Zong Sibo's eyes were full of helplessness and despair, and his heart was utterly desolate.

His life had been one of great rises and great falls.

He'd known glory, and he'd known ruin.

Chang Chengyun, the Left Chancellor back then, hadn't managed to kill him.

Neither had Li Zhixing, Ji Mingchen or Feng Gaojie.

He'd thought he might die at Ning Chen's hands someday.

He'd never dreamed he would die in the end at the hands of his own concubine and steward.

He'd treated them well!

He wanted to ask why, but he couldn't get a word out.

Starved of air, Zong Sibo saw the world go black, and bit by bit he lost the ability to think.

Just when he thought he was about to die, he heard Yunniang say, "Easy, don't smother him to death... Go find some rope and cloth. Tie him up and stuff the cloth in his mouth."

The old steward asked, puzzled, "Why not just kill him?"

Yunniang said, "Are you stupid? Do you know where he's hidden his gold and jewels? And the key to the storehouse... If you kill him, where are we supposed to find them?"

The steward nodded again and again.

When Zong Sibo heard Yunniang say not to smother him, he'd thought she still had some feeling for him and couldn't bear to kill him... But it was all for his money. His heart went cold, stone cold.

Together they tied Zong Sibo up and stuffed a rag in his mouth.

"This old woman is worn out..."

Yunniang was exhausted. She gasped for breath and stretched her limbs.

The old steward stared at her, his eyes burning.

Yunniang glanced down and remembered she had nothing on. She shot the steward a coy glare. "Look at you. It's not like you've never seen it before." As she spoke, she grabbed her clothes and put them on.

Then she told the maid, "Go keep watch outside. Don't let anyone in."

"Yes!"

Once the maid had gone out, Yunniang went to the dressing table, snatched up a pair of scissors and came…