Chapter 16: Reaching the Limit

Ziling intended to pawn the whip given to her by the Emperor to Gu Yunfeng. Now, Qianqian's candle arrangement suddenly changed the atmosphere, making Ziling feel as though she was going to sell herself to borrow money.

She merely asked casually, did this maid have to be so diligent?

Ziling burst into tears.

Gu Yunfeng held the whip in one hand and the candle in the other, looking at Ziling. "This is a whip, and this is a candle. What do you want to do?"

He asked seriously, and Ziling replied, "It's nothing!"

As she spoke, she reached out and snatched the candle back, throwing it out the window without a second thought.

Two candles, one thrown out, and one bounced back against the window frame.

Gu Yunfeng looked back and forth between the distance from the desk to the window. Even at such a close range, she couldn't throw it out. Her aim... he had no doubt that Ziling's words about hitting his back and injuring his head were true.

But he didn't believe that it was nothing. The faint embarrassment on her face couldn't escape his eyes, making him even more curious about the meaning behind the candle and whip coming together.

Taking a deep breath, Ziling pointed to the whip. "I'll pawn this whip to you. Help the Dongling Marquis's Mansion repay the debt, and I'll repay you with interest. Then, you can lend me some money."

Gu Yunfeng put down the whip and said, "I don't need the whip. Thirty thousand taels are for your medical expenses."

"I would prefer it if you used the divorce letter as my medical expense," Ziling said.

Gu Yunfeng fell silent for a moment and said, "I can't do such a thing of returning kindness with enmity."

Ziling's anger surged to her throat. "Are you shamelessly lying like this? Doesn't your conscience ache?"

On her first day entering the Duke Zhen's Mansion, she was presented with a bowl of poisonous medicine. For her, was there anything worth reminiscing about?

Being divorced was considered disgraceful, but as a female bandit, she had no reputation to lose in the first place. Being divorced was something everyone expected. If she were to be driven out completely, who knew how many people would be applauding behind her back.

Qianqian stood beside them, looking dazed. She had listened for a long time, and it seemed like the young lady didn't want thirty thousand taels but the divorce letter instead?

Was the young lady completely foolish?

What was even more maddening was that the young master didn't agree. It seemed like the young master was even more foolish.

Gu Yunfeng looked at Ziling and said, "Since the Iron Guard surrounded the Dongling Marquis's Mansion, you should have known that you've hit an iron plate. Even if I agree to give you the divorce letter, the Duke Zhen's Mansion will never allow the divorced noble lady to remarry. Are you willing to live a life of solitude forever?"

Qianqian grew anxious and grabbed Ziling's sleeve, saying, "Miss, you shouldn't quit being a maid. Staying in the Duke Zhen's residence is much better than becoming a nun. If you become a nun, you won't be able to eat meat anymore."

For a maid who enjoyed eating meat, depriving her of it was like taking away half of her life.

Ziling took a deep breath and said, "I refuse to believe there's only one path."

"Indeed, there is another one."

"That's what I said..."

"And that path is death."

"..."

Ziling choked, glared fiercely at Gu Yunfeng, and reminded him, "I'm a female bandit, you know!"

Don't toast without eating and invite punishment, it's asking for trouble.

"I know."

Ziling narrowed her eyes and said, "You know? Since you know, then hand over the money right away. Do I have to rob you to get it? From now on, Chenxiang Pavilion belongs to me!"

Qianqian was overwhelmed by Ziling's momentum, and she felt a bit moved. This was her young miss, after all. Although she didn't have many skills, she had the presence.

Qianqian regained the feeling of robbing together with her young miss on Qingyun Mountain and stood by Ziling's side, saying in agreement, "Not only Chenxiang Pavilion, but the entire Duke Zhen's residence will belong to our young miss from now on!"

Ziling "..."

Gu Yunfeng "..."

This was a true bandit. She wanted Chenxiang Pavilion, and she dared to claim the entire Duke Zhen's residence.

Could she say that the words spoken by a maid didn't represent her? She still wasn't used to bragging...

She had to remind Qianqian that once they left Chenxiang Pavilion, she shouldn't actually consider the Duke Zhen's residence as her territory, or she would end up being killed.

Seeing Gu Yunfeng's twitching mouth, Ziling's ears turned slightly red, and she aggressively said, "Why are you staring? Hurry up and hand over the money!"

Gu Yunfeng "..."

Within half a day, her bandit nature was exposed. He thought she would pretend for three to five days.

Gu Yunfeng took out a brocade box from the drawer without Ziling even giving an order. Qianqian went up to receive the box and counted the silver notes, saying, "Miss, there are twenty-five thousand taels."

Ziling frowned.

She was thinking if this amount of money would be enough to open a shop, but Qianqian misunderstood, thinking she found it too little and asked, "Just confess, do you have any more hidden silver notes on you?"

Gu Yunfeng shot her a cold glance, and Qianqian got scared and hid behind Ziling.

The young master was so fierce.

Ziling glanced at Gu Yunfeng and said, "It seems you really did hide some. Will you take them out yourself, or should I search for them?"

Gu Yunfeng's eyes were filled with anger. "You, woman, don't go too far!"

Ziling snorted, "Well, you still have time to give me the money and quit your position."

Gu Yunfeng's temples throbbed, and he opened the drawer, slamming the last silver ticket on the table. Suddenly, he got up and left, so as not to stay and be driven to madness.

As soon as he left, Ziling immediately occupied his spot, smoothing the white paper in front of her with a paperweight, preparing to dip her pen in ink. Qianqian asked, "Miss, have you remembered something from the past?"

"...Not yet."

Outside the room, Gu Yunfeng halted his steps, his brow furrowing, as he overheard a conversation from inside:

"I didn't expect him to be quite wealthy."

"I've been robbing with the Miss dozens of times, but it's the first time we've encountered a master who is so easy to rob. The master is so weak; it feels a bit guilty to bully him. Madam doesn't allow us to bully the old, weak, sick, or disabled."

"How is he weak?" Ziling's mouth twitched.

"No one is weaker than the master! The Miss and I have been robbing for two full years, and we've only managed to rob sixty-three taels of silver, which are still buried on Qingyun Mountain. The Miss hasn't been willing to use them."

"...".

"Lord Hou is right. The capital is indeed swimming in wealth. The master alone has tens of thousands of taels. Others must be even wealthier."

"Well, let's set aside the topic of robbing for now. In the future, we shouldn't brag outside."

"I wasn't bragging."

"...Do you think I can dominate the entire Zhenguo Mansion?"

"No need to dominate. In the future, the Miss will definitely have the final say in the Zhenguo Mansion."

"Are you sure?"

"Lord Hou said so. Now that he has come to the capital, he is the big boss, the Emperor's second, and he ranks as the fourth."

"Who is the third?"

"It's you, Miss."

"...So, I'm just being bragged about?"

"Lord Hou never brags."

"Surely that's something my father said."

"It was Madam who said it."

"...".

Outside the room, a hidden guard appeared, looking at Gu Yunfeng and said, "Sir, I think you should divorce the young mistress."

"This family is quite interesting."

The hidden guard "...".

Interesting? The exaggeration is beyond belief. The young mistress only brought some dowry on credit and has just one maid by her side, completely unruly. She doesn't even have a proper governess, yet she dares to claim she'll dominate the entire Zhenguo Mansion. The hidden guard couldn't help but admire.

Gu Yunfeng looked at the white clouds drifting in the sky and smiled. "It used to be bandit troubles on Qingyun Mountain. Now it seems like there will be bandit troubles in the capital."

The hidden guard rubbed his forehead. The young master could still laugh. But it's you who will be the first to suffer in these troubles.