Chapter 11

Qiao Ling’s words were too sharp.

Mrs. Liang’s face turned pale, she clutched her chest, and couldn’t speak for a long time.

Seeing this, Qiao Ling sneered and pulled Zhang Yuying away.

“You!”

Mrs. Liang finally caught her breath, stood up abruptly, her chest heaving violently. She laughed angrily: “Okay, okay, okay! Do you really think I can’t handle you?!”

…

Qiao Ling was still angry, and when she argued with Mrs. Liang, she almost jumped up and down.

When they went out, her expression calmed down, and she even seemed happy: “At least I didn’t lose the argument. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have slept well tonight!”

Zhang Yuying: “…”

Zhang Yuying could only say: “Miss, you should be careful. Mrs. Liang is not someone you should mess with.”

Qiao Ling hummed lightly: “I don’t care. There’s no reason why she should scold me for no reason and expect me to put up with it!”

She hummed a song as she walked back.

Zhang Yuying: …What a good attitude.

One of them walked briskly, the other with a worried expression. When they returned to their residence, they didn’t wait for Mrs. Liang to come with people to attack, but they did wait for the belated gift.

Since it was a servant who came, Qiao Ling didn’t go out. She just watched from inside, while Zhang Yuying, as her personal maid, went to greet the guest.

It was the same housekeeper they had met at Mrs. Liang’s place. There wasn’t a single smile on her face: “Madam said that she had never entertained guests of such a background before, and in her surprise, she forgot about the gift. It was really inappropriate. She heard that the old lady and the Mrs. Jiang sent gifts, and then she remembered. She specially sent me to bring something for you, Miss.”

This was not a pleasant way to say it.

Zhang Yuying just smiled: “Madam is too kind.”

The housekeeper didn’t say anything else. She waved her hand, and several servants together carried a sandalwood and mother-of-pearl cabinet to the door and placed it down.

The housekeeper bowed slightly and turned to leave.

Qiao Ling opened the door a crack and peeked out, asking softly: “Is she gone?”

Zhang Yuying sighed and whispered back: “Lets Go!”

Qiao Ling came out and walked around the cabinet, puzzled: “This doesn’t match the furniture in the room either.”

Zhang Yuying sighed again: “So, Mrs. Liang did it on purpose.”

Qiao Ling asked: “Is this thing not valuable?”

Zhang Yuying said: “It’s very valuable, but it doesn’t match a complete set. If you put it randomly, people will laugh at you. It’s useless.”

Qiao Ling didn’t say anything.

Zhang Yuying turned her head to look, and she saw that her already bright eyes were even brighter, with several words flashing and jumping inside.

Very, valuable!

The next morning, Qiao Ling had someone prepare the horse, then carefully moved the expensive sandalwood and mother-of-pearl cabinet onto it, secured it properly, and went straight to the largest pawnshop in West City Shendu.

The counter there was very high, separated from the inside by a metal railing. Qiao Ling took a peek inside and found that even standing, she could only reach the height of the accountant’s waist. She might be at a disadvantage if they argued, so she immediately had someone bring her a footstool to stand on.

Now they were at the same height.

The accountant was thin and gaunt, with graying temples. He looked more like a scholar, wearing a pair of crystal-rimmed glasses on his nose, his left hand resting on a jade abacus.

He looked at Qiao Ling and asked: “Dead or Alive?”

Zhang Yuying shouted from behind, sweating profusely: “Huo Dang Huo Dang!”

Qiao Ling snorted, raised her chin: “Die!”

Zhang Yuying was about to die of anxiety: “My dear lady, if you pawn it, you won’t be able to redeem it!”

Qiao Ling scoffed: “If I can’t redeem it, then I can’t redeem it. I can’t afford a complete set of furniture anyway!”

Then, she suddenly remembered something very important and her expression immediately became serious.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuying quickly said: “Yes, if you pawn it, then it will be a complete break…”

But she heard Qiao Ling emphasize her words and tell the accountant: “We need to make a contract beforehand. If I can deliver the complete set of furniture later, you have to pay extra!”

Zhang Yuying: “…”

Zhang Yuying was almost numb, pulling her sleeve: “Miss, Miss – didn’t you win the argument yesterday? Why are you still angry?”

Qiao Ling said confidently: “I won because I was right, because I’m capable, but that doesn’t mean I should be wronged! Pawning it means a complete break? Forget it, it’s already broken!”

“Do you think I’m afraid of her?”

She swung her arm in the air, her voice strong and confident: “Let the storm rage!”

Zhang Yuying was sweating profusely, beads of sweat glistening on her forehead.

