Buddhist temple.
Fu Ling clasped his hands together, slowly moved the Buddhist beads with his fingers, and muttered to himself.
But I heard footsteps.
Mother Xing came in and bowed, "Madam."
Fu Ling glanced at him: "What's wrong?"
"Qiuyun, who was with the Third Miss, brought Youlan from Qingluzhai here and said that the doorman had flirted with Youlan. But the doorman said that Youlan had smuggled jewelry out of her body and had already found it."
Fu Ling's brows knitted slightly, "Bring her in. Go to Qingluzhai and call Si Niang over as well."
…
By the time Fu Ling finished listening to the speeches of several people, Youlan was already sobbing uncontrollably.
"So, it was Si Niang who asked you to pawn this thing?"
Youlan nodded hesitantly: "My madam, yes."
Fu Ling uttered a soft "oh," and his kind and calm features appeared particularly compassionate, as always revealing a look of compassion like that of the Jade Guanyin.
"How did the daughter of the Xue family end up having to pawn her things to make a living? Wouldn't it be embarrassing if word got out? Tell me, why did Si Niang ask you to sell your jewelry?"
Youlan sobbed uncontrollably, having suffered injustice for days. Now she kowtowed profusely, "Madam, please save our Qinglvzhai! Aunt Rong bribed the servants to deduct Qinglvzhai's share. If we don't exchange our jewelry for some silver, the Fourth Young Miss won't even be able to afford her medicine!"
"Is there such a thing?!" Fu Ling held his chest in shock.
The reason why the doorman was able to make things difficult for Youlan this time was because he had received favors from Aunt Rong in the past and was naturally on Aunt Rong's side.
Seeing this, the servant retorted, "Madam, I'm afraid this is just an excuse made by Youlan. We have even found the stolen goods. The evidence is irrefutable!"
Youlan quickly denied: "The things belong to the Fourth Young Lady, I didn't steal them!"
Upon seeing this, Fu Ling gave Mother Xing a wink, and Mother Xing reached out to Qiu Yun, who understood and handed over the drawstring bag.
Mother Xing took out the gold hairpin from her drawstring bag. Fu Ling took it, looked at it over and over again, and frowned.
Even Mother Xing noticed it: "Madam...this golden hairpin looks familiar to me. It seems to have been given to the Third Miss by the old lady of the Fu family before she passed away."
The old lady of the Fu family, Fu Ling's mother, is also Xue Zhiyi's grandmother.
"Qiuyun." Fu Ling's face darkened slightly. "Is this true?"
Qiuyun also came forward to take a look at the golden hairpin, then bowed, "Madam, this item is indeed Third Miss's. She did select some jewelry and supplements and sent them to Qingluzhai a few days ago. However, she entrusted this matter to Suyue, and I haven't handled it myself, so I dare not make any final judgments."
At this moment, a maid came to announce: "Madam, the fourth young lady has arrived."
Xue Hanshu was summoned as soon as she was able to get out of bed. She was supported by a maid and limped in.
Fu Ling glanced at her, with a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes: It's just ten strokes of the cane. After so many days, you still act like a sick person. I don't know who you are showing this to.
Xue Hanshu was already sweating profusely from the pain. Seeing Youlan kneeling on the ground, her pale lips faded even more, and she looked even more haggard. She suppressed her guilty conscience and bowed to Fu Ling. "I wonder what you want me to do, mother?"
Fu Ling raised his eyebrows, which made Xue Hanshu feel confused.
Fu Ling only heard: "If Si Niang can't manage the people under her control, why didn't you tell me?"
Xue Hanshu had no idea what she was up to and was stunned for a moment, not daring to respond.
Fu Ling smiled faintly, but there was no joy on her face. "Did you know that Youlan in your room took some of Zhiyi's jewelry and was going out to sell it?"
Xue Hanshu moved her lips, wanting to explain.
But she had been with Xue Zhiyi since she was a child, carefully trying to please him and trying hard to maintain the appearance of a deep sisterly love, which made her life a little better.
And now she actually pawned the things given to her by Xue Zhiyi for money.
Logically speaking, after Xue Zhiyi gave it to her, the thing naturally belonged to her, and she had the final say on how to deal with it.
But emotionally and logically, how could she not be slapping Xue Zhiyi in the face by doing this? If Xue Zhiyi knew, he would definitely feel that she had let him down and would no longer be close to her.
When Xue Hanshu thought of this, he was filled with hatred.
She hated Youlan's stupidity, as she couldn't even do such a small task; she hated her own miserable life even more, as for the sake of profit, she had to bite the bullet and pretend to be a sister with Xue Zhiyi.
She hated Xue Panrou for forcing her into this situation, and she also hated Xue Zhiyi, the unworldly daughter of the emperor. Why did he have to give her these useless things? Wouldn't it be better to just give her silver?!
She hated everyone under this roof equally!
Is she going to admit now that she pawned Xue Zhiyi's kindness in exchange for money?
How shameful! It would ruin all her years of hard work, and if things went wrong, she wouldn't even have the chance to use Xue Zhiyi again...
“I…I…”
Xue Hanshu's throat seemed to be blocked by something.
At this moment, Youlan was pleading with her, "Miss, I pawned it according to your wishes. Please explain to Madam quickly..."
"Shut up!"
Xue Hanshu suddenly scolded Youlan, "I never asked you to sell hairpins! I never thought you, after serving me for so many years, would do such a shameful thing behind my back!"
Everyone was stunned, including Fu Ling.
Xue Hanshu knelt down, supporting her injured body. "Mother, Fourth Lady isn't strict with her subordinates. This wicked servant steals petty things every day, but he even dared to touch the things Third Sister gave him. He even tried to deceive you so cunningly and with so many excuses!"
Xue Hanshu raised her childish round face and said sincerely, "Fortunately, mother was very perceptive and detained him. Otherwise, Si Niang really doesn't know how to explain to Third Sister..."
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