My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Defenseless Against Malicious Instigation

Nothing like this has ever happened in the Qin Mansion, Hong Ye couldn’t help but want to say a few words to Cui Ming, but Cui Ming glared at her, so Hong Ye quieted down.

Hong Ye didn’t speak, and no one else did either. Qin Yuan frowned and pondered all the way.

Upon reaching the main room, Xiao Hong came out to greet them and whispered, ”Madam, the Old Madam is consoling Young Master Cheng and Miss Yu.”

The nanny who brought Young Master Cheng from the Northern Border suddenly died, so it’s unavoidable to feel sad.

What’s more, Lady Zhao couldn’t be found.

Qin Yuan asked in a low voice, ”Is the Marquis here?”

Xiao Hong said, ”No.”

Qin Yuan frowned, Hong Ye couldn’t help but say, ”Did the Marquis go to find Lady Zhao?”

Xiao Hong said, ”I heard from Nanny Rong that Lady Zhao’s clothes and jewelry are all gone, along with the valuable things easily moved from the room. Sixth Madam is interrogating the nannies guarding the gate, asking when they let Lady Zhao out.”

Qin Yuan asked, ”Does Sixth Madam suspect the gate-keeping nannies took money from Lady Zhao?”

Xiao Hong nodded and shook her head, saying anxiously, ”Sixth Madam says Lady Zhao might have left last night.”

If the gate-keeping nannies were strict, how could Lady Zhao sneak out at night without alerting the household?

It could also be that the gate-keeping nannies took advantage of the lack of supervision to drink or be lazy and sleep.

But how did Lady Zhao manage to get out of the mansion’s outer gate?

And what about the dead nanny?

Qin Yuan couldn’t figure it out, and walked into the main room to find Brother Cheng and Sister Yu holding each other and crying sadly, Old Madam Gu sighed sadly beside them, tears on her face, Nanny Rong was helping to console but to no avail.

Seeing her enter, Old Madam Gu asked, ”Did you learn everything when you came over just now?”

Qin Yuan nodded and said, ”Mother, I saw it all. I’ve heard that the nanny who brought Brother Cheng has died. Should we report this to the government?”

Old Madam Gu was startled, glanced at the two crying children, hesitated a bit.

If it was reported to the government and made a big issue, it’s uncertain whether it would affect the children’s future.

Qin Yuan then said, ”This person doesn’t seem to be part of the Marquis Mansion, Lady Zhao brought her from the Northern Border, and now something has happened at the Marquis Mansion, Lady Zhao and another nanny can’t be found. If we don’t report to the government, who knows how the story will be twisted in the future.”

Old Madam Gu was shocked; her voice unintentionally raised a bit, ”Twist, twist what? Our Marquis Mansion took them in out of gratitude, provided food and shelter, invited countless doctors to treat Lady Zhao when she was ill. I just don’t understand, what did we do wrong to cause all this now?”

Old Madam Gu’s voice raised, the two children’s crying quieted down.

Brother Cheng listened with sobs while keeping his ears open.

Sister Yu, seeing her brother like this, pursed her lips trying not to make a sound, her nose twitching, tears rolling down uncontrollably.

Old Madam Gu further said, ”Now the adults are gone, the two children cry so pitifully, and the Marquis is equally troubled, he’s already sent people to find Lady Zhao and that nanny, must see them alive or dead. No matter what happened, there needs to be a clear explanation of why the children were left behind.”

Nanny Rong hurriedly approached to gently soothe Old Madam Gu’s back, advised, ”Old Madam, calm down, don’t get overly anxious and inflamed. Your health has just improved over the last few years, don’t let anxiety cause complications. If you fall ill again, both the Marquis and Madam would be in even greater distress.”

Old Madam Gu took deep breaths slowly, calming her chest.

Qin Yuan said, ”Mother, we naturally know the Marquis is guiltless towards Lady Zhao and the two children, but he can’t withstand malicious rumors. The Marquis originally brought them into the mansion to care for them, yet outside speculation claims the Marquis wanted to take Lady Zhao as a concubine. Now Lady Zhao has left with a nanny, another nanny dies in our mansion, we don’t know the cause of death, and she’s not one of ours. If her relatives come to the Marquis Mansion later, how should the Marquis Mansion respond?”

”Clearly not the Marquis’s business, yet it turns into his business. These two children’s biological father is unknown, the Marquis still wants answers from Lady Zhao, but she suddenly disappears. Is there something hidden in all this?”

”Malicious people may fabricate lies, these two children are still young, if they grow up believing rumors, wouldn’t it be worse?”

Brother Cheng stopped crying, then suddenly realized it may relate to him, and he froze.

The room instantly became so quiet that a pin dropping could be heard.

Qin Yuan said, ”Perhaps we should wait for the Marquis to return and discuss whether to report to the government. This nanny mustn’t be moved. The rights and wrongs in this case should be judged by the government; if their verdict is unjust, we can appeal and clarify things, preventing future controversies.”

Old Madam Gu hesitated a bit, looked at the two children, asked, ”They are still young, if they were to be...”

Qin Yuan then asked Brother Cheng, ”Do you want to know how your nanny died?”

Brother Cheng nodded.

”Do you want to know where your mother went? Why she abandoned you?”

Brother Cheng held back a sudden urge to cry, nodded heavily.

”Do you want to know who your father really is?”

Brother Cheng paused, slowly nodded, showing clearly less concern for his biological father.

Qin Yuan then told Old Madam Gu, ”Mother, you’ve seen too. If this matter is covered up, the two children will still carry it in their hearts when they grow up, and so be it. But if someday someone stirs trouble when they are naive, we can’t guard against it. Better to reveal the truth and investigate thoroughly.”

Nanny Rong thought for a while and said, ”These two children are not the Marquis’s biological offspring, but he watched them grow and treats them like his own; otherwise, the Old Madam wouldn’t have brought them into the main room to raise. Lady Zhao... alas... we can’t let these children grow up with any resentment toward the Marquis.”

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Gu immediately said, ”Then let’s wait for the Marquis to return and discuss thoroughly.”

Qin Yuan said, ”Mother, the two children are still young, they cannot starve, we should have breakfast first, the Marquis doesn’t know when he’ll return. I asked him last night, and he only took a day off.”

Nanny Rong also advised, ”Lady Zhao’s situation is still unknown; if the Old Madam and the children neither eat nor drink, should the Marquis find her and bring her back, what if you all weaken your bodies meanwhile?”

Qin Yuan then addressed the two children, ”Brother Cheng, Sister Yu, now is not the time to cry. First, eat well and take care of yourselves, only then can you help the grown-ups devise a plan to find your mother and nanny.”

Brother Cheng pulled Sister Yu, slid off the Arhat Bed, walked in front of Qin Yuan, bowed courteously and said, ”Foster mother, we’ve been ignorant and offended you many times before, thank you for your guidance, we will take our meals properly and not cause Old Madam grief.”

Listening to this, Qin Yuan was taken aback.