Concubine Li immediately objected: "Mother, what nonsense are you talking about? When did I agree to that?"
Madam Li scolded her daughter: "Have you forgotten who you came from? You can't forget your roots. If it weren't for the Li family, where would you be living such a wealthy life? It was the Li family who raised you! Now it's just another granddaughter being married into the Jiang family, and you're so unwilling. Did you say you would repay the Li family properly? It's not like Huilin is becoming the wife of the Jiang family's eldest son. What's so difficult about that? It's just a matter of a word from you!"
Concubine Li only said one sentence, yet Old Madam Li had a whole host of unpleasant things to say to her.
She was already used to the Li family's unreasonable behavior and their insatiable desire to take advantage of her. She didn't want to say much to her mother, only saying, "This marriage won't work. I don't agree."
Madam Li was very assertive: "Your opinion doesn't count; if I say it's okay, then it's okay."
Concubine Li explained with great disgust: "The marriage between Junjing and Junyu requires the madam's approval; my opinion doesn't count. Junjing and Junyu are the right-hand men of the Jiang family's eldest son; these are the Marquis's exact words. I can't make decisions about their marriage, so don't talk nonsense."
Madam Li rolled her eyes at her: "I don't care. When you leave, take Huilin with you and let her spend some time with Junjing. Also, find a way to get Wenze a job."
Li Wenze is the eldest son of the main wife, and he just passed the imperial examination, ranking over one hundredth in the third class. If he waits for the Ministry of Personnel to assign him a job, it will probably take at least three to five years.
Li Guifei had a headache.
Unfortunately, her mother and brothers and sisters-in-law were not ones to stay quiet; they kept asking Li Guiqie for things and asking for help.
Not long after Yuan Qi left the flower hall, Jiang Jiulu caught up with him.
The two strolled together around the lotus pond. It was late spring, and the lotus leaves were spread out on the water's surface. Since it was still early, there were no lotus buds yet. Several koi fish swam around in the pond, and one of them, quite boldly, poked its head out of the water and greeted Yuan Qi.
Yuan Qi could tell at a glance that the koi was about to transform into human form and recognized her spiritual power, which was why it poked its head out to greet her.
"Seventh sister, it was my oversight. I only thought about letting you come out to relieve your boredom and forgot about the character of my maternal grandparents' family. I apologize to you on behalf of my cousin."
Yuan Qi wasn't petty, and she wouldn't let this upset her. She just didn't want to face those greedy people from the Li family anymore.
"Have they always been like this?" Yuan Qi asked curiously.
Jiang Jiulu nodded: "Yes, ever since I can remember, every time my aunt came back, she would bring a lot of things. My maternal grandparents thought it was only natural. Luckily, my second brother can earn money, otherwise, my aunt wouldn't be able to fill this bottomless pit of the Li family. Now that we've all grown up, my eldest uncle and aunt want to marry my cousin to my second brother, saying that aunts and uncles are close all the time. To put it bluntly, isn't it just that they want to keep taking advantage of the Jiang family forever?"
Yuan Qi chuckled but said nothing.
Jiang Jiulu continued, "I also told my aunt that this would make them more greedy, but you don't know my aunt, she is very filial. No matter how much she talks back to her maternal grandparents on the surface, she will eventually do what they say."
"Stop!" Li Huilin ran over and blocked Yuan Qi's way, saying reluctantly, "Seventh Sister, Cousin Jing told Aunt that you are very capable and cannot be offended, so he sent me to apologize to you. I've already come, so please don't be angry."
After saying that, Li Huilin raised her head arrogantly, not even looking at Yuan Qi, clearly unwilling.
Yuan Qi really wanted to teach this person a lesson, but the person had only said a few words to her, hadn't plotted against her, and hadn't laid a hand on her, so Yuan Qi really couldn't find a reason to beat her up.
"If you don't want to apologize, you don't have to. I didn't ask you to apologize. You can leave now."
Li Huilin snorted and left.
Jiang Jiulu said helplessly, "My cousin's heart is entirely with my second brother. My maternal grandmother and eldest uncle told her many years ago that she was going to marry my second brother and enter a high-ranking family. That's why she developed such a willful personality. There's nothing I can do about it."
Yuan Qi said, "She will always suffer a loss eventually, and very quickly."
Jiang Junjing's scolding voice came from not far away: "I told you to apologize to Seventh Sister, why are you back so soon?"
Jiang Jiulu and Yuan Qi looked over, and Li Huilin tugged at Jiang Junjing's sleeve and said coquettishly, "Cousin Jing, why are you siding with outsiders? She's not your own sister. What's wrong with her suffering a little? Besides, I was just telling the truth. I didn't wrong her."
Jiang Junjing angrily shook off Li Huilin and walked towards Yuan Qi.
His anger hadn't subsided when he grabbed Yuan Qi's hand and turned around: "Seventh Sister, let's go!"
Li Huilin followed closely behind, but Jiang Junjing turned around so quickly that he bumped into Li Huilin.
With a "plop," Li Huilin fell directly into the lotus pond. The koi carp that had been following Yuan Qi in the pond was trapped in the mud, struggling and thrashing its tail.
Yuan Qi laughed unkindly.
Jiang Jiulu stared in disbelief: "You said she would suffer soon, and karma really came fast."
"Cousin Jing, aren't you coming down to save me!" Li Huilin splashed around in the lotus pond for a few moments before standing up. The water was only up to her waist, and she stood in the water, refusing to come out, waiting for Jiang Junjing to come down and save her.
"Can't you climb up yourself?" Jiang Junjing was fed up with his cousin and pulled Yuan Qi away.
Yuan Qi even made a face at her.
Li Huilin was furious and had no choice but to climb up using both her hands and feet.
Jiang Jiulu quickly summoned Li Huilin's maidservants to serve her.
Li Huilin stomped her feet in anger as she watched Jiang Junjing stride away.
The koi struggled to emerge from the mud, several of its scales missing, and its swimming became noticeably weaker.
Li Huilin was unaware of the trouble she had caused; she only hated Yuan Qi for stealing her beloved cousin and vowed to make Yuan Qi pay.
Jiang Jiulu felt guilty. She felt that she had encouraged Yuan Qi to come, which resulted in this unpleasant situation. She wanted to apologize to Yuan Qi properly. While calling out, "Wait for me," she went to chase after Jiang Junjing.
On the carriage, Yuan Qi was in a good mood; the Li family was on the decline.
But she didn't tell Jiang Junjing and Jiang Jiulu.
Concubine Li stayed with her mother to celebrate her birthday until evening before leaving the Li residence.
Despite her advanced age, Old Madam Li, along with her four daughters-in-law, spent the night sorting through the things that Concubine Li had sent that day.
Fabrics, jade, porcelain, tea, pearls, jewelry, and everyday items such as the Four Treasures of the Study, snuff bottles, and so on—you name it, they had it.
The family members were overjoyed, trying to please the old woman while also figuring out what they wanted.
At midnight, two masked men slipped in and smashed open the warehouse door.
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