Chapter 655 Interrogation
The events that transpired in the rear residence of the Chang manor were kept quiet by the ladies of the household. Thus, it wasn't until the guests had departed in their carriages and met their mothers, wives, or sisters that they learned of You Bawang's intrusion into the Chang manor's guest quarters. Fortunately, no major incident occurred.
After seeing off the guests, Madam Chang sat sternly on the main seat, her expression chilling. The more she thought about it, the more enraged she became. These people should not have dared to extend their reach into the Chang manor.
"Mother, Grandmother has already retired," the eldest daughter-in-law entered the room, her face betraying her exhaustion. The birthday banquet had been tiring enough, and then such an incident occurred, leaving Madam Wei with a headache.
"You've also had a long day. Go back and rest. Please take good care of Tao Tao," Madam Chang waved her hand, signaling Madam Wei to leave. The involvement of You Bawang meant this was no longer a matter for the rear residence.
"Yes, Mother. Please rest early as well. I will go and check on my cousin now." Madam Wei curtsied and then withdrew with the help of a maid.
Granny Lu specially brought over some ginseng tea. "Madam, this is what Miss had brewed."
Thinking of her daughter's commendable performance that evening, Madam Chang's stern expression finally softened. She picked up the cup and took a few sips of the ginseng tea. "Where is An'an?"
"Miss drank a cup of ginseng tea and has gone to bathe. She will be here again shortly." Granny Lu was Madam Chang's confidante and had watched Chang Ruo'an grow up. With no outsiders present, she spoke more freely. "Miss has truly grown up. She showed no panic at all tonight."
In contrast, the cousin, who had cried hysterically after being frightened by a wild cat, was clearly much more immature. In fact, the cousin was only a year and a half younger.
"An'an should not have to know about these sordid affairs of the rear residence. But as you saw Miss Zhan's performance today, she was poised, generous, and steady." Madam Chang spoke of Zhan Feiyu with full affirmation and praise. "An'an will come of age in two years. The capital is not peaceful, so it is good for her to witness some of these schemes in the rear residence."
Granny Lu also noticed Madam Chang's fatigue and stood behind her, massaging her shoulders. "Madam speaks wisely. Miss is intelligent and bright, merely a bit innocent and romantic. No matter how much Madam has told her, it is not as effective as Miss seeing it for herself."
Her stiff shoulders gradually relaxed. Madam Chang picked up the cup again and took a few more sips of ginseng tea to refresh herself. "How is the front courtyard?"
"It has dispersed. Master will be here shortly." Granny Lu knew that today's events were no small matter. You Bawang was currently confined in a guest room in the front courtyard. Fortunately, the doctor had examined him, and he was merely heavily intoxicated and unconscious.
If You Bawang were to suffer any mishap, it was likely that Old Madam You, the Marquis, and the Marchioness would tear down the Chang manor.
Madam Chang nodded, her eyes half-closed as she waited for Master Chang to arrive.
Less than fifteen minutes later, as a maid announced their arrival outside the room, Madam Chang, who had been dozing, stood up to greet them at the door. "Master."
"It's cold outside. Madam, please come inside first," Master Chang said gently, supporting Madam Chang as they walked into the room.
Chang Ruo'an, left behind, touched her nose. Her parents were truly deeply in love; no one even paid attention to their dutiful daughter.
After Master Chang was seated, Madam Chang recounted the events in detail. The servants involved were currently being held separately. Madam Chang intended to interrogate them after Master Chang arrived.
"An'an, what do you think?" Master Chang smiled and tested his daughter, who was sitting below. Although the matter involved the front courtyard, it had occurred in the rear residence. An'an would have to manage the rear residence in the future, and such incidents would not be uncommon.
A girl of twelve or thirteen years old was typically innocent and carefree, but Madam Chang's teachings had made Chang Ruo'an aware of many schemes and calculations in the rear residence. "Father, Mother, this matter was aimed at Sister Zhan. Therefore, the mastermind must have a grudge against Sister Zhan."
Zhan Feiyu had only been in the capital for half a month. There were only a few families who could have a grudge against her. Chang Ruo'an listed them one by one. "Logically, the Zhe family is the most suspicious. However, the Zhe family are all military men, accustomed to direct confrontation. They wouldn't extend their hands to our Chang manor to plot something."
No matter who offended Zhe Jing, third son Zhe would directly confront them with his men. Over the years, the Zhe family had offended many people and made many enemies because of this, but the Zhe family's actions were considered upright. Such insidious plotting was clearly not the Zhe family's doing.
Master Chang and Madam Chang smiled and nodded, signaling Chang Ruo'an to continue.
"Next is Madam Bai. When Sister Zhan paid respects to Grandmother today, she had a conflict with Madam Bai. Sister Zhan's maid even slapped Madam Bai's maid. But to arrange for You Haoran to enter the inner courtyard, it must have been planned in advance. I don't think it would be Madam Bai or the Li family."
