Chapter 18: 12

As soon as she said this, everyone looked at the two maids kneeling on the ground.

Old Madam Ren frowned, "Did you not hear clearly? You might as well confess!" Old Madam’s expression remained neutral and her tone was not stern, but it was enough to make the two maids’ teeth chatter in fright. The rules in the Ronghua Courtyard were quite strict. Maids who infringed upon them, even a little, would be severely punished. Even being sold off as a result was hardly unusual.

Fifth Madam glanced at old wife Lu’an, then faintly shifted her gaze towards Momo Gui. She asked with an unexpected smile, "Since this is the case, that bundle must surely have been found? Might as well take it out for us to see." Momo Gui appeared to be somewhat flustered.

Fifth Madam raised her brows slightly and asked, "What is it? Were you unable to find what the old wife spoke of?

Momo Gui lowered her head a bit and said, "To answer Fifth Madam, the maids and servants have been searching for it but it has yet to be found."

At these words, Fifth Madam's anger rose. She turned her head towards Old Madam looking somewhat wronged, "Mother, daughter-in-law is aware that you've always cared for Yaohua and Yaoyin more than for my Yu'er. And I've also taught her that as her elder sisters, her seniors, it is only right for them to be doted on more. My Yu’er is a sensible girl and understood my meaning. Thus, she has always treated her sisters amiably, with all due courtesy, never displaying a bit of jealousy. Nevertheless, daughter-in-law is also aware that my Yu’er is clumsy and taciturn, of a temperament which is not easy to like…But is this reason enough for any common person to dare bully her?

This obscure matter is nothing more than the work of a servant of the outer courtyard with declining eyesight. In order to gain their master’s favor and be rewarded for it, they chose to embellish events and purposefully mislead us with falsehoods. So how can they be credible?

Although these two maids are foolish, they have diligently served at Yu’er’s side since young and been her closest attendants. Where would Yu’er’s integrity as a master be if she was to let them be labeled as thieves without a shred of evidence? After this matter comes to pass, how will she be able to hold her head high among her brothers and sisters?"

As Fifth Madam was delivering her speech, her tears kept flowing down like an never-ending stream.

Old Madam was a bit displeased at this spectacle and scolded her lightly, "Alright, I haven’t said anything yet! I only called in the maidservants to ask some questions. What are you crying endlessly for in front of the younger generation?"

Fifth Madam took out her handkerchief to wipe her tears and said with a bit of vexation, "Mother, you have yet to inquire thoroughly about this matter but have already affixed the blame on Yu’er’s servants. It’s obvious you believe this woman’s nonsense. Never mind. If you no longer care for Yu’er, your granddaughter, I will take her back and send her to Yunyang City to be cast away at her maternal grandmother’s side."

"Mother… I won’t go to maternal grandmother’s house…" said Ren Yaoyu as she gently pulled Fifth Madam’s clothes with a sad expression.

Fifth Madam pushed her daughter lightly and berated her, "Who told you to be dull and not know how to please your elders?"

Ren Yaoyu wiped her tears, looking aggrieved.

As Old Madam Ren watched the unfolding scene, blue veins started to throb on her forehead. She finally struck the Kang table in anger and stated, "Who said I’m going to send Yaoyu to Yunyang City? Yu’er is a granddaughter of my Ren Family and is not going anywhere!"

Ren Family’s Eldest Madam could see that if she did not put a stop to situation it would devolve into something quite messy. And once Old Madam is put on the spot, she would then find her to settle accounts with.

Thus, Eldest Madam stepped forward to pull at the mother-daughter pair. She spoke in a mild manner, "Who said Old Madam doesn’t care for Yu’er anymore? If not for her love for her, would she have bothered to bring Yu’er to her side and personally disciple her?" Eldest Madam also added some soft words to placate Ren Yaoyu, "Good child, you are smart so don't listen to the words your mother spoke in anger. After all, how could the estate's elders not like a modest, polite, and lovely girl such as yourself? So please, quickly go and persuade your mother."

Fifth Madam, who saw that Eldest Madam had stepped in to smooth things over and knew to quit while one was ahead, gradually let go. But her eyes gazed at old wife Lu'an who was standing in the middle of the room.

Eldest Madam and Fifth Madam have been sister-in-laws for many years. Knowing her temper, Eldest Madam took the initiative to help her and said, "Old Madam, what fifth sister-in-law said is not unreasonable. It happened early in the morning, and in the pozi’s old age, it is not impossible to have made a mistake. How about letting Momo Gui lead someone to make an inventory of all the valuables in the house to see if anything’s missing? If nothing important was lost, then it must have been a misunderstanding."

Fifth Madam concurred, "Daughter-in-law is also in agreement. Let us inventory the valuables in the house and see if it is our Yu’er's maids who have been disloyal, or this crafty old woman who is speaking without thinking!" Eldest Madam looked at Old Madam Ren questioningly.

Old Madam Ren turned her head and said to Momo Gui, "Take someone to check on the valuables."

Momo Gui made a sound of compliance.

Almost an hour later, Momo Gui came back followed by several older servants.

