Chapter 218: Final Chapter · Part Two

Chapter 218: Final Chapter · Part Two

As for the other person rolling on the ground, it was naturally Bi Si.

Shao Shi clutched her chest, still uncertain, when she heard Ming Lan smile and say, "Master Tu Er has been working hard since last night, he should rest well. This matter can be handled by someone else, no need for him to do it personally."

Tu Hu laughed, "The outside has been cleared up. Once we take care of this, everyone can rest easy." He bent down and pulled the cloth gag out of the woman's mouth. "Madam, you can ask her now."

Bi Si's mouth was also gagged, and she could only make low whimpering sounds, raising her neck to look at Ming Lan, her eyes filled with pleading.

Ming Lan didn't look at her but turned her head toward Shao Shi, smiling, "What do I need to ask? This is someone close to you, sister-in-law. It's better if you ask her."

Shao Shi's face turned red, and she dared not look up at the three imposing men across from her. She could only stare at Ren Yi Niang and weakly said, "…I… I… why did you bring the thieves in?" She had never been in charge of household affairs, whether in her natal family or her husband's family, so when she asked questions, she lacked authority, and her voice grew softer with each word.

Ren Yi Niang immediately burst into tears when she saw Shao Shi, crying and wailing, "Madam, I'm wronged… I wouldn't dare… It was that thief who threatened me… He put a knife to my neck…"

Before she could finish, Ming Lan smiled and interrupted, "I say, Ren Yi Niang, you need to be more careful about who you try to fool. Look at the situation now, do you think you can deceive your mistress and get away with it?"

Ren Yi Niang, hearing this, looked around at Tu Hu and the two guards, then shrank back.

Because Shao Shi was widowed, the women and maids around her all dressed in a more somber, old-fashioned manner. They were not allowed to wear makeup, and jewelry like hairpins or rings were not permitted. Ming Lan hadn't noticed before, but now, upon a closer look, even though Ren Yi Niang's face was bruised and swollen, her beauty was still evident. "Were you really forced to lead the thieves into Kouxiang Courtyard, or were you in cahoots with them? Do you think others are blind?"

Ren Yi Niang knew that Ming Lan was not like Shao Shi—she was a formidable character—but still, she harbored a bit of hope and stubbornly said, "It was dark, maybe I saw it wrong…" She twisted her bound body and repeatedly bowed her head to Shao Shi, "Madam, we've been together for so many years, you have to stand up for me!"

Shao Shi's lips moved several times, and when her gaze met Ming Lan's icy expression, the words in her mouth retreated.

"Such a thing that won't shed tears until they see the coffin!" Ming Lan snorted coldly. "Fine, I'll make things clear to you."

She pointed to Shao Shi with her left hand. "Your mistress lives a quiet life and is oblivious to outside matters. How could she know where I hid Tuan Ge'er! According to Mama Qiong from your household, it was you who informed her and kept pushing her to investigate."

Shao Shi's face turned pale as blood drained from it, her head almost dropping to her chest. Ren Yi Niang was left speechless, and Ming Lan sneered, "I thought I was being discreet, but you managed to catch wind of it. Hmph, don't tell me you overheard something! It shows how deeply you're paying attention." This kind of thing couldn't be learned from casual gossip; one had to be constantly observant of Jiaxi Courtyard's movements.

Ren Yi Niang trembled and weakly said, "…I… I was doing it for the sake of the madam and the young miss, that's why I kept paying attention…"

Ming Lan ignored her attempts at justifying herself and continued, "After you convinced your sister-in-law, you took advantage of the commotion in the outer courtyard and summoned Bi Si to come speak with you. Your sister-in-law isn't good with words and only sat quietly, while you used your eloquence and promises of great rewards to extract the truth from her."

Bound up like a shrimp, Bi Si struggled, letting out muffled sounds. Her eyes blazed with hatred as she glared at Ren Yi Niang, who, not being a seasoned schemer, dared not meet Bi Si's gaze.

"Alright! Even if what you said earlier is true, that you were keeping an eye on the situation in my courtyard for the sake of your master, once you learned where Tuan Ge'er was, you should have gone to hide with your sister-in-law and protect her closely! But where did you go instead?"

Ming Lan's eyes were full of ridicule as she questioned her relentlessly, and Ren Yi Niang could offer no answers.

