Chapter 33 She Wants Silver? No Chance

Chapter 33: She Wants Silver? In Your Dreams!

Liu Linlang clenched her fists, her blood boiling with rage. "I don't need it! Cut the hypocritical act. Don't think I'm so easily fooled!"

Ji Yuntang wasn't angry at all. Instead, she smiled at her. "Oh, well, you can come to me anytime you need to buy some. I'll save some just for you."

She knew perfectly well that Qiao Ye had played a significant role in stirring up this mess.

However, Ji Yuntang hadn't expected things to backfire so spectacularly, with the medicinal paste she used for her face being mistaken for dog feces.

Ji Yuntang laughed coldly to herself. Wasn't this a case of Qiao Ye being too clever for her own good, ultimately harming Liu Linlang instead? What would happen to Qiao Ye once Liu Linlang discovered that the "dog feces" had no effect whatsoever?

Ji Yuntang was rather looking forward to seeing it.

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Marquis Yongning's Mansion.

The opulent main hall, once filled with laughter and chatter, was now enveloped in a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.

Marquis Yongning, Ji Nanchuan, sat stiffly in the master's seat, his face cold. Madam Meng stood meekly by his side, her head bowed. Below them, Ji Qingqing knelt on the floor, dressed in a thin green gown that made her slender frame appear even more fragile.

She kept her head lowered deeply, her long eyelashes veiling the darkness in her eyes. Beneath her sleeves, her hands were clenched into tight fists, her nails nearly digging into her palms.

How Ji Qingqing hated this!

Wasn't she her father's most beloved daughter?

Why was she being forced to kneel in public for self-reflection just because of a mere hundred thousand taels of silver owed to Ji Yuntang?

But that IOU had been signed by Madam Meng herself! What did it have to do with her?

Ji Qingqing gritted her teeth until they ached, her eyes filled with bone-deep resentment.

And what about her brothers? Weren't they the ones who cared for her the most?

Why had she been kneeling for nearly two hours, her knees aching terribly, yet not a single one of them had returned to plead on her behalf?

She'd just had a momentary lapse and fallen into Ji Yuntang's trap. Wasn't she the victim here?

Why was everyone now turning around to blame her?

Seeing Ji Qingqing's shoulders trembling slightly, Madam Meng's eyes reddened, her heart aching with pity.

"Marquis, please let Qingqing get up. She's been kneeling for almost two hours. Qingqing has always had a weak constitution. How can she endure kneeling like this any longer?"

Ji Nanchuan slammed his hand heavily on the table, his face contorted with anger. "Endure? You've spoiled her too much! Do you know what the other ministers were saying about our Marquis Yongning's Mansion at court today, after she had people carry a coffin to Prince Ye's Mansion?"

"They said the Marquis's Mansion failed in teaching its daughters, that siblings are turning on each other. Forcing Ji Yuntang to be the substitute bride for Prince Ye was bad enough, but now they won't even spare their own elder sister's life. Everyone outside is calling her vicious now."

"You women, cooped up at home all day, do nothing but cause trouble for this Marquis! Che'er and I faced countless scornful looks and impeachment attempts from political rivals in court today. Even the Emperor looks at us with disdain. Do you still think this is a minor matter?"

More than being angered by the gossip, Ji Nanchuan was deeply disappointed in Ji Qingqing, feeling she had failed to live up to his expectations.

The daughter he had raised and carefully tutored for fifteen years had ended up inferior to a country bumpkin like Ji Yuntang?

To top it off, she had been tricked out of a hundred thousand taels of silver. It was a humiliation of the highest order.

After this incident spread, many said the Marquis Yongning's Mansion was blind and foolish, mistaking a fish eye for a pearl.

How could Ji Nanchuan not be furious?

Madam Meng wore a bitter expression, her face full of worry. "Marquis, but what's done is done. Blaming Qingqing now won't change anything. Our most urgent task now is to figure out how to gather that hundred thousand taels of silver to give to Ji Yuntang within three days."

