Chapter 32: In the end, she is just a woman who cannot keep to herself!

Jiang Nian had certainly noticed the look in Lady Qiao’s eyes, but she chose to ignore it and walked over to speak with Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan gave her a wink and whispered, "The Eldest Aunt really can’t keep herself out of trouble, can she?"

Jiang Nian asked in a low voice, "The two maids, Chunfen and Dongzhi..."

Jiang Yan blinked, "Everything is settled."

Lady Qiao seemed to have smoothed over her inner turmoil and regained her composure. She cast a cold glance at Su Zhiyan. "With your own maid involved in such a scandalous affair, who is to say it isn’t because of your own daily flirtatious behavior that you have taught your maids to be so loose?"

Upon hearing this, Su Zhiyan looked up at Lady Qiao with a calm expression. A woman shackled by obsession was no different from an unintelligent beast. She had inquired about the past and knew that Lady Qiao had once tried to fight Madam Chen for the master’s affection, only to fail. It was clear that Lady Qiao was infatuated with Jiang Ping. Knowing that Jiang Ping held her in his heart had created a fissure in this otherwise flawless woman!

"Madam, words alone are no proof. Everything must be supported by evidence. Did you see me act flirtatiously with your own eyes? If not, please refrain from dragging other matters into this and stick to the issue of Fulan."

Lady Qiao’s eyes held a sneer. "Like mistress, like servant! If you were upright, your maid would never have committed such a disgraceful act!"

Su Zhiyan looked up at her, ready to retort, when a voice came from behind her.

"Why is the Madam in such a temper today?"

Everyone turned to look. Standing at the courtyard entrance was an exceptionally frail woman. Many were confused as to who she was, but the old servants who had served in the household for years widened their eyes and gasped, "Isn't that Fangmei, the Master's bedchamber maid from before he was married?"

A bedchamber maid from before the Master, Jiang Ping, was married. At these words, the crowd was struck with astonishment.

Lady Qiao frowned tightly. "You were supposed to be recuperating in your quarters, why have you come out?"

Fangmei replied, "My health has improved quite a bit, so I just came out for some fresh air."

"Improved?" Lady Qiao looked at Fangmei with suspicion.

Fangmei had been with Jiang Ping since his youth, and there had originally been plans to promote her to a concubine after his marriage. However, back then, Jiang Ping was so infatuated with Madam Chen that he feared upsetting her, and the plan was shelved. After Lady Qiao entered the household, she had the girl "fall ill." Out of consideration for Jiang Ping’s past feelings for her, Lady Qiao had never killed the girl, but she had constantly spiked her food with substances to keep her in a state of lethargy, leaving her breathless even from walking, let alone serving Jiang Ping. She was essentially kept as a living corpse.

And now, what was she saying? That she was better?

Everyone, including Lady Qiao, was in shock. Only Qing’er looked at Jiang Nian. Some time ago, her mistress had instructed her to find Fangmei, tell her to stop eating the food sent by Lady Qiao, and bring her medicine every few days. Watching Fangmei improve day by day, Qing’er hadn't understood Jiang Nian's motive. Now, she understood.

So this was how she was planning to trap Lady Qiao! How long a line had her mistress cast to catch this fish!

Fangmei strolled into the courtyard and looked at Lady Qiao. "Madam, you keep insisting that Concubine Su is flirtatious and that her maids followed her example, but aren't you the same? Are you not afraid of the saying that if the beam is crooked, the rafters will follow, and ruining the reputation of the Fourth Young Lady?"

Lady Qiao’s eyes narrowed sharply. "What did you say?!"

Fangmei smiled. She was nothing but skin and bones now, but a beauty with good bone structure has this advantage: even if her appearance is damaged or aged, her features remain delicate and her air remains distinguished. Jiang Ping had once cherished her dearly; otherwise, Lady Qiao wouldn't have gone to such lengths to deal with a mere bedchamber maid.

"I am the Master's bedchamber maid. I know how well you knew how to serve him when you first entered this house."

Her words were cryptic. An inexperienced young girl might not understand, but the expressions of the married women grew colorful. Noble ladies were expected to be dignified, virtuous, and steady, not like concubines who used their beauty to lure men away from their duties. But wasn't Fangmei implying that Lady Qiao acted just like a concubine, seducing the Master?

However, Lady Qiao was Jiang Ping’s second wife. Her first husband had been Hua Ningchuan, the second son of the Hua family. After Hua Ningchuan died of illness, Lady Qiao’s mother, unable to bear the thought of her daughter being a young widow, consulted with the Hua family to bring her back to the Qiao family. Lady Qiao had no children with Hua Ningchuan, and the Hua family had no reason to force her to remain a widow, so they released her back to her maiden home. Later, after Madam Chen's family fell into ruin and she was sent back to Luzhou, Lady Qiao married Jiang Ping as his equal wife. Having already served a man, being more "experienced" than a young maiden was not exactly a surprise.

Nevertheless, Lady Qiao’s expression was intriguing. Her composure had vanished, and her face shifted colors like a prismatic rainbow. "How dare you say such things!"

She fought to control her emotions, but those familiar with her could tell she was exasperated. The crowd looked at her with strange eyes. The Third Madam, in particular, looked as if she wanted to reach out and pry the truth right out of Fangmei’s stomach.

Fangmei, having lain on a sickbed for so long, no longer had the brightness in her eyes she once had, but they were now filled with a burning hatred. "If you dared to do it, I have nothing to fear in saying it."

Lady Qiao frowned, then froze, and a flash of wariness crossed her eyes. "Someone! Fangmei has been ill for too long and has lost her mind. Take her back to her quarters and watch her closely!"

She was trying to silence her. Fangmei watched the servants approach her and spoke smoothly, without holding back, "Madam, are you so anxious because you are afraid I will reveal that you had already lost your virginity to the Master before you were even married?"

The crowd erupted! The servant had reached for Fangmei’s sleeve but froze on the spot, unable to move.

Old Madam Jiang narrowed her eyes, the words squeezed through her teeth. "What did you say?!"

Lady Qiao flew into a rage, pointing a finger at Fangmei’s face. "How dare you slander me!" She stepped forward, raising her hand to strike, but Fangmei was prepared and dodged to the side, mocking, "What is it? Dare to do it, but dare not own up to it?"

Lady Qiao lunged and missed, nearly stumbling. A cold sweat broke out on her skin, and at those words, her heart skipped a beat. "Shut your mouth! The Old Madam is here, and you dare to spout such nonsense! Defaming my reputation! You are truly audacious!"

"Heh... defaming your reputation?" Fangmei had spent over a decade in that tiny, confined courtyard, long having considered herself a dead woman. Facing Lady Qiao’s distorted expression, she felt no fear. She looked at Lady Qiao with utter disdain. "You and the Master could not control your passions and tumbled into bed together before you were married. The Master told me himself—could that be false?"

At these words, everyone in the courtyard widened their eyes. Though it was with her future husband, one thing was one thing! She was still a woman who couldn't keep her virtue!