Five Years After My Death, the Mad Emperor Still Summons My Spirit

Chapter 221: Chapter 221: Sisters-in-law

Ming Lingyi looked even more surprised than Qin Lingzhi. "Can Miss Qin not even come up with ten gold taels? Is... is that a lot of money?"

Qin Lingzhi: "You!"

Just then, someone in the crowd let out a snicker.

It was impossible to tell if the laugh was aimed at Ming Lingyi’s clueless audacity or at Qin Lingzhi.

Evidently, however, upon hearing the snicker, Qin Lingzhi was convinced the person hiding in the crowd was mocking her.

The rumors about her had been running rampant lately. Even when her father had confined her to the house, she had still caught wind of them.

How could Qin Lingzhi possibly stand for it?

She completely forgot about Ming Lingyi, her "number one enemy," standing right in front of her. She whipped around, her gaze sweeping toward the direction of the snicker.

The next second, before even the closest person, Hu Yuwan, could stop her, Qin Lingzhi cracked her whip right into the crowd.

"Get out here!"

The CRACK of the whip slicing through the air was accompanied by Qin Lingzhi’s furious shout.

’Since when do these lowlifes get to laugh at me?’

Qin Lingzhi’s whip struck more than just one person.

The scene instantly descended into chaos.

This was happening inside the Treasure Pearl Pavilion. Though the pavilion was well-off and the shop was spacious, it was packed with onlookers who had rushed in. Between the crowd and Qin Lingzhi’s sudden whip crack, which no one had time to dodge, everything fell into utter chaos.

The Shopkeeper and waiter of the Treasure Pearl Pavilion couldn’t handle the situation. All they could do was cry out in distress, "Don’t push, don’t crowd! Don’t touch the display shelves! Don’t move that either! AH, those are all fragile! Oh dear!"

But even with the Shopkeeper and the waiter desperately trying to maintain order, their efforts were largely futile.

As Qin Lingzhi’s whip descended, several sharp CRASHES immediately echoed from within the Treasure Pearl Pavilion.

The sound was unmistakably that of the shop’s precious jewelry falling to the floor.

It was impossible to tell the extent of the damage, or if anyone was taking advantage of the chaos to steal something.

Along with the sharp CRACKS of breaking jewelry, cries of pain now rose from the crowd.

Qin Lingzhi couldn’t tell who exactly had mocked her; she could only pinpoint a general direction by the sound. Her whip had swept across several people in that area, so how could they not cry out in pain?

"Are you insane?!"

Even Ming Lingyi hadn’t expected Qin Lingzhi to be so lawless. To strike someone just like that, in broad daylight!

Her eyes widened, and she moved as if to snatch the whip from Qin Lingzhi’s hands.

She felt partly responsible for the crowd of onlookers gathered here in the Treasure Pearl Pavilion. She couldn’t just stand by and let Qin Lingzhi continue to harm innocent people.

Qin Lingzhi sneered, "These lowlifes dared to laugh at me. They should be prepared for a beating!"

Seeing Ming Lingyi dare to reach for her whip, she cracked it again, this time against the floor, leaving a white scar on the stone. "You dare try to stop me?"

Ming Lingyi said, "If you keep this up, I’ll assume you want to back out of today’s bidding."

Those words hit Qin Lingzhi right where it hurt.

The hand holding the whip froze. She glared at Ming Lingyi with pure resentment.

’How could I possibly back out?’

’I am the great Miss Qin of the Qin Family! Am I supposed to be afraid of some merchant’s daughter who runs a diner?’

’If word of this got out, it would be even more humiliating than the current rumors painting me as a shrew all over Shangjing.’

’I will absolutely not lose to some country girl!’

"Bullshit!" Qin Lingzhi couldn’t stand Ming Lingyi’s taunt and immediately shot back, "I have plenty of silver! A mere ten gold taels is nothing to me!"

