Alice Green nodded, then noticed that the fan pendant and sachet on the table had not been taken away, so she asked.

Henry Faulkner glanced over and said, “Send them to the front yard tomorrow.”

“Yes.” Alice Green replied.

After Henry Faulkner relaxed, she was sitting in the room drinking tea when she heard hurried footsteps at the door. Soon after, Edward Young entered, looking rather troubled.

“Liangdi, Irene Wynn and Evelyn Lane have gotten into a fight. It’s gotten quite serious. Irene Wynn says Evelyn Lane stole the mistress’s property. I didn’t dare make a decision on my own, so I’ve come to ask for your judgment.”

After hearing this, Henry Faulkner remained calm, as if she had already expected this to happen.

She put down her teacup and spoke indifferently.

“Irene Wynn isn’t one to make baseless accusations, but since this has blown up, we must get to the bottom of it. Bring the two of them in.”

Edward Young acknowledged and immediately withdrew.

Chapter 10: Killing Two Birds with One Stone

Not long after, Irene Wynn and Evelyn Lane were brought in by Edward Young.

It was clear the two maids had already fought; their hair and clothes were somewhat disheveled, and there were three scratch marks on Evelyn Lane’s face.

At a glance, it seemed Irene Wynn had the upper hand.

After the two greeted and paid their respects, Alice Green stepped forward with the bearing of a senior maid.

“What on earth happened? How did things get so out of hand? If you don’t care about your own reputations, fine, but if word gets out, it’s the Liangdi’s people who will be shamed. His Highness the Crown Prince just left—if you’d waited a bit longer, would you have caused a scene right in front of him?”

Henry Faulkner sipped her tea in small mouthfuls, letting Alice Green do the scolding.

Seeing this, Irene Wynn immediately bowed and looked up.

“Please, Liangdi, see the truth. I found a fifty-tael silver note and a pair of jade bracelets in Evelyn Lane’s cabinet. These are definitely not hers, and Liangdi never rewarded her with them. She must have stolen them!”

“I did not!” Evelyn Lane immediately stepped forward to refute. “That silver note is what I saved up by scrimping and saving, and the jade bracelets are from my family. My family arranged a marriage for me, and the bracelets were a betrothal gift from the groom’s family. I am innocent, Liangdi!”

As soon as she finished, Irene Wynn let out a cold laugh.

“Liar! You and I entered the Eastern Palace together, and it hasn’t even been three years. You used to do rough work for one tael a month, and only recently started serving Liangdi for two taels a month. You still have to send money home every month. Even with all the festival rewards, you couldn’t have saved fifty taels.”

“And as for those jade bracelets, you say they were sent in from outside, but I don’t believe it. Your parents always favor your two brothers—how would something so nice end up with you? Liangdi can send someone to check if she’s seen her family this month.”

Usually, Irene Wynn was the bold and forthright type, and now her words were sharp and decisive, making Evelyn Lane’s face change color several times.

At this point, Henry Faulkner finally put down her teacup and fixed her gaze on Evelyn Lane.

“Do you have anything else to say? You’ve served me for a while, and I’d like to spare you some dignity. If you confess honestly, I won’t punish you. But if you utter even half a lie, you know better than I do how palace rules deal with thieves.”

“Liangdi, I’m innocent…”

Evelyn Lane fell to her knees with a thud, tears streaming down her face as she begged for mercy.

Seeing this, Henry Faulkner waved her hand, and Alice Green immediately stepped forward.

“Edward Young, have someone check whether Evelyn Lane’s family sent anything in this month.”

Palace rules were strict; whether taking things out or bringing things in, the guards would check. It would be easy to find out.

“Yes.” Edward Young bowed.

But before he could leave, Evelyn Lane’s face went stiff, and she hurriedly cried out for mercy.

“Liangdi, spare me! Liangdi, please spare my worthless life! I’ll tell you everything, I’ll confess it all!”

As soon as she said this, Edward Young paused, glanced at Alice Green’s expression, and quietly stepped aside.

At this moment, Alice Green also withdrew, leaving Henry Faulkner to speak.

“As long as you clearly explain where these things came from, I will remember the bond between mistress and servant.”

Evelyn Lane trembled, lowered her head, and confessed the whole story in a shaky voice.

All these things were given to her by Grace Harris’s maid Summer Reed, who told her to deliberately stir up trouble between Grace Carter and Henry Faulkner, and ideally provoke Henry Faulkner into acting spoiled and causing a big scene with Carter.

But as everyone knew, Henry Faulkner was not so impulsive, so Evelyn Lane didn’t get her wish.

“You ungrateful traitor! Has Liangdi not treated you well these days? How could you do such a thing?!”

Alice Green was furious and stepped forward to slap Evelyn Lane.

Evelyn Lane burst into tears from the blow, begging for mercy and kowtowing to Henry Faulkner until her forehead was bleeding.

In the end, Henry Faulkner spared her life, but naturally there was no longer a place for her in Biluozhai.

Alice Green went to report to the Crown Princess’s quarters, saying that Evelyn Lane had fallen ill and could no longer serve, and requested to send her home from the palace.

Evelyn Lane was indeed ill, but not from natural causes—she had been beaten with thirty strokes, her wounds became infected, and she developed a high fever. Outwardly, it was said she had developed severe bedsores.