Even though she was full of questions, she could not resist the extreme fatigue. Minglan snuggled into the soft and warm quilt and fell asleep without dreaming this time. Tuan'er sobbed softly in her arms and fell asleep soon. There were still traces of tears on his little face. In his sleep, his short fingers unconsciously hooked his mother's sleeve.
The mother and son slept soundly and woke up at three o'clock in the afternoon, which was the auspicious time for Caishikou to open.
Tuan'er suddenly became much more sensible. After waking up, he stopped crying and making a fuss. Cuiwei fed him one bite at a time, but he clung to Minglan tightly. Anyone who tried to hold him would be wary, and his little hands would cling to his mother's clothes. However, Minglan had to deal with the affairs of the Man Mansion, so she could only coax the little fat boy and say, "Let's go see my sister. My sister's hand hurts a lot. Can you go and help her with the soothing?"
The fat boy opened his large, distinct black and white eyes, hesitated for a moment, then nodded obediently. Cuiwei carried him to the side wing where Sister Rong rested. Immediately, the various managers hurried forward, waiting in order in the corridor, taking turns to report on various matters.
A night of chaos and a fire that lasted half the night caused huge losses.
The old house was nearly half destroyed, but the ancestral hall remained intact. Minglan felt that the Gu family's ancestors had built it in a remote, shady spot, a sign of their foresight. Unfortunately, the other side was not so lucky; the entire mountain forest was destroyed. Alas, the red plum blossoms, just beginning to bloom, the peach trees, just beginning to bear lovely, verdant fruit, and the rows of beautiful flowering trees that had been transplanted at great expense—all reduced to charred wood.
While searching the forest, they also found several charred corpses. Minglan felt sorry for the innocent Lu'er and He'er who were burned to death, and angrily asked someone to wrap them in a torn straw mat and send them to Shuntian Prefecture Government Office together with the corpse of the thief left outside the door.
Apart from these two places, there was no major damage to the rest of Chengyuan - unless Mother Ge burned down half of the stove in her panic.
No matter how badly damaged the houses and forests are, they are inanimate objects after all and will eventually be repaired. The real regret is yet to come.
After a thorough investigation, it was discovered that thirty-two of the Marquis's servants and guards had been killed or wounded that night, fourteen of whom were lightly injured, nine seriously wounded, and the rest...had passed away. Minglan sighed deeply and ordered Hao Dacheng to bury the deceased with honor and provide generous compensation to their wives, children, the elderly, and the injured.
Every time Minglan said something, Xia He picked up her pen and entered it into the booklet. Lvzhi, who was standing beside her, was clattering on the abacus, her face even uglier than Minglan's - after a rough estimate, the pension alone would cost tens of thousands of taels!
After the stewards had reported back and filed out, Lvzhi's face was as pale as a watermelon rind. Minglan had no choice but to comfort her and herself: "...Think about it carefully. If no one had fought to the death last night, we would have been dead! Now that the rain has stopped and the sky is clear, we should remember the well diggers when we drink the water, and we must not let the people below us down."
Green Branch nodded reluctantly.
Having said that, taking into account the expenses for rebuilding the mansion in the future, almost half of the money Minglan has saved by managing the household diligently in the past few years will be gone - bah, it's really as Brother Bohu said, the wind blows away the eggshell, the money is gone and the people are at peace!
Minglan held her chest in pain for a long time before she recovered. Before she could catch her breath, she saw the sun setting in the west. Suddenly, someone came from outside to report that someone from the Duke of England's mansion had come to deliver a message.
"The Zhang family was not attacked by thieves last night?" Minglan was shocked and confused after hearing the news.
The daughter-in-law who brought the news stood by the door and said, "That's right. The Zhang family was peaceful last night, so Madam Zhang didn't expect the situation in our house. When she heard about it this morning, she hurriedly sent someone to ask how we are."
Minglan asked again, "What about the Prince's Mansion?"
The daughter-in-law said, "The messenger said that martial law is still in effect outside, and there's no news. The situation... is hard to explain."
Minglan was silent for a long time. The question that had been in her mind all night had an increasingly clear answer.
After that, she summoned several managers from the outer courtyard for questioning and continued with her work. Tu Long came in with a tired look on his face to report that the house had been cleaned up and there were no more thieves outside the front and back doors. Hao Dacheng and Liao Yong's family had assigned servants to tidy up the yard and houses, etc.... They were busy for more than an hour before Minglan finally had some free time. Thinking of Rong Jie'er, she quickly got up and asked someone to help her go to the side wing to visit her.
Just as she was about to step out the door, she saw Xiao Tao running back in, her lips brimming with honey, her face a look of happiness that would make anyone want to slap her. Minglan paused, squinting, and drawled, "You're back—? How's Second Young Master Shi doing?"
