Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 139 - 21: The Failed Plot (3)

Bisha let out a light sigh of relief, seeing the young lady calling her to rise, she quickly stood up. This time, the young lady played too big a game using Uncle Gao’s hand; she was constantly anxious every day, just fearing that one day the Old Madam would send someone to invite her and her mistress over...

While Bisha was thinking, Huan Sha softly said from outside, "Miss, have you rested yet? Someone from the Old Madam’s place is here—they’ve asked Bisha to go over!"

Huan Sha was also anxious now. She had served the Fifth Miss for six or seven years. Not to say she understood the young lady completely, but at least halfway. The young lady seemed gentle and kind but, in reality, haha, it’s best not to say more. This mistress always thought she was clever and regarded others as fools, merely bringing ridicule upon herself.

Even though the Fifth Miss offered comfort, at this moment, Bisha’s hands and feet still felt weak, unable to move. But she had to go and had to act as if nothing was wrong. If she dared spoil her mistress’s good affairs, what awaited her wouldn’t just be a simple sale. Her life and her family’s lives were in Aunt Gao’s hands.

The message was delivered by two rough women from Sui’an Hall. Seeing Bisha, one of the women smiled, "Miss, let’s go!" That smile had an indescribable meaning. But upon closer inspection, Bisha found both women had lowered their heads as if the earlier scene was just an illusion of her own.

Bisha forced a smile, removed the two golden bracelets weighing six taels from her hand, and slipped one into each of the women’s bosoms, "Please, ma’am, give me some guidance."

A pair of bracelets weighed six taels of gold, equivalent to sixty taels of silver. These bracelets were bestowed by Aunt Gao in Shangjing. Both Aunt Gao and the Fifth Miss were already miserly. After following the Fifth Miss for so many years, this was the heaviest reward Bisha had received. She usually wore them all the time. Now, the more she thought, the more panicked she became, almost losing her senses!

Although the gold was tempting, the two women were specifically instructed by Nanny Qin and dared not accept it.

Seeing the two women hesitating, Bisha hurriedly pushed the bracelets further into their arms. The two rough women gritted their teeth, accepted the bracelets, but exchanged a glance out of Bisha’s sight.

The woman who spoke first said, "We are not too clear on other matters, only that Xiang Lian has been beaten half to death. The Old Madam has summoned a few maids over, only..." The woman paused, causing Bisha’s heart to skip a beat before she continued, "For the other maids, it’s enough for little maids to deliver a message. But for you, Miss, Nanny Qin specifically instructed to summon two strong ones. If you refuse, then you shall be carried."

Upon hearing "beaten half to death" and "carried if necessary," Bisha truly panicked, her mind filled with "It’s over, the Old Madam knows!" The Old Madam knew everything. She merely watched the Fifth Miss’s antics and, at the critical moment, shattered all her fantasies. The scene of the Old Madam instructing Nanny Qin to slap her was still vivid in Bisha’s memory.

Bisha shivered subconsciously wanting to run back to Rouyi Hall, but the two rough women grabbed her arms from both sides, "Miss, the Old Madam is still waiting. Let’s hurry!"

And over at Sui’an Hall, even the maids of the Song Family, being just ordinary landlord’s daughters, couldn’t compare. Xiang Lian, having been a second-class maid for two or three years, was raised like a young lady, with delicate skin. After ten strikes, her skin couldn’t bear it anymore, splitting open.

The Old Madam watched coldly, waving to stop the beating while a maid removed the cloth from Xiang Lian’s mouth. Nanny Qin asked, "Now, if you speak, you can avoid further suffering, and moreover..." Seeing Xiang Lian biting her lips in silence, Nanny Qin admired this maid a bit, thinking it’s not much to be harsh to others but admirable to be harsh on oneself.

Following the Old Madam for so many years, Nanny Qin had witnessed many storms. Xiang Lian, in contrast, was still young, "Moreover, you can prevent involving your family."

When Bisha arrived, she saw the Old Madam’s cold face and Nanny Qin interrogating Xiang Lian. Xiang Lian lay on the ground, her lower body soaking through the bloodstains, turning her white skirt into a shocking sight, accompanied by Xiang Lian’s intermittent groans and faint breathing. If it weren’t for the two women supporting her, Bisha would have collapsed to the ground too.

At that moment, all the maids and women familiar with Xiang Lian were brought in. The Old Madam ordered Nanny Qin to interrogate them one by one, with Bisha being particularly focused on.

It was also at this moment that the Princely Heir arrived at Sui’an Hall, followed by several servants escorting two men and a woman. The three of them were in a sorry state, with bloodstains and injuries on them. The servants pushed the three in front of Xiang Lian. The woman, upon seeing the bloodied Xiang Lian, crawled over, "Child, just confess!"

As soon as Xiang Lian saw the three, her face changed dramatically, "Why are you back?" It turned out these three were Xiang Lian’s father, mother, and brother, who were originally supposed to return to their hometown, but were now in a pitiful state.

The woman, who was Xiang Lian’s mother, heard what her daughter said, and, thinking of something, slapped her daughter on the face, "You stupid girl, you almost got us killed! I told you before; it’s fate!"