Chapter 21 [Three Chapters in a Row]

For her, this summer was incredibly long, like a baptism of fire, a complete breakdown from head to toe, and a fresh start.

Having made the choice to stay, there was no turning back. The autumn wind blew away the misfortune of the Chu family, and Chu Zhuo'an was sent back to Jiangling. The difficulties she had foreseen at the Ji residence were slowly beginning to take shape.

Yu An, her wrists aching, put down her pen to rest after copying the last Buddhist scripture of the day.

After getting married, her skill in copying books improved more and more.

Baozhu brought over hot tea and said, grumbling, "Madam is such a petty person. I've never seen anyone bully their daughter-in-law like this. Even if the old lady doesn't say anything, she should stand up and make a proper decision."

Yu An raised her wrist and covered the steaming teacup with her palm. After a long while, she picked it up and brought it to her lips. "It's just human nature."

In Shen Qiulan's eyes, Ji Jinghe's demotion was a burden on the Chu family. Now that she was the only one left in the Chu family, she still had to see him every day. How could she not feel disgusted by the thought of having such an "enemy" living in her courtyard?

Seven days of vegetarianism and copying Buddhist scriptures was much easier than checking the stack of account books in the Ji family mansion.

Moreover, she was in mourning and could not eat meat.

Just then, a loud "bang" came from the wooden door.

Baozhu lifted her foot to look, but there was no one around. Instead, she found a pebble about half the size of a fist under her feet.

"You brat! It's that stinky kid from the Lin family again."

Shen Qiulan couldn't stand her, especially after Chu Xingjian was executed. She even threatened to divorce her at all costs. What's puzzling is that after talking with Ji Jinghe once, she completely quieted down.

However, he probably couldn't calm down and felt ashamed to have a wife like her in the family, so he kept bringing up the matter of "divorcing his wife" in front of her.

In fact, Yu An was also curious about what Ji Jinghe was thinking.

The first thing she heard when she woke up after fainting from crying at the grave was Baozhu's retelling:

As long as you stay, this young mistress of the Ji family will always be yours.

Therefore, Shen Qiulan openly kept Lin Qiaoyan in the mansion, and she lived next door to Banmu Courtyard, making noise with her all day long, separated by a wall.

Especially after Aunt Lin brought her grandson, her half-acre courtyard was never quiet again.

They would either throw stones at their house or splash water at the gate; last time they almost knocked Baozhu down.

Yu An sighed softly, took a sip of tea, and stared blankly at the paper and pen in front of her.

Ji Jinghe had been staying in the study, and it had been two months since they last met.

Baozhu looked resentful. "Girl, when can we get rid of this Lin family? They're really annoying to see."

As they were talking, Baozhu suddenly had an idea. "Miss, why don't we tell the young master about these things? Didn't the old lady teach us to find the right people? Just then, I heard from Qingque that the young master is coming back today."

In the month following Chu Xingjian's death, Yu'an barely ate or drank and was on the verge of dying in bed. If it weren't for the old lady of Rongshoutang caring for her and comforting her, she probably wouldn't have made it through.

Feeling indebted to her, Yu'an gradually visited Rongshou Hall more often. The old lady was sincere and often taught her methods.

Unfortunately, some things are just meant to be heard and forgotten, but Yu-An never really took them to heart.

Now, Baozhu is listening more attentively than she was.

In this Ji family mansion, she had no family to rely on anymore. The only person she could rely on was Ji Jinghe. If she had him, perhaps her life would be much better...

Baozhu: "Although you are in mourning, you can't just stop contacting him, can you? Even if you don't like your son-in-law, you have to keep him here. Do you really want to let that Lin Qiaoyan into the house?"

In that case, their lives would be even more difficult.

Since you chose to stay, you must have the determination to stay.

Only by establishing a foothold in the Ji family can one truly make their mark in the outside world.

Another pebble was thrown into the window, and the glass panes immediately cracked.

