Chapter 119 Hand over my maid
Even after hearing Xie Min's words, Madam Lin was still somewhat worried.
She hadn't expected Shen Qingnian to bring Xie Yanzhi here.
But now she's in a difficult situation.
She made no attempt to conceal her actions when she captured Shen Qingnian; if she were to release Shen Qingnian now...
Even if Shen Qingnian tells Xie Yanzhi the truth, Xie Yanzhi will still make things difficult for her.
Most importantly, Shen Qingnian may already be... even if she wanted to let go, it would be impossible to return the person to Xie Yanzhi unharmed.
Right now, the only person who knows that she took away Shen Qingnian and her servant is the Wang family's wife who gives Shen Qingnian water in the kitchen.
After thinking for a while, Madam Lin called over the old woman at the door: "Go and tell that Wang family daughter-in-law to keep her mouth shut, or her husband will be in big trouble!"
Xie Min sat calmly to the side, waiting to see the show.
Yuan Qing then summoned the steward of the estate and led everyone into the woods to search for the person.
There were no wild animals around, so as long as Qing and Ling'er didn't fall into the trap, they wouldn't die.
Xie Yanzhi thought for a moment, then had Yuan Qing call over the accompanying guards, gave them a few instructions, and then hurriedly headed up the mountain.
Aunt Su searched the woods, her steps uneven, glancing at each trap she passed.
As it grew later, the farmers who had accompanied them became impatient; their wives and children were still waiting for them to come home for dinner.
Besides, the steward of the estate just gave instructions that the woman in front of them was a concubine, and that they should find two maids, who were all insignificant people.
They only need to go through the motions; they don't necessarily have to find the person.
So, the group exchanged glances.
One of the leaders stopped where he was and said to Aunt Su, who was bending over and searching carefully, "Aunt Su, we've been searching for so long but haven't found it. The brothers are also exhausted. We have to go down the mountain."
"Try looking for it yourself."
Without waiting for Aunt Su's reply, he turned and walked down the mountain.
"Wait a moment……"
Aunt Su tried to stop them, but not one of them turned around.
After those people left, Aunt Su looked at the dark woods and continued her search with a torch in hand.
She would never be at ease until she found Nian'er and Ling'er.
Meanwhile, these farmers were walking along the road, saying, "That concubine is a fool. She made such a mess of herself for the sake of two maids."
"Haha, but that concubine is quite a remarkable woman, taking care of that paralyzed second master. What a pity!" one of them mocked.
"Then why don't you go and show her some love, third brother!"
A group of people started to jeer, but then they saw the village headman holding a torch and winking at them from a distance.
"Boss! What's wrong with your eyes?" The third brother touched his head, wondering what the boss was doing, making faces at him.
One of them said, "The head of the village, a grown man, is giving you the eye."
Hahaha
The group laughed again.
The head of the village couldn't laugh; these men were doomed to die today.
He heard footsteps behind him and stepped aside. Only then did the farmers see that the people behind him had moved to the sides, making way for him.
A tall, slender figure stepped forward from the middle, wearing a jade crown and jade rings at his waist. His face was stern, and his eyes were icy as he looked at him: "Where is that concubine?"
The man called Lao San had an extraordinary air about him, and judging from the cautious look on the head of the manor, they knew that their master had arrived.
This young master, with his powerful aura, must be Xie Yanzhi, their master in the Marquis's mansion.
In an instant, their faces showed bitterness, and they immediately knelt on the ground, pointing behind them with their fingers.
I wonder if the young master heard what his aunt said just now.
The group was on tenterhooks, keeping their heads down obediently, though they were all drenched in sweat.
Xie Yanzhi said nothing and walked past them.
The tension in everyone's hearts eased, and they were relieved to have escaped a disaster.
But the village head immediately called several men over, tied the man up with ropes, and shook his head, saying, "Hey, who told you to talk nonsense!"
Aunt Su heard a noise behind her and turned around to find Xie Yanzhi had arrived. She hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Young Master."
He nodded in thanks for the banquet.
After waiting for a while, the head of the manor led his men to check all the traps, but still there was no sign of Shen Qingnian and Ling'er.
