Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Must be Searched
Chapter 290: Must be Searched
Translator: c.o.keZero Editor: Rainystars
Before, when Xu Qingyin led her servants to pay respect to the host and have a drink around the host’s table, there were a lot of people doing the same thing which made the place a little chaotic.
Her pearl was most likely lost during that time.
At the table, Madame Song heard the commotion and instantly ordered her people to look for the pearl for Xu Qingyin. Since it was likely lost around the host’s table, they focused the search for it around there.
Everyone started to search but n.o.body could find it.
In the end, a somewhat annoyed voice said, “I noticed Lu Jiao crouch down just now. She seemed to have picked something up.”
Everyone turned to Lu Jiao.
Initially, Lu Jiao didn’t think too much about this. She truly believed Xu Qingyin lost her pearl. Now she realized this whole thing was to drag her down.
If she didn’t realize that by now, she would be a real idiot.
Lu Jiao snapped around her head to identify who accused her. It turned out that it was Li Yuyao’s sister, Li Yuqin.
Madame Song also noticed the accuser was Li Yuqin and that made her face turn green.
No matter what, Lu Jiao came as a valuable guest today. How could someone from the host’s own family accuse Lu Jiao of taking an expensive pearl for herself? This wasn’t just an attack on Lu Jiao – it was also an attack on the Hu family.
Madame Song wanted to cuss someone out.
Xu Qingyin refused to acknowledge Madame Song and only focused on Lu Jiao, “Lady Lu, did you find my pearl on the ground? If you did, can you give it back? That is a gift from my father and it is very valuable. I know people like you haven’t seen a lot of luxury items so it is normal to like it a lot. Plus, picking it off the ground isn’t considered stealing. How about you give it back to me?
Xu Qingyin purposely used a friendly tone.
Everyone at the dinner table turned to Lu Jiao. A lot of people suspected that it really was Lu Jiao who took it.
After all, she was from the countryside and hadn’t seen much. It would be normal for her to want a pearl for herself.
But if it was truly this Lady Lu who picked up the pearl, then she was about to lose much face. Even if she merely picked it up, she was about to be shamed.
Beside Xu Qingyin, her servant Xiaojue begged pitifully, “Lady Lu, please return it to my lady.”
Feng Zhi frowned deeply and walked out to protect Lu Jiao, “A pearl may be valuable, but there’s no reason why my lady would take someone else’s pearl.”
Feng Zhi then turned to Li Yuqing and said in a low voice, “Lady Li, don’t a.s.sume your accusations have no consequences. I am going to ask you one more time, did you really see my lady pick up Lady Xu i s pearl? Be careful how you answer. If it turns out that my lady didn’t, you will be indicted with slander.”
Li Yuwen showed signs of fear. She took a peek at Xu Qingyin.
She wasn’t certain that the pearl was with Lu Jiao. If it wasn’t, then she was the one who was about to lose face.
Li Yuqin didn’t know what to do and kind of regretted helping Xu Qingyin now.
Xu Qingyin noticed that Li Yuqin was about to break and interrupted, “Lady Lu, don’t give Lady Li a hard time. She’s the in-law of the host family and you’re putting her in a hard spot. I know this isn’t your fault. You simply picked the pearl off the ground. You didn’t steal. Please give it back to me now.”
Lu Jiao was about to stand up and speak when a shadow raced toward Li Yuqin like a wave.
The shadow violently slapped Li Yuqin in the face. The strike was so intense Li Yuain’s brain buzzed.
Everyone at the scene was shocked. They quickly realized it was Li Yuyao who did the slapping.
Li Yuyao’s face was green as she gritted her teeth at Li Yuqin, “You think I don’t know what you’re thinking? You’re simply jealous that I have sworn Lu Jiao as my sister and gave her my bracelet. Just because you’re jealous, you frame her?! From now on, you’re no longer my sister.”
Li Yuqin didn’t expect her own sister to give her such a hard time publicly. She started to cry.
Li Yuqin’s mother’s heart ached and she went to protect Li Yuqin. She furiously shouted at Li Yuyao, “Li Yuyao, she’s your real sister! How cold-hearted are you to treat your own sister this way?! I ‘
Li Yuyao’s gaze was dim, “Am I the one who’s cold-hearted or are you? Don’t you know Qiaoqiao saved me and my son? If you truly love me, you would respect her too. Because without her, my child and I wouldn’t be here. Look at what you’re doing instead. Do you even have a heart?”
Li Yuyao didn’t even want to look at her mother and sister anymore. Theyve disappointed her so much.
She went up to Lu Jiao and stood before her, “Xu Qingyin, are you sure Jiaojiao picked up your pearl?”
Xu Qingyin shot Xiaojue a look. Xiaojue nodded slightly. Xu Qingyin got the confirmation she needed. Before, she was infuriated by how cold Xie Yunjin was and wanted to take it out on Lu Jiao.
Given the chaotic situation at dinner, she secretly gouged out the pearl from her hairpin and asked Xiaojue to place it in Lu Jiao’s pouch.
The pearl was in Lu Jiao’s pouch right now.
Now confident, Xu Qingyin said to Li Yuyao, “Before, Madame Song had asked people to search around and n.o.body found anything. I haven’t been anywhere else. How can a pearl disappear on its own? Plus, Yuqin saw Lady Lu pick something off the ground. Therefore, I believe the pearl is still on Lady Lu.
If you don’t believe us, then search Lady Luu I’m sure you’ll find what I’m looking for.”
The confidence Xu Qingyin exuded made Li Yuyao t s heart skip a beat. She’s seen this kind of setup so many times amongst the concubines. It was obvious to her that Xu Qingyin had successfully set Lu Jiao up already.
Li Yuyao couldn’t understand why Xu Qingyin hated Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao didn’t even know who she was.
Li Yuyao’s brain worked hard to figure out a way to sort this out. There was no way she was going to let anyone search Lu Jiao.
“Xu Qingyin, this is the Song household, not yours. How dare you give orders around here?”
Xu Qingyin started to cry, “What else can I do? She’s not giving it back to me!
The pearl’s a gift from my father. If it’s something less valuable, then I’d give it up. But the pearl is expensive and it was a gift!”
Xu Qingyin’s voice grew more and more pitiful as she spoke and cried.
Her crying made others feel bad for her. Someone suggested to Lu Jiao, “Lady Lu, how about you let others search you and prove your innocence?
Before Lu Jiao could speak, an icy voice cut across the air, “What right do you have to search my wife? You think you have the right just because you’re rich and we are poor?