The nanny was soon dragged in. The moment she saw Situ Hai, she cried out, "Master Situ, I'm innocent! I only went out because my worthless son got into trouble again. It has nothing to do with the snake, I swear! You can't suspect me! My loyalty to the Situ family has never wavered!" Situ Hai waved a dismissive hand, ignoring her pleas. "Tie her up," he commanded. The servants immediately seized her, binding her hands and feet. Situ Hai paced the hall for a moment before his eyes landed on a leather belt, likely left behind by a guest. He handed the belt to a servant. "Whip her." The servant hesitated, but ultimately raised his hand. A sharp *crack* echoed as the leather met flesh. The blow split the nanny’s skin, and she collapsed, writhing on the floor and screaming in agony. Mu Xia watched from the side, her expression cold and detached. So, this was the old woman who had snuck onto her balcony and released the cobra. She deserved to pay for her actions. Mu Xia felt not a flicker of pity. By the tenth lash, the nanny's screams had devolved into breathless whimpers, her body drenched in a cold sweat. But even then, she refused to confess. Because this… this was attempted murder. The servant administering the punishment finally spoke up. "Master Situ, we can't go on. She's an old woman. Any more of this, and you'll have a death on your hands!" The last thing Situ Hai wanted was a dead body on his hands before he had answers. Just as he was about to order the servant to stop, the one he'd sent out to make inquiries returned. "Master Situ, I went to the South District market. Someone there sold a venomous snake in the middle of the night." On the floor, the nanny’s back went rigid. Mu Xia caught the movement instantly. "Was it the nanny who bought it?" she asked. The servant shook his head. "I didn't ask. I brought the man here directly so we can confirm if the snake came from him." Situ Hai nodded. "Excellent. Bring him in." "Yes, sir." A moment later, a snake vendor shuffled nervously into the hall. Situ Hai had someone bring the dead, decapitated snake into the hall. He gestured to it, asking the vendor, "Is this the snake you sold?" The vendor needed only a single glance. "Yes, that's the one," he confirmed, nodding. "I accidentally knocked off that scale on its tail during the sale. It's the one, sir." A cold sneer touched Situ Hai's lips. He strode over, hauled the nanny up from the floor—she didn't dare meet his eyes—and dragged her in front of the vendor. "Was this the old woman who bought it?" The vendor had no idea what was happening, but one look at the scene told him not to lie. He glanced at the nanny and nodded. "That's her... She said she wanted to make some medicinal wine, so I recommended my most venomous southern snake." The witness and the evidence were all there. "Now," Situ Hai said, shoving the nanny away from him. She crumpled to the floor. "What do you have to say for yourself?" The nanny remained half-sprawled on the ground, trembling violently but saying nothing. Mu Xia chose her moment to speak. "Nanny, it's over. There's no point in hiding it anymore. You'd better confess why you tried to kill Shanshan before the police get here. You watched her grow up, yet you tried to take her life. Don't you see how vile that is?" "No... I didn't. How could I ever harm Miss Shanshan? In my heart, she's like my own daughter..." "Then who were you trying to kill? Father?" Mu Xia pressed, cutting off any chance for the nanny to turn the tables on her. "Or did someone put you up to this, hoping to frame me? You're not about to claim I was the one who told you to buy the snake, are you?" The nanny, who had been about to do exactly that, froze as if she'd choked on her words. That was her plan—to claim Mu Xia had ordered her to do it. But now that Mu Xia had said it herself, the accusation would sound far too deliberate. As the nanny hesitated, Mu Xia turned to her father. "Dad, let's call the police. A woman this malicious deserves to spend the rest of her life in prison." "No! Please don't! My two sons, they still need me..." The nanny immediately began to plead, knocking her head on the floor before Mu Xia. Mu Xia's voice was placid. "Then tell the truth. If you tell the truth, maybe Father will remember your years of service and show you some mercy..." The nanny wavered. If she confessed, there was a chance she could avoid prison. If she stayed silent, she would be taking the fall for Situ Qingshan. She had never intended to sacrifice so much for the mother and daughter. "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything..." the nanny sobbed, tears streaming down her face. "It was Miss Shanshan who ordered me to do it! She told me to buy the snake and put it in Miss Mu's room. I... I just don't know how it ended up in her own room..." Mu Xia interjected immediately, "My room is right next to Shanshan's. The snake must have crawled along the balcony to her room. I just... I can't believe Shanshan hates me so much. She was always so nice to me..." Her eyes widened with innocent disbelief, her face a mask of someone who had just been dealt a devastating blow. "That wretched old woman! And that little brat! She brought this upon herself!" Situ Hai threw his head back with a long, frustrated sigh. He took several deep breaths to compose himself before ordering, "Bring the Madam down. Let her see what kind of daughter she's raised!" He had spent a fortune raising a high-society debutante, only for her to commit such a venomous act. Mu Xia tried to soothe him. "Dad, please don't be so angry. My arrival was very sudden. My sister just hasn't had time to adjust. I'm sure, in time, she'll come to accept me..." "After all this, you're still defending her? Your kindness will be your undoing! If things had gone just a little differently today, you would have been the one bitten!" Mu Xia shook her head. "Everyone makes mistakes. My sister is still young. She'll learn..." Just then, Mu Xinyue was escorted downstairs. As the nanny finished her tearful account, Mu Xinyue's face turned livid, her eyes flashing with exasperation. She had raised a fool for a daughter! She had warned Situ Qingshan countless times that now was not the time to act, but her daughter had not only ignored her, she had gone behind her back to pull a stunt like this. "I'm so sorry, my dear," she said to her husband. "It's all my fault for not raising our daughter better. When she gets back, I will discipline her properly. And Mu Xia, Auntie is so sorry. I misjudged you. Please, don't hold this against your sister. I will make sure she treats you with love and respect from now on." Seeing Mu Xinyue take the initiative to apologize to Mu Xia, some of Situ Hai's anger subsided. "Let's leave it at that," he said finally. "We don't air our dirty laundry in public. This matter is closed. But this old woman can't stay. Men, take her to the farm in the country. See to it that she has no contact with anyone!" "Yes, sir!" The nanny was dragged away. Soon after, a call came from the hospital. "Master Situ, the Second Miss is awake. She's refusing to stay and wants to be discharged immediately." "Let her do as she pleases!" Situ Hai snapped, his tone foul. After all, if Situ Qingshan was malicious enough to harm Mu Xia today, she could just as easily harm him tomorrow. He couldn't believe he had fathered such a creature. *** At the hospital. The moment her discharge papers were finalized, Situ Qingshan rushed to get back to the Situ estate. She had to tell her father. It was Mu Xia who put that snake in her room! Mu Xia was trying to kill her