Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 534 - 534 535 Catch the Vital Point_1

Chapter 534: Chapter 535: Catch the Vital Point_1 Chapter 534: Chapter 535: Catch the Vital Point_1 “Hmm, I understand,” Muniang whispered.

Qingya wanted to ask Muniang what she planned to do, but since Muniang didn’t speak up, Qingya felt it improper to press further and thus didn’t say anything more.

That evening, Yu Ze returned and relayed the information he had gathered about Nanny Li to Muniang.

“Nanny Li’s entire family are hereditary slaves born in the Marquis Chen Mansion, generation after generation loyally serving the Chen House. Nanny Li herself holds a high position there, being a top stewardess, highly favored by my mother. The key is that she is fair, efficient in her work, and she also has clean hands.”

“Did your spy find out any secret messages?” Muniang asked, tilting her head.

Yu Ze chuckled, “You really are only interested in these matters.”

Though Yu Ze was the heir to the Marquis Chen Mansion, he naturally didn’t know much about a mere servant’s news. Muniang had asked him a few days ago to help gather all information about Nanny Li, and he knew that Muniang planned to catch her wrongdoings.

“Isn’t that so? Otherwise, what interest could I possibly have in an old nanny? You talk so highly of her, but I just can’t believe she could be flawless in everything. How clean can the hands of a servant from a prestigious house really be?” Muniang said, curling her lip.

Yu Ze pinched Muniang’s cheek. “You’ve actually guessed right.”

Muniang’s eyes lit up, “How so?”

“My man found out she has a son who likes to gamble. As the spoiled youngest boy in his family, he now works as a steward on one of the Marquis’s properties. That young man has no other hobbies but to indulge in gambling. One day, he lost all his valuables and ended up in heavy debt. People threatened to cut off his hand and foot if he didn’t pay up, so out of fear, he had no choice but to seek help from his mother, Nanny Li.

Nanny Li naturally couldn’t just ignore his plight, but sadly, the money she had was nowhere near enough to pay off the debt, and even emptying the family coffers wasn’t enough. So, she set her sights on my mother’s belongings, knowing my mother’s preferences for jewelry and trinkets that, once my mother tired of them, would never see the light of day again. Nanny Li stole a few unassuming items and sold them off.”

Muniang smiled coyly, “To this day, her theft remains undiscovered, and she still enjoys my mother’s favor, which shows she truly is quite capable.”

“This information is enough for you to blackmail her. When the time comes, bring her to your side, constantly have her say good things about you to my mother, and her prejudice against you may not be so deep,” he said.

Muniang gave a wry smile. Yu Ze really didn’t understand women; this was not an issue of prejudice at all. The relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is always so delicate—after all, who asked her to monopolize their son?

The next day, Nanny Li was summoned to Muniang’s side. She initially thought Muniang wanted to force her allegiance, even thinking Muniang was daydreaming. However, Qiao Muniang’s leisurely and smug smile made Nanny Li’s heart flutter with fear.

“I wonder what matter brings the Lady to summon this old servant?” Nanny Li asked, trying to maintain her composure.

“Yesterday I somehow came across a bit of news that was aimed at slandering you, Nanny Li. It made me so angry I nearly cursed someone out,” said Muniang, her words dripping with insincerity as her cheerful smile gave her away.

Nanny Li felt a tightness in her chest: “What kind of slander?”

“They say I should be careful with the valuable jewelry and items in the mansion, that Nanny Li has sticky fingers and likes to steal things,” Muniang said slowly.

At this, Nanny Li’s face immediately turned pale, but she still hurriedly said, “I’m wronged, I would never dare to steal anything. I beg the Lady to see the truth, and to severely punish those villains who try to besmirch my name!”

Muniang smiled softly, “Is that so? Nanny Li sounds so sure, and of course, I believe you. However, someone managed to obtain a pawn ticket from the pawnshop. I wonder how Nanny Li would explain that?”

While speaking, she placed a piece of pawn ticket before Nanny Li.

Nanny Li went pale, the pawnshops in the Capital, the past events of Marquis Chen Mansion, it wasn’t that Muniang had found out about them accidentally; she had deliberately investigated her!

“Ah, I never knew Nanny Li was such a person, and to think mother held you in such high regard. If mother were to find out about this, I’m afraid…”

Even though Nanny Li was afraid, she was not one to be easily extinguished, and she understood that Muniang was blackmailing her now. Yet, hating to be manipulated, she resolutely said, “Then let this old servant go and confess to the Marquise herself! Let the Marquise punish me!”

Muniang snorted, unconcerned, “Really? But Nanny Li, the items listed on this pawn ticket, the one who pawned them is clearly stated as Yu San. If blame is to be assigned, it should fall on your son. I always hate to see anyone be wronged. Rest assured, Nanny Li, one person should face the consequences of their own actions, and even if this matter is reported to the Marquise, I will absolutely not allow you to suffer as a result.”

Upon hearing this, Nanny Li’s heart completely sank. She herself could admit to the crime; being so close to death’s door, what did it matter if she died? But her precious son, how could she bear it?!

Muniang blinked and then asked, “What does Nanny Li think now?”

Nanny Li, looking at the person in front of her who seemed so innocent and harmless, felt a chill fill her heart. She was indeed not an easy person to deal with, knowing her Achilles’ heel was her son, she had deliberately done this!

“Please, Lady, spare my son’s life. This old servant is willing to be worked to the bone for you, to die ten thousand deaths if necessary!” Nanny Li knelt on the ground, gritting her teeth as she said this.

Muniang laughed, then said, “What are you doing, Nanny Li? As a daughter-in-law, could it be that I should collude with you, an old servant, and help you cover up the truth? If the Marquise finds out, who knows how she might blame me.”

Nanny Li could only hurry to say, “I will be sure to speak well of you to the Marquise, from now on I am your person, whatever you ask of me, I will do!”

She now knew well the ruthlessness of this woman, evident in her previous harsh treatment of Nanny Zhu and Caiyun. If she dared to refuse now, this Lady would immediately have her son put to death.

In such a case, it wouldn’t just be her son’s issue that would be exposed. Her standing in front of the Marquise would plummet. The Marquise was not a fool; her son had never taken a step into the inner courtyard, so any theft must be by someone close at hand. The Marquise would surely discern her unclean hands. Then her entire family would be doomed. This matter was, after all, a chain reaction, and so Nanny Li had been extremely covert. Three to five years had passed since then. How had Qiao Muniang dug this up now, and to think even the pawn ticket from the pawnshop was still in existence?

Muniang’s smile was one of satisfaction, “Nanny Li is so wise to recognize the situation. This reassures me.”

“Then, about this pawn ticket…”