Chapter 99

Chapter 99: Exposed Wutong Courtyard County Princess Rongjia hadn't slept all night. She had been domineering for thirty years and had never been humiliated like this before. Chen De's Wife and Wang Hechun's Wife had kept her company all night, neither daring to breathe too loudly. Especially Chen De's Wife, since the idea to harm Cui Zeyu had been hers. "County Mistress, please eat something?" Wang Hechun's Wife said cautiously. "County Mistress?" County Princess Rongjia let out a cold laugh. "You've gotten quite used to calling me that, but I find it grating to hear!" She had never imagined that one day she would be reduced to a County Mistress. Wang Hechun's Wife immediately lowered her head. County Princess Rongjia asked again, "Where did the Marquis go last night?" Wang Hechun's Wife didn't move. She didn't dare to answer again. "Speak up! Are you all dead?" County Princess Rongjia smashed her teacup. When she shot a glare over, Chen De's Wife whispered that he had gone to Huadie's place. "Huadie again. He really dotes on that slut Huadie!" The more County Princess Rongjia thought about it, the angrier she became. "Look at the two of you—I've given you plenty of dignity, but time and time again, have you ever helped me even once?" She berated them for being useless. Wang Hechun's Wife said, "County Mistress, please eat something first. As long as the green mountains remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. We lost this round, but that doesn't mean the Eldest Young Madam will win every time." "Then tell me, when will I ever get the upper hand over Cui Lingrong?" County Princess Rongjia wished Cui Lingrong would die on the spot. "Why aren't you talking? All of you with your mouths shut—are you mute?" The frustration she suffered outside could only be vented on the people in her own quarters. Chen De's Wife didn't dare offer any more ideas. She had finally come to understand why Wang Shanxi's Wife had died. The Eldest Young Madam's mind was too sharp—she had never once been muddled. She had underestimated the Eldest Young Madam's capabilities. As for her mistress—if not for her County Mistress status, she would have been killed ten thousand times over by the Eldest Young Madam already. These were thoughts she could only keep to herself, never daring to voice aloud. "I'm telling you both—between Cui Lingrong and me, only one can live in the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion. If you can't think of a way, then you needn't serve by my side any longer. Cui Lingrong must die!" County Princess Rongjia finished in one breath, then heard a maid come in to announce that the Eldest Young Madam had arrived. Before County Princess Rongjia could even start cursing, Cui Lingrong had already entered the room. Seeing the broken porcelain shards on the floor, Cui Lingrong curled her lips slightly. "County Mistress, why take out your anger on the servants?" "Why are you here?" County Princess Rongjia asked. "Yesterday, The Emperor ordered the County Mistress to pay compensation, but I waited all night and all morning without seeing the County Mistress send the money over, so I had no choice but to come collect it myself." Cui Lingrong produced an account ledger. "This time's losses amount to one thousand seven hundred taels of silver, but the losses from the last fire were far greater—nineteen thousand seven hundred taels. At double the compensation, please review the figures, County Mistress." Doubled, that was over forty thousand taels of silver. County Princess Rongjia's face turned ashen. She hadn't expected Cui Lingrong to come demanding money. This was no small sum. County Princess Rongjia couldn't produce that much silver at once. "Sister Cui, I..." "You are a noble County Mistress, I know. Surely this bit of money means nothing to you—you wouldn't delay payment, would you?" Cui Lingrong smiled as she looked over. County Princess Rongjia could feel Cui Lingrong's mockery. She was about to lose control. Chen De's Wife stepped forward. "Eldest Young Madam, you and the County Mistress are family. Why must things come to this?" "I'd like to ask the same question—why does the County Mistress insist on hounding me? Why must it be a fight to the death?" Cui Lingrong sneered. "Since the County Mistress was the first to harbor ill intentions, I'm merely demanding compensation in accordance with the imperial decree. What's