Remarry?
Su Tanghuan was so angry she laughed. “Aunt, what are you thinking? Cousin is your son, and we never even held the wedding ceremony. Why should I, a mere cousin, keep vigil for him? Ji Dalang is my child’s father. If I’m keeping vigil, it’ll be for my husband.”
She deliberately emphasized the words “my child’s father,” infuriating Zheng Su-shi to the point of giving her a headache.
“You…”
Su Tanghuan’s expression turned cold. “Listen carefully. If we can reach an agreement, I may still call you Aunt. If not, you can leave immediately, turn left, and return to your Zheng Fu. From then on, we’ll have nothing to do with each other!”
Zheng Su-shi was so enraged she felt as if smoke were rising from her seven orifices, unable to speak for a long while.
“If you don’t speak, I’ll take it as your agreement to cooperate.”
Su Tanghuan approached her and whispered in her ear.
“Aunt, you know very well that I did save Ji Shizi, right about a mile from the villa. Coincidentally, you kept me at the villa for half a year, which aligns with the time Ji Shizi went missing. So, I hid Ji Shizi in my courtyard, and we lived together for half a year. He only left the villa a little over ten days ago.”
After saying this, she straightened up and looked at Zheng Su-shi, waiting for her reaction.
Zheng Su-shi took a deep breath to calm herself down.
She looked at Su Tanghuan suspiciously. “And you think the Ji Family will believe that? They’ll just send someone to the villa and ask the servants to find out the truth.”
Su Tanghuan smiled faintly. “So, it depends on whether you, Aunt, want this marriage alliance with the eldest young mistress of Ji Residence. With your methods, can’t you handle a few villa servants? If the Ji Family finds out, I’ll just say that you, Aunt, deliberately made me lie to deceive them.”
“You!”
Zheng Su-shi, who had just managed to catch her breath, felt suffocated again. “You… you… how have you become so shameless!”
Su Tanghuan leaned in slightly, brushing aside her bangs to reveal a strikingly beautiful face.
“It’s not like you only just discovered today that I have an exceptionally beautiful face, is it, Aunt?”
Otherwise, how could she have stooped so low as to mistreat her own niece, especially one who was meant to be her son’s bride for a wedding meant to ward off misfortune?
Zheng Su-shi had thrown away all decency for her own selfish gains.
To survive, Su Tanghuan could also cast aside her dignity!
Zheng Su-shi was so angry she nearly fainted.
She stared fixedly at Su Tanghuan’s flat stomach. “Is your pregnancy real?”
Su Tanghuan looked utterly sincere. “Yes, it is.”
Zheng Su-shi gritted her teeth. “You… how dare you enter my Zheng Family while pregnant! Tell me, who is the father? Wait, it’s that boy by your father’s side, isn’t it?”
Su Tanghuan blinked. “Don’t talk nonsense. How could Ji Shizi be some random man?”
Zheng Su-shi’s eyes widened.
For the first time, she realized that this little wretch’s face was thicker than a city wall!
Su Tanghuan couldn’t be bothered to argue further. She straightened up, placed one hand on her lower back, and began walking out.
Word by word, she said, “Aunt, return Ji Shizi’s seal and the jewelry and one thousand taels of silver notes you took from my mother as soon as possible.”
Zheng Su-shi angrily retorted, “What? I only took five hundred taels from you! And you stole the pearl and gold ornaments from the phoenix crown!”
Ignoring her, Su Tanghuan pushed the door open and walked out. Yuzhi quickly stepped up the stairs and reached out to support Su Tanghuan’s arm.
Just then, they heard Zheng Su-shi storm out furiously, “Didn’t it cost money to bring you here from afar? Didn’t it cost silver to provide you with food, clothing, and living expenses comparable to those of a young lady of Zheng Fu?”
When Zheng Su-shi saw Yuzhi’s furrowed brows, she immediately fell silent.
Su Tanghuan looked aggrieved. “Aunt, that one thousand taels of silver was the money my late parents left for me to rely on.”
Yuzhi was furious.
When the eldest young mistress of her family arrived, she was wearing coarse cloth skirts that only maidservants would wear.
So it turns out everything had been emptied out by that black-hearted aunt!
Zheng Su-shi glared at the little wretch pretending to be delicate and weak.
“Fine, fine, fine, you just wait!”
Su Tanghuan watched her furious, flustered retreating figure, her heart blooming with joy.
So what if I swindle you?
Ever since she arrived at the Zheng Family, she had served that half-dead cousin day and night like a maidservant—wasn’t she entitled to some compensation?
She pulled out a handkerchief and flicked it, raising her voice: “Aunt, you still haven’t gone to pay respects to Mother and Grand Tutor Ji. That’s terribly rude.”
Zheng Su-shi stumbled underfoot, and with a thud, fell flat on her face.
Her face flushed crimson with shame and indignation.
Servants from Zheng Fu hurriedly helped her up, only to hear that infuriating voice chasing after her like a haunting ghost.
“Aunt, please deliver the seal and banknotes as soon as possible. Otherwise, people will laugh at how the Second Madam of the prestigious Zheng Family not only preys on the bereaved but also lacks propriety.”
Afraid that seeing the little wretch’s face would make her drop dead on the spot, Zheng Su-shi left without looking back, taking a whole crowd with her in a flurry.
