Chapter 47: The Unlucky Stratagem

  She waved her hand, and the two women brought over a round-eyed little girl. Madame Gu looked at Old Mother Zhou, who immediately understood, pointed at the little girl and scolded: "Ahua, quickly say what good deed you did for Eighth Miss?"

  That little girl fell to her knees with a thud and wailed loudly: "Slave knows wrong, slave shouldn't have taken advantage of the opportunity to steal Eighth Miss's hairpin. Later, Seventh Miss saw it and used it as evidence against me, saying that if I didn't put the medicine powder she gave me into Eighth Miss's tea water according to her demands, she would expose me and then sell me to a brothel... Master, slave knows wrong..."

  The flower didn't lack a frown as she looked at the rain, and the rain first stared at that little girl. The little girl slightly had a guilty conscience and buried her face, then she immediately glanced at Gu's family with disdain, how could they bring out such tricks to humiliate themselves?

  "She sighed and said, 'Father, please believe your daughter. Your daughter absolutely did not do such a thing. Your daughter has never even seen this little girl before, how can she be accused of grasping for evidence to coerce her? Moreover, I don't know what kind of medicine powder she's talking about, please investigate clearly.'"

  "What investigation? What kind of investigation do you want to conduct? You deliberately poisoned Ru Meng to prevent her from marrying the Fourth Prince, and let her lose face in front of the Empress Dowager." Madam Gu shouted.

  "Hua Zhe Yu slightly raised her chin, 'Mother, up to now, whether or not Eighth Sister is pregnant has yet to be confirmed, can it all be decided by Second Brother's single statement? Now it's good, might as well find someone to accuse me of poisoning my sister. Mother, are you going to suppress me to death in order to restore Eighth Sister's reputation? I don't know where I have offended you, that you would disregard the Empress Dowager's illness and want to put me to death?'"

  This remark made Gu's family tremble with anger, fortunately she had recently learned to endure, ignoring the flowers and rain, directly saying to Hua Buqi: "Old master, if you don't know what kind of person Yu Meng is, I believe you are clearer than anyone else. Moreover, if even the diagnosis of the first imperial physician is to be questioned, then old master should also go ask the emperor."

  Hua Bu Que was in a difficult position, not knowing whether to follow the Gu family's intentions and protect Hua Ruoyu or to prioritize his own future and protect Hua Zheyu. Just as he was hesitating, he saw Hong Niangniang leading a tear-stained Hua Bixing over. Seeing Hua Bixing's appearance, Hua Bu Que asked: "What happened?"

  Hong Yiniang's face showed a hint of anxiety as she walked over to Hua Buqu and lowered her voice, saying: "Master, Eighth Miss..."

  Gu thought she was going to report her, coldly interrupting, "What can't Hong Niang say in public? Under the bright sky and with Master being affectionate, isn't that a fox's seductive behavior?"

  Hua Buqu coughed and said to Hong Niangniang: "Whatever it is, just say it boldly."

  "Yes." Hong Yiniang tightly grasped Hua Bingqing's hand and raised her voice, saying: "Master, quickly go take a look by the goldfish pond. I think I just saw Eighth Miss... with two strange men..."

  Gu's face turned red with rage. "What are you talking about? If Meng had just been by my side, how could she have gone to the pond to meet a man?"

  Hong Yiniang slightly bowed her head, "Regarding the matter of Eighth Miss's reputation, I don't dare to lie, I only said it seemed that way. Because Jing Jie'er cried non-stop, I wasn't able to get close and take a good look. If Madam thinks I'm talking nonsense, then consider me as not having said anything."

  Gu's family was somewhat indecisive, and after seeing Hua not lacking in cold humming a sound, he turned his sleeve towards the goldfish pond and went away with big strides, she also followed closely behind with some surprise.

  By the goldfish pond, Hua Ruoyan suddenly woke up and found herself sandwiched between two thin, unconscious men lying on the ground. Her clothes were disheveled, her snow-white shoulders exposed, and the hands of the two men were still inserted into her neckline, overlapping on her plump chest, which frightened her so much that she let out a sudden shrill cry.