Chapter 137 Seizing Sovereignty

Meng Jinyao gave Ning Dong a look.

Ning Dong nodded knowingly and immediately took out a silver note from her purse and handed it to Li Cheng.

It was a silver note with a face value of one thousand taels.

Seeing that the amount was incorrect, Li Cheng was somewhat bewildered, but dared not question it. He simply stammered, "Young lady, this... this is a silver note for one thousand taels."

Meng Jinyao nodded slightly: "That's right, it's one thousand taels."

When Granny Qiao saw the thousand taels, she looked at Meng Jinyao with confusion and anxiety. They had clearly agreed on six thousand taels, but suddenly it had become one thousand taels. Could it be that she was going to go back on her word and play tricks on them, mother and son?

Li Cheng couldn't contain himself and asked urgently, "Young lady, didn't you say six thousand taels?"

Meng Jinyao said unhurriedly, "The one thousand taels of income from the estate should be handed over to the Sun family along with the account books by now, right? You can use this one thousand taels to fill this hole first."

She paused, then turned to look at Granny Qiao, a faint smile playing on her lips: "As for the remaining five thousand taels, it depends on Granny Qiao's sincerity. If Granny Qiao handles things well after returning, I will see your sincerity and the five thousand taels will naturally be given to you. Manager Li, don't worry, there are still eight days until the deadline given by the gambling house."

Upon hearing this, Granny Qiao and Li Cheng dared not object. The feeling of having the power firmly in someone else's hands was truly unpleasant. They were terrified, but dared not disobey. If they went back on their word later, given the young lady's temperament, the two documents they had just signed would be sent to the madam, and their fate would be unimaginable.

Granny Qiao was quite tactful. She forced a smile and respectfully replied, "What the eldest young lady says is true. There's no rush regarding the five thousand taels."

Afterwards, Meng Jinyao spoke with Granny Qiao about some details before letting the mother and son leave.

After leaving the private room, Granny Qiao and Li Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. Who would have thought that the least favored girl, whom even the servants dared to look down on, would now be the one who held their fate in her hands?

Granny Qiao glanced at the tightly closed door of the private room and lowered her voice to warn him earnestly: "Cheng'er, after this incident, you must never go to a gambling den again. Next time, you won't be so lucky to have someone help you cover your losses. The eldest young lady is willing to help now, but this kind of thing is like dealing with a tiger for its skin. If you're not careful, it could cost us our lives."

Li Cheng was truly terrified this time. He would never dare to enter the gambling den again, no matter what. The six thousand taels of silver had kept him from even breathing for the past few days.

Granny Qiao then asked, "Where are your gambling buddies? Did they come looking for you after we parted yesterday?"

“He lured away half of the thugs and then never showed up again.” Li Cheng shook his head, his expression becoming serious. “He might have been beaten half to death and had to find a place to hide and recover. If it weren’t for the young lady who came by and saved me yesterday, I probably would have been in grave danger.”

Upon hearing this, Granny Qiao felt a wave of fear wash over her, her face turning pale. She said in a deep voice, "In the future, stay away from such bad friends. If it weren't for him, you wouldn't have gotten into this mess."

Li Cheng hurriedly replied, "Yes, Mother, I understand." As he spoke, his tone was pleading, "Please help me first. After we return the five thousand taels to the gambling den and finish what we did for the young lady, we will leave the capital. I will definitely take good care of you in the future."

Granny Qiao glared at her son reproachfully. Even without him saying anything, she knew that she couldn't stay in the capital any longer. She had to leave once this matter was completed, but her and her son's indentures were in the hands of the madam, and she would need the eldest daughter's help at that time.

Thinking of this, Granny Qiao dared not mess things up. She had to do her best to fulfill the eldest young lady's orders. If the eldest young lady was satisfied, she might grant them, mother and son, this favor.

Granny Qiao whispered, "Cheng'er, remember not to reveal the slightest flaw, or my son and I will not survive."

Li Cheng's face showed panic: "Could it be that this young lady would..."

Granny Qiao's expression was solemn, and she gently shook her head: "It's not the eldest daughter."

Yes, it's Madam.

The lady can kill Cui'er, and she can kill her and Cheng'er too. They betrayed the lady, and when she finds out, she will not let them go. She will kill them to silence them.

-

Inside the private room.

Meng Jinyao glanced at the two incriminating documents already signed by Granny Qiao and her son, a sly smile flashing across her eyes.

Our dynasty values ​​filial piety. Children who sue their parents are considered unfilial. Regardless of whether the facts are true, the children will be imprisoned for three years and punished with twenty strokes of the cane. So she will not sue, but she will make Sun's life worse than death.

Meng Jinyao instructed, "Qingqiu, put the things away."

Qingqiu responded and folded the two letters, placing them into the envelope.

Ningdong moved to the window and looked out. She saw that Granny Qiao and her son had left the teahouse. She finally dared to say what she had been holding back for a long time: "Madam, your move is really brilliant. I have learned another trick."

Meng Jinyao smiled and said, "This kind of thing tests one's mentality. Whoever's mentality is not stable will lose. Six thousand taels are on their shoulders. The more I act as if I don't care, as if they are dispensable to me, the more anxious they become. They dare not play any tricks, for fear of losing their lives if something goes wrong. Little do they know, I am actually more anxious."

Ning Dong asked excitedly, "Madam, what are we going to do next?"

Meng Jinyao replied, "Now it depends on Granny Qiao's abilities. Let's wait and see. Let's go for a walk and buy some things."

The crisp autumn and the freezing winter responded in kind.

The summer sun is blazing; although it's not yet midsummer, just the middle of summer, the sunlight is already quite intense.

Not long after leaving the teahouse, a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead. Meng Jinyao glanced up at the dazzling golden sun overhead and felt a little listless. She didn't want to walk any further and lost her desire to casually stroll around and buy things.

Qingqiu took out a handkerchief to wipe the fine sweat from Meng Jinyao's forehead. Seeing what she meant, she suggested, "Madam, it's almost noon now. Why don't we find a place to have lunch first? There's a restaurant not far ahead. We've been there before, and the food was quite good."

Meng Jinyao nodded and said, "Alright, let's have lunch and rest for a while before we go sightseeing."

The three of them had only walked a few steps when a familiar figure emerged from the jewelry shop ahead.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that it was Meng Jinyu, and beside her was a richly dressed young lady, who was none other than Princess Jingning.

Qingqiu and Ningdong exchanged a glance, cursing inwardly: What a small world!

When Meng Jinyu saw her elder sister, she was slightly taken aback, then smiled and went up to greet her, "Elder sister, what a coincidence to meet you here."

Meng Jinyao called out with a forced smile, "Second Sister."

After she finished speaking, she curtsied to Princess Jingning and said, "This concubine greets Princess Jingning."

Princess Jingning glanced at Meng Jinyao indifferently, but decided not to embarrass her in public. Although she disliked Meng Jinyao, she had to give face to Marquis Gu, and said indifferently, "Madam Gu, there's no need for such formalities."

Meng Jinyu looked at her elder sister, her eyes flashing, and invited her warmly, "It's almost noon, eldest sister, you probably haven't had lunch yet, why don't you come with us? The princess and I are just about to have lunch at the restaurant up ahead."