Yuzhi gave Su Tanghuan a thumbs-up.
Su Tanghuan’s heart skipped a beat.
Had she been too sharp-tongued, not quite fitting the image of a pitiful, delicate beauty?
She let out a soft, weak sigh: “You don’t know, this aunt of mine is quite formidable in the Zheng Family. I’ve had a hard time under her pressure. If I don’t find a way to force her, she won’t return the Shizi’s token to me.”
Yuzhi supported Su Tanghuan: “The token must naturally be retrieved. A mere thousand taels of silver isn’t worth your anger. Our Ji Residence has never feared those prestigious clans of the seven great families and five surnames. From now on, you don’t need to give her any face at all.”
“Mhm. It’s not about the silver—it was left to me by my parents. If it’s taken for no reason, it would dishonor their spirits in heaven.”
Yuzhi deeply agreed: “Exactly. If it were something my parents left me, even a single copper coin would have to be reclaimed.”
“That’s the principle.”
“Just now, Madam sent someone to say that once you’re done here, you should go to the mourning hall. Madam wants you to meet the guests.”
“Alright.”
When Su Tanghuan arrived at the mourning hall, Lady Ji caught sight of her figure and immediately left the guest she was speaking with to walk over.
Lady Ji asked Yuzhi: “She wasn’t upset, was she?”
Yuzhi’s anger flared up again, lowering her voice: “I never expected her to be so shameless—she actually embezzled the thousand taels of silver the eldest young mistress’s parents left her. Putting on such an act, her goal was to prey on the bereaved!”
Su Tanghuan quickly interjected: “Yuzhi, don’t say anymore. No matter what, she is still my aunt.”
Lady Ji had never seen someone so brazenly shameless and couldn’t help but laugh in anger.
“I truly never imagined the Second Madam of Zheng Fu to be such a person. It’s right that Second Young Master wants nothing to do with them.”
She took Su Tanghuan’s hand: “Don’t be upset. An aunt like that isn’t worth acknowledging.”
Su Tanghuan nodded obediently: “Mhm.”
“Sister Jiang, is this your eldest daughter-in-law?”
The noble lady who had been speaking with Lady Ji earlier walked over.
“That’s right.”
Lady Ji introduced her to Su Tanghuan: “Huan’er, this is my close friend from my maiden days—Madam Cui.”
Madam Cui?
Could she be from the Qinghe Cui Clan, the one the Nobleman is discussing marriage with?
Su Tanghuan actually recognized this lady.
She was the noble lady who was helped down from the carriage by the noble young master yesterday when she was hiding under the carriage.
To come and offer condolences two days in a row—she must be extremely close to Ji Residence. Whether she is from the Qinghe Cui Clan or not, Su Tanghuan needed to make a good impression.
Su Tanghuan quickly straightened up and performed a proper bow. “Tanghuan pays her respects to Madam Cui.”
Madam Cui immediately reached out to support her. “Yesterday, when I saw how brave you were, it truly tugged at my heartstrings.”
Her voice suddenly grew louder. “I initially thought you were just some swindler, but who would have guessed you’re such a well-mannered and principled young lady? To gain a daughter-in-law and a grandchild out of nowhere—Sister Jiang is truly blessed.”
Several mourning guests looked over in surprise.
The mourning hall was not large, and their conversation was clearly audible to all.
The major incident at the Ji Residence’s gate yesterday had already spread throughout the neighborhood. Who wouldn’t be curious about such a sensational affair?
Lady Ji frowned slightly.
Hearing the sarcasm in Madam Cui’s words, she felt somewhat displeased, though she showed no sign of it on her face. Her demeanor cooled slightly.
“It is our Ji Residence that has wronged Huan’er, and it is our Eldest Young Master who was unfortunate. Had he not met with disaster abroad, the Ji Residence would have immediately sent an eight-carrier sedan chair to welcome Huan’er. Fortunately, Huan’er is pure and kind-hearted. For the sake of Eldest Young Master’s child, she has endured immense hardship and does not care about superficial reputation.”
Su Tanghuan was deeply moved by Lady Ji’s defense of her.
So, Lady Ji had asked her to come to the mourning hall and introduced her to Madam Cui, who had witnessed her arrival yesterday, to clear her name!
Her eyes instantly reddened.
Ji Yan, who had been speaking with a noble young master nearby, noticed the commotion and walked over.
The noble young master accompanying him was none other than Madam Cui’s son, Third Young Master Cui.
Su Tanghuan felt somewhat awkward.
Quite a few people had seen her kneeling in disarray at the main gate yesterday, loudly declaring that she was carrying a posthumous child.
She had never expected Lady Ji to be so understanding and kind.
Su Tanghuan did not want to embarrass Lady Ji. Ignoring the whispers around her, she bowed properly to the two men.
“Tanghuan pays her respects to Grand Tutor and Young Master Cui.”
Young Master Cui raised an eyebrow. “You recognize me?”
Su Tanghuan kept her head lowered. “Yesterday at the gate, I happened to see you assisting Madam Cui out of the carriage.”
Young Master Cui couldn’t help but look the young woman up and down with curiosity.
Yesterday, he hadn’t seen her face clearly, only her slender and upright figure from behind, which gave the impression of a bold and reckless troublemaker.
He hadn’t expected her to be such a gentle and graceful Jiangnan-style beauty.