Ren Yaoyu was also filled with righteous indignation at this moment. Thinking that her grievances would finally be vindicated, she forgot she could send maids and servants to call Fifth Master and ran out herself. Fifth Master should be in the outer courtyard entertaining several friends at this time, but fortunately, her steward nanny caught her.
“Eighth Miss, this servant will go call Fifth Master. You stay and accompany Fifth Madam.”
Seeing Lin Shi and Ren Yaoyu both angrily preparing to leave, Xueli hurriedly said, “Fifth Madam, the reward money you promised this servant earlier…”
Lin Shi waved her hand, “Come to my courtyard later to get it. You won’t be shortchanged!”
Only then did Xueli show a relieved expression.
It wasn’t mealtime now, so Sister-in-Law Niu was sitting in the courtyard with a group of wives and servants, cracking sunflower seeds and chatting. They were having a lively conversation when four or five burly servants charged in fiercely, asked who Sister-in-Law Niu was, then grabbed her and dragged her out.
Sister-in-Law Niu was startled and struggled and cursed desperately all the way, attracting a crowd of onlookers. Everyone was puzzled about what was happening.
Until Sister-in-Law Niu was brought before Fifth Madam Lin Shi in Liuli Courtyard.
Seeing Fifth Madam glaring at her with fury, Sister-in-Law Niu was frightened and forgot to shout and struggle, “Fifth, Fifth Madam…”
Fifth Madam sneered and pointed to a paper packet spread on the table, “Look and see if you recognize what this is!”
Sister-in-Law Niu instinctively glanced at the table. At first, she couldn’t make out what that mass was, but since she had personally disposed of Ren Yaoyu’s medicine dregs, she still had some impression. After looking a couple more times, she recognized it.
This recognition was disastrous—Sister-in-Law Niu thought her secret had been exposed. Frightened, her legs went weak and she knelt on the ground, unable to speak. She was scared senseless.
Seeing her cowering appearance, Fifth Madam understood that the maid Xueli’s words were probably true.
This was outrageous! Fifth Madam angrily pointed at Sister-in-Law Niu and shrieked, “Drag her out and beat her with boards! Beat this vicious slave to death!” She didn’t even have the patience to hear Sister-in-Law Niu’s explanation.
As soon as Lin Shi finished speaking, two servants came forward to drag Sister-in-Law Niu away. Seeing Fifth Madam’s expression, Sister-in-Law Niu realized her life might end here. Desperate, she kowtowed while crying, “Fifth Madam, spare my life! Fifth Madam, spare my life! This has nothing to do with this servant—this servant was only following orders. This servant had no idea what kind of medicine this was!”
Her words had barely finished when a man’s voice, suppressing fury, rang out at the door, “Whose orders were you following?”
Everyone turned to see Fifth Master Ren Shimao standing at the doorway with a dark expression.
As soon as Fifth Madam saw Fifth Master arrive, she immediately rose and threw herself into his arms. Not caring that a roomful of people were watching, the fierce tigress from moments before immediately began crying pitifully, “Fifth Brother, our Yu’er is truly pitiful! How could someone be so vicious as to use medicine to harm her? Fifth Brother, you must seek justice for our mother and daughter! Wuu wuu wuu…”
The roomful of maids and servants seemed accustomed to this scene and all lowered their heads, observing their noses and hearts.
Fifth Master comforted Fifth Madam with a few words, then looked at his daughter standing to the side with a grieved expression. When he looked at Sister-in-Law Niu again, the fury in his eyes intensified, “Master is asking you a question! Whose orders did you follow to switch Eighth Miss’s medicine?” On the way here, Ren Yaoyu’s steward nanny had already told him the whole story.
Sister-in-Law Niu recovered somewhat from Fifth Madam’s crying and began to hesitate. She had heard that Fifth Master had a gentler temperament and wasn’t as hot-tempered as Fifth Madam. Perhaps…
But the usually easygoing Fifth Master was not so accommodating this time. Having traveled and seen the world, he could tell from Sister-in-Law Niu’s expression that this woman was secretly calculating. He immediately sneered, “Forget it. For a slave like you, even if you’re wrongly killed, it’s just one cheap life! Someone, come, tie up this unruly slave and send her to the magistrate. Say she dared to use poison to harm her master, and let the magistrate investigate.”
Lin Shi cried out, “Just her one life? How could it be so easy! Go ask if any of her family members work in the Ren household! Tie them all up and bring them here! If she has children, even better—get me this same prescription and brew it for her children to drink. I want her to see what suffering my Yu’er endured!”
Hearing this, Sister-in-Law Niu was shocked, her face turning pale. She only had one son, just four years old this year—her precious treasure.
“No, Fifth Madam… this has nothing to do with my child… Fifth Madam… Fifth Master, please show mercy.” Sister-in-Law Niu kowtowed with loud thuds.
Neither Lin Shi nor Ren Shimao was moved—Lin Shi even sneered at her.
Seeing servants about to carry out the order to arrest people, Sister-in-Law Niu was truly desperate and immediately said, “This servant confesses, this servant confesses everything. This servant will do whatever you ask, just please spare this servant’s son, Fifth Master and Fifth Madam.”
Only then did the Fifth Master call back those servants.
