Chapter 411

**Chapter 416: Gathering Clouds (Middle)**

Though Tao Cheng wore a troubled expression, he still answered softly, “Yes,” and went back to gather the money as his mother had instructed.

A young maid came in to report, “Madam Tao, Sister Amber is here. She says the mistress wishes to see you.”

So quick to act!

Madam Tao curled her lips into a disdainful sneer.

Let’s see what you, Eleventh Miss Luo, can pull on me.

If a Luo family retainer gets into trouble, it’s not just the retainer who loses face—wouldn’t you, Lady Yongping, also from the Luo family, be equally disgraced?

She re-did her hair, pinned a crimson pomegranate silk flower at her temple, changed into a parrot-green Hangzhou silk jacket, and went to see Eleventh Miss Luo.

“I heard Steward Tao came all the way from Daxing,” Eleventh Miss Luo said. “He must already know about the two thousand taels of silver he embezzled from the household funds, right?”

Her bluntness took Madam Tao aback. After a pause, she managed a tight smile. “I don’t know who told you that, madam. Tao Cheng came to the city simply because spring plowing is over and summer harvest hasn’t begun yet—he just wanted to visit me and catch up with old childhood friends. As for embezzling household funds, that’s pure fabrication.”

“That’s good then!” Eleventh Miss Luo smiled faintly. “I thought that if such a thing were true, for the sake of the Luo family’s reputation and Young Master Chun’s dignity, I’d have no choice but to cover it up. Since there’s no such matter, I can rest easy.” With that, she lifted her teacup.

That was it?

Madam Tao was stunned.

After all this effort, it’s dismissed with just a few casual words?

No one would let such a prime opportunity slip by!

But seeing Amber already helping Eleventh Miss Luo into the inner chamber, Madam Tao had no choice but to withdraw.

Restless, she returned to her room and had just sat down when the curtain was flung open—her personal maid rushed in, pale-faced.

“Madam, it’s terrible!” she blurted. “The matron guarding the side gate came to tell me that Master Tao has been hauled off by the constables. You should go see immediately!”

Madam Tao went pale, drawing a sharp breath.

This Eleventh Miss Luo—has she no shame at all?

She hurried to the back gate.

The matrons guarding it were servants she had befriended years ago. One of them immediately grabbed her hand. “This has never happened before—arresting someone right at our side gate! What’s going on? Even the guards didn’t stop them.”

“Did they say which yamen they were from?” Madam Tao asked urgently, skipping the pleasantries.

“They said it was the Shuntian Prefecture.”

Madam Tao thanked her and went to see Steward Bai.

“You’ve come just in time,” Steward Bai said before she could speak. “The Shuntian Prefecture’s officers came with an official warrant, saying Steward Tao was reported for embezzling the master’s silver and must be taken in for questioning.” His face darkened with barely contained anger. “Arresting someone right at our gate—even in our family’s worst times, such a thing never happened. I heard he came to see you earlier. As a senior in this household, Madam Tao, if you couldn’t discuss this with me, you should at least have warned the mistress so we could prepare. Instead, you kept silent and let the Shuntian Prefecture slap us in the face. Madam, I suggest you hurry and inform the mistress, have her write a note to the office, and hush this up before it escalates!” Without revealing who had reported the matter, he added that he still had to report this to the marquis and strode off.

That scheming minx—she even got the marquis on her side!

Truly, a stepmother means a stepfather.

Cursing Eleventh Miss Luo inwardly, Madam Tao stumbled toward the inner courtyard in a panic.

The uncle is in Yuhang—too far to help now.

Who should she turn to for help?

Deep in thought, she ran into Yang Huizu on the way.

"Madam Tao, I was just looking for you," he said, leading her to a camphor tree by a side path to speak privately. "I heard that Brother Tao was taken away by the Shuntian Prefecture officials for embezzling two thousand taels of silver from the household funds. I wouldn’t vouch for others, but how could Brother Tao do such a thing?"

Since Yang Huizu had been transferred to work in the outer courtyard, Madam Tao had stopped associating with him. But under these circumstances, she couldn't help saying, "Huizu, quickly go and find out for me who reported Tao Cheng!"

Yang Huizu agreed and left at once.

Madam Tao returned to the courtyard and gazed at Eldest Miss’s main room with a resolute expression.

If Eleven Miss had no reservations at all, she would have dismissed her outright long ago. By going to such lengths, she was merely trying to force her to resign voluntarily. It was like two people pulling on opposite ends of a rope—Tao Cheng was the one standing at the river’s edge. As long as she pulled the rope tight, Eleven Miss wouldn’t let go, and Tao Cheng wouldn’t fall.

Thinking this, she gritted her teeth, went back to her room, and began packing her trunks. She sorted out the items Eldest Miss had gifted her over the years and calculated that even if they were sold for half their original price, it would still be enough to cover the two thousand taels. This thought brought her some small comfort.

That evening, Yang Huizu came to see her.

His face was grave. "Madam Tao, the Shuntian Prefecture officials said that Ying Da from Daxing killed a man, and a large sum of money was found on him. They suspect it was payment to kill someone. They traced the money back to Brother Tao..."