Yu'an looked out the window and after a while said calmly, "Call that child in and give him these two pieces of pastry on the table."

"girl."

Baozhu called out unexpectedly, and the frustration in her heart suddenly made her chest ache. She hadn't heard a single word of what had just been said, so why did she have to beg for forgiveness?

Yu An remained unmoved and changed to a coaxing tone: "Listen to me, go and call him in."

Baozhu couldn't understand, so she could only reluctantly turn around, open the door, call out to the child twice, and invite him in.

As expected, the Lin family lacked manners, and the children were unruly. The five- or six-year-old children were the first to enter the strangers' home. Instead of greeting them shyly, they swaggered around the house, picked up any objects they saw, examined them, and then put them down with a look of disgust.

"Want some?" Yu'an gestured towards the pastries on the table.

The child darted around with his sly eyes and pouted, saying, "My aunt said that the things in your yard are unclean; they were all obtained through dirty means."

Dirty tactics.

One of Chu Xingjian's crimes was embezzlement and bribery, the implication of which is quite clear.

Baozhu's anger flared up instantly, and she threatened to hit him. But the child was a bad one. After being hit by Baozhu, he immediately reached out and overturned the inkstone on the corner of Yu'an's table, destroying the Buddhist scriptures that Yu'an had copied.

"You're all bad people, you deserve it!"

When Baozhu saw Yu'an frantically trying to salvage the copied Buddhist scriptures, she was furious. She grabbed the child's clothes and gave him a severe beating.

Unable to struggle, the child could only shout for help.

Hearing her grandson's heart-wrenching cries, Aunt Lin from next door rushed over, snatched the child from Baozhu's arms, and held him protectively in her embrace.

"How old are you? Still arguing with a child. No wonder you're disliked. You're a jinx!" After saying that, she spat on the ground.

Baozhu put her hands on her hips and was about to start arguing when Yu'an stepped forward and blocked her way: "It is the father's fault if he raises his child without teaching him. If Aunt really loves her grandson, she should hand him over to his parents to be properly taught. You speak so carelessly in front of the child. Aren't you afraid that one day the child will learn from your words and embarrass the elders?"

Unlike before, Aunt Lin had no more reservations this time and said firmly, "Without your father, who do you think you are? Do you need to teach me? No matter how bad our children are, they have never learned to harm others."

Yu An stared at her intently, seemingly unmoved.

It was precisely because of this appearance that Aunt Lin found it increasingly displeasing.

"You'd better watch out for the day you get kicked out of the Ji family and can't even enjoy this good life anymore. I'm going to Wanfang Courtyard right now and I'll show you what's what."

Aunt Lin pointed her finger viciously at Yu An's nose, like a madwoman on the street, completely losing her previous dignity. Even when she was carrying the child out, she was cursing and swearing.

Just as she said, people used to be afraid of her because she had a prime minister father, but now that she's fallen from power, her ugly face has been completely exposed.

Baozhu closed the door and then felt a lingering fear. She wasn't afraid of anything except that someone would gossip about her to Shen Qiulan and make things difficult for her daughter.

While he was stamping his feet in the room trying to find a solution, Yu'an, on the other hand, calmly and patiently ground the ink again.

"I told you we couldn't bring that child in..." Baozhu said impatiently. "Girl, why don't you think of a solution instead of letting that woman spout nonsense and frame us?"

Yu-an tried her best to calm herself down and keep her pen steady. Her long silence made Bao-zhu feel helpless and angry, so she didn't say a word all afternoon.

As darkness fell, Yu'an still had to rush to copy the text, so Baozhu placed the new candle on the table.

"Take it, the rest can be used too."

Baozhu: "There's not much old wax left, it'll hurt my eyes if I use it."

Yu An: "Listen to me, go."

Baozhu remained silent and went downstairs with her head down.

The long night passed slowly, time slipping away on paper and pen. The dim light made her eyes ache. Yu'an breathed on her palms to warm them, staring at the flickering lamp wick, a heavy weight pressing on her heart.

