I'm reborn, only a fool would spoil you

Cui Jiaojiao's face suddenly changed.

She frantically touched the phoenix hairpin on her head again and again, and the dazzling ruby ​​was really gone!

"That was my grandmother's dowry, passed down from generation to generation, and it symbolizes the glory and dignity of our Cui family." Although her mother had advised her not to wear it, Cui Jiaojiao insisted on wearing it to show off today, and this is what happened.

Cui Jiaojiao was extremely anxious.

Her sisters also searched carefully by the pond and at the place where they played shuttlecock, but they could not find any trace of the ruby.

Fu Yuzheng gave a suggestion: "Miss Cui, perhaps you can ask the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo for help and mobilize the maids and servants in the mansion to search together. This may be more efficient."

Cui Jiaojiao took action immediately.

Soon, the whole flower-viewing banquet was disrupted, and the maids and servants were busy looking for the missing ruby ​​among the flowers, under the stone table, and beside the rockery. They bent over and carefully checked every inch of the land, fearing that they would miss any clues.

However, the ruby ​​seemed to have disappeared and was never found.

Cui Jiaojiao was extremely anxious and kept urging everyone: "Search carefully a few more times! Don't miss anything under the feet of the young men and women!"

The search was so huge that Liu Qing'er was extremely nervous. Her palms were slightly sweaty, and the ruby ​​had become a hot potato in her sleeves.

She looked around, trying to find an opportunity to hide the ruby ​​somewhere else and take it back after the storm had passed.

When she came to the rockery and was about to put the ruby ​​into the crack of the stone, she suddenly heard Fu Yuzheng's call from behind. Liu Qing'er's heart tightened, and she stuffed the ruby ​​back into her sleeve with a trembling hand.

Fu Yuzheng slowly approached and asked knowingly, "Qing'er, what are you doing here?"

Liu Qing'er pretended to be calm, turned around and smiled at Fu Yuzheng: "It's too chaotic over there, I want to come here to hide and have some peace and quiet."

This excuse was obviously very poor, but Fu Yuzheng pretended not to hear it and followed her words, "This stall is indeed chaotic, you don't have to run around, come with me to the stone table and rest for a while."

In this way, Fu Yuzheng stayed by Liu Qing'er's side, not leaving her side. She would occasionally chat with Liu Qing'er, leaving Liu Qing'er no chance to deal with the ruby ​​privately.

Liu Qing'er was extremely anxious, but she was helpless and could only watch the situation develop.

Suddenly, Fu Yuzheng made a guess: "We have been searching for so long but still haven't found it. Could it be that someone with a short eye has secretly hidden it?"

This sentence woke Cui Jiaojiao up from her dream, and she immediately looked at her playmates sitting beside the stone table. They were the first people who might have discovered the missing ruby.

When a noble lady protested in dissatisfaction, "Who dares to search me?", Cui Jiaojiao did not back down.

Unlike other lost owners, Cui Jiaojiao was arrogant and fearless. With a provocative light flashing in her eyes, she scanned each of her playmates one by one, her sharp eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts.

In the end, her eyes were fixed on Liu Qing'er, because Liu Qing'er was the only orphan and her family was poor.

Liu Qing'er felt humiliated and angry. She didn't understand why she would be the first person to be suspected because she was an orphan?

Although she was angry, she still looked extremely flustered under Cui Jiaojiao's gaze, with her hands clenched and her eyes wandering.

Cui Jiaojiao stared at her closely, her voice revealing a hint of sharpness: "Qing'er, is that you?" She approached Liu Qing'er step by step until she pushed her to the edge of the stone table.

Liu Qing'er had nowhere to retreat and was extremely panicked.

At this moment, Cui Jiaojiao gave a look, and the two maids immediately stepped forward and grabbed Liu Qing'er's arms. After some searching, the ruby ​​slipped out of Liu Qing'er's sleeves.

Cui Jiaojiao was furious when she saw this: "You bitch, you actually stole my ruby!"

Liu Qing'er's face turned pale instantly, and the old women threw her hard, causing her to fall to the ground.

