CHAPTER 105: CHAPTER 105: FAUX PAS (PART 5)

Nanny Duan’s face was as pale as paper. In all her years at the mansion, the First Lady had never scolded her like this. Nothing she said would matter now; she could only protect the Fourth Miss’s secret: "I don’t know either. I only overheard that the Fourth Miss and Sixth Miss quietly left the courtyard, saying they were going to see something interesting in the bamboo grove. They didn’t let me follow, and it wasn’t my place to ask details."

"In the bamboo grove?" The First Lady pointed at Nanny Duan and said, "I’ll settle this account later." She then turned to the maidservants, "Hurry and go look for them!"

The maidservants filed out of the courtyard and conducted a thorough search of the East Cross Courtyard. When they returned, they reported to the First Lady, "We didn’t see the Fourth or Sixth Miss."

The First Lady’s expression finally changed. She glared at Madam Wang, whom she had always suspected of causing her miscarriage, harboring resentment towards her. Coupled with the Third Girl’s marriage, she couldn’t rule out the possibility of doing something foolish, conspiring with outsiders to abduct the two young ladies. Her eyes were filled with fierce resolve at the thought: "There’s no need to cover it up. Tell me your real intentions."

Madam Wang abruptly lifted her head and suddenly laughed, "You’re wrong to accuse me, madam. I wouldn’t dare have any such intentions. It was just that the maidservants around me saw the two young ladies sneak over to the East Cross Courtyard. I feared something might happen and felt it was best to confirm, so I reported to you."

The First Lady was no longer inclined to speak with her further. Once today was over, the mansion could no longer accommodate her. She turned to Nanny Fang and said, "Go and bring the First Master here. There’s no need to hide anymore!"

Madam Wang was startled, her kneeling body trembling more vigorously than Nanny Duan’s, her complexion paling even further. She understood what the First Lady meant. She restrained Nanny Fang: "Hold on, nanny!" Changing her earlier tone of mockery, she smiled and said, "Why is this necessary, madam? I am telling the truth. Even with the greatest courage, I wouldn’t conduct evil deeds. I only mean well." She pointed at Nanny Duan and Sixing, "If I truly did any manipulation, I wouldn’t be able to command Nanny Duan, Sixing, or Siliu!"

Her words served as a reminder to the First Lady. Yes, even with her scheming, Madam Wang couldn’t easily sway or buy off Nanny Duan, Sixing, or Siliu!

Could it really be that the two girls had snuck off to play? If Madam Xia were here normally, you could say that Fourth Girl was accompanying Sixth Girl to visit Madam Xia in the East Cross Courtyard. But today, there’s no one in the East Cross Courtyard, so what were they doing?

In a flash of insight, the First Lady suddenly remembered.

The East Cross Courtyard is just a wall away from the First Master’s study.

Coldness surged in her heart, and the First Lady abruptly stood up, looking down at Madam Wang with unmistakable warning in her eyes: "Let’s go!"

The situation had already exceeded Madam Wang’s expectations, but even so, it didn’t matter. The mansion was crowded today, and as long as they intercepted the Fourth Miss, there would surely be leaks.

She chuckled coldly to herself and followed the First Lady out the door, heading for the East Cross Courtyard!

Nanny Fang, standing behind the First Lady, kept an eye on Madam Wang, noticing that Madam Wang’s gaze was fixed on a small door at the east end of the courtyard. She pondered silently, wondering if the Fourth Miss was in that alley.

At this point, the maidservants who went to investigate returned to report that there was no sign of Fourth Miss or Sixth Miss in the courtyard.

The First Lady’s eyes turned icy, piercing like arrows toward Madam Wang, while Nanny Fang observed Madam Wang unfazed as she pointed to the alley and said, "There’s an alley there. Has someone checked?"

One of the maidservants replied, "No, the door is locked, and we couldn’t get in."

Madam Wang’s expression turned slightly confused, a hint of doubt in her eyes, but then she smiled again: "It’s just an old lock, worn by wind and rain, surely rusted away..."

What exactly was her plan?!

The First Lady’s sharp gaze turned to that corner door, her voice icy: "Go, open the door and see." At this stage in the development of events, the First Lady already had a sense of the situation. Even if the two girls went to the outer courtyard, it must have something to do with Madam Wang!

Nanny Fang immediately stepped forward, volunteering: "I’ll go take a look." She personally took some maidservants to unlock the door.

As Madam Wang had said, the lock opened with a gentle push!

Nanny Fang led the group inside, took a quick look around, then came back out to report to the First Lady: "There’s no one inside!"

Madam Wang was stunned, exclaiming in disbelief, "Impossible!" Could they have left through another corner door? But she had personally checked it, and that corner door was locked, with the key long since lost!

How could they vanish in just the time it takes to drink two cups of tea?

In a panic, she rushed inside, jogging to the corner door to check the lock, finding it opened and locked again from the other side.

Someone had been here, but she was just a step too late!

Fire burned in her eyes. She had calculated everything precisely, even guarding the outside of the East Cross Courtyard with maids. Clearly, the Fourth Miss chased the Sixth Miss inside, unseen by anyone coming out, and they wouldn’t dare sneak out to the First Master’s study with Young Master Jiang, being seen there would be far more serious than being in the inner quarters!

Reason dictated they wouldn’t be that foolish!

Yet now, no one was there. Where did the two young ladies go?

At this moment, Xinzhu of Fourth Miss’s entourage was brought over by Zijuan: "Madam, I saw her at the opera house and brought her here!" Xinzhu immediately knelt at the First Lady’s feet upon arrival.

The First Lady turned cold and asked, "Where is your young mistress?"

Xinzhu, head bowed, answered, "Our young mistress is with the Sixth Miss in the Third Miss’s courtyard!"

The First Lady’s eyebrows twitched as she looked at Madam Wang, whose expression changed, "Nonsense, the Third Miss’s dress was sent to Fourth Miss earlier. What are they doing at the Third Miss’s place?"

Of course, she wouldn’t dare say that the Third Miss wasn’t in her room!

Xinzhu lifted her head, confidently replying, "The Sixth Miss said the Third Miss seemed unwell today, so she wanted to visit with the Fourth Miss... I just came from the Third Miss’s place, but she wasn’t there, nor was she back at the garden listening to opera. So I thought to look around... The Sixth Miss and Fourth Miss are still in the courtyard, drinking tea and waiting for her to come back."

Madam Wang appeared unable to handle the shock, swaying as she clung to the wall.

The First Lady’s gaze shifted slightly, with a faint smile, "Let’s go! Let’s see what’s happening with the Third Miss!" Then she turned to look at Madam Wang, who seemed entranced, and commanded, "Go support Madam Wang!"

A pair of servants, one on each side, lifted Madam Wang, bypassing the small garden, heading for the West Courtyard.

Entering the West Courtyard’s gate, they happened to encounter the First Master coming through a small path. His face was somber, his gaze swept over the servants supporting Madam Wang, finally settling on the First Lady, asking, "What’s going on here?"