Judging by the time, they should be arriving soon...

The sound of the night watchman's drum came from outside; it was midnight. Seeing that there was still a stack of papers beside her, Yu'an gritted her teeth and picked up her pen again.

Before long, a sound came from the doorway, and a familiar figure appeared amidst the cold dew of the night, making the room even colder.

Meeting those familiar yet unfamiliar black eyes, memories of yesterday, as distant as a past life, flooded her mind, scene after scene, making her unable to forget even a fraction of them, even though she had prepared herself and rehearsed them countless times in her mind.

Yu An's hand remained frozen in mid-air for a few moments before she remembered to speak: "It's so late, has the master eaten yet?"

"I used it."

Ji Jinghe replied in a gentle voice, his emotions unreadable, and then found a place to sit down.

The past incidents are still vivid in our minds. There is resentment and rivalry. Even though time has passed, we cannot completely let go. They are like thorns stuck in our hearts, constantly reminding each other.

An awkward silence filled the air, making it difficult for either of them to speak.

Yu An put down her pen and stood up, pouring Ji Jinghe a cup of tea from the table. "Would you like to rest here, sir? I'll have someone bring you some water now."

Ji Jinghe raised his hand, "No need. I came today because I heard about what happened during the day."

His words were serious, his expression solemn, making it difficult to guess what he was doing; it was nothing more than a reprimand that was no different from before.

When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. The pride her family instilled in her vanished along with her shattered spine after that ordeal.

Yu An lowered her head first: "During the day, I was indeed at fault. The child knocked over the inkstone, which ruined the Buddhist scriptures that my mother-in-law asked me to copy. In the future, I will put the copied ones higher up, and that will be fine."

Her tone was soft, as if the grievances she had suffered that day had already been crushed and swallowed.

Ji Jinghe paused as he picked up the teacup, then looked up and softened his tone: "I understand what happened today. It wasn't your fault. Children should be disciplined if they are naughty. Madam, you don't need to take other people's words to heart. This matter is nothing to worry about."

Yu Anxin paused, raised her eyes and carefully examined the man in front of her, afraid of missing even the slightest expression on his face.

Ji Jinghe, oblivious, continued talking to himself: "You don't need to copy the Buddhist scriptures anymore. I'll explain it to Mother first thing tomorrow morning."

The sudden show of concern left Yu'an bewildered, and even startled and uneasy.

They were separated by Xu Yun's blood feud. Given Ji Jinghe's righteous and intolerant nature, it was already a good thing that he could tolerate her. Just like in the first few months after she joined the Ji family, he showed her no respect or kindness.

Now that the matter is settled, she has become the daughter of her enemy in all but name, so why is she suddenly showing concern for him?

The candlelight flickered on and off. Ji Jinghe sat on the pear wood chair, his sharpness gone, leaving only a warm and lustrous ink-like aura.

Yu An forced a smile, pursing her lips: "That's not necessary. I'll still copy the Buddhist scriptures, as for my mother-in-law..."

"Dim lights hurt your eyes, get some rest."

Ji Jinghe interrupted her, drank the tea in his cup in one gulp, got up and left without any hesitation.

Yu'an stared at the tightly closed door, her heart heavy with unease. They came and went, just to comfort her?

A promise is a promise, and Ji Jinghe went to Wanfang Courtyard before going on duty. In no time at all, Wanfang Courtyard was in an uproar again, and there was no peace for several days.

Yu'an, on the other hand, was living a better and better life. The servants in the courtyard were also able to eat and work well. The Lin family next door sent things to curry favor with her every day, but Yu'an refused them all.

Another day, Lin Qiaoyan held gifts and requested an audience outside the courtyard gate.

Baozhu: "Look, the maid is holding a large wooden box. I don't know what it is."

Yu An didn't even look up, flipping through the book in her hand, and said indifferently, "I won't see you."

Baozhu: "Miss Lin said she'd only meet me once, and then leave..."

