Shen Yingxue's words of rebuke carried a hint of sourness. As the daughter of a high-ranking official, she had never even touched her family's heirloom jade pendant, while Shen Lixue, this lowly country bumpkin, wore it every day, truly an insult to the pure jade pendant.
“Li Xue has worn the jade pendant for over ten years and has developed feelings for it. If you suddenly ask her to give it up, she will definitely be sad. Let her wear it for a while longer!” At first glance, Lei’s words seemed to be making excuses for Shen Li Xue, but upon closer examination, they were actually accusing Shen Li Xue of being greedy for the jade pendant and unwilling to hand it over.
"Li Xue, do you really not want to hand over the jade pendant?" Shen Minghui lowered his voice, his gaze cold, and the teacup in his hand made a slight sound. That jade pendant should have been worn by a man of the Shen family. She, a woman, had worn it for more than ten years. She should be content.
"It's not that I don't want to hand over the jade pendant, but this jade pendant is the only memento my mother left me before she died. If I hand it over, what will I do when I miss my mother?" Shen Lixue secretly glanced at the cup in Shen Minghui's hand, her eyes full of mockery. He was preparing to use the guards to force her, he was truly despicable.
Shen Yingxue pouted, her gaze intentionally or unintentionally drifting towards the crystal-clear jade pendant: "Sister, if you don't want to pay, just say so. Don't make up so many high-sounding reasons!"
"I can hand over the jade pendant, but I have a condition!" Shen Lixue didn't care about the Shen family's heirloom jade pendant at all, but she didn't want to hand it over easily and let Lei Shi and Shen Yingxue's scheme succeed.
"What are the conditions?" Shen Minghui, Shen Yingxue, and Lei asked in unison, their eyes eager.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow. This family of three really had a tacit understanding!
"I used this jade pendant to remember my mother. If you want it back, you can exchange it for something that belongs to my mother, but that thing must be of equal value to this jade pendant!" Shen Lixue said with a smile. The jade pendant was worth a million taels of silver. If they exchanged it for something worth a hundred or a thousand taels, wouldn't she lose a lot of money? Therefore, she proposed an equal exchange.
Lei Shi, Shen Yingxue's expectant gaze instantly dimmed. Lin Qingzhu was already dead. Exchange her belongings for the jade pendant? Li Xue was clearly deliberately making things difficult.
Shen Minghui's face was also terribly gloomy: "The fire fifteen years ago destroyed all of your mother's dowry. Not to mention anything worth a million taels of silver, not even a hairpin or a pair of earrings could be found!"
“When I was little, I heard my mother say that when you left the capital for Qingzhou, you sold half of her dowry. Among that dowry was a rare treasure worth a million taels of silver…” Shen Lixue smiled brightly and charmingly. Fifteen years ago, Shen Minghui actually relied on selling most of his wife’s dowry to cover his travel expenses. What a useless man!
Shen Yingxue gritted her teeth in anger. This bitch was actually tormenting people in a roundabout way.
Shen Minghui's cough worsened, his large hands clenched tighter, and his face darkened further: "Fifteen years have passed, and the dowry that was sold off has long since disappeared. That rare treasure is even more untraceable. How about I exchange another precious item for the jade pendant..."
“You are Prime Minister Qingyan, with extensive connections. If you put your mind to investigating something, you will definitely find out. It’s just a matter of time. Besides, I want my mother’s things to remember her. No matter how valuable the things you give me are, they have nothing to do with my mother. What use are they to me?” Shen Lixue had no mood to bargain with Shen Minghui. She wanted to exchange Lin Qingzhu’s dowry for the jade pendant.
“Noble families love to collect treasures. What if someone keeps that rare treasure and refuses to part with it? Wouldn’t you have to wear that jade pendant for the rest of your life?” Shen Yingxue retorted indignantly, subtly implying that Shen Lixue wanted to keep the jade pendant for herself.
“Besides the rare treasure, my mother has many dowry items that have been lost. As long as you gather items worth a million taels of silver, this jade pendant will be yours!” Shen Lixue smiled slightly, her eyes sincere. She only wanted Lin Qingzhu’s dowry in exchange for the rare treasure. She wasn’t deliberately making things difficult for them.
“You…” Shen Yingxue glared at Shen Lixue, her beautiful eyes almost spitting fire with anger. Lin Qingzhu’s dowry had been sold off for fifteen years, and the items were scattered to who knows where. It was harder than climbing to heaven to gather items worth a million taels of silver. What was Shen Lixue’s request if not to make things difficult?
