Jiang Xingyan gritted her teeth.
Wasn’t this all money from her shops? How did it become that old hag’s personal funds?
What did you ever do to earn this much?
Even if I bundled you and your four personal maids together and sold you off, you wouldn’t be worth this much!
She did a quick mental calculation.
Wait, the numbers don’t add up.
The shops had been in the old hag’s hands for three years now. The annual turnover from that many shops was far more than this.
Even if the old hag was exceptionally wasteful, she could only spend, at most, one year’s dividends, and she’d have to spend diligently at that.
But from what she had observed, apart from extravagant waste on food—four cold dishes, four hot dishes, one soup, one pastry per meal, with leftovers thrown out—the main residence had no other major expenses. The servants’ wages hadn’t increased at all, and rewards were so scarce they were almost non-existent. As for clothing and jewelry, the only slightly valuable items were the few outfits bought to deceive Huo Ci into thinking she was being treated well. And how much could those possibly cost?
Jiang Xingyan’s mind raced. When it came to accounts, there was nothing she wasn’t clear about. Her grandfather said it was an ancestral ability of the Jiang family.
After thinking it over, only one explanation remained: what the old hag had given her wasn’t all the savings.
She must have kept a significant amount back.
Jiang Xingyan secretly clicked her tongue: What does someone with half a foot in the grave need to hoard so much money for?
In the end, wouldn’t it all be left to her son anyway…
Jiang Xingyan: !
Right. The old hag was afraid that she, Jiang Xingyan, would make a lot of money in the future and not spend it on her son, and might even make her son suffer. That’s why she had step by step forced Jiang Xingyan into her current predicament.
Everything suddenly became clear to Jiang Xingyan.
It really is true: ‘Parents who love their children, plan deeply for them.’
So deeply that they scheme for others’ wealth and plot against others’ lives.
No wonder Huo Ci was so filial to his mother.
Just ask, who wouldn’t like a mother who snatches everything from other families to give to her own son?
She turned her head and shot Huo Ci a mocking glance.
She saw him, burning with shame, practically burying his head in the ground.
Old Madam Huo, seeing the changing expressions on her ‘son’s’ face and his final meaningful look back at that wretched merchant girl, felt a sense of foreboding rise in her heart.
“Ci’er, is there something wrong?”
Jiang Xingyan turned her head, putting on a standard Huo Ci-style smile. “In reply to Honored Mother, your son has just suddenly understood some matters. Henceforth, I will definitely not be used by those with ulterior motives again, damaging the harmony between mother and child.”
Tears of excitement streamed down Old Madam Huo’s face. “My son, it’s wonderful that you understand! Mother’s actions would never harm you.”
Jiang Xingyan nodded from the bottom of her heart: Yes, yes, yes, you just harm me, that’s all.
“Honored Mother, rest early. Your son is off duty tomorrow and will surely go first thing in the morning to find a master to put your mind at ease.”
Jiang Xingyan took the golden nanmu wood box and returned to the subsidiary courtyard.
Huo Ci followed behind her, crestfallen and ashamed.
“A’Yan, I’m sorry, I truly didn’t know—”
“Mm, you didn’t know. You just理所当然 enjoyed privileges beyond what your salary should afford, that’s all.”
Huo Ci’s face turned even redder.
He had no concept of money.
After the great victory over Beiluo and his triumphant return, he had indeed noticed some unwarranted extravagance, especially regarding food.
But he selfishly thought, ‘Mother suffered for most of her life, shouldn’t she be allowed to enjoy her remaining years in peace?’
Yet it never occurred to him to think: Indulgence is one thing, but where is the money coming from?
Now, facing Jiang Xingyan’s accusation, he couldn’t utter a single word in response.
Jiang Xingyan didn’t bother arguing with him further. She snorted coldly, turned, and entered the main room.
Huo Ci stood in the courtyard for a long time. It wasn’t until the night watchman’s clapper sounded the third watch that he finally slunk back to the side room.
He was so useless, he’d better not wear out A’Yan’s body by staying up late.
Jiang Xingyan closed the door, her feelings a tangled mix. When she turned around, Yuan Chunfeng, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, knelt before her with a thud.
