Yi Ling sobbed uncontrollably, her green jade-like finger pointed directly towards Qiao Qiao: "It’s her! She leaked my talents and skills to Yihong Courtyard."
Qiao was startled and shrieked: "Yi Ling, do not slander me! You want to maliciously frame me in front of our young master? I have never had any dealings with Yihong Courtyard!"
She knelt in front of Xin He, eyes glistening with tears: "Young master, how could I collude with Yihong Courtyard? Young Master Sun came to me that day, inviting me to Yihong Courtyard and asking me to betray our brothel. If I had agreed to it that day, I wouldn’t have been brutally beaten. How would I collude with him after such treatment? Yi Ling must have lost her mind, attacking me like a rabid dog whenever she sees me. She is spouting malicious lies!"
Yi Ling raised her voice: "Ha, don’t play innocent! You must have known our young master was clever, that he planted spies for protection against the Sun family. You were anxious, fearing that our young master would have suspicions about you, so you didn’t dare make a move. Didn’t Xiaoyu specifically find you to talk before Young Master Sun came? Likely warning you to behave well right!
So, when Young Master Sun asked if you would work for Yihong Courtyard, you chose to temporarily reject him. Despite being beaten, it showed your loyalty. After that, you do deals behind our backs, revealing all our brothel secrets to him!"
Yi Ling turned to Ji Xinhe and said earnestly: "Young master may not know this, but the few new girls that Yihong Courtyard recently put forth, were all under Young Master Sun! As soon as Young Master Sun was chased out of the Sun Manor by his family, he took refuge in the countryside. Not long after, a few new girls arrived at Yihong Courtyard. These girls immediately gained popularity, and Young Master Sun also won the favour of Grandpa Sun. He was called back to the Sun Manor, enjoying his rewards at home now!"
Xin He squinted slightly, was this the doing of Sun Yaowen?
She had assumed that with the last incident, Sun Yaowen, a good-for-nothing, would have lost all value. After all, Sun Yaowen didn’t seem particularly accomplished or clever, which was why Ji Xinhe didn’t really care about him.
Unexpectedly, he dared to plot such an attack under cover, and it was so sudden. Did she underestimate him? Or was there something else going on?
Xin He glanced at Yi Ling and Qiao Qiao, her eyes squinted.
Qiao Qiao panicked, quickly refuted: "You are talking nonsense! You dare slander me even in front of our young master!"
Yi Ling sneered: "How did I slander you? When you were seriously injured
and bedridden in the past, I was concerned for you, our sisterly bond in my mind. I came to care for you and talked with you every
day. You took advantage of my trust and easily found out about my skills. I had no reason to distrust you, so I shared everything with you. Yet, in response, you just betrayed me; now there is a new girl, Jinghua, who has risen above me, and my future seems to have been blocked by you. How ruthless you are!"
"You’re talking nonsense!" Qiao Qiao rushed forward to grab her: "If I knew you were such a vicious woman, I should have killed you back then. I spared your life then, but even now, you dare to frame me!"
"I am framing you?! Am I using my own life skills to frame you? Have I cut off my own way to frame you? I have no way out now. It should be me who kills you to vent my anger! I know you have always despised me. When I wasn’t prosperous, you suppressed me at every turn, even making me do the chores of a servant. Your malice is common knowledge. This time, you pushed me to this point, and I will never let you go!"
The two of them began to argue and were about to go at each other again.
Madam Chen scolded: "Enough! We are all sisters here. Is it meaningful to sling mud at each other and frame each other? The master is still here. Do you really have no respect at all?"
Yi Ling crawled forward, sobbing, clutching the corner of Ji Xinhe’s clothes: "Young master, please take care of Yi Ling. My art has been stolen, and my path has been blocked. Now I am being counterframed. Please, young master, stand up for Yi Ling."
The ladies and servants who were surrounded inside and outside the room wore various expressions but dared not speak.
Xin He’s expression was slightly gloomy. She didn’t say a word from beginning to end, just quietly listening to them. After a while, she said coldly: "Come."
At her words, both Qiao Qiao and Yi Ling’s hearts raced. Was she going to make her decision, and if so, who would it be against?.
"Take them both down and lock them in the firewood room," Xin He ordered coldly.
At these words, the faces of Qiao Qiao and Yi Ling both changed.
The two women couldn’t figure out what Ji Xinhe was getting at and began crying together: "Young master, I was wronged, I was wronged!"
Xin He turned to Madam Chen and said curtly: "Why haven’t they been taken away yet?"
Madam Chen soon snapped out of her daze and hurriedly ordered some people to drag the two women away.
Yi Ling and Qiao Qiao were hurriedly pulled away.
Xin He’s face still held a hint of gloom. After taking a deep breath, she finally said slowly: "Today’s matters, I haven’t yet figured out what exactly happened. With only their two conflicting testimonies, naturally, I won’t easily trust either of them. Once I find the truth, whoever lied will have crossed my bottom line. I have said what such a traitor would face. At that time, I won’t show any kindness to them."
Her deep, gloomy eyes swept over everyone. This sentence was a clear warning to them.
She then continued: "All these problems suddenly popping up today indicate that I still don’t have enough control over the brothel since I took charge not too long ago. Whether it be the girls or the servants, they still don’t seem to understand the consequences of betraying me."
Xin He’s eyes darkened, she remained silent for a while before saying: "Enough, you all can leave."
Only when they heard this did they breathe a sigh of relief and quickly left the room, their faces not showing any signs of happiness.
After all the ladies left, the room finally quieted down. Only Madam Chen was left.
Xin He looked at Madam Chen and began her final decision-making process. Her eyes were slightly cold and intimidating: "I entrusted this huge brothel to you, Madam Chen. Do you feel overwhelmed and incapable?"
Madam Chen’s back was drenched with a cold sweat, and she replied, her face pale: "No, that’s not true."
"Then, Madam Chen, from the situation at Yihong Courtyard to the drama today, in which matter do you think you handled well?" said Xin He, her voice not loud, but it sent chills down one’s spine.
"I...," stammered Madam Chen.
"Madam Chen, since you are a veteran of the brothel, I kept you, admiring your wisdom and capability. If someday I decide not to keep you here anymore, it will be because you have lost your wisdom and efficiency and are unable to handle even a small matter." Xin He continued to look at her with an aloof gaze.
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