Su Xiaoqi, upon hearing this, burst into a laugh of pure indignation. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did this rumor surface later?"
Zhang Yu nodded, stating that she had been keeping a close eye on the matter, and any new developments would be reported to her immediately.
She was certain that this rumor had not existed before and had only appeared later.
"Have you traced the source?" Su Xiaoqi asked, blinking her eyes.
"We've sent people to investigate, but there's no news yet," Zhang Yu replied sheepishly.
Su Xiaoqi smiled and indifferently said, "Perhaps we should invite Zi Yan to speak with us."
The storyteller had not explicitly mentioned which manor or official in the earlier parts of the story.
However, the latest tale specifically pointed to the Zhuangyuan (top scholar) and the Zhuangyuan's wife.
Although the situation described had no bearing on Su Xiaoqi whatsoever, Shen Yun was the new Zhuangyuan of this imperial examination.
Any mention of it would easily lead people to think of him, and subsequently, to think of her.
Even Du Yiyi had come to ask her about it these past two days.
The Grand Princess had also sent Granny Xu to visit, inquiring indirectly.
She had also advised Su Xiaoqi not to worry about having a child, stating that they were still young and should not listen to such nonsensical talk.
This made it clear that whoever spread such rumors was intentionally targeting her.
Being so openly targeted, Su Xiaoqi couldn't help but ponder.
In her time in the capital, she hadn't offended too many people, nor too few.
But recently, the ones who had a rift with her and were capable of doing something like this could be counted on two hands, and only two at most.
Zhang Yu acknowledged her words and turned to leave.
She soon returned with Zi Yan.
"Has the one in the east wing been sending letters outside recently?" Su Xiaoqi asked.
Zi Yan thought for a moment and shook her head, "No, ma'am. I've been following Manager Zhang Yu's instructions and keeping an eye on them outside.
They only wrote a letter once previously."
Su Xiaoqi didn't believe Mei Xin would be so well-behaved and asked, "Has Zi Yu gone out?"
Zi Yan nodded this time, "Zi Yu has always been gluttonous; she's gone out the back door to buy candied hawthorns several times."
Su Xiaoqi understood, "It seems the problem lies with the vendor who sells the candied hawthorns."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu immediately knew what to do.
"I'll go investigate right away," she said.
Su Xiaoqi said, "Why bother with so much trouble? Just bring Zi Yu over to question her directly."
Zhang Yu was surprised, "Madame, aren't you keeping her?"
"What's the point of keeping her? Her intentions have always been impure. I only kept her because I was too busy before and didn't have the time to deal with her."
Zhang Yu felt that she had misunderstood her mistress's intentions all along.
She had thought that keeping Zi Yu meant her mistress was playing the long game to catch a bigger fish.
"By keeping her, that person wouldn't have to act personally. I want to force her to make the first move," Su Xiaoqi explained with a smile.
This way, she could make Madam Zhao completely give up on her.
To avoid any negative impact on the mother-in-law-daughter-in-law relationship because of her.
Mei Xin had too many thoughts and was filled with negative energy; Su Xiaoqi no longer wanted to keep her.
From previous events, she could tell that Madam Zhao no longer favored her as much as she did initially.
After all, who could tolerate someone constantly nagging in front of them and ruining family harmony!
Zhang Yu fully agreed with this point and repeatedly said, "Exactly."
With that, she immediately went out and quickly brought Zi Yu back.
Grabbing Zi Yu by the collar of her neck, she threw her to the ground.
Zi Yu, terrified, burst into tears, "Waaah!"
Seeing Su Xiaoqi, she immediately kowtowed and said she didn't know what wrong she had done, and why Manager Zhang Yu was treating her like this.
"Pah! Calling someone 'sister'? I don't have a sister like you."
Zhang Yu berated her, then took out a small cloth bundle, placed it on the table, and unfolded it to reveal a packet of glittering jewelry.
Su Xiaoqi was surprised to find two of her hairpins and two necklaces inside.
There were also several ruby and pearl jewelry pieces she had bought for Madam Zhao and Shen Mingzhu.
"Where did these come from?" Su Xiaoqi asked deliberately.
She had initially been contemplating what crime to charge Zi Yu with, but unexpectedly, a ready excuse had presented itself.
"Madame, Zi Yu is audacious and has been stealing everywhere under the guise of serving the mistress. All these jewelry pieces belonging to the mistresses were stolen by her."
"No, they're not mine, they're not!" Zi Yu's heart sank when she saw the items in the bundle, her first reaction being that it was all over.
But she still had to struggle.
"Madame, I had suspected her of stealing earlier, but I didn't have any concrete evidence, so I couldn't make a definitive judgment," Zhang Yu explained why she hadn't told Su Xiaoqi sooner.
