Liu Xiang’s hands wouldn’t stop trembling. There were gold ornaments in the Young Miss’s dressing table drawer and several gold candlesticks in the cabinet to her left. She would take one first and hide it away. The Young Miss wouldn’t notice.
She walked to the western side room and saw no maids or servants guarding it. She secretly rejoiced—they must have gone out with the Young Miss, they went out with the Young Miss! No one would discover her, no one would see her!
Her hand first reached into the drawer, grabbing a handful of things she normally wouldn’t dare touch. Without even looking at what they were, she stuffed everything into her bundle. Then she pushed against the cabinet but found it locked. She grew anxious, scratching and clawing at the cabinet, but couldn’t get to the gold inside.
Suddenly the door was pushed open, and Cai Fu’s voice came through: “Miss Liu Xiang, you’ve returned so quickly… what are you doing?!” Cai Fu spotted a string of green agate beads poking out from her bundle. Her eyes widened: “You’re stealing from the Young Miss, aren’t you? Quick, someone come! She’s stealing!”
Liu Xiang jumped up, her heart pounding like flax being beaten. She wanted to rush over and cover Cai Fu’s mouth to stop her from shouting. But two burly female servants quickly rushed in from outside, pinned her to the ground, tied her up with rope, and stuffed her mouth with foul-smelling socks.
“Caught red-handed with the stolen goods. What else does Miss have to say?” The servant woman wore a fierce expression. Liu Xiang suddenly realized these weren’t servants from Qing Tong Courtyard, but two horse-feeding servants, known for their great strength and brutal methods.
Why were horse-feeding servants here? She couldn’t figure it out.
Jin Chao was playing chess with her mother, whose health had improved somewhat and could now sit halfway up.
“She’s been caught?” Hearing the news from Madam Tong, Jin Chao smiled slightly. “First, spread the news throughout the manor, then we’ll interrogate her. Once we extract the truth about the stolen items, we’ll hand her over to the authorities for proper punishment.”
Seeing her daughter’s calm composure, Madam Ji felt reassured. “Take it slowly. Tomorrow is the thirtieth. Let her at least pass the New Year.”
Jin Chao smiled and said, “We need to keep her alive. Death would be too easy.”
She brought Qing Pu back to interrogate Liu Xiang. Qing Pu pinched Liu Xiang’s philtrum to wake her, then dragged her forward. Jin Chao sat in the warm chamber while the other maids and servants watched Liu Xiang, who looked around dazedly, not seeing clearly.
“When did you start stealing from the Young Miss?” Madam Tong asked her.
Liu Xiang suddenly startled, shaking her head vigorously: “Never, never, I’ve stolen anything! Young Miss must believe me! Really!”
Madam Tong turned to report to Jin Chao: “…She seems to have gone a bit mad.”
Jin Chao raised an eyebrow: “Gone mad already?”
Madam Tong smiled: “She’s been on edge these days, fearing that you would find fault with her, and being provoked by her brother—no wonder she’s acting deranged.”
Jin Chao replied calmly: “If I’d known it was so easy, I would have just had someone frighten her earlier. Continue questioning her.”
Madam Tong turned back to continue questioning Liu Xiang: “Did you conspire with the Second Young Miss to harm the First Young Miss?”
Liu Xiang tilted her head, thinking for a long time, then shook her head again: “No, no, I didn’t harm the First Young Miss! But the Second Young Miss gave me gold! Concubine Du gave me gold too! I didn’t want to harm the First Young Miss, but I wanted the gold.”
Madam Tong spat in disgust—this dog had fallen into the money pit.
Jin Chao, however, remembered her coral earrings and jade thumb ring, and asked: “Does the Second Young Miss… have frequent contact with Concubine Du?”
Liu Xiang grinned: “…I don’t know. I just saw the Second Young Miss’s maid talking with Concubine Du, just saw the maid talking!” Then she suddenly became panicked, “First Young Miss, please don’t kill me! I didn’t steal your things, it was Cai Fu who stole them, Cai Fu and Bai Yun stole them, I never did.”
