MFURCC -Chapter 70 The Fifth Young Master Elopes

The matter between Fu Yunqi and Feng Lunian was still being talked about everywhere.

However, the Fu family had done a good job of keeping Fu Yunqi’s death a secret, and no one outside knew.

Thus, when Fu Yunsheng spoke up, everyone in the hall showed expressions of surprise.

Madam Yuan, who knew the truth, also revealed a hint of shock.

At that moment, Liuzheng spoke.

“General Fu, everything must be based on evidence.”

“Just a few people saying they saw my Fifth Brother leaving with a maid from your household isn’t enough to count as evidence.”

“It’s possible they were mistaken, or maybe my Fifth Brother had had too much to drink, and your maid just helped him along.”

Second Master nodded repeatedly.

“Exactly! That can’t be considered evidence!”

Fu Yunsheng said, “Don’t rush to conclusions. Just on the basis of this, I wouldn’t be so rude as to come here and trouble you. Look at this.”

After speaking, he took two items from his chest.

One was a jade pendant, and the other was a letter.

Second Master immediately recognized the jade pendant and couldn’t help exclaiming, “This is Ming’er’s jade pendant!”

He then took the letter and saw that it was a love poem written by Ruan Mingzheng to Lianxin.

Clearly, this jade pendant was the token of love Ruan Mingzheng had given to Lianxin.

The Old Madam also came forward to see, confirming it was Mingzheng’s handwriting.

Fu Yunsheng said, “It’s precisely because I found these two items that I came here.”

Everyone looked at each other.

So Ruan Mingzheng had not returned home all night because he had eloped with the maid.

Second Master’s face instantly turned purple with anger.

“Brat! That wretched brat! I taught him so diligently, and yet he eloped with a maid! All my hard work raising him wasted!”

He now wished that Ruan Mingzheng were dead, as Ruan Baizheng had claimed.

It would be better than this humiliation and disappointment.

At this moment, Ruan Baizheng could no longer hold back and finally spoke.

“General Fu, something doesn’t add up.”

Fu Yunsheng looked at her. “What doesn’t? Isn’t this your brother’s jade pendant and letter?”

Ruan Baizheng stated her reasoning.

“This pendant is indeed my Fifth Brother’s, and the letter is indeed in his handwriting.”

“But! If this pendant were truly a token of love, why would they leave it behind when eloping?”

“That maid would surely treasure the token he gave her.”

Second Master clapped his hands.

“Exactly! There must be some misunderstanding…”

“No misunderstanding,” Fu Yunsheng shook his head. “This pendant wasn’t left behind by the maid—it was confiscated by the house steward, Nanny Guan.”

“She had been acting suspiciously lately, so Nanny Guan quietly searched her room and found this jade pendant.”

“She’s just a maid, earning barely one or two taels a month, yet possessed such fine mutton-fat jade. Nanny Guan sensed something was wrong and handed it to my mother.”

“At the time, my mother questioned her, but she refused to reveal the pendant’s origin.”

“Only now do we understand that this jade pendant belongs to the Fifth Young Master of your household.”

Second Master had nothing to say.

He instinctively looked at Ruan Baizheng.

Ruan Baizheng’s mind raced.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. “Your maid is pregnant with Second Young Master Fu’s child. She could have secured a life of wealth and prestige—so why would she give up all that to elope with my Fifth Brother? That doesn’t make sense!”

Second Master immediately said, “Exactly!”

He had little independent thinking; whatever Ruan Baizheng said, he agreed with.

In short, he could not admit to this scandal.

Fu Yunsheng sighed. “My Second Brother is flirtatious and unruly. He was just playing with the maid and refused to acknowledge the child in her womb, even telling her to have an abortion. Lianxin pretended to agree, but in reality, she didn’t abort. Had it not been for my Third Sister telling us, we would still be in the dark.”

Ruan Baizheng’s expression stiffened.

But she quickly asked, “General, how did the maid in your household come to know my Ming’er?”

Fu Yunsheng replied, “Wasn’t it because of my Second Brother? He and your Fifth Brother had known each other since they were young at Dufeng Academy. Occasionally he would take the maid out, and that must have been when they met your Fifth Brother.”

First Master nodded.

“That’s indeed true. Second Young Master Fu did study at our Dufeng Academy.”

“…”

Second Master pursed his lips, trying hard to signal Ruan Baizheng to continue questioning.

Ruan Baizheng opened her mouth, wanting to refute further.

But Fu Yunsheng’s words had no loopholes—every point she thought suspicious had a perfectly reasonable explanation.

For a moment, she was bewildered.

Could it be that the Fifth Brother really did elope with Fu family’s maid, just as Fu Yunsheng said?

Perhaps he… after failing to manipulate Ruan Liuzheng, felt guilty and fearful, worried Ruan Liuzheng would find out.

Coincidentally, he had a personal attachment to the maid.

So the two of them naturally eloped.

This possibility was not impossible.

Yet she still felt that something was off.

Just as she was about to speak, someone suddenly came in with news.

“Second Master! We found the young master’s personal attendant!”

Everyone was momentarily stunned, their expressions varied.

Second Master immediately said, “Bring him in at once!”

Soon, a person with his hands tied behind his back was brought in.

Everyone in the hall immediately recognized him.

It was the young master’s personal attendant, Xiao Fuzi.

Ruan Mingzheng had not returned all night, and Xiao Fuzi had also been missing.

