The Legitimate Daughter is Only Worth One or Two
Yu Linlang stood on high ground, looking down coldly at the two trembling figures before her.
As soon as their gazes met, a chilling sensation ran through them. It was as if she could see straight through them, stripping them bare with just a glance.
"As servants of the governor's mansion, you disregarded its dignity, ignored its authority, and turned a blind eye to the suffering of the hungry and destitute. You deliberately lured these refugees here just to cause trouble for me."
Her voice was calm, devoid of any sorrow or joy.
"Should I call you foolish and evil, or simply ignorant and venomous?"
Yu Linlang's indifferent expression made their hearts sink.
She turned slightly and addressed the village chief, "I apologize for the trouble they've caused. Take them and hand them over to the county authorities."
Chen Funong, the village chief, was still in shock, struggling to process the events unfolding before him.
Before he could react, Madam Hu rushed forward in panic.
"Miss! If this matter gets out, it will bring disgrace to the governor's mansion!" she pleaded.
"After all, this is a family matter. It would be unwise to let outsiders handle it."
She forced a regretful expression, bowing deeply to Yu Linlang.
"I was too careless, allowing this wretched woman to act on her own and secretly send her son to incite trouble. Miss Yu has been wronged, but don't worry—I will handle this! Once we return, I will sell off her entire family!"
Before Madam Hu could finish, Madam Fang's furious voice rang out.
"Sell me?!" She glared at Madam Hu, eyes wide with disbelief.
"My son and I only did as we were ordered! And weren't you all playing along the whole time?"
She sneered, her voice dripping with resentment.
"You all even placed bets on whether Miss Yu could handle the situation! But now that everything's been exposed, you want to pin it all on us? I won't let you!"
Madam Hu's expression darkened instantly.
"This madwoman is spouting nonsense! Someone shut her up and drag her away before she taints Miss Yu's ears!"
The guards acted swiftly, silencing Madam Fang and her son within moments, dragging them away.
Yu Linlang watched coldly before shifting her gaze to Madam Hu.
"There's no need to be so eager to cover for others," she said flatly.
"You and I both know the truth. That servant woman said she was only following orders. Was it your mistress's command… or someone else's?"
Madam Hu's face stiffened.
"It's not what you think, Miss! She's just babbling—"
Yu Linlang interrupted with a cold smile.
"Actually, you don't have to worry. I never said I wanted to return to the governor's mansion, did I?"
Her tone was icy.
"If my presence is such a problem, you could have simply left me here. I've grown quite used to living in Fu Village."
Madam Hu forced a stiff smile.
"Miss Yu, how could you say that? The old madam herself gave the order for us to bring you home. She and the madam have been concerned about you all these years. Please don't let the words of a madwoman mislead you!"
Yu Linlang chuckled, a sharp edge to her laughter.
"Oh? You mean the concern worth one or two taels of silver a month?" Her voice was laced with sarcasm.
"If that's what you call concern, then I should really thank you for your generosity. Without that monthly allowance, I might have starved or frozen to death in the village."
Madam Hu's brows furrowed in confusion.
"One tael? That's impossible. Miss Yu should have received much more than that!"
A maid named Hongwei stepped forward, lifting her chin proudly.
"Miss Yu was allotted ten taels per month. It's not much compared to the governor's mansion's usual standards, but..." She hesitated before continuing.
"The eldest miss said that since Miss Yu lived in a self-sufficient village where food and supplies were provided, she didn't need much money. Ten taels should have been plenty."
A heavy silence fell over the crowd.
The onlookers exchanged uneasy glances.
Village Chief Chen Funong's expression turned grim.
Everyone in Fu Village knew Yu Linlang was from a wealthy family, yet she had been left to grow up in their humble village.
They had always known she was unloved, but they never imagined she was so thoroughly abandoned. Even the mansion's servants seemed to hold her in contempt.
Meanwhile, Madam Hu shot Hongwei a glare, her hands twitching as if she wanted to slap the foolish girl.
"Why would you say such a thing in front of everyone?"
This brainless girl!
She had wanted to promote Hongwei, but now she saw her as an utter waste of effort. The fool had thoughtlessly blurted out the madam's intentions!
Now, how were they supposed to save face?
Hongwei merely pursed her lips and stepped back indifferently.
She was already irritated about this whole trip.
With starvation and death rampant, it was dangerous to travel. The journey from the Weizhou Governor's Mansion to this remote village had taken six exhausting days.
Now, she had to endure the return trip, cramped alongside beggars and filth.
She looked at Yu Linlang with disdain.
This so-called legitimate daughter wasn't even favored. She didn't resemble the madam in the slightest, so Hongwei had never shown her any respect.
To her, this girl was nothing.
Compared to the second young lady—who had been mistakenly taken in as the governor's daughter—this true legitimate daughter was nothing more than a joke.
At most, she was worth a tael or two.
She was lucky they were even bothering to bring her back.
Madam Hu's expression darkened as she watched Yu Linlang's retreating figure.
When their gazes met again, a chill ran down her spine.
Yu Linlang's eyes were cold and piercing, her stare sharp as a blade.
Madam Hu quickly looked away, forcing a smile as she turned to the village chief.
"Village Chief, I'll have to trouble you to make arrangements for the night."
Chen Funong nodded stiffly.
"Of course. Right this way."
---
Nightfall
The candles flickered as Yu Linlang delicately trimmed the leaves of a bonsai plant.
She set the scissors down and washed her hands.
A faint sound came from outside the window.
She glanced at Jiujin.
He nodded in understanding and immediately opened the window.
"Where are they now?" Yu Linlang asked, stepping forward.
A shadow flickered outside.
"Master, please follow me."
Moments later, Yu Linlang and Jiujin arrived at a hidden backyard.
They slipped through a side door, descended an earthen staircase, and entered a dimly lit cellar.
Torches flickered against the stone walls.
The space was small—normally used for storing grain and vegetables.
Now, however, a large wooden tub stood in the center.
Inside, Madam Fang and her son were bound tightly, their shoulders submerged in freezing water.
Yu Linlang stepped forward, her gaze calm and detached.
"Let's begin."