Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge - Chapter 118

Princess Chang’s Estate, Fu Garden.

Princess Chang personally went to her daughter Duanmu Rui’s room. As soon as she entered, she asked.

“I heard you accepted a significant commission?”

“Mother, you’re here—”
“Your sources are so well-informed! Which little informant told you this time?”

Duanmu Rui pouted, seemingly somewhat displeased as she shot a glare at Baicha and Baizhi.

She owned a restaurant that usually served regular customers, but occasionally held auctions as well.

That afternoon, the manager had reported that the newly returned Seventh Young Miss of the Sheng family wished to make a charitable donation. Because the quantity of assets to be donated was substantial, and because the young miss had two additional requests, the manager had brought the matter to her.

As for what Seventh Young Miss Sheng wanted, she wished to discuss it in detail after a personal meeting with Duanmu Rui.

Hearing it was the true daughter who had recently returned to the Sheng family, Duanmu Rui became interested.

When she learned that the items were all things Sheng Mingzhu had previously used, Duanmu Rui’s gossip-loving heart burst into flames.

Everyone knew about the recent events in the Sheng household; she had been following the drama for quite a while.

She hadn’t met Sheng Mingzhu herself, but had heard her praised a few times by people in Murong Yan’s circle.

Duanmu Rui instinctively disliked anyone Murong Yan fancied.

Moreover, Sheng Mingzhu was a false daughter who had stolen the true daughter’s life of luxury, like a thief, so Duanmu Rui liked her even less.

She had always felt sorry for the true daughter, Seventh Young Miss Sheng.

Recently, rumors about a “Jinx” and a “Lucky Star” had started swirling.

Hearing them made Duanmu Rui’s teeth itch with anger, and her sympathy for the newly returned Sheng young lady grew even stronger.

Now, discovering that Seventh Young Miss Sheng wanted to sell Sheng Mingzhu’s used belongings, Duanmu Rui felt like applauding!

This Seventh Young Miss Sheng was decisive enough! She suited Duanmu Rui’s temper!

So, she decided to visit the Sheng family tomorrow to meet this Seventh Young Miss Sheng and hear her requests.

Normally, one should send an invitation to arrange a meeting, but Duanmu Rui was impatient. The back-and-forth of formal invitations was troublesome, and she couldn’t wait that long.

If it weren’t already dark, she would have gone right then to get a clear answer.

Her mother must have learned of her plan and come to lecture her.

“Are these the assets Seventh Young Miss Sheng intends to donate?”

Princess Chang asked, having taken a seat and looking at a chest of ledger books beside her.

“Mmhmm, that’s them.”

Duanmu Rui stood nearby, looking a bit deflated.

A maid accompanying the Princess immediately took a ledger from the chest and presented it to her. The Princess skimmed through it.

“Not bad, these are fine items!”
“If the things in the other ledgers are of this quality, it’s probably comparable to the dowry of a main wife from a wealthy family!”

Hearing her mother’s praise, Duanmu Rui’s interest returned. She spoke cheerfully.

“Mother, I’ve looked through them. About ninety percent of the items here are excellent.”
“The remaining ten percent are slightly inferior—they seem to be gifts given to Sheng Mingzhu by her brothers over the last few years—”
“Though even those aren’t bad, just not the best. The Sheng family really doted on Sheng Mingzhu! That Seventh Young Miss Sheng is so pitiful!”

Princess Chang tapped her daughter’s forehead affectionately.

“You… From what I see, this matter currently seems to be only Seventh Young Miss Sheng’s idea. The heads of the Sheng family most likely don’t know yet…”
“If you take this on now, when they find out they’re about to lose such a large sum of money, they might be unwilling and try to stop it.”
“You’d end up offending people for no good reason and likely get yourself into trouble.”

Seeing that her mother was merely analyzing the pros and cons, not outright forbidding her, Duanmu Rui sensed an opportunity. She moved closer, hugged her mother’s arm, and wheedled.

