Chapter 10: Short on Money? Use a Kitchen Knife (Part 1)

Bihua stared at her in terror and hastily dragged Chang Ge Yuqing aside. “Second Miss…”

“Still not taking me away… Chang Ge Yue, just you wait!” Chang Ge Yuqing spat out a fierce threat. Chang Ge Yue grunted softly, “If you don’t leave now, you might as well stay here.”

Gritting her teeth, Chang Ge Yuqing was forced out by Bihua.

Bamboo remained stunned for a long moment before coming back to her senses. “Miss, this…” Oh heavens! The young lady who was usually the one getting beaten had not only fiercely beaten the Second Miss but also snatched her belongings.

Although it was quite satisfying, still…

“Miss, it would be better to return that bracelet. Otherwise, when Madam finds out, you’ll surely suffer the family’s punishment.” Chang Ge Yue tucked away a pair of bracelets and sneered coldly, “Don’t worry, what you’re afraid of won’t happen.”

If she had beaten Chang Ge Yu Jiao today, the Zhuge family would have found out. But hitting Chang Ge Yuqing was different.

She was merely a concubine’s daughter, lacking the courage to complain to her stepmother. Moreover, as far as she knew, her “kind aunt” had the concubine daughters in the household so tightly controlled that they didn’t even dare to breathe freely.

A faint smile curved Chang Ge Yue’s lips. “That fool’s brightest idea is nothing more than using others to do her dirty work.”

Bamboo blinked, not fully understanding her words, but seeing the confidence in her lady’s expression, she felt reassured. “Miss, are you hungry? I’ll prepare some food.”

Chang Ge Yue found herself speechless. Such a noble lady still had to cook for herself.

After a moment’s thought, she shook her head slightly. “No need. I’m stepping out of the mansion for a bit. Bamboo, do we have any silver?”

Bamboo was startled. “Step… out of the mansion?”

“Why not?” In the Eastern Mo Dynasty, strict segregation of men and women was not as severe; both genders could study at the academy, so there were no special restrictions on women going out.

Bamboo shook her head. “It’s just that Miss never agrees to leave the house, and we don’t have any silver.” However, the late madam left quite a dowry for you, all hidden beneath the bed boards.

Chang Ge Yue smiled faintly, understanding perfectly. Given her appearance, it was no surprise she was reluctant to leave the mansion.

But no silver at all?

A cold smile flickered on her lips. “Go to the kitchen and bring me the cleaver.”

Bamboo was dumbfounded. “Ah?” It wasn’t that the family lacked funds — jewels and such were common — but no money even for a cleaver?

Her lady was nothing short of a prodigy!

Bamboo hurriedly fetched the cleaver. Chang Ge Yue toyed with it in her hands before approaching the large bed made of golden silkwood.

The bed was valuable, but it contained something it shouldn’t.

Chang Ge Yue examined the bed closely, then chose a spot where cutting wouldn’t affect her sleep. With a few strikes, she sliced off a solid wooden block about the size of a woman’s jewelry box.

Bamboo was stunned. “Miss? What are you doing?” This bed was the most precious thing to her lady, a gift from her elder half-brother, the eldest young master Chang Ge Qi.

Chang Ge Yue smiled faintly. “Exchanging it for silver.” The bed was infused with at least three different poisons.

Each was crafted to ruin a woman’s beauty. Someone in the household must be desperately afraid she would remain beautiful.

Afterward, she prepared several antidotes to remove the toxins from the wood. Then, she casually grabbed a veil from the wardrobe and draped it over her face.

Bamboo felt her mind was completely overwhelmed. “Miss…”

Chang Ge Yue smiled. “Keep an eye on the household. I might be late returning.” She planned to buy some medicinal herbs, though some poisons still required her to personally gather ingredients from the mountains.