Xiao Tao said, half dumbfounded, "Injured? Oh...Brother Shitou only had a few cuts on his skin. Uncle Tu said it's nothing serious."
Minglan asked sarcastically, "Then why did you take so long to come back?" The mistress had woken up and finished her business, but the personal maid was still nowhere to be seen.
Xiao Tao said embarrassedly, "Brother Shitou said...he said that last night was really scary. There was blood everywhere, and dead bodies were on the ground at the front and back doors. His heart is pounding when he thinks about it. He was so scared that he couldn't even close his eyes to sleep!"
Lvzhi, who was still checking accounts in the room, felt a chill run down her spine when she heard this and nearly fell headfirst into her inkstone. Xia He, who was holding Minglan, visibly staggered. She bit her lip and endured it again and again, but finally couldn't help but say, "You believe this?"
Xiao Tao was stunned and asked, "Why did Brother Shitou lie to me?"
Xia He didn't plan anything, so she blurted out naturally, "If he's not afraid of killing people with a knife, how can he be afraid of nightmares? He's lying to you. He likes you and wants to stay with you for a while!"
Xiao Tao's face flushed immediately, and she gently pushed her with her strong and powerful arms, saying coquettishly, "Oh, what's the matter with liking or not... You, you are so annoying!" She said shyly to Minglan, "Madam, I'm going to help Luzhi." Then she twisted her round body and went into the house.
Xia He staggered after being pushed, and almost hit her head on the door frame. Minglan kindly helped her up and said sympathetically, "Don't argue with this girl, and don't bring up the Shi family kid. You'll be the only one holding your breath."
The young couple, one ignorant and fearless, the other extremely shameless, were a match made in heaven. Minglan thought again and decided to write a letter to the Shi couple, and then prepare for the wedding after the baby was born.
Thinking that Xiaotao would marry far away in Jianghuai, Minglan couldn't help feeling sad. She walked silently with her head down. After a few steps, she arrived at the side room and heard the faint laughter of children coming from inside.
I walked through the door and turned left into the inner room, only to see Rong Jieer sitting at the head of the bed. On the inside of the bed was Tuan Geer, who was leaning on his sister with his fat legs crossed. On the outside was Xian Jieer, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. Shao Shi and Qiu Niang were sitting on either side of the small table under the window. Mother Cui was sitting alone at the Ruyi round table, gently blowing on the black medicine she had been drinking overnight. There were two small plum-shaped plasters on her forehead to promote blood circulation.
Seeing Minglan enter, everyone's expressions varied. Qiuniang smiled and rose to her feet, but Shaoshi was even quicker, leaping from her seat like a rabbit, her face filled with panic, as if her husband had died all over again. Minglan nodded to Qiuniang, not even glancing at Shaoshi, and walked straight to the bedside.
Rong Jie'er had been looking at the medicine in Cui Mama's hand with a worried look on her face. Seeing Minglan, she said joyfully, "Mother, you're here..." She started to get up. Minglan hurried forward to hold her down, saying softly, "Why are you getting up? Lie down quickly." She then asked if her wound hurt, if she had any other discomfort. Rong Jie'er shook her head and said, "I took the doctor's medicine, and it doesn't hurt anymore."
Minglan felt pity, thinking that once the effects of the drug wore off, the pain would surely get worse. She brushed aside the girl's thick hair and looked, only to see a patch of scalp two or three inches behind her forehead, smeared with a pungent, dark green ointment. A hint of blood-red ooze could still be seen. She sighed, "Thank goodness you were born with such fine hair. If you had less, how could it cover the wound? Alas, with such an injury, you won't be able to wear a gold beaded hairpin for at least six months; it's so heavy it hurts my scalp."
Rong Jie'er touched her head and said carelessly: "Sister Xian said that it doesn't look good on me if I wear my hair in a bun anyway, so I'll just wear it in a straight bun from now on. Mother just gave me a box of fresh gauze palace flowers, so it's okay." She had a handsome and regular face, and she always felt awkward when she wore her hair in a soft and delicate bun.
When the topic came to Sister Xian, she had changed from her usual bright and clever self. She had kept her head down since Minglan came in. Only after hearing these words did she raise her head slightly and glanced at Minglan cautiously.
Minglan reached out and gently stroked the girl's face, saying gently, "You two are just like real sisters. I feel relieved to have you by Sister Rong's side to comfort her."
Xian Jie'er's eyes were filled with tears, and her young face was filled with premature shame. She nodded gently. Shao Shi, standing beside her, opened her mouth to speak, but was met with Minglan's cold gaze and immediately fell silent. She wanted to say something apologetic, but she couldn't bring herself to speak in front of the whole room.
