“State your terms.”
“I want three hundred thousand taels of silver.” Jiang Suihuan smiled brightly as she extended her hand. “Either in silver ingots or silver bills will do.”
A flicker of disdain passed through Gu Jin’s eyes. Was the Di Xiaojie of Houfu this petty? Countless people would beg for a favor from him, yet she was only asking for a mere three hundred thousand taels of silver.
He took out a silver bill and placed it on the table. “This is a five hundred thousand tael silver bill, as compensation for saving my life.”
This Beimo Wang was quite generous. Delighted, Jiang Suihuan tucked the silver bill away and called out to Gu Jin, who was about to leave. “Wait, would you be willing to make another transaction with me?”
“Oh?”
No one had ever dared to propose a transaction with him before. Gu Jin suddenly felt a spark of interest. “What kind of transaction does Miss Jiang wish to make with me?”
“The news of your assassination attempt at Luanzang Gang has already spread throughout Jingcheng. Although I don’t know who wants you dead, the fact that they sent twenty to thirty shadow guards to kill you shows that your enmity runs deep. Seeing that you’re still alive, they won’t let this rest.”
Gu Jin narrowed his eyes. “Miss Jiang, this matter has nothing to do with you. For your own safety, I advise you not to meddle in others’ affairs.”
“I have no intention of meddling. This is merely a transaction.” As she spoke, Jiang Suihuan took out a small porcelain bottle and placed it in front of Gu Jin. “It contains two Blood Replenishing Pills that can save your life at a critical moment.”
Gu Jin picked up the bottle, opened it, and brought it under his nose. A faint herbal scent wafted into his nostrils. He smiled mockingly. “You think these two tiny pills can save my life? Do you take me for a three-year-old child?”
“You may doubt my character, but you cannot doubt my medical skills.” Jiang Suihuan confidently raised her head. “Don’t forget who saved you at Luanzang Gang.”
“I’ll take the medicine. What do you want in exchange?”
Gu Jin looked down at Jiang Suihuan, a hint of teasing in his tone. “It’s not silver again, is it? Has Houfu fallen into such poverty that the Di Xiaojie needs to sell medicine to make money?”
“Not silver. I want you to help me investigate something.” Jiang Suihuan intended to show Gu Jin the jade pendant given by the mysterious man from her memories and have him search for that person.
She searched her person but discovered the jade pendant was missing.
Just then, a short bird call sounded from outside the window. A sharp glint flashed in Gu Jin’s eyes, and his entire demeanor turned murderous. He said in a low voice, “I have urgent matters to attend to tonight. When Miss Jiang finds that item, come find me at Bei Mo Prince Manor.”
Before Jiang Suihuan could react, Gu Jin vanished in a flash.
Jiang Suihuan sat down and took a sip of tea. It was just a jade pendant—if it was lost, so be it.
She had originally wanted Gu Jin to find the mysterious man so she could demand child support from him. But upon second thought, losing the pendant might be for the best. Who knew whether that mysterious man was good or evil?
Now that she had obtained enough silver from Beimo Wang, she could buy a house and move in.
Otherwise, if Houye and Hou Furen saw her belly growing larger and mistakenly thought it was Chu Jue’s child, it would be even more troublesome.
As for the unfinished transaction with Beimo Wang… well, there would be opportunities to make use of it sooner or later.
At the same time, in Prince Nanming Chu Jue’s chamber, Jiang Meier dismissed all the servants and pulled out a jade pendant from her bosom. Seeing the character “Gu” engraved on it, she slowly smiled.
That day at the Houfu, when she had pushed Jiang Suihuan to the ground, she had keenly spotted this jade pendant falling from Jiang Suihuan’s person.
Jiang Suihuan had been in such pain with her eyes tightly shut, so Jiang Meier took the opportunity to secretly slip the pendant into her own sleeve. Though she was immediately kicked away, it was worth it.
Jiang Meier had seen this jade pendant before and recognized its owner—a person of such high status in Dayuan that they stood second only to the emperor, above all others.
