The three of them, Yu Wang included, sat by the table sipping tea, their gazes also shifting over.
Lu Hao, holding Man Man’s hand, stood silently behind Bai Sheng and Lu Ye. Seeing Wang Quanfu suffer was exactly what she wanted. For the past six years, there hadn't been a single day she hadn't wished to kill him.
Yang Ming dragged Wang Quanfu to Bai Sheng and slammed him down.
Wang Quanfu winced in pain, his mouth, missing a front tooth, looking incredibly comical.
The crowd burst into laughter.
Bai Sheng said seriously, "Wang Quanfu, after my sister Lu Hao escaped, she lived at my house. We never revealed this to anyone. You live in Wangjiagou Village in Qili Town, a great distance away. How did you find out she was at my place?
Furthermore, our Hongshu Village has always had strict security. If dozens of people gathered, the guards would surely question them thoroughly. Today, my workshop was recruiting workers, which was a special circumstance, so I didn't have the guards stop people from entering the village. Therefore, I want to know, who told you today was a good time to storm the village?
Also, after you entered the village, you headed straight for the workshop. Who told you my eldest sister, Lu Hao, was here?"
Upon hearing Bai Sheng's words, Qian Zhaodi instantly felt a chill run down her spine, and she trembled uncontrollably. She put down the kettle, intending to slip away from the scene unnoticed. However, after she walked out of the crowd, she was intercepted by Wang Xiaoma and others.
"What are you doing? Let me go! I need to go home to get some things. If I delay the young madam's business, you'll all suffer the consequences!" Qian Zhaodi said with disgust as she shook off Xiaoma and Cheng Tuo.
Wang Xiaoma looked at her and said coldly, "Right now, the young madam is looking for the insider who betrayed her. No one is allowed to leave this place without authorization until the traitor is found. Qian Zhaodi, you'd best go back, or first ask if the knife in my hand agrees!"
Calling her Qian Zhaodi again!
Qian Zhaodi frowned and said irritably, "My name is Qian Cuiwan, not Qian Zhaodi!" With that, she turned and went back.
It's over, it's completely over for today. Qian Zhaodi felt her legs go weak and a cold sweat break out all over her body. She clenched the corner of her clothes tightly with both hands to keep her upper and lower teeth from clattering too much.
If the young madam found out it was her, she would surely not let her off.
That woman, though appearing harmless on the surface, was extremely vindictive, especially towards those who betrayed her. She was ruthless.
With things having escalated to this point, Wang Quanfu had no choice but to confess. Moreover, no matter how arrogant he usually was, under the watchful eyes of the officials, even if given a hundred times more courage, he wouldn't dare to play any tricks.
Therefore, he truthfully confessed, "Someone did indeed tell me about the situation here, but that person didn't tell me directly. Instead, they relayed it through Old Gengtou from Sanzhiyang Village. When Old Gengtou informed me, he only said that a woman from Hongshu Village had asked him to pass on the message."
"A woman?" Bai Sheng's brow furrowed slightly, a dark, unreadable light flashing in her eyes. "Do you know any physical characteristics of that woman?"
Upon hearing it was a woman, everyone looked around, as if trying to figure out who was so foolish as to dare betray such a good employer.
Qian Zhaodi, who had returned, felt a chill run down her spine and her body trembled uncontrollably.
Wang Quanfu said, "Old Gengtou only said that this woman was from Hongshu Village, that her appearance was passable, and she was very young, around a dozen years old. Old Gengtou refused to tell me anything else. He said the woman gave him one tael of silver and told him to keep absolutely quiet."
The women in the crowd began looking around again, based on the information Wang Quanfu provided. This time, they focused on the young women from Hongshu Village who were around a dozen years old and had passable appearances.
Qian Zhaodi tried her best to calm herself. Wang Quanfu hadn't seen her, and Old Gengtou had been poisoned by her. He should have already died outside. She had stolen the poison while helping out at the medical clinic, and it was supposed to be very potent.