She desperately pulled Qiao Ling to the side: “Miss, don’t rush to make a decision, listen to me!”

Qiao Ling agreed, using the fan she had just gotten from the pawnshop to fan her: “I’m listening, tell me.”

Zhang Yuying blushed, hesitated for a moment, and finally stomped her foot: “This is too strange. Don’t get angry and make things worse.”

She said: “Mrs. Liang is arrogant, but she doesn’t seem like someone who doesn’t understand reason. She didn’t attack you for many days while you were in the mansion. There’s no reason why she would suddenly get so angry. So, the rumors about the mansion that she mentioned, especially those directed at her, are very suspicious. I suspect…”

Zhang Yuying’s lips moved silently, and finally, she said it: “It’s Prince Lu’s doing.”

She had hesitated several times before, not daring to mention it. Now that she had finally said it, she felt nothing.

“King of Lu always acts like this. He uses his power to bully those of lower status, but for those with status who are difficult to control, he uses others to do his dirty work and doesn’t get involved himself. You are the Duke wife. No matter how much he hates you, he can’t directly storm into the Duke’s Of Yue’s Mansion and yell and shout. So, he stirs up trouble and uses others to kill you…”

She lowered her head, silent for a moment, then finally looked up and said: “I suspected it before, but I didn’t dare to say it. I was actually selfish. I was afraid that I would finally have a place to stay and then… But you’ve been so sincere to me, I can’t watch you and Mrs. Liang fight to the death.”

Finally, Zhang Yuying said softly: “You should send me away.”

“Yuying,” Qiao Ling said, her fanning motion never stopping, “Do you think Mrs. Liang doesn’t know?”

Zhang Yuying was slightly surprised.

But she saw a hint of sarcasm in Qiao Ling’s eyes: “In the Duke’s of Yues Mansion, the old lady has been her mother-in-law for many years, the Mrs. Jiang has been her sister-in-law for many years, and the aunt has also known her for a long time. When have they ever had such a conflict? If there was really something, they would have fought long ago. Do you really think I need to be the trigger?”

“She’s not stupid. Suddenly, people outside are praising the old lady, the Mrs. Jiang, the aunt, and me to step on her. Does she really think it’s her mother-in-law and sister-in-law who are secretly stirring up trouble? And what kind of figure am I? I don’t even know many people. Where would I spread rumors?”

“From the first day we arrived at the Duke’s of Yues Mansion, she knew that I took you in, deeply offending Prince Lu. Now that this has happened, doesn’t she see that Prince Lu is intentionally using others to kill me?”

Zhang Yuying was stunned: “If so, why did she still…”

Qiao Ling gave a straightforward answer: “Because that bastard Prince Lu is too despicable. He hides behind the scenes and just spreads rumors. Even if she’s unhappy, she can’t go to Prince Lu’s mansion to fight because of this unfounded rumor. Of course, this is only a secondary reason.”

“The most important reason is that Mrs. Liang looks down on me. She despises me from the bottom of her heart.”

Her smile deepened: “She can’t vent her anger on Prince Lu, and she can’t break with the old lady and the Mrs. Jiang. So she chooses to vent her anger on me, scolding me to the point of exhaustion. She knows it’s misplaced anger, but she doesn’t care. Because from the very beginning, she never saw me as someone worthy of her respect.”

Qiao Ling tilted her head and looked at Zhang Yuying: “So you’re saying, why should I be a good daughter-in-law to her?”

Zhang Yuying hesitated: “That’s…”

Qiao Ling turned around and went back to the pawnshop: “Of course, she can chase me away. Everyone in the Duke’s mansion can chase me away. As I said at the beginning, I’m the one who caused the trouble. They don’t have to bear it together. But I won’t accept this malicious humiliation from her rage, and I’m not responsible for her arrogant anger. That’s it.”

If she wanted to make peace, that would be fine. But Mrs. Liang sent a belated gift, intending to use it to silence the criticism, but it was a separate cabinet, without any decoration. It was arrogance without any disguise.

Zhang Yuying stood there, looking deeply at her back: “This is the last time I’ll say this to you, Miss. I know King Lu a little. He’s a venomous snake hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. If you send me away now, it’s still possible…”

“King Lu, huh!”

Qiao Ling didn’t turn around, just sneered: “That wretched snake better be careful not to fall into my hands. Once I’m cornered…”

Zhang Yuying couldn’t help but put her hand to her forehead: “That’s not how you use that phrase, Miss!”

Then, she couldn’t help but laugh.

She took a few quick steps forward and followed Qiao Ling.

