Wife is hell

Chapter 81 The Missing Maid and Apprentice

Madam Yan clenched her fists and said angrily:
"I originally intended to report it to the authorities directly, but my best friend absolutely refused, fearing that if the matter were to spread, it would tarnish her reputation."

Left with no other choice, I've come to you. Perhaps you can help my best friend find that beast.

Jiang Mu unfolded and carefully read the letters one by one, following the order of dates.

As Lady Yan said, at first, the content written by this scoundrel was very subtle, mostly expressing concern and inquiries about people's well-being.

Later, he began to openly express his love.

Later, he started saying all sorts of crazy and explicit things, which showed that his mental state had become somewhat deranged.

E.g
【I'm sorry, Madam, I stole your undergarment, not the maid. I just love your scent.】

[My dear wife, the other day I saw you swinging alone in the yard, and I thought, if you took off all your clothes and swung like that, you would look so beautiful.]

"My lady, I long to see you, but I'm afraid I'll frighten you. My lady, when I appear before you, could you please blindfold yourself so I can hug you?"

[My dear wife, you've lost weight lately. Please make sure you eat well, okay?]

[Madam, I saw the maid pour out your bathwater. What a waste! That's celestial dew! Those maids deserve to die! That's celestial dew!]

"My lady, I couldn't resist coming to see you tonight... Your bathwater tastes so good."

"hiss--"

Jiang Mu gasped, feeling a chill run through his body.

Dude, you're a real freak.

Jiang Mu could fully imagine the devastation and fear that Pan felt when she read these letters.

I imagine I'd never feel completely safe anywhere, as if someone were watching me.

In addition, Jiang Mu also noticed changes in the handwriting in the letters.

The first few letters were written in crooked and messy handwriting, like that of a young child just learning to read.

Although there was some improvement later, the strokes were still awkward.

It has absolutely no aesthetic appeal.

"This guy is very cautious, afraid that his handwriting will be recognized, so he always writes with his left hand... or his non-dominant hand."

Jiang Mu analyzed inwardly,
"Moreover, all the letters are written entirely in plain language, without a single sentence that displays literary flair. This is either because he deliberately concealed it, or because he himself is not very well-educated."

If one were truly so infatuated, logically one would likely try to show off their talents in front of the 'goddess.'

He pondered for a moment and said to Madam Yan:

"Madam Yan, I'll try to investigate, but I can't guarantee whether I can find that person."

Considering that Madam Yan had indeed helped him a lot in his business, Jiang Mu couldn't very well refuse.

Besides, he also wanted to see what this abstract guy was all about.

Seeing that Jiang Mu was willing to intervene, Madam Yan breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him repeatedly. Then she lowered her voice and said:
"This matter concerns my best friend's reputation. I earnestly request that you keep it a secret, Young Master Mu, and do not mention it to any outsiders. If it were to accidentally reach the ears of my best friend's husband, it would likely cause a huge misunderstanding, and she would truly have nowhere to stand then."

Jiang Mu expressed his understanding:

"Rest assured, Madam Yan, no one else will ever know about this."

Except for ghosts.

Jiang Mu glanced at the woman in green beside him, who was listening intently and looking like she was watching a melon with great interest.

……

After giving a brief explanation to his aunt, Jiang Mu accompanied Madam Yan to the residence of her close friend.

In the north of the city, in Pear Blossom Lane, lies a quiet three-courtyard house.

Jiang Mu met the woman surnamed Pan.

The woman's name was Pan Sheng'er. She looked to be in her early thirties, with delicate features and a gentle, fragile air about her.

Perhaps due to the shock and distress he had been experiencing for days, he looked very haggard.

“Sister Pan, this is the Wood Charioteer I mentioned to you earlier. Don’t worry, Wood Charioteer is a trustworthy person, and this matter will never be spread.”

Madam Yan held Pan Sheng'er's hand and gently comforted her, "If you want to get a good night's sleep right now, you'll probably have to rely on him."

The woman stepped forward and gave a graceful bow, her voice soft and weak: "This humble servant is Pan Sheng'er, greetings to Master Mu."

Jiang Mu didn't exchange many pleasantries. After getting acquainted, he went straight to the point: "Madam Pan, when did that person start harassing you?"

Pan Sheng'er thought about it carefully and said:

"I received his first letter about two months ago. At that time, I went to Furongzhai to buy some rouge and face powder. When I returned to the carriage, I found that someone had left a letter in the carriage at some point."

