Feng Jin crouched down to meet Sun Shi's gaze, attempting to persuade her with earnest words.
"Obey me first, and you'll be free to kill or torture me as you wish," Sun Shi retorted.
Sun Shi forced herself to meet Feng Jin's eyes. A winner takes all, a loser admits defeat. She would accept defeat, but she would not tolerate such humiliation.
Especially from Feng Jin, that little slut, her former defeated opponent, now seeking to humiliate her. It was a pipe dream. She would rather die than endure such disgrace.
"I never expected Aunt Sun to possess such backbone. You truly impress me. I wonder if Feng Ruoyan would be as defiant as you are. If Feng Ruoyan were imprisoned here today, would she also refuse to yield and seek death like you?"
Feng Jin said with an indifferent tone, her gaze occasionally flicking to Sun Shi. After a long pause, she stood up. "If that's the case, we'll have to verify it ourselves to know the truth."
"What do you intend to do?" Sun Shi lost her composure, her voice trembling slightly at the end of her words.
"What can I do? I merely wish to be charitable and allow you and your daughter to reunite."
"If you have a grievance, bring it to me. I am responsible for everything, and Yan'er is innocent. You are not allowed to harm my Yan'er, or I will haunt you even in death!"
Sun Shi clutched the iron bars, screaming with all her might. Her eyes widened, and if not for the bars separating them, she would have lunged at Feng Jin.
Feng Jin reached up and scratched her ear, finding Sun Shi's voice terribly unpleasant and an offense to her ears. "Enough, Aunt Sun. Save your strength. You've just eaten, and screaming more will only waste energy, making your meal pointless."
"What do you want... What do you intend to do to my Yan'er? If you dare lay a hand on Yan'er, I will never forgive you, even in death! I will absolutely not forgive you!"
Feng Ruoyan was her greatest weakness in this life. Hearing that Feng Jin intended to harm Feng Ruoyan, Sun Shi became like a madwoman, her eyes bulging as if they would pop out. She shrieked at the top of her lungs.
"Don't get so agitated. You're so impatient. I truly don't understand why Marquis Baili would send you to Eastern Chu as a spy. Is it your beauty he trusts, or is your seductive charm so potent that you can bewilder Feng Yuanping?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? I don't understand any of it!"
Sun Shi's heart lurched. She quickly denied it, no longer as agitated as before. Her gaze was panicked and uncertain, not knowing where to look.
Her actions had been so clandestine. The only thing she had done was to target Feng Yuanping. How did Feng Jin know her identity? Could it be... could it be that Feng Yuanping was taken away by her?
This was impossible. The entire Feng Manor was under her control; not even a bird could fly out. How did Feng Jin get the news?
"You are an intelligent person, so there's no need to pretend anymore. Let's speak frankly. I've known all along that you are a spy from Western Liang, and I also know that Feng Ruoyan is not Feng Yuanping's biological daughter."
"You... How do you know that!"
Sun Shi's heart pounded. Without thinking, she blurted out the question, instantly regretting it as soon as the words left her mouth.
"Feng Ruoyan is indeed not Feng Yuanping's biological daughter!"
Initially, she had intended to trick Sun Shi, but unexpectedly, she had managed to uncover something.
"You're trying to trick me with your schemes! What do you want?"
Feng Jin ignored Sun Shi's heart-wrenching screams. This was truly explosive news, and she needed time to process it.
"You are truly remarkable. To have deceived for so many years, letting Feng Yuanping raise a child for someone else. I'm curious how you managed it?"
She truly admired Sun Shi's methods, being able to make Feng Yuanping wear a cuckold's hat for so many years without the slightest suspicion, even helping to raise another man's child. Sun Shi was indeed skilled.
This explained why He Miaoqing had met such a tragic end. How could a woman who lived a sheltered life and was ignorant of worldly affairs compete with someone like Sun Shi, who was adept at scheming?
"I merely used a little trickery, and Feng Yuanping willingly became my bedfellow. I was already pregnant when I met Feng Yuanping. During childbirth, I simply lied that He Miaoqing had pushed me, causing a premature birth. Feng Yuanping believed me and even blamed He Miaoqing, confining her. After their rift, your mother's melancholy death was also due to my constant instigation and framing..."
"With the most clumsy of tricks, Feng Yuanping became convinced, and a rift grew between him and He Miaoqing. Your mother's death was entirely Feng Yuanping's doing. If you want to blame someone, blame him. If you want revenge, go seek it from Feng Yuanping!"
Sun Shi was now like a madwoman, her shrieks filling the entire dungeon.
Feng Jin looked at Sun Shi with a perfectly calm gaze, as if she were looking at a stranger. For someone on the verge of death, her hatred had subsided considerably.
Her gaze drifted towards a small door at the back of the dungeon. Someone else would handle the rest; she didn't need to worry too much about it.
"Feng Jin, don't you hate me to the bone? Kill me, and our grievances will be settled. Don't go after my Yan'er. Take all your anger out on me."
"I will not let either you or Feng Ruoyan go. Rest assured, after your death, I will have Feng Ruoyan wear mourning clothes for you and properly send you off, as a mother-daughter gesture!"
"You... Please don't... Don't harm my Yan'er..."
Sun Shi shouted at Feng Jin's retreating figure, unaware of the hawk-like eyes staring intently at her from behind, their hatred seeming to want to tear her apart.
Only when a pair of dark, starless shoes appeared before her did Sun Shi vaguely come to her senses. She looked up along the shoes and, upon seeing the person's face, recoiled in fear, curling into a ball and shrinking into the corner.
"Sun Shi, you've lied to me for so many years!"
Feng Yuanping's voice was exceptionally chilling. He had been hiding behind the secret door and had heard everything Sun Shi had said clearly.
He, who considered himself wise, had been toyed with by a woman for over a decade, raising another man's child for all those years.
"I... I..." Sun Shi trembled uncontrollably from fear, her lips quivering, unable to form a complete sentence.
At this point, she had nothing left to hide. With a hardened heart, she confessed everything. "That's right, Yan'er is not your daughter. I was already pregnant before I met you! I approached you on the orders of Old Marquis Baili!"