Before Yang Huizu could finish, Madam Tao slumped into the armchair, her whole body going limp.

Death was bad enough, but Eleven Miss wasn’t just trying to ruin her—she wanted to destroy her son’s reputation even after death.

"Madam Tao, I find this whole situation deeply suspicious," Yang Huizu said. "Think carefully—did Brother Tao offend anyone?"

Madam Tao shook her head, unwilling to discuss it further with Yang Huizu.

His loyalties lay with the Xu household now. Even if he knew the truth, he likely couldn’t help.

"Huizu, thank you," she said weakly. "Let me think this over carefully. Maybe your Brother Tao unintentionally offended someone!" With that, she escorted Yang Huizu out herself.

"Madam Tao, this matter could become irreparable quickly. You must find a solution soon!" he said, half-sighing, half-worried, as he walked away. "If someone accuses you of failing to discipline your son properly, you might be implicated as well!"

His words struck her like a thunderclap, leaving her stunned.

He was right. As long as Tao Cheng was entangled in this scandal, Eleven Miss could use it as grounds to dismiss both of them from the household, citing her poor parenting and moral failings... That was Eleven Miss’s ultimate goal. All the earlier conversations were just distractions.

Pea-sized beads of sweat broke out on her forehead.

"Madam Tao, what’s wrong?" Yang Huizu’s eyes flickered with sympathy as he steadied her swaying figure. "You mustn’t collapse now. Otherwise, Brother Tao’s situation will become irreparable."

His words were like a douse of cold water in the dead of winter, chilling her to the bone but also clearing her mind.

Yes, the most urgent thing now was to suppress the matter.

She hastily reassured Yang Huizu with a few words—"I’m fine"—and sent him away. Then, she paced restlessly around the room for a long time, only snapping out of it when a timid maidservant came in to urge her to rest.

Was she really going to leave just like this?

Madam Tao looked around the side room she had lived in for over a decade, thinking of Chun Ge’s innocent smile, and tears streamed down her face. She didn’t know whether to curse her son for his recklessness or herself for underestimating Eleven Miss, leading to this costly miscalculation...

After crying for a while, her emotions gradually settled.

Leaving was inevitable. The question was how.

She sat quietly on the bed, watching the room gradually lighten with the coming dawn. Then she called a maidservant to help her make herself presentable and went to wait on the path where Xu Sizhun went to school.

In the early morning mist, birds chirped merrily in the trees. Xu Sizhun, dressed in a simple sapphire-blue Hangzhou silk robe and carrying a vivid red embroidered book bag, walked over chatting and laughing with Xu Sijie.

"Mother Tao!" Upon seeing her, Xu Sizhun's smile brightened even more. He quickened his pace and approached, tilting up a face as refined as Eldest Miss's to gaze at her. "What are you doing here?"

Memories rushed through Mother Tao's mind, her eyes brimming with tears.

"It's nothing, nothing." Mother Tao, as if cradling a priceless treasure, carefully embraced Xu Sizhun, whispering softly, "I just came to see you." The corner of her eye suddenly caught sight of a pair of grass-green embroidered shoes adorned with plum-colored winter blossoms.

This was Eleven Miss’s go-to color.

She looked up and saw the little maid named Xi’er staring at her with guarded wariness.

For some reason, Mother Tao’s mouth went dry with bitterness, and then she felt Xu Sizhun gently push her away.

"Mother," he said cheerfully, "I had a bowl of plain congee today. Mother said I ate well, so she’s making my favorite winter bamboo shoot soup for lunch. Don’t fret over me—I’m perfectly fine!" He added, "You should head back now. I need to go to class. If I’m late, Tutor Zhao won’t be pleased."

Mother Tao nodded with tearful laughter, watching as Xu Sizhun headed toward the outer courtyard. It struck her suddenly—if Eleven Miss wanted to harm Chun’ge, there were countless opportunities...

The thought flashed through her mind, and her hardened heart splintered like cracked glass.

She went to Eleven Miss's quarters.

Eleven Miss had just been sick and was being fed cherries by Amber.

Lord Xu, seeing her eat seven or eight in a row, smiled and instructed Lüyun, "Go tell Steward Bai that, by my estimate, the imperial tribute white peaches should have arrived at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Have him arrange for a basket to be brought over." Then, turning to Eleven Miss, he said, "So you can enjoy them."

"No need!" Eleven Miss quickly tugged at Lord Xu's sleeve. "My pregnancy’s been rough—I ought to avoid peaches."

Lord Xu seemed skeptical. "You’re not just saying that to spare me the trouble?"

"It’s true!" Eleven Miss said with a pout. "If you don’t believe me, ask Madam Tian and Madam Wan."

Madam Tian, who was directing the maids to arrange the orchids, curtsied to Lord Xu and said with a smile, "Expecting mothers should go easy on peaches."

At that, Lord Xu gave in, smiling as he pushed the crystal plate of bright red cherries on the kang table toward Eleven Miss.

Just then, a maid entered and announced, "My Lord, Madam, Mother Tao is here to see you!"

Eleven Miss straightened up and said with a smile, "Please invite Mother Tao in!"