Xu Rouzheng, when she was first brought here, had a pale face full of innocence and confusion.
"Father… you called for me, what happened?"
Seeing her arrive, Fifth Miss Xu Jingmiao, who had just been crying on Third Madam's shoulder, immediately went over and raised her hand to slap Xu Rouzheng's face.
Xu Rouzheng was stunned, covering her face: "Fifth Sister, what are you doing!"
Xu Jingmiao stared at her with red eyes: "Are you still pretending? You gave me that vile medicine, trying to tempt me to steal Third Sister's beloved. When I refused, you bribed the servants and led Gu Jia to my room. You are truly vicious!"
"I didn't," Xu Rouzheng looked at Duke Wei, her tone urgent, "Father, she's wronging me. I never gave her any filthy medicine. She's telling fabricated lies!"
Duke Wei's face was gloomy as he stared at her.
At this time, Cold Dew, with two old women, brought in Third Madam's rough maid.
With a bang, Cold Dew pushed her to the ground.
"At the Autumn Appreciation Banquet, were you the one who informed Third Madam that a strange man had entered Fifth Miss's room?"
"Yes… but, but where did I go wrong?" The maid got up, trembling, still being stubborn.
Xu Jingyang then calmly and composedly spoke: "Then let's interrogate her. Beat her until she confesses."
As soon as she finished speaking, Cold Dew immediately ordered the two rough old women: "Drag this girl out and beat her. If she doesn't confess, keep beating!"
The maid immediately panicked. After being dragged out, she couldn't withstand more than three or four blows from the iron-nailed club.
She cried loudly: "Master, Master, spare my life! It was Miss Rouzheng's order. I refused, and she threatened to sell me to a kiln!"
Xu Rouzheng's face turned pale: "She's lying! How could I have had the opportunity to bribe Third Aunt's maid?"
Xu Jingyang raised her hand, and the rough old women outside stopped.
She looked at Third Madam: "Third Aunt, are all the maids around you your dowry maids?"
Third Madam thought carefully, then suddenly reacted, her eyes widening in shock.
"Only a few close ones are my dowry maids. The rest, including Cuiwu outside, were arranged by Second Sister-in-law."
In the past, Madam Xu managed the household. The family was large and prosperous, and her influence had permeated every corner.
Except for the eldest branch who did not interact with her, the third branch was controlled by her.
Cuiwu crawled in from outside, covered in blood, causing Xu Rouzheng to become even paler.
Cuiwu struggled to say: "Miss Rouzheng warned me that if I didn't do this well, she had ways to deal with me. My indenture is still with Madam…"
Therefore, Madam Xu also knew about this.
Duke Wei was so angry that he slammed his hand on the table: "This vicious woman! It was she who deliberately stirred up unrest in the family!"
Cuiwu cried as she confessed: "Miss Rouzheng asked me, in the name of Third Miss, to lure Young Master Gu to the garden. That pot of tea was also given by Miss Rouzheng. I really don't know anything else!"
Third Miss Xu Jingzi, sitting beside, raised her head: "Second Uncle, don't blame me for speaking bluntly. I don't want to speculate on Second Aunt's intentions. Xu Rouzheng dares to do such a thing today. Regardless of whether Second Aunt intentionally condoned it, if you don't punish Xu Rouzheng, I won't be able to hold my head up in front of Gu Jia, and you will also lose your presence when you see Uncle Gu later!"
"I will naturally punish her severely!" Duke Wei said, his anger rising to his head.
Xu Rouzheng knelt down with a thud, tears rolling down her fair and beautiful face, putting on a pitiful appearance.
"Father, I admit that what I did was not glorious. You can say I did wrong, but you can't say I was wrong. I did it for Fifth Sister. She said she liked Young Master Gu, so I helped her."
"You're slandering me!" Xu Jingmiao stood up immediately, "Even if I admire him, I would never use my innocence to bind that man! It's because you've done too many dirty things that you think these methods are harmless. You are shameless!"
Xu Rouzheng's face turned cold, and she said somewhat unconvinced: "If you didn't have those thoughts, you shouldn't have taken the medicine when I gave it to you. After taking it, you said you wouldn't do it. Fifth Sister, you're not clean either!"
Third Madam was angry, her finger pointing at Xu Rouzheng trembling: "You scoundrel! Even now, you dare to say such things. What has our Xu family ever done to wrong you?"
Duke Wei's face was gloomy.
"There is no mistake, Xu Rouzheng. Since you came, we have treated you as a Miss for ten years, and we've done our utmost. Not only are you ungrateful, but you also use wicked schemes to harm your family and cause trouble."
"Now you are even suspected of murder. We absolutely cannot keep you."
As soon as the word "murder" came out, everyone except Xu Jingyang changed their expression.
Third Madam asked in fear: "Second Brother, who did she kill?"
"Who? Ask her yourself. Where was she the night Second Young Master Fan died!"
Duke Wei's icy and stern question, coupled with several pairs of eyes looking at her at the same time, caused Xu Rouzheng's knees to weaken instantly, almost causing her to fall.
Her face turned pale: "His death has nothing to do with me."
Duke Wei sneered: "Nothing to do with you? Then look at this."
He pulled out a notice from his sleeve and threw it over.
The notice was light and airy, but when it fell, Xu Rouzheng felt as if a mountain was pressing down on her.
Because the notice stated that Second Young Master Fan was assassinated and killed by villains at Clear Wind Residence. The officers were searching everywhere, and they discovered the murder weapon, a gold hairpin, in the pond below Clear Wind Residence.
The gold hairpin was drawn, and due to its unique design and the two ounces of pure gold, it was not common in the Capital City.
"This is a notice posted by the Government Office last night. As soon as I saw this hairpin, I knew it was related to you. The second year after you entered the household, Madam arranged your birthday and provided you with many goldwares. This is one of them, made of pure gold, very expensive. Do you dare to deny it?"
How could Duke Wei remember this so clearly? Of course, it was because he initially saw Xu Rouzheng as just an orphan girl who was skilled in medicine and good at speaking, but Madam Xu treated her exceptionally well, giving her a whole set of pure gold items.
At that time, Duke Wei thought the magpie-on-a-branch hairpin was too expensive, but Madam Xu said that gifts for daughters should be expensive. Therefore, although Duke Wei was dissatisfied, he let Madam Xu have her way.
Xu Jingyang sat beside, listening quietly, her beautiful face extremely calm, her phoenix eyes deep and unfathomable.
See, this is the advantage of guiding Duke Wei to watch Xu Rouzheng.
Once a clue is discovered, Duke Wei will suspect it himself and investigate thoroughly.
Xu Jingyang doesn't need to say a word to let Duke Wei deal with Xu Rouzheng.
Xu Rouzheng hurriedly shook her head: "Father, you've misunderstood. This hairpin isn't mine. Although I have one exactly the same, I hit it the other day, so I sent Cui Mei to the goldsmith to get it repaired. I'll have Cui Mei get it back now."
When she saw the hairpin on the notice just now, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Xu Rouzheng felt fortunate for her foresight. If she hadn't guessed that Xu Jingyang had a backup plan and had Cui Mei custom-make an identical hairpin beforehand, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Just as she was secretly rejoicing, Duke Wei suddenly picked up a brocade box beside him, opened it, and took out the hairpin inside.
"Is this the one you want Cui Mei to retrieve?"
Instantly, Xu Rouzheng was struck by lightning.
This custom-made hairpin… how did it end up with Duke Wei!
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