Chapter 23: Ill Intent

Forcing him into a frenzy the first time, and now forcing him to bow his head—Liang Shanru found the entire process immensely satisfying.

The image of a long-suffering, virtuous person? Let whoever enjoys that role play it; she certainly would not.

Liang Shanru sat there, composed and at ease, her expression one of utter reasonableness. "If the Marquis of Changle had held this attitude from the start, perhaps the matter would have been resolved long ago."

The Marquis’s face flushed a deep red. Elder Liang, however, chose to ignore it entirely. "There! That settles it!"

His heart was filled with the anticipation of the benefits soon to come his way. He turned to Liang Shanru, urging her, "Well, Shanru, how much are you asking for?"

"No rush," Liang Shanru replied with a shrug. "Perhaps we should handle the matter of the ancestral records first? I truly have no desire to drag this out, especially if the Marquis decides to change his mind later." She glanced toward the Marquis. "My Lord, let’s not just have words of concession. I need to see some sincerity, don't I?"

The Marquis of Changle already sensed that something was amiss.

If she were truly sincere about negotiating, they should have settled the terms and handled everything at once. By insisting he open the ancestral hall first, was she not afraid that if the later negotiations fell through, she would be left with nothing?

Furthermore, as long as Liang Ji’s name remained on the Liang family register, Liang Shanru would—no matter how much she argued—still be considered a daughter of the Liang family. If things dragged on, he would still have leverage. Once she was removed from the family’s control, if she were to make exorbitant demands...

"Absolutely not!" the Marquis barked, rejecting the idea. "For you to demand 'sincerity' from me—you have some nerve. Why don't you start by telling me exactly how much money it would take to satisfy you, so I can see your sincerity as well?"

Liang Shanru turned to Elder Liang with a look of helpless resignation. "Elder, what do you think of the Marquis’s attitude?"

It was not that Elder Liang couldn't see the risks, but Liang Shanru had already produced two thousand taels of cold, hard cash with such promptness and generosity. Judging by that alone, she was far more reliable than the Marquis. Besides, he had his own selfish interests; if he helped her now, the rewards would naturally be greater later.

After a brief weighing of the pros and cons, he threw his full weight into persuading the Marquis. "I trust that Shanru will not go back on her word. The end result is the same regardless—this has to be done for her sooner or later. There is no difference between doing it now or in a moment; stop being so stubborn. We are all here as witnesses. If she truly fails to keep her word and demands more after you’ve removed Liang Ji’s name from the genealogy, we shall accompany you to the magistrate’s office to seek justice. What are you afraid of?"

What was he afraid of? Even in the magistrate’s court, the prefect would not dare to openly favor him.

Liang Shanru knew exactly what he was hesitating about. A man like him, who spent his entire life calculating against others and was himself a creature of broken promises, would naturally be extra wary of everyone else.

She stood up abruptly, without a hint of lingering. "Since the Marquis hasn't made up his mind, let us discuss this another day. Or perhaps I can have someone else come to negotiate with you instead."

As she made to leave, Elder Liang nearly jumped out of his official chair. "Shanru!" He quickly called her back, turning to press the Marquis once more. "If you talk another day, she will still have the same demand. If you don't agree, things will only remain at a stalemate; what could possibly change? It will be the same back and forth. You might as well agree and be done with it!

"Shanru has been kind-hearted and filial since she was a child. If you, as her elder, take a step back, she will only remember your kindness. Is she really going to drive you into a corner?"

She certainly would. The Marquis no longer believed for a second that she was a "kind-hearted" person.

Yet, while his words were harsh, the logic held: with Zhou Shen backing her, Liang Shanru would never change her stance. If she came back next time with Zhou Shen in tow, the situation would be even worse. Zhou Shen had already struck him twice; he had no desire to endure a third.

He steeled himself. "Fine! We will handle your father’s matter first, then discuss the rest!"

Elder Liang visibly exhaled in relief, completely missing the flash of triumph in Liang Shanru’s eyes.

