Chapter 325 - 324: The Villain

Chapter 325: Chapter 324: The Villain

It was obviously just a pillow stuffed with cotton, yet Nanny Zhu instinctively moved her foot away as if it had been a stone weighing a thousand pounds.

Madam Ma swallowed several times, her mouth dry, and the swallowing made her throat hurt.

A burning pain.

As if the wine in the wine pouch at her waist had caught fire.

Madam Ma didn’t dare to look at Mu Yuanjing, she just secretly glanced at Nanny Zhu, whose expression was twisted with conflict.

Madam Ma knew that Nanny Zhu had drunk a lot tonight; after ten days of night patrols, each and every one of them had turned from being scared to being irritated and angry. If something went wrong, they wouldn’t be able to explain to their masters. If it weren’t for the reward silver, who wouldn’t want to sleep until daybreak?

After being reprimanded by the Lian Family, Nanny Zhu didn’t dare to mention ghosts anymore and firmly believed it was someone causing trouble.

It was raining tonight, so they originally thought that the troublemaker wouldn’t come in the rain. Nanny Zhu stayed in the Flower Hall, and most of the wine Madam Ma bought ended up in Nanny Zhu’s belly.

If she wasn’t holding a grievance, or trying to boost her courage with alcohol, Nanny Zhu might not have dared to have someone climb the wall to unlock the gate of Manhe Garden and force Mu Yuanjing to open the door.

Now, they had gone from catching ghosts to catching an illicit affair.

Madam Ma was filled with woe; she’d rather catch a ghost than be involved in catching an illicit affair. The scandals of their masters must be kept strictly hidden; if they were caught in the act, this...

She had to admire Hong Jinbao’s family’s foresight.

If she hadn’t dragged Nanny Zhu along, given the relationship with Mu Yuanjing, she couldn’t withstand Mu Yuanjing’s rage alone.

What to do? Should they retreat?

Madam Ma shook her head. With so many other women outside, all drenched in rain to catch this troublemaker who had been harassing them for half a month, could they just retreat without even knowing the hour? Would this matter end just like that?

Even if they retreated, having exposed a scandal, could they survive?

They wouldn’t survive, absolutely wouldn’t!

Nanny Zhu also realized, if they just retreated, making up some excuse, they would be the only ones to die.

The Lian Family wouldn’t dare protect her, Du Yunluo wouldn’t protect Madam Ma either; dead people keep secrets best, and with just a word from Madam Wu, they’d be gone.

With their lives at stake, Nanny Zhu’s courage rose, her belly churning with wine.

"Madam, where’s that wicked person? That damn scoundrel! Not only did they trouble us for half a month, but today they even hurt Madam! Madam, it’s all our fault for being late..." Nanny Zhu slapped her thighs and began wailing.

Madam Ma shuddered.

Yes, whether it’s an affair or a night assault, just focus on Mu Yuanjing being the victim.

Once the ghost pranking guy is captured and sentenced, even if Mu Yuanjing’s reputation suffers, being a widow and not a young girl, with Old Madam present, whether she locks herself to meditate or leaves, it’s better than an illicit affair.

Mu Yuanjing isn’t foolish; at this point, she would naturally choose the path most beneficial to her.

As for the two of them, the law doesn’t punish the masses. Everyone outside, all the women know, can the household really bury them all?

Madam Ma inwardly praised Nanny Zhu’s cleverness and started wailing too, "Madam, you’ve been wronged! Once we catch that immoral thief, Old Madam will definitely bring you justice!"

"Shut up!" Mu Yuanjing, with her hair disheveled, sprang from the bed and slapped Madam Ma in the face, "Shut up!"

By now, it was too late to shut up.

Nanny Zhu and Madam Ma were loud; even on a rainy night, people outside could hear.

Hearing their wails and seeing Lady An’s disheveled and distraught state, what was there not to understand?

Mu Yuanjing, with rage brimming in her chest, picked up a porcelain vase from the flower stand and smashed it towards Nanny Zhu’s head.

Nanny Zhu scrambled under the table, the vase shattered beside her, shards cutting her face.

Madam Ma got a slap from Mu Yuanjing; her face burned with pain, and seeing Nanny Zhu nearly getting smashed to death, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Murder! Murder!"

Outside, the few women hesitated, not wanting to break into a scandalous scene, but hearing "murder," they couldn’t stand by.

If that villain, in a frenzy, killed Nanny Zhu, Madam Ma, and then Mu Yuanjing...

After all, that’s the Madam!

If Mu Yuanjing was killed by a villain, and they stood nearby, failing to act, they’d all bear the blame.

"Guard the walls, cover the front and back, don’t let anyone escape. You two, follow me in." One woman threw her raincoat on the veranda, rolled up her sodden sleeves, and charged in first.

Once inside, they were stunned.

No sign of the villain, only Mu Yuanjing, red-eyed, looking ready to fight Nanny Zhu and Madam Ma to the death.

The newcomers had no idea of Madam Ma’s prior struggles and thoughts. Seeing such chaos, they could only stiffen their resolve and try to mediate.

"Madam, be careful of your footing."

"Oh dear, Madam, you’re barefoot, don’t step on the shards."

"Madam, seeing you like this, Old Madam would be heartbroken."

They spoke one after another, ostensibly advising but in reality encircling Mu Yuanjing, preventing her from injuring others or being injured herself.

Nanny Zhu crawled out from under the table, and with Madam Ma, went to search under the bed and through the cabinets.

Mu Yuanjing, in her urgency, pushed aside the woman in front of her and blew out the oil lamp on the table.

The room immediately went dark.

In the darkness, a shadow flitted by, pushing open the north window, trying to leap out.

Madam Ma, standing by the window, instinctively reached out and grabbed.

Madam Ma was sturdy and strong; when she pulled, the person couldn’t get out, ending up sprawled on the window ledge.

The women guarding outside heard the commotion and approached.

A flash of lightning illuminated the sky.

"Mr. Si!" someone shouted.

Nanny Zhu, trying to light the oil lamp with the fire striker, trembled at those words, nearly knocking over the lamp.

Once a woman managed to light the lamp, Nanny Zhu saw the murderous look in Mu Lianyu’s eyes and stumbled.

Why was Mr. Si here?

Nanny Zhu almost screamed; what on earth was happening? It couldn’t be true! She refused to believe it!

Mu Yuanjing’s face turned ashen, tears of blood in her eyes.

She thought, she should have blown out the lamp earlier, before the others entered, as long as Mu Lianyu wasn’t caught, he could have escaped out the window.

Even with guards behind and outside the yard, so long as he wasn’t caught on the spot, there was still a chance.

Now, it was all for naught.

Madam Ma’s hand still held Mu Lianyu’s belt; she didn’t know whether to release or hold on, her mind a blank.

As for Nanny Zhu, she wished Mu Yuanjing had knocked her unconscious earlier; how could she face such a scene?

Her eyes rolled back, and Nanny Zhu fell straight to the floor.