Unable to resist Yun Xi's pleading, Yun Sheng finally withdrew his decision to send Yun Ni to the manor and instead ordered her to reflect on her mistakes behind closed doors.
And Yun Xi, much to Jiang's heart - wrenching dismay, got her mother's dowry as she wished.
Thinking that the mistress's things were finally no longer in Jiang's possession, Yu Zhu felt extremely relieved. But when she thought of the large number of items missing from the dowry list, she couldn't help getting angry.
"Miss, it's fortunate that you got the mistress's dowry back in time. Otherwise, the remaining things would have been squandered by Jiang! It's a pity that those lost things can never be retrieved..."
Hearing Yu Zhu's disappointed words, Yun Xi stopped her painting brush, looked up at her with a smile.
"Who says they can't be retrieved?"
Yun Xi's eyes sparkled brightly.
"As long as the dowry list exists, I have plenty of ways to make Jiang give them back!"
When she was young, her grandfather often taught her that even if one didn't have a fortune, one should not be enslaved by money, nor should one haggle over every detail. A gentleman loves wealth, but he should acquire it in a proper way and use it moderately. When in adversity, one should cultivate one's own moral character; when in prosperity, one should bring benefits to the whole world!
In the past, she might have scorned to haggle over property with others, but Jiang cared! To defeat a snake, one should hit it at its seven - inch point. Since they were going to defeat Jiang, they must attack her vital point!
The mistress and the maid were whispering to each other when Wei Xueming walked over gracefully and said with a smile, "Yun Xi, the princess dowager wants to see you."
Her eyes involuntarily fell on the landscape ink painting in front of her, and a look of gloom flashed across her eyes.
Everyone said that the eldest daughter of the prime minister's mansion was all beauty but no substance. She was not only a sickly girl but also a fool. However, the painting in front of her integrated form and spirit, with rich colors, powerful strokes, and the right balance of ink. Unlike other women who only painted flowers, birds, fish, and insects, with shallow vision and weak strokes.
"Okay, thank you for telling me."
Yun Xi stood up to thank her, already having a good guess in her heart.
Such a big thing had happened at the entrance of the girls' academy yesterday, and she came to the academy today. As the administrator, the princess dowager would naturally come to inquire about it.
After the mistress and the maid left the painting studio, several girls immediately surrounded Wei Xueming.
"Xueming, I heard that the princess dowager is going to expel that ugly girl. Is it true?"
A girl with thick lips, a flat nose, and heavy makeup was the first to speak. Her small eyes were now shining with schadenfreude.
"She was publicly abducted by Lin Kang yesterday. She must have lost her innocence. Yet she still has the nerve to come to the girls' school. She really has a thick skin!"
"Exactly! If it were an ordinary girl, she would probably be too ashamed to show her face, but she acts as if nothing has happened!"
Wei Xueming glanced at the ugly - faced girls chattering in front of her and spoke gently.
"That's not true. We mustn't spread rumors."
Then, she lowered her voice and said sincerely, "After all, Yun Xi is the daughter of the prime minister. Everyone should be careful not to let their words cause trouble. Moreover, I don't think the princess dowager has any intention of expelling Yun Xi."
Hearing Wei Xueming's words, the girls not only didn't stop but instead attacked Yun Xi together.
"What are we afraid of? Her father is just a treacherous official. If we scold the daughter of a treacherous official, will the emperor punish us?"
"Right! My father is also a third - rank official in the court. What can Yun Xi do to me?"
Hearing this, Wei Xueming shook her head and sighed.
"Our girls' academy always values talent and fairness. Although Yun Xi entered the academy through connections, she is very talented. Take this painting of hers for example. It is truly outstanding and beyond the reach of ordinary people."
After saying this, Wei Xueming found an excuse to leave. The remaining girls looked at Yun Xi's painting jealously.
"Humph! What is this painting? It's so black and ugly!"
"Yeah! Why don't we add a few strokes to it?"
The girls looked around, then exchanged a sneaky smile and immediately started to act...
A pretty figure was watching them from a distance. She pursed her lips in boredom, threw the paintbrush in her hand, and then left the painting studio.
As expected, the princess dowager called Yun Xi over, only asked her about what had happened yesterday, and then comforted her a few words.
She also promised that from then on, Lin Kang would not be allowed within fifty meters of the girls' academy. It was obvious that the princess dowager was really angry!
The mistress and the maid walked out along the corridor. Yu Zhu's face was full of confusion.
Thinking of yesterday's situation, Yu Zhu couldn't help saying, "Miss, yesterday when I came back to the girls' academy to ask the princess dowager for help, I met Miss Wei on the way. She promised me that she would report this matter to the princess dowager. But today, from the conversation between the princess dowager and you, it seems that the princess dowager doesn't know anything about my request for help at all!"
Just now, the princess dowager even implicitly criticized her young lady, saying that she had gone too far for help and didn't know to send someone to the girls' academy to ask for help. This made Yu Zhu very confused!
Yun Xi stopped walking. Hearing Yu Zhu's words, she fell into deep thought.
"I guess she didn't really want to help."
Since the first time she met Wei Xueming, she had vaguely felt that Wei Xueming was hostile towards her.
"Ah? Why! Miss hasn't offended her, and she clearly promised at that time!"
Yu Zhu frowned, but Yun Xi made a gesture for her to be quiet.
"Be quiet."
After all, Wei Xueming was quite popular in the girls' academy and had many supporters. She didn't want to become the target of public criticism and make her school life even more difficult.
If she had to say the reason why Wei Xueming hated her, it was naturally that despicable Qi Rong! If it weren't for his good - looking appearance that had made Wei Xueming secretly fall in love with him and mistakenly regarded her as a thorn in her side, would she be so miserable?
Thinking of Qi Rong, Yun Xi suddenly shivered.
Just thinking of the way that guy had molested her in public yesterday and even said that she had promised to marry him, she felt like vomiting. If he hadn't run away so fast, she would have liked to spit a whole jar of saliva at him and drown him!
Yun Xi returned to the painting studio. Looking at the painting on the table that had been splashed with ink, she immediately scanned the surroundings and quickly locked onto a few people who were smiling maliciously.
"Ah! Miss's painting! Who did this? It's so despicable!"
Yu Zhu frowned and exclaimed. She picked up the painting paper and tried to shake off the ink that hadn't dried yet, but Yun Xi held her hand.
"It's just a painting. If it's dirty, it's dirty."
Yun Xi grabbed the painting from Yu Zhu's hand, crumpled it into a ball instantly. She neither cried nor got angry, looking calm and composed.
The girls who had been waiting to watch the show frowned and gritted their teeth. It was as if the punches they had thrown with all their might had hit cotton. They felt like fools. They felt extremely frustrated!
Just then, a clear female voice shouted, "Hey! You're such a coward! Isn't your father a treacherous official? Aren't you afraid of disgracing your prime minister's mansion by letting others bully you like this?"
Yun Xi turned to look. A somewhat familiar and beautiful girl was standing with her arms crossed against the door frame, looking at her disdainfully. If she didn't know that Yun Ni was at home reflecting on her mistakes, listening to this tone, Yun Xi would have thought it was Yun Ni.