Qin Xiaoxiao made her move in Chapter Nine.
"Miss, you should think it over!"
Aunt Liu finally couldn't hold back and spoke up. Her well-maintained pretty face turned bright red, and her tone was deliberately urgent.
"Your dowry left by your wife is your foundation. How can you just donate it like that? Be careful not to get scammed!"
Qin Zhining didn't even glance at her.
A fence-sitter who clings to Aunt An, who used to swagger around in front of the original owner, now comes to hypocritically advise me. Does she even deserve it?
She raised her voice and threw it at the crowd, her voice clearer than the wind and snow: "Last year, when Luojiazhuang was flooded, the people waded through the icy water to escape. How many people lost their lives? How many families were destroyed?"
I've heard about it in the countryside, and it keeps me up at night. If you're going to donate, you have to put it into practice.
I will convert half of this dowry into cash and ask the county magistrate to personally oversee the use of the funds specifically for repairing bridges and roads in Luojia Village, and adding several pavilions for shelter from the rain, so that the villagers will no longer have to cross the river in fear!
She paused, her gaze sweeping across Qin Youming's ashen face like a sharp sword, her tone becoming even more pointed, "Furthermore, my mother's dowry list has already been filed with the clan, with every piece of jewelry and every shop clearly written down."
Today, I ask all the neighbors to bear witness that if anything happens to me in the county magistrate's residence—whether I die suddenly, become disabled, or 'disappear' without cause—all my dowry will be donated to the imperial court.
"Our county magistrate has decided to build a school in each of the ten villages under the jurisdiction of Lincheng County to teach children from poor families to read and write!"
At this point, she looked around and added emphatically, "I will ask the county magistrate and the clan elders to count the dowry together."
I hereby sign and affix my seal in public, and I will never go back on my word. I, Qin Zhining, keep my word and never lie.
These words struck Qin Youming like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, causing him to stagger and nearly fall to the ground, his vision blurring.
If he entered the mansion unharmed, he would donate half of his money, which prevented him from taking action easily.
If anything happens, the entire sum will be donated, leaving not a single penny for the county magistrate's office, thus extinguishing any hope the county magistrate might have.
This isn't donating a dowry; it's clearly using Xie Mingyuan's legacy to create an ironclad protective shield for herself!
Aunt An and Aunt Liu felt their hearts tighten, their nails almost digging into their palms, and even breathing became difficult.
They had originally planned to wait until Qin Zhining entered the mansion, then they would have plenty of ways to manipulate and torment her.
But now that these words have been spoken, from now on, even touching a single hair on her head will require careful consideration of whether she can withstand the spittle of the entire county and the investigation by the imperial court.
Sheng Kun, standing in the crowd, smiled so hard that wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes, and his gaze toward Qin Youming became increasingly playful.
This county magistrate's office will probably never have a peaceful day again.
Standing inside the door, Qin Zhining straightened her back even more under the complicated gazes of the crowd. The cold glint in her eyes made Qin Youming feel a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
He had coveted such a large dowry for nine years, plotting to seize it and pave the way for his future.
But now Qin Zhining's move to cut off his lifeline not only extinguished his hopes, but also tightly bound the reputation of the county magistrate's office to her life.
If anything were to happen to her, the entire county would be cursing Qin Youming, and even the imperial court might hold her accountable.
A chorus of praise rose from the crowd: "This girl is kind-hearted and intelligent."
"Using dowry to ensure peace and security, and even thinking about building bridges and schools, is much better than some officials."
"With us as witnesses, the county magistrate's office will certainly not dare to mistreat her."
Qin Zhining straightened her back even more as she met everyone's gaze.
What she wanted was not just a small dowry, but to use the "fat meat" she had coveted for nine years to pave a way for her own survival and to put shackles on those hiding in the shadows.
"Qin Zhining, are you crazy?"
Just as the plump duck that was about to be eaten was gone, Aunt An finally lost her temper, tore off her docile mask, gritted her teeth, her face contorted with rage, and roared in a fit of anger.
"That's the money your mother left you to survive. If you donate it all, what will you eat and drink? And what about your dowry when you get married?"
Qin Zhining stared directly at her, her eyes as cold as ice. "My mother's things, how I want to deal with them is none of your business, a mere concubine."
And according to your logic, without my mother's dowry, does Magistrate Qin intend to send me to another place to fend for myself?
No wonder I was sent to the countryside to be tormented when I was young; Master Qin's plan was to get rid of me and seize my mother's dowry.
She swept her sharp eyes over Aunt An's fine silks and satins, then pointed to her own tattered clothes and raised her voice.
“Aunt An just said that my return in such a sorry state was ignorant. But look at the state of this mansion. The eldest daughter has been tormented into a beggar, while the concubines are dressed in gold and silver.”
Anyone who sees this will have to say, who doesn't understand propriety and shame? Who has no manners or rules? Hmm?
Besides, according to the laws and ancestral rules of the Great Qi Dynasty, you are nothing more than a concubine who is half master and half slave. What kind of person are you to dare to question me?
"Aunt An, I'm using my mother's dowry to do good deeds for her. Who gave you the audacity to stop me?"
"Qin Zhining—I have been officially recognized by the master as your stepmother!" Aunt An shrieked, hating nothing more than others mentioning her status as a concubine.
“You’re making baseless accusations against your mother, which is disobedience and unfilial piety. Let me tell you, if you dare to be so disrespectful to me again, I—I’ll sue you.”
"Become the legal wife? Stepmother? And she wants to sue me for disobedience and unfilial piety as my mother?" Qin Zhining suddenly took a step forward, her eyes icy cold.
"Fine, go ahead and sue me. I welcome you to sue me, really, just wait and see if I get scared and you're done for."
Aunt An was so frightened by her imposing aura that she involuntarily took a step back and didn't dare to argue with her.
Qin Zhining said disdainfully, "Last winter I caught a cold and sent a letter back asking for medicine. Did you burn my letter?"
It was you who made my aunt throw me, a young child, into the mountains to be eaten by wolves, wasn't it?
Aunt An, you are ruthless and vicious, full of filth, and you still want to be my mother? Don't be disgusting.
As for your talk of promoting her to the top—do you even know whether the way you promoted her was legitimate or not?
"You've only eaten fine rice and worn silk and satin for a few days, and you dare to call yourself my mother? Do you deserve it?"
Before Qin Zhining could finish speaking, Qin Xiaoxiao made her move.
"Aba aba..." No one knew what she was going to say, and suddenly she grabbed Aunt An's hair in her hand.
"Ah ah... Aba aba. Bang..." With a flick of her wrist, Aunt An, who weighed over a hundred pounds, was thrown far away.
In that instant, everyone in the courtyard was stunned.
My goodness, this skinny little girl has such strength! She can throw a grown woman like that, wow... amazing!
Qin Zhining laughed when she saw this.
Oh my, how clever this little one is! She couldn't hit Aunt An when we were outside, but now that we're in the courtyard and there are no outsiders around, she can hit her whenever she wants.
Hahaha... So little! I'll reward her with a big chicken leg later.
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