Transmigrated as a villainous woman, she emptied the entire capital and went into exile while pregnant. - chapter 4

“Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear what this Commandery Princess said? Release them at once!”

Matron Chen did not move. She turned her gaze toward Wang Shi.

Smack!
Yun Zhaoxue raised her hand and swiftly slapped Matron Chen across the face.

Then she delivered another slap with her backhand. Smack!

Just moments ago, it was this very matron who had slapped Hongzao and Lüzhi.

Matron Chen was Wang Shi’s wet nurse. For many years, she had served as Wang Shi’s strategist and confidante, enjoying great authority in the marquis estate. Everyone treated her with utmost respect.

Slapping Matron Chen was tantamount to slapping Wang Shi herself.

Matron Chen was knocked to the ground. She spat out two yellowed teeth mixed with blood. When she opened her mouth to speak, air leaked out, her lips trembling, her words slurred.

“M-Madam…”

Wang Shi instantly felt her face burning, as if the slap had landed directly on her. She sprang to her feet, gritting her teeth as she stared at Yun Zhaoxue.

“Commandery Princess, Matron Chen is my person. It’s not your place, as a junior, to discipline her.”

Yun Zhaoxue calmly wiped her hand with a handkerchief.
“Concubine Wang, your servant lacked discipline. I merely taught her a lesson on your behalf. We’re all family—there’s no need to stand on ceremony.”

Wang Shi had risen from concubinage to become the legal wife.

The original owner had been born to the legal wife—and was also the daughter of a princess.

Calling her Concubine Wang was a deliberate reminder not to forget her former status.

Yun Zhaoxue’s cold gaze swept toward the maids restraining Hongzao and Lüzhi. Frost gathered at the corners of her eyes as her red lips parted.

“Release them.”

Having lost face as the mistress of the marquis estate, Wang Shi was determined to regain the upper hand and deliberately opposed her.

“Do not release them!”

The matrons and maids belonged to the marquis estate and naturally obeyed Wang Shi.

With her mistress backing her, Hongzao’s courage surged. She twisted her head and bit down hard on the hand gripping her shoulder.

“Ah!”
The maid cried out in pain and released her.

Hongzao broke free, then rushed forward and slammed into the maid restraining Lüzhi, knocking her aside.

The two quickly retreated behind Yun Zhaoxue.
“Princess.”

“Mm.” Yun Zhaoxue nodded in satisfaction.

She liked people who knew how to save themselves. She disliked burdens.

Seeing matrons and maids sprawled on the floor, Wang Shi was furious. She waved her hand sharply.

“All of you, withdraw!”

Then she fixed her gaze on Yun Zhaoxue.

“Xue’er, didn’t you elope with Young Master Shen? Why have you come back?”

“Eloped?” Yun Zhaoxue replied coldly. “Concubine Wang, speak with evidence.”

“You admitted it yourself.”

Before eloping, she had transferred all her dowry to the marquis estate, intending to retrieve it once she had settled down.

Yun Zhaoxue said calmly,
“Since you already knew I intended to elope, why didn’t you stop me? Instead, you used that excuse to sell my personal maids to a brothel. If we speak of responsibility, isn’t the household mistress—the one who failed her duties—you?”

“Oh, I understand now,” she added lightly.
“You must have been hoping I’d elope—so you could swallow my dowry whole. Or perhaps turn it into Second Sister’s dowry.”

Her thoughts exposed, Wang Shi flew into a rage.

“Yue’er’s dowry has long been prepared! Why would she need yours?”

“Are you referring to your own dowry?” Yun Zhaoxue replied coolly.
“Second Sister is the future Third Prince Consort. Back when you became my father’s concubine, your dowry was of concubine rank—hardly presentable. People would look down on her.”

She paused, then continued mildly,
“For the sake of sisterly affection, I’m willing to add to her dowry. But first—please return mine.”

Wang Shi sneered.
“Your dowry is not with me.”

Once something was swallowed, how could it possibly be spat out?

The two stared at each other, sparks flying.

So—she had no intention of returning it.

In the past, the original owner was a commandery princess, future princess consort, with every right to act recklessly. But the Northern Suppression Prince’s residence had fallen overnight.

They no longer took her seriously.

They privately divided her dowry—half given to Yun Jiaoyue as dowry, the rest spent by the marquis estate.

For over a decade, the estate had lived off the original owner’s mother’s wealth—and even coveted her daughter’s dowry.

Shameless.

Fine. Then she would show them no courtesy.

“Cough.”

The Old Madam and the Yunyang Marquis approached.

Yun Zhaoxue bent slightly in greeting.
“Xue’er greets Grandmother and Father.”

The Old Madam glanced at her from the corner of her eye, face stiff, offering no response—clearly displeased.

Yun Zhaoxue did not wait for permission and stood up on her own.

Without lifting her eyes, the Old Madam said coldly,
“I didn’t tell you to rise. Kneel.”

