novelaction Chapter 381 (111 words added)
Chapter 381 (111 words added)
Old Madam Xue looked sickly as she leaned against the couch, her eyes sharp yet piercing. Everyone in the room lowered their heads, not daring to breathe. The eldest daughter-in-law cautiously asked, "Mother, how are you feeling today?" Old Madam Xue snorted coldly, "Hmph, how well can this old body of mine be?"
At this moment, Xue Wan'er, the second daughter, stepped forward gracefully and said softly, "Grandmother, I have specially found some precious medicinal herbs that will surely help you recover soon." After saying this, she gestured to the maid to present the medicine. The old lady glanced at it but did not comment.
Suddenly, Xue Wenyuan, the third son of a concubine, stepped forward and said loudly, "Grandmother, I have heard that there is a renowned physician outside the city. I must invite him to treat you." All eyes were on the old lady, eager to see her response. The old lady slowly sat up straight, glanced at everyone, and said slowly, "I know your intentions, but matters within this household must be handled according to the rules." Everyone nodded, but each had their own agenda. A silent contest seemed to have just begun.
Just as Old Madam Xue was recovering from a serious illness, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. Xue Yunfan, the eldest son of the first wife, rushed in, panting, "Grandmother, something terrible has happened! The storeroom was burgled last night!" "Broken?" Old Madam Xue slammed her hand on the table, her eyes instantly sharpening. "What's missing?" Xue Yunfan stammered, "Grandmother, a lot of gold and silver jewelry, and several valuable paintings and calligraphy, are gone." The room erupted in chaos, everyone whispering amongst themselves. The eldest son's wife hurriedly said, "What should we do? We must report this to the authorities immediately and bring the thieves to justice!" The second son's daughter, Xue Wan'er, however, chuckled lightly, "Reporting to the authorities might not be wise. If word gets out that a thief broke into the mansion, people will laugh at us. Perhaps someone in the mansion stole it themselves." Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed. Xue Wenyuan, the third son of the third wife, sneered, "Second sister, what do you mean by that? Are you implying something indirectly?" Xue Wan'er sneered, "I didn't say that. I was just reminding everyone that to find a thief, you should start by looking around you." Old Madam Xue's eyes widened in anger, and she shouted, "Shut up, all of you!" Everyone immediately fell silent. The old lady said in a deep voice, "I will personally send people to thoroughly investigate this matter. Anyone with ill intentions will face my wrath." With that, she leaned back wearily on the couch, and a storm surrounding the theft of the storeroom quietly spread throughout the mansion. "Quite a few valuables have been stolen." Everyone was shocked to hear this. The old lady's face instantly turned ashen. "Such a thing has happened in this manor! Investigate it thoroughly!" The eldest daughter-in-law hurriedly said, "Mother, this matter must be thoroughly investigated. Don't let the thief get away with it." The second daughter, Xue Wan'er, however, smiled slightly, a hint of smugness flashing in her eyes. She said softly, "I'm afraid this thief might not be an outsider." The third son, Xue Wenyuan, frowned. "Why do you say that, Wan'er?" Xue Wan'er chuckled. "The manor is heavily guarded. If it were truly an outsider, how could they have succeeded so easily? Perhaps someone in the manor is colluding with them." Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense. The eldest son, Xue Yunfan, became anxious. "Wan'er, you can't make wild guesses. Without evidence, don't wrong an innocent person." Xue Wan'er remained calm. "Brother Yunfan, don't worry. I'm just guessing. But only a few stewards have the keys to the storeroom. Let's start by investigating them." At this moment, Xue Wenyuan, the third son of a concubine, suddenly said, "Grandmother, I think this matter might be related to a group of newly recruited servants in the mansion. Their origins are unclear, and they are the most suspicious." Just as everyone was arguing, the old lady's personal maid rushed over and whispered a few words in her ear. The old lady's face changed, and she stood up abruptly, "Stop arguing! Come with me to the storeroom, the thief has been caught!" Everyone was surprised and followed the old lady to the storeroom, all wanting to see who the thief who stole the mansion's valuables was. A drama of revealing the truth was about to unfold. "If it weren't for an inside man, how could an outsider have succeeded so easily?" In an instant, the atmosphere in the room became extremely tense, with everyone suspecting each other and harboring their own thoughts. The old lady slammed her hand heavily on the table, "Stop arguing, let's wait until we find out the truth." A storm surrounding the theft of the storeroom quietly rose again in this deep mansion.
Xue Ruanruan entered the Regent's Palace, hoping to temporarily escape the Xue family's turmoil, but little did she know that the palace itself was rife with undercurrents. The Regent, aloof and cold, paid little attention to her arrival. However, shortly after Xue Ruanruan settled in, news broke of a theft from the palace's treasury—a treasure bestowed by the Emperor himself. The Regent was furious and ordered a thorough investigation. Xue Ruanruan, recalling the theft, felt a growing unease. During the investigation, she discovered numerous clues pointing to herself, leaving her speechless. Just as the Regent was about to punish her, Xue Ruanruan suddenly remembered seeing the second daughter, Xue Wan'er, with a mysterious person during the theft. She boldly speculated that the theft might also be related to Xue Wan'er. Therefore, she begged the Regent for time to uncover the truth. Xue Ruanruan secretly investigated and ultimately discovered that the mastermind behind it all was Xue Wan'er, who had orchestrated the theft to frame Xue Ruanruan. The truth came to light, and the prince began to view Xue Ruanruan with new respect. Xue Ruanruan, in turn, secured her position within the prince's household amidst this turmoil. However, she did not let her guard down. Although Xue Wan'er had been exposed, it seemed she had an even greater power behind her. Soon after, news arrived from the palace that the emperor was to hold a grand banquet, inviting the women of various households. Xue Ruanruan, as a member of the Xue family, was among those invited.
At the banquet, Xue Ruanruan unexpectedly encountered Xue Wan'er. Xue Wan'er's eyes were filled with resentment, and she secretly plotted against her. However, Xue Ruanruan was prepared and cleverly defused the crisis. Just then, a mysterious young man caught Xue Ruanruan's attention. This young man was elegant and possessed an extraordinary air, seemingly protecting her from the shadows.
Halfway through the banquet, a sudden commotion erupted. Someone was causing trouble, claiming to have lost an important item. All eyes turned to them, and the atmosphere became tense. Xue Ruanruan's heart skipped a beat; she feared this was yet another conspiracy against her. Just as everyone was in a panic, the mysterious young man stepped forward. He calmly analyzed the situation, seemingly having already seen through everything. Looking at him, Xue Ruanruan felt a strange sense of security welling up inside her. How this new storm would unfold remained to be seen.