Chapter 260 Madam Cao's Misdeeds Exposed

Cheng Wanwan greeted her with a beaming smile.

Cao Defu then noticed a very familiar figure in the courtyard.

They had parted ways at the dock in Hekou County in the morning, and now they had unexpectedly met again. What a coincidence!

He was about to say hello.

Madam Cao spoke first: "Greetings, Madam Sui."

Cao Defu's eyes widened immediately: "Mrs. Sui??"

As soon as he returned to Hekou County, he heard from many people that the Emperor had personally bestowed upon him the title of Ninth-Rank Lady, and his subordinates also told him that his daughter Yingying was living in Lady Sui's house.

He never expected that the woman he met in Nanyang City would be the renowned Lady Sui!

Not only did Madam Sui help him resolve the issue of that batch of silk gauze, but she also took in his daughter. She was a great benefactor to the Cao family!

"So it's Madam Sui!" Cao Defu approached her with a fawning expression. "I heard Yingying has been staying here for over a month. Madam Sui saved Yingying, so she's our family's benefactor. Just tell me what you need, and as long as it's something I, Cao Defu, can do, I will definitely help you..."

Cheng Wanwan's expression was slightly indifferent: "Boss Cao, let's find out about Yingying's matter first."

"Yes, yes, of course we have to find out the truth." Cao Defu said, "I've brought that maid with me. She spread false information and misled Yingying, which is why Yingying escaped from home and suffered so much torture... Guards, drag her out!"

Two servants dragged a person out of a carriage behind them. It was Hongyu, who had been beaten with a board and was in a sorry state.

Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "As far as I know, this maid is now a maid in Madam Cao's courtyard. After the eldest young lady was forced to leave home, her personal maid actually went to serve in Madam Cao's room. Doesn't Boss Cao think there's anything wrong with this?"

Cao Defu narrowed his eyes and stared intently at Qi Shi: "Tell me, is there something else you're hiding from me?"

Madam Cao felt a mouthful of blood stuck in her throat.

As soon as the master returned, he slapped her hard. She tried her best to explain and prove her innocence, and the master finally believed her.

But now, with just a few words, this Lady Sui has made the master start to question her again.

Does Lady Sui have a grudge against her?

Madam Cao took a deep breath, preparing to explain further.

Just then.

Cao Yingying came out of the house, holding a red object in her hand, and handed it to Cao Defu.

Qi's eyelids twitched. Why did this thing look so familiar?

She suddenly remembered that this was the marriage certificate that the matchmaker had delivered more than a month ago, with the names of Old Master Dou and Cao Yingying on it.

She hid the marriage certificate in a drawer, so how did it end up in Cao Yingying's hands?

Thinking of this, Madam Qi suddenly remembered that one afternoon not long ago, her courtyard was burgled and one of the gold hairpins in her dressing box was stolen. Because she didn't really like the hairpin, she didn't think much of it. Now that she thought about it, the hairpin was stolen under the pretense, and the marriage certificate was the real culprit.

In that brief moment, countless thoughts flashed through Qi's mind.

Cao Defu had already opened the marriage certificate. He read it quickly and was instantly enraged: "Misunderstanding? This is the misunderstanding you're talking about? You, Qi Shi! You appear gentle and generous on the surface, but you're actually a vicious snake! You actually want to marry my daughter to a man in his fifties, and have a man in his fifties call me father-in-law. What are you up to!"

He suddenly slammed the marriage certificate into Qi's face.

"Master, I really didn't know anything about this!" Madam Qi's knees buckled as she knelt on the ground, crying her heart out. "When I first married into the Cao family, Yingying was barely up to my waist. I truly treated her like my own daughter. How could I possibly marry her off to a decrepit old man! I swear to God, if I really did that, may I be struck dead by lightning!"

Under a clear blue sky, there was no thunder.

Cao Defu was skeptical.

Cheng Wanwan took a sip of tea. This Qi family was truly capable of great things. In ancient times, when superstition was prevalent, they even dared to make such a vicious oath.