Seeing Xiao Fuzi, Ruan Baizheng immediately rushed over and grabbed his collar.

“Xiao Fuzi! Where is Young Master Ming?!”

She was both furious and anxious.

If Xiao Fuzi had been found, then she could finally know where Young Master Ming had gone.

Deep down, she still couldn’t believe her Fifth Brother would be so foolish as to elope with a lowly maid.

Fortunately, Xiao Fuzi had been found.

Now she could uncover the truth!

Maybe she could even drag Liuzheng down to hell with her!

“Where is Young Master Ming? Tell me!”

Xiao Fuzi shrank his neck, his face about to break into tears.

“Speak quickly!” Ruan Baizheng lost all patience and kicked Xiao Fuzi in the leg.

Finally, Xiao Fuzi spoke up: “Fourth Miss, have mercy! The young master eloped with Lanxin… I couldn’t stop him…”

Ruan Baizheng froze instantly.

He… really did elope?

Xiao Fuzi had always been utterly loyal to Fifth Young Master, willing to risk his life for him. He would never betray Young Master Ming, so his words were highly credible.

Yet doubts still lingered.

“If you couldn’t stop Young Master Ming, why didn’t you come tell us? Why hide for so long?”

Through tears, Xiao Fuzi said, “I knew that if the young master ran off, I would be beaten to death, so I didn’t dare return to the mansion…”

This was indeed the truth.

If the household couldn’t find Ruan Mingzheng, they would surely vent their anger on Xiao Fuzi.

It was natural for him to be afraid.

But… could Fifth Brother really be so reckless?

Ruan Baizheng’s mind was in utter chaos.

Like Second Master, she could no longer think calmly.

Only the matriarch remained composed, asking, “Where did Young Master Ming go?”

Xiao Fuzi shook his head: “I don’t know… I really don’t know…”

The hall fell silent. Each person’s expression was different.

The father and daughter of the second branch were dazed, while the third branch hadn’t spoken a word, only shocked.

As for the main madam, her face was full of disappointment.

Not because she was disappointed that Ruan Mingzheng eloped with a maid, but because she once again failed to drag Liuzheng into trouble.

If only Ruan Mingzheng had been harmed by Liuzheng, how satisfying that would have been.

What a pity…

Liuzheng sighed: “Fifth Brother is simply too foolish.”

At that moment, Fu Yunsheng spoke: “Do you all believe me now?”

The second branch father and daughter could no longer find words to refute him.

The matriarch spoke again: “General Fu, I’m truly sorry this scandal happened…”

Fu Yunsheng waved his hand: “The matter has already occurred, Old Madam. You needn’t apologize; I know this isn’t what you wanted. It only concerns my second brother’s future child. If you discover the whereabouts of Ruan Fifth Young Master, please send someone to inform us immediately.”

What else could the matriarch say?

She could only nod.

“If we find the two of them, I will make sure someone sends word to the mansion.”

“Thank you, Old Madam Ruan.”

Fu Yunsheng turned and left with his men.

The main madam watched his retreating back, sighing inwardly hundreds of times.

This Ruan Mingzheng was utterly useless!

He actually eloped with a maid.

Seeing that using Ruan Mingzheng to drag Liuzheng into trouble had failed, the main madam no longer wanted to linger, staring at the faces of the matriarch and Ruan Liuzheng.

She excused herself, saying Ruan Changzhen’s wound needed dressing, and left.

First Master remained.

He said: “Second Brother, this scandal must be resolved quickly. Otherwise, if news spreads, our entire family will lose face.”

Second Master nodded stiffly: “Yes…”

“As for Xiao Fuzi, the servant failed his duty—execute him!”

Xiao Fuzi trembled: “No… Patriarch, Second Master, I know my mistake. I will definitely help you find Fifth Young Master…”

Ruan Baizheng spoke up at this moment: “Father, Uncle, I think there’s something off about this. Maybe we should spare him…”

“No! Xiao Fuzi must die! Otherwise, in the future, other servants might take chances and fail to report such matters,” Liuzheng said firmly.

Ruan Baizheng’s face darkened as she looked at her.

“Why must you have Xiao Fuzi killed? Even if we punish him, it doesn’t have to be right now. Could it be that you know there’s more to this matter, and fear he might reveal something, so you insist on his death?”

Liuzheng sneered: “Sister Bai, everything is already crystal clear. And yet you still doubt me? Perhaps it’s you who has done something shameful, and that’s why you think I would harm Young Master Ming?”

“I…”

“Speak! Were you and Young Master Ming conspiring to do something to me? Is that why you immediately claimed his disappearance was connected to me?”

Ruan Baizheng bit her lip, unsure whether to reveal everything or continue hiding the truth.

At that moment, Madam Yuan spoke: “Fourth Miss Ruan, conspiring to harm a government official is a crime punishable by death. If you know anything, you’d better speak up now!”

Madam Yuan’s threat left Ruan Baizheng pale with fear.

Death… by beheading…

She could not die this way!

She had rushed to the matriarch thinking Young Master Ming had already been killed by Liuzheng.

But now… she was uncertain.

And because of that uncertainty, she dared not speak recklessly, lest she push herself into an irretrievable position.

“I… I didn’t! Young Master Ming didn’t either—he has always respected you.”

“Then why have you been accusing me all along?”

Liuzheng stepped closer to Ruan Baizheng.

At this moment, Liuzheng completely shifted from being passive to taking the initiative.