The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 233 My Cousin Likes Me Like This
Hearing the old lady's roar, the servants were somewhat afraid, but thinking of the generous reward and Zhiwan's guarantee, they all pretended not to hear.

They served at Fushou Hall, so they heard everything the Duke said to the Old Madam today.

The heir apparent wants to marry his cousin, and the Duke and his wife both approve.

One is the old lady's adopted daughter, and the other is the future wife of the heir apparent and the future Duchess. Which one is more important? Is there any need to think about it?
They naturally chose to listen to the cousin.

Moreover, the young lady offered a generous reward and assured them that they would be safe.

With the combined efforts of the servants, Lu Jinglan was quickly tied up.

Looking at Lu Jinglan, who was bound hand and foot, with her hair disheveled and looking utterly wretched, Zhiwan was quite satisfied. "You've worked hard. I'll give you a reward later."

Madam Lu felt dizzy and swayed as if she were about to collapse. "Do you...do you even care about me anymore?"

Zhiwan immediately stepped forward and helped her up, saying, "Madam, please calm down and sit down to rest. Don't upset yourself."

Just as Old Madam Lu was about to reprimand her, her pupils contracted when she saw the bloodstained blade in her hand, and she swallowed back the words that were about to come out.

She sat stiffly in the chair, angrily asking, "What exactly do you want?"

Zhiwan sighed, "I know that the old lady actually has no ill intentions towards me. Everything that happened today is all Lu Jinglan's fault for interfering. She can't stand to see me doing well, so she instigated the old lady to deal with me."

Left with no other choice, I had to tie Lu Jinglan up first.

"Zhiwan, you bitch, you'll never get... um!"

Before Lu Jinglan could finish her rant, a servant next to her quickly stuffed a rag into her mouth.

Seeing this, Zhiwan gave the servant an appreciative look.

The servant straightened his chest, feeling inexplicably proud.

Madam Lu's eyelids twitched; she couldn't bear to look at Lu Jinglan.

She was so angry that she lost all temper, and said to Zhiwan, "What do you want in order for me to leave the Lu family?"

Zhiwan shook her head. "I have no intention of leaving."

Madam Lu said angrily, "Do you really want to marry Jinzhi?"

“My cousin is marrying me with such sincere heart, why shouldn’t I marry him?” Zhiwan retorted.

Madam Lu sneered, "You really have no self-awareness."

"Whether I have self-awareness or not, what does it matter? It doesn't stop my aunt from doting on me or my cousin from liking me," Zhiwan said nonchalantly.

Madam Lu felt a metallic taste in her throat and almost vomited blood. After a long while, she managed to utter a single sentence, "How shameless!"

“But my cousin likes me like this.” Zhiwan blinked.

Madam Lu was so angry that she gritted her teeth and said, "I'll give you a sum of money. You'd better leave the Lu family right now."

"How much?" Zhiwan asked curiously.

"I'll give you a thousand taels," said Old Madam Lu with a stern face.

Zhiwan looked at her incredulously, "You don't think a thousand taels is a lot, do you?"

“A thousand taels is enough for an ordinary family to live on for a lifetime.” Old Madam Lu’s face was ashen.

“But I’m not an ordinary person; my daily expenses are quite high,” Zhiwan said earnestly.

"You!" Old Madam Lu clutched her chest, speechless.

Zhiwan ignored her and, carrying the dagger, went straight out of the house.

A moment later, he took Shuang'er and went back into the house.

Seeing Lu Jinglan bound hand and foot, Shuang'er felt relieved but also looked at her young mistress with some strangeness.

How did you manage that, Miss?
The old lady and all the servants in the house were all taken care of by the young lady.

"Shuang'er, take three hundred taels and distribute them among these aunts, sisters, and younger sisters," Zhiwan instructed.

Shuang'er suddenly realized that he was a brave man who had been rewarded handsomely.

She quickly went to get the silver and distributed it among the servants.

The servants were overjoyed to receive the generous sum of silver. "Thank you so much, Miss."

The servants knelt down to thank Zhiwan.

Zhiwan waved her hand, "You've all worked hard today, you can all go now."

The servants left Yaoguang Pavilion as instructed.

"I'll give you ten thousand taels of silver, you'd better leave now!" At this moment, Old Madam Lu, who had finally recovered, suddenly spoke up.

"One hundred thousand taels, not a single coin less!" Zhiwan raised an eyebrow.

When Madam Lu heard the amount, she almost fainted. "You really are insatiable! One hundred thousand taels? You really have the nerve to ask for that much."

"If you, sir, can disregard your grandson's wishes and send me, your prospective granddaughter-in-law, away, why can't I say the same?" Zhiwan said with a smile. "If you don't have that much silver, you shouldn't even bother asking. Anyway, I have to take either my cousin or the 100,000 taels with me."

"You... shameless!" Old Madam Lu said, her lips trembling.

Zhiwan ignored her, went straight into the house, took a gold hairpin, and stuffed it into Lu Jinglan's clothes.

"What...what are you going to do?" Old Madam Lu had a bad feeling.

"Shuang'er, Lu Jinglan stole my gold hairpin. I caught her red-handed. Go and call Jiang Shi to come and take Lu Jinglan to the authorities!" Zhiwan turned her head and ordered.

"Yes!" Shuang'er replied crisply and quickly went out.

Upon hearing that she was to be sent to the authorities, Lu Jinglan's expression changed drastically, and she began to wail and scream.

Madam Lu was both shocked and furious, and her mouth was so sore that blisters appeared.

"you dare?"

"Madam, just wait and see." Zhiwan went to the table and poured herself a glass of water.

Seeing this, Old Madam Lu hurriedly tried to release Lu Jinglan while she wasn't paying attention.

However, the moment her hand touched the rope binding Lu Jinglan, Zhiwan turned around and asked, "What is the old lady trying to do?"

Madam Lu's face stiffened, then she said emphatically, "We're all family, why make such a fuss?"

"I didn't cause any trouble. I just caught a thief and was going to hand him over to the authorities," Zhiwan said innocently.

Old Madam Lu choked, "What exactly do you want?"

Before Zhiwan could answer, Shuang'er returned with Jiang Shi.

"Miss, is there anything you need?"

“Lu Jinglan stole my gold hairpin. Should I send her to the authorities?” Zhiwan asked.

“Of course!” Jiang Shi replied.

"Then come in and take Lu Jinglan to the authorities."

"Yes." Jiang Shi quickly walked in.

He glanced at it quickly and saw that Old Madam Lu was sitting there with a grim expression, and there was a clear handprint on the cousin's face. His expression changed immediately.

"The injury on the young lady's face..."

Zhiwan smiled bitterly, "I was beaten by Lu Jinglan."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shi said to Lu Jinglan with a solemn expression, "I'm sorry, Miss Jinglan. When Jiang Ning returned, the young master gave his subordinates a death order: no one should be allowed to get into any trouble with Miss Biao. You have to pay back tenfold for the slap you gave Miss Biao today. Otherwise, when the young master returns and blames us, neither of us will be able to bear it."

Before Lu Jinglan could understand the meaning behind his words, she saw him suddenly raise his arm.

"Snapped!"

The next moment, she received a stinging slap on the face, and her mind went blank.

Before she could react, another slap followed.

This time, she was slapped to the ground.

A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of Lu Jinglan's mouth.

(End of this chapter)