Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

Before the letter could be handed to Pei Zeyu, he snatched it away.

Pei Zeyu opened the envelope, pulled out the letter inside, and quickly scanned it.

A few days ago, he sent people to investigate Liu Wenying's whereabouts on the night of the incident.

She did go to the east wing and enter that room, but no one saw when she left.

Instead, she was taken back to Zhaolin Courtyard by Pei Yaojun, where she was witnessed by many servants in the mansion.

That night, she never stepped out of Zhaolin Courtyard again.

Pei Yaojun not only specially ordered his servants to buy women's clothing, but also purchased ointments.

Coupled with the rumors circulating in the household and their usual interactions, anyone who heard them would be convinced that they had already developed feelings for each other...

But he simply didn't believe it.

From investigating a single day to investigating the entire person.

They sent spies to her hometown overnight and thoroughly investigated her.

The pages turn incessantly, just like a heartbeat.

Afu saw that his master was almost out of control.

He hesitated for a moment, but still said, "Second Master, the information I've gathered is exactly as Liu Wenying said when she first entered the manor, without the slightest discrepancy."

"She suffered famine in her childhood, was displaced, and was later sold to the Chen family as a child bride. After growing up and getting married, her husband died unexpectedly at a young age. Her mother-in-law believed she was a jinx and kicked her out. All of that makes sense, there's nothing wrong with it..."

Pei Zeyu doesn't listen to just anyone; he only trusts what he sees.

What Afu said is also in the letter, and in more detail.

But he always felt that wasn't the truth.

Seeing that he remained silent, Afu continued, "If you really want to know what's unusual, it's the walking aid presented to the old lady at the birthday banquet, as well as things like airbag cushions and feeding spoons."

"No one in the village has ever heard of or seen those things before, and no one knows where she learned them from."

Pei Zeyu suddenly looked up. "Say it again."

Afu paused for a moment, then repeated it.

"...It's not certain whether it's because the time was short, the spies didn't investigate thoroughly enough, or some other reason."

He hadn't slept well for days, and his mind was as foggy as mud, but he had grasped the thread of the tangled mess and was determined to untangle it, no matter how much mental energy he lost.

"Second Master, is something wrong?"

"According to the letter, she has never left Xinghua Village since the year she arrived. The Chen family even managed to drive her out in the dead of winter, so they probably didn't treat her very well on a daily basis."

"We wouldn't spend money to teach her to read and write, but not only can she read, she can also turn those novel and interesting stories into things that no one has ever seen before but are extremely useful."

"Such things are by no means something an uneducated village woman could do."

Upon hearing this, Afu was astonished.

"Could she... be a spy planted in the manor?"

The Duke's Mansion is a high-ranking official's family and a noble family. With such a prominent position, it is easy for them to be infiltrated by the enemy and have spies planted to gather information.

"She is not."

For no apparent reason, he couldn't discern the cause, but he was certain of it deep down.

"Then, how else can we clarify the doubts you raised, Second Master?"

Afu was confused and couldn't figure out the details.

"People don't change their temperament overnight for no reason. There must be some clues that we haven't found yet."

"Does Second Master mean to conduct a thorough reinvestigation? Why not start with those close to her?"

Afu lowered his head and said, "This servant recalls that the scouts said that the Chen family in Xinghua Village now only has an old woman lying in bed, who is Liu Wenying's former mother-in-law."

"That old woman also has a daughter named Chen Yindi, who happens to work as a servant in our government office."

A glint appeared in Pei Zeyu's eyes. "Bring her here. I want to question her myself."

Afu responded and quickly left.

The room fell silent once more.

He folded the thick sheet of letter paper neatly and put it away carefully.

Outside the window, the autumn wind blew and swirled the withered leaves, sending them flying everywhere.

The setting sun cast a desolate yellow glow over the courtyard, making the desolation even more profound.

If we can understand the reason for her change in personality, we can also find out whether the person on that day was her.

And...why she won't admit it.

The Duke's mansion has several side gates, one of which is rarely used, and some miscellaneous items are piled up beside the gate.

As Chen Yindi clutched the monthly allowance she had just received, she pushed open the door, when a hand reached out from the side and snatched the string of coins from her hand.

"Give it to me now!"

Her husband, Li Chuanye, waited outside the door for a long time. After receiving it, he tossed it up and down in his hand, making a tinkling sound.

He was thin, with high cheekbones and droopy eyelids forming triangular eyes.

He still had half a cigarette dangling from his lips, puffing out clouds of smoke that made people wince.

"That's my monthly allowance! You—you give it back to me!"

After weighing the money in his hand, he stuffed the string of coins into his pocket, rolled his triangular eyes, and looked impatient.

"That's all? How much did you hide? Show it all!"

"That's it! That's all! I've given you everything for this month, what more do you want?"

Chen Yindi's eyes reddened with anxiety.

After Liu Wenying was kicked out of the house, her mother, Liu Erxia, fell seriously ill.

With no one to rely on at home, no farming skills, and slow money-making opportunities, she had no choice but to follow Li Chuanye to the city to make a living.

But to everyone's surprise, Li Chuanye developed a gambling addiction, spending his days idly and accumulating a mountain of gambling debts.

Every time she earned money through hard work, he would snatch it away to pay off her gambling debts.

She had previously gone to work at a restaurant because her gambling debts were due and the creditors were pressing her for repayment.

If she couldn't pay back the money, Li Chuanye would pawn her off to pay off his debts, which is why she desperately tried to find work.

Li Chuanye didn't believe it. He tucked his pipe behind his ear and reached out to pull off her clothes.

Chen Yindi shrank back, and then, with a sudden burst of courage, pushed him away.

"No means no!"

Li Chuanye stumbled a couple of steps after being pushed by her. "You've gotten bolder, haven't you? Daring to push me!"

He spat and cursed, "Without me here, your Chen family would have been wiped out long ago after your brother died. How dare you talk back to me like that?"

As Li Chuanye spoke, he raised his hand to teach her a lesson.

Chen Yindi suddenly stepped forward, puffing out her chest: "Go ahead and hit me! I'm not the same person now!"

I was taken aback by her unusual demeanor.

Li Chuanye was stunned and said, "Different? What's different? Aren't you still the lowest-ranking servant, emptying chamber pots and doing rough work every day? You dare to put on airs in front of me?"

Chen Yindi dusted off the corner of her clothes and said stubbornly, "I'm not anymore."

"The matrons in the manor took a liking to me and have already transferred me away. I no longer have to do that disgusting and dirty work. In the future, I might become a respectable person serving my master."

A hint of surprise flashed in Li Chuanye's triangular eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by disdain.

Chen Yindi continued, "That old woman was a kind person. When she first entered the manor, she was..."

She glanced quickly at her husband, then swallowed back the words she was about to say and phrased them differently.

"...I was being harassed, and it was only after the old nanny spoke up that I was allowed to stay."

Li Chuanye squinted, looking left and right. "Why is she being so nice to you for no reason?"

…………