"Catching a thief requires proof. You did the right thing," Su Xiaoqi said.
Accusing someone of being a thief without any evidence, if they truly were, that would be one thing. But if they weren't, or if there was a misunderstanding, it would be deeply hurtful.
However, in Zi Yu's case, that was not an issue.
The jewelry in the bundle was concrete evidence; it wouldn't lie.
"Hmph, if you didn't take them, did they grow legs and walk into your room?
What's detestable is that the cloth used for this bundle is the Hangzhou silk meant for Mingzhu's clothes, and this handkerchief too, it's clearly..."
When Su Xiaoqi saw a dark blue handkerchief embroidered with mandarin ducks inside, her brows furrowed deeply.
Damn it, the material for this handkerchief was gifted to her by the Grand Princess, and she had used it to make a straight-line robe for Shen Yun.
Zi Yu truly hadn't changed her ways and still harbored hopes for Shen Yun.
She was truly worthless.
Zi Yu's face suddenly turned red. Su Xiaoqi suddenly realized that the issue with this handkerchief might be more than just that.
Coupled with her flushed face, she thought of how some people, when their desires are unfulfilled, would take items belonging to the person they longed for as mementos, and even engage in some self-pleasing acts...
A chill ran through her. She didn't want to delve deeper, as it would only provoke her unnecessarily.
"As a servant, instead of wholeheartedly serving your mistress, you secretly betray her by stealing your mistress's belongings. Zhang Yu, tell her, what is the penalty for such an act!"
Zhang Yu let out a cold snort and said, "Sixty strokes of the cane, branded and exiled to a land of bitter cold."
"Ah, no, please don't exile me, Madame, I beg you. I... I haven't done anything. I just... I just like these things and wanted to look at them for a moment."
Zi Yu didn't realize what her real problem was at all.
Nor did she understand why Su Xiaoqi was looking for her.
She truly believed it was about her stealing.
Su Xiaoqi had no interest in these inexpensive trinkets; she wanted to question her.
With a look, Zhang Yu understood. After giving Zi Yu a good scare, she changed her tone, saying, "You don't want to be exiled? You can avoid it if you perform well. If Madame is satisfied, she probably won't send you to the authorities."
"Good, good, I will perform well, I will perform well," Zi Yu agreed repeatedly.
She had never realized her mistress was such a formidable person. She dared not fail to perform well.
"Speak, what did you say to that peddler outside yesterday?"
"Ah..."
"What did you say to the peddler when you bought the candied hawthorns?" Zhang Yu demanded sternly.
Zi Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she was terrified. She was truly afraid of Zhang Yu; she knew Zhang Yu would actually hit her.
"I didn't say anything, I didn't say anything, it was just..." Zi Yu, though scared, still wanted to concoct a story.
She thought to herself that since they had caught her for questioning and not directly apprehended the peddler, it meant they didn't know much.
Before she could spin her tale, Su Xiaoqi said with a cold expression:
"Speak truthfully, or you can say it in the official yamen."
Zi Yu thought of the solemn officials and the stern halls of justice. Her psychological defenses crumbled completely. She tearfully confessed that every time she went to buy candied hawthorns or other items, it was the same peddler.
She wasn't the one initiating conversations; she was passing messages for Miss Mei Xin.
"What message?" Su Xiaoqi pressed.
"Miss Mei Xin said the matter of Huangjue Temple can be investigated."
"Ruan Liu said the matter of Huangjue Temple has been investigated, and the person is in the Ministry of Justice. The higher-ups have already taken action."
"Action? What action?" Su Xiaoqi instinctively felt they had sent people to steal those case files.
However, Zi Yu was just a small fry, and her knowledge was truly limited.
To find out more, they would have to catch that peddler.
Su Xiaoqi said, "Do you want to eat candied hawthorns again today?"
Zi Yu's face was streaked with tears and snot. For a moment, she didn't know what to say and could only stare blankly at Su Xiaoqi, her large almond-shaped eyes filled with confusion.
"Madame won't send me to the authorities again, will she?"
"Whether you are sent or not depends on your performance. Go buy another skewer of candied hawthorns this afternoon," Su Xiaoqi commanded coldly.
Zi Yu finally understood; they wanted to use her to catch Ruan Liu.
Her body stiffened instantly, and her lips trembled, rendering her speechless.
Zhang Yu, thinking she was scared, specifically comforted her:
"You don't have to do anything, just act as usual."
Su Xiaoqi, however, let out a cold snort, "I fear she harbors delusions, thinking that Ruan Liu will be her escape route, and she doesn't want to jeopardize her escape route."
Su Xiaoqi saw through her. Zi Yu was startled and could no longer speak.
In fact, there had never been a choice for her.