After a fierce argument, Madam Zhao, Song Jinshan, and Song Lianxin each endured the pain of losing a finger.
Although Song Jinshan and Song Lianxin were filled with rage, they knew that Zhao Jianzhi was telling the truth.
They had completely offended Shen Jing.
Even if they got through this time, Shen Jing would still bite them hard if he found an opportunity.
Losing the Zhao Family as their backing would make their situation extremely difficult, and the matter of becoming an Imperial Merchant would be even more hopeless.
However, today's events also completely revealed Zhao Jianzhi's true colors to them.
Before long, the one hundred thousand taels of silver sent by Song Jinshan arrived.
Most of it was gold.
Shen Jing quickly counted the amount, then waved his hand at them: "Alright, you can go now!"
"Young Master Shen!"
Zhao Jianzhi called out to Shen Jing, who was about to enter the door, "My son, Zhao Ying..."
"Go home and wait!"
Shen Jing said indifferently, "He'll be back soon! Don't worry, if my mother-in-law truly wanted his life, he would die no matter what you brought!"
Zhao Jianzhi fell silent.
After a moment of hesitation, Zhao Jianzhi still chose to believe Shen Jing.
Now, he had no choice but to believe Shen Jing!
Soon, the four, along with their accompanying servants, departed.
They still needed to quickly get their hands treated.
Watching them leave, Shen Jing breathed a long sigh of relief.
Damn it, good thing that girl didn't let Zhao Ying go back so quickly.
Otherwise, the cat would have been out of the bag!
"Quick, quick! Move all this gold and silver inside!"
Shen Jing called out to the servants in the manor, and he himself stepped forward to help.
Song Lianxin lifted the carriage curtain, gritted her teeth, glanced at the Su Manor, then slowly lowered the curtain.
Looking at her severed finger, Song Lianxin's face gradually became distorted.
Shen Jing!
If I, Song Lianxin, do not avenge this, I swear I am not human!
"Your marriage to Zhao Ying, drag it out as long as you can!"
Song Jinshan clutched the place where his finger was severed, bitterly instructing his daughter, "If Shen Jing can find a backer, so can we! As long as we find a bigger backer, we'll kick the Zhao Family aside!"
Imperial Merchant!
We must become an Imperial Merchant!
Only by becoming an Imperial Merchant can we come into contact with those top-tier important figures!
Only this way can we completely break free from the Zhao Family's constraints!
Song Lianxin was silent for a moment, then said, "Now is not the time to fall out with the Zhao Family. We lost one hundred thousand taels of silver this time, and there will inevitably be a large shortfall in our procurement funds. We may still need the Zhao Family's help to find a solution for the money."
"I didn't say to fall out now!" Song Jinshan said with a dark face, "Now you've also seen the true colors of that bastard Zhao Jianzhi. Before we find a bigger backer, we'll just play along with them!"
At the crossroads, Song Lianxin and her father directly parted ways with Zhao Jianzhi and his wife, not even exchanging a greeting.
Zhao Jianzhi knew they were angry, but he was still very displeased.
They weren't even going to the Zhao Family to wait for news, to see if Zhao Ying would be sent back?
"Merchants are just merchants, they don't understand anything!"
Zhao Jianzhi snorted lightly.
"You understand! You're the most understanding!"
Madam Zhao looked at Zhao Jianzhi with eyes spitting fire, "I was truly blind to fall for you, you heartless ingrate!"
Madam Zhao was filled with hatred!
If Zhao Jianzhi were a man, he wouldn't have let her sever a finger for him!
This ungrateful wretch!
"What kind of talk is that?"
Zhao Jianzhi was displeased, "If I were to sever a finger, wouldn't I be ridiculed in official circles from now on?"
Madam Zhao sneered, "Do you think letting a woman sever a finger for you won't make you a laughingstock? When this matter spreads, everyone in Luochuan Prefecture will know that you, Zhao Jianzhi, are an ungrateful wretch!"
"You..."
