Deceiving Superiors and Hiding Subordinates!
"Don't bother with other matters—just tell me where she learned the ability to test the dead. Also, since there's never been a teacher in the village, how can she read, practice calligraphy, and have even basic medical skills?" Yu Pianpian frowned. "Don't tell me she taught herself?"
Madam Huo's cold gaze swept over the women kneeling before her. She pointed to Gao Mama on the right. "Speak."
Gao Mama trembled in fear, shaking her hands nervously. "I—I don't know anything, Madam! I truly don't know!"
Seeing her panic, Madam Huo's suspicion deepened. "Hongxia, slap her mouth and see if she still says she knows nothing."
"Madam, please! Spare me! Please!" Gao Mama's eyes darted around in desperation, landing on Lu, who was kneeling in the center.
Hongxia, the lady's eldest maid, picked up a ruler and strode toward Gao Mama, a fierce glint in her eyes.
Two strong servant women pinned Gao Mama's shoulders down, and Hongxia pressed a foot against her mouth, making her cry out in pain.
After three strikes with the ruler, Gao Mama finally broke. "Madam! Madam! I'll speak!"
Lu, kneeling in the middle, suddenly lifted her head and glared at Gao Mama with fury.
"Madam, this has nothing to do with me!" Gao Mama wailed. "It was Madam Lu! Madam Lu said that if we reported the young miss's disappearance, not only would we lose our monthly allowance, but we might even have to compensate the master's household and risk being sold."
Tears streamed down Gao Mama's swollen face as she stammered, "Madam, please spare me! I wanted to tell you, but Madam Lu forbade me! I thought the truth would come out sooner or later, but who would have guessed that the young miss would return on her own two years ago?"
Yu Pianpian's eyes widened in shock, and she shot to her feet. "What do you mean? Yu Linlang has only been back for the past two years? She was missing for ten years? Then where did she go? What was she doing?"
"I truly don't know," Gao Mama sobbed. "Miss Yu left for ten years! Who could know what she did in that time?"
"Lies!" Yu Pianpian snapped, lunging forward to grab Gao Mama by the collar.
"You told Madam Hu before that those girls were brought back by Yu Linlang seven years ago!"
"Yes, that's true!" Gao Mama stammered. "They came from Xiaozhuangzi seven years ago. They were in charge of cleaning the young miss's courtyard—and attacking us whenever we stepped out of line. We couldn't fight back."
"Especially that girl Qiqian—she's fierce and arrogant! She always carries a seven-inch-long embroidery needle and threatens to stab people to death."
Yu Pianpian's pupils shrank to pinpoints, an ominous feeling creeping over her. "Yu Linlang was gone for all those years, and none of you noticed?"
"You know nothing about her experiences! What use does the Yu family have for a bunch of worthless servants like you?" she roared, shoving Gao Mama aside.
Gao Mama trembled. "I was scared too! I wanted to tell Madam, but Madam Lu wouldn't allow it. Then, when Miss Linlang returned two years ago, I thought… it was fine. Uncle and Aunt would take care of everything..."
Madam Huo suddenly cut in. "What does this have to do with Uncle and Aunt?"
"You don't know?" Gao Mama stared at Madam Huo, voice trembling. "Your brother and sister-in-law came here twice—once eight years ago and again five years ago—but they never met the young miss."
"What?" Madam Huo gasped in shock. "My brother and sister-in-law came to Xiaofu Village?"
Gao Mama hunched her shoulders. "I thought they would tell you, Madam… that they would ask about the young miss. But who would have guessed… nothing ever came of it?"
Madam Huo stood up and paced. "My brother and sister-in-law never mentioned to me that they visited Xiaofu Village."
"Then it must have been Old Madam Huo's doing—she intended to take the young miss to the Huo family in the capital," Yu Pianpian murmured.
"What?" Madam Huo's heart pounded wildly.
"Madam Zhao! Madam Zhao!" She called out, and her trusted servant hurried forward to support her.
"Madam, don't panic. There must be some misunderstanding," Madam Zhao soothed.
"What misunderstanding?" Madam Huo's face darkened. "Do you remember? Five years ago, my mother came here and scolded me mercilessly. She said she never expected me to be so heartless—that I abandoned the girl outside the village and refused to let anyone see her!"
"So my brother and sister-in-law visited twice, but they never found her. And my mother assumed I was keeping them from seeing her?" Madam Huo clutched Madam Zhao's sleeve, tears brimming in her eyes. "But I didn't!"
"Of course not, Madam! You would never do such a thing!"
"No wonder my mother has ignored me all these years. Every letter I sent was like a stone sinking into the sea. Could she really have been so angry with me?"
"Impossible, Madam! You are mother and daughter! Old Madam Huo doted on you the most when you were young. No matter what, she wouldn't stay angry at you for this long!" Madam Zhao reassured her, then turned and glared fiercely at Lu and the others.
"It's all their fault! Deceiving their superiors and hiding the truth from their mistress! Shameless!"
"Madam, don't worry. You can write to your family and explain everything."
But no matter what Madam Zhao said, Madam Huo remained uneasy.
Meanwhile, Yu Pianpian sat stiffly, gripping her handkerchief so tightly that her fingers turned white.
She never expected Old Madam Huo had intended to take Yu Linlang to the capital.
If she hadn't missed those two chances, Yu Linlang might have secured a place in the powerful Huo family of Beijing.
Then what about her?
Would the Huo family rather acknowledge Yu Linlang over her?
Her heart turned cold, and her entire body trembled.
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
Old Madam Huo must have simply felt pity for Yu Linlang and wanted to take her in.
Yes, pity. That's all.
Who was Yu Linlang? How could she compare to her, Yu Pianpian?
Madam Huo stood up abruptly. "No! I must write to my mother immediately and explain everything!"
"Madam! Madam!" Madam Zhao rushed forward to hold her icy hands. "And what about these disloyal servants?"
"Beat them! Beat them severely! Then throw them all out!" Madam Huo shouted. "A bunch of traitors willing to deceive me for a few taels of silver! Let them suffer for the rest of their lives!"
Madam Lu shrieked in fury and lunged at Gao Mama, biting her arm. "You fool! Why did you spill everything? If you wanted to die, you could have done it alone!"
Madam Huo clutched her aching head, her voice sharp as a knife. "Drag them out!"
Madam Zhao barked orders to the maids in the courtyard. Lu, Gao, and the others were hauled away, screaming and struggling as they were dragged toward their fate.