Many people's attention was drawn, and Feng Jin's gaze shifted. Those who didn't know the inside story, just by seeing the scene, would truly believe that Aunt Sun was so heartbroken that she cried so sadly.
However, in Feng Jin's eyes, it seemed incredibly ironic. Such a hypocrite like Aunt Sun, crying crocodile tears, was truly sickening.
She wondered what the palace maids, who were of the same kind as Cui'er and the others, would think if they saw this. Would they consider that their own tomorrow might be such an outcome?
With the matter having come to this, the play that needed to be performed still had to continue.
Feng Jin tidied her emotions, walked over, and bent down to check the breaths of Cui'er and the others.
"Aunt Sun, the deceased are at peace. Please accept my condolences."
Aunt Sun rolled up her sleeves and wiped away her tears. With a sob, she said, "These children were all watched by this old servant as they grew up. This old servant has no children of her own, but treated them as her own flesh and blood. I never expected that today, the elder would send off the younger..."
"How could these foolish children have been so lost and chosen this path? Did I truly push them too hard in my usual manner?"
As she spoke, she became more sorrowful, and Aunt Sun's tears fell like pearls from a broken string.
Seeing this, Feng Jin rolled her eyes silently in her heart. She had to admit that Aunt Sun's acting skills were truly outstanding. She surrendered to her.
So, she simply stopped speaking and had Lu Shi bring her a chair. She sat down to watch the show, waiting for Aunt Sun to finish her performance.
It took a full quarter of an hour before Aunt Sun's crying finally subsided slightly.
Aunt Sun stood up, a little unsteady, and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve. Her voice was somewhat hoarse as she said, "Now that things have come to this, no amount of sadness is useful. We cannot just watch Cui'er and the other two like this. We must find a way to have them buried soon."
"Aunt Sun is absolutely right. I will arrange for people to bury them properly."
Feng Jin followed Aunt Sun's words. She was also worried that if they delayed any longer, the effect of the fake death medicine would wear off, and it might become real death, which would be terrible.
"No..." Aunt Sun quickly refused. Feeling that she had spoken too absolutely, she opened her mouth to explain, "We people of Xiliang, we most revere cremation. I was also thinking of cremating the three of them. Perhaps one day their ashes can be buried in the land of Xiliang, so that their souls can return home."
This old witch's mind was truly wicked. She was worried that Cui'er and the other two were not dead yet, and wouldn't even leave them with a complete body. Fortunately, she had already made preparations.
"Alright then, let's cremate them."
It seemed that Aunt Sun would not rest until she personally confirmed that Cui'er and the three were truly dead.
Fortunately, she had anticipated Aunt Sun's move and had already made arrangements with Lu Shi in advance.
"Thank you, Madam, for your understanding. I thank you on behalf of the three of them."
Having gotten her wish, Aunt Sun's lips curved into a smile. She busied herself gathering all the palace maids and eunuchs, claiming it was to bid farewell to Cui'er and the other two.
In reality, it was to use this event to warn everyone, to let them know the consequences of betrayal, and to make them put away their hidden intentions.
While no one was paying attention, Lu Shi secretly moved Cui'er and the other two away. He then had three corpses he had found earlier disguised to look like Cui'er and the other two.
When everyone was gathered, Aunt Sun finally ordered the cremation to begin.
With a single torch, the fire instantly blazed, smoke billowed, and the air was filled with the foul stench of burning corpses.
Some of the onlookers, palace maids and eunuchs, who were timid, directly vomited on the ground, trembling with fear, as if they had seen their own future endings.
Feng Jin raised her hand to cover her nose. The smell was indeed unpleasant. Fortunately, the matter ended perfectly. Aunt Sun believed Cui'er and the three were dead, and would relax a little. It would be easier to do other things later.
"Aunt Sun, please guard here. I'm feeling a bit unwell, so I'll be going back."
She felt that staying for another minute was a waste of time. She might as well go back and sleep with that time.
"Madam has worked hard these past two days. It's good for you to go back and rest early. This old servant will guard here, and nothing will happen."
Feng Jin couldn't bear to stay any longer and quickly got up and left.
...
"Young Madam, Cui'er and the other two have been sent out of the relay station," Lu Shi whispered into Feng Jin's ear.
"Good. Go find your Young General, and we'll go out together."
"Your subordinate obeys."
In just a moment, Ling Mohan and Lu Shi returned together.
"What exactly is going on?"
As soon as he saw Feng Jin, Ling Mohan eagerly inquired. He had heard this morning that three palace maids from Xiliang had committed suicide by poison, and their bodies had been cremated.
But Lu Shi had said that this matter was orchestrated by Feng Jin. He now just wanted to hear Feng Jin explain the matter clearly.
"You'll know when you see them. Ask them yourself."
It was not something that could be explained in a few words. Moreover, Cui'er and the other two had taken a fake death medicine, and they had to take the antidote within three hours. After the time limit, the fake death would become real death.
The time was also running out, and there was no time to delay. It would be simpler to have Ling Mohan ask them himself after they were saved.
"Put on these human skin masks first, and we'll disguise ourselves as servants to go out."
Feng Jin put on the specially made mask for Ling Mohan, instantly changing his appearance.
"Hurry up and change your clothes." Feng Jin handed a pair of servant's clothes to Ling Mohan and urged him impatiently to change.
"Lu Shi, you change your clothes quickly too."
Feng Jin urged them anxiously, holding a human skin mask and putting it on her face. In an instant, she transformed into a plain, even somewhat ugly, middle-aged woman's face.
Even she herself could hardly bear to look. She wished she hadn't made it so ugly, especially the mole by her mouth, which made her look even uglier.
Combined with the slightly loose and baggy clothes, she was a living middle-aged woman.
"Young... Young Madam..."
Lu Shi looked at the stranger coming out from the inner room and called out uncertainly. Only the Young Madam had gone in just now. Who else could have come out except the Young Madam?
"What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" Feng Jin frowned, looking at Lu Shi in confusion.
"No... Nothing. It's... it's this subordinate's offense. Young Madam, please forgive me."
Lu Shi, realizing his gaffe, quickly lowered his head.
"Your disguise is truly... truly unique."
Ling Mohan's gaze swept over Feng Jin, racking his brain to find this adjective. The truth was, this disguise was indeed somewhat shocking.