Old Madam Mei asked, "What did Weng Hui tell you about that hairpin?"
Mei Xuanqi didn't dare to say it out loud. Weng Hui said that it was her mother's partiality that made her feel indignant, and her servants stole it on a whim to vent her anger.
On the way here, Weng Hui cried and told Master Mei in the carriage that although the hairpin was apparently only owned by Ma Jingling and Yuan Zhixi, the jade used in the two hairpins were all cut from a large piece of raw stone.
Although the crowns and hairpins were only owned by the two wives, the smaller pieces of jadeite were cut and made into necklaces, earrings, rings, and bracelets, about a dozen in total, each of which was a fine piece.
The old lady picked out a jade necklace, a pair of earrings, and two hairpins and gave them to Shuxin.
In other words, she was the only one in the entire Second House who didn't have anything. She knew that a servant had stolen something for her and had it returned, but she didn't expect the servant, fearing punishment if the matter was exposed, actually contacted a stolen goods dealer to sell the hairpin.
After she knew about it, she wanted to keep the hairpin and the servant, so she changed the hairpin in the box. The old lady and the others caught the hairpin red-handed, which was her own hairpin.
Unexpectedly, after being caught, the servant turned against her and put all the blame on her in order to get rid of the crime.
But Shunxin, the old lady's servant, took the hairpin away from her yard before she could return it.
After saying that, she started crying again and asked Mei Xuanqi to find a way to protect her.
Mr. Mei didn't dare to say that now, and only said vaguely: "It is said that a servant was jealous for a moment and had some thoughts that he shouldn't have."
He continued, "Son, I'm asking for mercy for Aunt Weng. It was she who didn't handle this matter properly. She should have just sent the servant and the hairpin directly to you. She still wants to protect a thief. There's no need for that."
What Mei Xuanqi didn't know was that the coachman had received the old lady's instructions and was listening to the movements behind him while driving.
The driver listened to Weng Hui's tearful explanation for exonerating herself and reported it all back.
Now, seeing that her son did not tell her the truth and instead believed Weng Hui's lies, Old Lady Mei was furious.
There were so many holes in this lie that the old lady didn't know which one to expose first.
Hearing his son's words, he sneered, "I think it's you who wants to protect a thief. You actually believe everything a thief leader says."
The old lady suddenly remembered what Mei Ruolan said today and said, "If others have something and you don't, you will steal it. Then your second wife Weng Hui's yard should have been stolen countless times, right?
You are so biased and confused. How many things do Weng Hui and Mei Ruolin have that other people in your second house don't have? Why don't other people get jealous and want to steal them?
The reason why I gave Shuxin a few pieces of jewelry is because you often buy jewelry for Weng Hui to make her happy.
Zhixi and Shuxin have to rely on me for thinking. Why don't you open your eyes and look at what Weng Hui wears on her head and body, and then look at what Shuxin wears on her body. Weng Hui always outshines Zhixi, let alone Shuxin.
I heard that she recently complained that she lost a pair of bracelets, and you are looking for several times more jewelry to compensate her?
If you do this, do you believe that she will start losing jewelry frequently? After all, if you lose one piece, you will get five more. If you lose one piece, you will get three more.
I advise you to tone it down. Your Aunt Weng rarely tells the truth, yet you believe her.
Not only did she instruct the servant to steal the crown and hairpin, but she was also scared by Zhixi and asked the servant to sell it quickly. In the end, she wanted to push this servant out to take the blame.
It's hard to say whether the bracelets were lost or she sold them for money and then asked you for new ones. She even used this to frame Shuxin without any evidence."
Mrs. Mei remembered again and said, "Didn't you ask Yin Zhou if he resented you?
I haven't asked him, but the child said that his father values Aunt Weng and Mei Ruolin, and that is his father's idea, and a child shouldn't interfere. Although he is a little sad, he also knows that he can't force it.
I don't think the child resents you, but this beating has made him realize that his father is unreliable. You were unreasonable just to please a concubine. Doesn't he have to rely on himself to support his brothers, sisters and mother? "
Mei Xuanqi said, "He's just a half-grown kid, and he really wants to compete with my son for the position of the second-householder? He's supporting his younger siblings and Zhixi? He and his wife are all my sons, my women, and my children. Why would I use this kid to support them?!"
Mrs. Mei said, "Your children and your wife both believe him now, but you don't even look at what you have done. Which one of them has disappointed your children and wife?
I will ask Yuan Zhixi for her opinion on the matter of Weng Hui stealing the hairpin. After all, she is the mistress of the second house and the owner of the lost hairpin. Moreover, I plan to hand over the management power of the entire inner courtyard of the Mei family's backyard to Yuan Zhixi. I have already informed the first house, and I will hand over everything to her after she returns from the Plum Garden. So let her be the one to punish this matter.
If you don't believe that Weng Hui was the mastermind behind stealing the hairpin, the servant is still in custody. You can go and question her in person, or you can confront Weng Hui. Lies cannot withstand details, so just go and listen.
How did this matter start, what was said, what was done, who was encountered, what happened, what instructions were given by Weng Hui, all these time points and all the people involved must match up. This is not a lie that can be passed off in a few words.
Old Madam Mei called the nanny over and asked, "Has Weng Hui been kneeling for two hours?"
Mammy said, "She's already arrived. Let her go back."
Mrs. Mei asked again, "What about him?"
The nanny said, "It's still half an hour before the Second Young Master is summoned for questioning."
Old Mrs. Mei said, "Go back to your own yard and kneel down."
Weng Hui was punished to kneel for two hours. She was filled with hatred in her heart: This damn old woman has humiliated me time and time again. She didn't reward me with the jewelry, but made me kneel in front of so many servants and children.
I have to find a way to kill this old woman. After she's dead, I can deal with Yuan Zhixi and Shuxin. Beating up those little bastards this time is not enough!
On the other side, Old Lady Mei said to the nanny, "According to the news from the groom, this Weng Hui is a sharp-tongued person, vicious, quick-witted, and has evil intentions. And yet, the Second Master listens to everything he says. I'm afraid we can't keep such a person."
Then he asked the nanny, "Have you found out about her relationship with the Wu family?"
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