High-class Spring Joy

Chu Jingyu went directly from Qingyuan's residence to Baiyun Courtyard.

Jiang Qingge and Jiang Qingyun were having lunch and talking:

"Sister, I've asked around. Those two lowly maids weren't at the Marquis's residence last night, and someone saw that the lowly maid Qingyuan only returned this morning. She looked very haggard and flustered, as if she had suffered some kind of blow. Our plan should have succeeded."

Jiang Qingge frowned: "You just look haggard?"

Jiang Qingge sensed that something was wrong.

Logically speaking, she had already investigated the relationship between Hongdou and Qingyuan before she took action against Hongdou. They were close friends, if not biological sisters. If her close friend really died, could Qingyuan be so heartless as not to shed a single tear?

Based on Jiang Qingge's observation of Qingyuan, Qingyuan was not such a heartless person. On the contrary, she was someone who would be moved to tears even if her purse was knocked into the lotus pond.

Could it be that the red bean was saved?

Jiang Qingge didn't draw a conclusion yet, but reminded Jiang Qingyun beside her, "Don't jump to conclusions too early. I have a feeling it won't be that easy and smooth. Let's observe for a few more days. And this matter must be handled cleanly, so that no one discovers any clues."

"I say, sister, you're just being too cautious. What's there to observe? It's just a maid who died. How many maids are there in the Zhenguo Marquis's mansion? What does it matter if one or two die? Maids are the lowest class, born of fathers but raised by no mothers. Otherwise, why would they be sold into this place to do hard labor and be slaves for life?"

Jiang Qingyun said dismissively, "She's just a maid. Who would really investigate a servant so thoroughly?"

Little did Chu Jingyu know that he had just reached the door when he overheard those words.

Chu Jingyu's mind was still replaying Qing Yuan's cold words. Hearing Jiang Qingyun's words now, her face tightened: "What are you two sisters talking about? What do you mean by not investigating a servant to the end?"

Chu Jingyu's appearance immediately caused Jiang Qingge and Jiang Qingyun's expressions to change slightly. Jiang Qingge reacted faster than Jiang Qingyun, and stood up with a smile to greet him: "Ah Jing, what brings you here today? Weren't you going to check on Qingyuan's health? You've been with me for so long before, Qingyuan must be feeling resentful. Go and spend more time with Qingyuan, don't worry about me."

Jiang Qingge continued speaking without answering Chu Jingyu's question. Normally, Chu Jingyu would have just followed along with Jiang Qingge's words.

Chu Jingyu had come here to question her, and having just entered and overheard Jiang Qingyun's words, she wouldn't be swayed by Jiang Qingge's few words: "I've already gone to see her, and precisely because I've gone to see her, there's something I need to clarify now."

"Ah Jing..." Upon hearing this, Jiang Qingge immediately realized something and tried to reach out and grab Chu Jingyu's arm to stop him.

"Don't speak."

Chu Jingyu casually uttered a remark, then brushed her hand away and took two steps forward to stand in front of Jiang Qingyun: "You just said that maids' lives are worthless, that they are lowly, and that one more or less makes no difference. Who gave you permission to speak so arrogantly in my Zhenguo Marquis's mansion? Did you poison Hongdou?! I didn't believe it at first, thinking it was Ayuan who was jealous and framed you. I even told her that you can't suspect others without evidence. But just now, I heard some things I shouldn't have heard! Hongdou was kidnapped, tortured severely, and then poisoned, her life hanging by a thread. Did you do it?!"

"No! No, Brother Jingyu, I didn't." Jiang Qingyun had never seen Chu Jingyu like this before. He was startled and quickly took two steps back, waving his hands in denial.

Chu Jingyu stared intently at her, his shrewd lips revealing a chilling anger: "So you mean, it was Ge'er who did it?!"

These words struck Jiang Qingyun like a blow to the head, leaving her speechless and startling Jiang Qingge beside her.

Jiang Qingge reacted almost instantly: "Ah Jing, Ah Jing, it's my fault. I didn't take good care of Yun'er, and I didn't teach Yun'er well. She actually did such a heinous thing right under my nose. Yun'er has already realized her mistake, and I will discipline her properly. Ah Jing, please don't be angry."

When Chu Jingyu's gaze fell on Jiang Qingge, it softened slightly, but his voice was much colder than usual: "Ge'er, don't get involved in this matter, and don't take the blame upon yourself. Although she is young, she should take responsibility for her own actions."

Jiang Qingge leaned against Chu Jingyu's chest, crying her heart out. When Chu Jingyu couldn't see her, she turned her head and gave Jiang Qingyun a look, glaring at her fiercely.

Jiang Qingyun now understood that Chu Jingyu's attitude today was that he was determined to find a murderer. If she did not admit it, and the murderer was her sister, both of them would be expelled from the Zhenguo Marquis's Mansion. But if the murderer was her, at most she would be expelled, and her sister's position in Chu Jingyu's eyes would remain important.

Jiang Qingyun could only take the blame for Jiang Qingge: "It was my fault, I really know I was wrong. Brother Jinyu, please don't be angry. Brother Jingyu, please give me another chance. I will definitely make up for my mistakes. I just... I just wanted to stand up for my sister. That vile servant Qingyuan..."

Before he could finish speaking, he had only uttered these few words—

"Snapped!"

A loud slap echoed in the room.

Jiang Qingyun's face was slapped so hard it was twisted to the side, and her left cheek immediately swelled up, burning with pain. She only heard Chu Jingyu speak angrily in front of her:

"Who gave you permission to call her that lowly servant girl!"

"Guards, throw this young but utterly wicked Miss Jiang out of the Marquis's mansion!"

-

Let's go back to Qingyuan's side.

Faced with the maid's accusations, Qingyuan watched coldly and calmly.

The maid continued to rant, "If it weren't for you, you wretched servant, how could our Second Miss have been driven out of the Marquis's mansion by the Fifth Young Master? You must have whispered in the Fifth Young Master's ear, speaking ill of our Second Miss and sowing discord. How could you be so ruthless and shameless!"

As she spoke, the maid raised her hand, about to slap Qingyuan across the face.

Qingyuan reached out to grasp the maid's wrist, but a shadow fell over the side, and the maid's hand was suddenly grabbed in someone's palm.

It was Mo Lin, the servant boy beside the Fifth Young Master. Mo Lin slapped the maid with his other hand, saying, "Do you think you can just hit people from the Zhenguo Marquis's mansion like that?"

"Guards, throw this maid out at once! How can the Marquis of Zhenguo's mansion tolerate someone like this!"

Soon, a servant boy pulled the maid away as well.

The next second, Qingyuan was suddenly pulled into someone's arms. She turned her head and saw Chu Jingyu.

Chu Jingyu looked at her with concern and asked anxiously, "How are you? Are you alright, A-Yuan? I was late, and such a fool dared to bully you! I just went to Baiyun Courtyard to handle things and got justice for you. No one will bully you like this again."

But as soon as Chu Jingyu finished speaking, he looked down and saw Qingyuan push against his chest and leave his embrace, her expression completely calm: "Then this servant thanks you, young master. If there's nothing else, this servant will take her leave."

After saying that, Qingyuan left without looking back, not giving him any chance to continue speaking, nor did she have any intention of continuing to talk to him.

Chu Jingyu's heart felt as if it had sunk into the icy lake.