jdhmnovel Chapter 378 (108 words added)
Chapter 378 (108 words added)
Xue Ruanruan, draped in a red cloak, strolled through the blizzard. The snow fell even more fiercely, each step she took crunching under her feet. The wind and snow seemed to be deliberately making things difficult for her, causing her to stumble. Just as she was about to be swept away by the gale, a mansion appeared ahead. Xue Ruanruan's heart leaped with joy, and she dragged her weary body along quickly. Reaching the gate, she raised her hand and knocked on the door knocker. The door opened, and a servant peeked out, his expression turning disdainful upon seeing her disheveled appearance. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" the servant asked impatiently. Xue Ruanruan quickly smiled apologetically and said, "Sir, I've gotten lost in this blizzard. Could I possibly stay at your esteemed residence for the night?" Just as the servant was about to refuse, a woman dressed in magnificent attire emerged from within the mansion. The woman, her eyes sharp and imposing, sized up Xue Ruanruan before saying, "Let her in." Xue Ruanruan gratefully entered the mansion, unaware that this seemingly welcoming residence concealed countless conspiracies and schemes, drawing her into an even more complex vortex of palace intrigue. Large snowflakes pelted her cloak. Xue Ruanruan's steps faltered; she was secretly anxious, wondering when the blizzard would stop. Suddenly, a mansion appeared in the distance, its vermilion gates tightly shut, thick snow piled on the eaves. A surge of joy filled her heart, and she quickened her pace towards the mansion.
Upon reaching the door, she raised her hand and knocked forcefully on the knocker. A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing the same servant. Seeing her again, his brow furrowed even more. Just as he was about to shoo her away, the elegantly dressed woman reappeared. "It's you again? Fine, since that's the case, I'll let you in again," the woman waved her hand. Xue Ruanruan gratefully stepped back into the mansion.
Upon entering the mansion, the woman arranged for her to stay in a side room. That night, Xue Ruanruan was sound asleep when she was suddenly awakened by a commotion. She got up to investigate and saw several maids searching the side room. "What are you doing!" Xue Ruanruan shouted. The lead maid sneered, "You wild girl from who-knows-where, what dirty things are you hiding? We're ordered to search." Xue Ruanruan was startled, realizing that this mansion wouldn't be so easily taken in. She had already been caught in the vortex of palace intrigue, but how was she supposed to deal with this sudden harassment? After a long while, the door creaked open, and a servant peeked out, his face full of vigilance. Xue Ruanruan quickly smiled apologetically, explaining that she had gotten lost in the snow. She feigned composure and loudly proclaimed, "What stolen goods could a lost person like me possibly possess? Do you have orders from your master to search me without cause?" The head maid snorted and brandished her token: "This is proof. If you know what's good for you, let us search." Xue Ruanruan was inwardly furious, but knew she couldn't act rashly now. Her eyes darted around, and she said, "Since you have orders, then search as you please. But if you find nothing, you'll have to give me an explanation." The maids ignored her and began rummaging through drawers and cabinets. Xue Ruanruan appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly she was extremely nervous, wondering what this person behind the scenes was trying to frame her for. Just then, a maid pulled out an exquisite box from under the bed. Upon opening it, she found a luminous pearl inside. The maids immediately became smug: "Good! You really did have stolen goods!" Xue Ruanruan was shocked. She had never seen this before; someone was definitely trying to frame her. Just as she was at a loss for words, the elegant woman entered. She glanced at the luminous pearl, a complex look flashing in her eyes, and then said, "This matter will be investigated later; lock her up first." Xue Ruanruan's heart sank; she knew her situation was becoming increasingly dangerous, and the conspiracy of this household power struggle had only just begun. She pleaded for shelter for the night. The servant looked her up and down, hesitated for a moment, and then let her in.
Upon entering the courtyard, Xue Ruanruan discovered that the mansion was exceptionally magnificent, with its buildings adorned with carved beams and painted rafters. A servant led her to a guest room and then hurriedly left. Exhausted, Xue Ruanruan collapsed onto the bed and quickly fell asleep.
