Chapter 6

“Uncle, do you really feel no guilt saying this?”

Su Jinyuan, though physically weak and exhausted from her earlier actions, showed no trace of it on her face. She coldly said: “My father left behind so much wealth before he passed away—my mother’s dowry, our family’s lands and properties. Which of these wasn’t taken by you, Uncle? Forget about raising me alone; even if you raised ten or a hundred of me, it wouldn’t exhaust those resources.”

“Isn’t it your duty to take care of me?”

Su Wanquan’s face turned pale.

“As for you claiming she hasn’t mistreated me, do you even know what she’s done?”

Su Jinyuan sneered, lifting Madam Yu slightly and gripping her neck: “She found a man to seduce me, used news about my younger brother to lure me out of the city, and tried to help Su Xinyue secure a marriage with the Xiao family. She conspired with others to abduct me on the day of the Xiao family’s wedding, ruining my reputation. And you tell me she hasn’t mistreated me?”

Su Wanquan stared in disbelief: “How could your aunt do such a thing!”

He knew his wife was petty and greedy, but in his view, Madam Yu would, at most, deprive Su Jinyuan of food and drink or cause minor troubles in daily life. But such malicious acts—how could she dare?

Su Jinyuan scoffed at his words, raising the hairpin in her hand, causing Madam Yu to scream in pain.

“Speak for yourself—what have you done?”

Madam Yu, with two teeth knocked out, blood on her forehead and face, and her neck spasming in pain, stammered: “I-I didn’t mean to. It was Lu Zhuo who approached me himself. He was greedy for your beauty… Ah Yuan, spare me…”

“Master, save me, save me…”

Su Wanquan’s face turned ashen.

Su Jinyuan looked up at him: “Coveting your niece’s marriage, conspiring with villains to lure and abduct her to escape marriage.”

“Uncle, if word of your wife’s actions spreads, will you still be able to hold your position as an official in the Ministry of Personnel?”

Su Wanquan gritted his teeth: “What exactly do you want?”

Su Jinyuan smiled: “I want Uncle to convert the belongings my parents left behind into silver notes and give them to me.”

She needed money to save the Xiao family.

Currently, she has no connections to rely on and only knows bits and pieces from her memory. Protecting the Xiao family was extremely difficult, but sometimes, money could work wonders. Even if the Xiao family couldn’t escape their fate, with silver in hand, she could find ways to protect the Xiao family’s women.

“I’m not asking for much—50,000 taels in silver notes. Uncle, give them to me, and all past grievances between me and the Su family will be written off!”

“In your dreams!” Su Xinyue shivered in pain but couldn’t help shouting after hearing Su Jinyuan’s words: “Do you have no shame? Everything you eat, wear, and use comes from my family, and now you want money too?”

Fifty thousand taels—why doesn’t she just go rob someone?!

Su Xinyue hurriedly said, “Father, don’t listen to her. Even if you give her the money, she won’t let us go. Besides, who knows where she went when she eloped? It’s better to just capture her and beat her to death…”

“Shut up!” Su Wanquan didn’t intend to kill Su Jinyuan—after all, she was his elder brother’s only bloodline. But capturing her wasn’t out of the question. Only by locking her up could they have peace.

Su Jinyuan seemed to see through his plan and tightened her grip on Madam Yu’s neck: “Uncle, do you really think I barged in here today without any preparation?”

“If you dare make a move, I’ll kill Aunt first and then take my own life right here.”

“When I came in earlier, many people outside saw me. I’ve also already instructed someone to keep evidence of Aunt’s deeds.”

“Lu Zhuo is still in my hands. If I die, someone will send him to the Jingzhao Prefecture tomorrow. By then, everyone in the capital will know about you seizing your elder brother’s family assets and driving your niece to her death, as well as the things Aunt and Su Xinyue have done. I’ll make sure the entire capital knows.”

