Chapter 315 - 114: Heartless (Monthly Ticket 240+)
In the eastern wing, Yunluo reclined for a brief rest on the Arhat Bed.
Seeing Jin Ling arrive, Yunluo gestured for her to sit down beside her.
Jin Ling sat on the edge of the bed and, out of habit, reached out to gently massage Yunluo’s forehead.
"Did you get to the bottom of it?" Yunluo sighed comfortably and asked.
Jin Ling suppressed her voice and said, "Yes, I did."
Jin Ling recounted the origins of the golden bracelet, the incident where Cangzhu was coerced and subsequently pushed into the well by Zizhu.
Yunluo involuntarily furrowed her brows.
That golden bracelet turned out to be Lady An’s, and Lady An had an affair with Mu Lianyu...
This revelation genuinely caught Yunluo off guard.
Lady An, being Mu Yuanjing’s personal attendant, lived closely with Mu Yuanjing in day-to-day life, so it wasn’t out of place for Mu Yuanjing to reward her with the bracelet.
But would Mu Yuanjing break up a set of bracelets to reward someone individually, and afterwards still wear the remaining pieces?
Yunluo couldn’t be sure; perhaps Mu Yuanjing was indeed that kind of person.
As for the rewarded items, it wasn’t something the masters would pay much attention to whether the servants frequently wore them.
Just like Yunluo, she often rewarded Jin Rui and Jin Ling with jewelry, and without checking records, she herself would not recall precisely what she had given, let alone inquire about their whereabouts.
When Lady An lost the bracelet during her affair, she would not make a fuss seeking it out, which allowed Zizhu to secretly take the golden bracelet unnoticed by anyone in the mansion.
According to Jin Ling, had Second Lady Li not envied Ying’er for having valuable items and brought out the golden bracelet to flaunt, the matter probably would have never come to light.
"Madam, should we have Zizhu confess to Old Madam?" Jin Ling asked softly.
Yunluo pursed her lips and shook her head: "At this moment, Grandmother certainly wouldn’t want such a scandal."
If the matter were exposed immediately, the second branch would indeed suffer, but Cangzhu’s greed implicates Shaohui Garden as well.
If this incident could severely hurt the second branch, Yunluo wouldn’t mind taking the blame for poor management, but that wasn’t feasible.
By taking Zizhu to Baijie Hall, Yunluo couldn’t fundamentally harm the second branch.
Such an ugly affair, why would Madam Wu publicize it?
Lady An’s life would be at stake, while Mu Lianyu would at most be made to kneel in the ancestral hall, not under the accusation of adultery with a widow.
The Lian Family merely needed to cry sorrowfully before Madam Wu and feign illness for half a month to sweep the matter under the rug.
On the contrary, Yunluo would have failed Madam Wu’s instruction to take over the household affairs smoothly.
Yunluo lightly bit her lower lip.
Such a golden opportunity, such a serious matter — how could she let it pass by so quietly?
Once this chance is missed, it’s gone forever; she must use this incident to stir trouble for the second branch.
This matter must be exposed, but not by her own hand; even if Mu Lianyu is to kneel in penance, the main branch must remain uninvolved.
Using another’s hand to strike, this has always been the second branch’s preferred tactic; let them taste their own medicine.
Yunluo slowly exhaled a breath, trying to recall the scant interactions from her past life with Manhe Garden.
If her memory serves, Lady An didn’t have long to live; she died in this August, she stumbled into the small pond behind Manhe Garden when the lotus flowers had mostly withered.
At the time, Mu Yuanjing seemed to accept the death of her attendant of over ten years calmly.
Back then, Jin Rui had privately remarked once "Madam was heartless," which was the reason Yunluo remembered.
And since Lady An’s death, Mu Yuanjing became increasingly withdrawn, rarely leaving her courtyard, often citing illness to miss family banquets during festivals.
Madam Wu had gone to visit her once or twice, noticing her low spirits, and had the doctor prescribe medicine for her.
Surprisingly, Mu Yuanjing’s health swiftly declined a year later, suddenly leading to her passing from illness.
Madam Wu grieved deeply, falling ill herself for three months before recovering.
At this moment, as Yunluo recalled, a notion spun in her mind: Mu Yuanjing was responsible for Lady An’s death.
Otherwise, with Mu Yuanjing’s personality, there should have been an uproar; even if Lady An had indeed stumbled accidentally, Mu Yuanjing would turn it into someone else’s conspiracy, perhaps even smearing the main branch she never liked with slander.
Yet Mu Yuanjing remained so calm.
Had Mu Yuanjing learned of the scandal between Lady An and Mu Lianyu?
Her trusted Lady An entangled illicitly with her nephew, Mu Yuanjing must have been unable to accept.
Yunluo raised her gaze to Jin Ling, saying, "No need to have Zizhu confess to Grandmother; this matter should be exposed by someone else."
By August, Yunluo would have more say in the mansion affairs, and Mu Yuanjing couldn’t merely send Lady An away in a coffin to settle the event.
After all, the mansion just experienced a death back in April.
Cangzhu died in the well, Lady An died in the pond — the similarities are too evident.
Yunluo slowly sat up; it is said catching an affair must be done in the act, if she wanted the matter to become more severe, then it must be caught firsthand.
However, it was far from easy.
It wasn’t possible to have someone watch Mu Lianyu and Lady An’s every move every night...
"Let’s take it one step at a time," Yunluo said to Jin Ling.
She had it planned; if not able to catch them in the act, causing the matter to burst prematurely, she would patiently wait until August.
Mu Yuanjing pushing someone into the water at Baijie Hall, Yunluo could report dutifully to Madam Wu; it wasn’t as if she deliberately sought trouble with the second branch, causing disturbances.
Jin Ling went over the embroidery designs and rhetoric with Yunluo and Jin Rui a few times before leaving for Willow Tree Alley.
Yunluo sat in the western wing, organizing the matters back and forth again, pressing on her slightly swollen temples.
Someone from Hong Jinbao’s family came seeking her, asking: "What about the future of Hongfu?"
Yunluo pondered, "Keep her; at least she hasn’t attached herself to another master. Changing personnel now raises the question of who might be assigned. The vacant second-class position doesn’t need filling; if Grandmother inquires, I will explain. After all, it’s just me here for now, there’s no need for so many hands. It won’t be too late to add when the Princely Heir returns."
Hong Jinbao’s family member was perceptive; upon hearing these words, they understood Yunluo’s intention: "Rest assured, Madam, I understand."
Yunluo looked at Hong Jinbao’s family; Mrs. Zhen had mentioned that Hong Jinbao’s family member used to be a big maid of Old Mrs. Xia, trained under her guidance, adept in managing household affairs.
After brief hesitation, Yunluo shared with Hong Jinbao’s family the news Jin Ling brought back.
Hong Jinbao’s family widened her eyes, utterly surprised: "Such a matter? If this gets confirmed, Lady An will certainly lose her life."
Yunluo nodded, "Only Lady An will die; Grandmother won’t do much with Fourth Uncle."
"It’s the same everywhere; only Mr. Si is in the capital for Marquis Mansion now, a scrape or bruise won’t escape notice, how could Madam Wu be harsh with punishment? Yet Lady An..." Hong Jinbao’s family paused, a flicker of doubt in her eyes, seeing Yunluo watching her, she cautiously said, "I just feel Lady An doesn’t seem like that kind of person."