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  Chapter 16: The Cost

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  Men saw the old lady flustered and hurriedly got up to roll up the door curtain, asking outside "Who's wailing?"

  Suddenly, a figure stumbled in and fell to the ground in the middle of the room, crying out "Something big has happened, old lady... the warehouse was robbed last night!"

  The old lady's face turned stern and she said angrily, "Speak clearly!"

  Chu Ke looked at the old woman kneeling on the ground and crying, about fifty years old, wearing a brown satin jacket, originally neat and tidy, but now disheveled and half-lying on the ground with tears streaming down her face. The old lady's servant had gone to the inner warehouse that morning and saw... saw the door wide open, the inside was in a mess... it must have been stolen! It was definitely the thief who set fire last night to divert the attention of the guards in the mansion, and then stole from the inner warehouse.

  Chu Ke looked at the flustered and helpless Che family with a mixture of delight and schadenfreude, watching as the pale-faced and obviously enraged old lady fainted.

  The old lady couldn't say anything anymore.

  "Has Chu Gaoshi's clever horse been lost while on its way?"

  "As soon as the slave saw it, she quickly reported it... However, the slave had someone keep an eye on it... Please ask the madam and the slave to go check together..." Although Chegui's family had made a big mistake, their minds were still very clear.

  The old lady was so angry that she almost fainted, and she really wanted to get up and take a look herself. However, she had to maintain her dignity and couldn't let her private affairs disrupt the household or make others laugh at her. So, she could only instruct Chu Gaoshi to go and take a look instead. "Also, count what's missing and make a list for me." She still had to pretend to be calm.

  Chu Gaoshi hastily agreed, put down the teapot, and that Guijia's family had already gotten up, stumbling and leading her out. Chu Gaoshi still hadn't forgotten to carry herself with dignity, and as soon as she walked out the door, she reached out and placed her hand on the arm of her maid, walking like the Empress Dowager Cixi.

  Chu Kui Xi, who was sitting at the bottom, saw it and was delighted in her heart.

  The old lady had just messed up her square inch, quickly calmed down, and involuntarily glanced at Chu Kei, seeing that she was still lowering her head without any reaction, couldn't help but feel angry and anxious, trembling to pick up the tea cup, this is a hand of water.

  She turned to look at Hong Xiuniang and Liu Niang, Hong Xiuniang was resentfully staring at San Gu Niang Chu Keqi, not noticing that the time to fawn over the old lady had arrived. Liu Niang was even more so, with her head lowered, observing everything with a keen eye, just like an old monk in meditation.

  The old lady was furious, and the purpose of Sanpaitou's visit here was self-evident. She was particularly humiliated in front of her face, thinking that she had lost face, wanting to slap the table and call someone, but feeling that slapping the table at this time would still show that she was making a big fuss for private reasons, so she just stood there stupidly for a moment.

  It wasn't until a while later that he remembered and asked Kei with a cold face, "Are you okay?"

  Chu Ke's goal has been achieved, and he doesn't drag on. Upon hearing this, he immediately stood up and said, "Alright." Then he headed out.

  "Old Lady Chu said coldly beside her, 'You can go too, Lü Niáng. I didn't need you to come and serve me anyway, no need to make people worry.'"

  Chu Xue had already left, coldly smiling in her heart: "The old lady is blind"

  In just a few days, she had already figured out two personality traits of the old lady: stubbornness and sharp eyes.

  She was waiting at the gate, and soon Mrs. Liu came out. Seeing her standing at the gate, she was surprised for a moment, and hesitated to walk towards the girl... wanting to speak but stopping herself.

  Chu Ke smiled and nodded, with Jing'er and Qingguo following closely behind her. She asked directly without beating around the bush, "Did I arrive in time? Did the board fall on my aunt's body?"

  "Miss" Liu Yiniang was startled and cried out, hastily looking around in all directions, first staring at Jing'er, who also became flustered, not expecting Miss to say such a thing, and quickly lowered her head.

  Chu Ke smiled and glanced at Jing Er, saying "It's nothing, she is my personal maid."

  "Girl, don't be confused... I just came to pay a casual visit."

  Chu Ke's cold smile was met with a stern gaze, and the person in charge was not strict enough to be used as a gun, but now that the truth has been revealed, it remains to be seen how she will deal with those good wives and subordinates.

