Helping her mother to sit down, Hua Zhi greeted her fourth aunt again.
Mrs. Wu helped her up, and sighed inwardly as she looked at her niece who had lost weight. She could clearly smell the medicine on her body when she got closer...
When she met her eldest sister-in-law's gaze, she understood. Her eldest sister-in-law probably smelled it as well, but she knew Zhi'er didn't want her to know, so she pretended not to know.
"It's just a mouse. It's not worth it for you to rush to deal with it without even taking a break."
How could Hua Zhi say that she was scared? She came over without thinking too much.
At this time, Baoxia had already brought a few plates of pastries from the kitchen. Her young lady had been suffering a lot these past few days.
Hua Zhi ate a piece and suppressed the urge to eat something in her heart. She didn't want to appear too eager, as that would make her family think that she was not having a good time away from home.
"Did Aunt Qiu say anything?"
"Please let her go." Xia pushed the cakes in front of Zhi'er. "It doesn't make sense to say that she did this because something happened at home and she needed money. Stealing is wrong no matter what the reason is. The Hua family cannot allow this."
Hua Zhi glanced at the cake plate, resisted the urge to start, and turned back to order, "Notify everyone in the family to come to the main hall within a quarter of an hour."
The third maid immediately gathered the maids and went to each room to report the news.
Hua Zhi stood up and helped her mother up, "Aunt San, take Qiu over there. After all, she is Uncle San's person. Give her the respect she deserves."
Although Xia didn't know how the eldest lady planned to deal with Qiu, she understood the meaning of the words. No matter what, Qiu was still a member of the third wife's house. If Qiu lost her dignity, the third wife would also be disgraced.
The news of Hua Zhi's return spread throughout the Hua family in this way. In less than a quarter of an hour, everyone in the Hua family, young and old, had arrived. Hua Bailin almost ran over. When he saw his sister, he rushed over without caring about anything else, "Eldest sister!"
"Where have you learned the rules?" Hua Zhi tapped his forehead lightly, her eyes full of smiles.
Hua Bolin pouted and said, "Why did you take so long? I am so eager that my neck is getting long."
"You have to deal with things before you come back." Hua Zhi gently pushed her brother. Bai Lin understood and returned to his own seat.
After bowing to the elders and accepting the greetings from the younger generations, Hua Zhi looked at her Third Aunt and said, "Bring Qiu up here."
Everyone had expected that this was the only thing that would make the young lady who had just returned home deal with it without even taking a break.
Qiu was once the most favored concubine of the third room. She was young and beautiful, with a round face that held her flesh. If she had been kept in a wealthy family, she would not have changed her appearance even if she was no longer young.
At this moment, she was dragged in by two burly old women. Although she was dressed neatly and her hair was well-groomed, her eyes were evasive and her expression was frightened. There was no trace of her former cuteness.
Seeing Hua Zhi, she broke free from the restraints of the old woman, walked forward quickly, knelt on the ground, and begged for mercy in a trembling voice, "Miss, I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong, please forgive me for the sake of the master, I used to make clothes for you and the Sixth Young Master, remember? Even if, even if you let me go because I was sincere to everyone in the Hua family, I will never dare to do it again, Miss, Miss..."
Hua Zhi remembered that Qiu was only seventeen years old when she entered the Hua family. She was shy and kept her head down when talking to people. She was an excellent embroidery worker. Not only she and Berlin, but other brothers and sisters in the family had also received gifts from her. Almost no one in the Hua family had any bad feelings towards this concubine who was favored but not annoying.
But she was the first one who couldn't bear it. When Hua Zhi found out that she was the one in trouble, she was really surprised. She signaled the old woman to help the person up, and asked the maid to move a chair for her to sit on. This behavior made Qiu happy.
However, Xia frowned and was about to speak, but Wu, who was sitting next to her, tugged at her sleeve and shook her head at her.
"The Hua family is not as prosperous as before, but may I ask Aunt Qiu, has the Hua family made your life difficult over the past year?"
Mrs. Qiu bit her lip and shook her head slightly. This was true. Even during the most difficult times, neither the old lady nor Hua Zhi, who later became the head of the family, had ever thought of taking their private money.
"Let me ask Aunt Qiu one more question. Has your Third Aunt ever given you any trouble because your Third Uncle is not around?"
Mrs. Qiu lowered her head. She couldn't say against her will that the Madam treated them badly. In fact, compared to when the master was around, the Madam had been more lenient towards them in the past year.
"Has the Hua family ever done anything wrong to you?"
"Have the children of the Hua family disrespected you just because you are a concubine and have no children?"
"Have the masters and servants of the Hua family ever had those dirty thoughts about you?"
Qiu lowered her head and said nothing, her hands tightly clasped as she twisted her body restlessly.
"You care about your mother's family, but you come to ruin the reputation of the Hua family. Qiu, do you know that the Hua family has never had a thief since its establishment? What did the Qiu family promise? Let you go home and be the head of the family? Or promise to find you a good marriage?"
Qiu suddenly raised her head, her face full of panic.
Hua Zhi smiled, "What did I do to make you think I'm soft-hearted? Do you think I'll let this go if you beg me?"
Qiu couldn't sit still any longer, her legs softened and she knelt down again, "Miss..."
"Everyone needs to pay the price for what they have done. Steward Xu, send Qiu to the authorities."
Send him to the authorities? Isn't this exposing the family's shame to the public
Xia said after careful consideration, "If we make such a big fuss, I'm afraid the Hua family will become the topic of conversation in the capital again. Is that inappropriate?"
"Qiu probably thought the same thing. The Hua family would not publicize this matter if they wanted to save face. After I became the head of the family, I didn't like to use those rules to govern people. I thought that I would just suffer a little and then go back to the Qiu family. As a meritorious official of the Qiu family, I would have a good life." Hua Zhi looked at Qiu who was stunned and smiled, "Am I right?"
Everyone looked at each other, and no one spoke out in objection.
"I don't feel ashamed that the person who did something wrong is not named Hua. Butler Xu, please hand over my name card and ask the prefect to severely punish the thief."
"Big Miss!" Qiu woke up as if from a dream. Big Miss was not trying to scare her, she really wanted to report to the police! How could she survive once she saw the police? Even if she could go back alive, how could the Qiu family want a daughter with a criminal record? No, no!
Qiu knelt and crawled forward. Hua Bailin had been on guard against her. Seeing this, she immediately stood in front of her eldest sister. The sturdy old woman who was a step slower also caught up and pressed Qiu to the ground.
Qiu couldn't break free, and desperately raised her head to look at Hua Zhi. She didn't dare to use those tricks anymore, and tears flowed down her face. "Miss, please forgive me for the three years I have been with you. Forgive me, I will be your servant and work like a cow or a horse for the Hua family. I will do whatever you ask me to do, Miss, Miss..."
Some people have turned their backs, unable to bear to watch any longer. Hua Zhi also does not want to embarrass a woman, but this matter cannot be resolved peacefully. If an example is not made, this will only be the beginning and the Hua family will never have peace.