Chapter 257: Chapter 257

As she spoke, she raised her hand to show a hair ribbon she held to the County Magistrate’s Wife.

Li Yuzhu was taken aback, wasn’t this her hair ribbon?

Her hair was thick and long, requiring two hair ribbons to tie her braid securely.

This morning, she realized one was missing while combing her hair. She thought she had lost it on the road and didn’t pay much attention to it. After all, it’s just a hair ribbon; it’s no big deal if one’s missing.

Unexpectedly, this concubine found it and turned it into a big deal.

"What is this?" The County Magistrate’s Wife asked with a somber face.

"A hair ribbon, it’s Miss Li’s. Look, it’s exactly like the one in her braid." Aunt Hua pointed at Li Yuzhu’s hair, speaking with pride.

Everyone then turned to look at Li Yuzhu’s hair.

Indeed, on her braid that hung behind her head, there was a dark green hair ribbon. The small beads hanging on it were exactly like those on the ribbon in Aunt Hua’s hand.

"Miss Li has been to my room and left the hair ribbon there. Miss Li, did you take my missing items?" Aunt Hua looked coldly at Li Yuzhu. "This is evidence."

"I haven’t been to Auntie’s room. I just arrived at this residence, and I’m not familiar with the layout. I’ve only been to the Lady’s courtyard, nowhere else." Li Yuzhu spoke coldly, "I don’t even know where Auntie’s room is."

She wondered to herself why this concubine was targeting her.

Yesterday, Mu Yuanxiu had warned her that a concubine might target her, and sure enough, it happened this early in the morning.

She turned her head to look at Mu Yuanxiu.

Mu Yuanxiu nodded at her, signaling her not to be afraid.

What a joke, what was she afraid of?

Li Yuzhu turned back, looking neither servile nor overbearing at the concubine.

"Then how do you explain this hair ribbon? How did it end up in my room?" Aunt Hua sneered.

Just as Li Yuzhu was about to respond, the County Magistrate’s Wife interrupted, "Aunt Hua, just because of a hair ribbon, you’re saying my guest went to your room? I frequently find your items left in my room as well. Should I accuse you of stealing my things too?"

Aunt Hua’s face changed, tears brimming as she rubbed her eyes, "Lady, she’s your invited guest, of course you’ll defend her, but I really lost something!"

Mu Yuanxiu glanced at Aunt Hua and quietly whispered something to Li Xing’an before leaving the room.

Li Xing’an frowned slightly.

He glared angrily at the concubine, "Our family isn’t short of money. My sister has seen many good things since she was young; why would she take your things?"

"Your family isn’t short of money? Oh! Don’t make me laugh!" Aunt Hua laughed exuberantly, "If your family wasn’t short of money, why are you here begging for it? Your sister was even peddling mosquito repellent to my servants this morning. Earning every bit of the fifty-wen coin — is this what you call not short of money? It’s laughable!"

"What she does in her spare time has nothing to do with you," Li Xing’an sneered.

"Stop bragging. It was your sister who stole my silver and golden hairpin! No, it was the two of you siblings who stole! Humph, all the servants in our residence saw it!" Aunt Hua sneered.

"Who? Who saw me stealing?" Li Xing’an shouted angrily with hands on his hips.

"The cook." Aunt Hua brought Granny Qin forward, "She saw you siblings together stealing in my room!"

"Lady, this old servant saw it with my own eyes," Granny Qin nodded to the County Magistrate’s Wife.

"Lady, I wasn’t wrong, was I? She saw it with her own eyes, and there’s this hair ribbon as evidence!" Aunt Hua said proudly, "It’s of no consequence if those siblings deny it. As long as we search, the stolen goods will be found."

Mu Yuanxiu, who had just left and returned, spoke loudly, "Third Brother Li, Yuzhu, if she wants to search, let her search."

As he spoke, he flashed a gentle smile at Li Yuzhu.

Li Yuzhu’s eyes flickered slightly; did he know something, as he told her not to worry last night?

Li Yuzhu nodded, "Alright, if you’re righteous, you fear no shadow, let her search."

Li Xing’an also said, "Let her search."

But the County Magistrate’s Wife said, "Hold on! Hua Yanrong, these are my guests; you cannot be disrespectful!"

Aunt Hua sneered, "Lady, do just your guests have the right to steal things from the residence?"

"They couldn’t possibly steal anything!" The County Magistrate’s Wife sneered.

"Lady, you’ve been married to the Lord for many years; how come you’ve never learned his skill in solving cases? Whether they’re innocent or not isn’t determined by mere words, but by evidence! If the Li Family’s siblings really didn’t steal, why not let us search? Didn’t they repeatedly claim to be righteous and fearless? Why fear the search then?"

The County Magistrate’s Wife was so angry that she clutched her chest, "You... you..."

Her face was as pale as a sheet.

Two maids quickly supported her. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on noveⅼfire.net

Li Yuzhu also stepped forward, saying, "Lady, let her search, we didn’t take anything."