Upon hearing these words, everyone looked toward the two maids kneeling on the ground.

Old Madam Ren frowned: “Did you hear clearly? Why don’t you confess truthfully!” Her voice wasn’t particularly harsh, nor was her expression severe enough, yet it made both maids’ teeth chatter. This was because the rules in Ronghua Garden had always been extremely strict – maids would suffer physical punishment for the slightest transgression, and being sold out of the household was perfectly normal.

Fifth Madam glanced at Liu An’s wife, her eyes turning slightly, then suddenly smiled and asked Nanny Gui: “If that’s the case, then that bundle must have been found? Why don’t you bring it out so we can see what’s inside?”

Nanny Gui’s expression looked somewhat troubled.

Fifth Madam raised her eyebrows slightly: “What? Can’t find the bundle that the old woman mentioned?”

Nanny Gui lowered her head slightly: “Replying to Fifth Madam, this servant is having people search for it, but we haven’t found it yet.”

Anger flashed across Fifth Madam’s face, and she turned to Old Madam with some grievance: “Mother, this daughter-in-law knows that you’ve always loved Yaohua and Yaoyin more than Yu’er. This daughter-in-law has always taught Yu’er that her two elder sisters are older and naturally deserve more favor. Our Yu’er has always been sensible, treating her sisters with humility and courtesy, never harboring jealousy. This daughter-in-law knows that her personality is wooden and not particularly likable, but surely not just any stray cat or dog should be able to bully her? This baseless matter has merely been embellished and exaggerated by some dim-sighted servant from the outer courtyard, hoping to curry favor with the masters by creating confusion. How can this be believed so easily? Although these two maids are simple-minded, they are, after all, personal attendants serving our Yu’er. To brand them with the reputation of theft based on such groundless accusations – how will our Yu’er be able to conduct herself in this household in the future? How will she be able to hold her head up before her brothers and sisters?”

As Fifth Madam spoke, tears began to flow, as if she were made of water.

Seeing this, Old Madam Ren’s face showed some displeasure, and she lightly scolded: “Enough! I haven’t said anything yet! I’m merely calling the maids and servants to ask some questions! What does it look like for you to cry and wail like this in front of the younger generation!”

Fifth Madam took out her handkerchief to wipe her tears, but her tone remained somewhat indignant: “You haven’t even asked clearly, yet you’ve already condemned our Yu’er’s maids. You’ve believed this old woman’s wild tales. If you truly cannot stand this granddaughter, Yu’er, then I’ll take her back right now and send her off to Yunyang City to her maternal grandmother! You can keep Yaohua here to accompany you in your old age. She’s eloquent and clever, and has always won your favor.”

“Mother… I don’t want to go to grandmother’s house,” Ren Yaoyu tugged lightly at Fifth Madam’s sleeve with a grieved expression.

Fifth Madam gently pushed her daughter and scolded: “Who told you to have such a wooden personality that doesn’t please the elders!”

Ren Yaoyu wiped her tears pitifully.

Seeing them like this, Old Madam Ren’s temple veins throbbed, and she finally became angry enough to slap the kang table: “Who said anything about sending Yaoyu to Yunyang City! She is a granddaughter of the Ren family and isn’t going anywhere!”

Seeing that things were about to get out of hand, Eldest Madam knew that if she didn’t step forward now, Old Madam would hold her accountable later when she couldn’t save face. So she went forward to pull Fifth Madam and her daughter, saying gently: “Who said Old Madam doesn’t love Yu’er? If she didn’t love this granddaughter, would she keep Yu’er by her side to personally educate her?” She then lowered her head to softly comfort Ren Yaoyu: “Good child, be obedient, don’t listen to your mother’s angry words. Which elder in the household doesn’t like you for being humble, courteous, lively, and lovable? Quickly persuade your mother.”

Seeing that Eldest Madam had come out to mediate, Fifth Madam knew the principle of quitting while ahead and gradually quieted down. However, her eyes glanced toward Liu An’s wife, standing in the middle.

Eldest Madam had been sisters-in-law with Fifth Madam for many years and had always known her temperament, so she proactively helped her by saying to Old Madam, “Old Madam, what Fifth Sister-in-law said isn’t without reason. Early in the morning, an elderly servant may have seen wrongly. Why don’t we have Nanny Gui lead people to count the valuable items in the room and see if anything is missing? If nothing important has been lost, then it’s probably just a misunderstanding.”

Fifth Madam now also agreed: “This daughter-in-law also supports counting the valuable items in this room. Let’s see whether it’s our Yu’er’s maids who are betraying their masters, or this cunning old woman who is talking nonsense!”

Eldest Madam looked at Old Madam Ren inquiringly.

Old Madam Ren turned to instruct Nanny Gui: “You take people to check against the inventory list.”

Nanny Gui responded and left.

About half an hour later, Nanny Gui returned with several senior maids.

“Replying to Old Madam, we’ve counted all the items in the room against the registry, and haven’t found anything missing.”