Minglan turned back and picked up Rong Jie'er's left palm wrapped in gauze and examined it carefully. Afterwards, she had examined the thief's dagger and found it to be very sharp. Fortunately, the girl had a strong character and in her stubborn anger she simply held the blade tightly. If she had loosened her grip at that moment, the blade would have slipped and her entire palm would have been cut in half.
Even so, the blade still penetrated the bone and the flesh was torn, which made Minglan tremble with fear. According to the doctor, even if the wound healed, her hand might not be as flexible as before.
"I'll write to your husband after martial law is lifted in a few days. Luckily, it's only my left hand that's injured. Writing and such won't be a problem, but embroidery... what can I do..." The large embroidery piece was supported on a square frame, requiring one hand to needle and the other to set the needle, while both hands worked the thread. "I can't say for sure. Aunt Hong won't be able to do her homework anymore..."
Rong Jie'er was delighted and blurted out, "Really? I don't have to learn from Aunt Hong anymore? Ouch..." Before she could finish, a finger poked her head under the quilt. Seeing Xian Jie'er look at her intently, Rong Jie'er understood and immediately lowered her head. She said weakly, "I'm sorry for letting Aunt Hong down with her careful teaching."
Minglan was already filled with sorrow, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing when she saw this scene.
Her expressions were distorted, her tone was stiff, and her coordination was poor. It was a far cry from her smooth acting skills back then. Back when they were competing against each other, even Rulan, who was the last in line, was far superior to these two girls, not to mention Molan and herself, both veterans. Is it true that competition is the only way to improve?
Seeing Minglan's laughter, the two girls lowered their heads, filled with shame and regret. Minglan smiled and patted the girls' faces: "Well, this is much better, it looks a bit more presentable. I'll describe it like this to your teacher later."
As soon as she said this, the whole room burst into laughter. Madam Cui put down the spoon of cold medicine, shook her head and smiled. Sister Xian happily fell on Sister Rong'er's shoulder. The two girls covered their mouths and laughed quietly. Qiu Niang stepped forward and said in a playful way, "Madam knows that reading and accounting are not difficult for our eldest daughter. It's only the needle and thread that are annoying!"
Minglan smiled and said, "Needlework is meant to cultivate the mind and cultivate the character, and to show the virtues of women. Girls from families like us don't necessarily need to be masters of it. Otherwise, what are we going to do with the embroiderers?" There was a sense of maturity and reserve in her words. She felt quite contented. After a moment's thought, she added, "Forget about embroidery, but you should at least know some ordinary mending." Turning to Qiuniang, she said, "You should work harder and teach me carefully."
Rong Jie'er nodded her head quickly like a rattle, Xian Jie'er covered her mouth and scratched her face with her fingers, laughing secretly, Qiu Niang also hurriedly said: "Don't worry, Madam, this is my duty." This is actually not appropriate. The duty of a concubine should be to serve the man and the first wife. However, until now, she has consciously leaned towards the identity of a nanny.
Minglan smiled slightly and asked Mother Cui about the injury on her head. Mother Cui said "it's fine" repeatedly.
Qiu Niang was very obedient. Seeing Minglan still frowning, she added spontaneously, "The doctor prescribed medicine for Madam Cui and said that it seems there's nothing wrong with her now. Come back for a checkup later."
Minglan nodded. In fact, according to her, it would be better to take an X-ray to be on the safe side, but where can you find X-rays these days? So she had to tell Mother Cui to rest more.
Seeing that she was being praised, Qiuniang worked even harder and said, "I went to see Aunt Mei this afternoon. She was sitting there feeding the little boy. Both mother and child looked very well."
Minglan smiled and said, "That's good. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to explain this to Mr. Gongsun."
There was a big commotion last night, and almost everyone was affected. Some were frightened, others were physically injured. Unexpectedly, the ones who were safest and sound were Qiu Niang and Ru Mei, who were usually not very reliable.
Ever since these two moved into the wing room of the Shao family compound, they have been extremely frightened.
The two maids who served Ruomei personally had received instructions from their mistress long ago. Knowing that this delicate concubine was sensitive and thoughtful, they wanted to avoid causing trouble by making a fuss, so they simply made a bowl of strong calming tea and mixed it into the medicine without anyone noticing.
Ruomei slept until dawn and had no idea of the swordplay that took place at night. When she woke up, the rain had stopped and the sky had cleared. Not only did she feel refreshed, but her son's face was also rosy from sleeping in his wet nurse's arms. Early in the morning, the mother and son returned to their own courtyard in high spirits.
Minglan greatly admired the two clever old women and rewarded each of them, including the wet nurse, with ten taels of silver.
As for Qiu Niang, she was worried all night in the house. When Rong Jie'er disappeared, she wanted to go look for her, but was frightened by the old woman.