In Chang Ruo'an's opinion, Zhan Feiyu had saved Bai Zhaohui's life at Yufeng Tower. Although there were rumors later that she had leveraged this favor and wanted to marry Bai Zhaohui, and Madam Bai was angry about these rumors, it was not enough for her to act ungratefully.
Moreover, this was the Chang manor. As long as Madam Bai considered Father's official position, she would not act rashly. Chang Ruo'an frowned. "Finally, there is Sister Wen. At Duobao Pavilion, Sister Zhan extorted ten thousand taels of silver from Sister Wen. But money is just external wealth. Sister Wen and the Wen family would not scheme for money. Father, I can't think of anyone else who has a grudge against Sister Zhan."
"If you can't think of anyone, let's first hear what these disloyal servants confess," Madam Chang gestured to Granny Lu, asking her to bring in the servants who had accepted silver.
Six servants knelt in a line: three maids, one old woman, and two young servants.
Master Chang put down his teacup and looked at the six trembling servants kneeling on the ground with an unfathomable expression. His voice remained gentle. "You all know what happened in the rear courtyard, and you also know the rules of the Chang manor. If you speak now, you will be spared physical pain; you will only be sold off. If you remain stubborn, do not blame this official for being merciless!"
"Master, Madam, this servant is innocent." Hong Xiu, the maid kneeling on the far right, kowtowed repeatedly, glaring hatefully at her sister beside her, Lu Xiu. "It's all my fault for trusting Lu Xiu, which is why I didn't check the guest room, causing Cousin to almost be scratched by the wild cat."
Hong Xiu and Lu Xiu were both third-class maids, usually responsible for cleaning the Chang manor's guest quarters. Today was Old Madam's birthday, so the guest quarters naturally needed to be prepared, as ladies would be coming to deliver messages or change clothes.
Hong Xiu was responsible for things like tea, pastries, charcoal basins, and incense. Lu Xiu was responsible for tidying, cleaning, and decorating. After hanging the delivered clothes in the wardrobe, Hong Xiu intended to do one last check to ensure there were no problems.
However, Lu Xiu said she had just finished wiping the floor inside, and the floor was still wet, so she didn't let Hong Xiu in for fear of dirtying the floor.
"Good sister, I'll clean the courtyard first. Once the floor inside is dry, I'll go in and take a look. Hurry back to your room and change into clean clothes; guests will be arriving soon." Lu Xiu smiled and nudged Hong Xiu towards the courtyard entrance. "Today is Old Madam's birthday banquet. I'll give you my pearl butterfly hairpin. Hurry back."
Even without checking the wardrobe, it wasn't a big deal. Moreover, Hong Xiu really liked that hairpin, so she reluctantly left. "Madam, it's all my fault. I didn't check the wardrobe afterwards." Hong Xiu sobbed uncontrollably. In fact, she should have stayed in the courtyard today.
If that were the case, with the wild cat locked in the wardrobe, there would definitely be noise, and Hong Xiu would have discovered it.
But after changing her clothes and redoing her hair, and putting on the butterfly hairpin, she went to show off with her other maids and didn't stay in the courtyard.
It wasn't until the birthday banquet began that Hong Xiu, seeing Zhan Feiyu and Tao Tao heading towards the courtyard from afar, ended her chat with her sisters and hurried back to the courtyard.
"Lu Xiu, do you have anything to say?" Madam Chang looked coldly at the silent Lu Xiu. She was also born into the Chang family, but unfortunately, she had betrayed them.
"This servant has nothing to say." Lowering her head, Lu Xiu's face was ashen. At this point, it was meaningless whether she spoke or not.
"Damn you, you wretched girl! Do you think Madam won't know if you don't speak?" Granny Lu cursed sternly, looking at Lu Xiu kneeling on the ground with hatred. "Your elder brother lost gambling and owed two hundred taels of silver. Your mother is going to marry you off to Butcher Hu to pay off the debt..."
Lu Xiu was only a third-class maid in the Chang manor. Furthermore, the Chang family's rules stated that a man could only take a concubine if he was forty and had no children. Therefore, no matter how beautiful Lu Xiu was, she could not be taken as a concubine by her masters.
Lu Xiu was already seventeen after the New Year. Last year, she had taken a liking to Zhong Jin, a shop assistant at the Li family's cloth shop. Zhong Jin had also planned to save some money to redeem Lu Xiu. If the masters were kind enough not to ask for her redemption silver, this money would be given to Lu Xiu's parents as a betrothal gift.
But who knew that Lu Xiu's elder brother would incur gambling debts? She and Zhong Jin had only saved twenty taels of silver. To prevent Lu Xiu from being married off to Butcher Hu to settle the debt, Zhong Jin stole several bolts of cloth from the shop, intending to secretly sell them to raise money for Lu Xiu.
Unfortunately, the shopkeeper discovered it. Although Zhong Jin was not sent to prison, he was severely beaten. Zhong Jin's right arm was broken, and the little money they had saved was sent to the clinic for medical treatment and medicine.
Lu Xiu was also forced into a corner. After the Old Madam's birthday banquet, her mother demanded that the Old Madam redeem her and marry her off to Butcher Hu.