"I won't see you then. Just say I'm asleep and it's inconvenient for me to see anyone."

That sounds like an excuse, showing that they didn't even have the intention to deceive.

Baozhu disliked the Lin family and didn't want to entertain them, but seeing her young lady's strong stance, she immediately smiled and went back satisfied.

After being refused for three or four days in a row, the Lin family mother and daughter were so angry that they went to Wanfang Courtyard the next day.

They have now become regulars at Wanfang Courtyard, constantly freeloading off others, and the people in the mansion have become accustomed to it.

Shen Qiulan sat on the couch, still furious. She found everything displeasing and wondered what kind of misfortune her son had suffered in his previous life to be forced into such a marriage. To make matters worse, he was a fool. She refused to divorce him early on, insisting on keeping him at home and even favoring outsiders. This had made her, his own mother, dislike him. She had raised him for nothing for twenty-two years.

The Lin family is forbidden from entering the Half-Acre Courtyard again, his wife is forbidden from copying Buddhist scriptures again, and the servants in the mansion are forbidden from mistreating the Chu family... What does this mean?

Is it to make her treat everyone in the half-acre courtyard like ancestors?

Aunt Lin, who was very perceptive, said indignantly, "I heard from the servants that she went to see that person at the beginning of the night last night. I bet we were the ones who were sued. People who don't know the situation will think we bullied her. Tell me, how can a grown woman like her bear to hit such a young child?"

"In my opinion, they are all like that person who died in the Chu family. They are all ruthless and heartless. It's a pity that my cousin believed that person's words. It's really a pity for my aunt."

Lin Qiaoyan looked worried, truly concerned for Shen Qiulan.

“I live next door to Qiaoyan, and I’ve seen plenty of Chu family servants stealing chickens and dogs in secret. They’re either sneaking food in the kitchen or staring at you with shifty eyes. Especially that girl named Baozhu, she’s so unruly and has no sense of hierarchy.”

Shen Qiulan glanced at him and said, "Sneaky thievery?"

Thefts have been frequent in the mansion since they came in, and even Ji Shu's courtyard has not been spared. Shen Qiulan was thinking about how to investigate and deal with it, and today it seems that she really underestimated the Chu family.

Shen Qiulan: "Do you have any evidence?"

Talk is cheap; once she has evidence that Banmuyuan was behind it, she will certainly not show any mercy.

Aunt Lin agreed: "Since you are in charge of the household affairs, just give the order to conduct a thorough investigation. No matter who it is, it will be considered a purge of the household. What's wrong with that?"

Just then, Ji Shu rushed in from outside the door, pouting and angrily complaining, "Mother, my favorite hairpin is gone! The servants in the courtyard said that someone sneaked into my room a few days ago while I was out."

Shen Qiulan: "Why didn't you stop them when you saw them? Did you even see who it was?"

“They looked like my maid Caiqi, so I didn’t pay any attention. But Caiqi has always served me. How could she steal things when I’m not around?”

Taking the opportunity, Aunt Lin said, "There are only a few girls in the manor around Caiqi's age, with a slender waist and narrow shoulders. Could she really be from Banmu Courtyard?"

Ji Shu thought for a moment and a thought really came to mind, "Is Auntie talking about that maid who serves Chu Yu'an? She's always been unpleasant to look at, and now that the Chu family has fallen, all her evil intentions are written on her face. She's not only greedy, but she also steals..."

"Mother, you must keep a close eye on this. We can't let the Ji family be ruined by that kind of person."

Shen Qiulan slammed her teacup on the table, her pent-up resentment raging, making her anger uncontrollable. "Investigate! Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, investigate! Let's see who has the audacity to do this right under my nose!"

Upon receiving the order, the nanny beside Shen Qiulan led several head stewards of the mansion to immediately begin cleaning the entire Ji residence.

Ji Shu headed straight for the half-acre courtyard.

Lin Qiaoyan felt uncertain and secretly tugged at her mother's sleeve, "Are you really ready?"