"Auntie, have you forgotten Madam's instructions again? Madam specifically told you not to leave the house no matter what happens. If my daughter is missing, the maids and servants will go look for her. If you insist on going, and everyone is missing, that would be a disaster!"
Because she had recently been disciplined by Minglan with a cold face, Qiu Niang was afraid of the mistress's majesty, so she stayed in the house honestly, not daring to move around on her own, and just pricked up her ears to listen to the noise outside - there was nothing happening in the first half of the night, but it was lively in the second half.
The sound of sword fighting was right at the entrance of the courtyard, mixed with screams echoing in the middle of the night, which frightened her so much that her legs almost went weak and she almost jumped out of the window to escape. However, before she could muster up the courage to open the window, the thieves were dealt with by the guards guarding outside the courtyard.
Then, the guards sent a maid in to announce that everything was safe. After she and the maids breathed a sigh of relief, they saw the sky getting light, and felt that they could no longer bear it, so they each found a room to rest. From beginning to end, Qiu Niang was purely mentally frightened, but her body was completely safe. She treated it as just a scary ghost story.
"...Everyone says last night was dangerous, but we didn't even see whether the thief was round or flat." Later, Qiu Niang wasn't just flattering the mistress; she was truly grateful for Minglan's thorough protection. "Mei Yi Niang asked me to kowtow to Madam and express her gratitude. She said that thanks to Madam's careful planning, they and their son were able to escape unharmed, without a single hair being hurt."
She said this without any sarcasm, but Shao Shi still felt ashamed, her face changing color several times. Finally, she stepped forward and said, "...sister-in-law...I, I...it's all my fault for being so stupid...I almost got Tuan'er into trouble..." As she spoke, her eyes reddened and she covered them with a handkerchief, "If anything happens to Tuan'er, I, I really can't face you..."
Too embarrassed to see me?
Minglan sneered in her heart. What a light-hearted statement. If she really killed her son, she would want to eat her alive!
"What did my sister-in-law do wrong? People are all different and have their own minds. It's understandable that my sister-in-law doesn't trust me and wants to find a hiding place on her own." These words were sharp and sour, and Sister Xian lowered her head in embarrassment.
Shao was frantic, apologizing profusely. Minglan deliberately left her alone for a moment, hoping to hear what else she had to say. However, Shao's eloquence was sluggish, her understanding lacking depth. She kept repeating the same old phrases, "I was confused, I wasn't good." Her words were lacking in substance, and her tears weren't genuine or pathetic enough. Even Xianjie shook her head, wondering how such rhetoric could be forgiven.
Shao sobbed for a while, thinking that her sister-in-law had always been good-tempered, and even if she was still angry, she would give her a way out in front of everyone. However, after waiting for a long time, Minglan did not say any words of forgiveness. Instead, she just changed the subject indifferently and turned around to tease Tuan Ge'er. She could not help but stand there awkwardly.
Minglan could only sigh again that the Sheng family was truly full of talented people.
If it were Aunt Lin today, and she encountered such a situation of confessing her guilt, I guarantee that she would start from feeling sorry for her life and cry out about the vastness of the world and how there was no one to rely on, and then she would do something foolish - she would say it so hard that anyone who heard it would cry, and she would pity you for your miserable fate and be willing to be your concubine, and finally forget all the mistakes she had made.
Shaking her head secretly, Minglan didn't delay any longer. She gave Rongjie'er a few more instructions before turning to Shao, "There's something I wanted to discuss in a few days. Now that I see that my eldest sister-in-law is in better spirits, why not get it over with today?"
Shao's heart was beating wildly, and he forced a smile and said, "What...what's the matter...?"
"What else could it be? Aunt Ren." Minglan slowly turned and stood up. "You led the thieves all over the garden. How many eyes saw you? You have to give an explanation."
After saying this, she supported Xia He and walked out of the house first. Shao's face was pale and she was shaky. She seemed to be unwilling to go. Xia Zhu, who was standing beside her, hurried forward, supported Shao's arm, and half supported and half dragged her to follow.
The group walked around to the back porch, went out of Jiaxiju from the side door, and walked north along a cobblestone path; Minglan held her belly and walked very slowly, swaying from side to side. Shao Shi did not dare to urge her, so she could only endure her patience and follow behind her.
In reality, they had only taken a few steps, but Shao felt as if he were in another world, sweating profusely. The group arrived at the westernmost wing of the back row of houses. There was not much furnishing inside, just a round Ruyi table, three or four stools beside it, and a large flowerpot by the window. The pot was filled with dry mud and withered grass, clearly untended for a long time.
Xia He said softly, "In a hurry, I only had time to sweep it roughly. Please don't be offended, Madam."