  The people next to her didn't hear who she was talking about at first, and when they finally figured it out, they were shocked. The old lady panicked and hastily pulled Chu Keqi forward, leaving Qing Guo, Jing'er, and Liu Niang's maid stunned behind. Liu Niang then whispered to the girl, "This is too reckless! Old Lady... who can mention casually? And Jing'er..."

  Chu Ke nodded, "I'm just saying this for her to hear." She patted Liu Niang and said seriously, "I have a good grasp of these things. But I do have one thing to warn you, Niang: are you so easy-going that you're easily bullied, or have you simply given up and don't bother explaining anything? Don't harbor such lazy and petty thoughts, or you'll only be taken advantage of even more."

  Mrs. Liu was speechless and stared at her in shock and astonishment.

  Chu Ke sighed, pulling her back slowly. From now on, the mother and daughter are one body, don't let them splash dirty water on themselves, or I... won't be able to live with myself."

  Liu Yiniang didn't speak for half a day, her eyes red-rimmed and her head hung low. After a long while, she finally murmured a soft "en".

  After sending Liu Yiniang back to her courtyard, Chu Keqian asked Qing Guo Hongxiu in front of Jing'er whether she had been ransomed and brought in or if the sale contract was still in the mansion.

  Qing Guo was taken aback and stuttered, "N-no... I've never heard of anyone redeeming themselves..."

  "That's the concubine? A concubine, no children, no pregnancy, directly promoted to be a madam..." Chu Ke whispered, she finally understood why Old Man Chu had promoted Hong Xiu.

  Not to make Chu Gaoshi uncomfortable, but to help Chu Gaoshi deal with Liu Yiniang.

  The Chu Gao family is after all, there are some things that can't be done by hand, lest they become the subject of gossip, and being looked down upon as a small household without dignity or grandeur. That's what it means to be a big household with rules.

  Then raise a disturbance, make a big fuss, and tear each other's face apart. Let Hongxiu handle this kind of thing.

  Is it because Chunan is a nostalgic person? Always remembering old friends?

  No, it's not this one, but because of something else.

  Chu Nancai was always cold to Chu Gaoshi, which even Chu Keqi could feel. Even before the incident with Chu Yunqing, he was still very cold. As for why he was so cold, in Chu Keqi's opinion, it should be no more than two reasons: Chu Gaoshi was very young, two years younger than Chu Nancai's eldest daughter. If Chu Nancai were a shameless scoundrel, then maybe... But since Chu Nancai appeared to be a gentleman on the surface, he had to maintain that image. Marrying someone younger than his own daughter would make him feel very awkward.

  Moreover, it was probably Chu Gaoshi who entered the house after Chu Yunshi's death. Chu Nanchu had deep feelings for Chu Yunshi and couldn't bear this. However, everything was arranged by the old lady, and Chu Nanchu couldn't go against his mother's wishes, so he could only be cold to Chu Gaoshi.

  He wanted to be cold towards newcomers and only often went to old people's places, so Liu Yiniang was targeted by the old lady.

  Chu Ke sighed and shook her head. Living under the thumb of such an old lady, what good outcome could Liu Niang expect in the future?

  Bai Guo was wandering back and forth at the door, Chu Ke saw her and directly called her in, "Is it clear what happened with that maid?"

  Bai Guo saw the young lady and didn't avoid the two maidservants, so he also didn't think much about it and immediately nodded saying "I've investigated clearly"

  "Needless to say her relationship with others, I just wonder if that maid and the steward of the old lady's warehouse, Cheguijia, have any connection"

  Jing'er suddenly lifted her head and stared at Bai Guo and San Guniang in surprise.

  Bai Guo's family has a relationship with the old master, but it's not a familial one. That girl can go serve at the old master's place because her family is connected to the Carriage Qi family and they sent silver.

  "How could such a secretive matter be exposed?" Chu Ke asked coldly, looking at her. "That maid has already been sold off, and it seems that the family members have been warned not to make any noise, yet you were able to investigate and find out?"

  Bai Guo's face turned pale, and he stuttered, unable to speak. Chu Ke said, "To be honest, I don't blame you."

  Bai Guo stole a glance at the girl, seeing her eyes wide open and staring seriously. It seemed that if he didn't tell the truth, he wouldn't be able to get away with it. He had learned his lesson many times in these days about this girl's ferocity. After careful consideration, he still didn't dare to conceal the truth, and knelt down to say in a low voice: "The maid's family didn't know anyone in the inner courtyard at first, they wanted to send their daughter in but had no way... they found me... my mother..."

