They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 232: Capture
After hearing what her master said, Cuiqiao thought about it and felt that it made a lot of sense.

These country folk had never seen anything like it before. They were probably scared to death.

If they treat it as a chance robbery and don't think of the young lady at all, then wouldn't the young lady have wasted her time and effort, and wouldn't she have been throwing her charms at a blind man?

Therefore, we must remind them.

Cuiqiao couldn't help but imagine the look of shock, anger, fear, and frustration on Xu Zhichun and Zeng Xiaoyan's faces when she reminded them of this matter in person. She was already impatient to do so.

She liked this job.

Unfortunately, she ultimately failed to complete this task.

Because it's not needed anymore.

Before she even left the house, people from the yamen (government office) arrived.

Master Zeng happened to be at home at that moment, and when he saw the officials from the yamen, he was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out.

When the constable explained the situation and asked, "Where is that maid named Cuiqiao? Hand her over! The magistrate wants to question her!" Master Zeng suddenly felt dizzy.

The Zeng family naturally refused to hand over the person.

"It's a misunderstanding, it must be a misunderstanding!"

“Our maids never even leave the house, how could they possibly get into trouble? Why don’t we send our steward to explain things to the master?”

Master Zeng and his eldest son were very polite, smiling and offering money, trying to appease the officials and keep negotiating, all to prevent the constables from taking Cuiqiao away.

Cuiqiao is Zeng Mingzhu's trusted maid. If she has a problem and is taken away by the government, how will others view Zeng Mingzhu?
Not to mention the son-in-law is still at home.
After this, will the son-in-law still respect his wife?
However, the officers who came to arrest the person showed them no respect. The master said they had to take the person away, so of course they had to.

Young Master Zeng tried to slip a large silver note into the man's hand, inquiring about the matter, but he failed to get the note out and also failed to find out what it was about.

Left with no other choice, Young Master Zeng, Steward Zeng, and Granny Fang, who served Madam Zeng, accompanied them.

Cuiqiao was terrified and cried out, "Young Miss, save me!" But after being shouted at a few times, she dared not cry anymore.

Zeng Mingzhu was furious.

"It was that bitch Zeng Xiaoyan, it must have been her doing!"

Before Madam Zeng could react, Master Zeng immediately sensed something amiss: "Xiao Yan? How did you get involved with her again? What did you do? Did you have Cui Qiao do something?"

Zeng Mingzhu choked.

Madam Zeng found this very offensive. "What do you mean, sir? Why must it be Mingzhu who made Cuiqiao do something? Why can't it be that wretched girl Zeng Xiaoyan who did something? Is that wretched girl someone to be trifled with?"

Mr. Zeng didn't engage in a verbal battle with her. He looked at his eldest daughter with a deep gaze and asked, "Tell me the truth, what exactly happened?"

Zeng Mingzhu: "."

“The person has already been taken away by the authorities. What’s the point of you keeping it from us? Do you really think that a little girl like Cuiqiao can hide anything from the officials?”

If they really got to the yamen, Cuiqiao would probably be so frightened by a single word from the magistrate that she would vomit everything up.

In the courtroom, how much courage could a mere maidservant possibly have?
Zeng Mingzhu guiltily looked away, "I...I just...I was just so angry at their arrogance that I got a few people to teach them a lesson."

"what!"

Master Zeng's vision blurred again and again: "Why do you keep causing me trouble? What exactly happened? Tell me clearly now! Tell me! Don't hide anything from me!"

Zeng Mingzhu had no choice but to tell the whole story.

Master Zeng was so heartbroken he wanted to beat his chest and stamp his feet in despair.

He pointed at Zeng Mingzhu, his thousand complaints seemingly starting from nowhere, "You, you, you rambled on for ages without getting to the point."

"Foolish! Foolish! You hired someone to rob you on the way just for this? You're the eldest daughter of the Zeng family, not a bandit! How could you do something so foolish and absurd?" Zeng Mingzhu pouted, looking annoyed.

How could she have known that Cuiqiao was so useless? All the people she brought were just all talk and no action; so many of them couldn't even handle Zeng Xiaoyan and her gang.

If Cuiqiao were more capable and found a reliable person, wouldn't everything have been fine?

They taught Zeng Xiaoyan and her group a lesson and then left. What could they do even if they reported it to the authorities? They wouldn't be able to find them anyway.

They were all incompetent and clumsy.

Madam Zeng couldn't bear to see her daughter being scolded. "My lord, it takes two to tango. If it weren't for Madam Xu and Zeng Xiaoyan going too far, Mingzhu wouldn't have done this. Who do they think they are? Are we supposed to let Mingzhu suffer their humiliation for nothing? Blame Cuiqiao for being incompetent and messing things up!"

Otherwise, Zeng Xiaoyan and Xu Zhichun would have to suffer this injustice in silence.

Zeng Mingzhu looked at her mother with a look of agreement.

Master Zeng was furious: "You still have the nerve to talk back? You're unrepentant! Unrepentant! This family will be ruined by you sooner or later, you'll destroy it sooner or later!"

"father!"

"Sir, your words are too harsh!"

"You think my words were too harsh?" Master Zeng sneered. "Why don't you tell your good daughter where her uncle is right now?"

Mrs. Zeng paused for a moment.

Zeng Mingzhu was puzzled: "What do you mean? Uncle isn't home? Oh right, I haven't seen Uncle since I came back. Mom, why doesn't Uncle like coming to our house anymore?"

Mrs. Zeng was a little embarrassed and didn't know what to say.

Master Zeng sneered.

Zeng Mingzhu finally realized something was wrong, "Mother!"

"She's too ashamed to say it, but let me tell you, your dear uncle is in jail right now."

"master!"

"Do you know why? It's because we picked a fight with the Xu family!"

"what!"

Zeng Mingzhu was both shocked and furious. "How dare they! Father, why didn't you help Uncle? Why did you let them bully Uncle like this! Zeng Xiaoyan, Zeng Xiaoyan, did she have any part in this? What an ingrate!"

Mrs. Zeng's eyes reddened, her heart burning with emotion. How could she not love this daughter? How could she not?
Mr. Zeng was completely shocked. He looked at Zeng Mingzhu and then at Madam Zeng in disbelief, and suddenly felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

Those two have gone completely mad!

Cuiqiao was unscrupulous and didn't think anything would happen. So when she tried to bribe people with silver, she didn't even cover her face. Those ruffians recognized her at a glance.

At first, Cuiqiao tried to deny it, but once threatened, she confessed everything before even being punished.

Young Master Zeng sternly stopped her, shifting all the blame onto her and exonerating Zeng Mingzhu.

Cuiqiao suddenly remembered that her parents and brothers were still in the Zeng family. If they dared to drag the young lady into this mess, not only would she be finished, but her parents and brothers would also be doomed.

Cuiqiao confessed on the spot, taking all the blame upon herself.

Lord Lu went to the provincial capital and is not in the county. Today's case is being heard by County Magistrate Zhao. County Magistrate Zhao has a good relationship with the Zeng family. If he hadn't known that Xu Zhichun also had a good relationship with Magistrate Lu's wife, he would never have gone to the Zeng family to ask for Xu Zhichun's help.

With a scapegoat in place, Magistrate Zhao made it clear that this was the outcome, and Xu Zhichun and the others remained silent, which was considered an admission of guilt.

(End of this chapter)