“You go back and see what other items are still missing…” Bai Qingyan looked at the undergarment in Chun Tao’s hands. “Give me this undergarment first!”

Chun Tao bit her lip and stood up, handing the undergarment to Bai Qingyan before withdrawing from the main room.

Dong Qingyue sat as steady as Mount Tai, remaining calm and composed, leaving everything entirely to Bai Qingyan’s disposal.

Old Madam Dong understood what Bai Qingyan was planning. She picked up her teacup and asked casually, “Since you claim this undergarment was left behind by Chun Tao at your place, did Chun Tao also give you other tokens of affection? It can’t be that Chun Tao, having only been at our Dong residence for a few days, would inexplicably reach the point of being unable to control her emotions with you.”

Luo Fugui hurriedly said, “There are no other tokens of affection, but that Chun Tao did indeed say she admired me and wanted to marry me. This humble one dares not deceive Old Madam Dong. This undergarment was not left behind by Chun Tao, but rather this humble one was afraid she would take advantage of me and then deny it, so I secretly hid it away.”

Madam Cui sneered, “When coming to Dengzhou, Princess Zhenguo only brought Chun Tao as her maid. Chun Tao serves her closely almost daily. I wonder when Chun Tao would have had the time to meet with you.”

Luo Fugui seemed to be waiting for someone to ask when he had met with Chun Tao, and hurriedly said, “It was on the twentieth of the eighth month. That day, Princess Zhenguo went to Master Dong’s study, and Chun Tao had Qiu Huan come to summon this humble one. As soon as I arrived… Chun Tao came up and seduced me.”

Nanny Wang’s heart skipped a beat, thinking to herself that her niece might have truly conspired with this Luo Fugui to scheme against the maid beside Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyan’s eyes narrowed slightly. Qiu Huan…

That day, Chun Tao had told Bai Qingyan that Qiu Huan had falsely claimed that Nanny Wang beside grandmother had summoned her, deceiving Chun Tao to a secluded place and dismissing the two maids who were following her, then knelt before Chun Tao to beg forgiveness.

Bai Qingyan still held Chun Tao’s undergarment in her hand, speaking with a half-smile, “Then let’s call Qiu Huan over to ask about this!”

Nanny Wang’s palms tightened as she responded and personally went out to summon Qiu Huan, intending to warn her first.

Concubine Luo, who had been kneeling in the courtyard under the blazing sun until she was dizzy and faint, saw Nanny Wang lift the door curtain and come out. She quickly straightened her back: “Nanny Wang!”

Nanny Wang looked straight ahead without even glancing at Concubine Luo, walking directly out of the courtyard gate.

Soon, Nanny Wang found Qiu Huan peering outside Old Madam Dong’s courtyard gate and hurriedly called, “Qiu Huan! Come here!”

Seeing Nanny Wang come out with a deathly pale face, Qiu Huan knew that Nanny Wang was looking for her and hurried forward: “Aunt, has trouble started inside?”

Nanny Wang grabbed Qiu Huan’s arm and pulled her aside, asking through gritted teeth, “Tell me honestly, did you conspire with that good-for-nothing brother of Concubine Luo to scheme against the personal maid beside Princess Zhenguo?”

Qiu Huan’s palms tightened, and she said guiltily, “No! How could I do such a thing!”

“Princess Zhenguo wants to summon you for questioning. You’d better be honest, otherwise… if Princess Zhenguo wants your life, I absolutely will not save you! Do you understand?” Nanny Wang warned solemnly.

Qiu Huan’s heart grew even more unsettled, but then she thought that since Princess Zhenguo was summoning her for questioning, she probably didn’t completely believe Chun Tao either.

Especially now that Luo Fugui had already spread the news throughout the Dong residence, and Chun Tao was Princess Zhenguo’s maid – if Chun Tao didn’t marry Luo Fugui, even Princess Zhenguo’s reputation would suffer!

Qiu Huan didn’t believe that Princess Zhenguo would disregard her reputation for the sake of a maid!