Aunt Lin gradually slowed her pace until she saw Ji Shu turn the corner in the corridor and disappear from sight, then she answered with relief, "Of course I'm ready, what are you panicking about?"

What if we can't catch it?

The opportunity only comes once, and Lin Qiaoyan neither wants to miss it nor is she afraid of making a mistake and exposing her secret.

Seeing this opportunity for a phoenix to rise to prominence, not only she, but Aunt Lin was even more unwilling to miss it. Once the prey was caught, how could she be allowed to let go?

No way.

Aunt Lin: "Don't worry, everything is ready. Just wait to become the young mistress of the Ji family."

Ji Shu had been close to the Xu family since childhood and had always hoped that her future sister-in-law would be Xu Jingshu. Later, when she heard that her elder brother had agreed to the marriage with the Chu family, she turned a blind eye. However, the reality was more and more unexpected. The Chu family became the culprit who framed the Xu family and caused their downfall.

I thought this sister-in-law would have the self-awareness to take the divorce papers and obediently leave the Ji residence, but I never expected her to stay and refuse to leave.

Her brother was demoted, and her engagement was annulled without cause because of all this mess... One thing after another, she had been holding back her anger for a long time, and she was just looking for a way to vent it.

*

On the other side, Yu'an was talking with Baozhu, discussing what kind of handicrafts to send to the old lady of Rongshoutang, when they heard a loud noise as the door was broken open. Ji Shu, who was furious, completely lost her temper and rushed to the front, staring at them with wide eyes.

Yu'an and Baozhu were both stunned. Before they could speak, they heard Ji Shu say arrogantly, "Sister-in-law, recently someone in our household has been stealing things. In broad daylight, he entered my bedroom and stole my hairpin. On behalf of my mother, the entire household is being thoroughly investigated. I wonder if you can cooperate?"

Yu An understood, looked at Bao Zhu, and then replied, "Of course, you may do as you please."

As soon as she finished speaking, Ji Shu immediately ordered people to start searching, even taking Yu An's closet.

Baozhu couldn't stand it and wanted to stop her, but Yu'an secretly pulled her back.

"Miss, we've found it."

Caiqi ran in with the hairpin in her hand. Ji Shu glanced at it from a distance and immediately recognized it as her own hairpin.

"Where did you find it?"

"This was found in Baozhu's room."

Ji Shu sneered: "As expected, it was you. You dragged her away. If I don't teach you a lesson today to set an example for others, people will say that our Ji family is raising thieves, and we'll become a laughing stock."

Before Yu'an could even put on her shoes, her servants dragged Baozhu to the courtyard. Coincidentally, Shen Qiulan arrived with a large group of people, just as they were about to run into her.

Ji Shu said aggrievedly, "Mother, look at this, the Chu family really does nothing but bad things. No one in the family, young or old, is an exception. You have to discipline them properly, otherwise people will laugh at our Ji family for not having a strict family discipline."

Shen Qiulan glanced at Baozhu, whose hands were tied behind her back and pressed to the ground, then looked at Yu'an who had just rushed out, and said through gritted teeth with a vicious laugh, "You, Chu Yu'an, what have you done to the house..."

Yu An bowed and said, “Mother-in-law, this matter is a misunderstanding. Baozhu is by my side every day and has never left my side. Moreover, Banmu Courtyard and Jianjia Pavilion are far apart. There are many people in the mansion and many eyes. How could she steal in broad daylight? This must be a frame-up. Please investigate, Mother-in-law.”

Shen Qiulan: "The servants in Jianjia Pavilion all saw it with their own eyes, what else do you have to say?"

"Who actually saw Baozhu enter the room? Did they really see her enter the room? Words alone are not enough; who dares to make a definitive conclusion?"

A slight hint of fear appeared on his face, but his gaze remained fixed, and his tone carried an undeniable certainty.

Ji Shu: "In the entire Ji family, there are only a handful of people who resemble Cai Qi in figure. Now that the stolen goods have been recovered, who else could it be but her?"

