Story of Yanxi Palace: Fu Ying's banner will never fall

"Molan, how can you be so bold! Someone just said that you stole the peacock feather thread, and you have always had a grudge with Wei Yingluo. Other embroiderers can prove it." Nanny Zhang asked sternly.

"Madam Zhang, please believe me, I didn't do it. Although I was jealous of Wei Yingluo, I didn't have the chance to do it. I was with Xueliu the whole day yesterday, and she can prove my innocence."

Molan spoke with confidence, but her body couldn't stop shaking.

Nanny Zhang had already seen through the clues, so she continued, "Molan, I know you are loyal, but if something goes wrong, none of us can escape. I think you are very smart, and if you know something, it will be a great achievement."

"Madam Zhang, I really don't know." Molan said stumblingly, but she was already feeling guilty.

"Molan, think carefully. If you know the truth but don't report it, it may bring trouble to your family. If you take the initiative to tell and hand over the peacock feather thread, no one will blame you." Nanny Zhang continued to put pressure on her.

"Slave, really, I don't know about this matter." Molan looked a little flustered, but still refused to admit it.

Nanny Zhang sighed in her heart. It was most likely just as Yingluo said, that Molan and Xueliu committed the theft together.

"In that case, I won't give you another chance. Xueliu has just confessed that you were jealous of Wei Yingluo being able to present a gift to the Queen, so you dragged her along to steal the peacock feather thread."

Nanny Zhang immediately used her “trump card”.

"What? This is impossible!" Molan exclaimed, but quickly reacted, covered her mouth, and prepared to refuse to admit it.

Molan kept comforting herself in her heart: "No, as long as we don't say anything, they won't have any evidence."

"How is it impossible? Xueliu said that everything was planned by you and asked her to cover for you. She was only forced by you to steal the peacock feather thread." Nanny Zhang continued to describe the details.

Molan became more and more frightened, but she kept her teeth clenched and decided not to say a word.

"Alas, Molan, I have always thought you are very smart, and your embroidery is the best among all the embroiderers, but how could you do such a foolish thing? Xueliu has gone to get the peacock feather thread, and Manager Wu will be here soon. When the time comes, I, Madam, will not be able to protect you."

"Mammy, how could that be? You said Xueliu was in a hurry just now. Was she going to get the peacock feather thread?"

Molan was already shaken at this moment, and alarm bells were ringing in her heart. Xueliu had just left Nanny Zhang's place without saying a word to her, and didn't even dare to look at her. So this was the case.

"Why would I lie to you? I just want you to leave with more understanding. You wait here. I'll go and greet Manager Wu." Nanny Zhang said as she started to walk out.

Molan was becoming more and more frightened, thinking that Xueliu might have made her a scapegoat. She told herself not to tell anyone, but she turned around and reported herself for theft. Wasn't she putting all the blame on me?

When Manager Wu arrived, I had no chance to speak at all and was taken away, with my life or death in doubt.

So she risked her life and shouted, "Mammy, Mammy, please don't leave. Molan will tell you everything she knows."

"You still have some brains and won't be tricked by others." Nanny Zhang laughed contemptuously. It turned out that these two people were so restless.

At this moment, Wei Yingluo's voice came from outside the door, "Madam Zhang, Steward Wu is here, would you please come in?"

"Please come in quickly."

"Molan, this is the last chance I'm giving you. You should talk to Manager Wu later, otherwise you will be fired directly," Nanny Zhang warned Molan.

As soon as he finished speaking, Manager Wu entered the inner room and said, "Madam Zhang, I heard that there was a big theft of peacock feathers here. Have you found out?"

"It has been found out. Please listen to what this palace maid has to say."

Molan spoke hurriedly, fearing that Xueliu would come back with the peacock feather thread and she would not have a chance to explain herself.

"Manager Wu, Madam Zhang, this is what happened. After Xueliu was scolded by you yesterday, she happened to be in the embroidery workshop. When she passed by, she saw Qingyun running out to greet Wei Yingluo. There was no one guarding at that time, so she took the peacock feather thread and slipped out through the side door. I saw her."

Molan said this confidently, as if the person who had just said she knew nothing was not herself.

"Oh? Then what were you doing at the side door of the embroidery workshop so late at night? Don't say you just strolled over there. I think you also wanted to steal peacock feathers." Eunuch Wu looked at Molan with sharp eyes.

"This... Manager Wu, but I didn't succeed. And then it was Xueliu. She threatened me and asked me not to tell anyone. She said I was in the embroidery workshop now. If others found out that I was not in the dormitory, I would be the first person to be suspected. Why don't we cooperate and testify against each other..." Molan said stutteringly.

"So that's how it is. You guys, where did you put the peacock feather thread?" Manager Wu continued to ask.

"It's in the flower bed outside the dormitory door..." Molan said in a low voice.

At this time, Xueliu, who had gone to Changchun Palace to deliver regular clothes, also came back. Just as she was about to go in and ask for credit from Nanny Zhang, she heard Molan tell her where they hid the peacock feather thread.

He immediately became panicked and wanted to leave quickly, but he was seen by the sharp-eyed Manager Wu.

"Who are you? Come in. What are you doing sneaking around like that?" Manager Wu said angrily. He always had so many troubles to deal with all day long. He was never free for a moment and was very annoyed at the moment.

Xue Liu's mind went blank for a moment, and she crawled into the inner room using almost both her hands and feet.

"Manager Wu, this is Xueliu that Molan just accused," Nanny Zhang reminded.

"Great, another thief has fallen into our trap. Xiao Shunzi, catch her and don't let her run away. Xiao Liuzi, go check the flower bed over there by the dormitory." Manager Wu immediately gave the order.

"Yes, slave, go right away."

Xueliu immediately knelt on the ground and said pitifully, "Manager Wu, Aunt Zhang, this matter has nothing to do with me. I know nothing. I can't be tortured into confessing without evidence."

Before Manager Wu and Nanny Zhang could speak.

Molan said anxiously, "Xueliu, it is you who framed me. It was you who stole the peacock feather thread first. I was just fooled by you. Manager Wu, Aunt Zhang, please be careful and spare me for my meritorious reporting. I will never dare to do it again."

Xueliu was extremely angry. She didn't expect Molan to be so impatient. Now both of them were finished.

"Madam Zhang, please, I really didn't do it. Molan framed me. I never saw the peacock feather thread from beginning to end."

Xue Liu was still unwilling to admit that she had stolen the peacock feather thread, and both of them looked very angry.