Cui Yunchu murmured, "I want someone with a higher official rank than my father. Then, I'll make him kneel in the ancestral hall, and even if he freezes and falls ill, he won't be allowed to come out."
"..."
"..."
It was unclear how many people in the room had fallen silent, but no one spoke. They all stared at Cui Yunchu with peculiar expressions.
Xing'er slowly paced over to the bed and nudged Cui Yunchu's leg.
But this was clearly useless on Cui Yunchu, who was currently in a semi-comatose state.
Cui Yunchu was still listing her plans in detail: once she gained power in the future, she would make Cui Qingyuan suffer every punishment she had ever endured. If he refused, she would have her powerful and influential husband beat him with a wooden board.
The name "Cui Qingyuan" came out of her mouth with such an arrogant and disrespectful tone, not at all sounding like she was talking about her own father.
Listening to her mutter about how she would deal with him once she gained power, Prime Minister Cui's face turned a mixture of green and black.
Marrying a powerful husband, never being bullied again, and then bullying everyone who had ever bullied her—this was Cui Yunchu's lifelong wish.
Xing'er glanced at the Prime Minister's incredibly ugly expression, thought to herself that they were doomed, and silently covered her face.
In the past, whenever the young miss was severely punished and could barely hold on, she would grab Xing'er's hand and mutter like this, as if it were her spiritual pillar.
"Pri... Prime Minister, the doctor said the eldest miss has a high fever. She must be delirious from the heat, please don't be angry," Xing'er said, lacking any confidence.
She felt guilty because she knew this wasn't the first time. It was like a completely destitute beggar having a near-death fantasy of being rich, imagining how to spend the money and live the most luxurious life in the world before starving to death.
Prime Minister Cui flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.
Cui Yunfeng was crying and laughing at the same time. She found it amusing, but looking at Cui Yunchu's state, she truly couldn't bring herself to laugh.
Old Madam Cui half-embraced Cui Yunchu and softly comforted her, "Be good, Yunchu. When you get better, Grandmother will punish him by making him kneel in the ancestral hall."
Cui Yunchu remained in a groggy state for an unknown amount of time. When she finally woke up again, it was broad daylight. As she moved her body, a constant chattering immediately filled her ears.
"Eldest Sister, you're awake! How are you? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? I'll send someone to fetch the doctor."
Cui Yunchu didn't speak. Cui Yunfeng jumped out of bed wearing only her inner garments and hurriedly called for people.
The doctor was brought in, checked her pulse, changed the prescription, and then left.
Cui Yunfeng stayed by the bed the entire time. She thought Cui Yunchu's first words would be, "How long have I been asleep?"
After all, that was how it was written in the storybooks. But unexpectedly, Cui Yunchu's first sentence was, "Why are you in my bed?"
Cui Yunfeng frowned. Why was this different from what she imagined? "To take care of you, of course. I've been with you since last night."
"Who told you to sleep on my sheets and blankets?"
What?
Cui Yunfeng froze briefly, staring blankly at Cui Yunchu.
Cui Yunchu propped herself up to a half-sitting position. "You don't let anyone sleep in your pink blankets, so why did you sleep in mine? You owe me a set of jewelry."
"..."
How could she still be holding a grudge?
Cui Yunfeng said, "I was doing it to take care of you."
"When I took care of you, I didn't ruin your bed doing it."
"..." Cui Yunfeng looked up at the bed canopy, speechless for a long time.
"The jewelry, you owe me several sets now."
Xing'er brought over the medicine bowl. Cui Yunfeng took it and, without even blowing on it, shoved a spoonful toward Cui Yunchu's mouth. "Fine, jewelry, jewelry, jewelry! I'll give it to you, it's all yours."
Cui Yunchu didn't dodge and immediately opened her mouth to take it, but Cui Yunfeng pulled it back, blew on it carefully, and then offered it again. "You really are a demanding little ancestor."
Cui Yunchu smiled.