She shouted very loudly. Cai Fu’s expression remained unchanged, but Bai Yun felt somewhat embarrassed.
Just then, Gu Lan arrived, bringing Zi Ling with her, entering the warm chamber with a smile on her face.
“Elder Sister, what’s happened to Miss Liu Xiang?”
Jin Chao smiled, thinking her plan to spread the news throughout the manor had worked—someone had taken the bait.
Madam Tong answered: “She stole from our First Young Miss, and we’re questioning her now.”
Gu Lan placed her hand on her chest, speaking softly: “Elder Sister, you frightened me… Doesn’t Liu Xiang serve you the best? If she stole some small items, just punish her and be done with it. Why make such a big deal? It’s almost New Year’s, for the sake of the holiday, you should forgive Miss Liu Xiang.”
Jin Chao suddenly felt annoyed by her delicate manner. She smiled and said: “This servant is outrageously bold, and I cannot tolerate it! If you want her, why don’t you take her back for yourself? After all, you love taking my people back with you.”
Gu Lan was taken aback. During this pause, Liu Xiang crawled up from the ground and immediately pounced toward her. Despite stepping back several times, she couldn’t avoid being grabbed by the arm: “Second Young Miss, I don’t have any gold left! Please give me some gold! I’ll tell you everything about the First Young Miss! Let me tell you, the First Young Miss also likes gold. If you give her gold, she’ll be happy, and might even give up her position as the legitimate daughter to you!”
Everyone’s expression changed upon hearing these words!
Although Gu Lan opposed Gu Jin Chao both openly and secretly, on the surface she still maintained sisterly affection. For a moment, she couldn’t maintain her composure: “Miss Liu Xiang, what are you saying… don’t speak nonsense.”
Jin Chao had only intended to shock the tiger by hitting the mountain, but she hadn’t expected Liu Xiang to directly implicate Gu Lan!
Liu Xiang was still grinning: “I’m not talking nonsense. I told you about the gold hairpin… you wanted to find fault with the Madam, so you went after the gold hairpin. The Madam was almost angered to death! If the Madam died, you’d be happy! You must give me gold!”
Jin Chao hadn’t expected Liu Xiang to implicate others so cleanly and thoroughly.
But Liu Xiang hadn’t finished: “You told me to mention Chen Xuan Qing to the First Young Miss every day, you told me to persuade her to like Chen Xuan Qing… you didn’t expect that I’d be wary of you too, I never told you that the First Young Miss had already…”
Jin Chao suddenly said: “Hold her! She’s speaking madness!”
Qing Pu gripped her arm with one hand and twisted, then stuffed the same smelly sock back into her mouth, finally silencing her remaining words.
Gu Lan’s face turned pale. After a moment, she caught her breath and smiled: “Elder Sister’s servant is poorly disciplined, biting people randomly. It would be terrible if she bit the wrong person.”
Jin Chao also smiled and said: “That’s strange indeed. She doesn’t bite anyone else but lunges to bite Second Sister. Did Second Sister bring some meat and bones with her? Otherwise, why would she try to pounce on you?”
Zi Ling, standing beside her, retorted: “Perhaps the First Young Miss instructed that servant to slander our Young Miss!”
Jin Chao looked at her coldly: “Are you permitted to speak here? You just entered without greeting me or using proper titles, and now you dare to talk back. If I don’t punish you, won’t all the maids and servants in the entire manor follow your example? Qing Pu, slap her mouth!”
Although this maid had spoken rashly, allowing Jin Chao to find fault, Gu Lan knew she was only protecting her mistress. She naturally wanted to defend her maid. Stepping forward, she said: “Elder Sister! I respect your position and yield to you, but don’t push me too far. At worst, I’ll make a scene before Father and let him deliver justice!”
