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

The news of the Marquis's family being stripped of their title spread throughout the capital the very next day.

Everyone knows what Liu has done. Although the Marquis's mansion doesn't have much real power, she used to be considered a person of status.

But things are different now. Apart from the old matriarch, everyone in the Marquis's mansion is a commoner, no different from them.

The Marquis's mansion, which was already deserted, is now even more neglected.

The old lady was already seriously ill, and this unexpected event was an even greater blow.

He was bedridden that very day.

Jiang Su locked himself in his room and didn't show up for a day and a night. Xia Qiutang was so shocked that she fainted and couldn't even eat when she woke up.

Losing the title means that the Marquis's mansion, which used to have some income, will have to rely on itself from now on. Where would the Marquis's mansion have any money now?

Her dowry was far from enough to support the two shops in the Marquis's mansion.

Losing her identity and money felt like having her heart ripped out.

How could it have turned out like this? How can she hold her head up in front of others now?

"Go! Go and find out how Jiang Liu is doing now."

The old woman went down to ask around, and Xia Qiutang finally calmed down.

Jiang Liu promised that this would be a huge success in Kyoto, making him a fortune and bringing ruin to the Qin family.

No one knows what he said to Jiang Su, but Jiang Su trusted him so much that he even started picking up his books again.

Now that things have come to this, she has no choice but to try anything, and decide to trust Jiang Liu.

"Princess Consort..." the maidservant began, then remembered that the Marquis's mansion no longer held a title. "Madam..."

Xia Qiutang turned around and threw the teacup in her hand at me.

"What madam?! Call her the Crown Prince's Consort!"

"Yes...it's the Crown Princess!" The maid knelt down immediately.

"Speak! What is it?"

"The...the Lady of the Marquis has a fever...they say they want to call a doctor."

Xia Qiutang frowned. Why bother calling a doctor? She doesn't even care about her own son, so why should she?

What a waste of her money!!!

"Didn't I see the doctor yesterday? The medicine has been prescribed, so all I need to do is take it."

"Princess Consort, the doctor only treated the external injuries yesterday. This person has a fever, so we need to change the fever-reducing medicine."

The maid's voice grew softer and softer as she saw Xia Qiutang's face darken.

Having followed Xia Qiutang for so long, she knew Xia Qiutang's character quite well; this meant she didn't want to spend any money.

She was just a lowly maid, doing whatever her master told her to do.

Thinking of this, she lowered her head and waited for Xia Qiutang to give her instructions.

"Go! Go outside and get two doses of fever-reducing medicine, brew it and send it to your mother-in-law. Just say the doctor prescribed it yesterday."

"Yes!"

Watching the maid leave, Xia Qiutang flicked the handkerchief in her hand, feeling only bad luck.

She's destined to be someone important, how can she let her whole family drag her down like this!

Before long, a bowl of dark medicine was poured into Liu's stomach.

Whether we live or die is entirely up to fate.

Jiang Su was completely unaware of this.

The same goes for the old lady; she fell ill but had no doctor, and was given medicine left over from the previous doctor.

Seeing that there was no improvement, the old woman wanted to go to Xia Qiutang, but she was stopped by Xia Qiutang with the excuse of having a headache.

A somber mood hung heavy over the Marquis's residence.

……

Listening to Xia Qiutang's actions, Qin Yao could only say that evil people will eventually be punished by evil people.

Before, with her subservient and humble, they took it for granted. Now that she's gone, they're still quite used to living a hard life.

"The Marquis's residence... oh no, I mean the Jiang family, can they afford to pay the monthly allowance?"

Qin Yao originally intended to use this excuse to get rid of Dr. Li, but it didn't work out. She just wondered if they could still afford to pay her monthly allowance without her.

As Qingzhi fanned herself, she said:

"Miss, you forgot, they sold a large number of servants last time. There's definitely no problem with them, but they certainly don't have much money left."

"That's not right, Miss. Didn't you just send 5000 taels over last time?"

Qin Yao didn't care at all, "Do you think Xia Qiutang would take out 5000 taels to subsidize it?"

Xia Qiutang is not like her; she would genuinely care about them. In most cases, she would keep it as her own private property.

"Then why did Miss give it to her?" Qingzhi asked, puzzled.

"Take it! It'll be a ticking time bomb sooner or later."

The Marquis's mansion is now living on the little money it has left, and Xia Qiutang and Jiang Su are definitely waiting for Jiang Liu to return.

Unfortunately, they were destined to be disappointed.

The river could not help them escape their predicament.

When that happens, it won't be so easy to explain the money that Xia Qiutang has hidden.

Qiu Liu brought over lychees and placed them next to Qin Yao.

"I'll eat two, you can have the rest!" Qin Yao picked out two and said to the two of them.