When they left the pawnshop, Qiao Ling had an extra eight hundred taels of silver notes in her hand, and her smile was even wider than before.

The servants who accompanied them all received rewards. When they reached the vicinity of the Duke of Yue’s  mansion, they saw an old woman selling candied chestnuts. Qiao Ling bought a few bags extra.

“Take them back for the girls to eat!”

When they got back to the Duke of Yue’s mansion by carriage, Zhang Yuying got off first and then reached out to help Qiao Ling.

Qiao Ling stepped down, using her hand. Suddenly, she felt a change. The hand holding her arm tightened slightly.

She looked around and saw a beautiful girl of fourteen or fifteen years old coming towards them. She cried out: “Sister!”

Qiao Ling understood and looked at Zhang Yuying, who also looked back.

Her brow furrowed slightly, and she told Qiao Ling: “This is Zhang Yuzen, the daughter of Zhang Jiefu.”

Her words were clear and distinct.

Qiao Ling nodded, but didn’t say anything.

The girl, who was said to be Zhang Yuzen, had already reached them. She choked back a sob and called out again: “Sister!”

She knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly: “I beg you, sister, to extend your hand and save my mother’s life. Yuzen is willing to be your ox and horse, with no complaints!”

Zhang Yuying looked troubled and bent down to help her up: “Get up first, don’t kneel here.”

Zhang Yuzen didn’t insist. She got up, and there was a bloody mark on her forehead.

With tears in her eyes, she pleaded: “Sister, I don’t dare to ask for anything else, I just beg you to save my mother from misery and let us reunite, mother and daughter. I will be eternally grateful.”

Zhang Yuying was also helpless: “We both suffered together back then, and now we are both slaves. We were able to escape thanks to a kind benefactor. How can I ask her to save someone else?”

Zhang Yuzen was weeping, and she looked at Qiao Ling, only crying, but not saying anything.

Zhang Yuying understood her intentions and said: “Miss Qiao saved me. It’s a great favor, and she even offended Prince Lu because of it. Although I serve by her side, I can’t repay her even a fraction of her kindness. How dare I shamelessly ask her to save someone else?”

She continued: “I have already broken off all ties with the Zhang family. Now, I’ve been implicated and become a slave, forever unable to turn things around. What does it matter whether my mother was Zhang Jiefu’s wife or concubine? Go away, we have nothing to do with each other anymore.”

Zhang Yuzen looked at her with red eyes. After her lips moved a few times, she suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself hard: “I have been disrespectful to you, sister, it’s all my fault. As long as you are willing to help, I will do anything…”

The force was so great that a mark was left on her face.

Zhang Yuying took a deep breath and said calmly: “Stop it. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Zhang Yuzen, this is the last time I’ll say this to you.”

A trace of blood flowed from Zhang Yuzen’s lips, and her lips were also bitten.

She said: “Sister, are you really so heartless, you don’t even care about your own mother?”

Qiao Ling pondered after hearing this.

Zhang Yuying continued to say indifferently: “If you want to say it, go ahead. I don’t care. I’ve been reduced to a slave, forever unable to turn things around. What does it matter whether my mother was Zhang Jiefu’s wife or concubine? Say whatever you want.”

Zhang Yuzen finally ran out of words.

She knew she couldn’t persuade her half-sister, neither through affection nor self-interest.

And the Duke’s wife, who was the only one who could actually make this happen, had remained silent throughout the entire conversation.

Wasn’t this an attitude in itself?

Zhang Yuzen felt defeated, and a look of helplessness and sadness crept onto her face. She stood there, not knowing whether to leave or stay.

Zhang Yuying had no intention of talking to her more, nor did she want to get involved. She wanted to apologize to her mistress, but when she looked over, she saw Qiao Ling with her arms crossed, looking north, with no intention of entering the mansion.

She was slightly stunned and looked north as well.

After a while, a woman in her thirties approached hesitantly.

It seemed like she had been waiting there all along.

Zhang Yuzen glanced at her, her expression gloomy, and she didn’t say anything.

Zhang Yuying frowned slightly, her face complex. She whispered to Qiao Ling: “That’s Mrs. Ruan, the sister-in-law of Mrs. Zheng, Zhang Jiefu’s wife.”

Qiao Ling stared intently at Mrs. Ruan’s face, not surprised by her identity, but by the surname: “She’s a Ruan?”

She knew that was the royal surname of the current dynasty.

Zhang Yuying nodded: “Yes, Mrs. Ruan is from the royal family, but her bloodline is a bit distant.”

