The Poisonous Concubine: Smoke and Rain, Chapter 1: Reunion with the Li Family. February's weather was cold.

In the frigid cell, the cold pierced through me like needles.

Mu Yunyao leaned against the hay, her arm was bright red from the cut, but she didn't seem to notice. Her face was filled with a smile:

"Grandmother, later on at the courtroom, you must think carefully about how to speak. If you say the wrong thing, you will die with Zhang Caishen. If you say the right thing, he will die alone. It's that simple, you won't make the wrong choice, will you?"

It was a voice as gentle and melodic as a nightingale, yet to Li Shi listening from the shadows, it sounded like the screech of a demon: "Mu Yunyao, you killed her! The county magistrate will certainly uncover the truth and never let you get away with it!"

"Tsk, even heaven sometimes gets things wrong, let alone humans. Otherwise, after all these years, why hasn't heaven opened its eyes and sent you to hell sooner?"

"You...you are a demon, a debt-collecting demon! The County Magistrate will definitely uncover the truth and then chop off your head and feed it to the dogs!" Li dragged her severed limb and struggled towards the corner, as if that would make her farther away from Mu Yunyao.

Mu Yunyao let out a soft chuckle and slowly stood up, walking to Li's side. She extended her hands, scarred but still slender, pale and fragile:

"Grandmother, people would rather believe their own eyes. It was indeed me who killed them, but who would believe that I, a frail woman, could kill a tall and strong man?"

Li's whole body trembled as if sifting through rice bran. Startled, he suddenly pushed Muyun Yao to the ground with a shout.

Just then, a jailer walked by and saw this scene. He raised his truncheon and waved it at Li's face, his eyes full of disgust: "Even in prison, you're still causing trouble. Are you asking to be beaten? The County Magistrate is going to hold a court session to investigate the case of murder and burial. Come along."

This old woman, even in prison, still bullies her own grandson. She truly deserves it!

Li raised his head to look at Mu Yunyao, meeting her eyes as cold and clear as a frigid pond. He couldn't help but regret it deeply, wishing he had strangled the girl when she was just a babe.

Mu Yunyao let out a cold snort in her heart, stood up, and followed the officer's footsteps toward the court. Her thoughts gradually drifted back, replaying everything that had happened over the past few days.

Four days ago, Muyun Yao opened her eyes and was stunned. The room wasn't large; a table and stool were placed not far away. A porcelain teacup rested on the table, clean and tidy. In the corner stood a wooden cabinet, besides that, there was nothing else…

This is a room for a child under thirteen!

Crouching on the bed, a beautiful woman was sitting sideways with tears streaming down her face. Her black hair flowed like clouds, her figure slender and delicate. Even though she wore simple clothes, her natural elegance could not be concealed. This was Su Qing, the mother of the protagonist.

"Mother…"

"Yao'er, you're awake. Does your head still hurt from the wound?" Su Qing hurriedly helped her up, tears streaming down her face even more. "It's all my fault, mother. It's because I didn't protect you well. Grandmother, grandmother, how could she be so cruel?"

Mu Yunyao only then felt the pain at the back of her head. She touched it, and the pain made her vision blur. Suddenly, she remembered that it was two months since her father had passed away. Her grandmother came to cause trouble at home. When she tried to reason with her, she was beaten unconscious.

"Mother! Mother!" Mu Yunyao rushed into Su Qing's arms, the immense joy surging within her, making her unable to contain her tears. She was back, back to a time before the nightmare had begun, back when her mother was alive, and everything still had a chance to be salvaged.

Su Qing was stunned for a moment, then hugged her tightly, as if holding onto a treasure she had lost and found again. She cried silently: "Yao'er."

Mu Yunyao bit her tongue, the pain a confirmation that everything wasn't an illusion. If this was a dream, let it last forever, for which she was willing to pay any price!

Suddenly, a sharp and piercing shout rang out.

"You, Su Qing, are truly heartless! I just wanted back what belongs to my son, and you go around spreading rumors, making the villagers gossip about me? Hmph, let me tell you, a mother wanting back her son's things is only natural! When he was alive, you couldn't even give our Mu family a legitimate heir, and now that he's dead, you still want to keep his belongings? You're simply heartless and devoid of conscience!"

Hearing this voice, my head buzzed, as if thousands of thunderbolts were exploding in my mind, making me tremble with anger. It was Grandmother Li's voice! No matter how many years passed, her voice felt like a curse, chilling me to the bone whenever I heard it.