“May I ask, Grandmother—what crime have I committed?”

Yun Zhaoxue was a commandery princess, higher in rank than the Old Madam’s third-rank titled lady status. Granting her a bit of face had only made her overstep.

The Old Madam said sharply,
“The daughters of our marquis estate are meant to be raised like jewels. Yet you debased yourself and engaged in elopement like characters in vulgar operas. You’d be better off ending your life with a rope—clean and simple—so you won’t drag your sisters into disgrace.”

“After your death, by law, your dowry should be returned to the maternal family.”

“Grandmother claims I eloped—are there witnesses?”

Wang Shi immediately interjected,
“Young Master Shen himself is the witness. Someone—go invite Young Master Shen from the Yong’an Earl’s estate.”

Yun Zhaoxue entered the main hall and sat down at a nearby seat.

Tea was served—but only to the three of them. None was offered to Yun Zhaoxue.

Hongzao stepped forward and snatched the tray away.

What blind dogs—how dare they not serve tea to the Commandery Princess?

Hongzao poured a cup and handed it over.
“Princess, please have some tea.”

“Mm.” Yun Zhaoxue nodded slightly.

Shen Yan was probably lying face-down in bed, unable to get up.

The Yong’an Earl’s estate was next door. Shen Yan adored Jiaoyue so deeply that he would do anything for her. He would certainly admit that Yun Zhaoxue had seduced him into eloping.

A servant rushed out the door—and returned in less than the time it takes to brew tea.

“Old Madam, Master, Madam—the Shen family’s eldest young master is seriously injured and unable to leave his bed.”

“Unable to get out of bed?” Wang Shi glanced at Yun Zhaoxue, who was calmly drinking tea.

Wasn’t this little slut obsessed with Shen Yan? He was seriously injured, yet she showed no concern at all. That wasn’t like her.

Yun Zhaoxue set down her teacup leisurely.

“I am a commandery princess. Even if I truly had eloped, what could you do to me? Other than my imperial uncle, the Emperor, no one has authority over me.”

“If you insist on pinning the charge of elopement on me, so be it. But the younger sisters who haven’t married yet can forget about finding good matches.”

“Enough nonsense. Hand over my dowry.”

The original owner was arrogant and willful—once her temper flared, she respected no one, Old Madam included.

The Old Madam lowered her gaze and pondered, then tried to placate her.

“We thought you’d gone to Jiangnan and that everything had already been transported out of the capital. Once we intercept it, we’ll inform you. You should go back for now.”

Hongzao whispered urgently,
“Princess, don’t believe them.”

Wang Shi overheard and shouted angrily,
“How dare you! When masters are speaking, what right does a lowly maid have to interrupt?”

“Someone—slap her!”

Yun Zhaoxue barked coldly at the approaching maid,
“Get lost! My people are not yours to discipline.”

Just as tensions reached a stalemate, a figure in pink entered, breaking the deadlock.

Yun Jiaoyue curtsied gracefully.
“Jiaoyue greets Grandmother, Father, and Mother.”

“Rise.”

Yun Jiaoyue affectionately took Yun Zhaoxue’s hand.
“Elder Sister, your dowry truly isn’t in the estate. Are you in difficulty—do you urgently need silver? If so, please tell your Second Sister.”

This life, she had been reborn.

In her previous life, though she became Third Prince Consort and later Empress, she never knew peace.

All because of Yun Zhaoxue.

That wretch—twice married—still dared to cling to the Third Prince and sabotage her again and again.

The two remained entangled. The Third Prince even treated Yun Zhaoxue’s son as his own, adopting him as a godson, while despising the prince Yun Jiaoyue herself bore for being mediocre.

She hated Yun Zhaoxue—hated how she lingered like a ghost, even after death, leaving behind a son to torment her.

The Old Madam said,
“Xue’er, Jiaoyue never lies. You should believe her now.”

Yun Zhaoxue felt amused.

The novel’s female lead was said to be stunning, talented, and kind—like an immortal untouched by worldly dust. At present, her relationship with the original owner was still decent, and in the past, she had nearly been killed by the original owner multiple times.

Yet here she was—lying without blinking.

Kindness? Never lying? Utter nonsense. Hypocritical was more like it.

“My Mother Consort is bedridden and lacks money for medicine. They’re forcing me to hand over silver. If I don’t get money today, I’m not leaving.”

“If you refuse, what can they do to you?” Yun Jiaoyue asked gently.

Idiot.

Yun Zhaoxue lifted her chin arrogantly and snorted with disdain.

“This Commandery Princess isn’t a beggar or a thief—I don’t care for the scraps of that ruined prince’s estate. Since my dowry isn’t here, then lend me ten thousand taels of silver to take back and shut their mouths.”

The dowry could wait. She needed silver now to buy medicine.

The Northern Suppression Prince’s estate would eventually be confiscated anyway.

Tonight, she would come back and empty the marquis estate clean.

If silver went missing from the estate, she could extort another sum later.