The merchant's rebirth led to the complete downfall of the Marquis's mansion.

When Qin Yao returned home, Qiu Liu rushed over and said that Jin You's fever had subsided.

Although he is still not fully conscious, at least he has survived.

Qin Yao was overjoyed, just as she was thinking about it! And now the opportunity had come.

This is a perfect opportunity to kick someone when they're down.

"Please ask Dr. Shen to take good care of you and help you get better soon."

"Yes, Miss." Qiu Liu hurriedly spoke up when she saw that she was about to leave, "Miss, Doctor Li has returned."

"Huh? So fast?" Qin Yao had sent someone to tell him to find a way to slip away, but it wasn't time yet!

"Doctor Li said that Prince Jiang and Lady Hou were taken away and have not returned. The prince's wife was in a hurry to make arrangements, so she used up the little money in the house and dismissed a large number of servants, including Doctor Li."

That's true... it saves Dr. Li from having to make excuses.

"Let Dr. Li go back to the clinic!" Qin Yao said.

He didn't like such luxurious mansions anyway; a medical clinic suited him better.

He wouldn't have gone to the Marquis's mansion if she hadn't begged him.

Now that things are done, it's time to go back to the clinic.

Qiu Liu quickly went to deliver the message, and Qin Yao continued walking forward, with Qingzhi following behind, asking softly:

"Miss, is that enough money to bribe them?"

Enough? Qin Yao chuckled. Definitely not enough!

How could she not know how much wealth the Marquis's family possessed?

Otherwise, Xia Qiutang wouldn't have dismissed the servants, and perhaps she wouldn't have known how to dismiss them; those household servants would probably have been sold.

Hou Mansion

Xia Qiutang was already overwhelmed with worries, thinking about how to get rich on her own, but before she could even start, trouble broke out at the Marquis's mansion.

Jiang Su is useless too; he went in whenever he wanted and can't get out now.

There are very few people who are on good terms with the Marquis's family, and now they don't even bother with her anymore. It's like throwing money away without finding anyone to help her.

She hasn't even dealt with her father-in-law's zombie yet, and she's already in a rush to rescue people. Seriously, what kind of situation is this!

After wandering around the room for a while, Xia Qiutang decided to go find the old lady.

"Miss, didn't the young master say..." The maid beside her tried to stop her, but Xia Qiutang turned around and slapped her.

Xia Qiutang was already anxious, and now her anger surged up:

"You lowly servant, have you forgotten whose person you are? The young master said, the young master said, do you still have any regard for me as the young master's wife? Or are you just thinking of climbing into his bed?"

Jiang Su is already in jail, what does it matter what he says?

Besides, the maids by her side were prepared for the son-in-law, which was an unspoken agreement. Xia Qiutang felt uncomfortable that she was being married off with a maid who wasn't particularly good-looking.

It's clear that, having grown accustomed to this kind of thing, she still couldn't help but feel that all the maids wanted to become concubines.

He didn't even give the maids around him a kind look.

The maid knew exactly what kind of person her mistress was, so she immediately knelt down.

"Miss, I dare not!" she said, kowtowing several times.

When the little maid's forehead was already a bit red and swollen, Xia Qiu finally took pity on her and helped her up.

"Remember this, do whatever I tell you to do. If you dare to do anything I didn't tell you to do, I'll sell you off!" Xia Qiutang also glanced at the two maids beside her.

The two maids knelt down in unison, saying, "We dare not."

Xia Qiutang then walked out satisfied.

No one dares to challenge her position; she will surely be the envy of the entire capital.

Now, we need to rescue Jiang Su first.

Xia Qiutang quickly arrived at the old lady's courtyard.

She reduced the expenses, and only two or three servants remained in the old lady's room. She arrived without being announced.

She entered the inner hall without any hindrance. Only then did the old lady's personal nanny notice her. The nanny wanted her to wait, but Xia Qiutang ignored her and, after gathering her emotions for a moment, went straight in.

"Grandmother..." Xia Qiutang's voice was choked with sobs. The old woman could tell at a glance that something was wrong, but it was too late to stop her.

The old lady had just woken up when she was startled by her shout.

"What's wrong?" the old lady exclaimed helplessly.

She's been resting these past few days and hasn't been paying attention to anything outside. Now that she's feeling a bit better, some worries have started to arise.

She couldn't help but think of Qin Yao; with Qin Yao's abilities, she probably wouldn't need to worry about her.

Sigh... The old lady sighed inwardly.

"Grandmother! Mother and husband have been taken away by the Prefect of the Capital, and they haven't returned yet!"

"What?! What happened?"

"This..." Xia Qiutang didn't dare to tell the truth because she was afraid of angering the old lady to death.

"The granddaughter-in-law doesn't know either. She's been trying to come up with a solution, but it's all been useless. The money has been sent over, but we haven't heard a sound."

There's no need to even think about her father; he'd be too busy distancing himself from her if something happened.

Besides, she had gone to great lengths to marry into the family, and her relationship with her father was not good. Her stepmother was also waiting for her to make a fortune.

She couldn't rely on her own family, so she could only place her hopes on the old lady.

"Go, go and find out," the old lady urged the nanny.