Minglan looked around and saw that the windows were bright and the floor was spotless. She said with satisfaction, "It only took a moment, no need to bother. This is great." As she sat down at the round table, she said, "Don't dawdle. Hurry and ask someone to bring it up."
Xia He responded and left. Seeing this, Xia Zhu threw Shao onto the stool, hurriedly walked around the table, and went to Minglan to serve her.
Not long after, Xia He returned, followed by three groups of people. Tu Hu was in the lead, followed by two guards carrying a woman with her hands and feet bound, and finally two maids dragging a bound maid in. The guard threw the woman to the ground, then stood guard, his hands folded. The two maids followed suit and threw the maid in front of Minglan.
Shao looked down and saw the plump woman on the ground. One of her beautiful almond-shaped eyes was black. She looked disheveled, with disheveled hair and muddy clothes. Who else could it be but Aunt Ren?
As for the other one rolling on the ground, it was Bisi.
Shao patted her chest, still in a state of shock and doubt, but then she heard Minglan smile and say, "Second Master Tu has been working hard since last night. He should have a good rest. You can leave this matter to others. Why come here in person?"
Tu Hu smiled and said, "The outside has been cleaned up. Let's take care of this quickly so that everyone can rest assured." As he spoke, he bent down and pulled the cloth out of the woman's mouth. "Madam, please ask a question!"
Bisi's mouth was also blocked, so she could only make low whimpering sounds. She looked up at Minglan with a pleading look in her eyes.
Minglan didn't look at her. Instead, she turned to Shao Shi and said with a smile, "What can I ask? This is someone close to my sister-in-law, so I'd better ask her."
Shao's face flushed, and she didn't dare to look up at the three burly men opposite her. She could only stare at Aunt Ren and said weakly: "... I, I... why did you let the thieves in..." Whether in her natal family or her husband's family, she had never been in charge of household affairs. When she asked questions, she had no authority and her words became softer and softer.
When Aunt Ren saw Shao, she burst into tears and wailed, "Madam, I am innocent... How dare I... It was that thief who threatened me... He put a knife to my neck..."
Before she could finish her words, Minglan laughed. "I say, Aunt Ren, you have to be careful when trying to fool people. Look at the situation right now. Do you think you can get away with it just by fooling your wife?"
Upon hearing this, Aunt Ren glanced at Tu Hu and the two guards and shrank back.
Because Shao was a widow, the wives and maids around her also dressed in a dark and old-fashioned style. They were not allowed to wear makeup or hairpins or jewelry. Minglan had not paid attention to it before, but now she looked closely and saw that even with the bruises and swollen cheeks, it was still difficult to hide the beauty of this concubine Ren. "Did she lead the thieves to Kouxiang Garden because she was threatened, or was she colluding with the thieves? Do you think everyone else is blind?"
Aunt Ren knew that Minglan was no match for Shao Shi, a powerful figure, but she still held onto some hope. She said stubbornly, "It's dark, maybe I'm mistaken..." She twisted her bound body and nodded repeatedly at Shao Shi, "Madam, we've been together for so many years, you have to make the decision for me!"
Shao's lips moved a few times, her eyes met Minglan's frosty face, and the words in her mouth were retracted.
"You're such a jerk who won't cry until you see the coffin!" Minglan snorted coldly, "Okay, I'll tell you everything."
She pointed at Shao with her left hand and said, "Your wife usually lives a quiet life, oblivious to what's happening outside. How could she know where I hid Tuan'er? Madam Qiong from your house said it was you who informed my eldest sister-in-law and urged her to find out."
Shao's face was as pale as a drop of blood, and her head almost drooped to her chest. Aunt Ren was speechless. Minglan sneered and said, "I was so confident that I acted secretly, but you managed to get wind of it. Humph, don't say it was just hearsay! It shows how much you care about it!" This kind of thing cannot be discovered by casual chatting. One must always pay attention to the movements in Jiaxiju.
Aunt Ren trembled and said weakly, "...I, I have been paying attention to it for the sake of Madam and Miss..."
Minglan ignored her excuses and continued, "After you persuaded the eldest sister-in-law, you took advantage of the gathering in the outer courtyard to call Bisi over for questioning. The eldest sister-in-law was not good at speaking and just sat there. It was you who used sweet words and tricked her into giving her a huge profit, and she finally got the details out of her."
Bisi, who was tied up like a shrimp, twisted her body hard, making a whimpering sound, and her eyes were like spitting fire as she glared at Aunt Ren hatefully; Aunt Ren was not an experienced adulterer after all, and she did not dare to look at Bisi's eyes.
"Alright! Even if what you said just now is true, you only paid attention to the situation in our courtyard for the master. Now that you have found out where Tuan'er is, you should have gone there with the eldest sister-in-law and the others to hide and protect the master closely! So where did you go?"
