When the Prefect of Jingzhao, Lord Ye, received news that the Zhen Guo General’s household had come to report a case, he quickly gathered his men and hurried with Meiyin to the Exquisite Pavilion.
Upon entering, he saw Chu Rou’er and her daughter clinging to each other, crying pitifully.
Wen Shiyi sat gracefully nearby, paying them no attention, while Sui Changle carefully examined the jewelry with gentle guidance.
Shopkeeper Chen stood by, his eyes cold, full of contempt.
Clearly, these were a mother and daughter kept as concubines by some unknown noble, arrogantly wielding power in his shop. Looking at their delicate, tearful expressions, one might even mistake them for some high-class courtesans.
In contrast, the Zhen Guo General’s legitimate daughter and granddaughter were noble, composed, and elegant.
How could this crying mother and daughter have the audacity to provoke them?
Seeing Lord Ye enter, Wen Shiyi rose slowly, offering a slight bow, and smiled:
“Thank you for coming, Lord Ye. It was I who reported the case.”
At her words, Chu Rou’er immediately stepped forward, kneeling with an imploring softness:
“Your honor, you must act on our behalf! My daughter and I were merely browsing and unknowingly offended this madam. She not only humiliated us but even struck us!”
Sui Jiaojiao also knelt beside her, tears streaming, showing the reddened swelling on her face:
“Your honor, my mother and I wish to report that the Zhen Guo General’s household is abusing its power.”
Lord Ye cast a cool glance at the two of them, then turned respectfully toward Wen Shiyi:
“Madam Wen, may I ask the reason for your report?”
Wen Shiyi smiled faintly:
“Lord Ye, what a coincidence! Today, I discovered that my own bridal dowry appeared on another’s person. I did not give these items away, so I requested your presence to investigate.”
Chu Rou’er’s heart thumped wildly, and her eyes darted nervously.
She knew exactly what Wen Shiyi meant—the hairpin and ornaments she wore had all been stolen by Sui Jingxing and given to her.
Yet she forced herself to appear calm. As long as she denied it, who could challenge her? After all, jewelry was plentiful, and similar pieces existed everywhere. Why should anyone insist that what she wore belonged to someone else?
Lord Ye’s expression darkened:
“Madam Wen, is this true? I shall handle this matter impartially.”
Wen Shiyi withdrew her gaze, then invited Lord Ye to sit before speaking:
“Since most of your attendants are men, it may be inconvenient. Perhaps my maids can assist?”
Lord Ye nodded slowly: “Very well, thank you.”
Wen Shiyi’s gaze turned disdainful as she looked at the flustered Chu Rou’er, then suddenly smiled:
“Bring me the hairpin from this lady’s head.”
“Yes, Madam!”
Xiangyun and Liuying stepped forward and lifted the hairpin from Chu Rou’er’s hair.
Jiaojiao panicked, reaching out to grab it:
“Wretch! Do not take my mother’s hairpin!”
Both maids, trained in the General’s household, moved with skill. Liuying grabbed Jiaojiao by the collar and slammed her to the ground.
“Thud!”—Jiaojiao landed firmly on her backside, wincing.
An outsider’s daughter dared to challenge Madam Wen? She’d see her pay!
“Ah—”
Jiaojiao screamed, her fair face flushing bright red—whether from shame or anger, it was unclear.
Xiangyun respectfully presented the hairpin to Lord Ye.
He examined it seriously, flipping it to inspect hidden details.
Sure enough, it bore Wen Shiyi’s maiden name, along with the unique insignia of the Zhen Guo General’s household.
Lord Ye looked sharply at Chu Rou’er and slammed the table:
“This hairpin belongs to Madam Wen. How did it end up in your possession? Confess—where did it come from? Stealing from the Zhen Guo General’s household is no trivial matter!”
Chu Rou’er’s face went pale, lips trembling as she stammered:
“Lord Ye, there must be a misunderstanding. Many ornaments look alike—how can you be certain this belongs to the General’s household?”
Jiaojiao scrambled to her feet, eyes red, crying:
“Lord Ye, we are truly innocent! Someone has deliberately framed us!”
Lord Ye frowned, scanning both mother and daughter, snorting coldly:
“Framed deliberately? In this vast and just world, how dare you lie and argue?”
Wen Shiyi rose gracefully, approached Chu Rou’er, and removed the hairpin from her head.
Holding it up, she looked at Chu Rou’er with a mixture of contempt and disdain:
“Madam, do you not know that in noble households, every young lady’s belongings are marked?”
Chu Rou’er was now truly panicked, her mind buzzing.
Born poor and later sold into a brothel, she only knew how to please men. She could never have known the customs of aristocratic families.
Before she could answer, Wen Shiyi turned to Lord Ye:
“Lord Ye, please take these two suspects to the capital prefecture for thorough questioning. All the items they wear are from my bridal dowry. I shall return home to inventory them. I hope you will act justly and help me recover what was taken.”
Lord Ye bowed respectfully:
“Rest assured, Madam Wen! I shall investigate thoroughly and help recover your lost possessions immediately. I take my leave now.”
He ordered the officers to escort Chu Rou’er and Jiaojiao to Jingzhao Prefecture.
The two struggled violently, shouting their innocence.
They knew that once inside, Sui Jingxing’s schemes would be revealed to all.
Wen Shiyi watched coldly as they were taken away, then turned to Changle with a gentle expression:
“Changle, did anything catch your eye?”
Changle selected a few pieces and handed them to Meiyin for payment.
They could not leave empty-handed after occupying the Exquisite Pavilion for so long.
The mother and daughter left, escorted to the Sui residence.
Today, Changle’s mood was bright—seeing Chu Rou’er and her daughter sent off to prison would surely vex their unscrupulous father.
“Mother, do you think he’ll confess to you for saving that concubine and her daughter?”
She leaned against Wen Shiyi, nibbling on a rose-flavored cake.
Wen Shiyi’s eyes softened, looking down at Changle:
“No. He has concealed his schemes for over a decade. As you dreamed, he seeks to climb over the Zhen Guo General’s household to remake his fortune. For now, he still relies on the General’s household and dares not offend them. He wouldn’t reveal his plan so easily.”
“Then how will he rescue that mother and daughter?”
Changle asked casually. Mother and daughter exchanged a knowing glance—they only needed to observe silently and see how he would accomplish it.
From that, they would know whether he had aligned himself with the Second Prince.