Chapter Twenty-Five: What I Gave Her

In the small courtyard, Luo Yunqiao was reading, while Yinxin served the tea she had brewed.

"Young Miss, you should rest your eyes. You’ve been reading for the entire afternoon!" Yinxin said with a smile. "I went and found someone to prepare a medicinal tea that’s good for the eyes. You really should drink more of it."

Luo Yunqiao nodded, picked up the teacup, and took a sip. Just as she moved to adjust her posture, a sharp pain shot through her knee.

"Hiss..."

"Young Miss, what’s wrong? Is your leg ailment acting up again?" Yinxin knelt down, attempting to check on her knee.

Luo Yunqiao waved her hand dismissively. "It’s fine, it’s not as bad this time."

Yinxin disapproved. "I’ll go fetch a physician now. You need to have it looked at, or you won't be able to get a good night's sleep again!"

"There’s really no need," Luo Yunqiao said, grabbing Yinxin’s arm. "It’s so late; let’s not disturb anyone. We'll wait until tomorrow."

Yinxin understood her mistress's precarious position in the Marquis's estate. If she were a respected mistress, calling a doctor in the middle of the night would be expected, but as it stood, she wasn't truly considered a mistress of the house. Even if she went to summon the estate physician, there was no guarantee they would even come.

Sighing, Yinxin gave up and ordered a hot water bottle to be prepared, hoping to warm Luo Yunqiao’s leg to provide some relief.

Just then, a servant boy walked over quickly. "Young Miss, the Madam requests your presence in the front hall. There is a matter that must be discussed."

Luo Yunqiao didn't even look up, casually turning the page of her book. "What matter is so urgent that I must go?"

The servant, clearly not expecting such a cold response, paused for a moment before replying, "Young Miss, you had better go. You will understand the nature of the matter once you arrive at the front hall."

"I am not going," Luo Yunqiao answered firmly.

The servant didn't leave; he stood there, clearly intending to wait until she complied. "Young Miss, the Madam requests your presence in the front hall."

The servant repeated it incessantly, making it impossible for Luo Yunqiao to ignore him. With a sigh, she set aside her book.

"So eager for me to watch your play? If I don't show up, you can't continue the performance, is that it?"

Luo Yunqiao took the hot water bottle from Yinxin and allowed her to tie her cloak before walking step by step toward the front hall, followed by the servant.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the front hall, she saw Jinxin kneeling on the floor. At a single glance, Luo Yunqiao deduced the situation.

Yinxin’s heart tightened with anxiety, her hand gripping Luo Yunqiao’s arm with involuntary force. Luo Yunqiao walked to Jinxin's side and looked at the others in the room. "What is this about?"

"That is..." Luo Zeting began, but he was interrupted before he could explain.

"Big Brother, there’s no need for pleasantries now!" Luo Zefeng cut him off, then turned to Luo Yunqiao. "Mother’s jewelry, which was gifted to Zhen'er, has gone missing. It just so happens that your maid was out this afternoon selling some jewelry."

Luo Yunqiao understood immediately: they were accusing her of stealing Luo Zhen'er’s jewelry to sell.

"You think I stole the items?" Luo Yunqiao looked at him with indifference, as if observing a madman.

Luo Zefeng countered, "What? With both witnesses and evidence, are you still planning to deny it?"

"Luo Yunqiao, what is wrong with you? If you’ve done something wrong, you should admit it. Your maid stole Zhen'er’s jewelry—return it immediately!"

Luo Zhen'er then spoke up, playing the part of the gracious sister. "Mother, Brothers, in my opinion, let's just let this matter pass. They were only a few pieces of jewelry."

Luo Zefeng immediately rejected this. "No, this isn't just about a few pieces of jewelry!"

Madam Luo sighed, looking at Luo Yunqiao with disappointment and frustration. "Yunqiao, if you needed money, you could have come to me. I could have given it to you. There was no need to..." She left the rest unsaid, clearly finding the situation shameful. For a legitimate daughter of the Marquis's estate to stoop to such petty theft was disgraceful.

Seeing that his mother was on his side, Luo Zefeng became even more emboldened, determined to crush Luo Yunqiao. He seized the initiative: "Luo Yunqiao, the Marquis's estate hasn't given you much in terms of gold, silver, or jewelry since your return. Where did the jewelry you sold come from?"

His tone made it clear he was certain she had stolen it.

"Young Miss, I'm sorry, it's all my fault..." Jinxin felt aggrieved for her mistress, being framed over some jewelry.

Luo Yunqiao shook her head, comforting her. "It is fine. You did nothing wrong, so there is no need to apologize." She then looked at the others. "Likewise, I did not do this, and I will not admit to it."

Luo Zefeng said unhappily, "Mother, since Luo Yunqiao dares to steal, you must punish her severely, or it will happen again. If word of this gets out, it will ruin the reputation of our estate."

Before Madam Luo could speak, Luo Yunqiao interjected: "Since Second Brother says Zhen'er lost jewelry, may I ask exactly what was lost?"

She directed the question at Luo Zhen'er.

Caught off guard, Luo Zhen'er stammered, "I... I have so much jewelry, I don't remember exactly." She turned to Madam Luo. "Mother, why don't we just let it go? It wasn't anything expensive."

"If this matter creates a rift between my sister and me, that would be unfortunate."

"This..." Madam Luo hesitated, unable to make a decision.

"Mother!" Luo Zhen'er clung to Madam Luo’s arm, acting coy.

Madam Luo smiled. "Fine, fine, have it your way!" She reached out to playfully tap Luo Zhen'er’s nose. "In that case, then..."

"Wait a moment!" Luo Yunqiao interrupted. "I do not accept such 'leniency.' I am not at fault here. Zhen'er, you should still list out the missing pieces for comparison."

"Jinxin, give me the list of the jewelry you sold!"

Jinxin nodded quickly, pulling a piece of paper from her pocket and handing it to Luo Yunqiao.

Luo Yunqiao glanced at it and laid the list before everyone. "I ask you all to look and see if the items Luo Zhen'er lost match this list. One should rely on evidence when speaking and acting; are you just going to make baseless accusations?"

Luo Yunqiao handed the list to Madam Luo and Luo Zeting. Upon reading it, both realized they had wrongly accused her.

Luo Yunqiao then looked at Luo Zhen'er and offered a "kind" piece of advice: "Zhen'er, you should keep a closer eye on the servants in your courtyard. Perhaps someone there is stealing from you. If you lose something again and try to pin it on me, it will be quite troublesome."

"Yes... I understand," Luo Zhen'er replied with a forced smile.

Luo Zefeng, however, spoke up again: "Even if the jewelry you sold wasn't Zhen'er’s, that still isn't right!"

Everyone looked at him. "What isn't right?" Luo Zeting asked.

"The quantity and value of the jewelry Jinxin sold are enormous. Since arriving at the estate, Luo Yunqiao has never received such a vast amount of jewelry."

"Since you claim those pieces weren't stolen from Zhen'er, where did you get such precious jewelry?" Luo Zefeng glared at her, convinced he had caught her in a lie.