Thinking of Chun Tao’s pitiful appearance when she would marry Luo Fugui in the future, Qiu Huan felt satisfied. Having grown up in the Dong residence, where she had always walked sideways, no one had ever given her such great humiliation. She would make Chun Tao regret for life.

“Nanny Wang!” Dong Changlan saw Nanny Wang and Qiu Huan and called out.

Qiu Huan quickly turned and stood beside Nanny Wang, following her in bowing to Dong Changlan and Dong Changmao: “First Young Master, Second Young Master!”

Dong Changmao saw his concubine kneeling under the scorching sun, his fists at his sides slightly clenched, his expression growing increasingly grim. He asked, “Nanny Wang, how are things inside?”

“That Luo Fugui claims that Qiu Huan helped pass along messages that day. The young lady is summoning Qiu Huan inside for questioning,” Nanny Wang said, glaring fiercely at Qiu Huan.

Dong Changlan’s gaze fell on Qiu Huan, who kept her head down and dared not look up: “Chun Tao serves beside cousin sister. What kind of person she is, her cousin sister knows very clearly. Qiu Huan… when you go in shortly, you must think carefully before speaking. If there’s even half a word that’s untrue, even with Nanny Wang present, I will sell you off. Do you understand?”

Dong Changlan’s voice was clear and cold, and the chill slowly crept up Qiu Huan’s spine. She quickly curtsied in acknowledgment.

“Go inside!” Dong Changlan turned back and gently patted Dong Changmao’s arm before taking the lead to walk inside.

Dong Changmao followed behind Dong Changlan, entering Old Madam Dong’s courtyard. Seeing his concubine with tears streaming down her face and makeup ruined, his fists at his sides clenched tighter.

“Changmao…” Concubine Luo burst into tears upon seeing Dong Changmao, looking pitiful and aggrieved.

Dong Changmao steeled his heart and refused to look at Concubine Luo, following Dong Changlan into the main room.

It wasn’t that Dong Changmao didn’t remember Concubine Luo’s kindness in giving birth to him, but over the years, Concubine Luo had always helped Luo Fugui without any principles. Dong Changmao had spoken to her many times about this… Concubine Luo would always say she wouldn’t help anymore, but every time she would still help without any bottom line.

This wasn’t all – Luo Fugui bullied the local people everywhere and boasted about being Dong Changmao’s maternal uncle. Dong Changmao had cleaned up after Luo Fugui’s messes and had been mocked by many people because of it.

This time, Luo Fugui even dared to target Princess Zhenguo’s maid. Dong Changmao wondered what role Concubine Luo played in this. If Concubine Luo was also involved, then Dong Changmao would be truly and completely disappointed in her.

No sooner had Dong Changlan, Dong Changmao, and Nanny Wang entered with Qiu Huan than Chun Tao returned after checking her belongings.

Chun Tao knelt at Bai Qingyan’s feet, choking as she spoke: “Miss, this servant has also lost a pair of earrings that Miss gave me, and the jade pendant that cousin brother gave me!”

That jade pendant was given to Chun Tao by Chen Qingsheng on her birthday. It was of excellent quality, but Chun Tao was afraid it was too conspicuous, so she kept the jade pendant in her pouch, only taking it out to look at when she missed Chen Qingsheng. She dared not wear it on her person, never expecting it to go missing as well.

Qiu Huan’s palms tightened, her throat working nervously. She had stolen that jade pendant and the earrings and taken them back, but hadn’t yet had time to sell them for silver.

“I have indeed seen that jade pendant – it’s of excellent quality. It’s not surprising that such a fine item would be coveted by someone!” Bai Qingyan looked toward Nanny Wang. “Nanny Wang, Qingyan trusts you, so I’ll trouble you to make a personal trip to Qiu Huan’s room to search and see if Chun Tao’s jade pendant and earrings are in Qiu Huan’s room. Since Nanny Wang is Qiu Huan’s aunt, she surely wouldn’t frame Qiu Huan falsely.”