Chapter 32: Rumors Spread

“I know!” Aunt Mei said with a furrowed brow.

Aunt Mei pulled Tang Chuying to the Meixiang Courtyard, where Tang Chuying began to cry.

“Mother, I just wanted to take a few pieces of jewelry and clothes. Isn’t the Qiqiao Festival coming soon?”

“Who would have thought that Tang Chuyao’s dowry would just disappear without a trace!”

Aunt Mei pondered, “This matter is also due to your bad luck!”

“Mother, where do you think Tang Chuyao’s dowry went?”

“She only has a maid and a sickly old woman by her side, so it’s impossible for them to have moved so much dowry!”

Suddenly, Tang Chuying thought of something and quickly asked, “Could it be that little fish maid?”

Aunt Mei shook her head, “Impossible!”

“That girl seems to have some basic skills, but in such a short time, she couldn’t have moved so much dowry!”

Aunt Mei had a suspicion but didn’t share it with Tang Chuying, so she comforted her, “You should rest for now! I’ll think of a way!”

Tang Chuying reluctantly lay down…

That night, some people in the Wenyong Bo residence couldn’t sleep, while others slept soundly.

In the bamboo grove, Huang Xiaoyu and Tang Chuyao stood on top of two bamboo trees, each holding a sword. A gentle breeze blew, lifting a strand of Tang Chuyao’s hair. The flash of their swords met as Tang Chuyao blocked Huang Xiaoyu’s incoming strike.

The clash of swords produced a crisp sound. Huang Xiaoyu moved, instantly appearing behind Tang Chuyao. Before Huang Xiaoyu could make her next move, she found Tang Chuyao had already leaped several trees away.

Huang Xiaoyu laughed, “Little junior sister’s lightness skill is becoming more and more exquisite!”

“That’s good; if I can’t win, I can run!”

Being teased by Huang Xiaoyu, Tang Chuyao frowned and pouted, “Sister only knows how to make fun of me!”

Huang Xiaoyu instantly appeared in front of Tang Chuyao, reached out to pat her head, and took her hand, saying, “Let’s go!”

Yesterday, she had just heard from Dujian about Tang Chuyao’s mother being poisoned and knew that although Tang Chuyao appeared relaxed, she was actually very sad inside.

She had even fainted from crying and had a high fever. Now, holding Tang Chuyao’s hand, she could feel her abnormal body temperature.

Huang Xiaoyu didn’t know how to comfort her junior sister, as she had also grown up without a mother. Perhaps she was emotionally blunt and didn’t long for familial affection as much.

She just wanted to be a good sister and take care of her junior sister…

As they reached the Falling Cherry Pavilion, Huang Xiaoyu headed towards the kitchen, and soon they heard Yinghe’s voice, “Miss Huang, it’s enough to have the maid in the kitchen; you should take a rest.”

“Aunt Yinghe, I want to make chicken soup for my junior sister. I won’t blow up the kitchen, don’t worry.”

Yinghe hesitated for a moment, then made Huang Xiaoyu swear not to use her internal energy and not to throw a tantrum in the kitchen if the food didn’t turn out well.

Huang Xiaoyu complied with all her requests.

Yinghe was somewhat surprised, not expecting Huang Xiaoyu to be so cooperative and to restrain her temper…

“Ah~~” A sharp scream came from Ziying Pavilion.

“My face!!” Tang Chuying looked at her face in the mirror, screaming in horror.

Her originally clean face was covered in small red spots, and they were very painful to the touch.

Before long, the house doctor, Zhang Hong, was brought in by Bixiang. After examining her for a long time, he couldn’t find any issues.

He then said, “Second Miss, this looks like an allergic reaction to something.”

“Allergic reaction?” Tang Chuying looked at Zhang Hong anxiously and asked, “Is there any way to get rid of these red spots?”

Zhang Hong shook his head and said, “Second Miss, forgive my incompetence.”

Tang Chuying shouted in disappointment at Zhang Hong, “You useless thing!”

“Get out of here!”

Zhang Hong’s eyes flashed with disdain, but he said nothing and left with his medicine box…

Aunt Mei was in the Rongjin Hall, where the old lady had already learned about the theft of Tang Chuyao’s dowry last night.

Her murky eyes scrutinized Aunt Mei for a long time before she said with some disgust, “Xiao’e, you are foolish!”

“If the eldest girl really wants to report this to the authorities, what will you do?”

Aunt Mei looked up in surprise at the old lady, “Aunt, what do you mean?”

“Do you think Xiao’e has embezzled the dowry?”

The old lady shot her a cold glance, “Is there even a need to say that?”

“The keys to the rooms in this residence are in your hands! Which room in the residence do you not have a key to?”

“You’re crying thief! You’re quite calculating!”

Aunt Mei had been feeling irritable these past few days, and hearing the old lady say this made her even more displeased. “Old lady, is there any evidence to support such slander against me?”

“Slander? Which of my words is wrong?” The old lady waved her hand dismissively at Aunt Mei, “I can’t be bothered with your idle matters!”

“You can see the state of my Rongjin Hall now; I can’t help you with anything!”

Aunt Mei’s eyes widened in shock. Was the old lady asking her to fill the gap herself?

When they initially used the dowry of Chi Ran together, she didn’t see her using any less, and now that something had happened, it was being pushed onto her!

She knew that the old lady had a small safe that contained the profits from several shops in Chi Ran’s dowry over the years, which should be quite substantial!

The wound on Aunt Mei’s forehead throbbed, reminding her of the humiliation she suffered yesterday in the Rongjin Hall!

Since the old lady was disregarding their past relationship, she couldn’t be blamed for being rude!

Aunt Mei stood up to leave, and the old lady, feeling a severe headache, called for Granny Zhao to help her lie down on the bed…

Tang Chuyao had already made a fake dough skin according to the method provided by the system. The dough was as thin as a cicada’s wing, with a soft and elastic texture.

“Night Rain!”

In the blink of an eye, Night Rain appeared before Tang Chuyao, and upon seeing the fake dough skin in her hand, she was quite surprised, her gaze toward Tang Chuyao filled with admiration!

Over the past few days of protection, she realized that Tang Chuyao was not only smart but also very hardworking.

Every morning, she watched from a distance as Tang Chuyao practiced swordplay, witnessing her progress!

Moreover, she was skilled in medicine and poison, and now she could also change her appearance!

This was simply incredible!

The ugly girl that everyone in the capital despised turned out to be an extraordinarily beautiful and remarkable woman!

“Miss, what are your orders?” Night Rain asked respectfully.

“Go spread the news about Tang Chuying and Gu Huaifeng!”

Night Rain accepted the order and left…

For the next three days, rumors about the romantic affair between the second miss of the Wenyong Bo residence, Tang Chuying, and Gu Huaifeng spread throughout the capital.

Tang Chuyao was preparing medicinal powder when Dujian rushed in, saying, “Miss, the whole capital is buzzing with news about Tang Chuying and Gu Huaifeng!”

“The storytellers in the teahouses are all talking about it!”

“There are even paintings; would you like to see them, Miss?”

Dujian chattered on, and Tang Chuyao couldn’t help but laugh, “Dujian, it seems you want to see them!”

Suddenly, Tang Chuyao realized that Dujian was three years older than her and already nineteen; at this age, women were often married with children!

“Dujian, if you have someone you fancy, I can help you get married! I will also prepare a generous dowry for you!”