The Great General and the Eldest Princess - Chapter 9

“You may rise.” Di Shengyue naturally walked to the main seat and sat down, with Xiao Yinxue sitting on her other side.

Only then did Di Shixian raise his head to look at the two of them.

Upon seeing Xiao Yinxue, he was instantly stunned.

Di Shixian had never seen a woman this beautiful in his life.

“How dare you stare at the Eldest Princess,” Youtao  scolded angrily, crossing her hands at her waist when she saw his gaze, pointing at Di Shixian.

Hearing this, Di Shixian immediately dared not be presumptuous. He obediently moved his gaze away, no longer daring to look at Xiao Yinxue.

However, his lecherous eyes instead turned toward Youtao .

As Xiao Yinxue’s personal maid, Youtao ‘s clothing and daily necessities were always of the best quality.

She was inherently beautiful, with fair skin, a delicate oval face, and a pair of dark, bright eyes, making her appear quite charming.

Di Shixian, who constantly frequented brothels and had seen many painted ladies, had never encountered such a beautiful maid and immediately had designs on her.

His shifty eyes restlessly scanned Youtao ‘s body.

Noticing Di Shixian’s gaze, Youtao  moved her eyes away with a hint of disgust.

“Youtao , go pour two cups of tea,” Di Shengyue instructed Youtao  upon seeing the situation.

Youtao  gave Di Shengyue a grateful look and then left the side hall.

Having been thoroughly scared, Madam Li also behaved more modestly.

She looked at Di Shengyue hesitantly and said, “The main reason I came today is to talk with the Elder about the family assets of the Di clan.”

It’s about money, as expected.

Di Shengyue raised an eyebrow and sneered, “Madam Di and the Elder haven’t forgotten, have they? The General’s Mansion separated from the Di Estate many years ago.”

“That was true originally,” Madam Li rubbed her hands, her eyes shifty as she looked at her, and said, “But now that you have married into the Princess’s Mansion as a live-in consort, you are no longer related to the General’s Mansion. The General’s Mansion was originally branched off from the Di Estate, and now that you’re a consort, it naturally must be returned.”

The General’s Mansion owned quite a lot of things, especially the few shops in the bustling area, which Madam Li had coveted for a long time.

Now with a legitimate reason, Madam Li was naturally eager to bring it up.

She had come to the General’s Mansion several times but had been blocked by Uncle Liu, who claimed the General wasn’t in the estate and couldn’t make decisions.

Today, she had specifically found out that Di Shengyue had returned home and rushed over with the Elder.

The thought of soon taking over the General’s Mansion’s large assets brought a triumphant smile to Madam Li’s face.

“Is the Elder of the same mind?” Di Shengyue looked at the Elder.

The Elder coughed, daring not to look Di Shengyue in the eye. He said, “Now that you’ve married in, your name is no longer on the Di clan’s genealogy. The things of the General’s Mansion should be returned to the Di Estate.”

The Elder knew he was in the wrong, and his tone lacked confidence.

He originally didn’t want to get involved in this mess, but he couldn’t stand the constant fuss from the Second Branch.

Moreover, the General’s Mansion’s assets, all things considered, were worth a considerable amount. If they got this money, given his relationship with the Second Branch, he could also reap quite a few benefits.

Di Shengyue looked at the two people before her and began to laugh coldly: “Since Madam Di has made it so clear, then let the Elder bear witness. Shouldn’t the money you owe the General’s Mansion also be repaid?”

Upon hearing this, Madam Li’s expression suddenly changed. She said, “You, you, you! What nonsense are you spouting? When did I ever owe the General’s Mansion money!”