wrong with that?" The smile at the corner of her lips deepened. "Mama Chen, you came from the Rong Prince Mansion. Surely you wouldn't want the County Mistress and the Rong Prince Mansion to be guilty of defying the imperial decree, would you?" The double compensation was the Emperor's decree. As long as one invoked the Emperor, even Prince Rong himself wouldn't dare object. "I don't have that much money," County Princess Rongjia said. "If you don't have the money, you can use your fields and shop fronts as collateral. I heard that when the County Mistress married into the family, you came with a grand dowry of ten miles of red trousseau. Surely you have those things at least?" Cui Lingrong looked at her. In her estimation, County Princess Rongjia spent money lavishly, so it was normal for her to lack ready silver, but she must have plenty of land and property. Yet County Princess Rongjia's expression froze, which made Cui Lingrong take a second look. Could it be that County Princess Rongjia's dowry was even smaller than she had thought? "Sister Cui, you should be lenient where leniency is possible. Give me a few days to gather the funds, and I'll send the banknotes to you without fail." County Princess Rongjia nearly ground her teeth to dust. People used to say Cui Lingrong had a gentle disposition—gentle, her foot! "No." Cui Lingrong had come precisely to make County Princess Rongjia miserable. "I want it today. If you don't pay, then let's go before The Emperor and have him settle the matter." Hearing this, Chen De's Wife wavered slightly. She glanced at her mistress, signaling that perhaps they should just pay up. But County Princess Rongjia's temper flared. She swung her hand and slapped Chen De's Wife across the face. "What are you looking at? Am I the mistress, or are you? Do I need you to teach me how to do things?" Chen De's Wife was stunned by the slap. She was a mama with standing and face, yet she had been struck in front of the Eldest Young Madam. How could she maintain any standing in the marquis mansion after this? County Princess Rongjia was in a fit of anger and didn't think things through. She was determined to hold her ground against Cui Lingrong. "Do you think you can see the Emperor so easily? Cui Lingrong, don't be too smug. Thirty years east, thirty years west—whoever laughs last laughs best!" "Oh? The County Mistress isn't pretending anymore?" Cui Lingrong laughed. "I thought you'd keep up the act with me for a while longer. To be honest, you're tired of pretending, and I'm tired of playing along. Let's speak plainly—I may not be able to see the Emperor, but others can." She was referring to Xie Yunting. At the mention of that, County Princess Rongjia grew even more resentful, but she also realized that Cui Lingrong had deliberately come today to make things difficult for her. The two locked eyes, neither willing to back down. Cui Lingrong instructed Caixia, "Go to General Xie's residence and say—" "I'll give it to you!" County Princess Rongjia had no choice but to have someone fetch the bank drafts and the deed to the shop. Cui Lingrong glanced at them. "I'll register these first. If they don't add up to the market value, I'll come back to have the County Mistress make up the difference." Seeing County Princess Rongjia humiliated, Cui Lingrong felt considerably satisfied. The suffering her daughter and younger brother had endured was far less severe than what County Princess Rongjia was experiencing now—and she still had more tricks in store for her. "You! Don't go too far!" County Princess Rongjia said. "Just that shop of mine alone is worth a good amount of silver. You're only gaining from this—how could it not be enough? Cui Lingrong, you're pleased with yourself now, aren't you? But I'm telling you, you won't have me under your thumb forever!" "Is that so?" Cui Lingrong rose and walked to the door, then deliberately turned back. "But there's one thing you'll never beat me at. County Mistress, you can't bear children, can you? I've known about that for a long time." Before she even finished speaking, County Princess Rongjia's face turned deathly pale. How did Cui Lingrong know? Where had she slipped up? Would Cui Lingrong tell the Marquis? County Princess Rongjia panicked instantly, looking from Cui Lingrong to Chen De's Wife and Wang Hechun's Wife, her mind in complete chaos. She suddenly felt that Cui Lingrong was terrifying.