Chapter 501 - 500: Order and Method

Chapter 501: Chapter 500: Order and Method

The oil lamp in the room dimmed, and Nanny Zhu got up, took the scissors, trimmed the wick, and then sat down again.

The gossip from those long-tongued women in the alley, in Nanny Zhu’s opinion, is only worth believing three parts out of ten.

All day long, they talk about this family’s affairs and that family’s troubles, just because the masters can’t control things outside the mansion, they say all sorts of nonsense.

They gossip behind closed doors, even daring to speak ill of Madam Wu, let alone Mu Lianyu and a maid in the courtyard.

Moreover, that maid came from Willow Tree Alley, so she was even more of a subject for their pointing fingers and loose tongues.

Therefore, those words cannot be fully trusted, but by observing a leopard through a pipe, one can see part of it, and more or less learn some things that were unknown before.

Lian Family sat on the couch with a sullen face, humming lightly.

Mu Lianyu can get Mu Yuanjing and Lady An involved, taking in a maid was nothing surprising to Lian Family.

However, Nanny Zhu said that Mu Lianyu did not do that.

"Madam, I’ve asked around about that bracelet, it’s a very fine golden bracelet with a Tang Grass Pattern, exquisitely crafted," Nanny Zhu said.

Lian Family was taken aback, initially thinking that Mu Lianxiao spent money on a decent bracelet from a goldsmith for a maid he took in, but seeing Nanny Zhu’s seriousness, she couldn’t help but think it over patiently again.

Upon thinking, there was a "boom" in her mind.

She remembered it.

That year, on Mu Lianxiao’s birthday, Madam Wu hosted a family banquet, and Mu Yuanjing’s cuff got accidentally soaked by a maid, she was so furious, revealing the two Tang Grass Pattern golden bracelets under her cuff.

At that time, Mu Lianhui and Du Yunluo mentioned the bracelets.

Mu Lianhui said that the bracelets were a set of three, and Mu Yuanjing was only wearing two, saying her aunt was getting more and more unruly.

Lian Family, because of this remark, even turned around and chastised Mu Lianhui, saying she was equally unruly for criticizing Mu Yuanjing.

Thinking this through, Lian Family shuddered all over and said in a hoarse voice, "Old Zhu, are you saying that Zizhu’s bracelet belongs to Yuanjing?"

Nanny Zhu swallowed, "The set of three bracelets was Madam’s belongings, and Mr. Si isn’t short of silver. If he wanted to give Zizhu jewelry, would he give her something that belonged to Madam?"

Lian Family pressed her lips.

She didn’t have a concubine in her household, so she didn’t know the feeling of several women sharing one man.

However, imagining for a moment that one of her household’s matching items was given by Mu Yuanmou to a little harlot...

Just the thought of it made Lian Family upset, blocked, and disgusted, even more unbearable than a man spending a lot of silver to buy new things as gifts.

No matter how outrageous or unreliable Mu Lianyu was, he shouldn’t be this foolish.

"If Mr. Si wanted to give something, giving gold and silver ingots would do. If he wanted to silence someone, silver is more substantial than a bracelet," Nanny Zhu paused, "So I think that Zizhu’s bracelet is most likely stolen, and Mr. Si probably didn’t even know."

Lian Family’s thoughts suddenly became active: "Zizhu stole it and was discovered by people in the alley. Her family is neighbors with Yun Qi’s. Yun Qi’s wife likely knows about this matter, and perhaps it spread to Lian Xiao’s wife’s ears?"

"That’s how I considered it. But just this alone can’t say that Madam knew about Mr. Si and Madam’s situation..."

"Humph!" Lian Family snorted heavily, "Whether she guessed it or not, just bring that Zizhu here to ask, and you’ll know. No need to ask anything else, just ask her about the bracelet. How did Yuanjing’s belongings end up in the hands of an outer courtyard maid, is that proper?"

Nanny Zhu was troubled, Zizhu had already left the mansion, although she was from a family of servants and still a servant of Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, but after so much time, now to go over old accounts is...

"Madam," Nanny Zhu racked her brains, "The affair between Mr. Si and Madam, Baijie Hall definitely doesn’t want to bring up old matters. If you go to Zizhu now and ask about Madam’s bracelet, if word reaches the Old Madam, this..."

"Do you think I want to bring it up?" Lian Family yelled, her chest heaving, looking at Nanny Zhu while panting.

The scandal between Mu Lianyu and Mu Yuanjing was something she’d never want to touch again in her life, yet had to confront.

If things could start over, she’d open the side door next to Manhe Garden wide, find three, five, or even ten lovers for Mu Yuanjing rather than let her son get involved.

No, if things could start over, she would directly handle Mu Yuanjing, preventing her from stirring up trouble.

If it weren’t for Mu Yuanjing, Mu Lianyu wouldn’t have been sent to the Northern Border, and he wouldn’t never return.

Lian Family, with red eyes, said, "Just ask about the bracelet, pretend you don’t know it’s Yuanjing’s, just say Zizhu was sneaky, and she can’t enter the inner courtyard while serving in the outer courtyard, someone inside must be colluding with her, ask how much she smuggled out from the inner courtyard, and the one colluding with her..."

Nanny Zhu understood, the one colluding is naturally directed toward Shaohui Garden.

As for how someone in Shaohui Garden got Mu Yuanjing’s bracelet, that wasn’t the focal point.

As long as it was confirmed that Du Yunluo knew from the start, it would establish that Du Yunluo orchestrated the Mid-Autumn Festival farce.

Nanny Zhu withdrew.

Lian Family closed her eyes, feeling her breath.

The wrongdoing between Mu Yuanjing and Mu Lianyu was their fault, not something to be pinned on Du Yunluo.

In Madam Wu’s eyes, the dead are afforded great respect, and since they were gone, their faults weren’t as severe as they were while alive.

But Du Yunluo was at fault.

Originally, it was a family disgrace that should have been handled quietly, but Du Yunluo made a big deal out of it.

Many housewives witnessed it, and it was blown up into a scene.

Du Yunluo violated Madam Wu’s taboo.

This matter can’t cause Du Yunluo’s downfall, but it would cause Madam Wu to complain about her.

"In any case, I’m already like this, might as well let it break beyond repair this time. If I am to suffer, I’ll cause her some chaos too..." Lian Family collapsed on the couch, murmuring.

It was late into the night when a thunderstorm rumbled through.

Du Yunluo didn’t rest well. In the middle of the night, Brother Yan was startled by the thunder and cried; she felt so distressed that she embraced him and coaxed him to sleep.

After such a fuss, she was drained during the day, supporting herself to the Flower Hall, only to find the housekeeper ladies gathered in conversation.

Upon her entry, they quieted down.

"What’s going on?" Du Yunluo, having dealt with them over time, saw they seemed to have something to share.

One housekeeper, with a forced smile, steeled herself and spoke to Du Yunluo, "I don’t know if Madam’s aware, previously Mr. Si’s front courtyard was attended by someone named Zizhu."

Hearing Zizhu’s name, Du Yunluo frowned.

The incident from back then, now returned to dust, was not something she wanted anyone in the mansion to bring up, for Zizhu to be out of everyone’s sight was the only way to bury those matters.