Ming Lingyi didn’t care whether Qin Lingzhi was bluffing or not; hearing those words was enough. ’What’s the point of setting the stage if the main actor never shows up?’

"Perfect," Ming Lingyi said. "Since Miss Qin doesn’t lack for silver, I trust you won’t refuse to pay for the damages you’ve caused here in the Treasure Pearl Pavilion, or for the medical fees of the innocent people you’ve injured, will you?"

Qin Lingzhi: "What does this have to do with me?!"

Ming Lingyi replied, "Most of the people in this shop came in because they heard your shouting. In a way, they were your audience, Miss Qin. And now they’re injured because of you, so how is it none of your business? The items in the Treasure Pearl Pavilion were knocked over in the chaos caused by your whip. Isn’t that also your responsibility?"

Qin Lingzhi’s expression soured. She wanted to argue, but before she could speak, she felt a tug on her sleeve.

Qin Lingzhi turned, and when she saw her sister-in-law, a wronged expression appeared on her face.

"Sister-in-law..."

’This girl is an absolute idiot,’ Hu Yuwan thought. At her father-in-law’s request, she had been carefully watching Qin Lingzhi lately, trying to keep her from causing more trouble and adding fuel to the fire of the rumors already raging through Shangjing. But who would have thought? She had only brought Lingzhi out for a bit of shopping to lift her spirits, and the moment she looked away, Lingzhi was already attacking people in public.

’And in front of all these people, with no hint of restraint.’

’How was she supposed to silence all these witnesses?’

’Didn’t this just prove all the rumors about her circulating in Shangjing?’

"It’s alright." Hu Yuwan suppressed the rage boiling inside her and placated Qin Lingzhi. "Our General Mansion can afford this small amount of silver."

As if she had just found her champion, Qin Lingzhi immediately shot a defiant look back at Ming Lingyi.

"Did you hear that?!" she demanded.

Ming Lingyi paid her no mind. She was focused on what Hu Yuwan had just said.

"Of course we heard. I’m sure Mrs. Hu and Miss Qin are not the sort of people to default on their debts." As Ming Lingyi spoke, she turned to the Shopkeeper of the Treasure Pearl Pavilion, whose face was a mask of misery. "Shopkeeper, Mrs. Hu and Miss Qin will see to the compensation for today’s damages. You needn’t worry."

The Shopkeeper of the Treasure Pearl Pavilion was indeed heartbroken over the losses. The Dongzhu pearls in his shop were of exceptional quality, especially those set in jade, which were absolutely top-grade.

But the items were also extremely fragile, and a single piece was worth a great deal of silver.

Unfortunately, the ones who had caused the damage were people he couldn’t afford to offend. The Shopkeeper had already resigned himself to swallowing this huge loss, but thanks to Ming Lingyi’s words, the situation had suddenly turned around.

When the Shopkeeper looked at Ming Lingyi again, his eyes were filled with gratitude.

"And what about these people..." Ming Lingyi had no intention of quitting while she was ahead. She looked at Hu Yuwan and pressed on.

’Feng Shuyu had said Hu Yuwan was obsessed with her public image, always presenting herself as perfectly harmless.’

’Ming Lingyi was counting on this. Her request was reasonable on the surface. Even if Hu Yuwan was inwardly fuming and wanted to refuse, she would have to relent for the sake of her own image.’

Sure enough, after a slight change in her expression, Hu Yuwan nodded.

"Of course." Hu Yuwan stared at Ming Lingyi’s face, speaking slowly and deliberately. "We of the General Mansion are reasonable people. My younger sister-in-law has been in a poor mood lately. She’s young and immature, which is why you’ve all had to suffer. I will discipline her later, so please, don’t take it to heart. The General Mansion will arrange for a physician to see to everyone. If there are any other needs, please feel free to bring them up."

Whatever Hu Yuwan’s true feelings were as she spoke, Ming Lingyi’s expression visibly relaxed upon hearing her words.

’Now, that’s more like it!’