She hadn't intended to poison Old Man Tou at first, but he was greedy and demanded a twenty tael silver hush-money! Her entire savings amounted to less than thirty taels, which was her travel money for escape, and she couldn't spend a single coin.
Therefore, she had no choice but to resort to deadly measures.
As long as the young madam couldn't find Old Gengtou, she would be safe. She planned to escape tonight with the money. She didn't care about her indentured servitude contract anymore; at worst, she could spend some money to get a fake travel permit and go straight to the capital. Now that she could read and do accounting, she was sure to find a good job or marry into a good family in the capital.
Bai Sheng's gaze swept towards Qian Zhaodi casually. She smiled and said loudly, "It seems we can only find the traitor by finding Old Gengtou. Husband, how is the search for Old Gengtou coming along?"
Lu Ye curved his lips into a smile and said, "The matters that my wife entrusts to me, I must handle them properly no matter what."
Qian Zhaodi nearly collapsed to the ground. What did the sir mean by that? Could it be that Old Gengtou wasn't dead? No! Impossible! She had personally seen Old Gengtou eat the poisoned steamed bun.
Lu Ye said to Zhugan and Goudan, who were standing behind him, "Go and bring Old Gengtou here!"
Zhugan and Goudan replied, "Yes," and turned to leave the crowd. Shortly after, the two returned, dragging a thin old man with them.
This... this is impossible! Qian Zhaodi's face turned pale, and she could no longer stand. She staggered backward abruptly. Her unusually abnormal movement immediately attracted the attention of many women.
Those women stared intently at her, cross-referencing her with the physical characteristics Wang Quanfu had mentioned: passable appearance, from Hongshu Village, around a dozen years old, very young – they all matched! Moreover, she was the only one present whose expression and demeanor were out of sorts. Just moments ago, she had been so scared her legs had gone weak, rendering her unable to stand steadily!
It's her! The one who betrayed the employer must be her!
Several women nodded at each other and quietly moved behind Qian Zhaodi.
Old Gengtou knelt before Bai Sheng, his emaciated body trembling like a withered leaf in the wind.
Bai Sheng said, "Old Gengtou, stand up and look around. Tell us which woman asked you to deliver the message to Wang Quanfu."
Old Gengtou tremblingly stood up. Just as his withered old face was about to search around, several women suddenly shouted, "It's her! She must be the one who betrayed the employer!" Those women grabbed Qian Zhaodi by the arm and shouted loudly.
"No, it's not me," Qian Zhaodi said, lowering her head and struggling fiercely.
"Hmph, we all saw it just now. You turned as pale as a sheet when you saw Old Gengtou. If it wasn't you, then who could it be?" a woman said mockingly.
Old Gengtou took a few steps closer and squinted at Qian Zhaodi. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he pointed at Qian Zhaodi, exclaiming in shock, "It's her! It was this young girl who asked me to report to Wang Quanfu!"
Everyone present was greatly astonished. They had personally seen this young girl helping to serve tea just moments ago. She was supposed to be a servant in the employer's household. Who would have thought she would betray the employer!
Granny Zhong, Du Min, and Liu Shi were also immensely shocked. They never expected it to be Qian Zhaodi who betrayed the young madam. If it was true, then she was truly a complete ungrateful wretch!
Madam Yang sneered. The young madam had asked her to keep an eye on Qian Zhaodi, and she had known for a long time that this day would come for Qian Zhaodi.
Lu Hao murmured, "Qian Zhaodi, why... why did you want to harm me? I have no quarrel with you."
"It wasn't me! Don't falsely accuse me! It wasn't me!" Qian Zhaodi yelled at everyone.
Old Gengtou loudly said, "It was her! I got greedy and wanted to ask her for twenty taels of silver for hush-money, and she... she wanted to poison me. Fortunately, these young men saved me."