Just a moment ago, everyone thought Yun Xi was a frail girl who was bullied by her stepmother and deserved their pity. But in the next moment, they felt she was extremely scheming, playing everyone like a puppet!
Facing the sharp looks that could pierce her like a honeycomb, Yun Xi sneered inwardly.
This was the usual tactic of Madam Jiang: first, clear herself of any suspicion, then send out a pawn to fight against Yun Xi while she watched from the sidelines, waiting to reap the benefits.
Madam Jiang had planned every step carefully. If Yun Xi had acted rashly, she would have fallen right into her trap!
So, she decided to wait and see, deliberately provoking Madam Jiang to take action. The more Madam Jiang showed her hand, the clearer her father would see her true colors.
However, like a crafty rabbit with three burrows, how could Madam Jiang be easily caught?
Yun Xi looked shocked, as if she had forgotten how to react.
Yun Sheng kicked the maid angrily and roared, "My daughter is pure and innocent. How dare you, a lowly maid, slander her? If you say another word, I'll have your head chopped off right away!"
As the prime minister, Yun Sheng was already imposing. When he was furious, he was even more terrifying. Just hearing the words "have your head chopped off", the maid shrank her neck and trembled.
Yun Sheng's eagerness to protect his daughter made others suspect that he was covering up for her.
Meeting her father's skeptical but still trusting eyes, Yun Xi felt sad.
She knew that Madam Jiang had often spoken ill of her and Jiang Qing. Even her grandmother had complaints. Even if her father didn't believe those rumors at first, he might have doubts after a long time...
Did Madam Jiang think that she could be easily bullied and beaten like this?
She was timid, but not stupid!
"Yu Zhu, bring that maid's bag here!"
She had to clear her name in public. Otherwise, even if she managed to get through this, she might be criticized in the future!
Yun Xi struggled to get out of bed. Yun Sheng nervously reached out to help her, but she refused. He was worried.
Yu Zhu didn't understand what was going on, but she fetched a bag as told and slowly opened it. All the things inside were laid out in front of everyone.
Besides two maids' clothes, there was also a bag of silver and several pieces of jewelry.
Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that the craftsmanship and quality of the jewelry were very valuable!
The maid, who had been shrinking in a ball just now, immediately tensed up when she saw the bag and rushed forward to grab it.
But this time, Yu Zhu was prepared. She raised her hand and slapped the maid on both sides of her face.
Yun Xi looked at her father with a resentful look in her eyes and a sad tone, "Before, my jewelry often went missing. After Yu Zhu's investigation, I found out that it was this maid who did it. But considering that she was Madam's servant, I didn't dare to pursue the matter. I just told her to turn over a new leaf and not to do it again. But who would have thought that she took advantage of my kindness and stole again. We caught her red - handed last night, but she still refused to admit it. In a fit of anger, I said that I would hand her over to the yamen for interrogation when we returned to the capital. I didn't expect that she would bear a grudge against me and try to slander my innocence!"
Yun Xi tightly pursed her lips, her eyes filled with tears, looking extremely aggrieved, just like a girl who had just realized the evil of human nature and was disappointed and hurt.
"Is there really such a thing?!" Yun Sheng roared angrily, his eyebrows knitted into a frown.
No wonder the servants in the mansion were spreading rumors that Jiang Qing often went to his daughter's courtyard. It turned out that it was all this lowly maid's fault!
Otherwise, his pure and obedient daughter would never have done such a ridiculous thing!
Yun Xi shed tears, looking extremely weak in everyone's eyes.
After all, she was the legitimate eldest daughter of the family, bullied like this by the servant sent by her stepmother. Who could be more miserable than her?
Yun Sheng's eyes were like sharp blades, scaring the maid back. After meeting the killing intent in Madam Jiang's eyes, the maid gritted her teeth and shouted, "Miss is framing me! These pieces of jewelry were clearly given by Mama Luo. It's the miss who has an affair with the young master, and she's afraid of being exposed..."
Before the maid could finish, Yu Zhu swung her arm and slapped her two more times. She said indignantly, "Don't think that you can talk nonsense just because you have Madam's backing! In the Prime Minister's Mansion, which Mama Luo would be so generous as to reward a third - class maid with such expensive things? Did you do some great service for a certain master?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Madam Jiang's heart skipped a beat. Before others could think more, she also angrily scolded, "Lowly maid! I told you to take good care of the miss, but you actually stole things? That's not enough. You even dared to slander the miss? If you can't produce evidence, I'll have your tongue pulled out!"
The maid, who had been beaten dizzy, immediately shouted after receiving Madam Jiang's hint, "I have evidence! It's hidden under the miss's pillow! It's a sweat towel with the young master's name embroidered on it!"
A sweat towel? Such a private item?!
Everyone's mood fluctuated. Even Yu Zhu's face changed instantly. She looked at Yun Xi uneasily.
Looking around at the inquisitive looks of everyone, Yun Xi sighed. In full view of everyone, she lifted her pillow.
A red - brown cloth was lying there!
Madam Jiang curled her lips imperceptibly. Yun Sheng looked gloomy, with frost in his eyes.
"Is this what you're talking about?" Yun Xi picked up the square cloth and spoke calmly. Her eyes looking at the maid were calm.
The maid hesitated. She felt that the color was a bit different from the one she had placed before. But when she vaguely saw the small characters on the corner, she quickly nodded, "Yes! This is the young master's sweat towel!" Her tone was very confident.
Yun Xi didn't say a word. Instead, she slowly unfolded the square cloth. As she did so, everyone's expressions were stunned.
The cloth was as smooth as flowing water. The character "Shou" (longevity) embroidered with gold thread was clearly visible!
And the pattern of "The Goddess Magu Presenting Longevity" on it was even more distinct and delicate. A line of small characters at the end was obviously not finished...
"Is it really the Kesi silk from Su's shop?"
"And it's Yunjin embroidery!"
Someone exclaimed. Everyone knew how precious the Kesi silk from Su's shop was. It was the fabric used by the royal family, worth its weight in gold. Ordinary people couldn't afford it at all.
More importantly, regarding this Yunjin embroidery, it was rumored that only three people in the whole Liuguo knew how to do it, and two of them happened to be in the Prime Minister's Mansion.
Everyone couldn't help but look at Yun Xi with envy. But Yun Xi smiled bitterly and looked at her father, "Grandma's birthday is next month. I didn't dare to delay. I was also afraid that father would feel bad, so I've been secretly embroidering it. But who would have thought..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Yun Sheng already regretted his previous doubts.
How could a rough maid recognize Jiang Qing's name?
His daughter's filial piety had been so badly trampled on. Yun Sheng felt extremely ashamed for having suspected his daughter just now!
"Someone! Immediately take this lowly maid away!" The usually steady Yun Sheng almost roared.
Finally, he cast a cold look at Madam Jiang and said to the guards beside him, "Watch this person closely. If anything goes wrong, I'll hold you accountable!"
It seemed that he was going to get to the bottom of this!
After everyone left, Yu Zhu gently treated Yun Xi's wound with a resentful look on her face.
"Miss, why did you let Madam Jiang off? It's obvious that she planned all this!"
She was almost scared to death!
If the miss hadn't been prepared, just the matter of the sweat towel alone would have been enough to ruin a girl's life!
"It's not the right time yet." Yun Xi patted Yu Zhu's hand and made a bitter face.
"Yu Zhu, did you take the wrong ointment? Why do I feel like it's chili oil?"
Otherwise, why did her foot hurt even more!
This was her foot, not a pig's trotter!