Xie Jingchen was feeling depressed, and Su Jin was even more so.
She had never said such nauseating words before, and it was cringeworthy enough to make her skin crawl.
But catching a glimpse of everyone's reactions, she secretly felt delighted.
Whether it was trying to use her as a scapegoat for murder, letting her take the blame, or using her female bandit background to humiliate Xie Jingchen, all of it had angered Su Jin.
If they looked down on her yet forced her into a marriage to drive away bad luck, that was an illness that needed curing.
The more they wanted to see something, the more she would not let them see it, suffocating them with rage.
Su Jin was elated until...she was reprimanded.
Third Master looked stern and said, "This is Qihao Hall, not your Agarwood Pavilion. Even if you're flirting, pick the right place."
It wasn't just a reprimand; Third Master looked at Xie Jingchen with disappointment and heartache. After all the years of education from Duke Zhen Country Mansion, the influence of a female bandit on him in one night seemed stronger. Was he someone who's never seen a woman before, to cherish a female bandit as if she were a treasure, making people's hearts, livers, spleens, lungs, and kidneys all ache in pain.
Su Jin looked at Xie Jingchen, her clear eyes filled with confusion, "What father said is absolutely right, your Duke Zhen Country Mansion is indeed not the same as our Dongxiang Marquis Mansion."
Xie Jingchen raised an eyebrow and asked, "In what way?"
Third Master, left aside, was burning with anger, with thunderous rage brewing in his eyes.
Su Jin glanced at the maid and whispered, "Shouldn't the maid who made a mistake be dealt with first? Why start with scolding you and me? You were unconscious, Duke Zhen Country Mansion let me marry you to drive away the bad luck. Seeing you, shouldn't the elders be happy? If it were my parents, they'd be grinning from ear to ear. Father told me to observe more, ask questions if I don't understand. So in the future, should I not praise you in front of people, or should I speak ill of you?"
The clear voice hovered above the room like a heavy hammer striking everyone's heart, leaving them speechless.
They had truly underestimated this female bandit!
Earlier she was bold and fierce, and now she's hidden needles in silk, gentle and humble. Facing her leaves no room to defend.
Inside the room, it was silent for a while, and no one spoke.
The maid belonged to Qihao Hall, and only the Old Madam had the authority to deal with her.
The Old Madam looked deeply at Su Jin and waved her hand, "Drag the maid out and beat her with thirty strokes, then demote her to the manor to reflect."
The maid knelt with a thud and begged for mercy, but with the evidence conclusive, no one dared to plead for her, and she was dragged away with her mouth covered.
Soon, the sound of the whipping could be heard.
The Old Madam said faintly, "Continue serving the tea."
The maid came back with the tea, but perhaps Su Jin was too fierce just now, the maid with trembling hands served the tea, with Su Jin staring at the ceiling. Now if she claimed she was gentle, she wondered if anyone would believe her?
She respectfully served the tea to the Old Madam, who took a sip, put down the cup, and Mrs. Li standing by her side was about to hand the prepared meeting gift to the Old Madam.
The Old Madam waved her hand, Mrs. Li paused, then she watched as the Old Madam took off the jade bracelet from her wrist and gave it as a meeting gift to Su Jin, even personally putting it on her.
When Su Jin stood up, she caught a glimpse of the book Mrs. Li didn't have time to hide, with two large characters on it: Family Rules.
Su Jin was a bit dumbfounded.
Hadn't she offended the Old Madam? Why hadn't the Old Madam punished her with the family rules, but instead gave her a jade bracelet as a meeting gift? Could it be the Old Madam preferred a fierce granddaughter-in-law?
Mrs. Tang told her, because when Old Master Xie married, he had a quarrel with the Old Madam, leading to a rift between mother and son, the Old Madam wasn't very fond of Xie Jingchen, so she advised her not to annoy the Old Madam at any cost.