Zhao Jianzhi was furious, raising his palm to slap Madam Zhao's face.
"Hit me! If you have the guts, kill me!"
Madam Zhao threw a tantrum, tears falling in large drops.
Zhao Jianzhi was utterly enraged, but deep down, he still felt a little guilty.
After much hesitation, he still sullenly put his hand down and turned his head away.
Shen Jing!
It was all that dog Shen Jing's fault!
He deliberately only asked for three fingers, just to sow discord!
Just as Zhao Jianzhi was gritting his teeth in anger, a servant from the manor suddenly ran up to report, "Master, Madam, the young master has been sent back to the manor..."
Hearing the servant's report, Zhao Jianzhi immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Jing finally kept his word and didn't break his promise.
Hmm?
That's not right!
As he thought about it, Zhao Jianzhi's eyelids suddenly twitched.
"Quick, back to the manor!"
Zhao Jianzhi suddenly raised his voice, urging loudly.
Rushing all the way, Zhao Jianzhi and his wife returned home.
At this time, Zhao Ying had already woken up, and the people in the manor had also called a doctor to treat Zhao Ying.
Zhao Jianzhi questioned the people in the manor and confirmed that Zhao Ying had been sent back more than half an hour ago.
And it didn't even take them half an hour to rush back from the Su Family!
That is to say, Zhao Ying was sent back even before Shen Jing received the silver!
If you factor in the time Zhao Ying spent on the way back to the manor, the time he was released should have been even earlier!
The more Zhao Jianzhi thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong, and he tried hard to recall every detail at the entrance of the Su Manor.
It was clear that when they first arrived, Shen Jing had no idea that Zhao Ying had been taken!
They had gone to the wrong door!
Shen Jing was just using the situation to extort them!
Yes, it must be like this!
They were tricked!
They were all tricked by that bastard Shen Jing!
"What exactly happened? Tell me everything, from beginning to end, about how you were taken!"
Zhao Jianzhi was furious, his face covered in frost as he questioned Zhao Ying.
"It was the princess..."
Zhao Ying wailed, "She did it to vent Madam Su's anger..."
Saying this, Zhao Ying recounted the entire incident in detail.
He spoke very carefully, not missing a single word Ye Li had said.
"Wait!"
Zhao Jianzhi frowned tightly, "You just said that the princess said Madam Su was magnanimous and wouldn't bother with you, but she couldn't stand by and do nothing?"
"Mm!"
Zhao Ying nodded with a face full of grief and indignation, "The princess must have heard people talking about what happened at the yamen that day while she was on an incognito visit. Someone must have exaggerated things, which is why she taught me a lesson for that cheap woman of the Su Family..."
Zhao Ying grimaced in pain, his face pale.
Unjust!
He now felt very wronged himself.
If it was just because of that matter, the princess wouldn't have needed to be so angry.
After all, Madam Su had already slapped him in public that day.
Is this what they call magnanimous?
Someone must have exaggerated, making a simple matter more and more outrageous as it spread!
The princess, not knowing the truth, only wanted to stand up for Madam Su, which is why she was so angry.
Listening to Zhao Ying's words, Zhao Jianzhi felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
His deduction was correct!
This matter had nothing to do with Madam Su or Shen Jing!
"Bastard!"
Zhao Jianzhi's eyes were bloodshot, bulging out, as he roared with a distorted face.
"Dad, you... what's wrong?"
Zhao Ying looked at his trembling father, not understanding.
"We were tricked!"
Zhao Jianzhi's face was filled with grief and indignation, as he roared through gritted teeth, "Shen Jing, I'm not done with you!"
Zhao Jianzhi was panting heavily, his blood and qi constantly surging within him.
If this matter truly involved Madam Su, he would have accepted it.
But this damn thing had nothing to do with Madam Su at all!
They had caused a misunderstanding themselves!
They had willingly walked into the trap to be swindled!
For a moment, he even wanted to go directly to the Su Manor and tear Shen Jing into a thousand pieces...