The officials' wives and noble ladies around gathered around and pointed at Liu Qing'er in whispers.

Some people expressed disappointment: "It's shameful that she stole things in broad daylight. I wanted to hire her as my daughter-in-law. I was really wrong about her."

Some people also accused her: "You are a sinner. You are born innocent and beautiful, but you are a dirty person."

Some even regretted dating her: "Oh, I used to play shuttlecock with her, but I should have stopped playing with her..."

Facing the accusations and discussions from everyone, Liu Qing'er's eyes were filled with fear and helplessness. She knew that her reputation had been completely ruined and there was no room for redemption.

Fu Yuzheng felt very happy in her heart. In this life, she finally uncovered Liu Qing'er's disguise and left her with nowhere to hide.

For this orphan with bad character, even if her mother expelled her from the Jingyang Marquis Mansion and exiled her to a distant place, no one would accuse her mother of being mean and treating her benefactor unfairly.

Before, when those officials’ wives mentioned Liu Qing’er, they would specifically emphasize the kindness of her father Liu Zhijian in saving Fu Xiaotian.

However, now, when they mentioned Liu Qing'er again, they would only comfort Tao Ying:

"You have good intentions and took in such an orphan, but who knew she would not live up to her expectations. Don't be so embarrassed. You should drive her out of the house, lest she lead the young ladies in the house astray."

Tao Ying's face revealed genuine regret and she sighed frequently, feeling sorry for Liu Zhijian for giving birth to such an unfilial daughter.

At this time, Madam Fu and Mrs. Qiao came in a hurry. They saw Liu Qing'er sitting on the ground with a pale face from a distance. They knew that it was she who stole the ruby. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law showed disappointment on their faces.

Mrs. Qiao couldn't help but sigh: "I had hoped that she could overthrow Tao Ying, but now it seems there is no hope at all."

Madam Fu was twisting her Buddhist beads in her hand and sighed silently. Just as she was looking regretful, she suddenly heard two ladies whispering in the corridor.

"Have you heard that the eldest princess is going back to Beijing to celebrate her birthday on Halloween this year?"

"Oh, the eldest princess hasn't returned to Beijing for more than ten years since she married into the Mu Mansion in the southwest."

"That's not it."

Madam Fu suddenly became excited, as if she had been given a shot of chicken blood. She walked down the corridor to join the two ladies and asked, "Is the princess really going back to Beijing next month?"

A younger lady said, "One of my nephew's servants is working in the Princess's Mansion in the capital. He said he received a letter from the southwest, asking him to pack up and leave the Princess's Mansion as soon as possible. How could it be false?"

Mrs. Fu nodded happily.

Seeing her mother-in-law so happy, Qiao secretly asked, "Mother, is there any relationship between our family and the eldest princess?"

Madam Fu smiled mysteriously: "It's more than just a friendship, it's a deep friendship."

But he didn't seem to want to say more. Although Qiao was curious, he could only suppress his curiosity.

At this time, a maid hurriedly crossed the crowd and ran eagerly towards Lady Lin, the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo. Her steps were hurried and powerful, as if something urgent was waiting for her to deal with.

Lin had just dealt with the dispute about Cui Jiaojiao's ruby, and before she had time to catch her breath, she heard about a scandal in the study of the prince Gao Yan. This made her very angry and extremely emotional.

On the way to the study, Lin angrily asked, "Who allowed that bitch Fu Yuyao to enter the study?"

The maid replied helplessly: "That little bitch Fu Yuyao pretended to faint, and the prince was soft-hearted and carried her in, and the servants guarding the gate couldn't stop her."

Lin asked again: "Why did Miss Cui go to the study room for no reason?"

The Miss Cui mentioned by Lin was named Cui Yingying, and she was the elder sister of Cui Jiaojiao who lost the ruby ​​today. Not long ago, Lin had taken a fancy to her and planned to marry her to Gao Yan as his new fiancée.

However, just when the two mistresses had just decided to get married and had just put the first stroke of their destiny in place, this incident happened.

It is said that Cui Yingying ran to the study on a whim, but unexpectedly saw Gao Yan and Fu Yuyao hugging and kissing there.