“What’s wrong with all of you? So flustered!” Xu Shi said while supporting Old Madam as they walked inside. “Where is your miss?”

“Miss, Miss…” Zhihua looked at Lu Ye somewhat at a loss. Lu Ye smiled apologetically and came forward to answer, “Madam, Miss…”

“Wuu wuu…” Suddenly, sobbing sounds came from Qin Shuying’s room—a woman’s crying, quite loud, heard by everyone present.

“What’s happening? Who’s crying?” Xu Shi asked.

“Old Madam, Madam, it’s a thoughtless maid who committed an offense…” Lu Ye’s face bore a smile, but her eyes flickered constantly.

Xu Shi’s suspicions deepened as she said, “Since Old Madam has come, let’s all go in and see.”

The group lifted the curtain and entered, immediately seeing a person in maid’s clothing kneeling in the room. Her hands were bound, her mouth stuffed with cloth, her hair disheveled and covering her face. Her head was being held down by Ziteng and a servant woman, so no one could see her face.

Lu Ye said, “Old Madam, Madam, this maid is thoughtless and… improper. She was also making a scene and acting crazy in Yilan Garden. We servants had no choice but to tie her up first, waiting for Miss to return and decide her punishment. Quickly take her away—we mustn’t soil Old Madam’s eyes!”

The maid struggled frantically, twisting her body wildly. But Ziteng was already prepared, and the servant woman’s strength was considerable. No matter how the maid struggled, making “wuu wuu” sounds, Ziteng held her firmly and said, “Old Madam and Madam are here—behave yourself!”

Hearing Ziteng’s words, the maid struggled even more violently. Who would have thought that Ziteng, having wandered among common folk and done rough work, possessed considerable strength that the maid couldn’t break free from.

“Take her away first!” Xu Shi was also impatient to watch and immediately spoke. Today’s main event was catching the “malevolent star.” Ziteng and the little maid took the bound person away.

Xu Shi asked, “Where is Seventh Girl?”

Lu Ye answered, “Madam, Miss is not at Yilan Garden.”

“Not here? Then where is she?”

“Miss is copying scriptures for Old Madam and hasn’t returned yet.”

“Nonsense! Clearly…” Xu Shi suddenly stopped. “You mean Seventh Girl is at Xuan Hall?”

“Yes, Madam.”

Xu Shi’s face immediately turned iron-blue. Lu Ye acted as if she saw nothing and said, “Madam, we also heard about Master Yuanzhen saying there’s a malevolent star. Since it’s in this direction, why don’t I call everyone in the courtyard out for Master Yuanzhen to examine, lest it harm people in the future.”

What could Xu Shi say? Zhihua immediately went to call everyone to stand properly in the courtyard.

Lu Ye also said to Old Madam, “Old Madam, Master Yuanzhen just said there was no evil energy at Xuan Hall, so the malevolent star must be someone in the garden. Since it arrived several years ago, it must be an old resident of the residence. The only old residents in Yilan Garden are this servant, Nanny Fu, and Hong Juan. Please have Master Yuanzhen examine us three first.”

Nanny Fu and Hong Juan had already come over and immediately stepped forward, looking at Old Madam.

Old Madam’s gaze rested heavily on these three people, and she nodded slightly.

Yuanzhen focused his attention on the three.

Xu Shi quickly said, “Master, since Seventh Girl isn’t it, then it must be one of these three who is the malevolent star. Master, you must look carefully and absolutely cannot let that malevolent star escape, otherwise the consequences would be unthinkable!”

Even if they couldn’t catch Seventh Girl, having her lose a capable assistant would be worthwhile.

Yuanzhen chanted Buddha’s name, looked again at the faces of Nanny Fu and the other two, and was about to speak when Ziteng walked in from outside, saying, “Old Madam, this servant has something to say.”

Old Madam’s expression was grim as she nodded.

“Old Madam, there’s another person in the courtyard who is an old resident of the residence.”

“Another one?” Xu Shi was startled. How could there be another person? At this moment, two servant women escorted someone forward—it was indeed the maid who had been kneeling earlier! The maid was clearly unconvinced and still twisting about. Fortunately, the servant women were strong enough that she couldn’t break free.

Old Madam asked, “Who is this?”

“Old Madam is asking you a question—lift your head!”

The servant woman’s grip on the maid loosened, and the maid suddenly raised her head. However, her hair still covered her face, so everyone still couldn’t see clearly. Finally, Ziteng parted the hair on her face, and only then could those present see clearly—wasn’t this Hui Qin?

When Hui Qin saw Xu Shi, her eyes lit up, and she made continuous “wuu wuu” sounds from her mouth.

Xu Shi frowned. This fool! She hadn’t handled the tasks assigned to her previously, actually letting Qin Shuying find a loophole and not drink the medicine on time. If not for the fact that Hui Qin’s parents were both part of her dowry, she would have beaten her to death long ago! Even so, at Hui Qin’s mother’s pleading, she had sent her to the laundry room to reflect properly. How had she fallen into Seventh Girl’s hands again today? She even dared to plead with her in front of so many people? Fool!

Lu Ye pulled the torn cloth from Hui Qin’s mouth, and Hui Qin immediately shouted, “Madam, this servant is wronged! Wronged! They want to harm me!”

Though Xu Shi detested Hui Qin, what right did Qin Shuying have to take her people? So she darkened her face and scolded, “What is this about? She’s not a person of Yilan Garden now—who gave you the audacity to take people at will?”

Lu Ye quickly said, “Old Madam, Madam, Hui Qin was secretly… stealing things. We servants had no choice but to apprehend her. We really wanted to wait for Miss to return and check the items before daring to report to Old Madam!”

Hui Qin immediately called out, “No! Old Madam, Madam, it’s not like that! They’re slandering me!”

Old Madam sat in her chair, watching this scene before her, feeling indescribably disgusted. Thinking of that Seventh Girl who wasn’t present, she felt sad again. Seeing this situation, Nanny Gu understood today’s events completely. She sighed in her heart at Qin Shuying’s cleverness and felt chilled by Xu Shi’s viciousness. Sighing inwardly while observing Old Madam’s expression, she said, “With Old Madam here, there will naturally be fair judgment. Speak one by one. Lu Ye, you speak first—what exactly happened?”

Lu Ye said, “Just now, we servants returned from Xuan Hall and saw someone behaving suspiciously outside Yilan Garden. This servant boldly went through the trees and discovered Hui Qin burying something at the base of Yilan Garden’s wall…”

“Old Madam, don’t believe her words. I didn’t…”

“Hui Qin!” Lu Ye interrupted her. “Wait until I finish speaking before you speak! Old Madam has always been fair and strict. Right and wrong—once we speak, Old Madam will naturally understand.”

Hui Qin was still unconvinced, but seeing Old Madam’s face as dark as a black pot, and seeing Xu Shi’s disgusted expression, she grudgingly kept quiet.

Lu Ye continued, “This servant dared not be negligent and hurried over to stop her. But when Hui Qin saw trouble, she hastily picked up the things on the ground that she hadn’t had time to bury and ran. Fortunately, this servant was formerly a rough-work maid with some strength, so I caught up with her and dragged her into the garden. Only then did I see that Hui Qin was… was…” At this point, Lu Ye’s eyes timidly looked at Old Madam, not daring to continue.

“Old Madam, this little hussy is talking nonsense!” Hui Qin trembled with anger. Hearing this far, she finally understood—she had fallen into a trap.