That day, she said her usual pleasant words to coax the Old Madam into good spirits.
This place was quiet and secluded. Ordinarily, only Qin Wenyan would come to visit frequently after returning to the residence. Now that Qin Liangyu had joined them, the Old Madam, recalling her grandson's entreaties, treated her quite well.
Seeing that she had the Old Madam thoroughly delighted, Qin Liangyu finally spoke up: "Grandmother, Liangyu has heard that in another month it will be Fourth Brother's birthday. I wish to leave the residence to purchase a gift for him, but as you know, Mother…"
The Old Madam caught the unspoken meaning in her words, and seeing that she was acting out of devotion for her most beloved grandson, how could she refuse? She immediately said: "What difficulty is there in that? I shall send someone to speak with your mother presently. After you've had your midday meal, simply go and retrieve the residence token."
Qin Liangyu responded in a sweet voice, then turned the conversation to the flowers and plants in the Old Madam's courtyard, and for a time all was warm and harmonious.
After the midday meal, Qin Liangyu tidied herself up, then instructed Lu Yi to bring along the medicinal herbs that had not yet been exchanged for silver that day, and went straight to Ruyi Hall.
Upon entering the hall, Madam Fang was already seated with a gloomy expression, and she showed no kindness upon seeing her.
Qin Liangyu laughed inwardly, yet still performed a respectful bow with feigned deference. "Greetings, Mother. Mother must already know—Liangyu has obtained Grandmother's permission and has come to retrieve the residence token."
Looking at the young woman before her, whose words could hardly be faulted, Madam Fang could not help but feel a moment of disorientation.
This Fifth Miss—she had grown thoroughly weary of her. Every single matter in recent days had been because of her. In the past, she had thought of her as nothing more than a solitary, weak girl surviving at her mercy, and had never paid her any mind, simply leaving her in the residence to be bullied by others.
But now, looking at this person she had not properly regarded in a long time—
She had actually blossomed into a graceful, elegant young woman, standing like a fresh lotus after rain, as if the very scenery around her had been drawn into a painting alongside her. Her beauty was rare and unmatched, yet it subtly emanated a flowing, shifting elegance.
A temperament entirely at odds with her pure, refined appearance—yet when blended together, it was strangely breathtaking.
When had she grown into such a startling form!
Her expression darkened on the spot, and she spoke coldly: "Times have changed. Fifth Miss is truly formidable now, using the Old Madam to pressure me?"
Qin Liangyu gave a light laugh: "Mother, what are you saying? How could this be called pressure? When an elder instructs, a junior obeys—is that not only proper?"
Hearing this, Madam Fang laughed in return: "You have the Old Madam backing you now, so naturally I can do nothing about it. But I, as your mother, am also an elder… Don't you forget that."
Qin Liangyu inclined her body slightly: "Of course. Mother has shown Liangyu much care in the past, and Liangyu holds every instance dear in her heart."
Having obtained the residence token, the two of them left the residence.
By the time the fourth month arrived, the weather had grown somewhat sultry, and young men of noble families often made appointments to go out and enjoy themselves together. The streets were bustling and crowded, full of life and noise.
Qin Liangyu led Lu Yi straight to the medicinal herbs shop. When the pile of herbs was laid out, the shopkeeper's eyes went red with greed—yet he saw that the two young women before him were not particularly well-dressed. The one in front was exceedingly beautiful, to be sure, but she likely had no significant background.
So he decided to take advantage of their supposed ignorance of the market, and began clicking away at his abacus: "These herbs—worth about fifty taels of silver."
Lu Yi's eyes curved into crescents.
Fifty taels? She had never in her life seen so much silver.
Qin Liangyu, however, turned cold. "Shopkeeper, you're taking advantage of our unfamiliar faces. This ginseng alone is five hundred years old—worth at least three hundred taels of silver—yet you're pressing the price this low. That's hardly honest dealing."
The shopkeeper panicked, never expecting this seemingly naive young woman to have such sharp eyes, but still insisted, "Three hundred taels then, not a copper more."
Qin Liangyu picked up the herbs from her bundle and made as if to leave the shop. "Then I'll have to go tell everyone how cheap the goods in this shop are, and invite them all to come. And if you change your prices by then, don't blame me for filing a complaint with the Shuntian Prefecture."
Only then did the shopkeeper deflate and beg for mercy. Everyone knew that since the Regent had taken power, he placed great importance on the merchant class.
But he had also issued strict laws forbidding the inflation of prices or arbitrary pricing.
If this woman filed a complaint against him, he could forget about doing business for the rest of his life—he'd likely be rotting in a prison cell.
He immediately dropped his airs, smiling until his eyes squinted shut. "I was merely joking with you, young miss."
He then carefully renegotiated the prices.
By the time Qin Liangyu and Lu Yi walked out of the herb shop, they had over seven hundred taels in banknotes tucked in their bosom.
Lu Yi was dumbfounded, feeling as if she were walking on air. Not only had her young lady grown formidable these past days, but they now had money too!
She couldn't help but marvel to Qin Liangyu at Young Master Biao's extravagance—the herbs he'd casually given them were so precious.
Lu Yi patted the banknotes again, about to ask something, when she spotted a carriage approaching on the street. It was large and exquisite, clearly extraordinary at a glance, bearing a mark she couldn't decipher.
Qin Liangyu saw it too. Her eyes churned with turbulent waves, hatred rising within them, though she recovered her composure in an instant, watching in silence without a word.
She hadn't expected to encounter this person so soon.
Before long, the carriage curtain rolled up. From her angle, which was excellent, she swept her gaze across and saw the figure inside lounging lazily against the window frame, sleeves slightly lifted, pressing down on the curtain with elegant, well-defined fingers. Sunlight spilled down, obscuring his features in shadow.
But she could imagine his expression at that moment—his sharply defined face would surely bear no emotion, his eyes slightly slanted and distant, and he would give a faint, subtle frown.
She had once loved him most in this state, thinking her husband possessed natural majesty and solemn dignity. But now, thinking back, she wished she could gouge out her own eyes from that time, and felt great regret that such a face should belong to a man so faithless and unjust!
The common folk lining the streets seemed to recognize the carriage, and excitement rippled through them instantly.
Qin Liangyu overheard the chatter of the people around her.
"It's the Regent! We truly have him to thank—otherwise we wouldn't be living such good days now."
Someone chimed in: "The Regent is mighty indeed. Just a few months ago he raided the Zhenbei General's mansion for conspiring with the enemy to betray the state. What a satisfying sight."
"And that's not all. I have a cousin who works as a maidservant in the Regent's household—she says the Regent's consort was also a daughter of the Zhenbei General's mansion. She passed away some days ago too, though her funeral rites were conducted with great solemnity."
The person beside them sighed: "The Prince and his consort were once a devoted couple, but the General's mansion committed evil deeds—no one else is to blame. The Prince has already shown extraordinary mercy."
For a moment, the surrounding commoners once again praised him with genuine sincerity—the current Regent was not only decisive in his judgments but also deeply loyal and righteous.
The noise buzzed all around, and Qin Liangyu turned these words over in her mind again and again, growing ever more moved. He truly was, as always, strategizing from within his tent, leaving nothing to chance.
But that was fine. One day, she would make Shen Weiyi pay back every last bit of this, with interest. When that time came, she would naturally see his reputation ruined, condemned by the world's words and pens.