As Yan Ning stared blankly at the silver lock, six servants from the Fucha family entered Liuxiang Garden. Zhu Xiang, who was standing next to Yan Ning, stepped forward and blocked their way, asking, "What are you doing at the Fu residence?"
The leader glanced at Yan Ning and said, "The old lady has instructed us to take Miss Yan Ning back to the Fucha residence."
Upon hearing that it was the old lady's order, Zhu Xiang dared not obstruct it any longer and retreated to Yan Ning's side, looking at Yan Ning with concern.
Yan Ning looked at the six people with a serious expression. It was no small matter that six people had come to find her. But how could the important matter of the Fucha family be related to her? Yan Ning vaguely sensed that something bad was about to happen, but she had no choice but to go with the six people.
"Reporting to the old lady, Miss Yan Ning has been brought here!" After bringing Yan Ning to a hall in an inner courtyard of the Fucha Mansion, the six servants withdrew.
Madam Fucha sat upright in the main seat, wearing a black satin embroidered cheongsam with sleeves decorated with plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums. Her chest was embroidered with double fish symbolizing abundance and peonies symbolizing wealth. A peacock hairpin adorned her hair, the golden tassels ending in jadeite, their green hue vibrant and lustrous. Although her face was frosty, her eyebrows were like distant mountains, her eyes like bright pearls, and her graceful movements, like clouds drifting across the moon, possessed a unique charm.
Xi Ying sat to the side, her appearance neat but her face haggard and her eyes brimming with tears. Aunt Lian sat below Xi Ying, looking at Yan Ning expressionlessly.
On the other side sat an older woman whose attire was slightly less refined than that of Lady Fucha. She was General Fucha's concubine. Below her sat the young man that Yan Ning had met with Heshen in the marketplace earlier. Yan Ning was surprised when she saw him clearly, as she had always thought he was Heshen's younger brother.
Madam Fucha slammed the covered bowl she was holding onto the table. Yan Ning immediately knelt down and said nervously, "Yan Ning greets Madam Fucha!"
At this moment, Xi Ying could no longer control herself. She rushed to Yan Ning, crying and shaking her. She said in a hoarse voice, "Sister, I have no grudge against you. Give De Lin back to me. The general is away on a campaign and has not even seen De Lin. The general is so kind to you. It will not be difficult for you to have many children in the future. Why do you still want to take my De Lin away?"
Yan Ning looked at the utterly distraught Xi Ying, her voice of explanation drowned out by her sobs, "Madam, I have not seen De Lin, what is going on?"
"Pull Madam back! What kind of behavior is this, crying and sobbing like this!" Old Madam Fucha commanded sternly. Xi Ying was helped back to the rosewood chair by Xia'er, sobbing uncontrollably.
Madam Fucha glanced at Meixiang beside her, who immediately understood. Meixiang knelt down next to Yan Ning and said timidly, "Yan Ning went out alone yesterday and was taken away by the servants of the He family. However, she did not allow us to accompany her. She returned near dusk. We know that she is favored by the General, so we dared not ask where she had gone. This morning, when I was helping her change her clothes, I found the young master's personal silver lock among the clothes she wore yesterday. Because Madam Fucha instructed us yesterday to keep an eye on everything concerning Yan Ning, I dared not hide anything. After seeing the silver lock, I rushed back to report."
After Meixiang finished speaking, Yan Ning understood. So Delin had disappeared. But what did all this have to do with her? Yesterday, she hadn't allowed the people from the Fu family to accompany her because she was worried that Heshen would ask her about his son, and that they might become suspicious if they heard about it. As for that silver lock, she had only seen it this morning. Yan Ning knew that even if she told them all, they wouldn't believe her.
"Fu Chang'an, Kang'er is not here, and you are the only man in this family. What do you think about this?" Old Madam Fucha asked without even looking at Fu Chang'an.
Yan Ning looked at the only man present. So his name was Fu Chang'an, the younger brother of Fu Kang'an. But why was he on good terms with Heshen?
“Delin disappeared at home. This girl is frail and must not know martial arts. How could she have escaped the heavy guards of the Fucha Mansion and taken a crying two-year-old child out?” Fu Chang’an glanced at Yan Ning and thought to himself, “So she is the stunning beauty that my third brother kept at the Fu residence. But she was with Lord He yesterday. Lord He must have been captivated by her.”
After hearing Fu Chang'an's words, Xi Ying realized that her son might no longer be alive. In an instant, she felt dizzy. If her son was not alive, Xi Ying was afraid that she would follow him in death.
Yan Ning gave him a grateful look, knowing he had deliberately told her the whole story so she could defend herself. "Madam, I did go to Chunxi Garden with Lord He yesterday, and Lord He can testify for me. As for the silver lock, someone must have framed me. Last night I heard someone knocking on the door, but when I went out, I didn't see anyone. It must have been placed there then. Madam, only by finding the real culprit can we save De Lin!" Yan Ning wanted to tell them everything she knew. Although she had never met De Lin, he was Fukang'an's son, and Yan Ning was worried about his safety.
“Last night, the young lady said she was afraid to sleep alone, so she asked me and Zhuxiang to sleep in the same bed with her. Zhuxiang and I have never slept in the master's bed before, and we were so scared that we stayed awake all night. No one entered the young lady's room during the night,” Meixiang reported truthfully.
Thinking about all these things, Yan Ning realized that she had been framed. "Madam, I have no way to defend myself now, but the most important thing is to find De Lin. Once we find De Lin, my innocence will be proven."
"Why don't we invite Lord He over and ask him? That way we'll know where Miss Yan Ning went yesterday," Fu Chang'an suggested.
"Now that your second brother is ill at home and your third brother is away on campaign, our Fucha family is going through a lot of trouble. If people find out that our grandson was kidnapped from our home, how will our family face be? It seems that you won't tell the truth unless you are punished! Guards, bring out the family law!" The old lady of Fucha slammed her hand on the rosewood table in anger.
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