Chapter 21: The Deceased General Returns (3)
The Emperor, in front of the Northern Desert Royal Court envoys, re-appointed Cheng Shaowu as the Grand General of the Cavalry, which was somewhat of a slap in the face to Northern Desert.
The Cheng family were originally hunters in the village. After Cheng's father died, Cheng Shaowu went to the capital to take the martial arts examination, then joined the army. After eight years, he rose to the position of Fourth-Rank Loyal Martial General. In less than a year, he became a Second-Rank Cavalry General. Once Cheng's mother gained power, she spared no expense.
The Cheng family had no family fortune. The few things Cheng Shaowu brought back from the battlefield were not enough for her to squander. Just then, Ning Yan’s reputation for beauty spread throughout the capital. The mother and son discussed it and decided that by using her beauty to propose marriage, no one would suspect their true intentions. Cheng Shaowu then truly acted on it.
The naive Original Host was thus tricked into the Cheng family.
After Cheng Shaowu went to the battlefield, Old Madam handed over the household management to the Original Host. With no money in the Duke's Residence, the Original Host could only contribute her own silver.
After the news of Cheng Shaowu's death arrived, Old Madam became even more excessive. Out of guilt, the Original Host truly complied with her in everything, and eventually died in the Cheng Residence. Her several million taels of dowry ultimately benefited the Cheng family.
Knowing the outcome of her previous life, how could Ning Yan possibly let that shameless mother and son benefit again?
Last night, she had already asked Yuan Jingchen to move her dowry from the General Cheng's Residence to the secret room in the Zhen Guo Duke's Mansion.
In fact, among those dowries, there was a box containing a pair of paperweights. In a secret compartment beneath the paperweights, there were nearly three million taels of silver notes. In her previous life, all these things had benefited the Cheng family.
In this life, Ning Yan would absolutely not let the Cheng family take advantage of her even a little bit!
When the Grand General of the Cavalry's Residence was robbed, the Jingzhao Yin quickly dispatched personnel to investigate, but after much searching, not a single clue was found, and it eventually became a cold case.
Old Madam had originally intended to use her daughter-in-law managing the household as an opportunity to get her dowry, but the dowry was all gone.
Now, she held the power of managing the household tightly, refusing to let Ning Yan manage it even if it killed her, fearing that she would embezzle the public funds.
She even made up her mind that no matter how difficult her daughter-in-law's life became, she would not give her an extra cent beyond her allowance.
But in reality, Ning Yan was living quite comfortably. The old woman was brainless. Even if she lost her dowry, she still had three shops, three estates, and several thousand acres of land listed in her dowry, all of which could have their land deeds and property deeds reissued.
With just these things, she could live comfortably.
She also had a small kitchen in her courtyard. Every day, the servants would go out to procure ingredients, and the food they ate was even better than what was served in the main house.
In the following days, she claimed to be ill every day and did not go out, confining herself to her small courtyard. The maids in the courtyard had all gotten a bit fatter because of her.
Old Madam did not suspect anything at all. After all, anyone who lost a dowry of such magnitude would surely fall seriously ill, let alone her daughter-in-law whose dowry was worth millions!
Therefore, she did not bother Ning Yan at all.
This just happened to give a certain person an opportunity.
“Why are you here?”
Yuan Jingchen handed a box to Ning Yan. “I got some new jewelry. Take it and wear it.”
These were tribute items from a small kingdom, styles that the Great Jin Kingdom did not have. He felt they were most suitable for the woman before him; no one else deserved them.
Ning Yan couldn't help but smile at him, “There’s such a good thing? Young Master Yuan, are you this good to every woman you’ve slept with?”
Yuan Jingchen was a bit uncomfortable: “These were picked by me personally!” The ones for other women were picked by his subordinates.
Moreover, it was quite strange; after he slept with Ning Yan, he no longer had those thoughts when he saw other women. All he thought about all day was her. That extreme pleasure had him addicted; this was something no other woman had ever given him.
He was not a person who would settle, so he wanted this woman to divorce Cheng Shaowu.
“Alright, I’ve accepted the things. You can leave now.”
Yuan Jingchen’s face darkened. He stood a foot away from the bed, looking at Ning Yan, who was leaning against the headboard, with furious eyes. He knew this woman was heartless; she always used people and then discarded them, turning ruthless.
But when he saw her looking at him with a half-smile, the fire in his heart quickly extinguished.
Why get angry? She had no interest in him. Wouldn't a cold face make her even less willing to deal with him?
So he exhaled, lowered his voice, and whispered, “Yan'er, since you and I have had intimate relations, why not divorce Cheng Shaowu? Then we can be together openly.”
Ning Yan chuckled softly and got out of bed. The fiery red translucent silk gauze dress revealed her good figure, making Yuan Jingchen’s throat move rapidly and his eyes deepen.
Ning Yan walked to the table and sat down, pouring two cups of tea. She handed one to Yuan Jingchen, “You said for me to divorce. After the divorce, then what? Are you going to marry me?”
Yuan Jingchen was choked: “I, I already have a legal wife at home…”
“Not only do you have a legal wife, but you also have a bunch of concubines who will fight for favor! What makes you think I would give up being a legal wife to be a concubine, looked down upon and constantly at risk of being killed?”
Meeting Ning Yan’s eyes that seemed to see through everything, Yuan Jingchen’s heart trembled. She, she already knew his identity!
“But none of those people are truly loved by me.”
Ning Yan had indeed known Yuan Jingchen’s true identity for a long time; otherwise, she wouldn't have asked Yuan Jingchen to help transfer her dowry.
She didn't think much on the first night she met him, but after sleeping with him, she realized. Yuan was the imperial surname, and Qian Fu had no beard. The Emperor's chief eunuch was named Qian, so she knew the man she slept with was the current Emperor.
“Young Master Yuan, your words might fool others, but I won’t fall for them.
Don’t you think it’s particularly ridiculous for the word ‘sincere’ to come from your mouth?”
If you don’t like them, don’t sleep with them. If you don’t like them, don’t marry them. Is someone forcing you?
“Are you sure Cheng Shaowu is sincere towards you? And can you guarantee he won’t take concubines?”
Ning Yan took a sip of tea, “What do I want his sincerity for? I don’t like him!
I just need to be the head mistress of this Cheng Residence!
He can take a hundred concubines, but they all have to bow and serve me tea. They can have a hundred children, but they all have to call me mother.
If I’m unhappy, I can sell them off at any time. Only a fool would give up such a good life!”
“You, you are truly heartless.”
Ning Yan said smugly, “It’s not the first day you’ve known that!”
I am heartless. I use and discard. Don’t let me use you!
“Alright, we’ve cleared things up. Go back. Don’t come again. Our relationship ends here. When we meet again, we will pretend not to know each other.”
Ning Yan poured another cup of tea, offering it to see him off.
Yuan Jingchen was in a terrible mood. He left with a dark face. He had never been so humiliated by a woman in his life!
Yet, he had no way to deal with Ning Yan. He couldn't just cut her down, could he?
Forget actually doing it, just thinking about it made him incredibly uncomfortable. This woman must have put a spell on him, otherwise, why would he be acting so unlike himself?
Qian Fu, who was waiting outside the courtyard wall: “Master, why did you come out so quickly?”
After speaking, Qian Fu wished he could slap himself. Was that something he should have asked?