flstandardbreds Chapter 126 We've fallen into their trap again!
Chapter 126 We've fallen into their trap again!
In the end, Mu Xinyao had no other choice but to sell the shop at a very low price. After receiving the money, she paid the monthly wages of the employees and then gave generous gifts to several wives and daughters of officials she couldn't afford to offend. Only then was the matter considered settled.
But after all that trouble, Mu Xinyao really didn't have much money left!
After nearly two months of hard work, not only did he not earn any money, but he also lost everything! In the end, he only had one hundred taels of silver left. What could he do with that?
After Mu Xinyao calmed down and thought it over carefully, she finally realized that she had been tricked!
She thought of everyone she knew, and none of them seemed likely! The person she suspected most, Mu Xin Nuan, had been staying quietly in Yue Xuan all this time.
Her daily schedule was packed with lessons, and the tutor had chosen Wangyue Pavilion, the closest place to the second gate, as the venue for her entertaining guests. There were at least ten people serving her inside and out! Naturally, she couldn't leave the manor. If someone said she had arranged this whole thing, Mu Xinyao simply didn't believe it!
Mu Xinyao had considered the possibility that Mu Xinnuan might have found help. But none of the people in the Li family knew anything about these things! And even if Mu Xinnuan wanted to find help, she would have to leave the manor herself or send someone out, right? But in all these days, only Mu Qing, who was by her side, had gone to Anping Pharmacy twice!
After the first fire at the clothing shop, Mu Xinyao had been secretly keeping an eye on Mu Xinnuan to keep an eye on her. But now it seems unlikely that it was her!
Moreover, Mu Xinyao then remembered that she had received two shops from the Song family, but apart from Qiaohui, no one else knew about it.
Qiaohui was unaware that the second young lady already suspected her, and continued to serve her wholeheartedly.
Without showing any emotion, Mu Xinyao, after arranging tasks for Qiaohui, ordered her men to thoroughly search Qiaohui's room. And indeed, the search uncovered something amiss.
Qiaohui was bought into the household by the old lady a few years ago when she was selecting maids, and she signed a contract with her for life. After training her for a period of time, the old lady directly assigned her to Mu Xinyao's side, and she has served her quite well over the years.
But this time, during the search of the house, they discovered a small hidden compartment by her bedside. Inside, they found a small ingot of silver and four fifty-tael silver notes! Moreover, the dates on the silver notes were from when she left the Song family until yesterday!
Mu Xinyao finally understood; it must have been that brat Qiaohui who betrayed her! But who exactly was Qiaohui's master?
After Mu Xinyao had her men search carefully again, they found nothing else, only a few boxes of rouge, all of which were top-quality peach blossom powder.
Mu Xinyao's eyes were fixed on the boxes of rouge. After a while, she suddenly remembered that these were all top-quality products. Aunt Song used to use these too. But now?
In the Mu household, the old lady, being of advanced age, naturally no longer used it. Madam Li, on the other hand, always disliked the strong, somewhat seductive scent of peach blossom powder. As for Mu Xin Nuan, she had never understood these things. Even her maidservants rarely used it.
Mu Xinyao thought back again and again, and suddenly remembered that Xu Huilan had always been fond of this item! Moreover, when she stayed at the manor for a short time, Madam Li specially sent her two boxes. Later, when she left the manor, Madam Li specially gave her many things to please the old lady, including this peach blossom powder, right?
Mu Xinyao was truly confused this time! Xu Huilan was Song Tao's wife, which meant she was her own aunt. Why would she bribe Qiaohui to harm her?
Upon further reflection, although she didn't know much about Song Tao's death, she had overheard a few words when Xu Huilan came to see the old lady that day. The gist of her words was that Song Tao had done something foolish in order to help Song Shi, and that it was all Song Shi's instigation and scheming. If the old lady refused to help, wouldn't she be too heartless?
Suddenly, Mu Xinyao understood!
"Well, Xu Huilan, I was wondering why you haven't shown your face even once since that day. It turns out you've been eyeing those two shops all along, haven't you?"
In Mu Xinyao's mind, Song Shi had never been favored since entering the Mu family. As a concubine, she was naturally not given any property or assets. So where did Song Shi get all of this? It was naturally from her uncle Song Tao, or from her maternal grandparents when they were still alive, who secretly gave her a dowry.
Xu Huilan must have blamed Song Tao's death entirely on the Song family, which is why she's causing all this trouble for her shop!
"Xu Huilan! You win, you just wait and see! Let's see if you're more capable, or if I, Mu Xinyao, am more ruthless!"
As Qiaohui was walking back after finishing her business, she passed by a rockery and faintly heard people whispering that there was a traitor among the Second Miss's servants. The Second Miss had already informed the Madam, who said that the servant would be severely punished.
Upon hearing the words "Second Miss," Qiaohui naturally slowed her pace and gently approached.
"I heard she's the second young lady's head maid! Tsk tsk! Really, she's already a first-class maid, how can she be so ungrateful?"
"That's just how people are. Even if you make her a head maid, she'll still be thinking about climbing the social ladder in the future! If you ask me, that Qiaohui was never a good person. Now that we have both witnesses and evidence, let's see how she can deny it?"
"I heard that the second young lady had already given the order that as soon as she returned, she should be beaten to death with sticks!"
"Really? This second young lady is really ruthless."
"Alas! I heard she betrayed the Second Miss and stole her things. The Second Miss is furious right now, how could she possibly let her off so easily?"
Their voices gradually faded until they were completely inaudible. Qiaohui was terrified, her face turning deathly pale! Her legs were so weak she could barely move!
"How could this be? What witnesses and evidence? What betrayal and seeking personal gain?" Qiaohui was completely dumbfounded! When had she ever done such a thing? Over the years, hadn't she served her mistress well enough? How could this be?
Qiaohui had stayed in the Mu family for several years and had served Mu Xinyao, so she quickly figured out the key to it!