"Young Master, what should we do?" Aunt Su felt guilty; she shouldn't have brought Nian'er out.
At this moment, a guard hurried over and whispered a few words in Xie Yanzhi's ear.
Xie Yanzhi's face darkened, and he said to Aunt Su, "Let's go, Shen Qingnian isn't in the woods."
Lin saw the people in the woods carrying torches coming down the mountain and slowly approaching their house, pacing back and forth inside:
"This matter certainly cannot be kept from the eldest young master."
Xie Min said calmly, "Who saw that it was Mother who took them away? Anyway, Mother will just deny it."
As she spoke, she continued to admire her newly painted nails.
Soon, Xie Yanzhi led Aunt Su into the house, sat down on a chair, and said, "Second Aunt, hand over my maid."
Lin's heart skipped a beat; Xie Yanzhi indeed knew that she was the one who had captured Shen Qingnian.
Seeing her mother pause in surprise, Xie Min stood up, put her hand on Lin's shoulder, and looked at Xie Yanzhi: "The young master's maid is missing. What does this have to do with my mother?"
Xie Yanzhi looked at Xie Min with his deep eyes. He hadn't expected that his younger sister would change so much in just two months! She had become even more arrogant.
Xie Yanzhi gestured with his chin toward the guards at the door, and Lin Shi saw a woman enter from outside, who was none other than the Wang family's daughter-in-law.
"Your Highness, I saw with my own eyes that it was the Second Madam who took those two away."
Wang's daughter-in-law knelt on the ground and respectfully uttered these words.
Madam Lin gripped her handkerchief tightly, glaring at her fiercely: "What nonsense are you spouting? Aren't you afraid of bringing trouble to your husband by spreading rumors?"
Upon hearing this, Wang's daughter-in-law realized that Lin was using her position as head of the household to threaten her.
However, the prince had already ordered his men to hold a knife to her man's neck, and if she didn't speak up, her man would immediately bleed to death.
Xie Yanzhi said, "Second Aunt, there's no need to trouble yourself. Everyone on the estate is already outside."
When Lin looked out the door, she saw that all the men and children on the estate had knives held to their necks! Her face turned deathly pale instantly.
No wonder that bitch dared to blurt things out as soon as she walked in!
Wang's daughter-in-law secretly glanced at Xie Yanzhi, but still didn't change her story: "At that time, the two girls were drinking water in the kitchen when the Second Madam came in, looking extremely displeased, and then took the two girls away."
Xie Yanzhi looked at Madam Lin: "Second Aunt, why haven't you released my maid yet?"
Lin still denied it: "I left the kitchen with them, but they left on their own afterwards. Who knows where those two went to fool around!"
Wang's daughter-in-law said, "I saw the second madam leading them towards the river."
The riverbank? It's in a completely opposite direction to the mountains and forests.
Xie Yanzhi frowned and said calmly, "Who said those two went into the woods?"
One of them stepped forward shakily: "It was this servant. This servant did see two women carrying baskets heading into the woods. I thought they were going to look for mushrooms."
Xie Yanzhi then asked, "Who went into the woods?"
Two more maids stepped forward from the crowd: "It's us."
Yuan Qing pointed at the two of them and said, "Tell the truth! It's getting dark, why are you going into the mountains to pick mushrooms?"
"It was...it was the Second Madam who sent us." The two maids spoke softer and softer, their heads bowed, not daring to look at Madam Lin.
Upon hearing this, Lin gripped her handkerchief tightly.
Aunt Su never expected that it was Lin who had captured Nian'er! She should have known better; Lin harbored resentment towards Nian'er because of Xie Min's matter!
Another person came to report: "Your Highness, we have searched all the houses on the estate, but we only found a dilapidated courtyard over there. The door was locked, so we couldn't go in."
Why not go inside?
Didn't he say that not a single corner should be missed?
“That doesn’t seem like a place for a human to stay,” the man replied truthfully.
When Xie Yanzhi saw that Madam Lin was somewhat guilty and avoided his gaze, his eyes immediately turned icy.
That damned Lin family actually abandoned Shen Qingnian there?!
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