But how could the old woman dare to go? She knew what people were saying outside.

Xia Qiutang quickly advised:

"Grandmother, the most important thing now is to find a way to get them out. Mother and husband are still suffering inside! Once they're out, they'll know what happened!"

Xia Qiutang had already inquired and found out that the Prefect of Jingzhao did not have any concrete evidence. He was only keeping the person out of consideration for the people and Jin You's blood oath.

But Jin You is dead, so where did the blood letter come from?

There's no reason to imprison two heads of a noble family for so long if there's only one document of dubious authenticity.

They must not have given them enough money.

"Grandmother, as long as we give them more money, they will definitely treat us well over there."

The old lady hesitated and asked, "Is that really what they said? They'll only release them if they get money?"

"Yes! Grandmother, how could your granddaughter-in-law lie to you?"

"Does the treasury still have any silver available?"

"We can't come up with any more money..." Jiang Su had already sold some things when he sent Jiang Liu out, so he couldn't possibly raise any more silver.

"Then I'll have no choice but to risk my reputation!"

Qin Yao was not surprised at all by the old lady's sudden visit and invited her in in a very generous manner.

Qin Yao had tea served and then sat down with the old lady.

In the past, it was always Qin Yao who came to visit; this was the first time the old lady had come to the Qin family.

She didn't have time to pay attention to the Qin residence's splendor right now; she picked up her teacup briefly and then put it down.

"Yaoyao, you probably already know why I've come..."

"I'm not trying to take advantage of your kindness, but now that the Marquis's mansion is in trouble, I'm desperate."

Qin Yao knew what she was talking about. When she was a child, she had heard her father say that the old lady and the old marquis had been kind to their family.

The father didn't elaborate on what it was, which is why Qin Yao always respected the old lady so much.

"Grandma, you're too kind. It's only right to repay kindness. Qin Yao took over the Qin family's business, so naturally she should repay the favor."

After Qin Yao finished speaking, she instructed Qiu Liu to tell the accountant that she would provide as much as the Prefect of the Capital needed.

Seeing that her goal had been achieved, the old lady felt even more heartbroken.

Given Su Ge'er's scheming, Qin Yao's willingness to help out of consideration for their past relationship speaks volumes about her magnanimity.

"Good child, it's just that our family is unlucky." The old lady said, her face turning ashen as she thought of the mess in the house.

"Marriage is preordained. It's just that Qin Yao and the Crown Prince are not destined to be together. The Old Madam can think positively. The Crown Prince and his wife are a match made in heaven, and good days are yet to come."

The old lady waved her hand, knowing full well what was going on in her own family. She didn't ask for anything more; peace and tranquility were enough for her.

The old lady stood up with the help of her nanny.

"Then you go ahead with your work, I'll head back now."

"Okay, I'll see you off."

Qin Yao escorted her to the gate, watched her get into the sedan chair, and then turned back.

Karuie followed behind, complaining:

"Miss, why should we give them money? Wouldn't it be better if they couldn't get out?"

It would be best if he were locked up for life and died inside.

"If we use this favor now, it won't work next time," Qin Yao said nonchalantly.

It was to repay a debt of gratitude, and also to repay the old lady for her care. From then on, only hatred remained between them.

Besides, can they just get out with money?

Xia Qiutang asked for five thousand taels of silver, and Qin Yao waved her hand and handed over the silver notes.

If they want it, of course she'll give it to them, and she'll give it to them generously.

When the old lady returned to the Marquis's residence and got out of the sedan chair, she heard whispers and pointing around her. She looked around in confusion and saw that they were indeed talking about her.

"What's wrong?" the old lady asked, puzzled.

"It's nothing! Madam, let's go in!" The nanny hurriedly tried to stop her, but the old lady wouldn't allow it.

"You! Come here!" The old lady pointed at a plump woman in the crowd with her Buddhist prayer beads in her hand.

The woman slapped her thigh, spitting everywhere.

"I... sigh! I'll risk it all, Madam Hou. We're also wondering, your son is dead, why do you look so..."

The old lady didn't hear what she said after that. Suddenly, her blood boiled, and she pointed at the woman, trembling, and said:

"You...what did you say?!"

……

The next day

The accountant counted and delivered the banknotes, and Granny Zhao stood at the gate and spoke kindly to the steward of the Marquis's mansion who came to collect them.

To let everyone know that this was a favor from the Qin family to the Marquis's mansion, Zhao Mama naturally didn't miss the opportunity to ridicule them.

The story of Qin Yao's ordeal was repeated, making the Marquis's mansion seem even more shameless.

As soon as the silver note was handed over, the steward practically ran away. He felt that if he stayed any longer, the people around him would probably throw rotten eggs at him.

Breaking off the engagement, humiliating her, and then demanding money—she's utterly inhuman!

This time, the Marquis's family's reputation was completely tarnished.

Xia Qiutang did not deliver the silver notes immediately after receiving them. The old lady had fallen ill again after returning to the mansion yesterday, and the mansion doctor was no longer available, so she had to go outside to find a doctor.

And because the old lady fainted in public, she still had to put on a show of attending to her illness.

Because of this delay, the silver hadn't been delivered yet, and Jin You had already gone to the Prefect of the Capital.