Minglan's eyes were full of sarcasm and she asked questions one after another, but Aunt Ren couldn't answer any of them.
"You ran out, claiming you had to go to the bathroom. First, you ran into Mrs. Yan from the Nuanxiang Pavilion. You said you were going to get some midnight snacks for your eldest sister-in-law, but Mrs. Yan said there were no fires on either side at the time. Then, Mother Chong, who was guarding the second gate, saw you running west. At that time, the old house on the east side was already ablaze. Finally, Uncle Fu, who was guarding the forest, saw that the western forest had just started a fire."
Minglan's voice gradually rose, her tone becoming increasingly stern. "You're a woman from the inner court. Why were you running to the outer courtyard woods during this chaos? You were clearly there to help the thieves! And everyone who saw you last night said there wasn't a knife at your neck. How dare you quibble?!"
Aunt Ren was at a loss as to what to do under pressure. Tu Hu, standing beside her, revealed a cruel expression and said sinisterly, "Madam, why bother saying any more to this slut? Hand her over to me and I'll tear her bones apart. Let's see if she'll tell me or not!"
Minglan waved her hand. She was a new-age legal worker, so she had to use courtesy before force.
Aunt Ren was terrified. She curled up as if in a convulsion and tried desperately to move away from Tu Hu. She screamed, "Second Madam, spare me! I've already said it, and I won't deny it anymore!"
Minglan looked at her coldly: "You know what I want to ask."
Aunt Ren bit her lip, enduring the numbness in her hands and feet, and said in a trembling voice, "...It was the Madam Tai...they sent someone to look for me."
Minglan closed her eyes and murmured, "I guess it's her too."
"...No, it's not just me. There were also people from the outer courtyard. We agreed to open the door and let them in. But the two butchers transferred many Ding Yong from the farm at the last minute and personally guarded the front and back gates, so we didn't have a chance to do anything." Aunt Ren said intermittently.
Tu Hu was furious when he heard this and roared, "Who is this traitorous bastard?"
Aunt Ren was so frightened that her heart and liver were broken. She hurriedly said, "It's...it's Han San from the doorman..."
Tu Hu was stunned, "Han San...? But that guy was shot and died last night." Then he picked up Aunt Ren and shouted, "Are you trying to frame her to get away with it?"
Aunt Ren howled like a pig being slaughtered: "It's really Han San! It's really him! Originally I was just gathering information, but before nightfall last night, Han San secretly sent me a message saying that the situation had changed and that both gates might not be opened and no one could be let in. He told me to find out where Tuan Ge'er was hiding and then go to the woods in the west to meet him!"
Tu Hu's hand loosened, and he cursed angrily, "How dare you let sand slip right under my nose!" He apologized to Minglan repeatedly.
Minglan was both amused and confused. The person was already dead and the mission was not accomplished, so what was there to say about bad luck? Tu Hu was still angry and said that after finding out the truth, he would wipe out the compensation for Han San's family.
Shao listened silently for a long time, but finally couldn't bear it anymore and said hoarsely to the ground: "...I, we grew up together, and we share the same husband. I treated you well in the past, why do you..."
Aunt Ren had been huddled on the ground, sobbing softly, but upon hearing this, she erupted like a volcano. She straightened herself up, glared at Shao with resentment, and roared, "How dare you say you treated me well! It's all your fault! It's all your fault! You hypocritical fool!"
Her plump chest rose and fell, and she breathed heavily. "...The sisters who came with me as dowry have all married. I'm the youngest, and I thought I'd be able to find a respectable marriage given my age. But who would have thought... who would have thought that you would give me to that consumptive wretch...! I only have a few days left to live, and it's not enough for you to be a widow yourself, you're dragging me into this!"
Shao was stunned by her punch. It took her a long time to react. She shrieked, "You, how dare you say that the master is... is suffering from tuberculosis...?! I haven't seen anything for years since I gave birth to Xian'er. Seeing that you have the appearance of a son, I wanted to promote you. If you give birth to a boy in the future, wouldn't you be so honored!"
"Bah, what a compliment!" Aunt Ren seemed to have changed into a different person, with her hair flying in the wind as she screamed madly, "Don't you know the master's health?! In the last few years, he couldn't even have sex, let alone have a son! I said I didn't want to, but you, this idiot, insisted on saying I was thin-skinned and shy, and even went to show off to the Madam so that you could pretend to be virtuous. As a result, the Madam directly set up a banquet for me..."
Thinking about the past, she burst into tears, "When it came to that point, I couldn't refuse and it would be impossible."
Shao was distraught and murmured, "So you really don't want to..." In her heart, Gu Tingyu was the best man in the world and the master of the Marquis' Mansion. Plus, what she saw and heard every day were all maids trying to get married to men and become their concubines. How could... ?
