Zhan Feiyu followed Qiu Jingyuan into her room. Unlike the independent courtyard before the decline of the third branch, now the entire third branch family, along with their servants, lived in this residence.
Qiu Jingyuan's current room was on the left side of the main courtyard.
"I hope Miss Zhan is not offended by the simplicity of my dwelling." Qiu Jingyuan's voice was hoarse from prolonged mourning, but her self-deprecating expression said it all.
The main courtyard was where Madam Dou and Qiu Jingyuan lived. It was Xu Shi who had given up the main courtyard out of consideration for Qiu Jingyuan calling Lord Qiu her uncle. After all, Xu Shi's family and two other branches were adopted, and by blood, they were already beyond the fifth degree of kinship with the legitimate lineage, which was why Madam Dou occupied the main courtyard.
Zhan Feiyu surveyed the courtyard before her. While it could be considered modest compared to the sprawling mansions of noble families with multiple courtyards, in the countryside, even a thatched hut offering shelter from the wind and rain would be considered good.
He Nuan followed behind Zhan Feiyu, her gaze quickly scanning the surroundings with vigilance.
The courtyard was indeed not large, with three rooms facing south. The main house was where Madam Dou had lived. Qiu Jingyuan was given the room on the left, and the room on the right was divided into two sections: a small reception hall in the front and a storeroom in the back.
The side rooms to the right of the main house were for the servants. On the left, one room served as a small kitchen, and the other was used for storing miscellaneous items. After confirming there were no immediate dangers, He Nuan withdrew her gaze and followed Zhan Feiyu into the house.
"Miss Zhan, please wait a moment. I need to freshen up." Qiu Jingyuan, at this point, no longer needed a maid to attend to her grooming. Previously, she had her mother, Madam Dou, to protect her. Now, with Madam Dou gone, Qiu Jingyuan had matured rapidly, though the shadow of grief in her eyes had deepened.
After Qiu Jingyuan entered the inner room, He Nuan looked through the window at the young maid standing in the courtyard and then whispered, "There are no abnormalities here."
Since Madam Dou's death, various factions in Qianzhong Dao had been watching the third branch. Not only was the main courtyard free of any anomalies, but the exterior was also the same. Apart from the watchers, no assassins of the old master were found.
Zhan Feiyu nodded. With the successive incidents, she surmised that the old master would not make any rash moves. The deterrent and effectiveness of the Jinlong Guard were not to be underestimated.
In less than fifteen minutes, Qiu Jingyuan emerged from the inner room and sat down on a chair. After observing Zhan Feiyu for a while, she spoke, "My mother is gone. According to my eldest sister-in-law, the yamen will soon return my mother's dowry and personal property to me."
Having said that, Qiu Jingyuan stared intently at Zhan Feiyu, trying to discern something from her expression.
"I know what you want is in the yamen's treasury!" Qiu Jingyuan suppressed her annoyance and stated her objective clearly. Despite her anger and resentment, Qiu Jingyuan was no longer the arrogant and overbearing eldest daughter of the Qiu family; she had learned to humble herself. "Miss Zhan, as long as you agree to my conditions, you can take whatever you want."
Madam Dou never knew why she was killed, but Qiu Jingyuan had learned some clues from her aunt, Qiu Wenlan. Combined with the cause of Madam Dou's death, she had guessed that the token was among the items sealed by the yamen, although she did not know what it was.
If it were before, Qiu Jingyuan might have still considered obtaining the token. However, Madam Dou's untimely death had terrified her. Ultimately, she was just a thirteen-year-old girl, and the successive misfortunes in her family had instilled fear in her.
"Tell me," Zhan Feiyu replied. If she could obtain the token without any effort, it would be even better. It all depended on what conditions Qiu Jingyuan offered.
"I want ten thousand taels of silver, deposited in a bank under my name!" Qiu Jingyuan was tempted to ask for an exorbitant amount, but she also knew that a typical noble lady's dowry was only about five thousand taels. Ten thousand taels would be more than enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life. For ordinary people, ten taels of silver were enough to feed a family of seven or eight for a year.
Nodding, Zhan Feiyu gestured for Qiu Jingyuan to continue. She knew that Qiu Jingyuan would not only want money. Moreover, Madam Dou's dowry and her personal assets accumulated over the years, when converted to silver, would be close to ten thousand taels.