She didn’t know where Jiang Suihuan had picked up this jade pendant, but it didn’t matter. The pendant was in her hands now! It would surely prove greatly useful to her in the future…
The door creaked open, and Jiang Meier swiftly hid the pendant, swaying her graceful figure as she went to greet him. “My Prince, you’re back. Are you tired today? Let your humble wife massage your shoulders.”
Chu Jue gently embraced Jiang Meier’s waist. “Only Mei’er knows how to care for me. That venomous woman Jiang Suihuan isn’t worth even one of your fingers.”
Jiang Meier sighed. “Elder sister grew up in the Zhuangzi and inevitably picked up some bad habits. Ah, it’s all my fault.”
“What fault is yours?” Chu Jue snorted coldly. “If Jiang Suihuan hadn’t returned, you would have been the one to marry me from the start.”
“Your humble wife is already content to be your Ce Fei,” Jiang Meier said softly, wrapping her arms around Chu Jue’s neck.
Feeling a tickle in his throat, Chu Jue picked up Jiang Meier and carried her toward the bed. “Mei’er, this prince will never let you suffer. Not only will I make you my Zheng Fei, but I will marry you again with all the ceremonies befitting a principal wife.”
Their voices gradually faded behind the bed curtains.
Half a month later, in Yuefang Lou, the premier restaurant of Jingcheng, patrons were eagerly chatting.
“Have you heard? Prince Nanming is taking a Zheng Fei in three days. There will surely be many nobles and officials present. Let’s go join the excitement.”
“What? Doesn’t Prince Nanming already have a Zheng Fei? How can he take another?”
“Have you just returned to Jingcheng? How could you not know? Prince Nanming has divorced his previous Zheng Fei and is now going to marry his Ce Fei with the ceremonies of a principal wife. They say this Ce Fei and the Prince grew up together, and it was the previous Zheng Fei who interfered.”
“How touching. I never knew Prince Nanming was such a romantic.”
“Romantic, my foot!” suddenly came a voice from the corner.
The restaurant quieted as patrons turned toward the source of the voice. They saw a handsome young man sitting at a table with a disdainful expression, while a round-faced youth beside him frantically tried to cover his mouth.
These two were none other than Jiang Suihuan and Ying Tao in disguise, out for a stroll. Jiang Suihuan, tired from walking, had come in for a bite to eat, only to overhear everyone discussing Chu Jue and Jiang Meier. After listening for a while, she couldn’t help but sneer.
Noticing everyone’s attention, she coughed lightly and explained, “Misunderstanding, misunderstanding. We were talking about someone else.”
The patrons then turned their attention away.
Jiang Suihuan breathed a sigh of relief, then gritted her teeth and muttered under her breath, “Chu Jue and Jiang Meier are no childhood sweethearts! It’s only because I was engaged to Chu Jue that Jiang Meier grew jealous and deliberately seduced him, leading them to pledge themselves to each other first!”
Ying Tao handed her a cup of tea sympathetically, whispering, “Miss, please bear with it a little. Don’t ruin your health over such people.”
“Bear it? Enduring only gives me breast hyperplasia—I won’t tolerate it! We’re already divorced, yet they’re still out there tarnishing my reputation. Those two bastards!” Jiang Suihuan abruptly stood up. “I’ve lost my appetite. Let’s return to the Houfu.”
Before they even reached the Houfu, Jiang Suihuan spotted from afar two bright red lanterns hanging at the entrance, a large double happiness character pasted on the door, and the courtyard filled with red lanterns, creating a bustling and festive scene.
Hou Furen stood in the courtyard directing servants to hang lanterns, her beaming smile striking Jiang Suihuan as particularly glaring.
Jiang Suihuan froze in place. Judging by Hou Furen’s enthusiasm, it seemed as though Jiang Meier were her own daughter, far more cherished than the original host had been during her wedding.
Even Ying Tao, as a maid, couldn’t stand it anymore. She tugged at Jiang Suihuan’s sleeve, suggesting, “Miss, let’s stroll around a bit more. Didn’t you love the pastries from Huaiyang Mansion? Let’s buy some to enjoy.”
“How could I possibly eat anything now?”
Frowning deeply, Jiang Suihuan strode toward Hou Furen and demanded, “Mother, what are you doing?”