previous life, all the family property flowed into the Marquis of Anyang's mansion, and the caravan disappeared without a trace.

Chu Ruohan assured Gu Junze that she would definitely get to the bottom of this matter.

The old nanny's sudden death had already put Marquis Anyang in a low mood, but Baoling, oblivious to his growing displeasure, kept chattering away, completely unaware that his expression was becoming increasingly grim.

"My lord, do you think my new clothes are beautiful? The embroidery is so exquisite, the flowers on them look so real."

Baoling clung to the Marquis of Anyang's arm, swaying it playfully, but was suddenly pushed away.

"All she does every day is eat and dress up, like a butterfly flitting about in the night; it's really annoying."

Marquis Anyang frowned, his face full of anger...