After being sentenced to death, she came to her senses.

"What do you mean by that?"

Fang Xiaoran frowned.

Although she didn't know Gu Yuqing very well, and she did feel his indifference to other people's lives, she didn't think she should say such harsh words.

At least in her opinion, even if Gu Yuqing wasn't a good person, he was definitely not a vicious one.

“I saw him kill my brother with my own eyes.” Gu Yerong’s eyes flashed with coldness. After a slight pause, her eyes flickered, and her voice was low and icy, as if every word carried a chilling coldness. Her eyes revealed a trace of pain and hatred, clearly indicating that this memory was extremely heavy for her.

“Besides my eldest, second, and third brothers, I have another older brother, who is my third brother’s twin brother,” she continued, her voice trembling slightly. “That day, I witnessed my second brother cruelly murder my fourth brother. He slit his throat, severed all his meridians, but left him barely alive, letting him die in despair and cruelty…”

"I will never forget that scene. Do you know what it feels like to be tormented even on your deathbed? Death is just a release..."

As she spoke, a tear slid down Gu Yerong's cheek.

Fang Xiaoran felt a chill run down her spine as she listened, and the image involuntarily surfaced in her mind—Gu Yuqing standing coldly to the side, holding a blood-stained blade in his hand, while his younger brother struggled in agony in a pool of blood until his last breath.

She couldn't imagine that the person who was usually all smiles and gentle and aloof could do something so cruel.

This was clearly a different person from the Gu Yuqing she remembered.

"Perhaps there's some misunderstanding." Fang Xiaoran didn't want to jump to conclusions. The situation in the Marquis's mansion was complicated. Gu Yuqing's status here was completely different from Gu Yerong's. In fact, although he was the son of the First Madam, he had no one to rely on because Shang Lingzhu didn't concern herself with the affairs of the Marquis's mansion.

"Misunderstanding? How could what I saw with my own eyes be a misunderstanding?" Gu Yerong revealed a cold smile, her eyes flashing with coldness. "Guess why his legs are crippled and he has been able to walk in a wheelchair for many years? It's because when my grandfather found out about this, he was furious and crippled him by his own hand. The only reason he was spared was because he has the blood of the Gu family in his veins. Otherwise, he would have died long ago."

No, that's not how it works. If the Fourth Young Master were simply killed, even if the Old Marquis intervened, he wouldn't be spared. Even if he couldn't bear to kill him, he wouldn't let him stay in the manor as the Second Young Master of the Marquis's Mansion.

Now it seems that Gu Yuqing was only crippled in both legs and lost his qualification to compete for the title, but he was still alive and well. Compared to a life, this was nothing at all.

"Since my fourth brother was murdered, my mother has been crying every day and almost died of depression. Fortunately, my father tried his best to save her life, but her body was still severely damaged. She also forgot her memories of my fourth brother due to excessive grief."

“Mother…she has forgotten Fourth Brother, yet she dotes on Gu Yuqing.” Gu Yerong’s voice was tinged with bitterness. “She doesn’t even know that the son she loves most is the murderer who killed her other son. Isn’t that ironic?”

Gu Yerong's laughter echoed in the air, carrying an almost manic irony.

"Fortunately, my third brother always persuaded Mother that my second brother's evil aura was too strong and that he needed to copy the Heart-Cleansing Mantra frequently to suppress it. So over the years, Mother has always punished him by making him copy this mantra. Although those Heart-Cleansing Mantras seem useless, they at least keep Gu Yuqing calm on the surface. Otherwise, how do you think we could see him looking so calm and gentle now?"

Fang Xiaoran remained silent for a moment, her mind in turmoil.

Is it really as she said? Fang Xiaoran never listens to one person's one-sided story; she needs to see it with her own eyes. She is not someone who is easily swayed by others' words, especially when it comes to such complex entanglements involving family feuds.

Gu Yerong's emotions were clearly out of control, and her words were full of resentment and extremism, which made Fang Xiaoran even more suspicious of her statements.

Thinking about how she was disliked and struggled in the Fang family, she couldn't help but think that Gu Yuqing's situation was very similar to hers at the time. Under those circumstances, there might be other hidden reasons why he would kill his own brother.

"I only believe what I see." This was the first sentence Fang Xiaoran uttered after a long time, her words full of protection for Gu Yuqing.

Gu Yerong sneered, "Because he is your husband now, you are blinded by love. I don't want to say anything more. Sister-in-law, you can see for yourself. Just don't regret it later."

The two parted on bad terms, and Fang Xiaoran did not choose to go back, but instead went to find Gu Yuqing.

At this moment, he was copying the Heart-Cleansing Mantra in Luoyun Pavilion. He had written it countless times and had memorized it by heart. However, whenever the Second Madam punished him by making him copy scriptures, he never resisted. He would obediently come to Luoyun Pavilion and sit there for most of the day.

He seemed to be writing very seriously, the light gauze on both sides fluttered in the wind, and even the papers on the table moved with the wind, but he seemed not to notice, only Hong Fu stood respectfully by his side to accompany him.

For some reason, seeing Gu Yuqing so quiet and serious only strengthened Fang Xiaoran's resolve. Gu Yerong was hiding something; there was more to the story than met the eye. This person was not as ruthless and heartless as she claimed.

A person who has experienced too many things will always become indifferent, and Fang Xiaoran herself was like that, so she never felt that Gu Yuqing was wrong for being indifferent to the life and death of others.

In her view, they wouldn't have turned out this way if they hadn't been forced by circumstances.

Because of this, she felt a strange sense of pity and empathy for Gu Yuqing, especially when she saw him sitting there quietly, writing scriptures stroke by stroke.

The Heart-Cleansing Mantra can eliminate distracting thoughts, but it may not be able to suppress the anger and murderous intent in one's heart.

However, he has remained unchanged over the years, which is clearly different from what Gu Yerong said.

Thinking about their own past experiences, they found themselves in similar situations.

Fang Xiaoran walked into Luoyun Pavilion without saying a word, went to the table, grabbed Gu Yuqing's hand, and stopped him from doing anything. "Let's go back."

Gu Yuqing looked up in confusion, then smiled gently, "I haven't finished copying it yet."

"There's nothing worth copying. If we want to leave, no one can stop us." Her voice was exceptionally cold, clearly revealing a hint of displeasure. These words were not directed at Gu Yuqing, but at Hong Fu, who was standing to the side.

Realizing the message was directed at her, Hong Fu lowered her eyes slightly and said in a low voice, "The Heart-Cleansing Mantra is beneficial to the Second Young Master."

“Then why don’t you read it to him every day? I think that would be more beneficial,” Fang Xiaoran said sharply.

Hong Fu was stunned and couldn't reply.

Sensing Fang Xiaoran's anger, Gu Yuqing glanced at her with his calm and indifferent eyes, and smiled knowingly, "You've seen Ye Rong?"

"Mm." Fang Xiaoran nodded, but did not let go of her hand.

Gu Yuqing smiled faintly, seemingly unsurprised.

Fang Xiaoran became suspicious of his nonchalance. "You really killed your own brother?"