Minglan watched coldly from the side. Logically, the private affairs of the former Marquis of the Gu family should not be discussed, but thinking of this couple, one bullied her husband in life, and the other nearly killed her son last night, Minglan did not stop them. With a hint of sarcasm on her lips, she sat quietly and listened.
"I've served that consumptive man less than five times. When he was alive, you made me a widow, and now that he's dead, you won't let me go! And you even said you wanted to be with me forever! I'm only a few years old, and you're so cruel!"
Shao's hands and feet turned cold when she heard this, and she said in panic, "I, I really want the mansion to take care of you in your old age, I..."
"Bullshit! What do you mean by old? At my age, I still have a lot of life to live!" Aunt Ren scolded fiercely, "You're bored being a widow, so you just want a companion to relieve your boredom!"
Shao was so reeling from the scolding that she tried to argue, her face flushing purple. Minglan felt quite relieved watching this. Seeing Shao trembling with anger, she slowly said, "You have a sharp tongue, and your sister-in-law has really misunderstood you. But I have a question for you. You've been with your sister-in-law for many years, and you know she's a softie and easy to talk to. If you really want to get married, just tell her straight away. Even if she's upset, she won't necessarily punish you; she'll let you go eventually. You're not just after someone, are you?"
Seeing Aunt Ren's expression suddenly change, Minglan knew that she had guessed right.
It is not difficult for a concubine whose husband has died to remarry, but it is not easy to marry well - why would a decent family marry a broken-down woman like you, and why would they insist on marrying you with a large dowry or other favors?
Concubine Ren had originally intended to marry a prominent steward in the Marquis's mansion, but the Gu brothers were at odds. How could Minglan marry a concubine who had served Gu Tingyu to a capable steward? And after becoming a widow, Shao Shi wanted to save more for Xian Jie'er's dowry, and she placed an even greater value on money. If she had proposed remarrying, it would have displeased Shao Shi. At most, she would have released her indenture, but how could she have been willing to offer her a generous dowry?
After much thought, it would be better to join the lady and have a good future.
"I..." She was about to open her mouth to explain herself, but Minglan raised her hand to stop her.
"Even if you have your reasons and have no choice," Minglan slowly withdrew her hand. "But I have never treated you unfairly, nor have Rong'er and her brother, nor have the old man An who was stabbed to death by the forest, nor have the maids and servants who died tragically at the gate of Kouxiang Garden! Just because you've suffered, you can collude with the enemy and kill people!"
Minglan slammed her palm on the table, her face icy as she looked at her coldly. Aunt Ren was speechless, her face ashen as the ground as she lowered her head. Minglan turned and said, "I've made my inquiries clear. Please, Master Tu, hand her over."
Tu Hu had been waiting for these words. Upon hearing them, he picked up the cloth ball and stuffed it back into Aunt Ren's mouth. After the two guards picked up Aunt Ren, he led the way and walked out quickly, leaving only Aunt Ren's whimpering sounds coming from afar.
Shao froze in place, clutching the handkerchief tightly in both hands. Her face seemed embarrassed, angry, and sad. After a while, she said, "...Where will she be taken...?"
Minglan pointed to the door, motioning Xia Zhu to close it, and replied casually, "Tell it to Lord Liu Zhengjie." Her lips curved as she spoke, "Our family is a good family. Even if it's a traitor, we can't just kill him. Let's hand it over to the authorities."
No matter how dumb Shao was, she could hear the deeper meaning in Minglan's words. She paused and asked in a low voice: "Lu Niang, how will she...end up..." Lu Niang was Aunt Ren's name.
"That depends on how Lord Liu conducts the interrogation. If the people who attacked last night were just ordinary thieves, then Aunt Ren would only be charged with the crime of being a thief. If the group of people last night were accomplices of the rebels, then Aunt Ren..." Minglan said expressionlessly.
As a traitor, the common end is nothing more than hanging and beheading. If you are a leader, you may even enjoy a high-tech punishment such as "Lingchi".
Shao was in a state of confusion, feeling sad and frightened at the same time. Suddenly, she fell on the table and sobbed softly. Minglan had no sympathy for her and said coldly, "Sister-in-law, don't cry so quickly. How about getting this done first?" Only then did Shao realize that Bisi was still rolling on the ground. There were two old women on both sides of her. She sat down awkwardly, wiping her tears.
At Minglan's signal, the maid pulled out the cloth that was stuffed in Bisi's mouth. Bisi had just listened to her aunt's confession and knew that she had caused a big disaster. She was so scared that she burst into tears. As soon as the cloth was released from her mouth, she cried and begged: "Madam, I know I was wrong! I deserve to die, please forgive me this time!" She kowtowed repeatedly and kept complaining.
