Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were both startled upon hearing this.
"Didn't Pan'er just go back?" Ren Yaoqi frowned.
The wet nurse's face turned pale with anxiety: "The young lady asked us to catch crickets for her, and in a moment of carelessness, she ran out..."
Yuegui interrupted her coldly: "Enough with the excuses! Why aren't you looking for the young lady? You usually rely on the fact that the young lady is used to having you, her wet nurse, attend to her, refusing to let anyone else help. And now look what happened! You can't even keep an eye on a child! If anything happens to the young lady, don't even think about keeping your life!"
Though frantic, the wet nurse couldn't help defending herself: "If you hadn't called away the maids like Huamei and Huangli, we wouldn't have been short-handed to watch the young lady..."
Yuegui sneered: "Oh, so now you're blaming me? Weren't you the one who always refused to let the maids near the young lady, complaining they were clumsy and insisting on doing everything yourself? And now you blame them for not keeping an eye on her..."
Ren Yaohua, who had been listening for a while, grew increasingly distressed for the lively and adorable child as she watched them bicker and shift blame instead of urgently searching. Her expression darkened: "Enough!"
Ren Yaohua had been helping her mother manage the affairs of the Ren Family's Third Branch since childhood, and the maids and servants in Purple Magnolia Courtyard all feared her. Naturally, she carried an air of authority as a mistress. Now, with her cold expression and sharp tone, the Ren Family maids who knew her temper and methods instinctively lowered their heads, falling silent in fear.
The Lei Family's wet nurse and Yuegui were also affected by the tense atmosphere and dared not speak further.
Remembering they were from the Lei Family, Ren Yaohua merely gave them a cold glance once they quieted down, then instructed her maid: "Wujing, take a few people and search the nearby area. A child her age couldn't have gone far."
Wujing immediately gathered several maids and servants and dispersed to search.
Yuegui finally remembered it was her own young lady who was missing and hurriedly ordered the Lei Family maids and servants to join the search. She then forced a smile at Ren Yaohua: "Thank you, Miss Ren. Once our master returns..."
Ren Yaohua didn't even glance at her and called out to the wet nurse, who was about to search on her own: "Is there no one in charge at your estate today?"
The wet nurse glanced at Yuegui and shook her head: "Today, only the master brought the young lady here. The master had urgent business to attend to and hasn't returned yet."
Yuegui felt embarrassed but couldn't vent her anger at Ren Yaohua. Clenching her fists, she suppressed her frustration until her face turned pale.
Ren Yaoqi looked around and asked: "Has anyone searched inside the estate?"
The wet nurse, anxiously scanning the surroundings, was taken aback: "The young lady must have run outside. Why would she be inside the estate?"
Lei Pan'er was mischievous and had tried sneaking out several times before. That was precisely why she had brought her out to play. So when they realized Lei Pan'er was missing, their first thought was that she had sneaked out again.
However, Ren Yaoqi felt that although Lei Pan'er was mischievous, she was also clever. She was still a child, and with no one outside the estate, she wouldn't be able to play alone even if she ran out.Moreover, the surrounding area was open with nowhere to hide. How could a small child have run off on her own in such a short time?
Unless someone had taken her away or hidden her.
Ren Yaoqi, who tended to think more deeply than most, noticed that due to the absence of a capable mistress in the Lei Family, the maids and servants each had their own petty schemes and calculations.
For instance, the maid named Yuegui seemed to hold some status before her masters, acting as if she could take charge of the inner household. Yet, she often expressed dissatisfaction in her words over Lei Pan'er's closeness to her wet nurse rather than to her.
Meanwhile, the wet nurse's affection for Lei Pan'er seemed genuine, but she was also reluctant to let other maids and servants get close to the child. After all, Lei Pan'er's attachment and trust in her were the foundation of her standing in the Lei Family's inner household.
In short, Ren Yaoqi felt that the maids and servants of the Lei Family were not very reliable. It was all too common for them to stir up trouble for their own benefit.
After all, it wasn't easy for a four- or five-year-old girl to disappear right under the noses of a group of maids and servants.
Thinking this, she couldn't help but glance at the maid named Yuegui again, sensing that this maid wasn't particularly anxious about Lei Pan'er's disappearance.
Ren Yaoqi had always appeared gentle in public. Unlike Ren Yaohua, who could be aggressive at the drop of a hat, she carried no sense of hostility, even when facing her enemies.
Yet, when Yuegui felt her gaze, she inexplicably felt a chill in her heart. For a moment, it was as if she had secretly done something, thinking she could get away with it unnoticed, only to realize that a pair of perceptive eyes had been watching her all along.
Trembling with fear, she looked toward Ren Yaoqi, only to find that Ren Yaoqi had already turned to speak to the wet nurse: "Take some people to search inside the estate. Our people will help look outside."
