CH 1.2

Zhou Ge, the former chief assistant of the cabinet who had retired from the imperial court, came to Yangzhou every year to give lectures in the Tianxia Building for one month. The Tianxia Building was managed by the Ruan family. Because of this, scholars from all over the country know that there was a building called Tianxia Building in Yangzhou, and there was a “Lady Linglong” who looked like a fairy there.

“Pfft…” Liu Sheshi sneered and spat out the melon seed shell from her mouth. “Fortunately, I’m not a man with handles.”

If Ruan Longling were a man, she might have made a lot of achievements. But since she was a woman, she would marry sooner or later, and no matter how majestic she was now, after marriage, she was destined to be restrained by her husband’s family, restrain her temper, and be a housewife who did not leave her home.

‘Hahahaa… It doesn’t matter how much money you earn. Those mountains of gold and silver will belong to the Liu family sooner or later. As long as the Liu family does not separate for a day, the second room can enjoy the money and live a peaceful life.’ Liu Sheshi thought smugly. 

Liu Sheshi, Liu Chengji’s aunt, was willing to teach Ruan Longling a lesson if she didn’t obey them by giving her nephew a few more concubines. Liu Sheshe did a lot of wishful thinking and even began to think of the good days when Ruan Longling married into the Liu family.”

“Madam!  It’s bad! The debt collectors from the Ruan family have come to visit again!”

Liu Sheshi looked at the panicked servant girl’s expression with a frown and threw a melon seed into her mouth disapprovingly. “Why are you panicking? Just tell them what I said earlier. Could it be that she really dares to come to the door asking for money?” 

“Madam, they have really come. She has come with many vicious-looking servants, and they are going to smash the yard with sticks! Madam, go and have a look!”

Liu Sheshi: “What…cough..cough…”

The melon seed got stuck in Liu Sheshi’s windpipe, and she coughed violently. After a few seconds, she recovered a bit and ran to the courtyard like a mad woman. She couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw the situation there. 

A few of the Liu family’s servants had been forced to kneel down on the ground, and the flowers and plants planted there were all trampled and crushed, and the courtyard was covered with mud stains. The most frightening thing was that the instigator of all this was sitting on a chair in the centre of the courtyard, enjoying tea.

It appeared that Ruan Longling was not there to collect debts but rather to enjoy flowers and music at leisure, as her majestic and alluring face was hidden by the hot air of tea aroma. Her red lips were slightly parted, and she breathed in the hot air.

Liu Sheshi was vaguely aware of Ruan Longling’s tricks, but when the “Lady Linglong” entered and left Liu’s home, every time she came to Liu’s house, she always had a smile on her face, which made people feel like a spring breeze, even to the point that every festival, maidservants would be sent to present gifts to the elders in each house…

These many details made Liu Shesji feel that Ruan Longling attached great importance to this marriage. Normally, when she came to the Liu’s, she was a well-behaved lady with a delicate appearance.

Who would have expected that she would actually bring her servants to her fiancé’s house for a mere 800 taels of silver?

“Okay, I’ve heard that Lady Linglong loves money like her life, but I didn’t believe it. Now that I have seen it in person, I know that it is true. I never thought that you loved money to such an extent. As the eldest daughter-in-law who is about to join the family, how could you bring so many people to our door? What do you want to do with such a big battle? Want to encircle and suppress? Want to ransack the house?” A sharp and ear-piercing shout of anger resounded in the messy courtyard, making people frown.

Usually, if she encountered such a troublesome woman, Ruan Longling definitely didn’t want to give her a face, but Liu Sheshi was Liu Chengji’s aunt after all, and she had to deal with Liu Sheshi when she married Liu. So Ruan Longling didn’t want to have much trouble with Liu Sheshi. However, as Liu Sheshi didn’t want to give her some face, Ruan Longling didn’t intend to ignore this matter lightly. Otherwise, she would be a joke among people.

“Lady Linglong came to the door today, not as the eldest daughter-in-law of the Liu family, but as the owner of the Ruan family business.” Ruan Longling’s graceful voice echoed around them. She gently fiddled with the floating tea leaves with the tea bowl lid, then snapped the lid on, and the porcelain collided with a crisp sound. “It’s natural to pay off debts. Auntie doesn’t understand this truth, right?” she asked Liu Sheshi without giving any face.

Actually, those 800 taels were already in Liu Shishi’s pocket. But how could she just return them? “What debt are you talking about? The elder brother passed away early, and the eldest wife has been bedridden after giving birth to Chengji. It was I who brought him up to this day. Since he can’t pay it back, shouldn’t you pay for him as his unmarried wife? It’s only natural for a wife to pay her husband’s debts! Okak, okay, don’t you just want money today? Then just deduct it from Chengji’s dowry for marrying you! Finally, Chengji has repaid his aunt for raising him for many years!”

Ruan Longling also felt that it was ridiculous, and she hadn’t slept for two whole days because of the debt, and she really didn’t have more energy to argue with Liu Sheshi here.

The warm and fresh tea flowed down her throat, which restored Ruan Longling’s energy. She then stood up and said, “Auntie, if you don’t hand over the 800 taels today, your son may not be able to go in and out of the Tianxia building from now on, let alone sit next to Mr. Zhou Ge and listen to his teachings like in previous years.”

These few words were Liu She’s weakness. The only son of Liu Sheshi’s family had access to Tianxia Building for many years freely to hear Mr. Zhou Ge’s lectures because of the Ruan family’s connections. “You, how dare you! Are you threatening me? What a good lady!  I’m afraid you will end up as your father in the future! Sure enough! She is indeed Wu Yunbi’s good daughter, you are just like your femme fatale mother, your conscience has been fed into the dog’s stomach!”

When she heard Liu Sheshi scolding her mother, Ruan Longling’s blood began to boil. Her expression had changed, and she looked at Liu Sheshi with furious eyes. She changed her address from “Aunty” to ” Mrs. Liu Sheshi”. “Since Mrs. Liu said that I value every penny, why should I just ignore that? Eight hundred taels are just the money. After so many years of debt, interest should be added. If Mrs. Liu should pay the money with interest. A total of nine hundred and sixty-eight taels. Not even a penny less!”