Chapter 19 Private Conferment
At the opportune moment, Granny Wu stepped forward and said, "Reporting to the Lord and Madam, there is something I haven't mentioned to you. Actually, the young master and the third young lady have met."
On the day the Third Miss returned to the manor, the old servant led people back to the Wisteria Courtyard. On the way, the old servant had to leave for a short while because he needed to relieve himself. When he returned, he saw the young master and the Third Miss standing together. The old servant was worried that the Third Miss would be displeased to see a man from another family, but when he found that the two of them were chatting happily together, the old servant was relieved.
I forgot to tell Madam, it's all my fault, I deserve to die.
As he spoke, he deliberately slapped himself lightly across the face.
Tong'er's face turned red with anger after hearing Wu Mama's words, and she couldn't help but shout, "Wu Mama, how can you talk nonsense? When did our young lady have a pleasant conversation with your young master? That day, I was with our young lady the whole time, and she barely said a few words to him. How did you come up with that as a pleasant conversation?"
Granny Wu: "I didn't hear what the young master and the third young lady were saying, I only saw them from afar. Why are you yelling at me without even knowing what happened? Why don't you tell everyone what they were saying that day?"
Tong'er, being simple-minded, couldn't understand the trap in Wu Mama's words. She was so angry that she wanted to argue again, but Yu Qingci pulled her to her side and signaled her to stop talking.
She wanted to see how the Qiao family would put on this show today, and she didn't even bother to glance at Qiao Yuantao.
Madam Qiao also said to Granny Wu, "Alright, everyone, say less. You've caused such a commotion. Let's hear what Yuan Tao and San Ya Tou have to say."
Yu Jingsheng's face was very bad at the moment and he was about to ask a question when a few more people came over from not far away. When everyone saw that the one leading them was none other than Granny Qin, the head maid of Shouyintang, it was no surprise that Madam Zhang had also been alerted.
Granny Qin approached and first curtsied to Yu Jingsheng and Madam Qiao before saying, "The old lady is so angry that she can't sleep after learning that a thief has entered the courtyard. She asks you, Lord and Madam, to come and give her a report, and also to bring the thief who has been caught. She wants to personally oversee the matter."
Qiao naturally had no objections. Seeing this, Yu Jingsheng knew that things were not going to end well and that he had to find out exactly what was going on, so he nodded in agreement.
Soon the group arrived at Shouyin Hall.
When Yu Qingci went inside, she saw that the two sisters, Yu Qingyan and Yu Qingying, were also accompanying Madam Zhang. She thought to herself, "Good, everyone is here."
When Mrs. Qiao saw her two daughters, she asked, "Why are you two here too?"
Yu Qingyan spoke softly, “These days I’ve been busy doing the needlework that Mother asked me to do and have rarely gone out. Fourth Sister came to see me tonight and did it with me. We were chatting and laughing and didn’t expect it to get so late. I heard a commotion outside just now, and when I asked around, I found out that a thief had broken into Third Sister’s yard. We were really worried about Third Sister, so we came to check on her.”
After saying that, he walked up to Yu Qingci, looked her up and down, and asked with concern, "Third sister, are you alright?"
Yu Qingci said calmly, "I'm fine. I'm sorry to have troubled my second sister and fourth sister, who even came to Shouyin Hall to see me."
Instead of going directly to the Wisteria Courtyard.
Yu Qingyan's eyes flickered, as if she had only just noticed Qiao Yuantao standing below. She couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Cousin Qiao, what are you doing here? Could it be that the thief in Third Sister's courtyard is...?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Jingsheng's face darkened immediately, and he snorted coldly, "Qingyan, young ladies shouldn't get involved in these matters. Your mother and I are here, so you should take Qingying back to rest."
Qiao said, "Since so many people have seen what happened today, in my opinion, there is no need to hide it. It would be better to clarify things in front of Mother. If it is a misunderstanding, it will clear Sanya's name and also teach the sisters how to handle these kinds of disputes."
Madam Zhang, already impatient, slammed her hand on the table and said to Madam Qiao, "How do you manage the household? When has such a thing ever happened in our Earl's Mansion? Where is the thief?"
Qiao apologized to Zhang first, then turned and gestured for Qiao Yuantao to come forward.
Qiao Yuantao immediately knelt down beside Madam Zhang and repeated his previous statement.
Madam Zhang was also taken aback. She had never liked Yu Qingci, and now she looked at her with even more fierce eyes: "How could this happen? Third girl, tell me what happened."
Yu Qingci calmly looked up, her beautiful, smoky eyes expressionless: "Grandmother, he is lying. I don't know who gave him the audacity to make such a fuss."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Yuantao became somewhat anxious and blurted out, "Third cousin, why are you saying this? Have you forgotten that you were the one who had feelings for me first?"
Seeing this, Qiao Shi smiled sarcastically and turned to Qiao Yuantao, saying, "Yuantao, what do you mean by that? Sanya just denied it outright, but you said the exact opposite. You even said something about how seeing things reminds you of her and how much you miss her. Do you know the consequences of saying such things? What's going on here? Could it be that you and Sanya have some other dealings?"
At this point, Madam Qiao's expression became even more astonished: "Could it be that you two were secretly exchanging gifts? Good heavens, Lord, what should we do?"
"Enough!"
Yu Jingsheng's anger intensified when he heard the two women from the Qiao family say these words. To be honest, he didn't believe what Qiao Yuantao said at all. After all, Qingci was his daughter who had grown up under his watchful eye. How could she, with her character and upbringing, possibly do something like having an affair with a strange man?
Yu Jingsheng looked at Qiao Yuantao and shouted, "You shameless scoundrel, how dare you speak ill of my daughter! You have some nerve! I'll have you beaten to death on the spot! Guards!"
The moment the aura of the person in charge was released, everyone present immediately felt an invisible sense of oppression. Qiao Yuantao was so frightened that he almost prostrated himself on the ground, looking up at the Qiao family in a panic.
Madam Qiao quickly spoke up and gently advised, "Lord, please don't be angry. I know my nephew well; he's not one to speak carelessly. Since he said those things, there must be some hidden reason we don't know. Let's listen to what happened first; we need to find out the reason."
If the Earl were to punish him without distinguishing right from wrong, it would be unfair if word got out.
Yu Jingsheng glared at him: "What other secret could there be? Do you believe the nonsense of your scoundrel nephew? Qingci has only been back for a few days. Even if she has met this scoundrel, she could not possibly have done such a thing as having private dealings with him."
Yu Qingci was naturally moved when her father spoke up to defend her; in this house, her father was the only one who could believe her.
It was the same in her past life. At first, her father didn't believe these people were wholeheartedly protecting her, until Qiao Yuantao produced so-called evidence, leaving her speechless.
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