Upon hearing this, Yuegui felt that strange sensation again and immediately refused without thinking: "We couldn't possibly trouble Miss Ren. The wet nurse should search farther away. Our young lady has always been mischievous—she might have run off to play by the waterfall. The wet nurse knows her habits best and will find her more easily. I'll search inside the estate."
The wet nurse grew frantic at her words. If the young lady had truly gone to the waterfall and accidentally fallen into the pool, what would they do? Yet, she couldn't very well contradict Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaohua, who shared a deep bond with her sister, also sensed something amiss upon hearing Ren Yaoqi's words and said coldly, "What does it matter if it's troublesome? Once she's found, your master can come to our residence to express gratitude."
Ren Yaohua didn't spare a thought for this maid who kept trying to speak on behalf of her master.
"If you're worried, wet nurse, go check by the waterfall. We'll take people to search inside the estate." Ren Yaohua didn't want to waste any more words and took charge directly.
Ren Yaoqi glanced at her sister. Although it was somewhat inappropriate for them to interfere in the inner affairs of the Lei Family, Lei Pan'er had yet to be found. It would be a shame if such a lovely child were sacrificed to the servants' power struggles. So, she said nothing to object.Upon hearing this, the wet nurse immediately responded and hurried off, running so fast she nearly tripped over her own feet.
Yuegui, however, flushed red and pale with anxiety. She wanted to stop this meddlesome person but was somewhat intimidated by Ren Yaohua.
Ren Yaohua glanced at a young maid left behind by the wet nurse and said, "What are you standing there for? Lead the way!"
The young maid looked at Yuegui but ultimately couldn't withstand the imposing aura emanating from Ren Yaohua. She quickly stepped forward to guide the way.
Watching their retreating figures, Yuegui gritted her teeth and hurried after them, her heart filled with a mix of anger and urgency.
It must be said that Ren Yaoqi's insight was exceptionally sharp. For an ordinary person to try to deceive her right in front of her was basically impossible.
Yuegui had long been dissatisfied with Lei Pan'er's wet nurse.
Ever since Madam Lei passed away, the Lei Family's inner household had lacked a legitimate mistress. As the personal maid of Lei Ting's wife, Lady Qiao, Yuegui had always been in charge of affairs in Lei Ting's courtyard. The maids and matrons in the Lei Family's inner quarters all looked to her as their leader.
Originally, she had intended to seize the opportunity after Madam Lei's death to take over the care of Lei Pan'er and find an excuse to dismiss the wet nurse.
She believed that as long as she controlled the Lei Family's only young lady, she could then find a way to have the master take her as a concubine. Even if the master later married a new wife, her position in the inner household would be unshakable. Lei Pan'er would be her most impenetrable shield.
Yuegui didn't feel she was daydreaming at all. When Madam Lei was still alive, she had intended for the master to take Yuegui as a concubine. Yuegui had originally been a maid of Lei Pan'er's birth mother, Lady Qiao. Madam Lei had thought that once the master remarried, Yuegui could look after Lei Pan'er.
However, the master insisted on observing mourning for his wife and refused to take any maids into his chambers, so Madam Lei had to postpone the matter temporarily. Yuegui had thought it was only a matter of time before she became the master's concubine, but before she could achieve her wish, Madam Lei suddenly passed away.
Although Madam Lei was gone, Yuegui hadn't forgotten that she was destined to become a concubine.
Yet things didn't go as smoothly as she had imagined.
Lei Pan'er's wet nurse appeared honest and loyal on the surface but was actually extremely cunning.
On the second day after Madam Lei's death, she took advantage of Lei Pan'er's somewhat distant relationship with her own father and persuaded the girl to move into Second Master's courtyard, refusing to return to the main residence.
Lei Pan'er wasn't particularly close to her biological father but was extremely fond of her uncle, Lei Zhen.
Yuegui had initially thought Lei Pan'er would only stay at Second Master's place for a short while before returning. However, over the past few days, she had subtly inquired several times, but there was no sign of them moving back to the main residence. Even the master hadn't mentioned bringing his daughter back.
This made Yuegui increasingly anxious.
At present, Lei Pan'er was still young and would learn whatever she was taught. Once Lei Pan'er grew older, controlling her would become much more difficult.
Although Yuegui could manage affairs in Master Lei's courtyard, it was unreasonable for a sister-in-law's personal maid to interfere in her brother-in-law's household. Thus, she had no authority over the wet nurse, who had followed Lei Pan'er to Second Master's courtyard.
Taking advantage of this period, the wet nurse made Lei Pan'er accustomed only to her care, unwilling to let others handle the girl's affairs. The wet nurse might even have secretly spoken ill of Yuegui in front of Lei Pan'er, causing the girl to hide from her every time they met and refusing to get close to her.Yuegui could no longer hold back.
This time, she had managed to arrange for the master to bring the young lady alone to the estate for a short stay, giving both the master and herself a chance to spend time with the young lady and nurture their bond. Once they returned to the mansion, she could then have the young lady move back into the main quarters.
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