After paying respects to the Old Madam, next was Princess Nanzhang.
After the earlier commotion, the ceremony went smoothly, but the meeting gift received was indescribably bad.
Princess Nanzhang gave a set of red gold face, one word to describe it, ugly.
Second Madam sent a pair of jade hairpins, two words, hideous.
Third Madam's was even more extraordinary, she gave a piece of paper.
At least what Princess Nanzhang and Second Madam gave were clear at a glance, but what kind of gift was a piece of paper?
Although she knew it couldn't be anything good, Su Jin was still curious.
Second Madam was equally curious, she laughed, "On the way here, I was curious about what kind of meeting gift Third Sister-in-law prepared. You kept it a secret, and now that I see, it turns out to be a piece of paper?"
Second Madam's smile was meaningful, "This isn't just any paper, its value is a thousand taels."
"A house deed? Or a land deed?" Second Madam prodded further.
Third Madam sneered disdainfully and uttered two words, "An IOU."
Su Jin took out that piece of paper to see, with a hard tug at the corners of her mouth, sure enough, it was an IOU, with the debtor being the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.
The IOU was for the dowry debt that Marquis Dongxiang and Mrs. Tang had prepared for her, she still remembered Xingxing trotting into the room that day, excitedly saying, "Capital City is really Capital City, not only prosperous but generous too, the shopkeepers there are remarkably agreeable, they agreed to a few thousand taels of goods on credit without batting an eye. Madam sent me to ask you if there's anything you want?"
Hmm, they didn't bat an eye indeed; they were waiting to slap her face.
This IOU was burning her hands.
Over there, Second Madam asked, "What's this IOU for?"
Third Madam, who had previously been secretive, now spoke openly and honestly, "This IOU was sent to me by Mrs. Wu, the Assistant Minister of Rites. The Dongxiang Marquis Mansion took things worth a thousand taels of silver from her dowry shop on credit, and didn't pay, only leaving an IOU.
Marquis Dongxiang is overbearing, his daughter even dared to snatch the eldest young master of our Duke Zhen Country Mansion. In Capital City, who dared confront him, feared their shops being smashed if they angered him, so they hurriedly took back the IOU and let the things be taken away.
But a thousand taels of silver just vanished like that. Mrs. Wu was unwilling, yet didn't dare to go to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion to demand payment, thus she came to me for help since we have some ties. I was just worried about preparing a meeting gift for Eldest Young Madam, so I bought this IOU."
Su Jin's face burned painfully, but the real embarrassment followed soon after. A maid came rushing in from outside, urgently saying, "Old Madam, there's trouble, lots of people have gathered at the Duke Mansion's gate, each holding an IOU, claiming the money was owed by Dongxiang Marquis Mansion for Eldest Young Madam's dowry, hoping the Duke Mansion can help recover the debt...."
The Old Madam's face faintly turned green.
Princess Nanzhang was enraged, "Is this what it takes to completely lose face for our Duke Mansion?!"
A dark glint flickered in Su Jin's eyes. One after another, they fear the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, yet dared to come to the Duke Mansion demanding debt on her first day here. If this wasn't orchestrated by someone, she would not believe it.
However, debts must be repaid, that's the principle. Su Jin asked the message maid, "Do you know the total amount owed?"
The maid replied, "About thirty thousand taels of silver."
Thirty thousand taels of silver?
How much was that?
Su Jin remained silent for a moment, unable to calculate, then Third Madam said, "Repaying debts is the principle. Our Duke Mansion wanted you to marry to bring joy, but Dongxiang Marquis Mansion couldn't afford the dowry, isn't this just putting on a front...?"
Before Third Madam finished her sentence, Su Jin interrupted her, "Husband, can you help me pay the debt?"
Third Madam's breath was caught in her throat.
This female bandit!
She actually dared to speak up!
However, the certain Eldest Young Master spoiled his wife, "Alright."
"Husband is really kind."