The protagonist chased the villain, and Tiandao screamed in anger

The prison floor was damp and cold. Even with a layer of hay on it, the cold air still seeped up from below, making people feel cold all over.

Yue Niang folded her arms and squatted in a corner of the prison, praying that Madam You would see her.

At the end of the cell corridor, there was the sound of chains rattling, followed by footsteps approaching from afar.

Hearing the noise, Yue Niang quickly stood up and moved closer to the iron cage, looking around and trying to see who was coming.

"Madam...Madam!" After vaguely seeing a corner of cloth, Yue Niang immediately determined that the person coming was Madam You, and she slapped the iron fence with her palms to make a noise and attract attention.

Mrs. You lowered her head, holding the lost and found golden hairpin in her hand, with a complicated expression of sorrow and sadness.

This was her dowry, her favorite hairpin. She was reluctant to wear it on weekdays and would only take it out to decorate her head on important occasions.

Yue Niang, who had been raised in the You family for a long time, clearly knew how important this hairpin was to her.

When she first heard the officer say that Yue Niang admitted to the theft, she didn't quite believe it. After all, when she lost the hairpin, she had already sent people to search the entire yard.

She just thought it was lost.

Looking up at Yue Niang who was shouting and attracting attention, Madam You discussed with the officer who was leading the way and stuffed a few pieces of silver into his sleeve.

"Sir, please allow me to talk to her alone." Master Liu You was waiting outside, wanting to ask Yue Niang what she thought alone.

She really couldn't understand. Although the You family didn't treat her well, they had never lacked food and clothing, so why would they commit such a stealing act?

After receiving the silver, the officer was very nice, gave some instructions, and then turned around and walked back.

"Hurry up, we can't stay in prison any longer"

"Thank you," Mrs. You bowed politely to the officer, then turned to look at Yue Niang through the rusty iron bars.

"Madam, Madam, save me! Madam, I don't want to die, I don't want to be exiled, and I don't want to be treated as a military prostitute and trampled on by others. Madam, you have a kind heart and saved me from the water and fire. Please have mercy on me, Madam!"

As she said this, Yue Niang was about to kneel down and kowtow to Madam You.

"Yueniang, get up." Mrs. You did not expect Yueniang to be so excited. She frowned and took two steps back, unwilling to accept her kneeling ceremony.

"Madam, please save me. Now only you can save me! Madam!" Yue Niang lowered her head and pounded her body without stopping. Her forehead was rubbed by the rough ground.

Mrs. You couldn't bear to see this and subconsciously wanted to pull the man up through the iron cage. But just as she stretched out her hand, she saw the golden hairpin in her palm and paused.

"Yue Niang, let me ask you, did you really steal this hairpin?"

"Madam... this, this is not me, it's a maid in the Yao Mansion, a maid in the Yao Mansion. It's just that County Magistrate Yao died, and the mansion was in chaos. The maid was worried that her theft would be discovered, so she framed me, Madam! Please save me!" Yue Niang was stunned, her eyes moved quickly, and she immediately denied it and started to lie.

"Then why do you admit it?"

"I want to see Madam. I know this golden hairpin is important to Madam... Madam will definitely come. Madam, County Magistrate Yao has committed a serious crime. We concubines in the mansion will be exhausted. We have been locked up and unable to communicate with the outside world. This is the only way for me to ask Madam for help. Madam, I really don't want to die!"

Yue Niang knelt down, holding onto the iron pillar with her scratched hands, and looked up with tears in her eyes, begging the lady for help.

Madam You did not respond, but looked down at the hairpin in her hand with a cold look in her eyes. She sighed, "I originally thought that I had no chance to have this hairpin. Two years have passed, and I didn't expect that there would be a day when it would be returned to its original owner. I am lucky."

After hearing what Madam You said, Yue Niang realized the loophole in her lie and immediately explained:

"Madam, it must have been two years ago, during the Lantern Festival banquet at the mansion. The Yao family was also honored guests, and the thief was Hongling, the maidservant beside Madam Yao! Madam, I saw it from Hongling's package after I came to the Yao family! She must have been worried that the hairpin would be too obvious, so she didn't dare to pawn it!"

Mrs. You said something to Yue Niang without making any comment and asked about Yue Niang's plans.

"How do you want me to save you?"

"Madam, please have mercy on us. We women who have been implicated have no way to survive. But if you have pity on me, please spend some money to help me..." Yue Niang saw hope, and quickly got up, moved closer and spoke in a low voice about her plan.

Mrs. You listened silently, but her heart was filled with shock. She could not imagine that the girl she had raised for ten years was such a profit-seeking person who disregarded humanity!

Looking at Yue Niang with an increasingly suspicious expression, Mrs. You subconsciously took two steps back.

"Yue Niang, do you want to exchange another girl's life for your own life?" Mrs. You felt a chill on her back. She felt that she had never seen Yue Niang clearly over the years.

"Madam, Hongling stole your golden hairpin, and her death did not deserve it. When she was in the Yao Mansion, she was clearly a maid, and she bullied me time and time again. Could you bear to watch the bad guy commit crimes and watch me being tortured to death?" Realizing that these words might arouse Madam You's disgust, Yue Niang hurriedly complained in the hope that Madam You would pick up the ten years of affection between them.

As long as she had the help of Madam You, paid to kill Hongling, and then bribed the jailer to secretly send Hongling's body to replace her, she could escape the fate of exile and be completely free!

"How do you know that these people in the Yao Mansion will definitely be dealt with? There is no conclusion yet, why not wait a little longer?" Mrs. You was a little frightened and didn't want to mention Yue Niang's idea again, so she asked back.

"The magistrate of Yao County has committed many evil deeds, which are too numerous to list. We slaves will naturally be implicated! Madam, are you unwilling to help me?"

When Yue Niang heard this, she felt vaguely that Madam You was unwilling to help with money. Thinking of her not-so-nice attitude when she left You Mansion, she immediately cried and begged for apology:

"Madam, I was ignorant before. I thought that the Yao Mansion was a good place to go. I thought that if I could gain face in front of Master Yao, I could also help the You family's business. I was seen by so many people that day, and I felt uncomfortable. In addition, I didn't know what my future would be like, so I had that attitude. Madam, please don't misunderstand me!"

"I know I was wrong, Madam. I shouldn't have tried to climb the social ladder, and I shouldn't have disobeyed your arrangements. Madam, I am willing to be the young master's child bride, or even a concubine. Madam, you have raised me for many years, and I remember all your kindness. Please save me! Only you can help me! I will repay you even if I have to work like a cow or a horse!"