Fifth Madam immediately flew into a rage, pointing at the anxious-looking Liu An’s wife and scolding: “You wicked slave who has no respect for masters! Did you think our Yu’er has a good nature and is easy to bully? You don’t slander other people’s maids, but specifically target our Yu’er! Aren’t you slapping my face!”

Seeing that after all this commotion, this was the result, Old Madam Ren’s face also looked unpleasant. Just as she was about to speak, Liu An’s wife, who had been scolded by Fifth Madam until she almost wanted to bury her head in her neck, quickly knelt down and urgently defended herself to Old Madam Ren.

“Old Madam, please see clearly – how would this servant dare to tell such lies to deceive you? This servant truly saw it and wouldn’t dare speak a single false word.”

Nanny Gui frowned and said quietly, “Without proof or evidence, how do you expect the masters to believe you? I even trusted you and reported this matter upward for you, and now my face will be implicated because of you.”

Upon hearing this, Liu An’s wife seemed to suddenly remember something and said urgently, “This servant, this servant has a way to find evidence.”

Fifth Madam was so angry she gritted her teeth: “Are you trying to deceive the masters again?”

Liu An’s wife shook her head like a rattling drum: “No, no. This servant knows there’s a woman in the outer courtyard whose family keeps a dog with an extremely keen nose. A few days ago, when her husband was leaving the household, a pickpocket stole his money pouch, but that dog led people to find the pouch in a household in a broken alley five streets away.”

Everyone was amazed upon hearing this.

Old Madam Ren said, “Is it really that clever?”

“Whether it’s clever or not, you’ll know if you let this servant go try. This servant will go to the outer courtyard to borrow the dog right now. Let it smell the scent on these two young ladies, then follow it to search the garden – there’s no way it will be wrong.” Liu An’s wife made her guarantee.

“Ridiculous! So many servants can’t find it; what use is a beast? Are people inferior to that beast?” Fifth Madam disdainfully objected. Liu An’s wife quickly said, “This servant dares to guarantee it will work. If we really can’t find anything in the end, this servant is willing to accept punishment.”

“Mother—”

Fifth Madam turned to Old Madam and wanted to say something more, but Eldest Madam glanced toward Old Madam, then suddenly took Fifth Madam’s arm and gently persuaded: “Since this old woman dares to make such an assertion, let her try. If nothing is found, it will vindicate the two maids and preserve Yu’er’s reputation. As for this lying old woman… we can have her beaten and sold out then, and see if anyone else dares to speak nonsense in front of Old Madam in the future.”

Fifth Madam wanted to say something more upon hearing this, but Old Madam had already spoken: “Let her go! Let’s see what tricks she can come up with. Yu’er is my granddaughter, and I will naturally make decisions for her. No one should think they can randomly throw mud at her maids!”

“Thank you, Old Madam.” Liu An’s wife was overjoyed, kowtowed in gratitude, and then left.

“Should this servant go watch?” Nanny Gui asked for instructions.

Old Madam Ren nodded and let her go.

After about another quarter of an hour, people in the room heard barking from outside – from the sound, it was a big dog.

The younger people in the room all looked curiously toward the door curtain, but unfortunately, the curtain blocked their view, and they couldn’t see anything.

Only Ren Yaoyu’s face showed extreme panic and anxiety. Although the Fifth Madam’s complexion also looked unpleasant, she still restrained herself and kept making eye signals to her daughter to remain calm.

Before long, Nanny Gui lifted the curtain and entered. When the curtain opened and closed, the barking outside became even clearer.

“Old Madam, we need these two maids to come out so the dog can smell them.”

Upon hearing this, the two maids turned pale and instinctively looked toward Fifth Madam.

Old Madam Ren nodded, and Nanny Gui made an eye signal to two old women behind her. The two women quickly stepped forward to help the two maids.

Seeing that they were somewhat unsteady, Nanny Gui kindly comforted them: “Don’t be afraid. Although that dog looks big, it doesn’t bite people.”

The two maids began screaming in terror almost the moment they left the main room, startling the people inside. Old Madam’s hand holding the bowl lid also trembled.

“What’s happening!”

Nanny Gui had already rushed in to report: “It’s nothing, it’s nothing. Those two maids are just timid. But it’s better if all the masters don’t come out, to avoid being frightened. That dog’s body is this long.” Nanny Gui used her arms to demonstrate – it was as long as a six or seven-year-old child.

Eldest Madam quickly instructed: “Arrange for several people to guard the door, don’t let that dog rush in.”

Nanny Gui responded and left.

Only when the barking ran far away did the people inside breathe a sigh of relief.

This time, in less than a quarter hour, Nanny Gui returned.

When she entered, she was carrying an autumn-fragrance colored bundle in her hand. Walking behind her were two ashen-faced maids being supported, and a greatly relieved Liu An’s wife.

Eighth Miss Ren Yaoyu’s face turned pale, and she grabbed her mother’s sleeve tightly. Fifth Madam Lin Shi immediately took her daughter’s hand and glared fiercely at the two maids.

But the two maids were already scared out of their wits and couldn’t sense her glare.