Chapter 132: Stripping the Clothes

In her previous life, after Meng Qinghe was recognized and returned to the Meng Family, she forbade anyone from giving food to the Chi Family; the only refugees who had ever helped the Chi Family by sharing a little rice soup were this mother and daughter, and the former protagonist had once sneaked a look at the Chi Family and happened to see the mother and daughter receive two bowls of porridge, one of which they handed to the Chi Family.

Meng Qinghe looked at them with disdain, was scheming how to silently dispose of the mother and daughter, when a cool voice reached her ears.

"How much silver for the lady's clothes? I'll pay."

Meng Qinghe turned her head toward the direction of the voice.

It was the woman who had just been at the city gate.

Two guards followed behind her.

Meng Qinghe's gaze swept again over her fox‑fur cloak, and she sneered, "You? Do you know how much silver my garments are worth?"

"Heh, it's just ordinary silk, even with embroidery it's worth fifty taels; I'll give the lady a hundred taels to buy this outfit, how about that?"

Hearing that, Meng Qinghe grew even more furious.

"Fifty taels? Do you think my garments are cabbage? This is rare Shu brocade, a single bolt is worth a thousand gold!"

A thousand gold!

The mother and daughter trembled with fear, repeatedly kowtowing and bowing: "Please forgive us, miss, please forgive us! Have mercy on us! We beg you."

Meng Qinghe snorted disdainfully, and at that moment a light laugh sounded at her ear.

"What are you laughing at?" Meng Qinghe shouted angrily, "Do you find my words funny? Do you even know who I am?"

"Regardless of who you are, miss, you were probably duped by a cloth merchant; this is not Shu brocade." She pointed at Meng Qinghe's cuff: "Real Shu brocade is sturdy, plump, with a warm luster. Your garment lacks that sheen. Moreover, the patterns on your dress were embroidered later, whereas Shu brocade has the designs woven in, needing no extra embroidery. So your dress is not Shu brocade but ordinary fabric; even a few dozen taels would be generous."

Meng Qinghe's face turned extremely sour at those words.

She never expected that she would be seen through.

Speaking of it, Meng Qinghe felt deeply aggrieved.

She could never have imagined that the Meng Family had been robbed, emptied overnight, and that her own monthly stipend was pitifully low; if it weren't for her mother and the Jiang Family supporting her, she would already have become the laughingstock of the noble ladies of Jingcheng.

She had no idea that she was already fodder for gossip after meals.

"You're talking nonsense!"

Seeing her stubbornly refuse to admit it, Chi Nan Yi was not annoyed and said, "Let's just assume it's Shu brocade; tell me how much silver you want for the dress?"

"Five hundred taels! If you hand over five hundred taels, I won't argue with those two any longer."

Five hundred taels…

Shizi is really opening his mouth!

Meng Qinghe looked smugly at the woman before her wearing a brimmed hat.

She actually wanted to see whether she could produce those five hundred taels.

If she can't produce them, she'll lose face; if she does, she'll lose the silver.

Either way, she wouldn't be at a loss.

Chi Nan Yi, of course, saw through her trick.

Such a cheap trick—how stupid must the previous incarnation have been to become her defeated subordinate?

Meng Qinghe lifted her chin, defiantly staring at Chi Nan Yi: "What, can't you produce the silver? Then get out of here quickly!"

"Ji Bai."

As soon as Chi Nan Yi finished speaking, Ji Bai produced a purse and casually drew out a silver note, as effortlessly as pulling out a few copper coins.

"Five hundred taels, I've bought the lady's clothes."

She actually did produce it.

Cai Pin, standing by Meng Qinghe, took the silver note.

Meng Qinghe sneered inwardly, never expecting such a foolish person to exist in this world.

To give so much silver for two lowly refugees.

"In that case, you may take those two away." Meng Qinghe was about to turn and leave when Chi Nan Yi whispered, "Miss, did you not hear clearly what I just said?"

"What words?" Meng Qinghe turned, looking puzzled at her.

"I just said, five hundred taels for the lady's clothes. Why are you giving me those two? They are refugees, free persons, not your servants, and you don't hold their contracts. How could you sell them to me? Even if you were to sell them, it wouldn't be your right!"

"They stained my lady's clothes, so they should be punished."

"Miss, your statement is wrong; the clothes are now mine." Chi Nan Yi said lightly, "Whether to punish is my business, not yours. Since you took my silver, you should hand the garments over to me."

What?

Hand the clothes to her?

Then what will she wear?

"How audacious! You… you dare be so rude to this lady!"

"Miss, I don't understand your words. Since ancient times, a transaction is settled with both silver and goods; you took my silver, so you ought to give me what I asked for. Why keep the silver and refuse to hand over anything? How is that different from outright robbery? You set up a porridge stall here; I thought you were truly kind‑hearted, but now it seems you're just pulling a scam." Chi Nan Yi said impatiently, "Return my clothes at once, or don't blame me if I have someone strip yours off."

"You!"

"How dare you speak to our lady like that! Your words are vulgar, and you even try to strip our lady's clothes; do you know who our lady is?" Cai Pin shouted angrily, "If I told you, you'd be terrified!"

"Who our lady is matters not; even the emperor himself can't just rob openly!" Yun Shan shouted, "Hand over our lady's belongings at once!"

"You! You are overstepping!"

"Who exactly is overstepping? Just a brush of the sleeve, as if it were stained with excrement, you brag about your civility. I only want my clothes back—now, immediately."

"Fine! I won't sell the clothes!" Meng Qinghe shouted angrily, "Cai Pin, give her the silver!"

"Hold on." Chi Nan Yi laughed lightly, "I no longer want five hundred taels for this garment."

"Then how much do you want?"

"One thousand taels."

"What?" Meng Qinghe's voice was sharp, "One thousand taels? You've gone mad for silver? A thousand taels could buy you dozens of lives! I sold it to you for five hundred taels; just give me back the five hundred."

"Miss, it is true that you sold it to me for five hundred taels, but I no longer wish to buy it for five hundred. I love this garment dearly; since I like it, I am unwilling to part with it easily. If you wish, pay one thousand taels to buy it; otherwise, I won't sell." Chi Nan Yi's tone was light, her eyes full of amusement; she simply enjoyed watching Meng Qinghe collapse in this frantic state.