Yu'an: "There are many troublemakers in the mansion now, and it is possible that someone with ulterior motives might frame us. If we are talking about lost items, things have also been stolen from Banmu Courtyard recently. Who should we turn to for justice?"

The Lin mother and daughter paused, standing aside without daring to utter a sound.

Seeing her sharp tongue, Shen Qiulan finally understood her. She was filled with hatred and said "Good" three times. "The stolen goods have been found, and you're still arguing with me... Bring the witnesses over here. I'll make you admit your mistake today."

As they called for help, Yu'an stepped forward and pushed aside the two servants who were escorting Baozhu, shielding her behind her. Seeing this, Aunt Lin couldn't help but tease her, "Young Madam, my sister is your mother-in-law, after all. You should at least show some respect for elders and elders. How can you talk to your mother-in-law like that?"

Yu An met that gaze without fear, saying, "The Ji family's affairs are none of your business, Auntie."

Aunt Lin was speechless, and her expression turned ugly. Even though she was holding back her dissatisfaction, she didn't dare to vent it in front of Shen Qiulan.

Both to make an example of Yu An and to embarrass him, Shen Qiulan summoned all the servants to the entrance of the Half Acre Courtyard to watch over them.

Knowing Shen Qiulan's intentions, Yu'an showed no weakness and straightened her back.

Before long, the old woman who had seen his figure at Jianjia Pavilion that day arrived.

Ji Shu only wanted to ask Baozhu beside her: "Granny, look closely, wasn't it her the one you saw entering my bedroom that day?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Caiqi grabbed Baozhu's shoulder and turned her back to everyone.

The old woman looked closely and saw the red string wrapped around Baozhu's hair. She immediately remembered: "It's her, it's her! The person I saw that day had a red string tied around her head."

Everyone knows that apart from Baozhu from the Chu family, no other maid in the entire mansion would tie a red string in her hair. She is the only one, so who else could it be but her?

Shen Qiulan: "You should see this clearly and remember it well. This young mistress of our household is a very stubborn person. If you mistake her for someone else, you'll be in big trouble."

The old woman immediately kowtowed, "If I uttered even half a lie, may I die a horrible death. No matter what, I would never dare to slander my master."

Shen Qiulan sneered and said sternly, "Guards, bring out the family rules. After you've finished beating me, kick me out of the Ji residence."

"Let's see who dares!" Yu An shielded Bao Zhu tightly behind her.

"Chu Yu'an, do you really dare to rebel against the Heavenly Gang?" Shen Qiulan shouted angrily.

Yu An: "Mother-in-law, as far as I know, a lot of valuables have been stolen from the mansion. If Baozhu is the thief, why are there no other stolen goods, and only Ji Shu's hairpin?"

“I don’t have much interaction with Ji Shu, let alone my maid. How could she know that no one was in Jianjia Pavilion during the day, and how could she know where Ji Shu’s hairpin was and where it was locked? If she wasn’t a seasoned thief, how could she be so clever and quick?”

Lin Qiaoyan: "Aunt will investigate who stole the other valuables, but she stole Shuer's hairpin, and there is no room for excuses."

Ji Shu chimed in, "That's right, what are you all standing there for? Why aren't you making a move?"

"I didn't steal anything, this is clearly a frame-up!"

Baozhu was dragged to the torture bench by two servants, and despite her struggles, she was tied to the bench.

Yu An stood between them, clinging tightly to Bao Zhu, "I have evidence, this is definitely Lin..."

"Wait a minute."

A resounding voice rang out from behind them, and everyone looked in the direction of the voice to see Ji Jinghe.

When Shen Qiulan saw her son arrive, she still didn't have a friendly expression and spoke first: "You are not allowed to interfere in this matter today. I have the final say in matters concerning the inner quarters."

