amaotonovel Chapter 283 Exposed
Chapter 283 Exposed
Chapter 283
"A masked girl came to me. She gave me some silver and told me to gather some men and wait at the entrance of South Alley. She specifically told me that a young man would appear and that I was to give him a good beating. The girl also promised that if I did a good job, she would give me another 500 taels of silver immediately afterwards."
Luo Shuiyao nodded slightly and asked, "Did you get the remaining silver?"
The eldest brother nodded quickly and replied, "Yes, I got it. The girl gave it to me on the spot after I completed the task. Later, I distributed some to my brothers and hid the rest."
Having said that, he turned his head with difficulty to look at Chun Xing, and continued, "Now my silver has been taken away by this girl."
Upon hearing this, Chun Xing immediately said to Luo Shuiyao, "He's right. I've collected all the stolen silver. It's all here."
As he spoke, he tore off the bundle hanging from his waist and threw it to the ground. With a clang, the bundle fell apart, and the gold, silver, and other valuables inside tumbled to the ground. Along with them, the purse containing them also rolled down.
The Marquis's wife's gaze fell to the ground, but she didn't linger on the silver for a moment. Instead, she stared at the purse. She quickly stepped forward, picked up the purse, and examined it closely. This fabric was a new product from the Marquis's cloth shop, a trial product, and only this one piece had been produced so far. A few days ago, Luo Shuiyao was away, and Lu Zhaozhao happened to be serving her, so the Marquis's wife gave some of this fabric to Lu Zhaozhao. This fabric had not yet been mass-produced, and in the mansion, besides her, only Lu Zhaozhao had it.
Looking at the familiar patterned fabric and the chaotic scene, Madam Hou began to think. Even though it was hard to believe, she had some suspicions. Was all this definitely related to Lu Zhaozhao?
The Marquis's estate had always been managed by his wife, a figure the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery had no idea about. Besides, he had never paid much attention to such trivial matters. Seeing his wife holding the cloth with such an expression on her face, he took two steps forward, took the purse from her hand, and examined it carefully. But after a long look, he couldn't figure out what it was. So, he turned to the Marquis' wife and asked, "Why, do you recognize this purse?"
The Marquis's wife understood that he wasn't actually asking about the purse, but whether he knew the owner of the cloth. She said in a stern voice, "This is a new pattern developed by Jinxiu Cloth Shop, and there's only this one. The other half is with me..."
She didn't finish her next words. But what kind of person is Hou Zhongyong? He lowered his eyes and took the purse. Almost instantly, he understood the reason for the matter. But he didn't say much. He just looked at Madam Hou and asked, "Madam, what do you think about this matter?"
The Marquis's wife slowly closed her eyes, as if trying to calm the turmoil surging within her. Although she had always loved Lu Zhaozhao, her son always held the most important place in her heart. She spoke softly, "If this matter truly involves her, I will never again defend her."
"That's good." Seeing his wife's attitude, Marquis Zhongyong patted her back gently.
He knew exactly what the Madam was thinking, and he knew she wasn't a cruel person. But people tend to favor those with whom they have a closer relationship, so it was understandable that the Madam favored the girl she loved. However, this girl was clearly not one to settle down. Every incident in the mansion, seemingly unrelated to her, bore traces of her involvement. Even if the Madam disagreed today, he would definitely not allow that girl to stay in the mansion. But he would be even happier if the Madam could think things through on her own. He believed that this time, the Madam would not be soft-hearted.
Every word of the couple's conversation fell into the ears of everyone in the courtyard. Ye Yunzhou lowered his eyes and stared at the scattered silver coins on the ground. A coldness surged in his eyes, and the chill seemed to freeze the air around him.
Ye Yunxing actually had some guesses in his mind, but when the evidence was placed before him, he still couldn't help feeling a little sad.
Luo Shuiyao, the person involved, remained surprisingly calm. She'd already known what was going on, and since she and Lu Zhaozhao didn't have any deep, genuine feelings, she naturally didn't feel anything else. She simply continued, "How did you know the person who gave you the money was called Chuntao?"
The boss had already revealed all the crucial information he needed to share, so he decided to just go for broke. "When the girl handed me the silver, I asked her a question, and she said her name was Chuntao."
Luo Shuiyao burst into laughter upon hearing this. She didn't know whether to laugh at the foolishness of Lu Zhaozhao's men, or lament the original owner's extreme helplessness. Such a flawed, crudely executed scheme had actually led to the original owner's tragic end. It was truly absurd and ridiculous.
Thinking of this, Luo Shuiyao no longer wanted to beat around the bush and said bluntly, "Look carefully later and see if there is anyone in this yard who looks like Chuntao you met. As long as you behave well, I will plead with the Marquis to spare your life. But if you dare to tell even a single lie, I guess... you don't want to experience the pain of torture, do you?"
Ever since he was apprehended yesterday, the man had been expecting that even if he didn't die, he would at least be crippled. Hearing that Luo Shuiyao would plead for him, he nodded hastily, his face filled with joy as he said, "Of course! Miss, please trust me. I will fully cooperate."
Having said this, he secretly tested her, "I also believe that you, young lady, will not deceive us."
After Luo Shuiyao finished listening, she only glanced at him indifferently. The man shrank his neck, gave a flattering smile, and dared not say anything more.
At this moment, Nanny Sang came in with the servants who had been searching the courtyard. When she passed by Luo Shuiyao, she glanced at her calmly, then quickly walked to the side of the Marquis' wife, handed her the jade pendant, and whispered a few words in her ear.
Because her whisper was so soft, no one in the yard could hear clearly what she said except for the two people with keen senses, Marquis Zhongyong and Ye Yunzhou.
The others saw that after hearing this, the Marquis's wife clenched her hands tightly, her knuckles turning white, and the handkerchief in her hand was crumpled. She said with an embarrassed look on her face, "Are you sure this is true?"
After hearing this, Nanny Sang nodded affirmatively.
The Marquis' wife took a deep breath and looked at the graceful, silent Luo Shuiyao, her heart filled with shame. It was all her fault for believing everything she heard, for having wronged this girl. Now that the truth had been revealed, she naturally felt a surge of guilt.
She took the jade pendant from Madam Sang and turned to look at Marquis Zhongyong with a questioning look in her eyes.
Seeing this, Marquis Zhongyong nodded slightly at her, showing encouragement with a silent gesture.
The Marquis's wife sighed again, but with a firm look in her eyes, she ordered, "Go, send someone to bring Miss Lu to me."
Her words were not as polite as usual, and there was a hint of coldness in her words. The servants in the courtyard hurriedly agreed after hearing this, thinking to themselves: This cousin Lu might fall out of favor.
As soon as she finished her order, she heard a commotion outside the door. Everyone frowned and looked outside, only to see Lu Zhaozhao running in with an embarrassed look on her face, followed by several maids and servants.