“Young Mistress, Yun-ge’er was wrong. I beg for your punishment.”
Qiu Yan and Chun Xue stood to the side, looking uncomfortable.
“Miss, it really wasn’t us who told him.”
Jiang Xingyan nodded. “Mm, not you. He knew all along and has just been putting on an act for me here. Hmph!”
Little Ya in her arms echoed, “Hmph!” She turned her head away, ignoring him.
Bad Uncle, tricking A’niang.
Yuan Chunfeng immediately dropped into a deep kowtow, forehead to the floor. The usually aloof, unapproachable ‘lofty flower’ had truly transformed back into Yun-ge’er in this moment.
Jiang Xingyan quickly sidestepped. “Get up. I’m not me right now, why are you kneeling to him?”
Yuan Chunfeng rose in an instant but still kept his head lowered meekly.
Jiang Xingyan walked past him, sat down at the table, took the tea offered by Qiu Yan, and drank it all in one go.
“Weren’t you feeling weak? Why aren’t you resting properly? What are you doing here?”
Yuan Chunfeng followed behind Jiang Xingyan, saying in a pitiful voice, “Yun-ge’er just didn’t want to make things difficult for the Young Mistress, but I also wanted you to know Yun-ge’er’s heart. That’s why I resorted to this last resort.”
Jiang Xingyan choked on her tea.
She had initially denied her identity for the same reason.
Now that the disguises were stripped away, the relationship between the three of them had indeed become even more delicate.
“Alright, I understand. I’m not blaming you.”
Yuan Chunfeng sighed. “Yun-ge’er wants to scold him a few times and hit him a couple of times every day when I see his face. But then I remember it’s the Young Mistress’s soul inside, and I have to hold back. Yun-ge’er is in a difficult position too.”
His words made Jiang Xingyan laugh, and brought smiles to Qiu Yan and Chun Xue’s faces as well.
“The State Preceptor truly speaks our minds.”
Jiang Xingyan wiped the smile from her face and said seriously, “Yun-ge’er, you said back then you were taken by your master for cultivation. How did you come back?”
Yuan Chunfeng subtly clenched his fingers.
He forced a faint smile, trying hard to keep his voice calm. “Master sent me down the mountain to gain experience.”
Jiang Xingyan, suspecting nothing, nodded. “Yun-ge’er, cultivation must be hard, right? You’ve suffered these years.”
Yuan Chunfeng’s eyes instantly stung, and he forced the tears back.
Young Mistress, you are the one who has truly suffered!
Seeing his sorrowful expression, Jiang Xingyan thought he was remembering the hardships of cultivation. She wanted to pat his shoulder in comfort, but suddenly remembered she was currently in Huo Ci’s body, and withdrew her hand awkwardly.
Damn, it really has become awkward.
She cleared her throat and changed the subject. “Yun-ge’er, Huo Ci and I can’t go on like this. You are a cultivator; do you know how we can switch back?”
A pang of bitterness struck Yuan Chunfeng’s heart. He told her the truth, “It’s only because the fate between you, Young Mistress, and him has not yet been completely severed that you remain entangled like this.”
“Fate?” Jiang Xingyan scoffed coldly.
If in the past, she had felt affection and expectation towards Huo Ci… that was a thing of the distant past.
Ever since her previous life, when she crashed into death before him holding Little Ya’s corpse, the red thread between them should have long since turned to dust.
Chun Xue, rubbing her chin as she recalled the storybooks she’d read in the past, murmured, “Fate? Miss, you’re not saying you and your aunt—ah, bah, you and that guy haven’t divorced yet, are you?”
The eyes of both Yuan Chunfeng and Jiang Xingyan lit up simultaneously.
It really was true that those involved couldn’t see as clearly as the onlookers.
With a marriage certificate still in existence, how could their fate be considered severed?
The two, caught up in their sudden realization, didn’t notice the little one in Jiang Xingyan’s arms quietly letting out a sigh of relief.
She had thought they meant they had to sever her.
After all, she was the daughter of A’niang and Bad Father.
Jiang Xingyan slapped the table. “Once I get all my silver back from that old hag, I’ll definitely force him to agree to a divorce!”