Chapter 177 - 175: Wealth Blinds the Eyes (Part 2)

Chapter 177: Chapter 175: Wealth Blinds the Eyes (Part 2)

It was Xu Jing who specifically called Young Madam Jiang aside to tell her that someone among her trusted people had betrayed her.

This wasn’t hard to guess. After all, it wasn’t likely to be an outsider who could tamper with her medicine or stealthily steal her hairpin and mess with the step-shaking without anyone noticing.

And determining who the traitor was also simple.

People, when guilty, tend to unconsciously do some abnormal things. According to Jing Dan, Jing Shui was the softest of them all, yet she inexplicably hated Lady Hua, persistently expressing her dissatisfaction with Lady Hua as if she was afraid no one would know.

She behaved this way because she felt guilty, afraid that her relationship with Lady Hua would be discovered. She instinctively wanted others to believe that she loathed Lady Hua and couldn’t possibly have any dealings with her!

However, despite pretending to detest Lady Hua because she cared for Young Madam Jiang, she was always the one to jump out and question Xu Jing when Xu Jing suspected someone wanted to harm Young Madam Jiang. This contradictory attitude made it hard for Xu Jing not to notice something wrong.

The color drained from Jing Shui’s face as she instinctively stepped back and shook her head, saying, "No, I didn’t..."

However, once suspicion started, Jing Dan and Jingyi quickly thought of other suspicious points.

Jingyi gritted her teeth and said, "The medicine for Young Madam is handled by the three of us. Jing Dan is in charge of buying the medicine, you are responsible for decocting it, and I am responsible for feeding it to Young Madam. If you wanted to mess with the medicine, it couldn’t be easier!"

Jing Dan also closed her eyes, trembling with anger, "You usually comb Young Madam’s hair. If it passed through our hands, even if the step-shaking had the faintest scent, it might be detected. But if it passed through your hands, everything would make sense. Jing Shui, why did you betray Young Madam! You have followed her for so many years, has she ever wronged you?"

Jing Shui clearly still wanted to struggle, "I really didn’t..."

"Jing Shui," Young Madam Jiang’s eyes were icy at the corners, but deep within hid a genuine pain, "if you stole my hairpin, these days while you’ve been busy taking care of me, you definitely didn’t have time to dispose of them. All it takes is someone to search your room, and your deeds will be exposed to the world. Will you still not admit it?!

In fact, I have already sent someone to search your room."

Xu Jing didn’t directly point her out as the traitor initially because she didn’t want to alert the snake. After all, Lady Hua had been at the Marquis Huaiyin’s residence for more than six months, and who knew if Jing Shui was the only one she had bought over.

If her people found out they suspected Jing Shui and took precautions in advance, it would be troublesome.

Jing Shui’s body trembled violently, and her knees buckled, bringing her to the ground. Suddenly, covering her face with her hands, she cried out, "Yes, it was me! I did all of it! But I was only following Lady Hua’s orders! I didn’t want to! Lady Hua said that although Young Madam appeared kind, she was actually domineering, and as long as Young Madam was around, the Princely Heir would never take a concubine. To rise in rank, Young Madam had to be removed..."

Everyone looked at her in disbelief. Jingyi, who usually had a good relationship with Jing Shui, couldn’t help but yell in a low voice, "You ungrateful wench! If you wanted a man and marriage, you could have told Young Madam, and she would have arranged a good family for you..."

"No matter how good the family, can it compare to the glory and wealth of a distinguished family?!"

Jing Shui suddenly looked up and screamed, "You know my family is poor, my father and brothers often come asking me for money. My mom has been seriously ill for years, and it drains money like water. I just don’t want to live worrying about money every day anymore! What have I done wrong?"

Jingyi seemed to be sharply stabbed by her words, her lips trembling incessantly, unable to say another word.

Young Madam Jiang also painfully closed her eyes.

She originally believed that no matter where she went, the three maids around her were trustworthy.

Now, Lady Hua had nothing left to say, her body weakened, and her face turned ashen as she sat on the ground. Lady Huaiyin took a deep breath and harshly commanded, "Someone, drag away this ungrateful wretch and tie her up, waiting for Young Madam’s punishment! As for Lady Hua, we can no longer afford to harbor such a burden in the Marquis Huaiyin’s residence. I wish I could expel you immediately, but since it involves Yanxia, we will decide what to do with you after discussing this matter with the Jiang Family. Someone, drag Lady Hua away and keep her under strict watch!"

Upon hearing this, Lady Hua realized her life was in danger. She cried out for justice, even vainly hoping the old madam would spare her, considering their familial ties. However, she was originally taken in by the old madam’s decision, and having something like this happen also placed some responsibility on the old madam. There was no chance she would speak up for her.

Young Madam Jiang was already unwell, and after this confrontation, she felt even weaker, her voice trembling as she said, "I’ll return to my room now; please do not disturb me for the time being."

With that, she let Jing Dan and Jingyi support her back.

Xu Jing and Zhao Shaohua followed them to her room.

The blow Young Madam Jiang suffered was evident. Compared to Lady Hua’s conniving to kill her, Jing Shui’s betrayal was a heavier blow.

Everyone was afraid to disturb her and let her recover on her own for quite a while. Finally, Young Madam Jiang looked up at Xu Jing, her face weary as she said, "Doctor Xu, I am so grateful to you. I hadn’t expected Doctor Xu to be not only proficient in medicine but also so perceptive. No wonder Erlang specifically asked you to come to diagnose me; he probably sensed something was amiss and had you take a look."

Xu Jing was slightly taken aback, her heart skipped a beat.

Young Madam Jiang’s words gave her a new perspective. Could it be that Jiang Erlang had her diagnose Young Madam Jiang with the intent of helping her solve this problem?

Reflecting now, when they were captured by Mrs. Yu at the Wang Family’s estate, Young Madam Jiang’s hairpin had already been stolen, and the Fourth Young Lady’s painting had been shown to her.

When Xu Jing heard about these events, she thought it too coincidental for so many things to happen around Young Madam Jiang at the same time, let alone Jiang Erlang.

However, all of this was speculation. The key question was, why would Jiang Erlang do this? If he were suspicious, he could investigate it himself; why go to such lengths to involve her?

Xu Jing suppressed her thoughts, simply smiling lightly and said, "I’m glad to have been able to help Young Madam Jiang."

Though Xu Jing hadn’t played much of a role in diagnosing, she resolved a matter more critical than any diagnosis. Young Madam Jiang gratefully gave her a large red envelope, and when Xu Jing had a chance, she secretly peered into it and was delighted to see it held at least fifty taels.

On the way back, Zhao Shaohua excitedly held onto Xu Jing, asking how she’d managed to detect so many things. At the Wang Family estate, she already thought Doctor Xu was smart, but Doctor Xu’s intelligence far exceeded her imagination!

As her mother had said, Doctor Xu was an extraordinary woman, and who knew what kind of man would be worthy of her in the future?

Zhao Shaohua’s sudden enthusiasm was a bit much for Xu Jing, and when Zhao Shaohua offered to escort her home, she immediately declined.

She had taken a carriage out today; the coachman was a guard disguised and sent by Xiao Yi. After returning to the Zhao Family with Zhao Shaohua and retrieving her carriage, she went home.

However, midway through the journey, the coachman in front suddenly knocked on the carriage door. Xu Jing leaned towards the door, and the coachman said in a deep voice, "Miss Xu, you are being followed again."