The next morning, she was awakened by a commotion. Looking out the window, she saw a group of people pointing and whispering around a fallen maid. Curious, Xue Ruanruan went over and learned that the maid had been knocked unconscious and robbed of all her belongings the previous night. Everyone suspected Xue Ruanruan, being an outsider. Xue Ruanruan was speechless and inwardly cursed her bad luck. Just then, the elegantly dressed woman reappeared. She looked at Xue Ruanruan with scrutinizing eyes, "Do you have anything to say?" Xue Ruanruan quickly thought, "If I were truly the murderer, why would I remain until now to be suspected? Besides, I slept soundly last night and didn't hear any noise." The woman nodded slightly, seemingly agreeing with her. But then, someone searched Xue Ruanruan's room and found items similar to the maid's stolen belongings. Xue Ruanruan knew this was another setup; her fate in this power struggle was like a candle in the wind, and she didn't know what other crises awaited her. An indescribable eeriness permeated the air. Before she could think it through, just as everyone was convinced that Xue Ruanruan was the murderer, Xue Ruanruan suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said, "Although this item is similar, it may not be the maid's lost item. Why don't we let the maid wake up and identify it? If it really is hers, I am willing to accept punishment." The elegant woman thought it made sense, so she arranged for someone to take care of the maid and wait for her to wake up and identify it.
Several hours later, the maid slowly woke up. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes when she saw Xue Ruanruan, but she quickly regained her composure and identified the items as her lost ones. Xue Ruanruan sneered inwardly, knowing that this maid had also been bribed.
She walked up to the maid and whispered, "If you tell the truth, I'll guarantee your safety." The maid trembled, her eyes darting away. Seeing this, the elegant woman scolded, "If you dare lie, I won't let you off easily!" The maid bit her lip, about to speak, when an old nanny rushed over and whispered a few words in the elegant woman's ear. The elegant woman's expression changed, and she shouted, "Put this matter aside for now. We have distinguished guests in the manor; stop making a scene!" "No one dared disobey, and they all withdrew. Xue Ruanruan was led back to her room, but her doubts only deepened. She wondered if this sudden appearance of a distinguished guest was related to this series of framing. That night, Xue Ruanruan quietly went out to investigate. As soon as she reached the garden, she heard whispers. Hiding behind the rockery, she heard a familiar voice—it was the head maid who had framed her. "Master, that Xue Ruanruan is indeed troublesome, but don't worry, I've already arranged the next step..." Xue Ruanruan was startled. It seemed that the mastermind behind this was someone else, and the conspiracy of this household intrigue was far more complex than this. She had to find out the truth as soon as possible and escape this predicament. "I can guarantee your safety. If you continue to lie, I'm afraid you won't have a good end either." The maid trembled and hesitated.
Just then, news came from the manor that the master wanted to see everyone. It turned out that the master had heard of the many events that had occurred in the manor and decided to investigate personally. Xue Ruanruan recounted the events to the master, cleverly pointing out many suspicious points. The master, with his keen insight, began to reinvestigate the matter, and Xue Ruanruan's fate took a turn for the better at this crucial moment. A noblewoman emerged from the house, her eyes sharply fixed on Xue Ruanruan, and coldly asked, "What brings you into my house so late at night?" Xue Ruanruan quickly bowed and explained again that she had gotten lost and needed shelter. The noblewoman scoffed, "Hmph, who knows if you're telling the truth? Maybe you're a thief with ill intentions." Xue Ruanruan's heart tightened, and she was about to defend herself when the master raised his hand to stop her. "Madam, I am already investigating this matter. Don't rush to conclusions." Having said that, the master looked at Xue Ruanruan again, "You can stay here in peace; I will definitely find out the truth."
Just as the investigation deepened, another incident occurred in the mansion. The second young lady's jewelry box was stolen, and Xue Ruanruan's handkerchief was found at the scene. Everyone was shocked, and suspicious gazes once again fell upon Xue Ruanruan. Xue Ruanruan knew that someone was deliberately framing her again. Suppressing her anger, she calmly said to the master, "Master, I do have this handkerchief, but I don't know why it's here. I beg you to investigate thoroughly and clear my name." Looking at her resolute eyes, the master nodded and decided to intensify the investigation. A more intense storm of power struggle within the mansion was quietly brewing. "What is it?" Xue Ruanruan hurriedly knelt down to explain. The noblewoman's expression softened slightly upon hearing this, but her suspicions remained…