Qiao Ling looked at Mrs. Ruan’s low shoulders and her hesitant demeanor, and even the bruises on her forehead that were somewhat hidden by her hair, she thought, it’s not just her bloodline that’s distant, it seems her life hasn’t been very pleasant either.

While she was thinking this, the lady from the royal family had already reached them. She looked at Zhang Yuzen nervously, then bowed to Qiao Ling and said anxiously: “I’m afraid I’ve made a fool of myself, doing such a shameless thing. But, but we really have no other choice. We can only come here and try our luck…”

Qiao Ling couldn’t help but ask: “Your niece…”

Mrs. Ruan glanced at Zhang Yuzen and said softly: “My sister cherishes this daughter. She gave all her private savings to my husband and redeemed her.”

The “sister” she was referring to was obviously Zhang Yuzen’s mother, Mrs. Zheng.

Qiao Ling said: “What about her?”

Mrs. Ruan looked at her with difficulty.

Zhang Yuzen listened, but didn’t say anything. She looked like she had lost her soul.

Qiao Ling understood, but then she was confused: “If you can redeem them with money, and you’ve already redeemed one, why didn’t the Zheng family redeem their own daughter, but instead sent their niece to find Yuying, who has already separated from the family?”

Mrs. Ruan’s lips twitched slightly, looking sad.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuying couldn’t help but sigh: “Zheng Xianzong has a nickname, VampireTiger’. He won’t do anything without profit. My mother used all her private savings to redeem her daughter, but she didn’t have another fortune to persuade her brother to redeem her.”

Qiao Ling was truly surprised: “But she’s his own sister!”

Zhang Yuying didn’t say anything.

But Zhang Yuzen sneered: “She’s a criminal, how can she be associated with the Zheng family? Wouldn’t it ruin his future!”

Mrs. Ruan listened, her expression a bit awkward, more powerless and sad.

The scene was momentarily frozen.

Finally, she slowly spoke, again softly: “We really have no other choice. We came here hoping for a miracle. Please forgive us, Madam Duke, and don’t hold it against us.”

She repeated the same thing in a roundabout way, and then she said to Zhang Yuying: “Yuzen, she’s actually doing this for her mother…”

Zhang Yuying interrupted her: “I understand.”

Zhang Yuzen listened, unhappy: “What’s the point of all this? They’re not helping you, why are you being so servile?!”

Mrs. Ruan just smiled and didn’t say much.

The two of them left together.

Qiao Ling looked at Mrs. Ruan’s withered figure, sighed, and rubbed her face: “Is that leech really not good to her?”

Zhang Yuying was a little helpless: “If I say he’s good, Miss, you won’t believe me, right?”

She continued: “Mrs. Ruan is also a pitiful woman. Her brother sold her to the Zheng family for money, and the Zheng family, they just wanted to use her surname to improve their image. They used it to interact with the royal family, but they didn’t treat her well either.”

Seeing Qiao Ling’s look of pity, she persuaded her: “But Mrs. Ruan’s child is very promising. Even a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs. The Zheng family cultivates their eldest son very carefully. Mrs. Ruan is much younger than the Bloodsucking Tiger, her hope lies in the future…”

Qiao Ling looked at the direction they left in, sighed again in her heart.

What hope does she have…

I should meddle one more time.

But I have to finish arguing with my mother-in-law first!

She touched the still warm candied chestnuts in her hand and entered the Duke of Yue’s mansion with a swagger.

When she returned to the mansion, Jinzi was already familiar with the smell of his owner. Before anyone else reacted, he ran out, pouncing towards Qiao Ling.

Qiao Ling exclaimed “Oh my!” and laughed as she rubbed Jinzi’s head, peeling a chestnut for him to eat: “Our Jinzi is a girl too!”

The maids in the courtyard all got a few chestnuts, and some went to get nutcrackers from the room. They were chatting and laughing when suddenly, a maid ran back from outside in a panic.

“Madam is here! I don’t know why, but she looks furious!”

All the maids in the courtyard were stunned.

Because Mrs. Liang rarely went anywhere other than her own large courtyard, the mansion’s garden, and the stage.

It wasn’t even rare – apart from occasionally going to the old lady’s place to pay her respects, and once going to the second mistress’s place after she gave birth, Mrs. Liang had never set foot anywhere else.

Why is she coming here?

Especially saying she’s furious…

Qiao Ling, who had just sold the cabinet Mrs. Liang gave her, was also puzzled: “Yeah, why is that?”

Zhang Yuying: “…”

Zhang Yuying: To be honest, our mistress has such a good attitude!