Hearing the word "help" from Yun Xi's mouth, the old lady almost burst into scolding.
She had clearly given this dead girl a chance to avenge her hatred, but she was still so ungrateful, deliberately putting on airs and even making some conditions!
It was simply intended to piss her off!
Seeing the old lady's chest heaving violently, her previously sallow face instantly flushing red and looking full of anger, Yun Xi couldn't help smiling and saying:
"The condition is very simple. It's just that grandmother needs to pay for the travel expenses of the escort and the wages of the maids and servants who will take care of Concubine Jiang in the manor!"
Then Yun Xi counted on her fingers quickly and said with a big smile:
"It's only about five hundred taels!"
"What?!"
The old lady was extremely angry. Staring at Yun Xi, she couldn't believe that this girl dared to ask her for five hundred taels.
"I've given you all the shops, manors and fields in the family, and you still dare to ask me for money?"
Moreover, it was just escorting Concubine Jiang. How could it cost so much silver?
Facing the old lady's accusation, Yun Xi smiled calmly and said clearly:
"Grandmother, let me remind you. Those shops, manors and fields all belong to my mother and are the properties of the Su family. They have nothing to do with the Prime Minister's Mansion. This was also personally promised by father."
"Moreover, the Prime Minister's Mansion also has a lot of properties. The annual income is enough for the Prime Minister's Mansion to live a carefree life for eight generations. Five hundred taels is already a great bargain!"
At this moment, Yun Xi behaved like a real merchant, bargaining with the old lady and not giving in at all.
The old lady was so angry that she gritted her teeth. Yun Xi didn't force her either. Instead, she smiled even more brightly and said:
"If grandmother thinks it's a bad deal, it doesn't matter. You can just keep Concubine Jiang in the Prime Minister's Mansion. It'll even save you some money, right?"
Hearing that Concubine Jiang would continue to stay in the Prime Minister's Mansion, the old lady was immediately startled!
She had locked Concubine Jiang in the Prime Minister's Mansion before, but she still managed to escape and almost killed her!
Thinking that she might face such a threat in the future, the old lady felt extremely uneasy. Finally, with a pained look on her face, she made up her mind and said to Mama Zhang in the room:
"Open the cabinet beside my bed and take out a five - hundred - tael silver note for her."
"Yes, madam."
Not long after, Yun Xi had a five - hundred - tael silver note in her hand. Under the old lady's angry glare, she carefully counted it, nodded and said:
"Grandmother, don't worry. I'll definitely send Concubine Jiang to the manor safely. You should rest early!"
After saying that, she called the stunned Yuzhu and swaggered away.
Led by the servants, Yun Xi soon saw Concubine Jiang, who was like a wild animal. Her limbs and neck were chained and she was locked in a cage. At this moment, she was still crazy, constantly biting the wooden cage. Her mouth was full of blood and several of her teeth had fallen out, but she still wouldn't stop.
It seemed that she had completely lost her human memories and was no different from a beast.
"Cover it up."
Yun Xi said calmly in a low voice.
Watching the servants slowly pull the black curtain over the cage, Yun Xi felt neither joy nor sorrow.
She didn't regret her decision and would never show sympathy for Concubine Jiang's current situation.
Because she knew that for a devil like Concubine Jiang, only by completely defeating her and pulling out her claws could she protect herself and all the people she cherished from being poisoned by her!
Sometimes, she didn't have to hate, but she must harden her heart.
Being indecisive would only harm others and herself!
After asking Dingxiang's opinion and giving her a large amount of money to relieve her worries about her family, Yun Xi added her to the people in charge of watching Concubine Jiang. Along with Dingxiang was Mama Liu, who had been beaten half to death by Concubine Jiang before and had a lame leg!
At that time, Yun Xi bought her from the tooth woman just for this day.
With Dingxiang and Mama Liu around, even if Concubine Jiang regained her senses one day, it would be difficult for her to escape from the manor!
Watching the procession escorting Concubine Jiang set off in a grand manner, Yuzhu's eyes couldn't help but sweep over the people seeing them off. Besides their mistress and the two maids, there were also Yue'e and her father, and Cuier's grandmother. Their crying and laughing made people sigh.
Recalling Concubine Jiang's inhuman appearance in her mind, Yuzhu sighed but was also happy. She stepped forward and gently held Yun Xi's arm.
"Miss, now you can finally sleep soundly."
And those innocent people who had been persecuted by Concubine Jiang could finally rest in peace!
Concubine Jiang's departure finally cleared the long - lingering haze in Yun Xi's heart. All the things in her previous life had become a thing of the past and were no longer the nightmare that shackled her.
Yun Xi originally thought that everything would get on the right track and she could start a new life. But what she never expected was that:
The Empress Dowager actually issued an imperial edict to bestow a marriage at this time!
The bride was not her, nor the Eighth Princess. It was Zhen Bao!
The Empress Dowager bestowed Zhen Bao to Li Ji of the Duke of Xun's Mansion!
Although this marriage was bestowed by the Empress Dowager, it was ultimately approved by the emperor. And the Empress Dowager's imperial edict also implicitly indicated that she had long intended to arrange a marriage alliance between the Li family and the Zhen family.
However, after this incident, it seemed to be a punishment for Zhen Bao!
Not to mention that Li Ji used to be a dissolute playboy who lingered in the brothels all day. Now, he had been beaten and injured by Zhen Bao for molesting Yun Xi. The Zhen family already disliked him very much, and Zhen Bao even declared that she would rather die than marry him!
To resist the marriage, Zhen Bao even went on a hunger strike, which worried Lady Zhen a great deal. Even Zhen Jiangjun, who was far away in the southern border, was shouting that he would return to the capital in person to ask the emperor for an explanation.
However, as a general guarding the southern fortress and protecting the country, he couldn't return to the capital without the emperor's order! If he returned privately, he would be imprisoned at the least and beheaded at the worst. He might even implicate his family and lead to the execution of all his family members!
This suddenly made Yun Xi think of the previous life, when the loyal Zhen family finally ended up being implicated and executed. Although she didn't know the specific incident, it seemed to be related to General Zhen's private return to the capital!
Could that incident have happened earlier?
Thinking of this, Yun Xi's face suddenly turned extremely pale.
"Yuzhu, go and prepare the carriage quickly. I'm going to the Zhen Mansion right now!"
"Miss, it's almost evening now."
Seeing Yun Xi's pale face, Yuzhu couldn't help reminding her worriedly.
The Zhen family received the Empress Dowager's imperial edict early yesterday morning. When Zhen Bao's maid came to the courtyard at noon today, they happened to be out. So it was almost evening when they got the message from Hongluo.
"No, I can't wait until tomorrow!"
Given how much the Zhen family doted on Zhen Bao, she must try every means to stop General Zhen from returning to the capital! She must never let the Zhen family repeat the same tragedy as in the previous life!
Seeing that Yun Xi was determined, Yuzhu didn't try to persuade her anymore. Not long after, without having dinner, the two got on the carriage again and rushed towards the Zhen Mansion.