Ji Jinghe approached, glanced silently to the side, and then bowed to Shen Qiulan: "Mother, I initially thought that I would finish my shift early today and explain things to you in detail, but now it seems that I have saved myself the trouble of making an extra trip."

Ji Shu blurted out instinctively, "Brother, you're not planning to side with her, are you...?"

Ji Jinghe ignored it, lowered his eyes slightly, turned to look at Yu An, his gaze was calm and unwavering, and said slowly, "In my study, an imperial inkstone has gone missing. I have been searching for it for many days without success. Today, I would like to take this opportunity to see who in the mansion is up to no good."

Hearing her son say this, Shen Qiulan sat back down in her chair and said disdainfully, "Then we'll have to ask the Chu family carefully."

When Yu'an met those dark eyes, her heart sank. Everything that had happened was still vivid in her mind, leaving her with no desire to argue, since it would all be in vain in the end anyway.

In just two short months, what could Ji Jinghe possibly become?

She averted her gaze, letting him continue.

“In my opinion, not only the half-acre courtyard, but the entire mansion should be thoroughly cleaned. If any place is filthy and grime that remains undiscovered for a long time, that is what is meant by ‘ant-like worms’ troubles.’”

Aunt Lin seized the opportunity to interject: "Making such a fuss will only arouse suspicion if word gets out. Why not deal with those we caught today first, and then talk about other things?"

Ji Jinghe retorted, "Wasn't today's search my aunt's idea? Why are you starting to consider other people's opinions now?"

"This..." Aunt Lin was speechless.

Recently, due to the Chu family's affairs, the relationship between mother and son has not been good. Shen Qiulan was too lazy to argue anymore, so she casually waved her hand, which was taken as tacit approval.

The mansion was huge, and Shen Qiulan pointed out several reliable old servants, leading clever servants to check them one by one.

This is a long and arduous process; it won't be over in a short time.

As Yu An hung her head, feeling uneasy, a hand suddenly reached into her eyelids.

Just like that night, she inexplicably felt a touch of warmth in those usually cold eyes, a feeling comparable to the delirium of someone on the verge of death, which was not good.

Yu'an lingered on that hand for a moment, but her wariness made her quickly look away and turn to untie the ropes binding Baozhu.

Baozhu, still shaken, instinctively spread her arms to shield Yu'an, muttering to herself, "My Chu family has committed crimes, but we're not petty thieves. The good things here, the Chu family used to have too. Who cares..."

Yu An listened to this, her eyes welling up with tears, and a bitter feeling spread across her lips.

Everyone present knew perfectly well that these words were a slap in the face to everyone present.

Ji Jinghe was a man who knew everything, and the more he knew, the more ashamed he felt.

Just like his outstretched hand that no one paid attention to, making him feel ashamed without even realizing it.

He curled his fingers, then slowly withdrew them, took two steps back, and said nothing more.

Half an incense stick later, Qingque arrived with her men and threw a servant dressed as a woman on the ground. Even her hair was styled the same way as Baozhu's. If one did not compare them closely, at first glance, she would definitely be mistaken for a maid.

"Reporting to Madam and Young Master, we found your lost inkstone and some other valuables in this person's room."

As Qingque spoke, the servant behind her spread out the package containing the stolen goods on the ground.

Caiqi, who was standing next to Ji Shu, exclaimed in surprise: "Miss, isn't this the earring that was lost a while ago?"

Baozhu looked over and called out, "Our things from our half-acre courtyard are here too."

Lin Qiaoyan's heart tightened, and she gripped her aunt's hand tightly...

"This means there's more than one thief in the Ji residence. Have you searched the entire place?"

As Ji Jinghe spoke, he casually looked up and his gaze happened to fall on Lin Qiaoyan.

Lin Qiaoyan was startled and began to panic. If it weren't for her aunt holding her from behind, she wouldn't have been able to stand up straight.

Ji Jinghe didn't bother to look at it a second time. "Speak, where you came from, why you're dressed in women's clothing, and why you deliberately wore clothes similar to others to mislead people."