They plotted against Shen Lixue to make her suffer and be humiliated, but in the end, they were the ones who were controlled by Shen Lixue, and they became the ones who suffered and were humiliated. How despicable!
Ever since Shen Lixue came to the Prime Minister's residence, they haven't had a single good day. That wretched woman is a jinx; wherever she goes, misfortune follows.
Shen Minghui's face was terribly gloomy, and his hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. If Li Xue had said directly that she would not hand over the jade pendant, he would have ordered the guards to come in and forcibly seize the jade pendant on the grounds that his daughter was unfilial. But she proposed an equal exchange, not that she would not hand it over, but that she had conditions.
Over the years, he had wronged Shen Lixue and her mother first. The jade pendant was given to Shen Lixue as compensation. Shen Lixue's attitude was acceptable. If he dared to forcibly take it, he would be scorned by everyone and ridiculed by the world. When did he, the dignified Prime Minister of Qingyan, become led by the nose by his own daughter...
A wave of nausea choked Shen Minghui, making it hard to breathe. His throat moved, his vision went black, his mind went blank, and his body slumped to the ground.
"Dad..."
"father……"
Shen Yingxue and Shen Caixuan exclaimed in surprise and rushed towards Shen Minghui.
Shen Lixue 'accidentally' stepped on Shen Yingxue's skirt, causing Shen Yingxue to lose her balance and fall heavily onto Shen Caixuan beside her, knocking her to the ground. She saw stars and felt pain all over her body.
Shen Caixuan cried out in pain and instinctively pushed Shen Yingxue, who was pressing down on her. Shen Yingxue rolled to the side, landing on her injured arm, and screamed in alarm. The entire hall instantly descended into chaos...
Shen Lixue put down her teacup, ignoring the chaotic living room, and slowly walked out. The jade pendant in her hand shimmered in the sunlight. The noisy commotion around her made Shen Lixue smile coldly: What a boring farce. Shen Minghui has been in a bad mood lately, and he made her so angry that she fainted!
Shen Lixue followed the bluestone path to the back door, where Qiu He and a man in armor were waiting. The man was holding a large black dog, which, upon closer inspection, was the same dog that had pounced on the white-robed Taoist in the living room.
Upon seeing Shen Lixue, Qiu He and the guard quickly bowed:
"Young Miss!"
"Miss Shen!"
Shen Lixue smiled and nodded, looking at the guard: "Thank you, young man!"
"I dare not accept such praise. I will obey General Lin's orders!" The guard lowered his head slightly and answered respectfully.
On the small bridge, Shen Lixue realized something was wrong. After shaking off Ding Mama, she returned to the bamboo garden. Lin Yan led his guards to search for the person in the vicinity and prepared hunting dogs. Shen Lixue then asked Qiuhe to borrow a note from Lin Yan in case of emergency. Unexpectedly, it came in handy.
"Is General Lin still patrolling the streets?" Shen Lixue asked softly.
"Yes," the guard replied respectfully.
"Please lead the way, young man. I want to see him and thank him in person!" Shen Lixue smiled politely. It was one thing for Lei Shi and Shen Yingxue to set a trap to steal the jade pendant, but why did they force her to change her name? Was there some mystery to her name?
Fifteen years ago, Lin Yan was only three years old and didn't understand anything. But he grew up with his uncle and aunt, so he might know something. He should go and ask them.
---Aside---
Thank you all for the flowers, diamonds, votes, tips, and silent support! I'll make a list when I have time. Thank you so much! *kisses*
Witty Remarks 071: The Prince Gets Jealous
In the spacious and bright study, Lin Yan sat at his desk, working intently and attentively. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window onto him, making his young face appear even more handsome.
“Cousin Yan!” Shen Lixue smiled and slowly walked forward.
Lin Yan turned around and saw Shen Lixue. His eyes lit up: "Lixue, what are you doing here?"
"I've come to thank you!" With that, Shen Lixue reached the table. The letters on the table weren't military secrets, so Lin Yan wasn't worried about her seeing them. He ignored them and smiled, "Did that hunting dog help you?"
"Yes, it helped me get that charlatan thrown in jail!" Shen Lixue nodded with a smile.
"That's good!" Lin Yan smiled warmly, like a kind older brother.
Shen Lixue's smiling eyes narrowed slightly as she tentatively asked, "Cousin Yan, Uncle, or Aunt have they mentioned anything to you about me and my mother?"