Chapter 15: Taking Action“Do you still remember I am your mistress?!” Jiang Yiyue scolded.Rufang did not understand why Jiang Yiyue had suddenly become angry.Jiang Yiyue berated her: “Then do you know that a young lady values her reputation above all?“By engaging in such secret exchanges, where does that leave my reputation?”Reputation?Secret exchanges?Since when did the Fourth Young Lady care about such things?Rufang was utterly bewildered.“Do you still not realize your mistake?!” Jiang Yiyue feigned urgency.“This servant…” In the past, the Fourth Young Lady’s emotions were always written plainly on her face.Rufang could read her at a glance.But the current Fourth Young Lady was difficult to fathom.Suddenly unsure how to respond, she stammered: “This servant…”“So I can’t control you anymore, is that it?” Jiang Yiyue deliberately twisted Rufang’s meaning and strode toward the door.Not understanding Jiang Yiyue’s intention, Rufang hurried after her: “Mistress! Mistress!”Jiang Yiyue walked swiftly ahead.“Mistress,” Rufang followed, quickening her pace.Seeing this, Xiangcao rushed to Rufang’s side: “Rufang, don’t make such a commotion.”“What business is it of yours?” Rufang shoved Xiangcao aside.Xiangcao stumbled but quickly caught up again: “Such lack of decorum will bring trouble upon the mistress.”Rufang was not afraid of causing trouble for Jiang Yiyue.She feared punishment, so she immediately lowered her voice and hurried after Jiang Yiyue.She knew Jiang Yiyue was naturally strong and robust.She hadn’t expected Jiang Yiyue, despite her injuries, to still run so fast.Breathlessly, she finally caught up with Jiang Yiyue at the entrance of Qinghe Hall.She quickly pleaded: “Mistress, this servant knows she was wrong. This servant will never dare again.”Panting slightly, Jiang Yiyue asked: “What exactly were you wrong about?”Rufang replied: “This servant will never accept letters from Young Master Cui again.”“I see you still don’t understand where you went wrong!” Jiang Yiyue stepped through the gate of Qinghe Hall.“Mistress! Mistress!” Rufang sensed that Jiang Yiyue intended to report her.Terrified of the Countess of Jingnan, she quickly reached out and grabbed Jiang Yiyue’s sleeve.Jiang Yiyue tugged forcefully: “Let go, let go!”Rufang held on tightly: “Mistress, please spare me this once.“Mistress.“I will never dare again.“I will listen to you from now on.“Mistress.”“Let go!” Jiang Yiyue yanked her sleeve free.“What disgraceful behavior!” The Countess of Jingnan, who was taking a stroll, rebuked them sharply.Jiang Yiyue, Rufang, and Xiangcao all turned to look simultaneously.The Countess of Jingnan, First Madam, Madam Shen, and Third Madam were all present.The three of them hurriedly bowed in greeting.“What is this pushing and shoving between mistress and servant?” the Countess of Jingnan asked displeased.First Madam and Third Madam, seeing Jiang Yiyue behaving so improperly, secretly rejoiced.Madam Shen looked at Jiang Yiyue with concern and asked gently: “Yiyue, what are you doing?”Jiang Yiyue went straight to the point: “Grandmother, your granddaughter no longer wants Rufang as her maid!”Rufang was shocked.Xiangcao was startled.A look of confusion appeared on Madam Shen’s face.First Madam spoke up: “Fourth Young Lady, Rufang was personally chosen for you by your grandmother.”“Indeed, you must not fail your grandmother’s thoughtful intentions,” Third Madam added.Precisely because Rufang had once been the Countess of Jingnan’s maid, Jiang Yiyue could not act against her arbitrarily.She had waited quietly for two days and finally seized her opportunity.She was determined to expel Rufang from Tingyu Pavilion; otherwise, everything she did would be hindered.Ignoring First Madam and Third Madam, she handed the letter to the Countess of Jingnan: “Grandmother, please see this.”Countess of Jingnan reached out to take it.Madam Shen, First Madam, and Third Madam stood beside the Countess, their eyes darting toward the letter."Where did this letter come from?" the Countess immediately grew angry.Jiang Yiyue pointed at Rufang and said, "Grandmother, it was Rufang who handed it to me!""Countess!" Rufang fell to her knees with a thud."Where did you get this letter?" the Countess asked.In the past, even a single fabricated word from Cui Lianqing would have delighted Jiang Yiyue, let alone a forged letter.Rufang truly couldn’t understand why Jiang Yiyue had suddenly gone mad.She really didn’t know how to handle the situation and instinctively looked to First Madam for help.First Madam shot her an annoyed glance."She said she got it from a servant at the back gate," Jiang Yiyue answered."Which servant? What’s his name? Bring him here!" The Countess had always cared deeply about reputation.With a man’s letter suddenly appearing in the household, she was determined to get to the bottom of it.Jiang Yiyue turned to Rufang and asked, "Rufang, Grandmother is asking you!"First Madam gave no instructions.Unable to betray First Madam, Second Miss, or Third Miss, Rufang could only give a name."Bring Quanzi here," the Countess ordered.In no time, Quanzi arrived."Speak, where did this letter come from?" the Countess asked.Quanzi knew nothing about the letter.However, on his way over, he had already gathered enough information.He immediately replied, "A child threw the letter at me, saying it was for Fourth Miss.""What child?" the Countess asked."I don’t know."But in the past, children have also sent small gifts to Fourth Miss."I always handed them to Rufang."And Rufang passed them on to Fourth Miss." Quanzi had just thrown a bucket of dirty water over Jiang Yiyue.Hearing this, Rufang realized that First Madam had secretly intervened and felt slightly relieved.First Madam’s expression remained calm.Third Madam’s lips curled slightly as she thought, "So foolish, yet she dares to challenge First Madam. How naive!"The Countess’s face immediately darkened.Madam Shen quickly defended Jiang Yiyue, "Mother, Yiyue has never done such a thing.""What small gifts?" Jiang Yiyue asked Rufang unhurriedly.Rufang was taken aback."How come I don’t know about them?" Jiang Yiyue pressed."Just hairpins, flowers, wooden carvings, things like that," Rufang stammered."Where are they?" Jiang Yiyue looked at her and said, "Bring them for Grandmother to see."Rufang began to make excuses, "This servant doesn’t know where Fourth Miss keeps those things.""You’re my personal maid, yet you don’t know where these things are. Isn’t that negligence?""This servant…""If you can’t produce them, you’re slandering me!" Jiang Yiyue raised her voice.Matters had reached this point, and the Countess also wanted to uncover the truth.She ordered, "Go and fetch them!""Yes." Rufang stood up to leave.Jiang Yiyue added, "Grandmother, to prevent her from planting evidence, we must go with them to the Listening Rain Pavilion.""Let’s go." The Countess took a step toward the courtyard.With the Countess present, there was no room for underhanded tricks.First Madam quickly tried to stop her, "Mother, it’s quite a distance from here to the Listening Rain Pavilion.""An old woman like me could use more walks anyway." The Countess was already heading toward the Listening Rain Pavilion.First Madam had no choice but to follow.Third Madam lifted her skirt and broke into a light run.Madam Shen walked up to Jiang Yiyue, "Yiyue.""Mother, don't worry, I have my own methods." Jiang Yiyue looked ahead.Rufang had somehow walked up to First Madam.She strode right between them and asked with a smile, "Aunt, what are you saying to my maid?"

The Aloof Grand Minister Doted on Her Until She Cried