Reborn, the daughter of the Marquisate went crazy

The dowries scattered everywhere were gathered in the study one by one, and the servants moved quickly and neatly placed the boxes in the yard.

Xie Qingli took the list prepared by the servant, scanned it quickly with his eyes, frowned, then turned around and talked in a low voice with Cheng Shan.

Xie Jingyuan, Xie Jingliang and Xie Qingyao stood in the study, looking at the dowry in the yard through the half-open window, their eyes full of greed and unwillingness.

Xie Jingliang endured for a long time, but finally couldn't hold it in any longer. He glanced at Xie Qingli and said in a low voice: "Brother, that's your biological daughter, are you still afraid of her? Now that these properties are in your hands, why do you want to return them?"

Xie Jingyuan clenched his fists and said coldly, "Humph, she's just a country girl, why would I be afraid of her? If the Jiang family wasn't so powerful, how could I allow her to be so presumptuous?"

He glanced at Xie Qingli with a gloomy look, a hint of cruelty flashed in his eyes, and murmured: "When I gain power in the future, I will definitely deal with her well."

Thinking of this, Xie Jingyuan's heart suddenly tightened. His affair with Jiang Muxue must have spread all over the city. If Princess Shuhua heard about it, she wondered what she would think. He quickly straightened his clothes, combed his temples, put on a silver-black cloak, and hurried out of the study.

"Father, please stay!" Xie Jingyuan was about to reach the gate when Xie Qingli stopped him. She shook the list in her hand, her eyes cold, "Father, you deliberately destroyed my mother's dowry and didn't even ask for compensation. How can you just walk away?"

Xie Jingyuan's eyes were blazing with fire, veins popped out on his forehead, and he shouted angrily: "Evil girl, I have been tolerant of you again and again, but you insist on pushing your luck. Do you really think I can't do anything to you?" Before he finished speaking, he swung his palm towards Xie Qingli. The palm wind was so fierce that it seemed as if he had thrown all his strength into this palm, with great ferocity and anger.

Xie Qingli moved slightly, his feet lightly shifting, deftly avoiding the palm strike. However, Xie Jingyuan, having exerted too much force, lost his balance and stumbled twice before he could finally steady himself.

"Stop!" a commanding shout echoed from the doorway. The Jiang Mansion's eldest wife, accompanied by a host of servants, marched into the courtyard. She wore a long crimson brocade dress and a gold-beaded headband. Her steps were composed and imposing.

She took two steps at a time and stepped forward to support Xie Qingli. Her gentle voice was filled with concern: "Li'er, let your aunt take a look. Are you hurt anywhere?"

Xie Qingli raised her little face, and when she saw who it was, a glint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She called out affectionately, "Aunt, Li'er is fine! Why did you come in person?"

The eldest lady's red lips curled slightly, and her fingertips lightly touched the tip of Xie Qingli's nose. She smiled and said, "Silly girl, if your aunt doesn't come, who will support you?"

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly looked up, and the gentle smile on her face instantly turned into frost. She swept her sharp eyes towards Xie Jingyuan and said in a cold voice: "Master Xie, you have such great authority! How dare you bully my niece in front of the Jiang family? Do you think that my Jiang family has no one left?"

Xie Jingyuan felt a chill run down his back, and a cold sweat streamed down his face. The eldest lady of the Jiang family was known for her aggressive and ruthless tactics. If she caught him, it would be difficult to let him off easily.

Xie Jingyuan waved his hands hastily, a forced smile on his face: "No... no, sister-in-law must have seen it wrong just now. Li'er is my biological daughter. I love her so much, how could I hit her?"

The eldest lady's gaze was sharp, filled with disgust. "Master Xie, please be mindful of your address. Sister Xue'er has divorced you, and the Jiang and Xie families are no longer connected. We were supposed to part ways, each living happily, but you forcibly seized Xue'er's dowry. I've come here in person today to settle this account with you!"

Without waiting for Xie Jingyuan's reaction, the eldest lady waved her sleeves and said coldly, "Come here, take inventory!"

