High-class maid

"Originally, it would have been enough for her to compensate the household with silver, but she dared to be so audacious as to steal an imperial gift. If word gets out, our household will be in trouble too!"

"That's what the First Madam said."

"What? This Granny Jiang is too audacious! Not only is she greedy for money, but she also wants to drag everyone in our household down with her!" Wang said in shock.

It's no wonder that Lady Wang was so angry. In ancient times, when the emperor was the supreme ruler, the theft of imperial items could lead to the confiscation of one's property. Even if the emperor didn't act now, he could still punish the Minister's residence if he ever disliked it in the future.

"Yes, but this old woman isn't stupid enough to sell it. She just hid it. But no matter how much we torture her, she won't tell us where it is. I had no choice but to call you here."

The First Madam rubbed her forehead, her head aching. The events of the past few days had left her utterly overwhelmed. If she hadn't yet been unable to find out the whereabouts of the imperial gift, she would have already thrown Jiang Mama out into the street.

"Does that mean we should ask her? But will she give my family any face?" Shen Kun asked.

"You don't all need to go. Let Xing'er go by herself. If you're worried, you can wait outside here."

"Me? But can I do it?" Shen Xing'er pointed to herself in surprise.

"Yes, Madam, you have so many wonderful people around you, what if Xing'er messes things up?" Madam Wang asked worriedly.

The First Madam smiled and said...

“You don’t need to be afraid. It was Jiang who specifically asked Xing’er to go. She always thought that Xing’er had exposed her to me, which is why she was arrested. That’s why she’s been so resentful and keeps insisting on seeing Xing’er.”

"In that case, let's go quickly, the sooner the better," Shen Kun said.

Wang nodded in satisfaction and instructed Banxin to lead them to the woodshed.

The group wandered around the mansion, finally stopping in a small room piled high with firewood.

"Go inside. Are you scared? Do you need me to come with you?"

Banxin pointed to the dark little house in front of him and asked. Although it was daytime, it was pitch black inside, and the only small window had been sealed with wood.

"Thank you for your kindness, sister. It's alright, I'm not afraid."

Shen Xing'er declined Ban Jian's kind offer, glanced at Shen Kun and Wang Shi, and then pushed open the door and went inside.

Wang leaned forward, craning her neck, trying to see how her daughter was inside, but all she could see was darkness.

The door creaked open, followed by footsteps. A glare of light blinded Jiang, causing her to close her eyes. She shielded her forehead with her hand and then slightly opened them.

Accompanied by the tinkling of jade pendants, a faint fragrance wafted through the air. Looking in the direction of the sound, a woman walked in. She was beautiful and charming, with exquisite features, and her face held a seriousness beyond her years.

Jiang sneered and said, "You've finally come. I never thought I'd be defeated by you."

"You didn't lose to me, you just died because of your own greed." Shen Xing'er was speechless at Wang's words. When did she become her imagined enemy?

"Heh heh, if you hadn't reported me to the Madam, how would she have known that I embezzled money, and how would I have ended up in this state!" Jiang said frantically.

"Are you still so stubborn? Then why don't you stop yourself and instruct your son to get close to me?" Shen Xing'er questioned sharply.

Wang was taken aback, not expecting her to be so clever. "So you knew all along. I underestimated you. I thought you wouldn't come."

"I haven't done anything wrong, why wouldn't I dare to come! Tell me, what do you want to see me about?" Shen Xing'er had lost her patience.

"Xing'er, please save my son! I'll tell you where the imperial gift is, and I'll give you one thing in return." Jiang suddenly lowered her stance and started crawling towards Shen Xing'er.

Shen Xing'er took a few steps back, and Jiang Shi was also tripped by the rope on her leg. "What are your conditions first? I'd like to hear them."

Shen Xing'er didn't want to get entangled with her any further. She just wanted to trick her into revealing the location so that Jiang would not get angry and both of them would suffer.

"If you marry my son, just say that you've already had intimate relations with him outside the mansion these past few days. The First Madam values ​​your family so much, she'll surely agree."

"Ha, what makes you think I'll definitely marry him? Is your son really that great?" Xing'er laughed in anger. How could there be such a crazy person in the world?

"My son is as handsome as Pan An and as learned as a scholar. If you marry him, I won't die. I can even work for the Xiao family. All the money in the house will be yours, and once you have children..."

"Enough!" Jiang's words were becoming increasingly outrageous, and Shen Xing'er couldn't help but interrupt her. "Jinling is nowhere near as good as the capital. I'd rather leave the capital and marry here. Even if I marry here, I'll marry someone from a respectable family, not..."

Shen Xing'er's sneer was obvious. This Jiang family was so outrageous. If it weren't for wanting to find out where the item was, she would have left long ago.

Seeing that she was unmoved, Jiang Shi couldn't help but pull out her trump card, "Do you know who my son's father is? You're always subservient in the capital, but it's not as enjoyable as being a local tyrant in Nanjing!"

"Who is it? Is it that Butler Zhu? You're not going to tell me your son is an illegitimate child, are you? You don't know your lover has already run away, do you?"

"What?" Jiang's eyes widened in shock, and she asked in disbelief. "You already know? What about my son?"

“He was arrested this morning. You’re here making plans for him, but your eldest son is already eager to clear your name. If you’re still stubborn, you’ll be the one harming him.”

"What?" Jiang slumped to the ground, looking as if her bones had been removed. She laughed uncontrollably and then said.

“From a young age, my mother compared me to Fen’er. She was more sensible than me and married better than me, but because of my shrewishness, no one dared to marry me. However, Fen’er couldn’t get pregnant. I held my breath and seduced Zhu Zide, got pregnant with his child, and even gave birth to a son.”

But my family thought I was a disgrace and removed me from the family genealogy. My father was so angry that he died. I raised my son alone, and people pointed fingers at me. I vowed to live a good life!

When my younger brother from my maternal family got married, I gave them thirty taels of silver. My mother, who had always disliked me, actually smiled at me for the first time ever. From then on, they coaxed me and indulged me.

But they kept asking me for more and more money, and in order not to be looked down upon, I had no choice but to embezzle more and more…”

Shen Xing'er was somewhat moved, but she still said, "This is not the time for you to play the victim. Quickly tell me about the imperial gift so that your son can be safe."

"Alright, alright, I buried that thing in my father's grave. Go and report back." After saying that, Wang turned her head away and refused to look at her again.

A tear slid down the tip of her nose, like her life, and dripped onto the ground.

Shen Xing'er opened the door and walked out. Before leaving, she turned back and said, "Butler Zhu didn't run away. He pleaded for you, and his own embezzlement was also discovered."