“Madam Di seems to be getting old and her memory isn’t very good,” Di Shengyue shook her head and slowly said, “In the 35th year of Yuanhe, you borrowed 500 taels of silver from the General’s Mansion. In the 36th year of Yuanhe, you borrowed 1,000 taels of silver from the General’s Mansion…”

Di Shengyue hadn’t finished speaking when Madam Li, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, leaped up and yelled, “Don’t falsely accuse people! Who owes your General’s Mansion! Fine, you, Di Shengyue! To avoid handing over the family assets, you’ve started to wrongly accuse us, haven’t you! Elder, look at this disobedient son of our Di family. Now, relying on the Princess’s backing, he even looks down on our Di lineage. He’s wrongly accusing our Second Branch.”

Madam Li took out a silk handkerchief and fake-cried: “Our Di clan has produced such a disobedient son! To be so disrespectful to his elders and even falsely accuse me! What kind of karma is this!”

Madam Li employed her usual trick of being a shrew, instantly tear-stained and wailing, acting as if she was about to die.

Di Shengyue’s eyes darkened as she watched her make a scene in the main hall, and she subtly signaled to Uncle Liu.

Uncle Liu, understanding the cue, quickly brought over a small box.

“Hand this box to the Madam and let her see for herself if I am wrongly accusing her,” Di Shengyue said blandly.

“Yes, Master,” Uncle Liu replied, handing the box to Madam Li.

Madam Li, who had been crying nonstop, wiped away the few tears that hadn’t fallen and took the box with a bewildered look, opening it. She had a faint premonition of something bad.

The box opened to reveal a thick stack of IOUs, neatly placed inside, numbering dozens. What’s more, every single one bore her signature and fingerprint.

Madam Li was stunned, then she yelled, “Where did you get this stuff! I’ve never owed your family this much money! You must have fabricated these IOUs to frame me! Do you think you can make me admit to these groundless things?”

“Truly a dead pig not afraid of boiling water,” Di Shengyue said with a cold laugh. “Your signature and fingerprints are right there. If you disagree, we can go to the magistrate’s office right now.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Li’s face instantly turned pale. She had thought that when Di Anshun died, these IOUs would be gone. She hadn’t expected that Di Shengyue, that accursed person, had kept all of them.

The Elder’s face also immediately turned ugly. He hadn’t expected Madam Li to owe so much money.

Madam Li stubbornly argued, “These were all borrowed from the late General Di. Now that the old General is no longer here, these IOUs are naturally void.”

“What a joke,” Di Shengyue sneered. “According to the laws of Xiao Kingdom, if the creditor dies, the debt is inherited by the children. Officer Di has served for many years; hasn’t he even told his Madam this point of law?”

Di Shixian, upon hearing that the money might come out of his own home, shook his belly of fat and anxiously jumped up, yelling, “Mother! This won’t do! I still owe a huge sum to the gambling den! Mother, if you don’t take care of it, those thugs will break my legs!”

“Shut up!” Madam Li glared fiercely at her useless son.

If it weren’t for this son, who was addicted to gambling, would she be so shameless?

Di Shengyue didn’t bother to waste more words with Madam Li and said coolly, “I’m not interested in your family matters. Just quickly settle this confusing account.”

Hearing this, Madam Li seemed to go mad. She furiously took out all the IOUs from the box and ripped them all up.

Madam Li wore a triumphant smile on her lips, saying, “Now that the IOUs are gone, how will you prove it?”

“Heh.” Di Shengyue didn’t get angry watching Madam Li tear up the IOUs like a maniac, but chuckled, “Madam, feel free to tear them. These are just copies.”

Madam Li suddenly froze. She hadn’t expected Di Shengyue to be so underhanded.

She suddenly threw herself in front of Di Shengyue and cried loudly, “Do you want my life!”

The Elder frowned when he saw this and said, “Di Shengyue, don’t go too far! You are both of the Di clan; you should be merciful where you can.”

“‘Be merciful where you can’?” Di Shengyue raised an eyebrow, as if she had heard a funny joke, and said, “When the Elder wanted to reclaim the General’s Mansion’s property just now, why didn’t you think of that phrase?”

