Jiang Yanqing had truly never encountered such a scoundrel. "Shen Changfeng, are you even human? If you're not home, who is my mother supposed to have a child with?
You're at least a Marquis. I don't believe you could be so foolish as not to see that Feng Yulian is the one with a heart of venom.
You tolerate her partly because you're cut from the same cloth, and partly because you want to use her to hasten my mother's death, so you can secretly seize her dowry and my maternal grandfather's family fortune. Am I right?"
Shen Changfeng was taken aback, looking at Jiang Yanqing with some surprise.
Did this wretched girl know the truth of what happened back then?
No… she was only four years old at the time. Not even Jiang Yuexi knew the truth until her death. What could a little girl like her possibly know?
"Nonsense! Both Yulian and I are kind-hearted and benevolent. We even provide porridge and grain to refugees. My Marquis's Manor has thousands of acres of fertile land and hundreds of shops. Why would I covet the dowry of a lowly merchant?"
Jiang Yanqing smiled, but a cold gleam flashed in her eyes.
"How your thousands of acres of fertile land and hundreds of shops came to be, we both know perfectly well."
As she spoke, she sized up Feng Yulian. "A cloud-patterned silk outer garment, a pearl-dropping hibiscus hairpin, red coral and jade earrings… Concubine Yulian's entire outfit is worth half a year's salary for a seventh-rank official in our Daxing Wangchao.
The Pingyuan Houfu is truly… dazzlingly wealthy… Shen Changfeng, does His Majesty know you're so extravagant?"
"What do you want to do?"
A cold, ruthless glint shot from Shen Changfeng's eyes like a hidden arrow.
"Return all of my mother's dowry and my grandfather's family assets to me. I won't ask for too much—one million taels of silver. You have ten days to deliver the silver notes into my hands. Otherwise, your Pingyuan Houfu can await confiscation and extermination!"
"If our family is exterminated, how could you survive alone?"
Jiang Yanqing smiled innocently and harmlessly. "For that, I must thank your entire family for insisting that I take the Jiang surname back then.
I always wondered, Pingyuan Hou, since I'm your only legitimate daughter, how could you not dote on me? So it turns out you foresaw a great calamity befalling the Marquis's Manor and planned far ahead for my sake.
Listen carefully. Give me what rightfully belongs to me. When you die someday, I can generously buy you a good coffin. Don't overestimate yourself or fail to recognize what's good for you, lest you truly end up with nowhere to be buried."
"Treacherous and unfilial!"
Shen Changfeng was furious, completely devoid of reason, and raised his hand to strike Jiang Yanqing.
He refused to believe this wretched girl would actually dare to lay a hand on him.
But Jiang Yanqing grabbed his wrist in an instant. Even though he had studied martial arts for several years and served as a soldier, he couldn't move an inch.
Jiang Yanqing exerted force, as if she intended to crush his bones.
"Ah…"
Shen Changfeng winced in pain, breaking out in a cold sweat. "Jiang Yanqing, are you trying to kill your own father?"
"Of course not! I can't even bear to step on an ant. How could I commit such a morally depraved act?"
"Then let go of me!"
"Fine, fine."
Jiang Yanqing released her grip, but she used her internal energy to fling him away.
Shen Changfeng's body crashed into a flowerpot not far away, and the shattered pottery shards cut several gashes into his back.
"Marquis, Marquis, are you alright?"
Feng Yulian hurriedly crawled to his side, weeping pitifully.
"Ouch… it hurts so much…" Shen Changfeng glared viciously at Jiang Yanqing. "Unfilial daughter, just wait until you descend into the eighteenth level of hell after you die!"
"Then we'll talk after I die. As long as I'm alive, you can forget about embezzling my mother and grandfather's money.
Save your breath. Go prepare the silver. I'm tired and need to rest. Have someone clean up Cuilin Garden—I'll stay there as before."
Shen Changfeng was somewhat surprised. He had originally intended to have Jiang Yanqing sleep in a guest room. Since she wanted to stay in that dilapidated house herself, even better. Hopefully, snakes, rats, and cockroaches would bite her to death in the middle of the night, or the roof beam would collapse and crush her!
He replied with a sinister tone, "Fine."
After Jiang Yanqing left, Feng Yulian looked worried.
"Marquis, our treasury doesn't even have five hundred thousand taels of silver. Where are we going to get a million taels for Qingqing?"
"Don't worry. She won't get a single tael. Once she marries Prince Cheng's useless son in place of You'er, I'll make sure she dies!"
He truly regretted being too merciful back then, not poisoning that wretched girl Jiang Yanqing along with her mother, leaving himself with such a scourge.
Feng Yulian was overjoyed inwardly, then heard Shen Changfeng add, "For the next few days, keep a low profile. Wear fewer silks and satins, and don't flaunt too much gold, silver, or jewelry."
"Understood."
"Also, 'Qingqing' really isn't appropriate for you to call her. To avoid her hitting you again in the future, just address her as Fourth Miss."
Feng Yulian lowered her head and replied with a grievance, "Yes, Marquis."
…
Jiang Yanqing went to the market and bought herself a bed, a wardrobe, a stove, pots, pans, bowls, spoons, chicken, duck, fish, meat…
She also hired workers to repair the house.
She would be staying at Pingyuan Houfu for a long time, so she couldn't treat herself poorly.
She was busy until dark.
Jiang Yanqing walked into the room where her mother used to live. Everything remained exactly as it was.
Even the faint traces of the blood she had once vomited were still there.
Holding the dusty pillow on the bed, Jiang Yanqing felt as if she were in her mother's embrace. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Mother, I know you would rather your daughter starve on the streets than return to this den of wolves at Pingyuan Houfu.
But rest assured, your daughter has grown up. I will never be bullied again, and I will avenge you, Grandfather, and Grandmother.
No one in Pingyuan Houfu will escape!"