Enter Chang Xiangsi and help Jingzhai fight

Before she closed the door, she winked at the two boys who had tied me up and asked them to stay and help her.

Jing Ye said sternly: "Li Cong, you are on duty at the door of the study today, tell me what's going on?!"

The servant who kicked me had a scar on his forehead. He glanced at me and said timidly, "I was standing at the door of the study room today, but Miss Chaolu pulled me aside to tell her something important... I saw that the young master was not at home, and I was afraid that something might go wrong, so I thought it would be okay to listen with her in the courtyard for a while, so that I could report to the young lady if anything happened... I never thought that Miss Lanxiang would sneak in when I wasn't paying attention--"

I was sweating profusely from the pain, but I still said in a hoarse voice: "You are lying... I just ran from the courtyard and didn't see you and Chaolu——"

Jingye made a move, and the light golden spiritual power was input into my body. I intuitively felt that the pain in my hand was reduced immediately, and my back also became cool and no longer burning.

Another servant echoed, "Miss Jingye, Li has always been honest, so I think what he said is true."

Jing Ye glanced at him and said sternly, "Did you see it again?! It's not even time for you to eat yet, but you're already going to eat, leaving Li Cong alone, right?!"

The servant apologized: "Sister Jingye, I was wrong. I was just...kind-hearted. I wanted to go early and come back early so that Li Xiaoge could go to eat earlier!"

Jingye turned around and looked at me. I shook my head with tears in my eyes. She glanced at Lan Mei, who was sneering with a crooked corner of her mouth, and looked as if she understood everything.

"In that case, let's tell Chaolu. Everything started with her. Let's see what she says."

Li Cong bent his knees, said "yes", and trotted out.

Jing Ye looked at Lan Mei and said, "Miss Lan Mei, if I remember correctly, this Li Cong was originally a servant in Madam Rui Er's house, right?"

Lan Mei said unhappily, "Second Madam has so many servants and maids, how can I remember them all?!"

Jing Ye stared at her and said word by word: "We have always cooperated with the mansion's personnel arrangements, but if someone takes the opportunity to plant spies and stir up trouble, we will punish them severely and deal with them according to family rules once we find out!"

Lan Mei was startled and said, "Miss Jingye, you are so good at making up stories! Who are you trying to scare with the family rules? Madam Rui had good intentions. She saw that our master, the second young master, was well-behaved, but there were only a few people serving him in the house, which was not very presentable. That's why she picked those smart maids and servants to send over from time to time, but she got blamed for it! Her kindness was taken as a donkey's liver and lungs! If I were to say, I would go back and report to Madam Rui when I had time. Don't cling to our second young master just because he is favored. He doesn't care about her and will be full of suspicion and complaints! Having said that, although you are capable in front of your master, you are at most a first-class maid, not a housekeeper, let alone a housekeeper. What qualifications do you have to interrogate this and scold that?!" As she spoke, she became more and more excited. She even put her hands on her hips and gestured, with saliva flying everywhere.

Jingye curled her lips and said, "Okay, I won't bother with you. You know the truth better than anyone else. Just wait for Chaolu to come. I'll ask for the truth and then take Lanxiang back."

Lan Mei sneered and said nothing. She turned around and angrily said to the remaining servants, "Ruolin! You have no sense! I have been talking here for a long time and my mouth is dry, and you still don't give me a cup of tea!"

The one called Ruolin nodded hurriedly, turned around and ran out of the room.

Jingye ignored them and leaned over to wipe my sweat with a handkerchief, comforting me: "Be patient for a while, wait for the morning dew to come, and we'll leave after we understand."

Cold sweat broke out on my forehead. Although the pain in my hands and back was gone, my chest was hot and stuffy and very uncomfortable. I struggled to squeeze out a "hmm" from my throat, but then I couldn't say anything else.

Soon, Ruolin came back from outside the room with a teapot and two teacups, and poured tea for Jingye and Lanmei. Jingye took it and put it aside without drinking it, but Lanmei drank it all up, so Ruolin poured her another cup.

Jingye was a little anxious. She looked towards the door and asked, "Ruolin, go look for him. Why hasn't he come back in such a long time?"

Ruolin received the order and ran out the door. This time he came back not long after, and before he even entered the door he shouted: "Miss Jingye, something bad has happened!"

Jingye stood up from her seat and asked, "What's wrong?!"

Ruolin panted and held his knees: "Brother Li went to look for Chaolu. Everyone said that she just came out of the study and went to the firewood room by herself. So Brother Li went to look for her near the firewood room, but he never thought--"

I had a bad feeling in my heart, and Jingye probably had the same feeling. She asked with a trembling voice, "What happened? Tell me!"

Ruolin sighed, "Who would have thought that he would see Chaolu hanging herself in the small woodshed in the western corner!"

Jingye took a step back, and her sleeve brushed the teacup, causing the white porcelain teacup with painted patterns and gold rims to fall to the ground and shatter into pieces.

Lan Mei said coldly: "A murder has occurred. You can't take her back now! You must report it to Butler Hu, and then let the old lady make the decision! Ruolin, lock her up!"

Ruolin wiped the sweat off his face and bowed to me: "Miss Lanxiang, I'm sorry." Then he helped me up.

I looked up at Jingye. Her thin double eyelids were tinged with red. She frowned and said to me, "I can't protect you now, but don't worry. I will send a letter to the young master. As long as he lands, he will see it and rush back quickly."

I looked at her deeply, nodded, and followed Ruolin out silently. As soon as I walked out of the courtyard gate, I ran into Li Cong. When he saw us, he walked up to us and said to Ruolin, "Madam Rui Er has ordered that this is a matter of life and death, so don't let her escape. She must be locked up in the west firewood room and kept under strict guard."

Ruolin was shocked: "West Firewood Room? But that was just--"

"How can we, the little ones, question the orders from above? We just have to follow them." Li Cong interrupted him and whispered in his ear: "Such a big mess has happened. We must do our best to make up for it and not make any more mistakes."

Ruolin looked at me, then at Li Cong, and said, "No, Brother Li, look, she's a girl, and she got beaten, and you let her go to that kind of place... Isn't she afraid?"

Li Cong glanced at him and said, "You are afraid, but I am not! Come on, I can't count on you, I'll take her there myself!" After that, he made a "please" gesture.

Ruolin replied in a coy voice, "I'm just worried that something might happen to her...", and didn't dare to say anything else. I could only stagger along with Li Cong. The cold wind blew, and the heat in my chest dissipated, replaced by a cool feeling.

Li Cong remained silent, just kneading my wrist while walking in front of me without making any mistakes. We turned around and came to a gray brick courtyard. When we came to the small house at the entrance, he stopped to untie me and bowed again: "Girl, please."

I opened the dusty wooden door and sneezed at the dust. I looked inside and saw a lot of firewood scattered all over the place. There was not even a window. I had no choice but to go in and sit down in a corner. I was exhausted from walking this distance.

Li Cong closed the door without saying a word. I heard him pick up the big chain on the ground and lock the door. He didn't leave, so I guess he was standing guard at the door. I could only pray that Tu Shanjing would come back on his crane to save me, while massaging my chest, hoping that the kick just now would not cause me any harm.