As soon as Wu Da mentioned reporting to the authorities.
Vice Minister Liang's face instantly darkened.
Laughing out of sheer anger, he said, "Heh, what arrogance. In my own residence, I will not allow you outsiders to run wild."
As he spoke, Vice Minister Liang's gaze fell on Wu Da's face. The more he looked, the more familiar the man seemed. He thought hard but couldn't quite place him, so he simply kept a dark expression and asked directly.
"I suddenly find you looking rather familiar. You must be a steward from the estate of some official in the capital. Tell me, which of my colleagues do you serve?"
Wu Da narrowed his eyes, a glint flashing in them. Immediately after, he restrained his expression, becoming plain and harmless, as if he truly were just an ordinary servant and steward.
But his tone was sarcastic when he spoke, "Oh my, I really am just a lowly servant in our household. Lord Liang, you had better ask our young master such a question."
Vice Minister Liang turned to look at Douzi. "Child, could you tell me your father's name?"
Douzi snorted. Nursing a grievance in his heart, he announced loudly, "So what if I tell you? My dad is Zhu Liniu."
Zhu Liniu? Vice Minister Liang mulled over the name. He thought about it and repeatedly confirmed to himself that there was no such name among the officials he knew.
Vice Minister Liang gradually formed a judgment in his mind. He narrowed his eyes and looked impatiently at Liang Baojing. "Baojing, tell your father, did this friend of yours take your younger brother's jade pendant or not?"
Liang Baojing looked furious. "No! I already said he didn't! He has always been full of malicious schemes. Who knows where he intentionally hid the jade pendant!"
As soon as these words came out, the expressions of Vice Minister Liang, Concubine Xue, and Liang Baoyu grew even uglier. Liang Baoyu was instantly displeased and said pitifully, "Brother, I know you've never liked me, but you can't say such things about me in front of outsiders."
"And that jade pendant really disappeared right after I left your place. I swear I'm not lying."
Liang Baojing's face showed unconcealed disgust, and he retorted directly, "Just shut up. Ah Dou didn't even say a single word to you when you came over. You were the one who insisted on getting close to him, and now you blame him when you lose something. You're truly shameless! You put on an act all day long. Father might buy your tricks, but I don't!"
Liang Baoyu's small face immediately flushed with anger. A trace of panic flashed through his eyes, but it was quickly covered by a smear of malice. He gritted his teeth and insisted, "Since he is your friend, brother, I naturally wanted to get a little closer to him. Sigh..."
"Anyway, no matter what you say, brother, it cannot cover up the fact that my jade pendant is lost. If you don't believe me, search him yourself. I dare guarantee that my jade pendant is definitely on your friend."
Saying this, Liang Baoyu leaned close to Vice Minister Liang, pointed at Douzi, and said in a half-serious, half-coquettish manner, "Father, I dare guarantee to you that I really only came into contact with him. Since he is on good terms with my brother, it's possible he intentionally took my jade pendant to vent my brother's anger. If it were anything else, I would just give it to him. But that jade pendant was a gift from you to me, Father. It is more precious to me than anything. Father, please, help me get it back. Didn't they say they wanted to report to the authorities? Then let's do it. The worst that can happen is the officers search all of us. If I have truly wronged my brother's friend, I am willing to apologize to him."
Liang Baoyu spoke with sincere emotion and clear logic, making it seem entirely reasonable.
Sure enough, Vice Minister Liang showed a gratified expression, then his face hardened, and he coldly snorted at Wu Da and Douzi, "Since you want to report to the authorities, I will grant your wish!"
"Men!"
"Master, your orders."
A man who looked like a steward came in from outside the door, followed by a few servants.
Vice Minister Liang ordered, "Make a trip to the Ministry of Justice. Tell them that a valuable item has been lost in our residence. Just tell them the truth and have them send someone over."
"Yes, Master."
"Wait!"
Wu Da spoke up, offering a mocking smile:
"I already said that we are the ones reporting the case. How did you end up acting like the victims? Since that's how it is, we naturally have to go file our own complaint as well."
"Young Master, just wait a moment. I will go outside to give some instructions and be right back."
Douzi nodded heavily. "Mhm!"
Inner Depot
An Sheng raised his head from a mountain of official documents. His slender eyes narrowed, brimming with danger, and a cold, sinister gaze swept over. "What did you say? Say it again."
Xiao Zhengzi immediately repeated, "Replying to Your Excellency, Wu Da sent someone with a message saying he accompanied Young Master Ah Dou as a guest to the residence of Vice Minister Liang of the Ministry of Works, but they were mistaken for petty thieves. Now the master of the house has gone to the Ministry of Justice to report the case. They have the advantage of numbers, so he specifically asks Your Excellency to seek justice for Young Master Ah Dou."
An Sheng pondered for a moment, then slowly stood up, the corners of his mouth curling into a playful yet vicious arc. "Interesting. Since my brother-in-law has been wronged, as his brother-in-law, I must naturally go and clear his name."
"Also, go make a trip to Cui Gudao's place right now. Tell him that my brother-in-law has been reported to the Ministry of Justice. Let's see what he does."
Xiao Zhengzi immediately showed an expression of eager anticipation for a good show. "Yes, Your Excellency, this servant will go right away!"
Since the authorities had been notified, the Liang residence assigned someone specifically to keep an eye on Douzi's every move. Douzi, standing upright and unafraid of a crooked shadow, naturally had nothing to fear. Facing Liang Baojing's tearful expression of 'It's all my fault for getting you wrongfully accused,' Douzi actually leaned in to comfort him. "Alright, alright, it's no big deal. Don't take it to heart. Your brother is the one wronging me, not you. In the future, no matter what, we will still be good friends."
Liang Baojing was immediately moved to tears.
Although Douzi was also a bit disgusted by this whole affair, he felt an inexplicable excitement. Unable to hold back any longer, and regardless of whether anyone else could hear, he directly asked Liang Baojing, "Hey, Baojing, is this younger brother of yours really only six years old?"
Liang Baojing nodded. "Yes, he's only a few months younger than me. He's actually about the same age as us."
Douzi looked excited. "I really saw a spectacle today. When I get home, I'll tell my sister all about what happened today. My goodness, I just realized how scheming your brother is. How does the saying go? Let me think... Ah... right, it's called having formidable methods."
Liang Baojing poured out his grievances. "You don't know how many times I've been set up by him. He's bad, but he knows how to sweet-talk people. He's coaxed my father so much that now my father only believes him and not me."
"Ah Dou, don't be afraid. So what if they reported to the authorities? No matter how glib his tongue is, he can't turn nothing into something!"
"Exactly!"
"Hey, wait!"
Douzi and Liang Baojing suddenly looked at each other. A flash of inspiration crossed their minds, and they simultaneously asked a question.
"How could he be so certain that the jade pendant is on you/me? Could it be..."
Douzi's eyes widened. Thinking of something, he was just about to speak when Liang Baojing suddenly covered his mouth.
The two children's gazes involuntarily fell upon the large pouch tied at Douzi's waist, and Douzi's eyes instantly filled with horror.
Paying no mind to the staring onlookers, he reached out with trembling hands to open the pouch, peeling it back just a crack so only he could see inside. Once he got a clear look, his jaw dropped in blatant, unadulterated shock.
After a long moment, Douzi stiffly turned his head toward Liang Baojing. For the first time in his life, the normally honest and simple-minded Ah Dou actually swore, spit flying from his lips. "Damn it! Your brother is really something else!"