"You claimed to have left urgently, yet you first encountered Old Madam Yan from the Warm Fragrance Pavilion. You told her you were going to bring some supper to your sister-in-law, but Old Madam Yan said neither side of the house had caught fire at that time. Then, you were seen by Mama Chong from the second gate, running westward, while the fire had already broken out on the east side of the old residence. Finally, you were spotted by Uncle Fu from the forest, and by that time, the fire had just begun in the western woods."

Minglan gradually raised her voice, her tone growing sharper, "You, a woman of the inner residence, ran off to the outer courtyard forest during the chaos—clearly to meet up with the intruders! And everyone who saw you last night said there wasn't a knife at your throat. Do you still dare to deny it?"

Ren Yiniang was at a loss, cornered by the interrogation. Tiger Tu, standing nearby, showed a cruel expression and growled darkly, "Madam, why waste words on this wretch? Hand her over to me, and I'll take her apart, bone by bone. Let's see if she dares lie again!"

Minglan waved her hand dismissively. She prided herself on being a modern, law-abiding individual. "Always civility before coercion," she thought.

Ren Yiniang was terrified, curling up like a spasming shrimp. She desperately wriggled away from Tiger Tu, shrieking, "Second Madam, please spare me! I'll confess everything—I won't dare to deny it anymore!"

Minglan stared coldly at her. "You know what I want to hear, don't you?"

Ren Yiniang bit her lip, enduring the numbness in her limbs, and trembled as she spoke, "...It was someone from the Old Madam's side... someone came to find me."

Minglan closed her eyes briefly, murmuring, "I guessed it was her."

"…Not just me, there were also people from the Old Madam's side in the outer courtyard, who were supposed to open the gates and let people in. But in the end, the two Master Tuo brothers brought in many guards from the manor and personally kept a close watch on both the front and back gates, so there was no chance to act," stammered Ren Yiniang, her voice broken and halting.

Tuo Hu was instantly furious. "Who's the ungrateful bastard betraying us from within?!"

Ren Yiniang, terrified out of her wits, quickly said, "It was… it was Han San, the gatekeeper…"

Tuo Hu froze for a moment. "Han San…? But that guy was shot with an arrow and died last night." He immediately grabbed Ren Yiniang by the collar and roared, "Are you just throwing random blame to save yourself?!"

Ren Yiniang wailed like a slaughtered pig, "It really was Han San! It was him! Originally, I was only responsible for gathering information, but yesterday evening, Han San secretly sent me a message saying that the situation had changed. Both gates were unlikely to be opened, so people couldn't be let in. He told me that after finding out where Tuan Ge'er was hidden, I should go to the western forest to meet up!"

Tuo Hu loosened his grip and cursed bitterly, "So they managed to slip some dirt under our noses!" He then turned to Minglan and repeatedly apologized.

Minglan couldn't help but laugh. The man was already dead, the mission failed, so what was there to be so upset about? Tuo Hu, however, was still fuming, declaring that once everything was clear, he would cut off the condolence money meant for Han San's family.

Shao-shi had been silently listening for a long time, but at this moment, she could no longer hold back. In a hoarse voice, she said to the figure on the ground, "…We grew up together, and we served the same husband. I have not treated you badly over the years. Why would you…"

Ren Yiniang, who had been crouched on the ground softly crying, suddenly erupted like a volcano. She forcefully straightened up, glaring at Shao-shi with venomous hatred, and screamed, "You dare say you haven't treated me badly?! It's all your fault! All of it! You hypocritical, stupid woman!"

Her ample chest heaved up and down as she panted heavily. "The other maidservants who came as dowries all married off one by one. I was the youngest, and I thought I'd get a decent match when the time came. But no—no! You gave me to that consumptive ghost! The eldest master barely had a few days left to live, and it wasn't enough for you to be a widow—you had to drag me down with you!"

Shao-shi was stunned by her outburst, frozen for a long moment before snapping back to her senses and shrieking, "How dare you say the eldest master had… had tuberculosis?! After I gave birth to Xian'er, I was barren for years, and I saw that you had the look of someone who could bear a son. I was trying to raise you up! If you gave birth to a son, wouldn't that have been a great honor for you?!"

