Was his daughter under an unlucky star today?
Why did every stray cat and dog dare come knocking to stir up trouble?
After being rebuffed like that, the duke's wife looked at Jiang Yourning's brazen, overbearing manner and began to lose confidence.
Could this really have nothing to do with that little bitch?
But she could not let the matter end here.
"Whether I've wrongfully accused her will become clear once I've investigated where the poisons in the capital have gone.
"Leaving that aside, it's still true that Sixth Miss Jiang made my daughter lose a great deal of face in public yesterday, isn't it?"
"I made her lose face? Madam, is your family so poor you can't even afford a servant to gather news outside your residence?
"Anyone with a pulse knows your daughter picked a fight with me for no reason. You didn't know?"
Those words from Jiang Yourning left the duke's wife's chest heaving so violently that she nearly failed to catch her breath.
This little bitch truly had a sharp tongue. I can't get the better of her at all.
If she said she knew, she would be admitting she was picking a fight over nothing.
If she said she did not, she would be admitting she was ill-informed-and not even human.
"Hmph! Consider today an intrusion on my part. If this truly has nothing whatsoever to do with Sixth Miss Jiang, I will certainly send someone with gifts to apologize.
"But if she is involved, don't blame my husband for seeking justice from His Majesty."
The duke's wife flicked her sleeves, shot Jiang Yourning another baleful glare with her face livid, then rose and left.
She'd better not give me an opening, or I'll kill that wretched girl!!!
She was gone.
Jiang Huai'an and Lin Xiangyin turned their tender, sympathetic gazes toward Jiang Yourning.
"Ningning, you've been wronged."
"You're too kind, Father, Mother. I was thoughtless and caused you trouble."
Jiang Yourning gave them an obedient smile.
"Father, Mother, I just remembered I have something to do, so I'll take my leave."
As if.
The greatest similarity between Jiang Yourning and the original owner of her body was that they settled grudges the very day they were made.
That old hag dared call me a pheasant?
Just watch me turn her into a chicken!
As she walked out, Jiang Yourning turned her attention to the System Shop and began searching for something useful.
"Instant Flash Express Delivery. Now that's a good thing!"
When she found an item worth 100 points, Jiang Yourning bought it without a second thought.
A hundred points was a little expensive, but spent on the duke's wife, it would be worth every last one.
She slipped out through a side gate.
With Chun Tao beside her, Jiang Yourning appeared to be shopping, but in truth she kept tracking the duke's wife's carriage out of the corner of her eye.
When the duke's wife entered one of the capital's busiest ready-made clothing shops, Jiang Yourning's lips curved upward.
Here's my chance!
"Chun Tao, go buy me a bag of sugar-roasted chestnuts. We'll take them home for Fifth Sister to try."
"Yes, miss."
Chun Tao immediately ran toward a nearby stall, and Jiang Yourning seized the chance to swallow a disguise pill.
The low-grade pills in the System Shop were inexpensive, and their effects lasted only ten minutes.
There were not many varieties, but Jiang Yourning felt they were enough.
She walked into the clothing shop with a Mini Stun Baton hidden in her sleeve.
The Mini Stun Baton was not particularly powerful. It could merely knock a cow unconscious in an instant.
The shop was fairly crowded. Jiang Yourning browsed here and there until the duke's wife went into the back to try on clothes, then picked up a garment and followed.
Listening to the rustling inside, Jiang Yourning judged that the duke's wife had more or less finished undressing. She darted into the duke's wife's fitting cubicle and first stunned the older maid attending her with the Mini Stun Baton.
The duke's wife was just about to scream when she, too, collapsed.
"Not bad, not bad. Pretty handy."
Jiang Yourning nodded in satisfaction.
The next second, she took out the Instant Flash Express Delivery item, linked it to the duke's wife, confirmed the express delivery destination, then snapped her fingers.
A ding sounded in Jiang Yourning's mind.
The duke's wife vanished into thin air.
"That's some impressive speed."
