Song Chaoyu rushed out and followed the direction pointed by Tiaohong. Indeed, she saw a line of footprints leading towards the back of the courtyard!
The Old Madam and the First Madam also hurried over. Seeing that there were indeed traces left behind, the First Madam, for once, praised Song Chaoyu, "Fourth girl's method is indeed excellent! Spreading some flour in a place where there was noise at night, and this person actually took the bait!"
Song Chaoyu quickly smiled, "It's also thanks to Grandmother's suggestion to extinguish all the lights. Otherwise, if this person saw the flour on the ground, they probably wouldn't have taken the bait."
Seeing that Song Chaoyu and the First Madam had not yet washed up, the Old Madam said, "Alright, since a clue has been found, let a few strong maids and old women go first. You two should also wash up. What would people think if they saw you in this state?"
Song Chaoyu stuck out her tongue and then scurried back to her own room.
The Old Madam looked at her retreating back and smiled, shaking her head at Granny Yin, "Do you see? It's only when Fourth girl is brought out that she becomes livelier. If she's always cooped up in the Song family in the capital, when would she be so mischievous? She's always so tense and proper. I know it's for her姨娘 and for Xiao Qing'er. But this girl, after entering Prince Ning's mansion, she probably won't have an easy time either! With me, she can relax as she pleases!"
Granny Yin also smiled, watching Song Chaoyu's retreating back with emotion, "How much you disliked her when she first entered the mansion, and how much you like her now!"
The Old Madam glared at Granny Yin, "You talk too much!"
---
After Song Chaoyu washed and tidied herself up, good news also came from the courtyard outside.
A few old women followed the footprints to a well covered by dead leaves in the back courtyard. Just as they were about to go down and investigate, the First Madam, with a troubled expression, looked at the Old Madam. "Mother, this is Jiangzhou Song family's territory after all. It might not be proper to investigate the well without informing them."
The Old Madam glared at the First Madam, "What are you afraid of? If there's a problem in this courtyard, no one told us! Are we not allowed to investigate?"
With that, she pointed at the strong maids and old women, "Go down! Since there are footprints, it's natural that someone is playing tricks. I don't believe we can't get to the bottom of this!"
With the Old Madam's backing, the maids were naturally not afraid.
They lit torches, attached ropes, and slowly descended from the well.
Song Chaoyu also pointed at the protruding stones on the well wall illuminated by the torch, "Grandmother, look, don't those protruding stones look like steps? I'm afraid the person inside climbed up using those stones!"
The Old Madam took Song Chaoyu's hand, "You always come up with the best ideas."
Song Chaoyu peered down and heard the first old woman who went down shout, "Old Madam, this is a dry well! There seems to be someone inside! I'm going to take a look!"
"Oh my! It really is a person! Don't run!"
Chaos suddenly erupted below. The maids and old women seemed to see someone, but that person was trying to escape.
However, the space below was limited, and it was very simple for the maids and old women to catch that person.
Indeed, in a short while, Song Chaoyu heard a woman's scream.
Another maid shouted excitedly, "Caught her! Hurry and tie her up, don't let her escape again!"
This time, it truly surprised Song Chaoyu, "Grandmother, there's actually a person at the bottom of this well? What's going on?"
The Old Madam also frowned, "Who knows which of the Jiangzhou Song family's sins this is! When they pull the person up later, we'll know."
---
A moment later, the maids and old women dragged a woman, dressed in dirty, ragged clothes and bound tightly, up from the bottom of the well.
The woman kept struggling and screaming, but it was to no avail.
"Is this the female ghost who kept us awake last night?"
The First Madam stepped forward and looked at the woman living in the well. "She's so dirty, I can't tell her appearance or age."
Hearing the First Madam speak, the woman suddenly raised her head, her eyes red as she glared at the First Madam.
This startled the First Madam, and she took a step back, "Pah! Why are you glaring at me? If you have grievances, seek revenge. We came from the capital, don't blame us!"
The woman's gaze remained unchanged, causing the First Madam to retreat repeatedly, hiding behind the Old Madam. "Mother, look, she's so fierce and menacing, I don't know if she's human or ghost. Let's not get involved in this matter and hand her over to someone else in the Song family, shall we?"
However, upon hearing the words "Song family," the woman's body suddenly trembled violently.
She began to howl as if mad, her eyes filled with rage, seeming to want to break free from the ropes, but to no avail.
Seeing the people around about to step forward, the Old Madam waved her hand, "Don't mind her! Let her shout! I don't believe someone who has been living in a well for so long can shout for long!"
Indeed, after a while, the woman could no longer shout.
She panted, still staring intently at the First Madam.
The Old Madam then stepped forward and looked down at this disheveled, ragged woman who seemed like a madwoman. "It seems your mind is still somewhat clear. Then let me ask you, why were you in the well, and why were you trying to scare us?"
But the woman seemed unwilling to answer them, still glaring at the Old Madam with rage.
Song Chaoyu also stepped forward, crouched down, and looked at the woman, sighing, "You must understand that we are from the Song family in the capital. We don't have a very close relationship with the Jiangzhou Song family. If you still have grievances or even a sliver of attachment to this world, we might be your last chance. Can you hide in this well, barely surviving, for your entire life?"
Recalling the dead bird found on the windowsill, Song Chaoyu continued, "Planning to eat raw meat and drink rainwater until you are discovered and dealt with by the Song family? Or scare away the next guest who comes to live here, and the Song family will still investigate this courtyard thoroughly, and you won't be able to hide. If this is what you want, then we will throw you back into the well and leave you be."
"No—no!"
Song Chaoyu's words truly moved the woman!
She suddenly looked at Song Chaoyu, and turbid tears slid down her eyes. "Can you... help me?"
The Old Madam cast an appreciative glance at Song Chaoyu, then also crouched down and looked at the woman. "We can't guarantee to help you, but we will do our best. At least you need to let us know who you are and what exactly happened, right?"
The woman looked at the Old Madam's face, tears streaming down.