Immediately, more than a dozen capable maids filed out, the leader holding the dowry list and heading straight for the boxes. Three other accountants had already set up their desks in the corridor, and the clatter of sandalwood beads echoed like a torrential downpour.

An hour later, the old accountant in an indigo gown came hurriedly with a thick account book in his hand. He bowed and reported loudly:

"Madam, after a thorough inspection, I've found that my aunt's dowry is missing the following: five pieces of cloud silk brocade, eight pieces of threaded satin..." He deliberately slowed down his speech so that every word could be heard clearly: "Three sets of red gold head ornaments, two pairs of jade bracelets..."

"Twenty-three other gold, silver, and jade artifacts, including a phoenix-tail pearl crown, a pearl curtain, and a jasper pipa, have been stained by the pond water and require restoration by the best craftsmen in the capital."

He paused, flipped to the last page of the account book, and suddenly raised his voice: "The total loss of the above items is 18,600 taels of silver!"

Xie Jingyuan gasped, nearly losing his balance. He glared at the Madam, a fierce glint in his eyes. "Madam, are you taking advantage of the situation? Just a few pieces of cloth burned and a few pieces of jewelry lost, how could they be worth so much money?"

Before Xie Jingyuan finished speaking, the old accountant stepped forward, holding the account book in both hands and bowing slightly. "Thank you, sir, for your time." He opened the account book and pointed at the cinnabar annotation: "This cloud silk brocade was a reward from the late emperor. It can be found in the records of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Each piece is worth a thousand taels of silver."

He casually flipped to another page and continued, "This set of red gold headgear was made by the foremost craftsman in Jiangnan, Jin Buhuan. The labor alone cost three hundred taels."

He continued flipping through the account books, his tone becoming increasingly serious. "Not to mention the jade pipa that was damaged by the pond water. It's an antique from the previous dynasty and priceless. Last year, Wanbaoxuan offered five thousand taels for it. I'm already using the lowest price. If it were market price, I'd probably have to add another thirty percent."

The eldest lady looked down at the pale-faced Xie Jingyuan with cold eyes, tapping the table with her fingertips: "Master Xie, this 18,600 taels, will you pay it in cash, or with your land and shops?"

Xie Jingyuan clenched his fists suddenly, his mind racing. He only ordered people to burn the cloth and sink the gold, silver and jade, so why did the jewelry disappear?

He suddenly sneered, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Madam, you're so calculating! The boxes and boxes I took out from Jiang's storehouse are clearly all here, not a single piece missing. How could the jewelry be missing out of thin air? Could it be... that Madam is trying to blackmail me?"

The eldest lady raised her lips in a mocking tone: "Master Xie, do you think the Jiang family would covet your little tricks? If Master Xie doesn't believe it..." She deliberately dragged out her tone: "Then report it to the authorities!"

"Madam, wait a minute!" Xie Jingyuan cried out in panic. He suddenly realized that if the Jiang family wasn't blackmailing him, then the problem must be with one of his own people. He turned sharply to look at Xie Jingliang and Xie Qingyao, who were standing at the door of the study. They both looked away, not daring to meet his gaze.

Xie Jingyuan rushed over to the two of them, his face gloomy as water. He gritted his teeth and spoke word by word, "What did you two hide? Hand it over immediately, or if I find out, I will not let you off easily!"

Xie Qingyao shuddered upon hearing this, her hands unconsciously twisting around her handkerchief. She lowered her head, her voice as thin as a mosquito's: "Father, please forgive me... Yao'er was confused for a moment, blinded by lard..."

She raised her pretty face with tearful eyes and said with a choked voice: "Yao'er will get it right away." After that, she bowed hurriedly and walked out with Xiaotao and others.

Xie Jingyuan turned his eyes towards Xie Jingliang, his gaze as sinister as a knife. Xie Jingliang took a half step back, but he still stiffened his neck and said, "Brother, why are you so angry? Mother is bedridden, and I... I just left a few pieces of jewelry that she liked to cheer her up."

Seeing the coldness in Xie Jingyuan's eyes grow even stronger, he waved his hand dejectedly and said to the servant beside him, "Go to Songhe Hall and ask Madam Xu to bring it back." The servant took the order and left...