Su Xiaoqi's patience had long been exhausted after listening to Ruan Xiaorui's rambling for more than half an hour.
However, Ruan Xiaorui did not know that while she was stalling for time, Su Xiaoqi was also stalling.
Shen Yun had made an agreement with her before he left.
To be safe, Su Xiaoqi would interrogate Ruan Xiaorui here.
He, on the other hand, would take people to investigate Ruan Xiaorui's family.
They would then compare their findings to see who was telling the truth.
But Shen Yun had not returned yet.
Su Xiaoqi was getting anxious.
She thought to herself that this young Ruan Xiaorui was already troublesome.
Then, wouldn't the parents hidden behind her be even more formidable?
But thinking about Shen Yun's capabilities, Su Xiaoqi felt she might be overthinking.
In her experience, very few people could outwit her.
With matters weighing on her mind, Su Xiaoqi had no intention of continuing to confront the deceitful Ruan Xiaorui.
She directly ordered her to be taken away and locked up.
Upon hearing that she had said so much and was still to be locked up, Ruan Xiaorui felt a sense of collapse, cursing inwardly that Su Xiaoqi was such a difficult person.
She had tried her best, yet she dared not utter any complaints, only pleading through tears:
"Ah, no, no, don't, Auntie, you can't lock me up.
Cousin, save me, save me, please put in a good word for me."
Su Xiaoqi pretended not to hear and waved her hand, and Zhang Yu pulled her away.
The place she was locked up was the woodshed where the previously captured peddler was held.
Shen Mingzhu did not speak up, which was unusual, even in the face of Ruan Xiaorui's tearful pleas.
She had been sitting nearby, and after speaking a few words earlier, she had remained silent.
She was deeply shocked.
Ruan Xiaorui, such a young girl, appearing so unresponsive, was actually so cunning.
If not for her sister-in-law's presence, she might have been completely fooled by her.
Therefore, even with her inherent kindness, she was not foolish.
Knowing that this little girl had malicious intentions from the very beginning.
How could she be so silly as to add to her sister-in-law's troubles and plead for her?
It was like the fable of the farmer and the snake.
Su Xiaoqi was very pleased with Shen Mingzhu's behavior and directly lectured her.
"You did very well just now. Although she used the pretense of being our relative.
But in this world, distant relations do not necessarily mean close ones. If she were truly close, she wouldn't be plotting against us.
So from the moment their family thought of scheming against us, they stopped treating us as relatives.
In turn, why should we be overly sympathetic and treat them as anything important?"
Her sister-in-law's words were very clear, and Shen Mingzhu immediately stood up and bowed: "Sister-in-law, you are right, Mingzhu understands."
"Let's see how this unfolds. Until the very end, I don't know what will happen.
But one thing is for sure: no one who plots against us will be able to get away with it."
Su Xiaoqi was by no means a saintly figure who was good to everyone unconditionally.
Seeing that her sister-in-law looked a bit tired, Shen Mingzhu proactively suggested that this matter would eventually reach their mother's ears. Rather than letting others tell her, it would be better for them to inform her directly.
This would also prevent their mother from being too concerned about family ties and falling into their trap. Su Xiaoqi looked at Shen Mingzhu with relief.
She gave her a thumbs-up: "I am very happy that you have this insight now and can say these words. I didn't teach you in vain."
Shen Mingzhu's face flushed with praise. She left the side hall and went to Zhao Shi's room.
As expected, she recounted the entire incident.
Because she had witnessed Ruan Xiaorui's capriciousness and sophistry throughout the entire process, her telling of it was very vivid.
She also told Zhao Shi that anyone who claimed to be Zhao Xiaolan or their relative should not be seen, and even if they were seen, they should not be listened to.
Zhao Shi was a reasonable person.
Knowing that Xiaoqi and Mingzhu had given such instructions for a reason, she quickly nodded.
She also instructed the always kind-hearted Shen Mingzhu not to be deceived by anyone.
The mother and daughter comforted each other, cheering each other on.
The maids serving them could not help but smile.
Ruan Xiaorui was thrown into the woodshed.
It was dark, damp, and teeming with cockroaches and rats.
As soon as she entered, she had an intimate encounter with a rat that was arching its back and gnawing on grain on the ground.
When her hand touched the soft, furry, and wet body of the rat, she let out a startled scream.
She startled the peddler, who had been sleeping soundly on the ground.
He immediately cursed: "Who the hell is screaming like a ghost and disturbing your grandfather's beautiful dream."
Ruan Xiaorui was both startled and delighted. All her defenses vanished, and she rushed forward, crying loudly:
"Ah, Second Uncle, Second Uncle, is that you? I'm Xiaorui."
Su Xiaoqi, who was eavesdropping outside, let out a cold laugh and walked away.
After all, she was just a child. She had learned the superficial acting skills of adults but could not control her inner fear.
"You are Xiaorui, how did you get here?" The peddler could not see Ruan Xiaorui in the darkness.
But having lived together for many years, he was familiar with her voice.
Ruan Xiaorui avoided the question, only begging repeatedly: "Second Uncle, Second Uncle, save me."
The peddler gave a helpless wry smile: "How can I save you? I've been locked up myself."
Ruan Xiaorui refused to say how she got here, but he recounted his own downfall in detail.
Ruan Xiaorui, no longer bothered by the rat, suddenly became calm and detached. She said abruptly:
"Why didn't they kill you?"
"I, I, I don't know either, maybe they wanted to get more information from me."
Ruan Xiaorui's voice suddenly changed: "Meaning, Second Uncle confessed everything about the organization, and that's why they let you go?"
The peddler quickly denied it, saying he hadn't.
But Ruan Xiaorui refused to believe him, saying sternly:
"Second Uncle, you should know, you should know."
Su Xiaoqi, who was eavesdropping outside wrapped in a thick down jacket, suddenly tugged at Zhang Yu:
"This is bad, we underestimated Ruan Xiaorui. She's going to kill someone."
As soon as she spoke, Zhang Yu kicked open the windowpane and leaped in.
Without looking, she aimed a kick at the figure in the darkness.
She didn't care who it was.
No matter who took the blow from her kick, they would be injured.
If she hit the assailant, it would save trouble.
However, it didn't matter if she hit the peddler.
Exchanging an injury for a life was also his good fortune.
Zhang Yu stood at the doorway, her eyes, now accustomed to the darkness, fixed on the two figures in the corner.
At this moment, whoever dared to move would suffer.
Su Xiaoqi lit a horse lantern and walked in.
At a glance, she saw the peddler lying motionless on the ground.
And Ruan Xiaorui, sitting against the wall, extending her right hand to block the light.
"Clap, clap, clap." Su Xiaoqi gave her a round of applause.
"Very impressive, you didn't hesitate to harm your own uncle."
At this point, Ruan Xiaorui had nothing left to say.
The reason she had gone through so much trouble to come here and cause so much commotion.
Was precisely to find out about her uncle who had been captured.
If he had died, so be it.
If he hadn't died, her mission was to kill him.
Unfortunately, she had not succeeded.
She then slowly lowered her hand and looked at Su Xiaoqi.
This woman was more formidable than she had imagined.
Initially, when she heard Su Xiaoqi say she would lock her up in the woodshed, she had thought she was a fool.
No matter how beautiful she was, or how smart she seemed on the surface, what was the point if she was still being played by her?
Unfortunately, in the end, she was the only clown.