"Reporting to Old Madam, we've checked everything in the room and according to the list I have, nothing is missing." Fifth Madam pointed her finger in anger at the flustered old wife Lu’an and cursed her, "What a good servant you are, with no eye for their master! Saw my Yu’er temperament and thought to bully her? You don’t slander other people’s personal attendants but thought to slander Yu’er’s! Isn’t this a slap in our face?"

Old Madam Ren had on an unsightly expression. The matter was tossed left and right for so long but they had yet to find a resolution. She was about to speak when old wife Lu’an, who had been so scolded by Fifth Madam that she had shriveled in place, suddenly kneeled in front of her and anxiously explained herself.

"Old Madam is observant. How could this slave dare lie and deceive her masters? This slave did in fact see a bundle and would not dare make a false statement."

Momo Gui frowned and whispered, "Without proof, how do you want the masters to believe you? It’s already unfortunate that I believed you enough to report the matter for you, and now am involved in spite of myself."

"This slave…this slave can provide evidence", said old wife Lu’an anxiously. Momo Gui’s words had made her remember something.

Fifth Madam gritted her teeth in anger, "Are you trying to deceive your masters again?"

Old wife Lu'an’s shook her head like a rattle: "No, no. This slave knows a woman in the outer courtyard who raised a dog with a very good nose. A few days ago, when their man was out of the house, their purse was stolen. They followed the dog who led them to a family who lived in a shabby alley five streets away. It was there that they found their purse."

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Everyone was surprised when they heard this.

Old Madam Ren asked, "Is it really this effective?"

"If you allow it, this slave can quickly go to test and see whether it will work. The slave will go to the outer courtyard to borrow the dog and let it sniff the two girls. Once that’s done we can follow it to the garden to try and find the bundle." guaranteed old wife Lu’an.

Fifth Madam objected disdainfully, "Absurd! When so many servants have been looking for it yet could not find it, what can a beast do? Is it that humans are not as good as a beast?"

Old wife Lu’an hurriedly said, "This slave dares to guarantee it will it work. If ultimately, nothing is found, this slave will willingly take the blame."

"Mother…"

Fifth Madam turned her face towards Old Madam Ren to say something when Eldest Madam took a glance at Old Madam and then unexpectedly held Fifth Madam’s hands to persuade her gently, "Since old wife Lu’an dares to make such declarations, let her try. If they can’t find it, it will prove the two maids’ innocence and Yu'er will not lose face. As for the deceitful woman... she will be hit with the board and sold off. Let’s see then who else dares speak nonsense in front of Old Madam in the future.

Fifth Madam wanted to say something when she heard this but Old Madam had already spoken, "Let her go! Let’s see what she can find with this trick. Yu’er is my granddaughter. I will naturally be the one to call the shots and will not allow anyone to casually pour dirty water on her."

Old wife Lu’an was overjoyed. She kowtowed to Old Madam and thanked her for her grace before stepping out of the room.

"Should this servant go along to keep an eye out?" asked Momo Gui.

 

Old Madam Ren nodded and Momo Gui left after her.

After roughly half an hour went by, the people in the room suddenly heard a dog’s barking. Just from the noise it made, they could tell it was a big one.

The younger generation who were sitting in the room all turned their head to peer with some curiosity towards the door. Pity the hanging curtains was obstructing the view and nothing could be seen.

Contrary to them, Ren Yaoyu had on an utterly panicked and disturbed expression while Fifth Madam, who although was looking far from pleased, still managed to show some restraint and cast hinted glances at her daughter for her to keep her calm.

After a while, Momo Gui lifted the curtains and strode in, the sound of the dog’s barking outside becoming clearer for a moment.

"Old Madam, I would like to request for the two servant girls to step outside and let the dog smell them."

The two maids turned pale when they heard these words and reflexively looked at Fifth Madam.

Old Madam Ren nodded and Momo Gui then signaled the two old maids behind her with her eyes. The two quickly stepped forward to handle the servant girls.

Seeing that the two girls looked unsettled, Momo Gui kindly offered some words of comfort, "Don’t be afraid. Although the dog may look quite big, it does not bite people."

Almost as soon as they crossed the main room, the two maids started screaming. The sound startled the people inside and Old Madam Ren’s hand, which was holding the lid of the bowl, shook.

"What happened!"

Momo Gui rushed in and said, "It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s just the two maids who are a bit timid. Nevertheless, the masters should not come out so as to avoid any upset. This dog is quite tall after all." Its height, which Momo Gui demonstrated with her arm, was similar to that of a six or seven year old child.

Eldest Madam hurriedly instructed, "Let a few people come and hold the doors closed. Don't let the dog break in."

Momo Gui did as ordered.

Only when the dog’s barking noise drifted away did the people in the house finally let out a sigh of relief.

This time, in less than a quarter of an hour, Mother Gui came back.

When she came in, she was carrying an autumn colored furoshiki bundle in her hands and walking behind her were the two hopeless and pallid maids as well as old wife Lu’an who appeared relieved.

Eight Miss, Ren Yaoyu, turned pale, and she tightened her grip on the hem of her mother's shirt. Fifth Madam, Lin-shi, immediately took her daughter's hand and gave the two maids a fierce look.

But the two maids, already scared out of their wits, did not feel the weight of her glare.

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