Jin Chao looked at her beautiful, delicate face, recalling how in her previous life Father had favored her, and how her brother had also favored her. They had disregarded even her, their legitimate daughter and sister. Suddenly, both old and new grievances welled up, and she gave Qing Pu a slight nod.
Qing Pu easily grabbed Zi Ling, who screamed and struggled, cursing, but could not break free from Qing Pu’s grip. The crisp sound of slaps rang out as Qing Pu delivered several blows, quickly causing her small face to swell significantly.
“Our Qing Pu has rough hands. I’m sure her slaps are quite painful,” Jin Chao said unhurriedly. Gu Lan continued to wear a smile, but her hands were clenched tightly. The sound of those slaps was so crisp, it was as if they were landing on her face.
“I think Miss Zi Ling has learned her lesson. Qing Pu, you may stop.” Jin Chao rose and walked to stand before Gu Lan, staring at her, speaking slowly: “Second Sister, today I might as well make myself clear. Whatever you want to take from this family, I as your elder sister can overlook it all. Material things have never mattered much to me. Just don’t touch Mother or make her angry. I can play along with you on everything else, but if Mother comes to harm, I will make those who hurt her accompany her in death! Gu Lan, listen well: I, Gu Jin Chao, keep my word!”
Gu Lan maintained her smile, but no one knew how rapidly her heart was beating. She truly couldn’t understand how the woman before her—with cold eyes and resolute tone—could be the same arrogant, ignorant Gu Jin Chao who had once been so easy to manipulate. This person appeared sharp and imposing, with an aura that made her hands tremble involuntarily!
She forced another smile and said: “I don’t understand what Elder Sister is saying. What do I want from this family? You should clarify, otherwise people might think you’re deliberately slandering me… Since Elder Sister has already decided Liu Xiang’s fate, I won’t try to persuade you anymore. I’ll take my leave now.”
Staying longer would only bring more humiliation; she had suffered enough insults already.
Gu Lan turned and left. Zi Ling got up from the ground, glared at Qing Pu, then followed behind her Young Miss.
After they left, Madam Tong was delighted, grinning from ear to ear, complimenting Qing Pu: “…Young Miss, your skills are excellent!”
Qing Pu felt somewhat embarrassed: “It’s nothing special. I can handle ordinary people well enough.”
Jin Chao smiled: “Don’t be modest. When we were at Grandmother’s house, you could take on four guards by yourself!”
“First Young Miss, should we expel Miss Liu Xiang now?” asked the two servants holding Liu Xiang.
Jin Chao said: “Do as you see fit, just don’t let me see her again… and don’t let her die.”
The two servant women smiled: “We understand!” Having witnessed the scene, they felt proud to be on the First Young Miss’s side, walking with straighter backs.
Jin Chao also instructed Madam Tong to send the two servant women fifty large coins, two soy-sauce geese, and a string of sausages, to help them celebrate the New Year.
Qing Pu supported Jin Chao back to the western side room, saying: “Young Miss, you’re tired. Rest well—tomorrow is New Year’s Eve.”
Jin Chao looked at the lanterns hanging from the eaves and sighed softly: “Yes, New Year’s Eve…” Her first New Year’s Eve since her rebirth.
Zi Ling accompanied Gu Lan as they walked. She noticed her Second Young Miss’s hands wouldn’t stop shaking, and her face looked very unwell.
She quietly asked: “Young Miss, what’s wrong?”
Gu Lan looked at the snow-covered rooftops in the distance, speaking hurriedly: “We need to find Mother quickly! Hurry!”
Zi Ling was confused: “Why does Young Miss need to find Madam? She should be sleeping at this hour…”
“You fool! We need to find a Concubine Song. Don’t you understand? Look at Gu Jin Chao’s behavior—is she still Gu Jin Chao?” Hearing her speak, Gu Lan couldn’t help but lose her temper. Seeing the snow falling again, her steps became even more hurried.
Zi Ling still didn’t understand—what did she mean by Gu Jin Chao not being Gu Jin Chao anymore? But knowing her mistress was angry, she dared not say another word.