The old matriarch only hesitated for a moment before slamming her walking stick hard on the ground, producing a heavy thud. "Bold slave! How dare you steal things!"
Even Gu Yimiao was startled. Her face showed a hint of panic. She had no idea why the bracelet was in this slave's hands.
The old matriarch stared fixedly at Xiaocui, her chest still heaving violently. The anger in her heart refused to subside for a long time.
Even the servants in the Gu Mansion dared to steal her favorite item. If this got out, not only would she lose face, but the entire Gu family would become the laughingstock of the capital. How could a servant ride roughshod over the master?
Xiaocui was also terribly frightened by the commotion. With a thud, she quickly knelt on the ground, forgetting about the wound on her back. She could only kowtow in a hurry. Although she didn't know what she had done wrong, she wondered if the matter had been exposed.
But the next words froze Xiaocui in place.
"Tell me, where did you steal this bracelet?"
The old matriarch's aged voice trembled with suppressed anger.
She had taken great care of the Mu Long jade bracelet. How could it have been stolen by a mere servant? There must be a mastermind behind her.
The old matriarch watched the trembling figure on the ground, not missing a single move.
Xiaocui glanced at the bracelet on her wrist. Although the workmanship and materials of the bracelet were indeed extremely exquisite, she thought that Gu Yimiao had seen her take thirty strokes of the rod and still endured the unhealed wound on her body to do things for her. Since she had put in some effort, Gu Yimiao must have specially rewarded her.
But now Xiaocui understood that things were not as simple as she had thought.
The old matriarch's patience was wearing thin.
"Speak up!"
Gu Yimiao, who was standing beside the old matriarch, turned pale with fright. She was the one who had stolen the jade bracelet. If the matter was really investigated, she would surely be implicated.
Fortunately, no one was wronging Gu Jiangyue anymore. Gu Jiangyue and Zhiyuan were standing together, watching the scene in front of them. Gu Jiangyue winked at Zhiyuan and made a gesture, indicating that she had done a good job.
Gu Jiangyue folded her arms, wearing a proper smile on her face. She no longer looked as pitiful as before.
At this moment, Xiaocui on the ground could no longer hold on. She began to wail loudly, with tears and snot covering her face.
"It was just lying on my table. I thought the Fifth Miss gave it to me."
Xiaocui cried and shouted continuously, her voice shrill.
Gu Jiangyue let out a soft tsk. Although Xiaocui was telling the truth, so what? She was just a servant. Who would believe her words?
When Gu Yimiao heard Xiaocui suddenly mention her, she immediately panicked. Her face flushed red. Pointing at Xiaocui, she said,
"You shameless slave! Don't talk nonsense. What does this have to do with me? A good bracelet like this, you don't deserve it. You're really blind."
After hearing Gu Yimiao's words, Xiaocui cried even louder. Since Gu Yimiao had said such things about her, it meant that no one in the Gu Mansion would stand up for her.
The old matriarch was too lazy to listen to Xiaocui. Even her crying annoyed her. The old matriarch directly sent the nanny beside her to Xiaocui's room. Sure enough, they found the box that had contained the jade bracelet in Xiaocui's room.
With all the physical evidence in hand, Xiaocui was unable to defend herself. However, the old matriarch's look at Gu Yimiao became even more strange. After all, Xiaocui was just a servant. It was too far - fetched to say that she alone had stolen the precious item.
But looking at the jade bracelet that had just been taken from Xiaocui's hand, since the bracelet was unharmed, the old matriarch didn't want to pursue the matter any further. The old matriarch was used to the intrigues in the deep - seated mansion. Coupled with Gu Yimiao's eagerness to drag her to Gu Jiangyue's room today, the old matriarch immediately understood what was going on.
Gu Yimiao watched as Xiaocui was dragged out. Her heart was almost in her throat. She wasn't very smart and never thought that this matter might be Gu Jiangyue's doing.
She tried hard to control her trembling body, forcing a smile that was stiffer than a cry on her face, and said reluctantly,
"It turns out it was all a misunderstanding. Sister wrongly blamed Sister Jiangyue. Sister is here to apologize."
Gu Jiangyue didn't say a word. She just gave her a cold, sidelong glance and ignored her.
Before leaving, the old matriarch glared at Gu Yimiao. The warning in her eyes made Gu Yimiao shiver involuntarily, feeling as if she had needles in her back.
"You'd better behave yourself."
The old matriarch left with her precious bracelet after throwing out this sentence. Only after her figure completely disappeared into the darkness did Gu Yimiao heave a sigh of relief.
Her haughty look returned. Frowning and glaring at Gu Jiangyue, she said menacingly,
"Gu Jiangyue, you just wait."
Gu Jiangyue wasn't annoyed at her. She just tilted her head and smiled, a very gentle and sweet smile, but her voice was extremely cold.
"I'll be waiting."
Gu Yimiao knew she couldn't argue with her. She flung her sleeves angrily, snorted, and left.
The room returned to its usual silence. Gu Jiangyue looked at the place where Xiaocui had knelt just now. She didn't say a word, just let out a deep sigh.
Xiaocui was dead, but there would be another Xiaocui, and another after that. It would go on and on, in an endless cycle.
Although Xiaocui was dead, Gu Jiangyue didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt. It wasn't her who should feel guilty, but Gu Yimiao. Gu Yimiao and Gu Zhuying were the masterminds of this incident.
If she didn't fight back, it would be her who got beaten today.
Moreover, Xiaocui had been so arrogant, acting as the young miss of the Gu Mansion in her place for a long time.
Gu Jiangyue only killed those who deserved to die.
After the matter was settled, Gu Jiangyue sent Zhiyuan back. She sat alone at the table, constantly recalling the old matriarch's last look in her mind.
Gu Jiangyue knew very well that the old matriarch wasn't a fool. She must know that this matter was related to Gu Yimiao.
However, even so, the old matriarch would never order Gu Yimiao to be beaten thirty strokes of the rod, because Gu Yimiao was more valuable and useful. It would be a great loss to hurt her.
So if Gu Jiangyue wanted to survive safely in the Gu Mansion, the most important thing was to increase her own value. This was her capital to survive.
Gu Jiangyue's eyes darkened. Gu Yimiao was a fool and easy to deal with, but Gu Zhuying behind her might not be. Most of the methods Gu Yimiao used to frame her in the past were probably thought up by Gu Zhuying.
Gu Jiangyue wanted to keep Gu Yimiao around for a while. As for Gu Zhuying, she would never let her go.
One by one, no one who had harmed her would be able to escape.