"Both of you, can one of you tell me what exactly happened?" Jiang Ling asked, pinching her forehead in the darkness.

Zhao Qianyu spoke first: "I don't know either. Gan Kai and I live quite far apart. I heard Aunt Erleng scream, followed by shouting and yelling. When I pushed open the door to check, the little girl had already been slapped several times by Aunt Erleng!"

"Little girl? You mean Er Ya?" Jiang Ling asked, frowning.

Ever since Er Ya caused such a huge mess last time, Jiang Ling hadn't seen her again. Earlier, she heard that Er Ya had gone to Zhao Er Leng's hot pot restaurant. Jiang Ling thought that since the hot pot restaurant was now in the hands of Zhao Er Leng and his wife, she could stay there. Although she had seen Er Ya today, she thought that after this incident, the girl would repent and change her ways. Who would have thought that a leopard can't change its spots?

"Hmm? Is her name Er Ya? I don't know, she's about thirteen or fourteen, with rather dark skin, and she seems to have a good relationship with Aunt Er Leng!" Zhao Qianyu replied.

Jiang Ling nodded, confirming her suspicions. She pressed on, "Yaojie, what exactly happened?"

Jiang Yaojie was also a little confused. He thought for a moment and said, "I don't know either. I was asleep under the counter when I heard Aunt Erleng scream. I thought there was a thief, so I ran upstairs. I saw Er Ya barely clothed and Aunt Erleng dragging her out of Gan Kai's room. Gan Kai seemed a little flustered. I was worried that something else might happen, so I rushed to wake you up!"

“Godmother, I’m not saying this to be mean, but that Gan Kai is no good! If it weren’t for the fact that he’s a classmate, I wouldn’t have brought him here. He’s a regular at brothels and has three concubines at home!” Zhao Qianyu added fuel to the fire.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling quickened her pace, inwardly cursing Er Ya several times.

As expected, the inn was already brightly lit, and a number of dignitaries and nobles had gathered around. Jiang Ling looked at the crowd and was relieved that Eunuch Yin had not appeared. Otherwise, if he had seen such an embarrassing incident, it would have been difficult to resolve.

At this moment, Er Ya was kneeling on the ground crying, and Zhao Er Leng's wife, sitting in a chair next to her, also had red eyes. She was holding a rattan cane that she had picked up from somewhere and whipped Er Ya several times!

"Auntie, Auntie, I...I was wrong, please don't hit me anymore, it hurts!" Er Ya cried and begged for mercy.

Zhao Erleng's wife was probably really furious. She was trembling all over and her lips were chattering as she roared, "Erya, Erleng! How could you be so shameless! You've caused such a big mess, how are I and your parents supposed to explain this? You're only thirteen! Aren't you afraid of being drowned in the village's gossip?"

Although Jiang Ling wasn't present at the time, after hearing her two sons' account and seeing Zhao Erleng's wife's extreme behavior, she understood most of the situation.

She glanced at Jiang Yaojie and said, "Yaojie, go find some clothes!"

"Qianyu, who is Gan Kai? Can you find him for me?"

The two went their separate ways. Before long, Jiang Ling had a piece of clothing in her hand, and Gan Kai stood beside her with his head hanging low.

Jiang Ling glanced at everyone, bowed, and said, "I am very sorry to have disturbed your rest. Please forgive me!"

Jiang Ling turned to look at Jiang Yaojie again and said, "Yaojie, you should stay here!"

“Come with me! This isn’t the time to talk about this!” Jiang Ling said, pointing at the crowd.

Zhao Erleng's wife was trembling with anger. She glared at Er Ya fiercely. Although Jiang Ling disliked Er Ya, it wasn't appropriate for a girl to expose her arms in public. Jiang Ling placed the clothes in Zhao Erleng's wife's hands and said, "Put these on her first! She's just a child after all!"

Zhao Erleng's wife, exasperated and furious, gritted her teeth and cursed, "You've already done such a shameful thing, and you're still afraid of this?"

Despite saying that, Zhao Erleng's wife still threw the clothes at Er Ya, rolled her eyes, and cursed, "Shameless little vixen! How did our family produce such a lowlife like you? Just you wait, when your parents come, they'll skin you alive!"

These words were indeed quite harsh, and although Jiang Ling felt uncomfortable listening to them, she did not say anything to stop them.

Soon the group arrived at Jiang Ling's house.

Granny Mei had already soothed Shen Congxin to sleep. Upon seeing Jiang Ling appear, she immediately stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Madam, Congxin is asleep. I made her some ginseng soup before she fell asleep!"

Jiang Ling nodded, signaling the four grandmothers to go and rest, while she led the group to the inner hall.

After closing all the doors and windows, Jiang Ling looked at Er Ya, whose clothes were disheveled and who had a hickey on her neck, and awkwardly shifted her gaze and coughed lightly.

Zhao Erleng's wife exploded again, slapping Er Ya across the face. Er Ya staggered and fell to the ground, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

"Hey, Sister-in-law Erleng, what are you doing!" Jiang Ling didn't like Er Ya, but she disliked it even more when others scolded the child in front of her.

"Waaaaah, Yaojie's mother, what am I going to do with this brat! She calls me 'aunt'! She's my niece! What am I going to do with her in the future?" Zhao Erleng's wife hugged Jiang Ling and began to cry uncontrollably.

From Zhao Erleng's wife's tone, Jiang Ling could easily tell that she was truly heartbroken this time.

"Your name is Gan Kai, right?" Jiang Ling comforted Wan Zhao Erleng's wife before turning her gaze to the boy who was hanging his head to the side.

With his translucent jade thumb ring, ivory-white silk robe, and jade pendant hanging from his waist, it's no wonder Er Ya was captivated; this young man exuded wealth from every angle.

"Yes...yes!" Gan Kai realized he had caused trouble, and he lowered his head, not daring to look directly at the others.

"Then can you explain what exactly happened?" Jiang Ling sighed helplessly.

"I...it's...it's her! She seduced me!" Gan Kai suddenly changed the subject, pointing at Er Ya beside him.

"What?" Everyone gasped upon hearing this, but Jiang Ling remained calm.

She had considered this reason before. If it were someone else, Jiang Ling might have doubted it, but when it was Er Ya, Jiang Ling unconsciously recalled what had happened before. That brat had this ambition!

"You're talking nonsense! It's clearly you! It's you!" Er Ya jumped up in a rage, pointing at Gan Kai and cursing wildly. She no longer looked like a little girl; she was now a complete madwoman.

Gan Kai immediately gave him a disgusted look and said, "You're just a country bumpkin, all rustic and unsophisticated. Do you really think I'd like you? What kind of erotic dream are you having? Aren't you ashamed? I have three concubines, and every single one of them is more alluring than you! And you, how come you can't control your legs, coming to my room in the middle of the night!"

Hearing their incessant chatter, Jiang Ling felt a surge of annoyance. She slammed her hand on the table and snapped, "Enough! Be quiet! Don't you think you've embarrassed yourself enough?"

After being reprimanded by Jiang Ling, everyone fell silent again.

Jiang Ling looked at Zhao Erleng's wife beside her, sighed, and said, "Erleng's wife, tell me, what did you see?"