Cui Huan nodded. "It's great that you think this way."
Wei Dongling smiled. "Besides, whether Yu Zixi is willing to defy the imperial edict and go with me or turn around and marry He Yao, it doesn't matter. Anyway, he's handed over all the silver he earned in these years to me. I feel quite at ease spending the hard - earned money of another woman's future husband. I have to say it tastes really good!"
Cui Huan couldn't help laughing. Just as the two of them were about to go back hand in hand, they saw He Yao standing nearby, her face ashen with anger. No one knew how long she had been standing there. It was estimated that she had heard every word of their conversation.
He Yao's maid was also extremely angry upon hearing Wei Dongling's words. Seeing that her mistress looked terrible but still gritted her teeth and said nothing, she couldn't help stepping forward angrily. "How could there be such a brazen person in this world? My lady has been engaged to Young Master Yu since childhood, yet you still shamelessly throw yourself at him! You're really a disgrace!"
Wei Dongling sneered. "What is shame? Your honorable County Mistress of Rong'an made a promise with her golden words but still owes me five thousand taels of silver. Now when we meet, instead of repaying the debt, you even pour salt on my wounds. Then you'll know what shame is!"
The maid was stunned and quickly turned to look at He Yao. Seeing He Yao's even uglier face, she was surprised and wondered in her heart. Could it be that this woman was telling the truth?
Seeing that they were speechless, Wei Dongling smiled calmly and said to He Yao, "If County Mistress really has financial difficulties, it's okay. You just need to tell me. I can give you a 2% discount on the five - thousand - tael debt. You only need to pay me four thousand nine hundred taels. I'll consider the remaining one hundred taels as a gift for you to buy rouge and powder. You don't need to thank me. It's what I should do as your younger sister. By the way, are you going to pay me in silver or silver notes, County Mistress?"
He Yao:......
Maid:......
Wei Dongling touched the delicate cuffs of her dress on her own and smiled generously. "Copper coins are also okay! It's okay. I have plenty of time to count them slowly!"
He Yao's face turned extremely ugly. That night in Xingshan, she really wanted to build a good relationship with Wei Dongling. After all, they would serve the same husband in the future and would see each other often. Unexpectedly, Brother Zixi wanted to draw a clear line from her just because of that woman's words! He even ordered the execution of her personal maid Cai Qing! He Yao was jealous and resentful. Seeing Wei Dongling still joking about the silver at this moment, she was so angry that she almost exploded.
Seeing He Yao's ashen face and unable to say a word for a long time, Wei Dongling deliberately frowned and said, "Why isn't County Mistress saying anything? Don't you want to pay the silver? Alas, I originally thought that the royal relatives were as upright and trustworthy as the current emperor. I didn't expect that the honorable County Mistress, as the daughter of Princess Jiaxin, would go back on her words like a fart! No wonder it's been so long and you haven't paid the silver. So you're trying to renege on the debt!"
Wei Dongling deliberately raised her voice, which attracted the attention of passers - by.
He Yao was so angry that she trembled all over, and her face was as red as a tomato. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw some people nearby watching her make a fool of herself, which made her even more ashamed and indignant. Trembling, He Yao took out a stack of silver notes from her lapel, took out five one - thousand - tael notes, and handed them to her maid, winking at her to give them to Wei Dongling to shut her up.
The maid was extremely reluctant but had to do it.
He Yao snorted loudly. "Who are you saying is reneging on the debt? Since I promised to reward you with silver, I will surely keep my word! However, you money - grubbing woman, listen carefully. After taking the silver, get out of my sight. Don't shamelessly pester Brother Zixi anymore! Otherwise, don't blame me for being merciless!"
He Yao had been ridiculed by Wei Dongling for a while. Now that she had thrown out the silver, she finally regained her composure. Her words were so righteous that the passers - by who didn't know the whole story couldn't help looking at Wei Dongling with contempt.
Wei Dongling was overjoyed holding the silver notes. In fact, she never really expected He Yao to generously give the promised reward. It seemed that the goading method was quite effective.
After carefully checking the five silver notes to make sure they were correct, Wei Dongling carefully put them into her cuff. She smiled brightly and nodded to He Yao. "Don't worry, County Mistress! Yu Zixi is a well - known playboy in the capital. I'm not blind. How could I pester him like you do?"
Wei Dongling's voice was not low. Hearing this, the passers - by who were gossiping immediately shifted their contemptuous looks from Wei Dongling to He Yao. Their eyes were full of suspicion, as if they were really looking at a lovesick blind woman who was infatuated with a playboy.
"You!" He Yao blushed again under the sharp looks of the passers - by.
Under He Yao's venomous gaze, Wei Dongling swayed away with her slender waist swinging.
Wei Dongling was in a very good mood after receiving the silver notes. She walked back with Cui Huan. Seeing that the previous stable had been renovated and expanded, she couldn't help sighing to Cui Huan. "The Zhao family once secretly built a prison under this stable, but now it has all been demolished." It was also here that she first saw Jingzhe with a bloody face.
Cui Huan nodded. "The Zhao family got their just deserts. Now, they should all be exiled to the army, right!"
Wei Dongling nodded. The two of them heard someone calling Cui Huan's name behind them. Looking back, it was the maid of He Yao.
The maid ignored Wei Dongling and walked straight up to Cui Huan and whispered, "Sister Cui Huan, Miss He Yao asks you to go over. She has something to tell you."
Cui Huan frowned unhappily. "What's the matter?"
The maid said, "It's said that Lord He has some instructions, and Miss He is to convey them on his behalf. You just go."
If it was really an order from her master, she had no choice but to go.
Cui Huan looked at Wei Dongling worriedly.
Wei Dongling nodded to her. "Go. I'll wait for you here."
This place was not very secluded, and people going to the toilet passed by from time to time. Moreover, not just anyone could enter the horse - racing event in the Prince Rui's Mansion. It was thought that the Crown Prince's men shouldn't act recklessly here.
Cui Huan thought for a while, nodded in agreement, and followed the maid away.
Wei Dongling stood under the shade of a tree boredly, looking at the scenery. Thinking of the unexpected fortune in her sleeve, she felt really happy.
Suddenly, a strange object pressed against her lower back, and she heard a man's voice whispering in her ear, "Don't move! Or I'll kill you!"
Wei Dongling trembled and quickly raised her hands in surrender. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw three men in the guise of servants surrounding her.
"Come here!" The man pressed the knife against her waist and pushed her hard towards the stable.
Feeling the cold touch on her waist, Wei Dongling had no choice but to walk towards the stable as he said.
The three burly men picked up Wei Dongling and threw her into a small dark room. Stumbling, Wei Dongling reached for the iron hairpin in her bun. Looking around nervously, she asked in a trembling voice, "Who are you? What do you want?"