So satisfying! The Great Demon King wiped out everyone equally!

It was already evening when Madam Fang and Fang Yuwan returned to the Fang residence in a swaying carriage.

The day's ordeal left the mother and daughter exhausted. They didn't even have the appetite for dinner and went back to their rooms to fall asleep.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window into the room. Mrs. Fang had just woken up when she felt an unbearable hunger in her stomach.

After getting dressed and washing up, she was about to call someone to prepare breakfast when she saw Granny Zhang standing to the side, looking conflicted and hesitant to speak.

Granny Zhang curled up, her eyes filled with worry and hesitation, as if she was afraid of being punished because of this news.

Madam Fang frowned and asked, "Granny Zhang, what's wrong? Speak your mind."

Granny Zhang stepped forward cautiously. "Madam, the Emperor's decree arrived yesterday."

Madam Fang's previously languid expression instantly hardened, her eyes widening as she anxiously asked, "Such a big matter, why are you only telling me now? I wasn't in the manor yesterday, so who received the imperial decree? Could it be... that bitch Yun Muqing?"

Granny Zhang hurriedly waved her hands, her expression panicked: "Madam, Madam, please don't worry. The imperial decree says..."

She paused, her eyes darting around, and stammered, "The imperial decree says... that the young mistress has been granted the title of county princess."

"what?"

Madam Fang's expression changed drastically. Her eyes widened in anger as she glared at him and roared, "Make her a county princess? What about our Fang family then?" Her hands clenched into fists, her knuckles turning white from the force, her face filled with disbelief and rage.

Granny Zhang trembled with fright and hurriedly explained, "Madam, the young mistress's father donated a large sum of money to the national treasury, which is why the Emperor bestowed upon her the title of County Princess. As for our Fang family, the imperial edict... didn't even mention it."

Before Madam Fang could recover from this heavy blow, Fang Yuwan burst in, making a ruckus.

The maid behind her, carrying a food box, complained loudly with a face full of anger, "Mother, look at what the cooks in this mansion are making! I woke up this morning full of joy, thinking that I would be able to eat my favorite jade cake and drink a bowl of nourishing peach blossom and white fungus soup, but what did I get? This is what they brought me!"

She snatched the food box from the maid's hand, placed it heavily on the table, and opened it to find only a bowl of white porridge and a plate of green vegetables inside.

"Mother, look at this! How are we supposed to live like this? We used to be a general's mansion, but now we've become so shabby!"

Madam Fang was already upset about the imperial edict, and now that her daughter had made such a fuss, she felt her temples throbbing and her head throbbing.

She rubbed her forehead and asked Granny Zhang impatiently, "How much silver is left in the household accounts?"

Granny Zhang's eyes flickered as she cautiously replied, "Madam, after the young master's funeral, the manor's money has been completely spent. Now... we still owe money to the silk shop and the rice shop."

Moreover, yesterday was supposed to be the day to distribute monthly wages to everyone in the household, but there was simply no money in the account, so it didn't happen.

Upon hearing this, Madam Fang's face grew even more unpleasant.

Looking at the plain porridge on the table, she was both hungry and angry. She said to Granny Zhang, "Go and tell the kitchen to make a few more side dishes. I'm so hungry I'm dizzy."

Granny Zhang was well aware of the household's financial straits and knew they simply couldn't afford to buy groceries, but she dared not openly disobey Madam Fang's orders, so she could only bite the bullet and say:

"Madam, we really can't make anything else. This plain porridge and vegetables are the best we can offer."

She silently complained to herself, "It's already good enough to have this plain porridge, why are you all being so picky?"

Then, Granny Zhang cautiously reminded her, "Madam, the monthly wages weren't paid yesterday, and the servants are all asking about it. What do you think about this..."

Upon hearing this, Madam Fang flew into a rage, her eyes wide with fury. She pointed at Granny Zhang and yelled, "What business is it of yours to meddle in such matters? Don't you know we're broke? And yet you keep making such a racket!"

