Early the next morning, just as Bai Qingyan finished breakfast, a young maid came to report that the families of Bai Jinxiu’s five dowry maids were kneeling at the mansion’s entrance, tearfully begging to know where Bai Jinxiu’s in-laws, Marquis Zhongyong’s wife, had sold their daughters.

They had heard that Second Miss Bai was merciful in allowing Mingyu’s family to redeem that traitorous thing, thinking that since their daughters were still loyal, even if their service was inadequate and they were to be sold, it would be better if sold to their own families.

Poor families mostly were unwilling to send their daughters to brothels, but out of desperation had no choice but to send their daughters to serve as servants in wealthy households, hoping their children could at least have a meal and not starve to death.

Duke Zhenguo’s mansion was a family of generations of loyal and benevolent people. For their daughters to serve beside Second Miss Bai was their good fortune, but if they were resold, they truly feared their daughters would meet the same fate as Mingyu—sold to brothels where they could neither live nor die in peace.

She covered her lips with a handkerchief and spat mouthwash into the spittoon before speaking: “Chun Tao, go to Second Miss’s quarters and retrieve the contracts of those five maids. Give them to Steward Hao and have him send a sharp-tongued manager to return the contracts to the five maids’ parents. Tell them that our mansion’s Second Miss has been unconscious since falling into the water and doesn’t know where the five maids were sold. Our Duke’s mansion is also sending people to inquire which human trafficker dared to take people away for sale without seeing their contracts. If we can’t find the five dowry maids, our Duke’s mansion will be the first to report to the authorities for justice.”

“Yes!” Chun Tao responded and left the main room, hurrying toward Bai Jinxiu’s Qingzhu Pavilion.

Steward Hao, upon receiving instructions, immediately sent Manager Liu, who handled purchases, to the entrance with the contracts.

Before Manager Liu left, Steward Hao stroked his beard thoughtfully: “Early this morning, I received orders from the heir’s wife to send people to inquire about Second Miss’s dowry maids’ whereabouts from several human traffickers in the city. The heir’s wife didn’t ask Marquis Zhongyong’s wife but had our mansion investigate itself. Plus, our son-in-law has already requested to give up his heir apparent position! This stance clearly shows our mansion must break with Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion, so in a moment… You needn’t worry about the Marquis’s mansion being in-laws, just clearly explain Second Miss’s grievances!”

“Steward Hao, rest assured!” Manager Liu’s mind was as clear as a mirror.

When Duke’s mansion’s Manager Liu emerged, he saw that besides the five dowry maids’ parents at the Duke’s mansion entrance, there was also a crowd of common people watching. He immediately had servants help the several dowry maids’ parents to their feet.

Manager Liu’s eyes reddened as he said, “Everyone… truly sorry! Our Second Miss suffered great calamity, was knocked unconscious, and pushed into the lake with her fate unknown. After being carried back to the mansion, several Imperial Physicians used all their skills to snatch Second Miss back from the King of Hell! When Second Miss awakened and learned that the maids who had served her since childhood had been sold by her mother-in-law, Marquis Zhongyong’s wife, she fainted from crying again! When she woke up, she refused to believe it, saying the dowry maids’ contracts were still in our Second Miss’s hands—what human trafficker would dare take people away without seeing their contracts! So… early this morning, our heir’s wife has already sent people to question several human traffickers in the capital.”

Speaking thus, Manager Liu took out the five maids’ contracts from his chest, letting their parents come forward to claim them.

After distributing the contracts, Manager Liu continued: “Our Second Miss commanded me to return the dowry maids’ contracts to you all. When we find your daughters, if any maids still wish to remain serving beside Second Miss, Second Miss will treat them as family-born children with great affection, never shortchanging them. For those unwilling, Second Miss will send them back to your homes, and when they marry, our Second Miss will provide generous dowries to fulfill the master-servant bond. Our First Miss, grateful that your daughters were sold for protecting our Second Miss, has already sent people to your village heads to cancel your daughters’ slave status. When your daughters return, they will be proper free citizens.”

“First Miss and Second Miss show such great kindness and virtue!”

The several maids’ parents immediately kowtowed in gratitude.

“But… we fear we cannot find my poor daughter!”

Manager Liu cupped his hands: “Everyone, rest assured. After all, these dowry maids came from our Duke’s mansion. If we truly cannot find them, our Duke’s mansion will certainly report to the authorities!”

The watching crowd immediately began praising the Bai family’s righteousness.

“Look at Duke Zhenguo’s mansion—completely loyal to the people, and so righteous toward their servants! Five dowry maids were sold because of the Second Miss, and they not only want to find them but also to cancel the five girls’ slave status. This is truly tremendous kindness.”

“This Second Miss Bai is truly pitiful, ending up with such in-laws!”

“Marquis Zhongyong’s wife truly has excellent character—selling maids without even having their contracts in hand, the shameless woman!”

“What do you all know! There’s inside information here!” A spectator crossed his arms, acting profound. “Think about it—Duke’s mansion risked breaking with Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion to carry back the half-dead Second Miss, then that dowry maid Mingyu was found at Marquis Zhongyong’s wife’s dowry estate. Of six dowry maids… only she wasn’t sold by Marquis Zhongyong’s wife! Can’t you see what’s fishy about this?!”

“Right, then there’s Heir Qin carrying thorns to apologize and requesting to give up his heir apparent position! Tsk tsk tsk… the waters run deep in these meritorious families!”

“They say when there’s a stepmother, there’s a stepfather—this saying is true! Heir Qin isn’t having it easy either! Duke Zhenguo’s daughters would rather break than bend. That Marquis Zhongyong’s wife probably feared she couldn’t control them, so she used the two daughters as an excuse to want to…” Someone made a throat-slitting gesture.

“What exactly happened in this matter? Duke Zhenguo’s mansion is probably also confused. Only those five sold maids and Marquis Zhongyong’s wife herself know!”

“Those five maids have probably already lost their lives! Think about it—the contracts are still in Second Miss Bai’s hands! For sale… which human trafficker would dare accept them? The filth in this, probably only Marquis Zhongyong’s wife herself knows.”

“And Second Miss Bai’s previous dowry maid knew the inside story too—that’s Mingyu, who betrayed her master, had her legs broken by her brother, and was sold to a brothel. Unfortunately, she’s already mad, babbling incoherently with nothing to be questioned, only giggling, saying Marquis Zhongyong’s wife promised to make her Heir Qin’s concubine.”

“Knowing so clearly—did you go to sleep at that brothel?”

The crowd laughed together. Someone sharp-eyed spotted Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion’s carriages in the distance and quickly shouted: “Isn’t that Marquis Zhongyong’s carriage?!”

“Oh my, Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion still has the face to come to Duke Zhenguo’s mansion!”

“Shh shh shh! Don’t want to live! What kind of family is in Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion? Talking behind their backs is one thing, but if they hear us and hold a grudge, we might lose our lives without knowing where to cry! Better keep quiet!”

As Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion’s carriages stopped before Duke Zhenguo’s mansion, the crowd watching fell silent, using contemptuous gazes to size up Marquis Zhongyong’s wife as she stepped down from the carriage.