At first, I thought it was just some idle scoundrel playing a prank, secretly throwing it in when the servants weren't looking, and I didn't take it to heart.

Unexpectedly, more and more letters followed, and many of them appeared directly at my home.

It even appeared under the pillow.

I am terrified, so I have increased the number of servants patrolling inside and outside the courtyard walls day and night, but they still manage to appear without a trace.

Jiang Mu pressed further: "Is it possible that the person was hiding in this house all along?"

Madam Yan continued the conversation:
"That was our initial guess too. Sister Pan had her trusted servants search the house thoroughly, inside and out, in every nook and cranny, even the rat holes, but they found nothing. It couldn't be... that person was hiding underground, could it?"

Underground?
Jiang Mu's expression shifted.

In the Xuanming world, the art of earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magic that can be used to escape danger or evade danger) is not considered a profound technique.

Although this world is very difficult, with the blessing of such spiritual objects, it is not impossible.

Jiang Mu said no more and began to carefully examine the inside and outside of the Pan residence.

From the bedroom and study to the courtyard and corners of the walls, they left no stone unturned.

When he came to a courtyard wall, he found that several bricks on the top of the wall were slightly loose and damaged.

Upon seeing this, Pan Sheng'er explained, "That was damaged when the thieves climbed over the wall earlier."

"Thief?"

"Actually, it was a mistress who was having an affair with one of the maids in the house."

Pan Sheng'er sighed.
"It was quite a coincidence that, just over two months ago, the servants caught a man climbing over the wall while on night patrol."

Only after questioning did I learn that it was actually my personal maid, named Nan'er, who had met her lover outside.

During that period, some old furniture in the house was damaged and needed to be remade. I was afraid that the craftsmen would cut corners, so I asked Nan'er to supervise the work.

Unexpectedly, she and one of the young carpenters developed feelings for each other.

"What happened afterward?"

Jiang Mu asked curiously.

Pan Sheng'er said:

"I was furious at the time, so I gave the little carpenter who climbed over the wall a severe scolding and kicked him out. I also severely punished Nan'er, thinking that the matter would be over."

Unexpectedly, just over half a month ago, Nan'er suddenly disappeared.

I became suspicious and guessed that it might be related to the young carpenter, so I sent someone to the carpenter's shop to inquire.

As it turned out, the shop's master craftsman told them that the young carpenter named Mo Hai'er had also disappeared around the same time.

It seems that the two of them eloped together.

"I initially intended to report this to the authorities, but then I thought, Nan'er has served me for so many years. If she has truly found her soulmate and can live a happy and stable life, then I... will let her be."

It is evident that Madam Pan is a gentle and kind person, and she treats her servants with great care.

Jiang Mu then asked the other servants and maids.

This was indeed confirmed by their own words.

Furthermore, everyone believed that the personal maid named "Nan'er" had eloped with a stranger.

After that, Jiang Mu found the carpenter's shop.

The shop is small, filled with various kinds of timber and semi-finished furniture.

Two young apprentices were in the courtyard, gesturing at an unfinished cabinet and discussing the mortise and tenon structure in hushed tones.

Jiang Mu found the shop owner.

He was a slender, elderly craftsman who looked to be in his fifties.

After some questioning, the information provided by the master craftsman largely matched what Pan Shenger had said.

It was simply that his apprentice, Mo Hai'er, had been absent-minded ever since he returned from working at the Pan residence.

It was only later that I learned he had fallen in love with a maid in the mansion.

The old carpenter shook his head and sighed:

"Sigh, Mo Hai'er is the smartest and most skillful of all the apprentices I've trained."

The furniture and other items he made were so exquisite that even I, as the craftsman, had to admit I couldn't match them.

Look at those wardrobes in the yard, and that bed, those chairs, the coffee table... most of them were made by him.”

The old craftsman pointed to some furniture in the yard and said.

Jiang Mu noticed one of the cabinets.

This cabinet looks quite large on the outside, but its actual internal storage space is smaller than similar cabinets.

He stepped forward and tapped it carefully.

Sure enough, a cleverly designed hidden compartment was found inside the cabinet.

The experienced craftsman explained:

"Some wealthy people like to store valuables in hidden places in their homes, so they will specially order furniture with hidden compartments."

It's not just cabinets; beds, trunks, even dressing tables could be included. Mo Hai'er, that child, always loves tinkering with these kinds of ingenious mechanisms.

(End of this chapter)