11 A Glance of Admiration

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The maids in Whispering Words Court were thrown into a panic, rushing about in utter disorder. One went to fetch the physician, another to notify Second Madam, while others hurried back and forth carrying water.

Lin Xueshu had been frightened as well. Still shaken, she stared at the unconscious Lin Qingxu and asked her personal maid, Yingshuang, in a low voice, “How did Sister Qingxu faint from fright?”

“Fifth Miss doesn’t know that our young lady is terrified of snakes. She avoids even snakes in paintings and embroidery, let alone a real one.” Yingshuang’s eyes reddened. “What are we going to do?”

Lin Xueshu secretly mocked Lin Qingxu for being such a coward, completely forgetting that she herself had also been startled moments ago.

While no one was paying attention, Lin Yuejiao slipped the gold filigree phoenix-wing pearl tassel hairpin into Lin Qingxu’s dressing box.

Before long, Second Madam Yi Hanbing and the physician arrived one after another. After Lin Yuejiao and Lin Xueshu expressed their concern for Lin Qingxu, they left Whispering Words Court.

*

The sky had only just darkened. Lin Yuejiao had finished dinner and was reading a book of poetry beneath the lamplight when a commotion suddenly arose outside.

“Miss, the Old Madam has arrived. She brought quite a number of people with her,” reported Yanziwei as she entered.

Lin Yuejiao calculated the time. The Old Madam must have returned around dusk, discovered that her hairpin was missing, and now the timing was just right.

“Come. Accompany me outside to receive her.”

The Old Madam’s party had already entered the courtyard. Lin Yuejiao emerged from the room and bowed at the steps before the doorway. “Your granddaughter pays her respects to Grandmother. Greetings, First Madam.”

The group arrived with imposing momentum.

At the front was the Old Madam. To her left stood First Madam Qian Yaoxian and the eldest young lady, Lin Qingliu. To her right was Lin Zijin, who had long served at the Old Madam’s side, and beside her stood Lin Xueshu.

Lin Qingsheng had wanted to come as well, but she could only lie on her stomach at present. She could not even put on trousers, much less walk.

“Lin Yuejiao, answer me. Did you go to the Longevity Hall today?” the Old Madam asked bluntly.

Lin Yuejiao replied, “I should have gone to pay my respects to Grandmother, but I heard that you had gone to Lingyin Temple to offer incense early this morning. Therefore, I have not yet visited you today.”

“You’re lying!” Qian Yaoxian said coldly. “If you never went there, how did the Old Madam’s lost possession end up in your room?”

Lin Yuejiao looked bewildered. “First Madam, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

“Stop pretending. The gold filigree phoenix-wing pearl tassel hairpin the Old Madam lost was stolen by you! The heir showed mercy and agreed to treat your younger brother, but the medicine was too expensive for you to afford. So you stole the Old Madam’s hairpin and sold it to raise money for your brother’s treatment, didn’t you?” Qian Yaoxian pressed aggressively.

Lin Yuejiao bowed deeply. “Grandmother, please investigate the matter carefully. Yuejiao has been wronged. I truly did not visit the Longevity Hall today, nor did I know that you had lost anything. First Madam insists that the item is here—may I ask what evidence she has?”

“A search will tell us. If the item is here, that itself is evidence,” Qian Yaoxian said directly.

Lin Yuejiao met her challenge head-on. “Then why not search Sentiment Pavilion first? First Madam’s reasoning is hardly convincing. You assume that because I am short of money, I must have stolen something, and so you want to search my Serene Retreat. But I think Sister Qingsheng was beaten only recently. Perhaps she harbors resentment toward Grandmother and stole the hairpin she treasures to vent her anger?”

“You are slandering her!” Qian Yaoxian was instantly enraged.

“First Madam, please don’t be angry.” Lin Yuejiao smiled faintly. “I was merely giving an example. I simply don’t understand what I have done to make both Grandmother and First Madam believe that I would steal. I respectfully ask Grandmother to enlighten me.”

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“It was a maid from your Serene Retreat who reported you,” said the Old Madam. “Bring her in.”

Nanny Qiu immediately escorted Jiyu over.