Logically, as the male members of the third branch had committed treason, some of the confiscated assets were ill-gotten gains that should be turned over to the yamen. However, with Madam Dou's tragic death and the involvement of Qiu Huaixin, Magistrate Jiao would surely show leniency, and most of the assets would be returned to Qiu Jingyuan.
After a moment of hesitation, Qiu Jingyuan lowered her head to conceal the anxiety in her eyes. But thinking of her recent hardships, and how the young ladies who used to flatter and fawn over her now had to be treated with deference, Qiu Jingyuan could no longer bear such a humble, ant-like existence.
Raising her head again, Qiu Jingyuan spoke word by word, "I want to become sworn sisters with you. I will be the elder sister, and you will be my sworn sister!"
This was also a fallback plan that Qiu Jingyuan had carefully considered. What good was money without a protector? Without a backing, the money would only become a harbinger of death!
The thought of her uncle's wife, Xu Shi, wanting to sell her to the sickly Xiang Changshou for a mere five thousand taels for a marriage to ward off evil spirits made Qiu Jingyuan's expression contort. Deep-seated hatred churned within her. She wanted to rise above, to make those who had wronged her regret it!
"You want to become sworn sisters with me?" Zhan Feiyu was somewhat taken aback. Her dark, lustrous eyes widened in surprise. Coupled with her fair, plump cheeks and the somber expression of Qiu Jingyuan, who was dressed in mourning attire, they were like two extremes. No one would believe they were sisters.
"Yes," Qiu Jingyuan nodded affirmatively. She was even willing to forgo the ten thousand taels of silver. Once the yamen returned the assets, she would have enough to live comfortably for the rest of her life. However, becoming sisters with Zhan Feiyu was different. Who would dare to look down on her in the future?
Qiu Jingyuan's initial thought was to become a disciple of Scholar Gu. Coupled with her uncle, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Qianzhong Dao, she could even marry into the imperial family in the capital.
However, upon further reflection, Qiu Jingyuan dismissed the idea. Scholar Gu was not only a Grand Scholar of the Cabinet but also a member of the Gu clan of Nanling. The current head of the Gu clan was Scholar Gu's elder brother. The status of Scholar Gu's disciple was too high, so high that Qiu Jingyuan dared not even dream of it.
Becoming sworn sisters with Zhan Feiyu was different. Zhan Feiyu was just a village girl, and in terms of status, she was still a noble daughter. Zhan Feiyu had Scholar Gu as her teacher, and she also addressed Lord Qiu as her uncle. Therefore, their statuses were comparable. In the future, after she got married, Zhan Feiyu would also have an ally. Why wouldn't she want that?
"I cannot agree," Zhan Feiyu's straightforward refusal caused Qiu Jingyuan, who was lost in her thoughts, to suddenly look crestfallen. The rage of hatred in her eyes could not be concealed at that moment.
She stood up abruptly. In her extreme anger, Qiu Jingyuan's clenched fists trembled slightly. Her resentful gaze fixed on Zhan Feiyu, "Are you really going to refuse? You're not the only one who wants this token. I chose you to cooperate with primarily because you have a good relationship with our Qiu family."
This token involved the previous dynasty, barbarians, and officials in Qianzhong Dao and the imperial court. Although no one was certain of the token's true significance, if handled properly, it would undoubtedly be extraordinary. Otherwise, Madam Dou would not have died for it.
Zhan Feiyu refused again and did not engage in further discussion with Qiu Jingyuan. She left with He Nuan. As for the sound of a cup smashing to the ground behind them, Zhan Feiyu pretended not to hear it.
"Qiu Jingyuan wants a protector," He Nuan remarked. She had initially thought Qiu Jingyuan was just a malicious and arrogant noble daughter, but she hadn't expected her to have such cunning.
"No one from a large family is foolish," Zhan Feiyu recalled the noble scions she had encountered over the past two years. Their ancestors and parents held distinguished positions, and they began their studies at the age of four. When faced with any situation, their elders would guide and teach them.
If their temperaments were stubborn and disobedient, they would be subjected to family discipline, preventing them from taking the wrong path.
Therefore, compared to children from ordinary families who couldn't even recognize words, noble scions were truly not foolish. Their environment allowed them to mature rapidly.
Qiu Jingyuan's past arrogance and high-handedness were due to her having the capital for it. Moreover, she didn't need to personally handle those unsavory matters; a mere glance was enough for someone to act in order to curry favor with her.
But now, circumstances dictated otherwise, and Qiu Jingyuan could only scheme for herself. However, despite her clever plans, Zhan Feiyu would not agree.