  Chu Ke suddenly realized, no wonder Bai Guo's mother was originally the one who specialized in contacting this kind of business. It turned out that Bai Guo's mother was the gatekeeper on Old Lady's side, and the people close to Old Lady should all know her. If outsiders wanted to get ahead by sending their own daughters into the inner courtyard as maids, they probably couldn't directly find those influential people, and could only go through Bai Guo's mother first...

  Chu Ke smiled and said, "Mother has found a good match for you."

  The white fruit panicked and repeatedly kowtowed, saying "Slave servant begs for mercy"

  Chu Ke personally got up and helped her up, scolding: "What's wrong? I said it was a good thing to do."

  She praised Baiguo in front of Jing'er and Qingguo, then turned around and asked Jing'er if she had heard it, not missing a word.

  Jing'er was startled and now this complicated situation made her very nervous, always feeling that the girl was making up her mind... She asked anxiously:

  Chu Ke closed her eyes, opened them again and stared at Jing Er until she lowered her head in embarrassment. Then, with a smile, she said "The maid who just walked out of the Gu family's gate is the one who scared Master and made Mistress so angry that she almost became a Buddha."

  Jing'er was so startled that her eyes widened and she looked up at her.

  Chu Xue asked, turning her head, "Mother, how much silver did you receive in between?"

  "Not yet... they haven't given it yet... the family said that the car is expensive and they want 50 taels, with great difficulty they managed to scrape together the money, originally they said to wait until the little servant girl gets this month's salary, then add it to what the family has gathered..."

  Chu Ke nodded, meaning that their mother had nothing to do with the matter between them, it was purely a coincidence and unintentional introduction, and she didn't gain any benefits from it.

  Bai Guo nodded immediately, "Exactly, it's like that."

  Chu Ke smiled and went to see Jing'er from head to toe, and heard that the warehouse of Chegui's house had been stolen, and the person she recommended was also deceived by Lao Yezi, which made Lao Tai Tai furious. Such a person was not beaten to death but was driven out safely, wasn't it because someone in Chegui's family helped? Can't these two things pull her out of the warehouse?"

  Jing Er was stunned, and could only stare at Chu Ke in shock.

  "The information has all been given. Whether or not she can be brought down and Mother returns to the warehouse depends on your skills." Chu Ke said, staring at her word by word.

  Jing'er ate silently, unable to make out what she was saying, and didn't finish speaking.

  Chu Ke smiled and pointed to Qing Guo and Bai Guo, saying: "I'm a simple person, no big ideas, just hoping that the people following me can follow me wholeheartedly... As long as you don't have second thoughts, it's our business. If you still want to go back to Lao Tai Tai's side, I won't stop you. But there's one thing to say, at such a young age, can you spend your whole life with Lao Tai Tai?"

  Jing'er's forehead was already beaded with sweat. She really hadn't expected that this girl, so skilled at calculations, would also be so bold and straightforward in person.

  Chu Ke smiled and nodded, "No need to say anything else, I've made it clear. But I won't be able to use it, let's go back to Old Lady's place."

  Qing Guo and Bai Guo both stared at Jing Er with tension, the two people's matters all depended on Jing Er, if Jing Er really went back to Lao Tai Tai's side...

  Feeling the warning gaze of the two, Jing'er suddenly had no choice but to follow the girl. The girl's words were very clear, and she knew about those things. Could Bai Guo be forgiven? Moreover, several families of enemies had appeared out of nowhere. As for Old Lady, she might not be suspicious, but this was exactly what made Jing'er dare not.

  She knelt down with a thud and knocked her head saying "Slave is following young lady."

  Chu Ke nodded in satisfaction and smiled, saying "Alright, let's join forces and see if we can bring down the Car Gu family."

  Jing'er felt inexplicably moved, although the girl was treating Chegui's family like this, she must have had a purpose, but it seemed that she was also helping. She hastily responded with a sound, stood up and turned around to leave.

  Chu Ke'er pondered for a moment in the house, then ordered Bai Guo to hurry and find her mother, telling her that if anyone asked about the maid and Cheguijia's affairs, she should say...

  After explaining this, Bai Guo also hurriedly left. (If you like this work, welcome to subscribe and reward on Qidian Network (), your support is my greatest motivation.)

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