The slapped Qi Lin was completely stunned. She had never seen such a sharp-tongued Ruan Mian who disregarded her feelings and instantly burst into tears.
Ruan Mian glanced at Cui Zhu, and Cui Zhu immediately understood, putting Qi Lin's jewelry box into the chest, not leaving a single piece of jewelry for the two servants!
Lian Qiao couldn't resist and could only shout, "Help! The Young Madam is going to harm the Eldest Miss!"
Ruan Mian slapped her again, and Lian Qiao immediately fell silent. But even so, Mrs. Liu of the Qi Family had already heard the noise and came rushing in.
"Stop! What are you going to do to Lin'er?!" Saying this, she shielded Qi Lin, feigning a kindly demeanor: "Mianmian, I know you feel wronged, and as your mother-in-law, I will make decisions for you. You've been married into the Qi Family for three years; even if you haven't contributed any accomplishments, you've worked hard. If we were to send you back to your parents' home without reason, it would only invite ridicule."
"Being laughed at is my own affair, Mrs. Qi. The divorce paper states it clearly; I'm merely taking back what belongs to me, and what? Are you planning to take it by force?"
Mrs. Liu of the Qi Family did not expect Ruan Mian to deliberately provoke her, and her smile froze for a moment.
"You're right, these things are yours. There's no harm in taking them."
"Your mother is only thinking of you, Nanfeng brought home the current Fifth Princess. If our Qi Family takes in the Fifth Princess as a concubine, aren't we opposing the Royal Family? At that time, carrying the crime of disrespecting the Imperial Family, who can bear that?"
Mrs. Liu of the Qi Family pulled Ruan Mian's hand gently, saying, "Mianmian, you know how much your mother loves you. On behalf of your mother, please agree to this matter, but rest assured, even as a concubine, your provisions will be the same as always."
"Moreover, Nanfeng's achievements will surely go beyond this; future glory and wealth will naturally include you!"
Upon hearing this, Ruan Mian didn't even spare her a glance, continuing to reach toward Qi Lin, eyes full of disdain.
"Hurry up and return my things; I don't have time to waste with you."
Mrs. Liu of the Qi Family was outraged by her repeated refusal to listen.
"Ruan Mian, do you really want to make things so ugly? You can no longer bear children, even if Nanfeng has a dozen mistresses, others will only laugh at your uselessness. But you, being so jealous after divorce, can forget about marrying into a good family again!"
She abandoned her usual affectionate demeanor, saying with a solemn face: "Linlin's fabrics and jewelry were given by you voluntarily, where is the talk of taking them back, you..."
Before she could finish, Ruan Mian had already torn off her gemstone ring and the gold hairpin from her head.
"Mrs. Qi, you also have my things; I hope you will return them according to the dowry list."
Seeing her own lady finally standing firm, Cui Zhu was thrilled as if she had been injected with adrenaline, rapidly moving everything out of Qi Lin's room.
Mrs. Liu of the Qi Family watched this scene, too furious to speak: "You... you wicked woman!"
Ruan Mian ignored her, turned, and left with Cui Zhu, and before leaving, Cui Zhu even spat with disdain.
Infuriated, Mrs. Liu of the Qi Family cursed loudly.
"You short-sighted wretch, asking back even the jewelry you sent away. I would like to see who would want you, a divorced prostitute, after you leave the Qi Mansion! Even if you kneel at the gate to beg me, I would not take you back!"
Ruan Mian took her belongings back to her courtyard and handed a silver note to Cui Zhu after retrieving it from under the bed.
"Go rent a slightly larger carriage; we will leave at 9:45 PM tonight."
Cui Zhu nodded repeatedly. As an outsider, she naturally knew how much injustice her lady had suffered over the years. Seeing her lady about to be freed from suffering, she was also very happy, wishing she could go and pray to Buddha for her lady's protection from being entangled by the Qi Family.
Ruan Mian leaned on the couch, knowing she had to act quickly.
In less than three days, her elder brother would be sent to the Heavenly Prison, and the Ruan Family would be investigated and exiled.
Now that the Emperor's secret decree had been issued, they were only waiting for a suitable time to move against the Ruan Family, so she had to make full preparations for the exile!
With three hours left before leaving the Qi Mansion, Ruan Mian went straight to the storeroom without hesitation.
After marrying into the Qi Family, Mrs. Liu of the Qi Family gave her the key to the storeroom, claiming it was to show trust in her, but in reality, it was for Ruan Mian to use her dowry to fill the Qi Family's gaps.
