The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 222: Counteraccusation

Nanny Cai was at a loss for words, blocked by Gu Taohua.

She glared at Gu Taohua, underestimating this little girl.

Gu Taohua’s words made many onlookers click their tongues in sympathy.

She wasn’t wrong; for a pregnant woman, not seeking a doctor immediately after an upset stomach but instead arguing with Taohua Dessert seemed very odd.

What’s more, Young Madam Zheng and Gu Taohua had been at odds since childhood.

It’s likely that after marrying into a wealthy family, she’s learned the underhanded schemes of the inner house and used them against Gu Taohua.

"Indeed, in Qinghe Bay there’s a woman named Xu Zaohua who married into the family of the eldest son of the Zheng scholar family in Pingchuan County," someone who knew the inside story said.

"How could a family like the Zheng family be willing to marry someone from the countryside?" someone doubted.

"There’s a reason. The Eldest Young Master Zheng was weak since birth, and no wealthy family’s daughter was willing to marry him. Shortly after Xu family’s daughter married in, the Eldest Young Master Zheng passed away. Now she’s pregnant with Young Master Zheng’s posthumous child. Miss Taohua is right; it should indeed be extremely precious. How could she not rush to see a doctor after an upset stomach, instead arguing with Taohua Dessert here? If someone said she’s not deliberately causing trouble for Taohua Dessert, I wouldn’t believe it."

The discussion of these bystanders reached everyone’s ears.

Many people started to side with Gu Taohua.

"Nanny said Xu Zaohua got an upset stomach from eating my family’s hazelnut cake, which makes me wonder if Xu Zaohua is deliberately framing me because she dislikes me," Gu Taohua was quite satisfied with her public persuasion, riding the momentum. "Of course, this is based on my long interaction with Xu Zaohua, and I could be wrong. If she really did get an upset stomach from eating my family’s hazelnut cake, I’m willing to bow and apologize."

Nanny Cai felt things slipping away from her control into a direction she did not foresee. Attempting to regain control, she said, "It’s precisely because I sent someone to get a doctor that I came to Taohua Dessert for an explanation. If my young mistress is fine, everything can be discussed. But if anything happens to the baby in her belly, when the master and madam hold you accountable, Taohua Dessert won’t escape."

Now that she had been driven to this point, Nanny Cai insisted that Xu Zaohua got an upset stomach from eating hazelnut cake.

Gu Taohua, tired of Nanny Cai’s nonsense, boldly shouted in the direction of the Zheng family carriage, "Xu Zaohua, do you dare to come out and debate with me clearly?"

Sitting inside the carriage, Xu Zaohua clutched her stomach.

She certainly didn’t dare to get off the carriage to confront Gu Taohua.

If she angered Gu Taohua and there was a blow to her belly, she wouldn’t have any standing left in the Zheng family.

At this moment, she only wanted to escape the feud between Nanny Cai and Taohua Dessert.

She regretted encouraging Nanny Cai to cause trouble for Taohua Dessert.

The only saving grace was that He Chao hadn’t come out.

"Forget it, forget it, nanny, you come back. I’m just incompatible with Taohua Dessert’s hazelnut cake, and I’ll consider it my bad luck," Xu Zaohua, exposing a weary face through the carriage curtain, waved at Nanny Cai.

Nanny Cai felt humiliated, falling from grace.

Now that the drama had started, how could she admit defeat?

Moreover, her main goal was to drive He Chao away.

Nanny Cai stopped fretting over the hazelnut cake issue and instead said to Gu Taohua, "Why are you afraid to let Manager He come out and respond? Are you fearing he’ll do something at the Zheng family..."

"Thief, finally caught you."

Nanny Cai’s words were abruptly interrupted by someone knocking her from the side.

Gu Taohua widened her eyes, stunned by the sudden turn of events.

The Zheng family’s nanny is a thief?

The person who knocked down Nanny Cai stood with his back to Gu Taohua.

