Chapter 258: Chapter 258
As she spoke, she pressed a certain acupuncture point on the County Magistrate’s Wife to help calm her down.
Being excessively angry in illness is detrimental to one’s health.
Li Yuzhu pressed on the County Magistrate’s Wife’s acupuncture point, and the County Magistrate’s Wife understood her actions.
"I will not let anyone bully you, Miss Li," the County Magistrate’s Wife said, holding her hand.
Li Yuzhu gave her a slight smile.
"Madam, do you agree to the search?" Aunt Hua said to the maid and nanny beside her, "Hurry and search for the missing items!"
The two of them responded, turned, and strode forward.
Li Xing’an beckoned to Mu Yuanxiu, "Let’s go see together."
The two of them walked quickly, closely following the two maids.
The County Magistrate’s Wife followed with a stern face.
Li Yuzhu and Chun’er accompanied her.
Li Yuzhu’s room was right next to the main room.
Everyone quickly arrived there. Updates are released by novel fire.net
Although the door of the main room was closed, it opened with a push.
Aunt Hua’s two maids rushed into the room, straight to the bed.
They shook out the pillows and quilts.
But nothing fell out.
The maid and the nanny exchanged a glance, both looking puzzled.
Unwilling to give up, they searched other places.
In the cabinets, drawers, under the bed, and the vases in the room, but still found nothing.
Finally, they dragged out Li Yuzhu’s two rattan boxes.
But after opening the boxes, they still did not find what they were looking for.
Their faces became panicked, and they turned back to look at Aunt Hua together.
Aunt Hua’s face also turned anxious.
How could more than twenty taels of silver and a well-crafted golden hairpin just disappear like that?
After the County Magistrate’s Wife entered the room, she sat in a chair and said nothing, quietly watching Aunt Hua’s people search for the items.
She was not in favor anymore.
Although she was still in charge of affairs in the mansion, not all the servants were hers; some were Aunt Hua’s.
Aunt Hua, relying on the Magistrate’s favor, often took things openly and hid them in the mansion.
She had no way of dealing with it.
If Aunt Hua stirred trouble today, she would not be polite!
"Aunt Hua, didn’t you say, Miss Li stole something? Then where is it?" the County Magistrate’s Wife sneered.
Aunt Hua looked embarrassed, "Madam, she must have moved it elsewhere."
"Enough!" the County Magistrate’s Wife slammed the table heavily. "Are you done?"
She then ordered someone to drag Granny Qin, who filed the false accusation, out to be punished.
Granny Qin screamed in terror.
Aunt Hua was also taken aback, but she remained unyielding, "But my things are indeed missing, and Madam won’t care? The hands and feet of these country folks are not clean! Don’t people say that harsh lands breed unruly citizens? Do you just trust them so much? Right now, it’s my money and jewelry missing, but who knows when the master’s documents might get stolen, can you bear that responsibility?"
"I am in charge here, can I not bear it?" the County Magistrate’s Wife squinted and said to the maid beside her, "Chun’er, go invite the master!"
"Yes, madam." Chun’er picked up her skirt and ran out quickly.
Soon, Chun’er returned with the County Magistrate.
The County Magistrate’s voice, stern and authoritative, was heard even before he entered the room, "What’s all this noise early in the morning?"
Everyone stepped back respectfully and saluted, "Master."
Li Yuzhu, Li Xing’an, and Mu Yuanxiu also saluted.
Soon, a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue scholar’s long robe and a black square cap entered the room, hands behind his back, walking with the gait of an official.
Li Yuzhu quietly observed this County Magistrate. He was in his early thirties, of medium build, with a square face, slightly dark complexion, thick eyebrows, and big eyes, resembling a righteous character from a TV show.
His face was calm, naturally exuding authority, a local official who indeed needed such demeanor.
The County Magistrate’s Wife, supported by Xia’er, stood up shakily, "Master." Her voice was weak.
After Chun’er adjusted the County Magistrate’s chair, she quickly stepped forward to support her.
"You’re not taking care of your health when you’re sick, stirring up trouble early in the morning? Don’t you cherish your own body?" The County Magistrate, with hands behind his back, gave her a cold glance before leisurely sitting on the chair.
Full of official authority.
The County Magistrate’s Wife’s face darkened with anger. She was being blamed?
But with outsiders present, a concubine too, she swallowed her anger.
Already ill, after getting angry several times, and fasting for treatment, her stomach started to ache dully again.
Her head also began to feel dizzy.
She frowned, held her abdomen, and sat down.
Li Yuzhu sighed with compassion.
She just arrived, witnessing this family quarrel; do they argue even more fiercely usually?
This County Magistrate’s Wife really endures so much humiliation.
"Master, Aunt Hua’s jewelry and money are missing. She says the Miss Li I invited took them. I said she didn’t, and Miss Li also denies it, but Aunt Hua doesn’t believe it, insisting Miss Li took them. So she had people search the room, after several rounds, nothing was found. She then claimed Miss Li moved the items. They just arrived at the mansion last night, unfamiliar with the place, saying they stole and then moved the items is too far-fetched. So, I had Chun’er invite the master to resolve this." The County Magistrate’s Wife spoke calmly, head bowed.
"Master, you must seek justice for me," Aunt Hua cried, covering her face, "That golden hairpin was a birthday gift you gave me last year, and I only wore it once, and now it’s lost. I’m so... I’m so heartbroken..."
She cried, appearing deeply grieved, almost wailing.
However, Li Yuzhu did not see her tears fall.
Because she was covering her face.
"Where’s the thief? Come forward for the court to see!" the County Magistrate shouted sternly.
Li Yuzhu did not move; she had not stolen anything.
Worried she might be punished, Li Xing’an immediately stepped forward, standing protectively by her side.
Mu Yuanxiu stood to the other side.
The County Magistrate looked up, just slightly raising his eyebrows when he was about to speak, his gaze fell upon a familiar face.
Why does it look so similar?
In the County Magistrate’s heart, there was a sudden jolt.
This young man of sixteen or seventeen, why does he resemble the third young master of the Lu Ling Royal Mansion so much?
He nodded towards the County Magistrate’s Wife, "Madam, come with me, I have something to ask you alone."
After glancing at Li Xing’an, he frowned deeply, hands behind his back as he walked to the main room next door.
The County Magistrate’s Wife was puzzled but got up and followed.
"Master, what’s the matter?" The County Magistrate’s Wife asked blandly.
The County Magistrate instructed a maid wiping the table inside the room, "You go out, stand at the door and keep watch, without my permission, no one is to enter."
The maid cast a suspicious glance at the County Magistrate, gave a nod, and withdrew.
The County Magistrate’s Wife was even more perplexed.
"What’s the matter, master?" Despite this, she was actually pleased.
Look, in times of concern, the County Magistrate still conferred with her as the chief wife, leaving Aunt Hua out of it.
She held disdain in her heart for Aunt Hua; a songstress brought up in a troupe, unread and unlearned, could only become a concubine, unfit to be the chief wife!
Look at the trouble Aunt Hua caused today, using such a low, foolish trick just to drive Li Yuzhu away.
To be a proper chief wife, one must have a generous nature, underhandedly vying for favor would only bring misfortune to the family.
"What are the names of the Li Family siblings you brought back?" The County Magistrate stared at the County Magistrate’s Wife’s face, asking solemnly.
The County Magistrate’s Wife blinked, "Master, why do you ask this suddenly? Is there a problem?"