Offend the Young, and the Old Come Calling

"Thank you for your advice, Sixth Miss Jiang. I shall take my leave.

That jade pendant will let you withdraw up to fifty thousand taels in banknotes from Anping Bank.

Consider it my thanks for your guidance, Sixth Miss Jiang."

Hearing this, Jiang Yourning immediately beamed and cupped her hands toward Xie Ciyan from atop the wall. "Take care, young marquis~"

Hey, not bad! Suddenly, every last thing about you seems like a perfect match for my sister!!!

Xie Ciyan immediately lifted his head and puffed out his chest, coming back to life.

His future sister-in-law knew how to say the right things. Perhaps she wasn't so annoying after all.

Delighted, Jiang Yourning slipped the jade pendant into her System Inventory under cover of her sleeve, then made to return to her little courtyard and laze around.

Along the way, looking at the flowers blooming brilliantly throughout the garden, Jiang Yourning couldn't help praising them:

"The weather's lovely today. The flowers are blooming so beautifully."

"You're absolutely right, miss!"

Chun Tao nodded in agreement.

As they were speaking, Jiang Huai'an's servant came over again.

"Miss, the master and madam request your presence in the front hall."

"Do you know what's going on? Did Father think I helped him vent his anger so thoroughly just now that he wants to reward me?"

Jiang Yourning's eyes immediately lit up.

Chun Tao couldn't help giving Jiang Yourning a look that defied description.

Oh no, Miss's condition seemed to have gotten worse. Young Marquis Xie's generosity had given her the illusion that the Jiang Residence was wealthy too.

She had to hurry and tell the main kitchen to serve Miss an all-brain feast for lunch.

"Well... a guest wishes to see you, miss. She doesn't seem to have come with good intentions."

The servant slowly lowered his head.

"..."

The smile froze on Jiang Yourning's face.

"What guest? Don't tell me that Screaming Chicken from yesterday has come knocking?"

"Miss, her name is Zhen Yueyao."

Chun Tao corrected Jiang Yourning from beside her.

"Miss, this time it's her mother, not Miss Zhen."

The servant respectfully clarified again.

"Fine. Offend the young, and the old come calling. Sure enough, money that comes too quickly always brings a few trials with it.

Come on, let's go to the front hall."

Jiang Yourning was in a good mood at the moment and willing to spend some time playing with these vicious minor characters.

As they walked, something suddenly occurred to Jiang Yourning, and she turned to Chun Tao again:

"Oh, right, Chun Tao. Does that Screaming Chicken have a powerful background?"

"Miss, have you forgotten that the screeching... no, Miss Zhen is the daughter of the Duke's Estate?"

Chun Tao gave Jiang Yourning another indescribable look.

Jiang Yourning's face immediately drooped like a miserable little cat's.

They had a noble title. She couldn't just mouth off at them.

Moreover, in the original novel, there seemed to have been some Duke Zhen who had little interaction with the female lead, but whose family stirred up plenty of trouble.

When the lunatic male lead started building his strength and making a name for himself, Duke Zhen secretly bullied him, while someone in the Duke's Estate nearly ruined the female lead's chastity. Naturally, the male lead slaughtered the whole lot.

The key point was that the Duke's Estate was filthy rich. That damned lunatic had the money to recruit troops and buy horses in no small part thanks to their ill-gotten wealth.

Who would've thought that was the Screaming Chicken's family!

Jiang Yourning marched into the front hall with her head held high and her spirits soaring.

"Greetings, Father, Mother. May I ask why you summoned your daughter?"

Jiang Yourning obediently bowed to Jiang Huai'an and Lin Xiangyin once more.

"Hmph! What a pretentious act!"

Before Jiang Huai'an or Lin Xiangyin could speak.

The sour-faced woman beside them gave a cold snort, sizing Jiang Yourning up with undisguised loathing in her eyes.

"Father, Mother, who is this granny?"

Jiang Yourning looked the duchess over carefully, then asked with an innocent air.

In an instant, the duchess's face turned livid.

Before she could speak, Lin Xiangyin shot Jiang Yourning a fondly reproachful look. "Ningning, don't be rude. This is the duchess. She's the same age as me."

Jiang Yourning's eyes filled with astonishment, and she hastily corrected herself and apologized:

"I'm sorry, Your Grace. Managing such a vast estate must leave you terribly overworked, doesn't it? You look more than ten years older than my mother.

If Mother hadn't said anything, I would've thought you were already fifty or sixty."

The duchess thought of how authority over the Duke's Estate still rested in that old hag's hands, how her husband's heart wasn't with her, and how she had nothing to do all day.

An inexplicable fire immediately blazed in her chest. Even this little brat dared to mock her with barbed words! She shot Jiang Yourning a fierce glare.

"What a sharp tongue! The Jiang Family certainly raised a fine daughter!

A pheasant doesn't become a golden phoenix just because it lands in a golden nest. You haven't the slightest bearing of a well-bred young lady!"

"You certainly know how to joke, Your Grace. My little daughter speaks with a child's innocence. Surely a mistress of such a noble household wouldn't hold a child's words against her?"

That old hag dared call her Ningning a pheasant! Lin Xiangyin clenched her hands tightly, suppressing the urge to hit someone, and forced a gentle smile onto her face.

Later, she would find a chance to secretly finish off that old hag.

"Hmph!"

Whatever Jiang Yourning was like, it was ultimately the Jiang Family's own business. With such a lofty hat placed on her head, the duchess couldn't very well continue, no matter what she wanted to say.

A mere woman dared pass judgment on his daughter! Jiang Huai'an's expression also darkened as he spoke slowly:

"May I ask what exactly brings Your Grace to our residence today?"

"Naturally, I'm here to demand the antidote from Sixth Miss Jiang."

At the mention of this, the duchess wished she could claw Jiang Yourning's face to shreds.

This little bitch certainly knew how to manipulate people. She had clearly caused her Yaoyao such humiliation and even beaten her maid, yet every rumor outside favored her.

She wanted revenge on her daughter's behalf, but couldn't take it openly.

Thinking again of her daughter's face only made Lady Zhen angrier.

"Antidote? What antidote?"

Now it was Jiang Yourning's turn to be bewildered.

Was something wrong with this woman? Had she come to the Jiang Residence to shake them down with a false accusation?

"You're still playing dumb? My Yaoyao woke up this morning with red blotches all over her face. The physician said she'd been poisoned.

You were the only person she clashed with yesterday. Do you dare say it had nothing to do with you?"

The duchess stared aggressively at Jiang Yourning.

"Madam... if you're going to frame me, at least pick a more believable accusation.

Who in the capital doesn't know that I, Jiang Yourning, always settle my grudges on the spot? Anyone who crosses me gets a good whipping.

As for poison? Who here do you think would dare sell me any?"

Jiang Yourning tried to open her eyes as wide as they could go.

This old hag was pinning the blame on her and still dared glare at her? Could those dead-fish eyes possibly be bigger than hers?

"At your age, Your Grace, you've actually made such a grand fuss just to falsely accuse a child. What exemplary noble bearing. When I attend court another day, I'll be sure to discuss this thoroughly with Duke Zhen."

Jiang Huai'an couldn't help flicking his sleeves at the duchess as well.