Thinking of the original plot, she stood three steps from the storeroom, carefully searching, sensing that the soil beneath her was looser than the surroundings, and immediately began to dig. Before long, she uncovered an iron box.
She opened the storeroom, walked to a portrait of a beauty, lit a flint, and found a lock, where she inserted a key from the iron box.
The portrait of the beauty slowly lifted, revealing a narrow secret path.
Ruan Mian walked in, traversing a dark narrow tunnel before reaching an empty hidden chamber full of white jade coral, jewelry and porcelain, and treasure chests containing gold ingots.
Even a rosewood coffin was placed centrally in the room, holding even more valuable, rare items worth a fortune.
Ruan Mian couldn't understand why the wealthy Qi Family would marry her to fill their deficit?!
Unable to comprehend, she decided not to dwell on it. After all, from now on, these things belonged to her!
The Fifth Princess has caused her Ruan Family to be exiled, she can't move the Emperor, but can she still not deal with the Qi Family? When the Fifth Princess enters the family, she will have a taste!
Ruan Mian then moved everything from the hidden chamber into her space, not leaving them even a wood chip.
After leaving the hidden chamber, Ruan Mian took all land deeds and property deeds from the storeroom, as the Qi Family hadn't any shops, so what she took were her dowry items.
Fortunately, the original owner wasn't too foolish to transfer these things to the Qi Mansion; now by selling these lands and properties, she could get a large sum of Silver.
Returning to the courtyard, Cui Zhu ran up to her, "Miss, where have you been? I couldn't find you anywhere and was scared to death!"
"I went to fetch something. Is the carriage ready?"
"Mm, it's already waiting at the back gate."
Ruan Mian nodded slightly, and the two of them left overnight.
Seeing the plaque of the Qi Mansion growing distant, Cui Zhu breathed a sigh of relief, "Miss, no matter what, you finally left the Qi Family, and things are bound to get better for you!"
Suddenly the sound of hurried hooves came, and Cui Zhu, thinking it was the Qi Family, hastily urged the coachman to speed up.
"Young Madam! It's me, Liu Changqing!"
A flicker of surprise flashed in Ruan Mian's eyes; she lifted the curtain to look outside: "Changqing? What are you doing here?"
Liu Changqing was a coachman for the Qi Family, but there was a time when a herd of more than a dozen Qi Family horses suddenly went wild and nearly trampled him to death, and the original owner saved his life.
"Young Madam, you have done me a great kindness, and since you are leaving, I will no longer stay with the Qi Family. I'm here to bid you farewell."
Hearing this, Ruan Mian raised her eyebrow with a thought in her mind.
She then took out a piece of white silver coin from her bag and handed it over, "Please, Changqing, do me a favor."
...
The carriage jolted along the road until it finally stopped by the side door of the Ruan Mansion.
It was already the early hours of the morning. Initially expecting her family to still be asleep, she was surprised to see her mother's courtyard brightly lit, forcing her attention.
Seeing her suddenly return home with Cui Zhu, Mrs. Ruan was shocked: "Mianmian! What are you doing back?"
Mr. Ruan, who had been wearing a worried expression, also rushed over, stunned.
Suddenly, Ruan Mian felt a sharp pain in her heart, and tears fell instantaneously.
"Father, Mother, I have divorced Qi Nanfeng."
"What?!!"
The two were once again dumbfounded, and after regaining their senses, Mrs. Ruan covered her face with a handkerchief, crying, "Mianmian, how could you be so foolish! Do you know that your brother was taken away by the government... boo hoo hoo."
Ruan Mian took a deep breath. Originally, her elder brother was supposed to be taken away two days later; it seems because she angered the Fifth Princess, the plot had accelerated.
"Father, Mother, Brother will be fine. Please relax and don't let this strain your health; Sister-in-law and Rui still need you!
"It's already late; please rest. Tomorrow morning, I'll find a way to manage the situation."
Ruan Mian helped Mrs. Ruan to a chair and continued, "Mother, I recently heard that a Divine Doctor has appeared out of nowhere in Jixian County, specializing in treating heart disease. I had someone visit early, and we'll take Rui tomorrow for treatment."
Her nephew, Ruan Rui, was born with heart disease, extremely difficult to cure.
Now she wanted to send her sister-in-law and Rui away to prevent others from using them to threaten her brother.
Mrs. Ruan furrowed her brows; she hadn't expected the situation to be worse than imagined: "Mianmian, Rui... he..."
"Mother, please trust me. I won't let anything happen to them!"
Hearing this, Mrs. Ruan no longer hesitated; if unforeseen events occurred, at least they would have left a descendant."