Jiang Yao held Pei Xingyu’s hand, smiling faintly as she said, “Xingyu, this Buyao hairpin and this set of Tou Mian head ornaments cannot be lent to you. These pink pearls were obtained by my mother when I was young, specially prepared as my dowry. They represent my mother’s affection for me…”
Pei Xingyu was unconvinced.
“Sister-in-law, I just want to borrow them to wear.”
After all, once borrowed, they would become hers.
She struggled vigorously to free her hand but found she couldn’t break free.
“Xingyu.” Jiang Yao sneered inwardly but maintained a calm expression. “You haven’t returned any of the jewelry you previously borrowed from me.”
Upon hearing this, Pei Xingyu’s face darkened with displeasure.
“What do you mean by that, sister-in-law? Do you think I would covet your jewelry? Besides, you’re my favorite sister-in-law. Weren’t those pieces usually gifts from you?”
Liu Shi also grew angry. “What’s wrong with letting her wear them? Go fetch your entire set of pearl head ornaments for her right now.”
Pei Xingyue suddenly sensed something amiss.
She wanted to intervene and advise Xingyu not to cause trouble at this moment.
It would be better to ask Jiang Yao for the head ornaments and jewelry in a couple of days.
Moreover, she had a feeling that something was off about today’s events…
Jiang Yao remained seated motionless, still gripping Pei Xingyu’s arm, but her words displeased the entire Pei family.
“Xingyu, you were mistaken earlier. All those jewelry pieces were borrowed from me, not given as gifts.”
Pei Xingyu’s temper flared upon hearing this.
It was true that she had borrowed those jewelry items from Jiang Yao before.
But everyone had tacitly assumed they were gifts for her.
“Sister-in-law, what do you mean by this? Are you trying to go back on your word? You’re just a merchant’s daughter – marrying my brother was your blessing. In the future, he can even help you obtain an Imperial Mandate for you. Now you’re throwing a fit over merely borrowing a set of head ornaments?”
The Pei family members all agreed with this sentiment.
They believed Jiang Yao was merely a merchant’s daughter who had married into the Pei family, and now the Pei family was her only support.
Later, when Mu Zheng’s official position rose higher, he could secure an Imperial Mandate for her.
Otherwise, as a lowly Jiang family who had climbed up to their Pei family, she should focus more on caring for the Pei family and spending her money on them.
Jiang Yao looked at Pei Xingyu. “But don’t forget that Shen Yuanwu stole my identity. Since you look down on my current status so much, then return all the jewelry you previously borrowed from me.”
Pei Xingyu finally couldn’t contain herself and burst out angrily.
“Jiang Yao, who do you think you are! How dare you compare yourself to Sister Shen? Sister Shen is exceptionally talented and cares about the world. And you want to steal Sister Shen’s status as Commandery Princess? Besides, you nearly caused trouble at the Guogong Fu, almost damaging our family’s reputation. I don’t even dare to go out now. You used to say you cared for me, but now you won’t even give me jewelry?”
Upon hearing this, Pei Xingyue closed her eyes.
She knew things were about to go badly.
Even Old Madam Pei’s expression changed.
Sure enough, upon hearing these words, Jiang Yao’s face turned deathly pale as she released Pei Xingyu’s hand.
“Xingyu, what do you mean by that? How did I nearly damage the family’s reputation? What does the Guogong Fu incident have to do with me? If anyone should be embarrassed, it’s Shen Yuanwu. You’re my family, and now you want to slander me with baseless accusations?”
Pei Xingyu, also filled with anger, stiffened her neck and said.
“Exactly, if you ask me…”
“Xingyu!”
The Pei family seemed to know her next words would be improper.
Old Madam Pei spoke up trying to stop her.
But it was already too late.
Pei Xingyu had already shouted, “In my opinion, you shouldn’t have appeared at all! You should have hidden away to preserve my brother and Sister Shen’s reputation! What use does a merchant’s daughter have for reputation anyway?”
Jiang Yao’s face instantly turned pale.
She stared at Pei Xingyu, her eyes reddening.
“So, as my family, this is how you truly feel? Don’t tell me you’re thinking that if I lose my reputation, your brother might demote me from wife to Qie, or have me drowned in a pond, so all my possessions would become yours?”
Pei Xingyu pressed her lips together.
That was exactly what she had been thinking.
After all, it was just a set of Tou Mian she refused to give.
Marrying into the Pei family was her chance to elevate her status—otherwise she would forever remain a merchant’s daughter!
If she couldn’t even part with one set of head ornaments, she might as well die. Then Second Brother could even marry a princess or Commandery Princess!
Jiang Yao seemed to have a sudden realization and glared furiously at Pei Muzheng.
Pei Muzheng glared back at Pei Xingyu, “Xingyu, apologize to your sister-in-law at once!”
Old Madam Pei also scolded angrily, “Xingyu, what nonsense are you spouting!”
The eldest sister Pei Xingyu was utterly infuriated—their younger sister had been utterly spoiled by their mother, spouting such outrageous words.
Only Madam Pei, Liu Shi, remained silent, her eyes flickering.
She genuinely disliked this daughter-in-law and felt her younger daughter spoke truth—how could she be so stingy about a mere set of head ornaments?
Tsk, if only the affairs of the Guogong Fu were in her hands, she would have had her drowned in a pond!
Then the dowry could be kept, and her son could marry a high-born daughter from an aristocratic family.
“Why should I apologize!” Pei Xingyu felt she had done nothing wrong. “She never genuinely cared for me anyway.”
“Your family is utterly despicable!” Jiang Yao broke down in tears, pointing at Pei Xingyu. “When I first met your brother, what kind of life were you living? Barely enough to eat, wearing old clothes and simple hairpins! Staring at me with longing eyes.”
“These years I’ve raised you like precious gold and jade, yet you show no gratitude. Instead, you slander me and even wish me drowned. Pei Xingyu, you are nothing but a selfish, ungrateful wretch!”
Without waiting for Pei Xingyu to retort, Jiang Yao seemed to have lost all reason in her rage.
She grabbed the large Fugui Chanzhi Lianwen soup bowl from the table and hurled its contents at Pei Xingyu.
The bowl contained chicken soup, likely somewhat greasy and barely touched, sealed by a layer of oil, and still quite hot.
A large bowl of soup—grease mixed with chicken pieces, bamboo shoots, ham, and other ingredients—half splashed over Pei Xingyu’s head and face, while the other half drenched Liu Shi, who was seated beside her.
The large soup bowl crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces.
Both women screamed from the scalding heat, hopping on the spot in utter disarray.
“Ahhh, it’s so hot!”
“It’s burning me! You little bitch, how dare you splash me!”
Chaos instantly erupted around them.
Old Madam Pei clutched her chest in fright, her face ashen.
“Someone, help! Quickly!”
Pei Muzheng, experiencing such a scene for the first time, was at a complete loss for how to react.
Pei Xingyue stood frozen, seemingly unable to comprehend how things had escalated to this point.
Her own sister and mother had been splashed by Jiang Yao!
Jiang Yao gave them no time to recover, sobbing as she declared, “Since you despise me so much, from now on I will no longer manage this household! You can manage it yourselves!”
“I must go back and ask my biological father, Marquis Wu’an, to ask him: Your Pei family has always called me the daughter of a merchant, and now you even try to slander me, to Submerge me in the pond, and covet my dowry! I want to ask my father if there is such reasoning in this world.”