Seeing that Madam Fang was still acting like a master, Granny Zhang felt a surge of contempt, but on the surface she still pretended to be extremely terrified, her body trembling like a leaf. With a "thump," she knelt down and said, "Madam, this servant deserves to die! This servant was blinded by greed and shouldn't have brought up such a distressing matter at this time. I have offended you, Madam. Please forgive me!"

Madam Fang was filled with resentment over Yun Muqing being granted the title of County Princess, and also with the dire financial straits of the household. She couldn't swallow this insult, and kicked Granny Zhang while cursing under her breath.

"You wretched maid, you never have any sense of propriety. Now that the household is in such dire straits, you're still making a fuss about your monthly allowance. Are you trying to drive me to my death?"

Granny Zhang was kicked and nearly fell, but she quickly regained her balance and remained kneeling, her head bowed even lower, repeatedly muttering, "This servant deserves to die a thousand deaths, please, Madam, calm your anger! Please, Madam, calm your anger!"

But a hint of resentment and disdain flashed in her lowered eyes, and she cursed wildly in her heart: "Hmph, you old hag, still putting on airs. If I tell the new madam that the young master is still alive, let's see if you still dare to be so arrogant!"

Madam Fang, exhausted from her tirade, glared at Granny Zhang and said, "Get up! Don't get in my way. You're coming with me to see the county magistrate later. Watch your mouth! If you dare to spout nonsense again, you'll regret it!"

Granny Zhang hurriedly got up and stood respectfully to the side, her face full of ingratiating smiles.

Meeting the county magistrate? Who knows who'll be begging whom in a minute? You're still putting on a brave front. You'll regret it later!

After finishing her tirade, Madam Fang suppressed her anger and softened her tone as she said to Fang Yuwan, "The household is strapped for cash right now. It's good enough that we have porridge to eat. Take it or leave it."

After saying that, she picked up the spoon and began to drink the bowl of white porridge.

After finishing her drink, she frowned, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and said with disdain, "This porridge is really not as good as the eight-treasure porridge I had at Zuixianlou a few days ago. The taste is far inferior."

Then, Madam Fang turned to Granny Zhang and said, "Go and call the young mistress over..."

As soon as she said it, she suddenly remembered that Yun Muqing was now a county princess, and her status was no longer what it used to be. She quickly changed her words and said, "Never mind, she is a county princess now. I will go to see her in person."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yuwan slammed the bowl she was holding onto the table with a loud "bang," her eyes wide with astonishment as she asked, "Mother, what did you say? Yun Muqing is a county princess? When did this happen?"

Granny Zhang hurriedly stepped forward to explain: "Miss, yesterday the Emperor's decree came down, bestowing upon the young mistress the title of County Princess."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yuwan flew into a rage, her face turning bright red. She shouted, "Why was she granted the title of County Princess? The Emperor's reward should rightfully go to our Fang family! If anyone should be granted a title, it should be mine, not that lowly woman's!"

Madam Fang glared at Fang Yuwan and shouted sharply, "Shut up! Are you questioning the Emperor?"

The Yun family has donated a large sum of money to the Emperor, and now the national treasury is overflowing. They are not to be trifled with. If you continue to spout nonsense and offend Yun Muqing, bringing trouble to your household, I will not forgive you!

Fang Yuwan was still unconvinced and stomped her feet, saying, "The Yun family donated so much money to the Emperor, why don't they think about giving it to our Fang family? We are her husband's family, and look at us now, we're almost so poor we can't even afford to eat!"

Madam Fang took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and said, "Alright, stop talking. When you see Princess Yun later, you must be mindful of your status and not lose your manners. She is now a princess personally appointed by the emperor, and we cannot afford to offend her."

Fang Yuwan bit her lower lip tightly, her hands gripping the handkerchief in her hands so tightly that she wished she could tear it to shreds, her eyes filled with resentment and bitterness.

But under Madam Fang's imposing presence, she could only grit her teeth and say, "I know."