Zheng Yinrong looked at Madam Zheng in disbelief, opened her mouth, and felt a surge of grievance.
“Grandfather, grandmother, uncle and aunt, don’t blame my cousin, it’s my fault. I knew it was something my cousin liked and I still took it. I don’t need it. My parents left me jewelry, that’s enough for me. By the way, if my cousin likes anything, I can give it to her.”
Zheng Rucai was deeply moved by Xiao Ruyan's words, and then looked at Zheng Yinrong: "Why can't you learn from your cousin?"
"Father!" Zheng Yinrong cried out in disbelief, "I want to learn from her? To become a thief like her? To plagiarize other people's paintings and get expelled from the capital academy?"
"Zheng Yinrong!"
Zheng Rucai glared at Zheng Yinrong: "What nonsense are you talking about? Your cousin already knows she was wrong, she just took a wrong turn for a moment! Your cousin is only five years old, as her older sister, can't you protect her?"
Zheng Yinrong looked at Xiao Ruyan nestled in Madam Zheng's arms, and upon meeting her provocative gaze, she immediately became angry and pulled Xiao Ruyan away: "Am I not good to you? But how have you treated me? Why didn't you tell the assassins that you hired them to kill me?"
"Nonsense!" Lord Zheng, who had been silent until now, spoke up, frowning as he said, "Yan'er told us about this a long time ago. You were all kidnapped by villains, and she had no choice but to go and call for help to rescue you. However, she did not expect that those villains knew Bai Tuantuan."
"I think those people were probably hired by Bai Tuantuan. We even sent gifts to the Bai family back then. Humph, they're probably laughing at us behind our backs."
Lord Zheng frowned, a hint of unease flashing in his eyes.
Zheng Yinrong was so angry she could hardly breathe. She knew that nothing she said would make a difference now, so she turned around and ran outside.
"Rong'er!"
Madam Zheng quickly called out, while Zheng Rucai frowned and said, "Ignore her. We've spoiled her rotten. Let her run. I want to see where she can go so late!"
“Husband,” Madam Zheng shook her head, “She is, after all, a young lady. It would be inappropriate if outsiders saw her like this. I’ll have someone call her back. Even if we need to lecture her, it should be done at home.”
“Qian’er is right,” Madam Zheng quickly added. “Quickly, send someone to look for her.”
Xiao Ruyan looked at everyone with a wronged expression: "I'm sorry, it's all because of me that my cousin is angry. I'll go find my cousin too."
“No need. You’re a girl, you should stay at home,” Lord Zheng immediately said. “That girl, Yinrong, needs to be taught a lesson.”
After Zheng Yinrong ran out, she turned around and found that there was no one there.
She was surprised that her family wasn't worried about her at all!
Thinking of this, Zheng Yinrong squatted in the corner and cried loudly.
"Don't cry."
Bai Tuantuan jumped down from the tree, looked at Zheng Yinrong in front of her, and said helplessly, "You're right behind your house. If you want to go back, just go back."
Seeing familiar faces, Zheng Yinrong's panicked heart calmed down. She quickly wiped away her tears, pouted, and said, "What are you doing here? Did you come to laugh at me?"
Bai Tuantuan's lips twitched: "Please use your brain. Do you think I could guess you're crying here?"
"If I'm not mistaken, it's because of Xiao Ruyan."
Zheng Yinrong lowered her eyes and slowly said, "Yes, everyone is on her side. Even though she did something wrong, she was forgiven just for apologizing..."
Bai Tuantuan laughed: "Alright, you're the legitimate daughter of the Zheng family, hurry up and go back. Do you want to be replaced by Xiao Ruyan?"
"Of course not!"
"Here, this is for you." Bai Tuantuan took out a jade pendant and placed it in Zheng Yinrong's hand. "Go back now."
Zheng Yinrong was stunned for a moment: "Why are you so good to me?"
"I understand. You want to be friends with me, right?"
Before Bai Tuantuan could speak, Zheng Yinrong suddenly realized something, then raised her chin arrogantly: "I grant your permission!"
"From now on, you, Bai Tuantuan, are my friend!"
Bai Tuantuan: ……
What kind of thought process is this?!
Bai Tuantuan turned around and left immediately.
Upon seeing this, Zheng Yinrong laughed: "You're actually shy!"
Just then, Madam Zheng found Zheng Yinrong and frowned: "You silly girl, your sister..."
At this point, Madam Zheng felt her mind clear instantly and slowly said, "Yan'er did indeed do something wrong. She actually stole someone else's painting. Now that she has been discovered and expelled from the Capital Academy, our family's reputation is ruined!"
Zheng Yinrong thought she would be scolded, but she didn't expect her mother to be different from before, and she was instantly stunned: "Mother?"
"By the way, is what you said about the bad guys true? Did Yan'er hire them?"
Zheng Yinrong simply recounted what had happened: "Mother, thankfully Tuantuan doesn't blame me, and besides, we're friends now."
After pondering for a moment, Madam Zheng said, "The Bai family and the Zheng family have been watching each other closely. I think it's good that you're friends with the county princess. After all, I've met the county princess before. She's intelligent and composed, much better than Yan'er. But you can't tell your father and the others about this, understand?"
Zheng Yinrong quickly took Zheng Xiaofu's arm: "Mother, don't worry, I told you, I'm smart!"
"But you were blaming me just now, I thought you didn't care about me anymore..."
Madam Zheng patted Zheng Yinrong's head, wondering what had gotten into her just now. She only wanted to protect Xiao Ruyan and couldn't stand her own daughter.
Upon returning to the Zheng family home, Zheng Yinrong went straight to her courtyard, where she saw Xiao Ruyan.
"My cousin is back." Xiao Ruyan sipped her tea, as if the courtyard belonged to her.
Zheng Yinrong plopped down on the stool and snatched her teacup away: "Get out! You're not welcome here!"
Xiao Ruyan raised her eyebrows, looking nothing like a child.
"Cousin, just you wait, I will take everything you have away, one by one."
After saying that, Xiao Ruyan left.
Zheng Yinrong was speechless. Was this person out of their mind?
The next day, just as Bai Tuantuan had finished packing and arrived at the Capital Academy, an imperial decree from the palace reached the Chen family.
The Bai family was stripped of all official positions and expelled from the capital.
The teacher, who was in the middle of class, also received the news and quickly called Bai Tuantuan out.
Soon, everyone in the capital knew.
The capital was thrown into chaos, but Bai Han and Chen Luo remained calm as they looked at the secret edict delivered by the Emperor through Eunuch Cai.
"We have to move our whole family!"
Bai Han smiled and said, "Brother Chen, shall we go together?"
Chen Luo laughed loudly: "Of course! But Brother Bai, isn't the Emperor afraid that we... will take it for ourselves?"
Bai Han smiled, stroking his gray beard, and said, "His Majesty is gambling, gambling on the word 'trust'."
"It's terrible! Grandpa Bai! Grandfather! There are so many guards outside!"
Chen Lingfeng rushed in, extremely nervous: "Are we going to have our house raided? Are we going to be beheaded like in those stories?!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com