Qu Jingyun immediately stated: "Whoever used it should be held responsible. He's not my son, I'm not responsible for him."

After saying that, she turned and headed towards the mansion.

Seeing that the person had really left, Qi Yun'er hurriedly tried to stop him, but Manager Liu stopped her first.

Manager Liu glared at her fiercely.

"Madam, your son uses something in our area, but it's registered under the General's Mansion's name. What is your relationship with the General's Mansion?"

"I..." Qi Yun'er's eyes darted around as she thought about how to answer.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Boss Liu's expression changed.

"Could it be that you and the general..."

Xiao Liu immediately interrupted Boss Liu: "This is our old lady's distant cousin. We took her in to live at our home because we felt sorry for her after her husband died."

It turns out he was just an ordinary relative.

Boss Liu's eyes changed instantly, and all his initial apprehension disappeared.

"Hurry up and pay me, or I'll send your son to work for me."

Startled, Qi Hao immediately shrank behind Qi Yun'er, grabbing her clothes: "Mother, just give him the silver. It's only a little over a hundred taels, not much money."

"One hundred taels isn't enough? Do you think my money grows on trees?" Qi Yun'er retorted shrilly.

The thought of losing over a hundred taels of silver made her want to faint.

She left the Qi family penniless. Although she had amassed a lot of money from the General's Mansion over the years, getting that money out of her was like taking her life.

Seeing that the man was hesitant to speak, Boss Liu began to grow impatient.

"Let's go see the official."

As he spoke, Boss Liu reached out to grab Qi Hao's arm.

"Wait!" Qi Mingyue rushed out in a panic.

She walked up to Qi Yun'er and whispered a reminder: "Mother, we can't let the Qu family have a hold on us now. Do you want to be kicked out of the General's Mansion?"

Qi Yun'er suddenly realized the truth.

She immediately took out the silver note and handed it to Manager Liu.

"Take it and get out of here."

Boss Liu took the banknotes, counted them, and then reached out to her again.

"Fifty taels are still short."

"You're robbing me!" Qi Yun'er immediately clutched her purse tightly, glaring angrily at Boss Liu.

Boss Liu didn't say anything, he just kept his hand outstretched.

“Mother.” Qi Mingyue frowned.

Qi Mingyue expressed her dissatisfaction.

Qi Yun'er was very reluctant to take out another fifty taels to give to Boss Liu.

Boss Liu accepted the silver notes and left satisfied.

Qi Yun'er glared fiercely at Xiao Liu.

Xiao Liu snorted coldly and turned away, leaving her with his back to her.

"You dog of a servant, I'll kill him sooner or later!" Qi Yun'er said through gritted teeth.

"Mother," Qi Mingyue said, holding her hand tightly, "Just bear with it a little longer."

Qi Yun'er shook off Qi Mingyue's hand and angrily dragged Qi Hao into the mansion.

Qi Mingyue glanced at the door, a barely perceptible smile curving her lips.

That evening, a letter arrived from the palace, requesting Qu Jingyun to come to the palace the next day.

The next day.

She changed into her court dress early in the morning and entered the palace.

Empress Wang sat in the upper seat, with Madam Zhang sitting to her lower right, and an elderly woman who looked stern sitting opposite them.

She lowered her eyes and respectfully bowed to the Empress.

Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, Qu Jingyun did not continue kneeling. She immediately got up and found a place to sit down.

"Madam Shen," Empress Wang called out coldly.

Qu Jingyun raised her head blankly.

Empress Wang frowned, her displeasure barely concealed in her eyes.

Qu Jingyun took the initiative to ask, "Your Majesty, is there something I'm sitting in wrong?"

“Some people, how come they’ve become so unruly after five years? Did Her Majesty the Empress tell you to get up?” Madam Zhang snorted a few times and then said.

Qu Jingyun then suddenly realized what was going on.

She said with a look of fear, "It turns out that I was overthinking things. I thought that Her Majesty the Empress was kind and generous and would not deliberately make things difficult for me by making me kneel for so long."

Empress Wang clenched her fists, her eyes filled with a murderous intent.

She had originally planned to give Qu Jingyun a hard time and show her what was what, but she didn't expect Qu Jingyun to act so unpredictably.

Qu Jingyun raised her head, her eyes filled with innocence as she met Empress Wang's gaze.

Finally, he curled the corners of his lips into a smile under her angry gaze.

"I hope Her Majesty the Empress won't hold it against me?"

"How dare you!" the old lady sitting opposite her suddenly exclaimed.

The old lady stared at her with sharp eyes.

"Madam Shen, you are arrogant and disrespectful. Do you even respect Her Majesty the Empress?"

Qu Jingyun smiled and said, "I not only keep Her Majesty the Empress in my eyes, but also in my heart. I remember every word she said and dare not forget it."

As she spoke, Qu Jingyun's expression became somewhat strange.

Meeting her meaningful gaze, Empress Wang suddenly felt a little guilty.

Empress Wang frowned and said in a deep voice, "Madam Shen, I have heard that you have bullied your own sister and used your power to oppress the owner of Tianxiang Tower?"

Qu Jingyun raised an eyebrow.

She looked at Madam Zhang with a half-smile.

It must have been this person who said it.

Mrs. Zhang, feeling guilty, avoided her gaze.

"Madam Shen." The old lady frowned and reminded her seriously, "Madam Shen, your husband has only just died, yet you are already so arrogant and domineering. Could it be that you are acting recklessly because His Majesty and the Empress care about you?"

Qu Jingyun immediately stood up and shouted that she was innocent.

"Your Majesty, I have truly been wronged. I have not returned home for five years, and my home is almost taken over by someone else. How could I dare to be arrogant and domineering? Who is stirring up trouble in front of Your Majesty? I beg Your Majesty to do justice for me and severely punish such a malicious person."

Mrs. Zhang was frightened by her words and stood up in fear.

"Don't talk nonsense. You're the one who's bullying others by abusing your power."

Seeing that she still dared to jump out, a glint flashed in Qu Jingyun's eyes.

Mrs. Zhang swallowed nervously.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!