Opening the ancestral hall was not a difficult task. Since Liang Ji had been an adopted son and was never truly of the Liang bloodline, once the clan members reached a consensus, his removal took less than a quarter of an hour. As for his spirit tablet, Liang Shanru could simply take it with her when she left; the Liang family cared little for it anyway.

When they returned to the main hall, before the Marquis could even speak, Elder Liang asked impatiently, "Shanru, how much silver are you expecting?"

Liang Shanru tilted her head, smiled, and held up five fingers.

The Marquis’s brow furrowed. "You demand fifty thousand taels the moment you open your mouth? And you claim you aren't being greedy?"

Liang Shanru cursed his shamelessness in her heart before replying, "As I said, my father served in twenty-four years of campaigns. The rewards he received were worth far more than ten thousand gold pieces. I am calculating based on ten thousand gold—the Marquis should know better than I exactly how much silver that amounts to."

One gold piece was worth sixteen taels of silver. Ten thousand gold alone meant he owed her one hundred and sixty thousand taels, not including Liang Ji’s salary and other income. If they were to truly settle the accounts, fifty thousand taels was a bargain.

"That sounds fine, but your father, in the past..."

"You know exactly how much my father gained from the Liang family, don't you?" Liang Shanru cut him off. "Even if we accounted for every meal and piece of clothing the three of us used while living in the Marquis’s estate, it wouldn't exceed thirty thousand taels! My Lord, I am only asking for fifty thousand in silver based on my father’s rewards. I am already being very generous to you."

Elder Liang quickly chimed in, "If you ask me, the child is not asking for too much. Why don't you calculate it yourself?"

The Marquis was on the verge of shouting an insult.

"Of course, it is a bargain for him."

The rebuke he was about to unleash died on his lips. A clear, sharp voice rang out from outside, interrupting the proceedings in the hall and drawing everyone's gaze.

Except for Liang Shanru.

The Marquis had been staring at her intently, and even as he looked toward the sound, he kept her in his peripheral vision. Seeing her remain as still as a mountain, he thought, *It is over.*

She had come prepared. Besides Zhou Shen, she had invited other reinforcements—this newcomer was her backup plan!

He grew even more curious as to who it was.

When he saw the Lady Liang, dressed in fine silks and with a face that screamed "do not provoke," enter the room, followed by two young gentlemen, the Marquis’s breath hitched. He stood up abruptly. "Why have you returned?"

Lady Liang did not even deign to look at him, but Pei Jingxing smiled and countered, "Uncle, that is a rather unreasonable question. The Marquis’s estate is my mother’s home. Even if she is married, are you saying she is not allowed to visit her maiden family? Why would you ask why my mother has returned the moment you see her?"

The Marquis was choked by the question, and it took him a long while to remember to snap back, "I am speaking to your mother. Since when does a junior like you have the right to interrupt? Do you have no regard for the decorum and rules of the Duke of Xin’s estate?"

He was panicking and speaking without thinking.

Pei Jingxing frowned, took half a step back, and looked at Pei Yanzhou.

Pei Yanzhou stood with his hands behind his back and calmly took over. "The decorum and rules of the Duke of Xin’s estate are not matters for the Marquis of Changle to worry about."

His tone was mild, yet it carried an inexplicable, overwhelming sense of authority.

Realizing he had not addressed him as "Uncle," the Marquis realized this was not Lady Liang’s son. The younger brother of the Duke of Xin had died in battle years ago, leaving no heirs. If that was the case, then this person...

The Marquis’s scalp tingled. "That is not what I meant. I hope the Heir Apparent does not misunderstand."

Pei Yanzhou replied with a simple "Hmm." "Whether you misunderstand or not is of little consequence. What I fear is that outsiders might misunderstand and seek to sow discord. If the Marquis is more careful with his words, such troubles can be avoided." He then added, "I heard my cousin say she only asked for fifty thousand taels. Do you find that unreasonable as well, Marquis?"

*Disaster.*

The first half was a threat; the second, calling Liang Shanru "cousin," was a warning. Each word was layered with meaning, and the "as well" was the most chilling part of all.

These people had come with ill intent—they were after the entire estate of the Marquis!