But Lin Shi said, “First, go arrest the people for me. Who knows if they’ll hear the news and flee? Then this unruly slave might become dishonest again! If she dares hide even half a sentence or tell lies, I’ll use her son to test the medicine!” Lin Shi had a remarkable natural talent for this kind of torment.
Seeing the Fifth Master say nothing, those servants immediately went to arrest people.
Sister-in-Law Niu collapsed to the ground.
“Speak quickly!”
Sister-in-Law Niu trembled. Thinking of her son about to fall into Fifth Madam’s hands, she gritted her teeth and said, “This servant followed my sister-in-law’s mother-in-law’s orders to switch Eighth Miss’s medicine.”
“You mean Nanny Gui from Old Madam’s courtyard?” Lin Shi immediately asked.
Sister-in-Law Niu nodded.
Lin Shi showed an expression of “just as I thought”—it seemed that the maid called Xueli hadn’t lied to her.
“And whose orders was Nanny Gui following?” Ren Shimao said coldly.
Sister-in-Law Niu shook her head, “This servant doesn’t know that.”
Seeing Lin Shi’s dissatisfaction and about to get angry, Sister-in-Law Niu immediately said, “This servant truly doesn’t know. This servant only followed orders to switch the medicine, and this servant didn’t know what the medicine was for.”
Lin Shi snorted, “Then what use are you to me?”
Sister-in-Law Niu racked her brains and suddenly remembered something, immediately saying, “But this servant secretly asked my sister-in-law about this matter at the time. Although my sister-in-law said she didn’t know then, she once let slip a complaint that her mother-in-law was already a steward in Old Madam’s quarters but still had to do things for a concubine, which lowered her status.”
“A concubine? Is it Concubine Fang from the third branch?” Lin Shi pressed.
Sister-in-Law Niu had only heard her sister-in-law mutter once at the time and hadn’t understood clearly. When she asked again later, her sister-in-law wouldn’t say anything more. But now she randomly nodded, “Yes, it seemed to be Concubine Fang. It was her.”
Fifth Master and Lin Shi exchanged glances, then instructed the servants, “Tie her up and take her to Ronghua Garden to see Old Madam. Also, go invite Third Master and Third Madam over.”
Fifth Master and his wife were taking Sister-in-Law Niu to see Old Madam when they encountered First Madam Wang Shi, who had hurried over after hearing the news, just outside their courtyard.
Old Madam Ren’s right eyelid had been twitching persistently since early morning, so severely that she had to cut a small piece of red paper to stick at the corner of her eye.
Later, she heard from the maids below that Fifth Madam had somehow started making trouble again and had arrested a small kitchen steward back to Liuli Courtyard.
Old Madam Ren was already overwhelmed with Ren Yaohua’s affairs and had no energy to deal with whatever Lin Shi was ranting about now, so she had the maids ask First Madam to go check on Liuli Courtyard.
But today, Old Madam Ren was destined to have no peace. Soon after, First Madam returned with Fifth Master and his wife, followed by a bound woman being dragged in.
“What is this about?” Old Madam frowned.
First Madam glanced at Ren Shimao and Lin Shi, thought for a moment, and didn’t speak first. Although Lin Shi had explained the whole story on the way, this wasn’t a small matter, so it was better to let the fifth and third branches resolve it themselves.
Lin Shi was very skilled at making complaints. She immediately took charge and explained the whole incident again. Fifth Master added some comments here and there. The couple sang in harmony with perfect coordination, exposing all of Nanny Gui and Concubine Fang’s crimes.
Old Madam Ren found it somewhat unbelievable and personally questioned Sister-in-Law Niu again. With her son still in Fifth Madam’s hands, Sister-in-Law Niu didn’t dare play any tricks and answered whatever was asked.
“Go find Nanny Gui and Concubine Fang for me!” Old Madam Ren now felt this matter was of great importance, and her expression became serious.
Ren Shimao placed the packet of medicine dregs on the table. “Mother, when your son returned earlier, I had already had someone invite a physician to the mansion and also asked someone to invite Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law.”
Old Madam Ren nodded without saying anything. She looked at those medicine dregs but couldn’t make sense of them.
“You said a maid gave this to you? Where is that maid?” Old Madam asked Lin Shi.
Lin Shi immediately said, “This maid used to be Concubine Fang’s person, sent by her to Ziwei Courtyard to spy on Yaoqi. Later, she was driven from the inner courtyard because Yaoqi didn’t like her. This maid was afraid of being expelled from the mansion by Concubine Fang, so she came to me. She said there was another maid sent to Ziwei Courtyard with her who had already been sold far away through Nanny Gui on Concubine Fang’s orders. Mother, do you want to see her? I’ll have someone call her over immediately.”
Old Madam Ren said, “Let’s wait a moment.”
At this time, Shanhu, who had been sent to find Nanny Gui, returned, “Old Madam, Nanny Gui cannot be found.”
Old Madam Ren frowned. Nanny Gui usually informed someone when she went somewhere—it was rare not to find her. Could it be true that she had Sister-in-Law Niu switch Ren Yaoyu’s medicine and had already fled after hearing the news?
But Fifth Master said, “Mother, don’t worry. Your son was afraid she might escape, so I already had people guard all the doors of the Ren mansion, large and small. She can’t leave the mansion. Besides, she can run away but not her family—send someone to check the courtyard where her family lives.”