“Mother, Seventh Young Miss Sheng is so pitiful!”
“Seeing these things every day must remind her of the hardships she endured in the village, while her enemy’s daughter enjoyed endless affection in the Sheng family in her place.”
“It must be so painful and irritating for her! That’s why she wants to donate them all.”
“If she has the courage to donate them, then I’ll help her! If the Sheng family heads have any objections, they can take it up with me!”

Princess Chang smiled faintly and said softly.

“At its core, this is the Sheng family’s internal affair. You meddling in it brings you no benefit…”

Duanmu Rui immediately became huffy at these words. “Mother, that’s the wrong way to think!”
“Should I only act based on what benefits I can gain?”
“If everyone in the world acted only for profit, only knowing how to seek advantage and avoid harm, instead of acting according to conscience, fairness, and righteousness—”
“Wouldn’t that just breed a bunch of selfish, calculating individuals? What hope would there be for the country then?”

“Listen to her. I say one thing, and this girl has several retorts ready for me.”

Princess Chang said with amusement, but her eyes held no reproach; instead, they held a touch of pride.

“Mother, I don’t care. I just dislike the rest of the Sheng family and want to help Seventh Young Miss Sheng…”

Duanmu Rui started flighty again. Princess Chang cupped her daughter’s bright, sunny face, her heart softening.

“Weren’t you just waving the banner of conscience, fairness, and righteousness? Now you say it’s because you dislike them…”

The servants in the room laughed.

The young mistress always appeared spirited and capable in public, but in front of the Princess, she still loved to act spoiled.

“I don’t care! I’ve decided to handle this matter!”
“Besides, this will also mean Uncle Emperor gets a sum of money for nothing. The Sheng family heads surely won’t dare object.”
“Otherwise, I’ll have Uncle Emperor teach them a lesson!”

Everyone laughed even harder upon hearing this.

The young mistress usually hated people who abused their power or schemed behind others’ backs. It seemed the Sheng family had truly angered her…

Princess Chang hadn’t truly intended to stop her daughter. After the incident at the last birthday banquet, she had reflected.

All these years, she and the Consort had only wanted their daughter to live a carefree life, but they had perhaps raised her to be too naive and straightforward.

Such a character could easily be schemed against in the future, so their parenting approach needed adjustment.

Furthermore, they had received a favor from the Sheng family’s “Madam Huang” last time. Since this matter concerned “Madam Huang’s” biological daughter, she would let her daughter handle it as she wished.

If this Seventh Young Miss Sheng was genuine, all would be well. If she had ulterior motives, Princess Chang would be watching from the sidelines to ensure her daughter wasn’t tricked.

Her daughter was growing up day by day; experiencing some challenges would be good for her.

Princess Chang offered a few more instructions, telling her daughter to first pay a visit to “Madam Huang” when calling on the Sheng family, so as not to be impolite. Only after her daughter agreed did she leave.

————-

The next day, Sheng Minmin met Duanmu Rui.

The day before, a matron from Haitang Courtyard had reported Huang Yaning’s inventorying of the assets to Sheng Minmin, which puzzled her.

Others in the estate might think Huang Yaning was acting out of greed, but Sheng Minmin knew she wasn’t the type to covet wealth.

Because she was suspicious, when Qingtian had someone carry a small chest out of the estate yesterday afternoon, Sheng Minmin had someone secretly follow her.

The gatekeepers, learning the chest contained items for the Seventh Young Miss’s donation, let it pass without opening it.

Her person followed discreetly and, after some effort, discovered the chest was full of account ledgers.

Sheng Minmin had a vague idea of Huang Yaning’s intention.

Later, Qingtian returned and secretly came to report, saying Huang Yaning intended to donate everything from Haitang Courtyard, and had already given the ledgers to the manager of the young mistress’s restaurant…

Probably, Qingtian was afraid that when Sheng Yong found out and got angry, she might be punished, hence coming to report to Sheng Minmin…

In any case, Qingtian’s report confirmed Sheng Minmin’s suspicions.