Lian Manman was slightly startled, but quickly understood. Lady Gu truly was a clever person, able to adapt to the changing winds so swiftly.

Seeing Lady Gu so submissive, Lady Zhou felt somewhat smug.

"Mother, I know I’m wrong, I beg you in your boundless mercy, considering I’ve served you and the Old Master, and the Eldest Master all these years... I’ll go change my clothes now, then come back and kneel before you,... so as not to dirty these clothes," Lady Gu pleaded tearfully with Lady Zhou.

Lady Zhou snorted disdainfully.

"Earlier I told you to take off your clothes, why didn’t you do it then? Now you’re scared? It’s all messed up, and you come talking to me. You filthy wife of XX," Lady Zhou cursed, and this time the insults were even more degrading. The term "wife of XX" was a vile village slang for cursing women. For Lady Zhou to curse like this was an extreme humiliation for Lady Gu, but at the same time, it was putting a green hat on Lian Shouren.

Lady Gu trembled, her lips quivering, face ashen with shame, she didn’t retaliate, and Lian Shouren beside her dared not oppose Lady Zhou either.

"Go change, what are you waiting for?" Lady Zhou ordered harshly again.

Lady Zhou insisted that Lady Gu and Lian Duoduo change their clothes, not because she cared about those two sets of fine clothes, but because she couldn’t stand seeing Lady Gu and Lian Duoduo wearing good clothes. She wanted to humiliate and torment Lady Gu; making her wear ragged clothes was essential, but she didn’t strip her naked, still considering the Lian Family’s dignity.

"Second Daughter-in-law, Third Daughter-in-law, Yeye, you three go keep an eye on them, don’t let them create any more trouble.... These two sets of clothes, when they take them off, one set for each of your families."

Simply giving orders wasn’t enough, Lady Zhou had even learned to use material rewards! Before, Lady Zhou never used this tactic.

Actually, Lady Zhou was a very smart and adaptable person, Lian Manman thought. Previously, Lady Zhou’s stubbornness was due to her confidence, the inertia of being high above. But now, as the situation underwent irreversible changes, with Lady Zhou falling from high esteem, she had learned to adapt to the circumstances.

And the effect of Lady Zhou’s material reward was immediate. With her last sentence, the previously languid Lady He instantly came to life, needing no second prompt from Lady Zhou, she dragged Lady Gu and Lian Duoduo out of the room. On the contrary, Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye were slower, falling behind. Lian Yeye wasn’t very willing to go; she turned back to glance at Lian Manman.

Lian Manman nodded towards Lian Yeye. She wanted Lian Yeye to keep an eye on Lady Gu and Lian Duoduo, not to watch them change clothes, but to monitor them, lest in this period any more unexpected issues arise.

Lian Yeye saw Lian Manman nod at her, then pulled Lady Zhao to quicken their pace and caught up with Lady He, Lady Gu, and Lian Duoduo.

"I have something to say, I have something to say!" At this moment, Wife of He Laoliu’s shouting suddenly came from outside.

"What does she want to say?" Lian Manman asked.

By then, Xiao Xi had returned from the other side, was serving outside, heard Lian Manman’s question, then walked in.

"Reporting to the Old Master and Miss, the Wife of He Laoliu just confessed, saying the money was stolen by them," Xiao Xi reported to Lian Shouxin and Lian Manman, "But she said it wasn’t her own idea to steal, it was..."

Saying this, Xiao Xi quickly glanced towards Lian Shouren.

"Xiao Xi, just repeat what Wife of He Laoliu said, no need to worry about anything," Lian Manman instructed Xiao Xi.

"Wife of He Laoliu said it was the Lady of the Main Wife who told her to steal the money," Xiao Xi continued, hearing Lian Manman’s instruction, "In this house, the money is all in the hands of the Old Madam and the Old Master. The Old Madam hids money well, the Upper Room East Room is full all day, making it hard to steal. Aside from the Old Master and Old Madam’s place, in this courtyard, only the Third Master’s family has money. Wife of He Laoliu’s family lodges opposite to the Third Master’s family, making it most convenient to steal money from the Third Master’s house."

"The Lady of the Main Wife promised Wife of He Laoliu benefits, saying that once she entered the city, settled in the Song Family, she would send for them, let them live in the city too. Give them good houses to live, won’t have to farm anymore, and easily find a few light and profitable jobs for them at the Song Family’s Son-in-law’s."

"...They stole 126 wen money from the Third Master’s household selling eggs, the Lady of the Main Wife only used 106 wen money to hire a carriage, left Wife of He Laoliu with 20 wen money, and instructed Wife of He Laoliu not to rush into spending, and could spend freely after she left."