Qi was cunning and shrewd, while Cao Defu was simple-minded and had been deceived countless times over the years.

She said calmly, "Ergou, Sanniu, bring the person out."

Zhao Ergou and Zhao Sanniu were already prepared. The two dragged Zhao Fugui, who was tied up, out of the house.

Cheng Wanwan looked at Zhao Fugui with a smile on her lips: "If you were the mastermind behind today's events, the government will sentence you to at least seven years in prison. If you were acting under someone else's orders, then you can only be considered an accomplice, and you might only be released in a year. The Cao family is all here. If you have any grievances, just speak up. I am, after all, a ninth-rank lady, and I can certainly stand up for you."

After she finished speaking, she pulled the tattered cloth out of Zhao Fugui's mouth.

After being tied up and thrown into the pigsty, Zhao Fugui understood that if he dared to make any more false accusations, Zhao Chengshi would have a hundred ways to make him suffer in silence.

He confessed honestly, "Someone wanted me to harm Miss Cao. They said if I succeeded in defiling her, they would make me their son-in-law. They even said that even if Master Cao didn't acknowledge me as his son-in-law, they would still give me five hundred taels of silver so I could live a carefree life... I wouldn't dare to harm Miss Cao even if I had ten lives! It was this person who kept encouraging me, saying that Miss Cao was out of favor and that Master Cao was a fool. I was blinded by greed and did such an unforgivable thing. Madam Sui, please save me..."

"What? You say I don't spoil my daughter? You say I'm a fool?" Cao Defu was furious and kicked him. "Tell me, who ordered you to do this!"

Zhao Fugui looked at the Cao family members over there and said tremblingly, "A man who is probably in his thirties, with beady eyes, a bulbous nose, a goatee, and wearing silk and satin... I don't know who he is."

Cao Yingying pursed her lips: "It should be Butler Cao."

“No matter how much power Steward Cao has, he’s still just a servant. A servant wouldn’t act on his own initiative to do something like this.” Cheng Wanwan curled her lips. “The only people who can order the steward around are probably Boss Cao and Madam Cao. And Boss Cao wouldn’t treat his own daughter like that, so that leaves only…”

Madam Qi grabbed Cao Defu's leg and cried out, "Master, I'm truly innocent! If I did such a thing, may I be struck by lightning! I also have daughters. If I ruin Yingying's reputation, how will my two daughters get married? It was... it was Steward Cao! He made this decision on his own! Didn't you want Yingying to learn how to manage the household? If Yingying were involved in managing the household, she would take over Steward Qin's responsibilities. He must not want the young lady to take away his power, so he did such a despicable thing! I beg you, Master, to investigate thoroughly and clear my name!"

Cao Defu's fat face trembled with rage. He kicked Qi Shi away and said, "I will investigate Steward Cao, and I will investigate you too! Men, take Qi Shi into the carriage! And take this Zhao Fugui away as well!"

Two servants came over and dragged the wailing Qi Shi onto the carriage, one on each side. Zhao Fugui was also gagged and thrown onto the carriage.

Cao Defu looked at Cheng Wanwan and sighed, "It's my fault for not managing the household properly, and I've made a fool of myself in front of Lady Sui again."

“Yingying has been unable to go home for a while and has suffered a lot.” Cheng Wanwan touched Cao Yingying’s hair. “The child was betrayed by her most trusted maid while she was at home. The eldest daughter of the Cao family is having a harder time than us villagers. Cao’s eldest son should pay more attention to the child.”

“What Madam Sui says is true.” Cao Defu nodded in agreement. “My daughter has been a great trouble to Madam Sui’s family for many days. I have nothing to repay her with, so I have brought some gold, silver and valuables. I hope you will accept them.”

He clapped his hands, and two servants carried three chests out of the carriage.

The first chest contained exquisitely patterned porcelain and other items.

The second trunk contained various colors of silk and satin.

The third chest contained dozens of large silver ingots and some jade artifacts.