Jiyu glanced at Lin Yuejiao, a trace of smugness flashing in her eyes, then knelt before the Old Madam and kowtowed. “Old Madam, I saw the gold filigree phoenix-wing pearl tassel hairpin in our young lady’s dressing box. I never imagined that Miss would steal something. Although she is my mistress, I had no choice but to report her.”

“Lin Yuejiao, surely you heard that clearly. What else do you have to say?” Qian Yaoxian demanded.

Lin Yuejiao swept a glance over Jiyu. “I have several questions. First, news of Grandmother’s missing hairpin has not yet reached our West Fourth Courtyard. I only learned of it when Grandmother came to my Serene Retreat. Even if you saw the hairpin, how did you know it was missing rather than something the Old Madam had bestowed upon me? You seem remarkably well informed. Who sent word to you? Who told you that Grandmother’s hairpin was lost? Second, after you were beaten, you stayed away to recover and have never served at my side. How did you discover that there was a hairpin in my dressing box?”

“I—I went to pay my respects to Miss today, but she wasn’t there. I saw a hairpin in the dressing box. It was the Old Madam’s gold filigree phoenix-wing pearl tassel hairpin, so I secretly committed it to memory…”

Before she could finish, Lin Yuejiao gave a cold laugh. “When you discovered I was absent, why were you looking in my dressing box? Were you trying to steal something?”

“I—I wasn’t. I…” Jiyu stammered, unable to answer.

Qian Yaoxian frowned and cursed Jiyu’s uselessness inwardly. “Lin Yuejiao, Jiyu saw the hairpin in your dressing box. Stop changing the subject.”

“First Madam, I merely want to clarify the matter so that no one is deceived.” Lin Yuejiao’s mocking gaze settled on Jiyu. “Jiyu, you claim that you recognized it as the Old Madam’s hairpin at a glance. But aside from the maids who serve Grandmother, only the two madams and a few of us young ladies have ever seen it. How could you know that it was the gold filigree phoenix-wing pearl tassel hairpin? You are lying!”

Jiyu’s face turned deathly pale. She stammered as she tried to amend her story. “No, no, what I meant was that I heard the Old Madam’s hairpin had gone missing. Then I noticed that there was a new hairpin in Miss’s dressing box, so I thought it might be that one…”

“A moment ago, you said you recognized it at a glance. Now you’ve changed your story. It seems you didn’t prepare well enough; you couldn’t even make your lie consistent.” Lin Yuejiao’s voice was laced with scorn.

She ignored Jiyu and turned to the Old Madam. “Grandmother, this servant’s story is disjointed and full of holes. I am willing to stake my life and reputation on the fact that your hairpin is not here. To be honest, she was beaten thirty times by me last time, so she may well have held a grudge against me.”

The Old Madam watched the scene unfold and found Jiyu highly suspicious as well.

Seeing that matters were about to take a turn for the worse, Lin Xueshu hurriedly said, “Grandmother, since we have already come this far, why not conduct a search to ensure there is no doubt? If we confirm that the hairpin is not in Serene Retreat, it will further prove Sister Yuejiao’s innocence. Otherwise, as long as the hairpin remains missing, people will spread rumors that Sister Yuejiao stole it. That would damage Cousin Sister’s reputation.”

“Xueshu is right, Old Madam. We should search,” Qian Yaoxian immediately added.

Lin Yuejiao laughed coldly inwardly. She bowed. “Grandmother, Yuejiao is willing to allow a search to prove my innocence. However, once Serene Retreat is searched today, even if nothing is found, outsiders will know that you suspected your own granddaughter of theft. That would be very damaging to the reputation of our Lin family.”

“Hmph! You’re making one excuse after another because you simply don’t want to be searched. I think you have something to hide!” Qian Yaoxian was so furious that her teeth ached.

The corners of Lin Yuejiao’s lips lifted. “First Madam, please don’t rush. Hear me out. I agree that there should be a search, of course—but we cannot search only my Serene Retreat. The entire Lin residence should be searched. That way, no one will think Grandmother suspected her own granddaughter, and our family’s reputation will be preserved. Besides, I am certain the hairpin is not here. So where is it? If we search everywhere, perhaps we will find it. What do you think, Grandmother?”