Seeing that her pretty face was covered with dirt and blood, Xia He couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Suddenly, she heard Minglan say to her, "Take it out." She quickly came to her senses and quickly took out a small package from her sleeve and put it on the table.
They were a pair of bracelets wrapped in a silk scarf. The bracelets were made entirely of pure gold and shaped like round, wide-brimmed lotus leaves. They were inlaid with several dazzling pearls, and there was even a cat's eye the size of a soybean embedded in the clasp of each bracelet.
Upon seeing this, Shao's face immediately turned pale and red. She glanced at Minglan with a guilty look. Minglan fiddled with the bracelets idly, "This pair of bracelets must have been the betrothal gift from the Gu family to my eldest sister-in-law. They are indeed good things."
Shao didn't dare to answer and just nodded randomly.
"Just for this pair of bracelets, you sold me and Tuan Ge'er?" Minglan said softly.
Bisi was shaking like a sieve, crying, "No, no... I saw it was the eldest lady. The lady always trusted the eldest lady, so I thought it would be okay to tell the eldest lady..."
"What did Madam Cui tell you? Not only the Madam, but even the Lord herself wouldn't reveal a single word." Minglan said indifferently, "Did you swallow all those words?"
Bisi had nothing to say and could only kowtow and beg for mercy. She then went to see Xia He and Xia Zhu, hoping they would plead for her.
Xia Zhu was soft-hearted and wanted to speak, but Xia He pulled her sleeve and stopped her.
It’s not that Xia He is hard-hearted, but she knows her mistress’s temperament better. Once Minglan makes up her mind, few people can change it, not to mention - she glanced around and slowly lowered her head.
In this situation today, why did Minglan bring her and Xia Zhu to serve? What was her intention?
Xiaotao is about to get married far away, and Luzhi is almost of age to be sent out. However, in the next one or two years, all the head maids in Jiaxiju will be replaced; Cuixiu and Chunya are liked by the lady, but they are still too young, so the rest are... Xia He understood the situation and secretly resolved to work harder and less cleverly.
Minglan looked at Bisi who kowtowed repeatedly, feeling sad, "You have never had any great ambitions since you were a child. You are neither smart nor loyal or hardworking enough. You would be content as long as I provide you with good food, drink and clothes." If this happened in modern times, she would be a very obedient mistress and would never have the ambition to get promoted.
"When you're by my side, you never act like a maid. You're always lazy and shun work, always picking easy tasks and avoiding hard ones. Fortunately, Danju and the others are generous and don't make a fuss about you. But even though I don't like you, we've been together for ten years after all, and we're not plants after all."
It is said that liking to reminisce means that you are getting old. Minglan suddenly woke up from her dream in Yangzhou, and the past events came to her mind vividly: betrayal and hurt, separation and parting time and time again. Looking back, she was shocked to realize that she had grown old.
"But you haven't gotten into any trouble." Bisi was a laid-back type, neither as dainty as Ruo Meimuxia nor as cunning as Yancao, and she had her future already in mind. "I had thought that once Xiaotao Luzhi got married, I'd find you a loving and well-off man to marry into, so you could have a comfortable life. Our relationship as master and servant would have ended well."
Bisi was in a panic, not knowing what Minglan meant by this. Suddenly, she heard a few soft ding-dong sounds and saw a flash of golden light in front of her. It turned out that Minglan threw the pair of bracelets and silk scarves in front of her. Then she heard Minglan's cold voice in her ears.
"I won't punish you, nor will I beat or scold you. However, our fate has come to an end." Minglan sighed softly, "Remember that you still have your brother, sister-in-law, and mother at home. I'll let you go home now. I'll give you this bracelet, and take all the silver and jewelry you've saved over the years. Whether you want to buy some land or open a shop... After all, you'll have to take care of yourself from now on."
After saying this, Minglan waved to the two old women.
Bisi's ears were buzzing, and she could only hear the words "let you go home" -
No! She didn't want to go home! Ever since her grandfather and father passed away, the family had been deteriorating day by day, so she sold herself to the Sheng family. Her mother was weak, her brother was incompetent, and her sister-in-law was mean. Moreover, the family was poor, and she had to do housework and count every penny. How could she compare to living a leisurely life with Minglan, enjoying fine clothes and delicious food without having to do any housework.
She was about to cry and beg for mercy, but the old woman acted as fast as lightning and quickly stuffed the cloth ball back into her mouth, leaving her unable to say anything.
She struggled desperately, whimpering and screaming, begging Minglan for mercy with her eyes. She hated the two old women's hands that were like iron clamps, holding her so tightly that she couldn't move. She could only watch herself being dragged away from Minglan.
When they reached the door, one of the maids mocked her softly, "Little girl, please be quiet! You still think you are a precious mistress." Another said, "Madam is too kind. This lowly maid is so kind!"
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