Seeing the scene, everyone understood.
It turned out they were using this fire fox to catch the mole.
Animals naturally had keen senses of smell, able to detect scents invisible to ordinary people, such as the Azure Flame Flower.
Not only could they smell it, but it would also provoke them.
If there were others involved, Ding Dong and the other two might still be able to argue their way out, but now that only they were caught, their fate was sealed.
After dismissing the other servants, only Madam Feng, Mama Bai, Feng Jin Yao, their personal maids, and Bai Deng remained in the courtyard.
The women trained by Mama Bai were all skilled. They subjected the three to interrogation, both overt and covert. Ding Dong, unable to withstand the torture, spoke first.
"Madam, Third Miss, this servant truly doesn't know what that thing is! Amber sister ordered me to place it, saying Madam liked flowers and plants, and that I should serve her well for a future path. I truly didn't know it would harm someone!"
As soon as she finished speaking, her parents nodded in agreement, stating they were unaware and had been deceived by Amber, leading them to do wrong.
Unfortunately, Madam Feng was not foolish, and Feng Jin Yao was even less so.
She sneered at Ding Dong, "I never said that thing was harmful. How did you know?"
Her words left Ding Dong speechless. One wrong step led to another. Sweat dripped down her forehead as she tried to figure out how to escape punishment. Seeing this, Feng Jin Yao impatiently said,
"If any of you three confesses first, I will spare your life. As for the other two, traitors seeking favor, there's no need for further words. Just beat them to death."
She then spoke loudly to Bai Deng, "Is the bench ready?"
"Replying to Third Miss, it has been ready for a long time, just waiting for your command."
"Hmm, then let's start with..." Her gaze swept over the three. She noticed that Madam Li's expression was the most panicked, so she said, "Let's start with you."
*Slap, slap.* The boards fell upon her. She cried out, begging for mercy, while still claiming her innocence.
However, Ding Dong and Old Fu remained stubborn. Seeing their mother and wife beaten like this, they still refused to speak. Feng Jin Yao lost patience.
"Fine, since you don't want to talk, then save yourselves the trouble. Prepare the benches, beat them all together, until they die!"
"Yes!"
Madam Feng glanced at her daughter. For some reason, even she, who had managed the household for over twenty years, might not have been able to issue such an order. Yet her daughter, still a child, was so decisive, even ruthless!
For a moment, she couldn't quite understand her.
The boards fell with a crackling sound. None of the three spoke the truth.
Just as her second brother had said, they were all hard-headed.
He had also interrogated those imprisoned on the estate, but they had revealed nothing.
These three were the same.
Feng Jin Yao was truly curious about the person behind this. How could they cultivate such loyal servants to die for them?
After over thirty blows, they were all on the verge of death.
It seemed no truth could be extracted.
"Alright, find someone to tend to them, don't let them die. Also, arrange for a carriage to send them to the estate and keep them in separate confinement from Amber and the others. Our methods are insufficient to pry out the person behind them. We'll have to wait for Elder Brother to return before making further plans," Feng Jin Yao instructed.
Elder Brother Feng Jin Xu came from Dali Temple and naturally had different methods of interrogating criminals. Perhaps he could get results.
Her current task was to ensure they all stayed alive until her brother returned!
"To think they're all taking two salaries for one job, truly calculating. How could Madam have such ungrateful wretches!" Mama Bai trembled with anger.
But it was useless. She could only watch as her son dragged them away.
This incident had completely ruined her good mood.
Back in the inner room, Mama Bai had servants bring hot tea to warm everyone. Madam Feng finally caught her breath, her heart growing more fearful.
"How did they get the scent of the Azure Flame Flower? Weren't the gardeners sent by your second uncle's family already confined to the estate? How did they get in touch? Could it be... could it really be that the second branch wants to harm me?"
Thinking of this, Madam Feng couldn't help but shudder.
Being harmed by someone close to home was more tragic than being harmed by an outsider.
She had a relationship with her second branch siblings that was neither close nor distant. She couldn't understand why they would want to harm her!
And not just once, but repeatedly!
With this thought in mind, she now viewed everyone in the courtyard as a potential mole, and she became very wary of the second branch.
Feng Jin Yao, on the other hand, comforted her,
"Mother, don't worry too much. Daughter believes in the character of Second Uncle and Second Aunt. There must have been a lapse in their courtyard. We must remind them quickly. This person's influence has reached Dongdu City. I fear Second Uncle and Second Aunt are also being deceived by this person."
"How can you be so sure it's not them?"
Madam Feng's question was valid. But Feng Jin Yao was certain because in her previous life, after her mother's sudden death, nothing unusual had happened in the second branch. If they had been the ones to harm her, why hadn't they come forward to claim their success?
That didn't make sense.
However, these things were inconvenient to tell Madam Feng, so she could only offer a perfunctory reply.
"The second branch and we have never had any conflict. Our families, one in officialdom and one in commerce, support each other and move forward together. Daughter truly cannot find a reason why they would harm you!"
Her words were sincere, making Madam Feng feel ashamed of her recent suspicion.
Yes, she shouldn't have suspected them. It would hurt their feelings.
So she affirmed to Feng Jin Yao,
"You are right. I was thinking too much. If Second Brother and Sister-in-law knew, it might cause a rift. Now, we must quickly send them a letter to warn them. But how can we send the letter without it being discovered?"
In the current Northwest, the situation was precarious, and it was difficult to even transmit messages.
Even if the letter was sent, would it fall into the wrong hands?
Feng Jin Yao pondered for a moment before speaking, "Send it to the Hua family. I remember there's a warehouse in the capital that belongs to the Hua family. They often travel between Dongdu City and Liangzhou. If we entrust the letter to their manager, it might work! The Hua family is Second Aunt's maiden family, they surely wouldn't harm her."
"Yes. A Yao, this is an excellent idea. I will grind the ink and write the letter now."
Madam Feng quickly wrote down the details of the recent poisoning, sealed it, and handed it to Mama Bai. "Send it to the Hua family's warehouse. Tell their chief manager that this message concerns the survival of the Hua family and must be delivered quickly."
"Madam, rest assured, this old servant will pass on the instructions immediately."