Gu Taohua couldn’t see his face, but from his back, he seemed to be a young man.

Gu Taohua thought it was probably her brother who had arranged for this, since Nanny Cai was framing Taohua Dessert, so Taohua Dessert was counter-framing her.

Who else would come up with such a nasty trick besides her brother?

Knocked down, Nanny Cai looked a fright, struggling to get up, seething with rage.

Who dared defame her as a thief?

The young man didn’t wait for Nanny Cai to stand up; he pulled out a money pouch from her sleeve in front of everyone and asked in her face, "Is this your money pouch?"

Nanny Cai had never seen this money pouch before.

The shock on Nanny Cai’s face, clearly caught in everyone’s eyes, suggested guilt after being caught.

"It’s disgraceful for someone from a respectable family to engage in such pilfering. It’s a loss to your dignity. Three days ago, on my way from the provincial city to visit relatives in Yan Guan Town, my carriage broke down, and you passed by, offering me a ride in your Zheng family carriage. I thought you were kind-hearted, didn’t expect you drugged me with a sleeping potion and stole my money pouch when I was unconscious. I’ve been looking for you for two days, finally found you. Fortunately, the money pouch is still here; otherwise, I’d be punished when I return."

"I don’t know you... who are you..."

She didn’t even know this person, how could he just assert she stole the money.

Making up a story with such vivid detail.

Due to the suddenness of the event, Nanny Cai’s head was spinning and she couldn’t react in time.

When she finally opened her mouth, she found speaking extremely painful due to a cracked lip, making her speech unclear.

God knows who slipped this money pouch into her sleeve, she had no idea, but how was it pulled out by this young man.

"You steal my money and even refuse to recognize me?"

"Stop playing the innocent. Everyone saw clearly that the money pouch was pulled right from your sleeve. This money pouch was embroidered by my mother for me. You took the money; that’s one thing, but why take the pouch too? If my mother’s item can’t be retrieved, my father will kill me."

"Oh dear, the five hundred taels of silver notes inside are gone. This nanny, you took the notes, fine, but why take even the small change?"

The young man attacked relentlessly, cold, star-like eyes fixed on Nanny Cai, giving her no chance to speak.

Nanny Cai silently mourned.

She had run into a tough one.

Having been in the Zheng family for many years, following Mrs. Zheng to social engagements in wealthy homes, from this young man’s understated attire, she could tell it was top-grade silk from Su and Hang.

Few in the whole of Pingchuan County could afford such clothing, not even the Zheng family, except when the Eldest Young Master Zheng was buried.

This young man clearly had an extraordinary background.

No wonder Widow Tong’s Taohua Dessert had swallowed up Crispy Food Garden, she had found strong support.

So this person had come to back Taohua Dessert.

"I don’t know how this money pouch ended up in my sleeve, I didn’t steal any money."

Nanny Cai took a deep breath to defend herself vigorously.

There was a pleading tone in her voice.

"Sir, you’ve mistaken me, why would I steal your money pouch."

"Thieves naturally won’t admit they’re thieves." The young man spoke loudly to everyone, "You must be curious why this nanny would steal my silver. I’ve found out it was because her son lost money gambling, and to repay his gambling debts, seeing me expose a money pouch, she got greedy."

The crowd suddenly understood.

Manager Feng of Crispy Food Garden had taken Crispy Food Garden’s silver for his own son’s gambling debts back then, which got him kicked out.

This nanny, like Manager Feng, took desperate measures for her son’s sake.

"This nanny is really bad, not only stealing silver but also trying to extort it."

"Indeed. Why target Taohua Dessert? Because it’s dealing in pastries, easy to extort. Luckily, this young man came across her; otherwise, Taohua Dessert wouldn’t be able to clear its name."

"There truly are all kinds of people. Some look decent, but do nasty thieving and trickery."

Everyone was pointing at Nanny Cai, gossiping.

"My son didn’t gamble." Nanny Cai tried to defend in panic.

Nanny Cai looked ashamed and at a loss.