She doesn't actually like lychees that much, but someone sends them to her every year.

Qin Yao knew this was a habit; good things were always given to her first, a rule her father had set before his death.

Qin Yao did not want to break the rules.

She used to send them to the Jiang family, but not anymore.

"Miss, this is very precious." Qingzhi exclaimed softly, forgetting what she was doing.

"Even the most precious food is still food; it will spoil if we don't eat it! Have someone send some to the Chen family later."

She doesn't have many close friends. She used to devote herself entirely to Jiang Su, but now she should start thinking about herself too.

Qin Yao was eating lychees when a servant rushed over.

"Miss, Miss, someone's looking for us outside!"

"Such a lack of manners!" Qiu Liu scolded.

These kinds of people usually have to be relayed through her and Qingzhi. They're so loud and boisterous; what kind of behavior is that?

"No, Sister Qiuliu, that's the princess's carriage outside. I... I dare not be negligent." She could only rush over, afraid that the people inside would be angry.

The servant said with a hint of grievance.

"What did you say? Princess?" Qiu Liu turned to look at Qin Yao.

Qin Yao shook her head. Whether in this life or the previous life, she had never had any connection with the princess!

Could it be that you want some rare jewelry or fabric?

Qin Yao stood up. "Let's go greet the guests!"

The main gate of the Qin family.

The person on the vehicle had gotten off and was standing with their back to the door.

Qin Yao came out and only saw the woman's back.

Qin Yao walked downstairs, and just as she was about to speak, the person in front of her suddenly turned around.

"Sister Qin!"

Qin Yao's eyes widened. It was Liu Qingping, whom she had met at Chen Yiru's coming-of-age ceremony that day!

"What?!" Qin Yao was a little incredulous.

Look at the princess's carriage, then look at her.

Even after entering the house, Qin Yao was still wondering about Liu Qingping's identity and why she was riding in the princess's carriage.

"Sister Qin, your house is so nice, so much better than mine!" Liu Qingping exclaimed as soon as she sat down.

Along the way, she had only one feeling: although the Qin family was not as luxurious as the princess's mansion, it was not as grand either.

But the Qin family did a very exquisite job!

From the bricks and tiles of the walls to the smallest plants and trees on the ground, the materials used are all rare and of the highest quality.

Just like the teacup she's holding now, it's not a tribute, but it's even better than a tribute!

The pattern, the feel.

"It's not that exaggerated. The things from the Princess's residence are the best," Qin Yao said politely as she poured her more tea.

In her past life, she had also attended a princess's banquet, and the princess's residence was much larger than hers.

The items used were all royal tributes.

"Yours is special; things are valued for their rarity. This thing of yours is extremely valuable."

After Liu Qingping finished speaking playfully, Qin Yao chuckled. That was true; the things in her house were all rare items collected from various places.

All I can say is that Liu Qingping has good taste.

Qin Yao smiled and changed the subject.

"Why did my sister come today...?"

"Oh! Wasn't the Jiang family stripped of their title? I thought it was a joyous occasion, so I came to visit my sister and have a chat."

Qin Yao: "..."

That's really frank.

"Are you happy, sister?"

I'm happy, but is it okay for her to ask that?

"It doesn't matter whether I'm happy or not, since we're not related anymore," Qin Yao replied.

"That's true. People like that should be cut off completely."

Qin Yao nodded involuntarily; indeed.

But cutting off contact isn't enough; he also has to take revenge.

Liu Qingping spent the whole afternoon with Qin Yao, revealing all her secrets.

By the time she left, Qin Yao already knew that she was a concubine's daughter from the princess's household.

Her father was a prince consort. The princess had been married for many years but had not conceived, so she took Liu Qingping's mother, Lan, as a concubine.

Lan Shi lived up to expectations, giving birth to a son on her first pregnancy, who was then raised by her side in a princess carry.

Liu Qingping was the second child, and should have grown up in luxury, but Lan insisted on competing for her.

The princess immediately had her escorted out of the princess's residence, along with Liu Qingping.

Liu Qingping was raised by Lan Shi until she was three years old. Lan Shi fell ill and passed away, but the princess did not take her back. Instead, she sent a nanny to take care of her.

She had just returned to the princess's residence a few days ago.

She hadn't attended many banquets or made any close friends, which made her seem somewhat timid.

However, her food, clothing, and daily necessities were always top-notch, and she was never stingy.

"Miss, this princess seems like a nice person!" Qingzhi said slowly, looking at the princess's carriage.

"That's good," Qin Yao agreed.

"But do you really think the princess doesn't mind?" The child was brought by the prince consort's concubine.

Qin Yao went straight into the house. How would she know? It seems I'll have to ask around.