Chapter 197 Tongjia Clan: Just Consider it Feeding the Dogs
Chengqian Palace, sleeping quarters.
The candlelight shone brightly, illuminating Tongjia's beautiful face, which was now covered with frost.
She looked at Qi Jia Shi, who had knelt down as soon as she entered the bedchamber, crying out for help from the princess.
His brows furrowed tightly, and his tone was clearly impatient and disdainful.
"You're perfectly fine, why are you yelling for help? What kind of show are you putting on for me now?"
Qi Jia raised her head, her forehead still covered with the dust from when she kowtowed.
She didn't even bother to wipe it off, and said urgently with a sob in her voice.
"Princess! Princess, save me! I...I arranged that accident in my palace to help you deal with that Wuya clan. Who would have thought that Wuya clan would be so lucky, saved by that lowly maidservant by her side? Now...now Her Majesty the Empress is furious and demands that I pay for the damaged items, a full 23,750 taels of silver. Princess, my family is poor, where would I get so much silver? You can't just stand by and watch me die!"
Upon hearing this, Lady Tongjia was furious.
You didn't even get the job done, and you still dare to ask her for money?
Her Tongjia family was wealthy, but more than 20,000 taels of silver was no small sum.
If she wants to use it, she has to explain the reason to her father and mother.
Does she think that the money of the Tongjia clan comes from thin air?
She suppressed her anger and said coldly.
"You stand up and speak first."
After Qi Jia stood up shakily, she slowly spoke, her tone distant and evasive.
"I remember that I only promised you that if you handled things well, I would put in a good word for you with my cousin the emperor and help you get a seat in the palace. I didn't promise you anything else."
She paused, then looked sharply at Qi Jia Shi.
"You yourself volunteered to help me out, and I only agreed to see what you're capable of. In the end, what are you to me? Why should I pay this compensation for you? This doesn't make sense anywhere."
Qi Jia was so choked by her words that her chest felt tight.
She knew, of course, that she was in the wrong, but now she was at her wit's end.
Besides the Tongjia clan, who else could she turn to?
Even if it means defaulting, she has to pay this money today!
She knelt down again with a thud, her voice filled with sorrow.
“Your Highness is right. I am incompetent, but... but I am truly desperate. Please consider this my loan to you. I beg Your Highness to save me this time, for the sake of my loyalty. I will serve you like a slave in the future to repay your great kindness.”
"To be treated like a beast of burden?"
Tongjia laughed out loud as if she had heard an extremely funny joke.
"What are you saying? What kind of cow or horse is worth more than 20,000 taels of silver? Qi Jia, do you think I'm some kind of sucker who can be easily manipulated?"
Her tone turned cold.
"With this money, what can't I, a princess, accomplish? Why waste it on someone as incompetent as you!"
Upon hearing this, Qi Jia's heart sank completely, and her whole body turned ice cold.
Is he determined to watch her die?
She pledged her loyalty, even offering to lend a hand, but Tongjia refused to help her!
Overwhelmed by immense disappointment and anger, she lost all reason.
She suddenly raised her head, her eyes no longer showing any humble pleading, but only a ruthless determination to burn her bridges.
She stood up, no longer kneeling in supplication, and looked directly at Tongjia Shi, her voice turning cold.
“Your Highness is right. My life is worthless. Twenty thousand taels could buy countless people like me to serve you. But in the end, I am in this predicament because I was doing things for you! Now that things have come to this, you are standing by and doing nothing. It makes me feel utterly disheartened!”
She took a deep breath and spoke slowly and deliberately.
"Since that's the case, if I can't recover, then you shouldn't try to escape unscathed either. I will report the whole story, the cause and effect, to His Majesty and ask for His Majesty's judgment!"
Tongjia's expression changed drastically, and she abruptly stood up.
"How dare you threaten me, Princess?"
Qi Jia, now barefoot and unafraid of those wearing shoes, retorted defiantly.
"Yes! I'm threatening you, Princess. Just tell me, will you help me or not? If you don't, I'll kneel outside the Qianqing Palace right now!"
Tongjia was so angry that her chest heaved violently. She pointed at Qijia and couldn't speak for a long time.
Looking into Qi Jia's resolute eyes, she knew she wasn't joking.
If she really makes a scene before the emperor, even if she can make excuses...
But in the end, it will only cause trouble and leave a bad impression on the emperor cousin, which is not worth it.
After a long stalemate, Tongjia finally gave in, gritting her teeth and suppressing her anger.
"Fine! Fine, Qi Jia Shi, I'll lend it to you! But you have to give me a written agreement, and you must repay it someday."
Write an IOU?
Does that mean Qi Jia Shi will be controlled by Tong Jia Shi for the rest of her life?
Now that Tongjia has compromised, she will force her to compromise to the very end!
Qi Jia shook her head firmly and gently.
"I won't write it."
"you…"
Tongjia was so angry she almost fainted, wishing she could tear the person in front of her to pieces immediately.
She stared intently at Qi Jia, who returned the gaze without flinching.
After what felt like an eternity, Lady Tongjia finally slumped back onto the couch, as if she had exhausted all her strength.
She forced out the sound through her teeth.
"Alright... I'll help you. I'll pay for this money for you."
She abruptly changed the subject, her eyes turning incredibly sinister as she stared at Qi Jia and warned her, word by word.
"Qi Jia, listen to me carefully. This is a one-time thing. Consider this money as me feeding the dogs. From now on, we will have nothing to do with each other. If you dare to step into Chengqian Palace again, or dare to mention anything about me outside... I guarantee that you, your father and mother will die a very bad death!"
Qi Jia knew that this was just Tong Jia's harsh remark to save face.
Having achieved her goal, she didn't mind and immediately bowed.
"Thank you, Princess. Don't worry, Princess. Now that I have the money, I will never dare to disturb your peace again!"
Tongjia glanced away in disgust, unwilling to look at her again.
She got up and walked to a locked rosewood cabinet in the inner room.
He used a key he kept close to his body to open it, rummaged around inside for a moment, and took out a stack of silver notes.
She walked back and slammed the silver notes heavily on the table in front of Qi Jia.
"Here's twenty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty taels. Take it and get out!"
Qi Jia looked at the thick stack of silver notes.
Her eyes blazed with the ecstatic joy of surviving a calamity. She carefully picked it up, clutching it tightly in her hand, and bowed again.
"Princess Xie! This humble servant takes her leave!"
After saying that, she turned around almost impatiently and led Yunxiu away from the Chengqian Palace bedchamber.
It felt as if a demon was chasing me from behind.
Watching her disappearing figure outside the door, Tongjia suddenly swept the tea set on the table to the ground.
A crisp cracking sound echoed inside the hall.
Her chest heaved violently, and her face turned ashen.
“Uya clan… Qijia clan… good, all very good, you all just wait for me.”
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However, after the rage subsided, a deep sense of powerlessness welled up inside him.
She wanted revenge, she wanted to crush those two people under her feet.
But she suddenly realized that she was so weak and alone in this deep palace.
She wanted to do something shady, but she couldn't find anyone she could trust to be efficient and capable.
She has money, but what use is it if she doesn't have reliable people to spend it?
Does she have to roll up her sleeves and personally bribe unfamiliar eunuchs and palace maids to do things for her?
That lowly maid, Wuya, is still alive and well.
However, as long as she lived, she was constantly proclaiming the shame of the Tongjia clan to everyone in the harem.
However, Qi Jia, that mad dog, threatened her again and again, and even managed to extort more than 20,000 taels of silver from her.
She couldn't help but turn her gaze outside the hall.
Li Guiping…
This was the spy she had planted in Chengqian Palace.
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