Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

Listen to this! The betrothal gifts alone are so numerous, which shows that there are even more benefits and money involved behind the scenes. The Yu family has never lacked money.

However, Yu Chonglin was unwilling to spend a penny more on Yu Ying'er and sent her directly to the palace to become a palace maid.

Xi Qiao shook the list in his hand. Yu Yang had sent mostly jewelry, such as tourmaline, turquoise, rubies and sapphires. There were finished jewelry pieces as well as loose stones waiting to be processed. They were all in boxes, and their value far exceeded that of what Yu Yuan had sent.

The Lin family's wealth is evident.

Seeing Xi Qiao's expressionless face, Xiao Linzi cautiously said, "Princess, the steward also said that the two young ladies sent word back to the manor that they will bring their husbands and children back to pay their respects to you tomorrow."

Xi Qiao slammed the sheet face down on the table and leaned back in his chair.

The original owner's mother, Wu, worked as a wet nurse in various wealthy households. The person in charge of the Yu family's backyard was always Ma. Not to mention Yu Ying'er, even the original owner suffered a lot of mistreatment and abuse.

However, when the original owner was at home, Wu was still alive, so Ma and her children did not dare to go too far.

Therefore, the original owner's life was much happier and easier than Yu Ying'er's.

"Go find two hairpins made by the imperial workshops and send them to them. Tell them that I have received their sentiments, but they do not need to come and pay their respects. Neither I nor the Empress will hold onto past grievances, but we do not wish to see them again."

Xiao Linzi grinned. The princess's meaning was clear: she didn't hold grudges, but she wouldn't forgive either. From now on, they would go their separate ways and not try to take advantage of the princess and the empress.

The Zhang and Lin families specially sent lavish gifts, which must have placed great hopes on them, hoping that they could be helped by a benefactor and rise to a higher level.

But his earnest expectations were dashed because of his daughter-in-law. He watched helplessly as his promising future was ruined before his eyes. How could he not be depressed and disappointed?

They dared not vent their anger on the princess, but since she was their daughter-in-law, they could vent their anger however they wanted.

"Yes, Your Highness. There is another matter I would like to ask about. Should I send someone to your maternal family, the Wu family, to deliver the good news?"

"Need not."

Xi Qiao refused outright. In the original owner's memories, the Wu family lived in the suburbs of Beijing, but he had never seen them visit him.

Regardless of the reason, since Dou has not taken care of the original owner and the Yu Ying'er sisters in the past twenty years, there is no need to contact them again now.

"Yes, Princess, please rest. This servant will take his leave."

In the evening, Xia Xiazi quietly stepped into the Yangxin Hall and stood silently beside Su Peisheng.

Xiazi handed a stack of papers to Su Peisheng.

“Master, Princess Yu Jia has sent over a gift list, detailing the gifts from the imperial family. She says she dares not announce it herself and asks you to present it to the Emperor for his instructions.”

His voice was very low; you couldn't hear it at all unless you were right next to him.

Su Peisheng glanced at it and exclaimed, "Oh, this first page is the list of congratulatory gifts sent by the Fourteenth Prince's residence!"

He had just raised his hand to take it when the emperor above suddenly spoke up: "What are you looking at? You're acting so suspiciously."

Su Peisheng quickly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, it is the list of congratulatory gifts sent by Consort Yu Jia. I glanced at it and roughly understood Consort Yu Jia's concerns. It's nothing more than that they are too precious."

He presented the list to the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, please take a look."

Su Peisheng pointed to the Hetian white jade Guanyin statue above: "This servant remembers that you once asked this servant to send a three-foot-two-inch tall Hetian jade Guanyin statue to the Empress Dowager. This servant has served by your side for many years and has seen many rare treasures. This Guanyin statue is definitely among the best."

Normally, he wouldn't dare to speak so bluntly, but isn't this because the Emperor has completely lost heart towards the Empress Dowager and the Fourteenth Prince?

"The size is correct, and Princess Yu Jia has served the Empress Dowager for many years, so she knows what the Empress Dowager's things are. Although the matter with the Fourteenth Prince has not spread, judging from Granny Sun's coercion of the Princess, the Princess must have guessed that the Fourteenth Prince has displeased you."

"Now that the Fourteenth Prince's mansion has sent such a lavish gift worth ten thousand gold pieces to the princess, I'm afraid Princess Yu Jia will be so frightened that she will turn pale."

The emperor did not speak, but silently read through the list.

Guanyin, mandarin ducks, jade seal, lotus pod.

Compassion, brotherhood, resigning from office, loving one's child.

He pities the fourteenth son's children, but who will pity his dead children?

"The sixth prince is my and the fourteenth prince's own brother. It is only right that the fourteenth prince should send a generous gift for the sixth prince's establishment of his own residence. Speaking of which, I forgot to ask you to send a reward. Go to my private treasury and select two fine jade ruyi, four sets of precious headdresses, and eight bolts of silk and satin to reward Lady Yu."

Su Peisheng immediately responded and was about to retreat to the emperor's private treasury to select items when he heard the emperor ask in a low voice, "How is the Empress Dowager today?"

He immediately stopped and said, “Your Majesty, after the imperial physician administered acupuncture to the Empress Dowager today, her speech became much smoother, and her appetite improved compared to yesterday. The imperial physician said that if the Empress Dowager’s emotions remain stable, she may be able to speak normally in another half month.”

The Emperor gave a soft "hmm," and said, "Since the Empress Dowager needs to rest, then go and convey my decree that there is no need for anyone, inside or outside the palace, to pay their respects at Shou Kang Palace for the foreseeable future."

On the first and fifteenth of each lunar month, members of the imperial family and their wives would always come to the palace to pay their respects.

"Have Fangruo guard Shou Kang Palace well, and give the palace maids and eunuchs a good talking-to. During the Empress Dowager's illness, no mistakes are allowed."

The emperor was well aware of the abilities of the bondservant officials.

He thought for a moment and then said, "The guards at Shou Kang Palace should be doubled, and everyone entering and leaving should be thoroughly checked. We must not let some fools disturb the Empress Dowager's intimacy over trivial matters."

He harbored resentment towards his birth mother, the Empress Dowager, but it certainly didn't reach the point where he wanted to kill her.

Moreover, the current dynasty is not yet stable, and the death of the Empress Dowager would be more likely to cause turmoil.

"Yes, Your Majesty. With the Emperor so considerate of the Empress Dowager, she will surely recover soon."

The emperor rested his hands on the edge of the imperial desk and said with a sigh, "I'm afraid that once the Empress Dowager recovers and learns of what I did today, she will resent me even more."

"I am ultimately lacking in the bond between mother and son. Although my mother, Tongjia, who raised me, treated me extremely well and considered everything for me, there is still a distance between us because I was not registered under her name."

"Although the Empress Dowager is my birth mother, she has never had a place for me as her son in her heart. When I was young, she only had eyes for my sixth brother. She made all the clothes and shoes for him by hand, but I never received a single thread."

"Later, the sixth brother died young, and the Empress Dowager gave birth to the fourteenth prince. She doted on the fourteenth prince even more. Not only did she take care of the fourteenth prince's food, clothing, and housing, but she also constantly reminded the palace servants who served the fourteenth prince, for fear that he would suffer any grievances or be neglected."

"I remember it very clearly. When the Fourteenth Prince moved to the Prince's Residence at the age of six, the Empress Dowager personally delivered snacks to the brothers living there and earnestly asked them to take care of the Fourteenth Prince."

"And this kind of care is something I have never received before."