“Very good. Yuejiao has considered the matter carefully.” The Old Madam nodded in approval, her mood improving considerably.

“Then let us begin with my Serene Retreat. I shall trouble all of you,” Lin Yuejiao said courteously to the older maids.

The Old Madam gave Nanny Qiu a pointed instruction. “Be careful. Don’t damage Fourth Miss’s belongings.”

“Yes.” Nanny Qiu and the others bowed before entering to conduct the search.

Qian Yaoxian watched Lin Yuejiao gain favor before the Old Madam once again, and her hatred made her teeth itch.

Lin Qingliu had observed everything with cold indifference, but inwardly she thought: Simply framing Lin Yuejiao for theft was not enough. She had to die. She absolutely had to die.

Lin Xueshu was filled with anticipation. Be pleased with yourself while you can, Lin Yuejiao. Keep pretending. Once the hairpin is found in your room, you’ll be the one crying.

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Time passed by in slow increments. One after another, Nanny Qiu and the others emerged and went before the Old Madam.

“Old Madam, we found nothing.”

“How is that possible?” Lin Xueshu had been waiting eagerly for the result and blurted out the words without thinking.

Everyone immediately turned to look at her. The corners of Lin Yuejiao’s lips curved upward in a half-smile. “What is it, Xueshu? Do you think the item should have been found here?”

“No! I mean, how could we possibly find anything? Sister Yuejiao would never steal. It was all that vile maid’s nonsense! She should be beaten to death, so she’ll learn not to make reckless accusations.” Lin Xueshu hurriedly changed her words and forced a smile onto her face.

The Old Madam was likewise disgusted with Jiyu. “A servant who slanders her mistress should be dragged outside and beaten to death.”

“Old Madam, spare me! Old Madam, please spare my life!” Jiyu burst into tears, kowtowing repeatedly.

Lin Qingliu frowned. She did not care whether the vile maid lived or died, but she needed an inside accomplice for her plan to burn Lin Yuejiao alive.

“Grandmother,” Lin Qingliu said, “this maid did grow up alongside Yuejiao. All the other people in Serene Retreat were dismissed before, yet Muxi chose to keep her. That proves she still has some loyalty and may be of use. This time, I don’t think she deliberately meant to frame Yuejiao.”

“Yes, yes! I truly did not mean to frame Miss. I was mistaken. I saw wrongly…” Jiyu’s forehead had already split open and bled, yet she continued crying and begging for mercy.

Watching this, Lin Yuejiao’s gaze shifted. “Grandmother, why not leave this servant to me? Finding the hairpin is the important matter. Everyone should hurry and continue searching. I hope you can locate it soon.”

“So be it. You may deal with this vile maid yourself, but do not show her the slightest mercy.” The Old Madam cast Jiyu a grim look, then turned to Lin Yuejiao. “By the way, what about Yier’s medical expenses?”

Had Qian Yaoxian not mentioned it earlier, the Old Madam would have forgotten all about the matter.

Lin Yuejiao smiled. “Grandmother, there is no need to worry. The heir is generous and magnanimous. How could he haggle with us over the cost of medicine? He did not accept any payment.”

“Excellent. That is excellent.”

The Old Madam and her party departed, while Nanny Qiu continued the search with her people.

Before long, several older maids arrived carrying gifts.

There was a complete set of the Four Treasures of the Study—brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone—a small box of silver ingots meant for giving as rewards, and a heavy box containing one hundred taels of silver.

Lin Yuejiao’s monthly allowance was only five taels. This amounted to nearly two years of her allowance.

They explained that the one hundred taels had originally been set aside for Lin Yier’s medical expenses. Even though the money was no longer needed for medicine, she was to keep it for the time being.

In the courtyard of Serene Retreat, Baoqin had remained kneeling the entire time, trembling and too frightened to rise.

“Miss, I was only confused for a moment. I truly never meant to harm you…” Jiyu wept as she begged for mercy.

Lin Yuejiao’s gaze fell upon her, her voice utterly devoid of emotion.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let you die.”