"Bah! Raise me up?! What nonsense!" Ren Yiniang seemed like a completely different person, her hair disheveled and flying wildly as she screamed like a madwoman. "You knew what kind of shape the eldest master was in! In his last few years, he couldn't even perform in bed! How could I give birth to a son?! I said from the start I didn't want it, but you, you stupid pig, insisted I was just being shy, and you ran off to boast to the Old Madam to show how virtuous you were. The result? The Old Madam directly arranged the marriage banquet for me!"

Recalling the past, tears streamed down Ren Yiniang's face. "By that point, I had no choice but to comply."

Shao-shi looked utterly distraught, murmuring, "So you truly were unwilling…" In her mind, Gu Tingyu had been the best man in the world—master of the marquisate, no less. And based on what she had seen and heard in her daily life, weren't maidservants always eager to climb up and become concubines? How could this be…?

Minglan watched coldly from the side. Technically speaking, the shady dealings of the Gu family's former marquis weren't something she should comment on. But considering this couple—one who bullied her husband in life and the other who nearly caused her son's death last night—Minglan didn't hold back. With a faint smirk of disdain, she quietly listened without interruption.

"I served that consumptive ghost less than five times. While he was alive, you made me a living widow. After he died, you still wouldn't let me go! You even said we'd rely on each other for the rest of our lives! I was just a young girl—how could you be so cruel?!"

Shao-shi listened, her whole body turning cold. Frantic, she stammered, "I-I truly wanted the household to care for you in your old age, I—"

"Care for your damn mother!" Ren Yiniang shouted furiously. "What old age?! I'm still young and beautiful, with half my life ahead of me! You just found being a widow boring and wanted to drag me down as company to ease your loneliness!"

Shao-shi was utterly humiliated, her world spinning, unable to argue back. Her face flushed deep red with anger and shame. Minglan watched with immense satisfaction. Only when she saw Shao-shi trembling uncontrollably did she finally speak, her tone calm and measured:

"What a clever and sharp tongue you have. Big Sister-in-law truly underestimated you. But I have one question: you've lived alongside my sister-in-law for years and must know her gentle and soft-hearted nature. If you truly wished to marry, why not just tell her directly? Even if it displeased her, she wouldn't have punished you. At most, she would've reluctantly let you go. Surely, marriage wasn't your only goal, was it?"

Seeing Ren Yiniang's face suddenly change, Minglan knew her guess was correct.

For a widowed concubine to remarry wasn't inherently difficult, but to marry well was another matter. A respectable family wouldn't readily accept a woman of "ruined virtue" unless she brought a large dowry or some other advantage to the match.

Ren Yiniang had initially wanted to marry a prominent steward within the Gu household. However, given the strained relationship between the Gu brothers, how could Minglan ever allow someone who had served Gu Tingyu to become the wife of a trusted steward? Furthermore, after Shao-shi was widowed, she became even more frugal, hoarding silver for her daughter Huan-jie'er's dowry. If Ren Yiniang had openly requested remarriage, at best she might have been given her freedom papers, but there was no chance Shao-shi would provide a generous dowry.

After much consideration, Ren Yiniang had decided to ally herself with the Dowager for a chance at a better future.

"I…" She began to stammer out a defense but was immediately cut off by Minglan, who raised her hand to silence her.

"Even if you had your reasons, even if you were forced by circumstance," Minglan said coldly, lowering her hand slowly, "I have never wronged you. Neither Rong'er nor her brother has wronged you. Old Uncle An, stabbed to death near the forest, did not wrong you. The maids and matrons who died horrifically outside the gates of Kouxiang Courtyard did not wrong you. Does enduring hardship give you the right to collude with traitors and take innocent lives?"

Minglan slammed her hand on the table, her expression icy and severe. She cast a cold glance at Ren Yiniang, leaving her speechless. Pale and ashen-faced, Ren Yiniang lowered her head in silence. Minglan turned and said, "Everything has been asked and clarified. Second Master Tu, please take her away."

Tu Hu had been waiting for this moment. Upon hearing her words, he picked up the cloth and shoved it back into Ren Yiniang's mouth. As the two guards grabbed her and hoisted her up, Tu Hu led the way, swiftly heading outside. Only Ren Yiniang's muffled cries echoed faintly as she was dragged away.

Shao-shi remained frozen in place, her hands clutching a handkerchief tightly. Her face was a mixture of awkwardness, anger, and sorrow. After a long pause, she finally asked, "Where… where will she be taken?"