Watching her smile, Cui Yunfeng smiled too, but tears unconsciously slid down her cheeks.
Cui Yunchu frowned. "Don't let your tears fall into my medicine bowl. That's disgusting."
Cui Yunfeng wasn't angry. She just looked at her and sniffled, "Eldest Sister, thank you."
Cui Yunchu curled her lips. "No need to thank me. I had selfish motives too. My life isn't as valuable as yours. Besides, freezing in the ancestral hall won't kill anyone. Once I'm better, I'll go find Prince An to ask for a reward."
"..."
Cui Yunfeng said, "Didn't I already give it to you?" She had already promised to give her the jewelry, so why was she still going to look for Xiao Yi?
"That's why I said your life is valuable. Just leave it be. As long as I can get it, that's my own skill."
Just thinking about it made Cui Yunchu unable to hold back her laughter; she was incredibly happy.
Who was Prince An? If she said she had saved Cui Yunfeng's life, wouldn't the treasury of Prince An's estate be hers to pick from?
The more Cui Yunchu thought about it, the happier she became.
Cui Yunfeng cast a sidelong glance at her and poured a bucket of cold water on her excitement. "Let me tell you something that will wipe that smile off your face."
"Oh, right, how much jewelry did your mother actually leave you? You've already given me so much, how are you still so extravagantly wealthy?" Cui Yunchu interrupted.
Cui Yunfeng replied, "Not much jewelry. She just left me a few jewelry shops. Whenever I want some, I just go and take it."
The next spoonful of medicine was brought to Cui Yunchu's lips, but she didn't open her mouth.
Cui Yunfeng furrowed her brows. "Drink it quickly. It won't be good if it gets cold."
Cui Yunchu still didn't move. After a long while, her mouth suddenly twitched a few times. "What did you mean by what you just said?"
"Mean by what?" Cui Yunfeng was still a bit confused.
Cui Yunchu looked like she was caught between crying and laughing. "A few jewelry... shops? Whenever you want some, you just go and take it?"
"The dowry your mother left you consists of shops?"
Cui Yunfeng frowned and thought for a moment. "More than that, I think. There are also manors, estates, and famous antique paintings and the like."
After a brief silence, Cui Yunchu quietly turned her body away, pressed her forehead against the bedpost, and stopped talking.
"Eldest Sister, you haven't finished your medicine."
"I'm not drinking it. Just let me die."
She had thought she could slowly save up enough for her own dowry. She never expected that her meager possessions were like an ant trying to shake a tree in front of a true noble lady—absolutely nothing.
Cui Yunchu shed silent tears.
No wonder Yunfeng was so generous. It turned out she simply didn't care at all.
"I want to die for a bit. I have no hope left."
Even if she saved until the day she died, she would never be able to afford shops, manors, and estates.
In the past, every time Cui Yunchu scammed jewelry out of Tang Qingwan and Cui Yunfeng, she would be immensely pleased with herself for a long time. But now, she just wanted to hug herself and cry her eyes out.
It turned out that she had always been the pathetic one.
After being silent for a good while, Cui Yunchu finally turned her head to look at Cui Yunfeng. "Yunfeng, in the future, when I go to your shops, can I not pay?"
Cui Yunfeng wanted to say yes, but suddenly remembering all the things Cui Yunchu had swindled from her recently, she fell silent for a moment.
Her eldest sister's actions had always been shocking. It was better to play it safe, lest she go bankrupt.
"If I go with you, yes."
Cui Yunchu let out an "Oh," and silently turned back to continue drinking her medicine, though her spirits were very low.
Cui Yunfeng couldn't help but secretly curl her lips into a smile. "Eldest Sister, there's no need to be sad. When you marry a powerful husband and make our father kneel in the ancestral hall, you can have him give you a few shops. If he refuses, just have your husband whip him a few times."
"Huh?" Cui Yunchu raised her eyes, looking at Cui Yunfeng as if looking at a fool. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Standing to the side, Xing'er's mouth twitched, and she slightly lowered her head.
