"Insubordination is a serious crime in our dynasty, yet Grandmother casually pins it on me with just a word. If this is how Grandmother values her granddaughter, then I cannot accept it."
Yu Zhi Yue closed her eyes, suppressing the bitterness and sorrow of this moment, then turned and bowed to Lan Jin: "Miss, I was wrong."
Lan Jin helped her up. Before coming here, Zhi Yue had still held hope for this grandmother who had once doted on her, believing that her grandmother was unaware of all this. She hadn’t exposed it, but now she had witnessed and felt it firsthand, hadn’t she?
"Marquis Chengen, I will take away Madam Qi’s bridal dowry and her remains." Lan Jin stepped forward a few paces. "Do you intend to stop me?"
Before Yu Qing could say anything, Old Madam erupted in anger: "Whose girl are you, daring to be so insolent in the Marquis Mansion!"
Lan Jin chuckled softly: "I dare to be even more insolent. Would Chengenhou Manor like to test me?"
This was a threat.
Everyone present looked toward Marquis Chengen, known throughout the capital for his deep affection and righteousness. If he could endure even this, the truth of the matter would become quite interesting.
Yu Qing felt his blood surge, his face flushed with a dark red and reddened with black. Even through his clothes, one could see his chest heaving rapidly.
Lan Jin waited quietly without urging, even taking the leisure to smooth the young girl’s hair. She knew—Marquis Chengen would not dare.
Marquis Chengen closed his eyes. "After today, we can—"
Lan Jin interrupted him: "I will take away Madam Qi’s bridal dowry and remains. Right now. No waiting, no delays."
Marquis Chengen desperately wanted to ask: What if he refused? What then!
But he did not dare.
The visitor was too confident, while he—was guilty.
He understood the specifics of this threat better than anyone else. If he dared to stop her, the other party would publicly exhume Madam Qi’s remains.
If he accepted the threat, the other party would still take away Qi Jia Min’s remains but would not make a spectacle of it.
For families like theirs, face was more important than anything. Some matters, even if widely known or rumored everywhere, could be treated as if nothing had happened—as long as they were not openly exposed or witnessed by all.
Clearly, the other party was well-versed in this, using the third matter to threaten him into agreeing to the second.
His throat tightened as Marquis Chengen gritted his teeth, forcing a smile and clasping his hands in a bow to the guests. "I apologize for making a spectacle. The Marquis Mansion must handle private matters. I will make amends to everyone another day."
"No rush." Lan Jin opened the dowry list and glanced at it. "Back then, Madam Qi entered Chengenhou Manor in a grand procession with a ten-mile bridal procession, marrying in full view of the entire city. Now that she has severed all ties with Chengenhou Manor, I ask everyone to bear witness."
The crowd, never one to shy away from drama, had no intention of leaving. Upon hearing this, they rooted themselves in place, not moving an inch.
Even Old Madam, who usually stayed out of affairs, now sensed something was wrong and turned to look at her son.
Lan Jin scanned the dowry list a few times and noticed something. She glanced at Second Madam and smiled. "Second Madam, the head ornaments you’re wearing today look remarkably similar to the nineteen-piece red-gold magpie-on-plum blossom head ornaments listed in Madam Qi’s dowry. Could it be that after managing the household for so long, you’ve grown accustomed to using them?"
Second Madam flushed crimson with embarrassment. She had been using Madam Qi’s belongings for years and had long considered them her own. She particularly liked this set of head ornaments, which was why she had worn them on such a festive occasion today. She never expected to be exposed so openly.
If this spread, how could she ever show her face in the capital again?
Second Madam gently tugged at the Marquis’s sleeve, tears welling in her eyes.
Usually the most susceptible to this act, Yu Qing now abruptly shook off her hand and said coldly, "Who allowed you to touch Madam's belongings!"
"Marquis…"
"Take them off immediately!"
Second Madam was filled with reluctance but dared not disobey.
Watching this scene, Lan Jin smiled and added another act for them: "Zhi Yue, those are your mother's things. Go retrieve them."
Yu Zhi Yue clenched her fists inside her sleeves. During her years in the old hometown, she had been strictly supervised—this was forbidden, that was forbidden—developing a timid and fearful nature. But after half a year with the young lady, she had not remained entirely unchanged.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward: "Concubine, I will be gentle."
The word 'concubine' made Second Madam sway slightly. Over the years, she had endured much humiliation, and she could bear having her hairpins removed in public, but to be called 'concubine'?
"I am the Second Madam of the Marquis Mansion. Even as the legitimate daughter, you should show me some respect."
Yu Zhi Yue took the most eye-catching hairpin from the nineteen pieces, lowered her gaze to meet Second Madam's furious eyes, and thought about how the young lady would behave in this situation. Mimicking the young lady's usual demeanor, she curled her lips into a smile, though her eyes held no warmth: "Could it be that I misremembered? Did Second Madam not enter the mansion as a concubine back then?"
"…" This was the past Second Madam least wanted mentioned. Now that it was brought up publicly, she was both angry and resentful.
But Yu Zhi Yue had no intention of stopping there. The young lady had said: if you have a grievance, take revenge—don't wait for others to show mercy and harm themselves before you!
"I remember when you first came seeking refuge with Grandmother, you had nothing. My mother pitied and cared for you, never forgetting to share good things with you, and even arranged to find you a good match. Yet, who would have thought you would climb into my father's bed."
Yu Zhi Yue removed a pearl flower, pretending not to see Second Madam's vicious glare, and continued: "You said you admired my father and were willing to stay by his side even as a concubine. If you don't remember, it doesn't matter—there were many witnesses at the time. If you feel I've wronged you, shall we confront them?"
Lan Jin gently stroked the coffin and smiled. Her efforts had not been in vain—even if she left her side in the future, she would not be easily bullied.
Sensing a gaze distinctly different from the others, Lan Jin lowered her head, turned slightly, and suddenly looked up. A figure disappeared around the corner.
Judging from the back, the person was tall, with an upright posture and good bearing, wearing a guard uniform. Which family's guard was he?
But it didn't feel right.
If he were a guard brought by a guest, he would not be so rude as to wander around while the host family was handling household matters.
But if he were from Chengenhou Manor, his actions didn't seem to fit either. Instead, it seemed as though he was using the commotion here to attract everyone's attention while taking the opportunity to do something.
Lan Jin turned a few thoughts over in her mind but didn't dwell on them too much. It didn't matter if someone had a grudge against Chengenhou Manor—as long as they didn't interfere with her plans.
After all, she had just returned to the capital. Before anyone could figure out her background, it was unlikely anyone would easily oppose her.
As for Chengenhou, they were still in the process of settling grudges. If he wanted revenge, he would have to wait until she finished settling her own scores first.
Once Zhi Yue had removed all nineteen pieces of jewelry, Lan Jin looked at Yu Qing: "Please lead the way, Chengenhou."
Having come this far, Yu Qing had no other choice but to lead her inside.
The crowd of onlookers surged forward, following them.
At the corner, the tall man stepped out and watched them leave.
The person following behind waited until everyone had left the courtyard before asking quietly, "Sir, should we investigate her?"
"Yu Qing is currently tied up, making this the perfect opportunity to search for the item. Let's focus on the main task first."
"Understood."