Minglan gestured toward the door, signaling Xiazhu to close it, and casually replied, "She'll be handed over to Magistrate Liu Zhengjie." Her lips curved into a faint smile. "Our household is a benevolent one. Even an internal traitor's life should not be dealt with arbitrarily. It's better to leave her fate to the authorities."

Even Shao-shi, as slow as she was, could detect the underlying meaning in Minglan's words. After a moment's hesitation, she asked softly, "Lu-niang… what will happen to her?" Lu-niang was Ren Yiniang's given name.

"That depends on how Magistrate Liu conducts his investigation," Minglan said, her tone devoid of emotion. "If the people who attacked us last night were mere common thieves, Ren Yiniang would only face the crime of aiding criminals. But if those intruders were rebels…" Minglan left the rest unsaid, her expression cold and indifferent.

As a rebel, the usual outcome was nothing more than hanging or beheading. If one were of a higher rank, they might even be "privileged" to experience the highly intricate punishment of lingchi (death by a thousand cuts).

Shao-shi's mind was in turmoil, oscillating between sorrow and fear, until suddenly, she collapsed onto the table and began weeping softly. Minglan, entirely unmoved, coldly remarked, "Eldest Sister-in-law, there's no need to cry just yet. Why not deal with this matter first?"

Only then did Shao-shi notice that Bisi was still lying on the floor, and two old servants stood by her side. Wiping her tears awkwardly, Shao-shi straightened herself and sat upright.

At Minglan's signal, one of the old servants removed the cloth gag from Bisi's mouth. Having overheard Ren Yiniang's confession earlier, Bisi already knew the grave trouble she had caused. Trembling and tearful, she began to wail the moment she could speak. "Madam, this servant knows her mistake! I deserve to die! Please, Madam, spare me this time!" She kowtowed repeatedly, begging profusely.

Xiahe, seeing Bisi's once-delicate face now smeared with dirt and blood, couldn't help but feel pity. Just as she was sighing inwardly, Minglan's voice caught her off guard. "Bring it out."

Xiahe quickly came to her senses, hurriedly retrieving a small bundle from her sleeve and placing it on the table.

It was a pair of bracelets wrapped in a silk cloth. The bracelets were made of solid gold, rolled into round bands with wide edges shaped like lotus leaves. They were inlaid with several bright pearls that shimmered brilliantly, and each clasp was embedded with a cat's-eye gemstone, the size of a soybean.

At the sight of the bracelets, Shao-shi's face instantly turned a mix of red and green. She glanced nervously at Minglan, only to see Minglan idly playing with the bracelets.

"These bracelets," Minglan said nonchalantly, "were part of the dowry the Gu family gave to Eldest Sister-in-law, weren't they? Such fine pieces."

Shao-shi didn't dare to reply and merely nodded hastily.

"All for the sake of this pair of bracelets—you sold me and Tuan'er out?" Minglan's voice was soft and calm.

Bisi trembled like a leaf, crying, "No, no, it wasn't… I saw that it was the Eldest Madam. Usually, Madam trusts the Eldest Madam greatly, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to tell her…"

"What did Mama Cui say to you? She told you clearly—not just the Eldest Madam, but even if it were the Emperor himself, not a word should be leaked." Minglan's tone was indifferent. "All those instructions—did you feed them to the dogs?"

Bisi had no answer to give. All she could do was bow repeatedly, pleading for forgiveness. She turned to Xiahe and Xiazhu, hoping they might speak on her behalf.

Xiazhu, feeling soft-hearted, was about to open her mouth, but Xiahe tugged at her sleeve, stopping her.

It wasn't that Xiahe was unfeeling, but she understood Minglan's temperament better. Once Minglan had made up her mind about something, there were few who could change it. And besides—Xiahe glanced around at her surroundings and slowly lowered her gaze.

Why had Minglan brought her and Xiazhu here to attend to her on such an occasion?

Xiaotao was soon to be married off far away, and Lüzhi was nearing the age when she'd be released from service. Within a year or two, all of the senior maids of Jiayi Residence would be replaced. Cuixiu and Chunya were in Madam's favor, but they were still too young. That left only…

Xiahe felt a sudden clarity and silently resolved to work even harder in her duties and to avoid acting too clever for her own good from now on.