The Elder was instantly speechless.

“Don’t forget how you all came to have your current stable lives!” Di Shengyue exclaimed sharply, looking coldly at the Elder with a hint of hatred in her eyes. “When Xiao Kingdom drafted soldiers back then, why were all the people drafted from the First Branch, despite there being so many people in the Di clan? Isn’t that clear in your own heart, Elder?”

The Elder was forced to take a step back by the sudden rise in Di Shengyue’s imposing presence.

“You…”

When the two kingdoms were at war, going to the battlefield meant nine chances of death and one of survival; who would willingly push their healthy son out?

The Elder and the Second Branch, in order to protect their own families, pushed all the quotas onto the First Branch.

Di Shengyue suddenly stood up from her chair and walked in front of the Elder, her voice slightly trembling: “Pity my First Branch. Two sons and one daughter, and in the end, only I was left!”

Listening from the side, Xiao Yinxue didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt a pang of pain in her heart.

“When we were fighting on the battlefield, shedding blood for Xiao Kingdom, Elder, where were you?

All of you only know how to enjoy a comfortable life and treat our First Branch as a sacrifice.

And you, the Second Branch, only know how to abuse the name of the General’s Mansion for your own benefit.

Our First Branch believes we owe the Di Estate nothing.

Now, what face do you have to come and cause trouble in my General’s Mansion?”

The past incidents, one by one, laid out before him, caused the Elder’s face to turn red, then white. He was left speechless.

Xiao Yinxue looked at Di Shengyue’s solitary back, pursed her lips, stepped forward, and gently grasped Di Shengyue’s palm.

Feeling the softness in her palm, Di Shengyue turned her head and saw Xiao Yinxue’s slightly worried eyes. Her turbulent emotions suddenly calmed down.

“Princess, don’t worry, I’m fine,” Di Shengyue smiled at her.

“Mm, I know,” Xiao Yinxue nodded, but her hand grasped hers even tighter.

Di Shengyue looked back at the Elder.

“Since the purpose of your visit today is for me to sever ties with the Di Estate, then today, let the Elder witness the signing of the Disownment Letter!” Di Shengyue said coldly. “Starting today, my First Branch lineage will have no further connection with the Di clan.”

The Elder, upon hearing this, was about to say something but was interrupted by Madam Li.

“The Disownment Letter is fine,” Madam Li, who knew she wouldn’t get the General’s Mansion’s property, glanced at her son, gritted her teeth, and said, “This IOU must also be canceled, and you must also give me five thousand taels of silver.”

“Madam Di, a person should know their place,” Di Shengyue scoffed. “If that’s the case, then let’s forget the Disownment Letter, and we’ll go to the authorities instead.”

Saying this, she started to walk outside.

Seeing this, Madam Li instantly grew anxious. She hurriedly rushed and hugged Di Shengyue’s leg: “No, no! I don’t want the five thousand taels. It’s just that I really can’t repay these IOUs. My son is addicted to gambling and owes a mountain of debt. Our family truly has no money left.”

“General, please be kind and return these IOUs to me.”

Di Shengyue recalled the impoverished state of the Second Branch in her previous life and knew that Madam Li genuinely could not afford the money now.

Rather than continuing to be entangled, it was better to completely sever the relationship now.

From now on, the Di family’s affairs would be none of her concern.

Di Shengyue remained silent for a long time. Just as Madam Li’s heart was nearly in her throat, she finally spoke: “Fine.”

Afraid that Di Shengyue would change her mind, Madam Li hurriedly pulled the Elder to sign the Disownment Letter, took the IOUs, and left.

After all the Di family members had departed, Di Shengyue’s thoughts stirred.

She looked at Xiao Yinxue, grabbed her hand, placed it against her cheek, and put on a pitiful expression: “Princess, from now on, I only have you.”

“Mm…” Xiao Yinxue answered softly, her cheeks slightly flushed.