Su Wanquan’s face darkened at her words. Not to mention that his reputation would be ruined if he drove Su Jinyuan to her death, none of Madam Yu’s actions could withstand public scrutiny either. If word got out, not only would Su Xinyue be unable to marry, but the entire Su family would lose face.

Seeing his changing expression, Su Jinyuan said while holding Madam Yu, “I’m not asking for much, and I believe what my parents left behind is worth far more than fifty thousand taels.”

“Uncle, as long as you give me this money, I won’t take a single piece of the gold, silver, paintings, or antiques in your secret room. I also promise that as long as they don’t bother me again, I won’t bring up the matter of Lu Zhuo.”

Su Wanquan’s eyes widened—how did she know about the secret room.

“Someone, go fetch the silver notes!”

“Father!” Su Xinyue was stunned. “You can’t give her that much money. Why should you give it to this wretch…”

“Because this house you’re living in now was left by my father.” Su Jinyuan said coldly, “Uncle, considering what Aunt and Su Xinyue have done, even if I killed them, it wouldn’t be too much. I’ve already held back my temper and don’t want to argue with them, but if she keeps calling me a wretch, don’t blame me for what happens.”

“You…”

“Shut up!” Su Wanquan slapped Su Xinyue across the face. “You’re a young lady from a respectable family, yet you keep calling people wretches. Who taught you that?”

Su Xinyue’s face went pale, and she was visibly frightened.

Su Wanquan kicked the person standing nearby. “What are you still doing there? Didn’t you hear me? Go fetch the silver notes!”

“Master, Master, there aren’t that many silver notes in the mansion…”

Fifty thousand taels—that’s no small amount.

Su Jinyuan said, “Start by bringing the silver notes. If the silver notes aren’t enough, then add the gold leaves and beads to make up the difference. Fifty thousand taels—I want it immediately!”

Su Wanquan had originally intended to stall for time, but Su Jinyuan’s words shattered his delusions immediately. With a dark look, he ordered his men to follow her instructions while Su Jinyuan held Madam Yu hostage.

Before long, someone brought over a box filled with silver notes, gold beads, and gold leaves. Su Jinyuan lifted her chin and said, “Count them.”

Su Wanquan, still scowling, did as he was told. Once he was sure that the contents of the box really totaled the sum she demanded, she had the box delivered to her. Then, clutching Madam Yu, she strode toward the gate and said, “Aunt, please see me out.”

“Jinyuan!” Su Wanquan cried urgently. “You, a young lady, where do you plan to go with all that silver?”

“Anywhere is better than staying here.” Su Jinyuan was no longer the naive girl she once was. She knew just how reluctantly the Su family had given out this silver. She intended to remain here only if she could keep Madam Yu as a hostage; otherwise, once she was released, Su Wanquan would undoubtedly have her captured—and then there’d be no escape for her.

Holding Madam Yu by the throat, Su Jinyuan dragged her to the gate and then said to Su Wanquan, “Consider this fifty thousand taels of silver as the buyout of our relation. I have already married into the Protectorate General household; from now on, I belong to the Xiao family. Once I step out of the Su family’s gate, I will go directly to the Xiao family—and you, Uncle, need not come searching for me.”

“You’re crazy!!” Su Wanquan’s eyes widened in shock. “Do you have any idea what condition the Xiao family is in right now?”

“Xiao Jin is dead, and even Xiao Yunxi and the others died in Linchuan. At a time like this—you must be looking to get yourself killed!”

Su Jinyuan gave a bitter smile. Yes, going there at this moment was tantamount to a death wish, but what choice did she have?

She owed the Xiao family, and she had also made a promise to Xie Yunyan. She might be despicable and vicious, but when it came to keeping her word, she never wavered.

Those few pieces of cake and the braised meat, along with Xie Yunyan letting her go in the end—and Xiao Yunxi’s letter of disengagement—made it impossible for her to abandon the Xiao family.

“I was born under an inauspicious star. If I’m destined to die, then die I shall. Uncle, if you don’t want to get entangled in the Xiao family matter, just consider me dead out there. From now on, mind your own business.”