Madam Xu’s face was full of anger, but her palms were slick with sweat. She trusted her son completely—what worried her was the possibility that someone had deliberately set up a trap to frame Gu Huaizhi.
Ye Qingyu gently squeezed Madam Xu’s hand and whispered, “Third Aunt, don’t worry. It definitely won’t be Third Cousin.”
Her firm tone eased Madam Xu’s heart somewhat.
The young ladies naturally stayed outside, while the curious noblewomen followed inside.
The door was kicked open by the servants, and at once a strange odor filled the air. The experienced ladies of the inner chambers immediately recognized that something was wrong with the scent.
The scene inside was indecent: two people, clearly drugged, were oblivious to the intrusion.
“Separate them at once!”
Several sturdy matrons rushed forward, pulling the two apart and covering them with clothes. The crowd finally saw the man’s face.
Madam Xu, upon recognizing him, felt her heart settle.
The man’s complexion was somewhat dark, his features plain but not unattractive—certainly not Gu Huaizhi.
The stench in the room was unbearable, so the ladies stepped back outside.
A basin of cold water was thrown over the pair, jolting them awake.
Zhao Qianmei, seeing her eldest aunt’s face dark with fury, let out a scream and tried to hide.
“Put on your clothes and get out here!” Madam Zhao ordered harshly as she emerged.
Madam Xu looked at the two being dragged out and gave a cold snort. “So, the Minister’s household really thinks the Duke’s family is easy to bully. Any random scoundrel is pinned on my son. Madam Zhao, don’t tell me your maid was blind and mistaken—does this man resemble my son in the slightest?”
Madam Zhao, feeling guilty, spoke hesitantly. “This… Madam Gu, it’s all a misunderstanding. It was that maid’s doing. Someone, take her down and give her a heavy beating!”
Madam Zhao gave the order harshly.
“Madam, spare me, spare me!”
“Miss, save me! Please, save me, I’ll be beaten to death!”
Zhao Qianmei’s face turned deathly pale. She knew that after today, her life was ruined. She couldn’t understand how things had turned out this way. It was supposed to be Gu Huaizhi who was drugged and placed on the bed with her. With Xue Liu bringing the crowd to witness it, she could claim that Gu Huaizhi had drunkenly forced himself on her. His reputation would be destroyed, and he would have no choice but to marry her. She would then become the rightful Third Young Madam of the Duke’s household.
But everything had slipped completely out of her control. Looking at the man tied up beside her, she was stunned. Why was her cousin here with her? Wasn’t he supposed to deliver Gu Huaizhi and then leave?
Ye Qingyu gazed at Zhao Qianmei’s ashen face, her eyes filled with hatred. It was her—using such vile tricks to frame Third Cousin, ruining his career, then becoming the Duke’s Third Young Madam. And yet she still dared to secretly meet her lover. When Third Cousin discovered them, the two of them broke his legs! Both of them deserved death.
Ye Qingyu had already ordered Mo Shu to keep watch on Zhao Qianmei and had seen her meet with this man. After Mo Shu rescued Third Cousin, Ye Qingyu had knocked the man unconscious, drugged him, and placed him in this room.
Zhao Qianmei had intended only to put on a show, but the drugged man naturally wouldn’t let her go. In truth, the two had long been secretly involved. The man was Zhao Qianmei’s maternal cousin.
Now, Ye Qingyu thought grimly, she had done a good deed—exposing and binding together this pair of illicit lovers.
“Miss, Miss, it was you who told me to say it! I only followed your orders!” Facing the prospect of being beaten to death, Xue Liu no longer cared about Zhao Qianmei—who, in turn, showed no intention of saving her.
“You shut your mouth, you lowly thing! How dare you slander your mistress? Gag her and beat her heavily!” Madam Zhao, realizing the situation was turning dangerous, quickly intervened.
This matter absolutely could not be pinned on Zhao Qianmei. If it were, it would mean enmity with the Duke’s household.
Zhao Qianmei was no fool. She immediately tried to shift all blame onto Xue Liu. “Aunt, you must uphold justice for me. How can I live after this? A few days ago, Xue Liu secretly took my jewelry. When I discovered it, I punished her, and she bore a grudge. Who would have thought she’d dare to harm me like this? I cannot go on—I have no face left to live in this world!”
She cried bitterly and even tried to dash herself against a pillar, but the servants restrained her in time.
Her sobs were pitiful, and she looked at Xue Liu with sorrowful eyes. “Xue Liu, I only docked three months of your allowance and gave you ten strokes of the rod. How could you harm me so? We’ve been mistress and maid for years—I’ve always treated you well. I gave your parents gifts on their birthdays, I arranged for your brother’s schooling. Do you realize you’ve ruined my entire life?”
“If you’ve done this, how will your parents and brother ever hold their heads up in the Zhao household again?”
Xue Liu’s face turned deathly pale. She realized her mistress was using her family’s lives to force her into taking all the blame. The light in her eyes faded. In a low voice, she said, “I confess. It was my hatred for Miss that led me to destroy her reputation.”
Hearing this, Zhao Qianmei finally relaxed. “Aunt, it was my fault for misjudging her character and being too soft-hearted. Because of me, the Minister’s household has lost its good name. I deserve death.”
Madam Zhao’s expression eased slightly. “Good that you understand. Someone, drag her out and beat her to death.”
“Wait.” Ye Qingyu suddenly spoke up to stop them. “I still have a few questions I’d like to ask Miss Xue Liu.”
“This… she has already confessed, the matter is clear. Miss Ye, there’s no need to ask further, is there?”
Madam Xu looked coldly at Madam Zhao. “What’s the matter—afraid she might say something she shouldn’t?”
Madam Zhao couldn’t stop it now. To do so would only make her look guilty and raise more suspicion.
Ye Qingyu asked softly, “Miss Xue Liu, you said you deliberately claimed Fifth Miss had been violated in order to harm her. But why did you specifically say it was the Duke’s third son who abducted her?”
Xue Liu’s voice was weak. “I just named someone at random.”
Ye Qingyu pointed to the man tied up nearby. “Oh? Then who is this man? Was he the one you arranged to assault Fifth Miss?”
“Yes.”
“Since you know him, what is this young master’s name?”
Xue Liu fell silent. She truly didn’t know his name. When her mistress met him in secret, she only ever called him Dong Lang.
“What’s wrong—you don’t know?” Ye Qingyu’s gaze locked directly onto Zhao Qianmei, making her heart tremble with panic.
Biting her lip, Zhao Qianmei choked out, “Xue Liu, even now you won’t tell the truth? This man is your lover—you think I don’t know?”