The Marquis Yongning's monthly stipend was only a thousand taels. A hundred thousand was an astronomical sum for them.

If they really paid it, the Marquis's Mansion would be in the red for five years.

Just then, an elderly voice came through.

"That money cannot be given."

Madam Ji walked in, supported by Nanny Wang. As she passed Madam Meng, she shot her a fierce glare. "Madam Meng, what a fine daughter you've raised!"

"No matter what, Ji Yuntang is still of our Marquis Yongning's bloodline. Even if she verbally severed ties, the blood flowing in her veins is still from our Marquis Yongning's Mansion. That is something that can never be truly severed."

"Since ancient times, it's unheard of for a child to make such exorbitant demands from her maternal family. If we really give her that silver, where will the face of our Marquis Yongning's Mansion, a century-old aristocratic family, be? How will people outside view us?"

After speaking, Madam Ji went and sat on a chair. She slightly lifted her elbow and looked at Ji Qingqing, who was kneeling on the floor, crying as if her heart would break.

"Nanny Wang, what are you standing there for? Hurry and help the Second Young Miss up. What kind of spectacle is this?"

"Yes, Madam." Nanny Wang quickly went over and pulled the kneeling Ji Qingqing to her feet.

Ji Qingqing pressed her lips together, not speaking. Her lively eyes were brimming with tears, red like a rabbit's, which made Madam Ji's heart ache terribly.

The three young masters of the Marquis Yongning's Mansion were rarely home, usually busy outside. It was Ji Qingqing who often came to keep her company and cheer her up.

Now, seeing her most beloved granddaughter suffer such injustice, Madam Ji wished she could personally give Ji Yuntang a good beating to vent this anger for Ji Qingqing.

"Qingqing, my good granddaughter, please stop crying. Your grandmother's heart aches to see it. You've been wronged today."

Madam Ji held Ji Qingqing in her arms, gently comforting her. What she didn't see was the fleeting glint of triumph that flashed in Ji Qingqing's eyes before disappearing instantly.

It seemed her daily efforts to please Madam Ji had been the right decision.

In critical moments, her so-called father, mother, and brothers, for the sake of some silver and reputation, had all started pretending to be dead and blaming her, showing no human warmth whatsoever.

Only Madam Ji was willing to stand up and protect her.

A trace of disdain curled at the corner of Ji Qingqing's mouth.

As long as she firmly secured Madam Ji's favor, presumably no one in the entire Marquis Yongning's Mansion would dare to do anything to her.

Thinking this, her small face fell, and her voice immediately took on a sobbing tone. "Grandmother, it's all Qingqing's fault. Qingqing has implicated the Marquis Yongning's Mansion. Father is right to be angry and punish me. Please don't blame them."

Madam Meng watched Ji Qingqing putting on a spoiled, whiny act in Madam Ji's embrace. She frowned almost imperceptibly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable inside.

From beginning to end, Ji Qingqing only spoke of being punished, never mentioning that the entire incident had escalated due to her own improper actions.

Madam Meng suddenly felt weary. She rubbed her temples and said tiredly, "Mother, but your daughter-in-law has already signed the IOU from Prince Ye's Mansion and pressed her fingerprint. Many commoners present witnessed it. If we don't pay, I'm afraid Ji Yuntang might..."

Madam Ji's expression suddenly turned icy. She slammed her hand on the table, anger appearing on her dignified and gentle face.

"What can she do? What does she want to do? What dare she do to our Marquis Yongning's Mansion?"

"Our mansion went through great pains to find her and even arranged an exceptionally good marriage for her that she wouldn't have encountered even with a lantern, elevating her status from a country bumpkin to the honorable Princess Ye. Instead of being grateful to our Marquis Yongning's Mansion, she now wants to turn around and harm us? Since when is anything in this world so cheap?"

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