Satisfied, Jiang Yourning walked out holding the new garment.
"Shopkeeper, I'd like to pay!"
"Miss, the garment you're holding costs thirty taels."
Jiang Yourning reached for her purse and found nothing but air.
Awkward. Chun Tao has the money.
She gave an embarrassed smile and put the garment back down.
"Too expensive. I'm not buying it."
With that, Jiang Yourning strode out with a swagger that disowned every relative she had, then found a quiet alley where she could comfortably wait for the ten minutes to pass.
Once the pill wore off, who would know that attention-grabbing fool had been her?
Inside the shop, the shopkeeper stared after Jiang Yourning's departing figure, unable to recover for quite some time.
Seriously, that young lady looked respectably dressed. If she thought it was expensive, couldn't she at least have tried bargaining?
What if I offered a price she could afford?
By the time Jiang Yourning emerged again, Chun Tao was frantic from searching for her.
"Little Taotao, your miss is right here."
Seeing that Jiang Yourning was unharmed, Chun Tao ran over with tears in her eyes.
"Miss, where did you go? You scared me to death!"
"What were you afraid of? Would anyone on this street dare lay a hand on me?
"I'm tired of shopping. Let's go home."
Jiang Yourning took the sugar-roasted chestnuts from Chun Tao and placed a handful in her palm.
Just as Chun Tao was feeling touched that her miss had finally stopped guarding her food and was willing to share something tasty, Jiang Yourning spoke again.
"Be good. Don't be upset anymore. Peel these chestnuts for me."
"..."
Chun Tao felt that her miss seemed to have acquired another virtue called shamelessness.
At noon, while the whole family sat together for lunch, the world outside had already been turned upside down.
At one point, Jiang Huai'an's servant ran over and whispered a few words into his ear.
A hint of surprise appeared on Jiang Huai'an's face.
"She's missing? Didn't the duke's household send anyone here to ask?"
"They did, but everyone saw the duke's wife leave the Jiang Residence. They left after the gatekeeper answered their questions."
The servant answered respectfully.
Beside them, Lin Xiangyin's chopsticks paused, delight flashing in her eyes.
"That old fossil Sun Changyan is missing? What kind soul did this good deed?
"When I take Ningning and Rong'er to offer incense another day, I must ask the Buddha to bless them with a long life!"
"..."
Jiang Yourning quietly ate her meal, concealing both her accomplishment and her name.
Of course I was the one who did such a good deed.
That old hag dared call me a pheasant. Unless I turned her into an actual chicken, I simply couldn't lift my spirits.
Besides, later on she found more than a dozen beggars for my sister. My sister nearly lost her chastity! How could I not collect a little interest!!!
It's just a shame I can't see it for myself. I'll have to send Chun Tao out to ask around another day and have her tell me all about it afterward~
"Pfft!"
Jiang Wanrong's expression chilled, and the unexpected revelation made her spray out an entire mouthful of soup.
How had enjoying someone else's gossip suddenly dragged me into it? Beggars? More than a dozen? My chastity?
But where did she put a whole grown woman?
"Sister, what's wrong? Is today's soup not to your liking?"
Jiang Yourning immediately looked at Jiang Wanrong with worried eyes, remembering to hand her a clean handkerchief.
"No... I was just wondering whether that kind soul who avenged you covered their tracks properly. With all the commotion this has caused, the authorities will certainly investigate.
"Should we arrange for someone to help that kind soul tie up any loose ends?"
Jiang Wanrong's words instantly earned Jiang Huai'an and Lin Xiangyin's approval, and their expressions softened further as they looked at her.
In this book's setting, the Jiang Family's philosophy was simple: as long as you sincerely treated Jiang Yourning well, they would bare their hearts to you.
Jiang Huai'an looked at the servant beside him and instructed him in a low voice.
"She did go missing after leaving our Jiang Residence, after all. Arrange for two people to help with the search. Have them keep their wits about them and leave no room for anyone to use this against us."
Before you continue