Although the servant was flustered, he was also a man of courage and confessed without hesitation: "I just like to wear women's clothes. I'm not trying to imitate anyone, let alone misunderstand."

"So you admit that you stole these valuables?" Ji Jinghe asked.

The servant remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"That hairpin of the young lady was also used to frame you."

“This wasn’t me, I didn’t do it.” The servant answered confidently, as if he was determined to go all the way. “I’ve never been to Jianjia Pavilion or Banmu Courtyard, so how could I have stolen Miss’s hairpin, much less framed the young mistress.”

"The things I took were all from the mansion's warehouse."

Yu An glanced sideways at the man, casually taking a hairpin from her bundle. "Then tell me, how did the things in my dressing case end up in your hands? Do you still dare to deny it?"

The servant paused, "This is not your hairpin."

“This is my hairpin.” Yu’an chuckled. “I don’t think there’s any need for interrogation. Just give it fifty strokes of the cane according to family rules, and then sell it.”

Her tone was harsh, her eyes defiant, completely different from before.

The servant gritted his teeth and said, "This is not your hairpin. What right do you have to punish me? You are nothing but a fallen lady of a disgraced official. After the traitor who killed the loyal minister, you stayed in the Ji family to eat and wait to die. We do not recognize a young mistress like you."

I knew the Ji family and the Xu family were close, and I knew the Xu family's reputation for loyalty to the emperor and patriotism was renowned throughout the capital, but I didn't know that among the Ji family's servants there was actually...

“You keep saying this isn’t her hairpin, then whose is it?” Ji Shu stepped forward. “You also said you’ve never been in my room, but I’ve never worn this hairpin in front of any outsider.”

Feeling guilty, the servant lowered his head and remained silent.

Yu'an summoned her dowry maid and knelt on the ground to explain everything.

Yu'an knew a day earlier that someone had broken into Baozhu's room, but she didn't make a fuss, hoping to lure the snake out.

It would be utterly unbelievable if someone hadn't deliberately framed us behind our backs today.

Yu An suppressed the turmoil in her heart and remained unmoved: "Before you say such harsh words, you should think about what will happen to you. If this money is used to report you to the authorities, you could easily lose your head. If you have accomplices, you should speak up as soon as possible. Don't risk your life for the sake of others."

As Ji Jinghe watched Yu An's retreating figure, he felt a mix of emotions he couldn't quite describe.

When Qingque spoke to him about this matter yesterday, she did not mention the eyewitness. If she were not wary, why would she not have told him earlier, instead making him put in a lot of effort to search for her?

She had a backup plan, specifically to guard against him.

The servant, still holding onto a sliver of stubbornness and about to launch into a tirade, was immediately met with a resounding slap from Baozhu: "Young Madam is giving you a chance to redeem yourself; don't be ungrateful."

The servant was terrified, and his previous stubbornness immediately softened. He kowtowed and begged for mercy: "It was Madam Lin and Miss Lin who instructed me to do it. They promised me fifty taels of silver after it was done. My brother lost money gambling and owes a lot of money, so I had no choice but to do it."

"As for the insults I just hurled at the young mistress, it was only out of desperation and not my intention. Please forgive me, young mistress and young master."

Aunt Lin immediately berated, "You lackey, you're making false accusations! When have my daughter and I ever bribed you to harm anyone?"

The facts were clear, and Shen Qiulan understood as well.

The cousin she herself had dragged into the situation was being manipulated by her, and her motives were self-evident.

At this point, Yu An didn't want to get involved any more. She curtsied slightly to Ji Jinghe and said, "The matter is clear. The rest is up to you, sir and mother-in-law."

Shen Qiulan didn't give her any face, but she did, which was more than enough.

Ji Jinghe whispered, "Why don't those who witnessed it tell me the truth?"

Yu An paused, then looked up at him.

-----------------------

Author's note: Yu An: So acting can bring you sweetness.

Ji Jinghe: She's wary of me [cracks]