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Seeing this scene, Ningyuan Shen somewhat guessed her father’s intentions. Her father was not indifferent to her; rather, this matter involved the soldiers under his command. As the current Grand General, the commander of ten thousand troops, he must pacify the hearts of his soldiers without any mistake. Clearly, Zehai Ji’s words had touched her father’s heart. With this in mind, Ningyuan Shen clenched her teeth. The Shen family army was the foundation of the Shen family; she could not let her father be put in a difficult position. So, Ningyuan Shen stepped forward. Jin Cui tried to stop her, “Yuan’er, don’t get involved—” Before she could finish, Ningyuan calmly patted Jin Cui’s hand to interrupt her. “Mother, rest assured, I know what I’m doing.” Having said that, Ningyuan stepped forward. “Lord Ji, you just said that as long as Yunhuan Ji is not handed over to the authorities, the Ji family may do as they please, correct?” Ningyuan fixed her icy gaze on Zehai Ji and asked coldly, “If you don’t hand Yunhuan over to the authorities, how exactly do you plan to deal with her?” Upon hearing this, the eyes of Zehai Ji and Mrs. Chen lit up instantly. Because as long as Ningyuan relented, there was still room for negotiation. Without hesitation, Mrs. Chen said bluntly, “Ningyuan, rest assured, the Ji family will give you justice! Yunhuan has committed such a grave offense and must be punished. I will confine Yunhuan at home for one month, during which she shall not go anywhere until she admits her mistake!” Ningyuan’s gaze turned colder. Being confined at home for a month, eating and drinking well—what kind of punishment was that? Not only Ningyuan found it unacceptable, but so did Potian Shen and Jin Cui. “No! What kind of punishment is that? Are you kidding?” Jin Cui said coldly. “Exactly, my daughter was nearly poisoned to death, and you only plan to keep Yunhuan confined for a month? This is clearly shielding your own Ji family!” The onlookers’ gazes toward Mrs. Chen deepened with suspicion. Evidently, they believed Mrs. Chen was protecting Yunhuan. Seeing this, Mrs. Chen’s expression changed. Apart from confinement, she could not think of a harsher punishment. After all, Yunhuan was her daughter. Was she really going to punish her severely? Zehai Ji also realized the punishment was too mild, so he looked at Ningyuan with a softened tone: “Ningyuan, since this matter started because of you, you should decide how to punish her.” He added, “As long as she’s not handed over to the authorities, the Ji family will accept it.”

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This meant that the right to decide Yunhuan Ji’s punishment was entirely handed over to Ningyuan Shen. “No way. If you give her the power to decide, will Yunhuan even survive?” Mrs. Chen was the first to object. Ningyuan had almost caused Yunhuan’s death; if she were to punish Yunhuan, she would surely take half her life! She absolutely refused to entrust Yunhuan’s fate to Ningyuan. Hearing this, Jin Cui was displeased and immediately retorted to Mrs. Chen. “What? Your daughter’s life is precious, but my daughter’s life should be trampled by your family?” Mrs. Chen was about to argue, but Zehai Ji interrupted coldly: “Mrs. Chen! I have already said that my daughter-in-law will decide how to punish Yunhuan herself. Do you have a problem with that?” Mrs. Chen took a breath and shut her mouth, no longer daring to speak. Seeing Mrs. Chen silent, Ningyuan slowly spoke, “Earlier, my sister-in-law said that if I survived, she would willingly become a nun in a temple. I think that’s a fitting punishment. What do you think?” “What? You want Yunhuan to become a nun?” Zehai Ji’s expression stiffened. His eyes widened in disbelief. This was no punishment—it was pushing Yunhuan into the fire. It would be better to send her to the authorities! Mrs. Chen found it even harder to accept and shook her head, shouting, “Ningyuan, don’t even think about it. I will never let Yunhuan become a nun!” She would rather see Yunhuan sent to the authorities than sent to a temple. Ningyuan’s heart was truly poisonous! When both opposed the idea, Ningyuan shrugged and sneered, “Isn’t it you who said as long as she’s not sent to the authorities, any punishment is acceptable?” “I... I never said I wanted Yunhuan dead!” “This doesn’t work, that doesn’t work—what exactly do you want?” Jin Cui said coldly, “Either one of two choices: send her to the authorities or send her to the temple. You decide!” “Now you’re scared. If you hadn’t poisoned my daughter from the start, you wouldn’t be in this mess!” Potian Shen shouted angrily, “My daughter married into your family; she wasn’t sold to you. How can you treat her so recklessly?” The three of them spoke in turn, cornering Zehai Ji and Mrs. Chen into silence. In the end, Zehai Ji and Mrs. Chen reluctantly compromised under the trio’s pressure. “Fine, I will send Yunhuan to the temple to become a nun,” Zehai Ji said deliberately. At that moment, Yunhuan Ji slowly regained consciousness amidst the chaos. Who would have imagined that upon opening her eyes, she would hear her father’s roar. Yunhuan’s pupils shrank as she grasped Mrs. Chen’s hand tightly. “Mother, did Father just say he’s sending me to the temple to become a nun? Is it true?” Mrs. Chen looked at Yunhuan’s panicked face and nodded helplessly. “Yunhuan, your parents failed you. We couldn’t protect you.” Yunhuan’s expression instantly changed. She looked at Zehai Ji, disbelief in her eyes. “Father, why do you want to send me to become a nun?”

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Zehai Ji remained silent, but Ningyuan spoke up. “Sister-in-law said earlier that if I survived, she would willingly become a nun in a temple. Now that I have survived, going to the temple fulfills your wish, doesn’t it?” Yunhuan struggled to stand but was too weak to get up. In the end, she gritted her teeth and pointed at Ningyuan, “Wretch, it’s you—” Ningyuan tilted her head and smiled, silently mouthing, “It’s me. So what?” Yunhuan’s anger flared even more, but she was powerless against Ningyuan. Seeing Yunhuan calm down, Zehai Ji ordered in a low voice, “Since the decision is made, Yunhuan, pack your things immediately and depart for Yunshan Temple without delay!” “Father!” “I don’t want to! If I go to the temple and become a nun, my life is ruined!” Yunhuan screamed heart-wrenchingly, trying to change her father’s mind. But Zehai Ji only averted his gaze helplessly. The plan had failed, and the die was cast. To protect the Ji family, Yunhuan had to be sacrificed. Becoming a nun was no different from losing her life at the authorities’ hands. “Master, shall Yunhuan leave now?” Mrs. Chen looked up in shock at Zehai Ji. Zehai Ji nodded. “You, as her mother, help her pack up immediately. Depart right away.” “Master—” Mrs. Chen wanted to say more, but before she could, Zehai Ji’s icy demeanor silenced her. She glanced blankly at Yunhuan’s bloodied face, then at Ningyuan, who stood above them all, her eyes flashing with hatred. Ningyuan hadn’t died, yet her Yunhuan had to pay such a heavy price! She was unwilling. With this thought, Mrs. Chen’s gaze hardened as she suddenly stood and rushed toward Ningyuan. Jin Cui and Potian Shen were stunned and instinctively tried to block her. But when Mrs. Chen reached her, she did not harm Ningyuan. Instead, with a thud, she knelt straight before her...