Chapter 1683 - 1512: Female Supremacy 16

Moreover, the Fang Family relied on these five million taels of Silver, having secured an even more powerful protector, allowing them to escape death several times from Qi Guanshuangshuang’s grasp.

Later, it was Fang Miaqing who told Qi Guanshuangshuang about the silver mine. The government dug up the abandoned mine and discovered the bones of hundreds of people bought by the Fang Family to dig the mines buried inside.

This lifetime, the silver mine had just been discovered by the Fang Family, and Fang Miaqing was unaware of its existence. Qi Guanshuangshuang directly informed Fang Miaqing about the silver mine, advising her to use it for dealings with the Magistrate of Yun City.

In this way, it could be said Qi Guanshuangshuang did a good deed, at least preventing the death of the hundreds of miners inside the silver mine.

Since discovering the existence of the silver mine, Fang Jingyao knew her family was doomed, but she was decisive, immediately instructing the steward to gather valuable possessions for an escape.

Fang Jingyao was cold-hearted enough to notify only Fang Miaozhen, Liu Xi, the steward, and two confidants for the escape, completely leaving her eldest daughter Fang Miaqing uninformed at home.

Faced with such a major incident, Fang Miaqing’s presence here would surely lead to her arrest by the government. Fang Jingyao was clearly using Fang Miaqing as a decoy to delay the government.

Fang Jingyao fled in haste, carrying with her only gold ingots, silver ingots, and valuable items, leaving behind all other possessions. She didn’t even use a carriage; everyone rode horses, heading straight for the border upon leaving Yun City.

Fang Jingyao understood well that privately mining silver was a crime second only to rebellion; this dynasty would certainly not tolerate her. Better to flee to another country; with wealth in hand, she thought she could rise again someday.

Upon the city wall, Qi Guanshuangshuang and Fang Miaqing stood side by side, watching Fang Jingyao’s party riding off in the distance, Fang Miaqing’s expression a mix of crying and sorrow without tears.

She had expected her mother to be ruthless but never imagined she would be so cruel to her, almost devoid of any motherly affection.

Qi Guanshuangshuang grasped her foldable fan, tapping it against her palm, glancing at the tearless Fang Miaqing with a slightly mocking smile, shaking her head.

"You paid such a great price to exchange with Lord Prefect for an order to allow their escape under his watch. Seeing her ruthlessness now, do you regret it?"

Fang Miaqing closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and her voice was filled with sadness: "I know you despise my indecision, longing to kill her in my heart yet being so soft-hearted in the end.

But after all, she is my mother, I cannot truly force her to death with my own hands. Rest assured, I don’t plan to let her go; I have people arranged ahead, and I will recover her wealth.

Since she acquired a prosperous life due to my father, now that he is gone, she should return to the life she deserves.

Without Silver and facing the government’s pursuit, their days are bound to be difficult. In this world, death is not the most painful thing; sometimes living is more torturous."

Qi Guanshuangshuang chuckled softly, twirling her foldable fan a few times carelessly: "Okay, in any case, you’re the one betrayed. If you want to spare her, I won’t say anything."

"Qi Guan Family Head, thank you." Fang Miaqing suddenly turned back to Qi Guanshuangshuang, expressing her gratitude solemnly and bowing in respect.

Qi Guanshuangshuang looked at Fang Miaqing’s sudden solemnity, suppressing her smile, and after a while, she smirked again: "I shattered the Fang Family, leaving your promising family legacy empty, what are you thanking me for?"

Fang Miaqing responded gravenly: "Good daughters aspire beyond mere family matters; even if I lose the Fang Family’s legacy, I can carve out my own from scratch. I do not care whether or not I inherit the Fang Family’s estate.

I must thank you for revealing the cause of my father’s death and for letting me see clearly my mother’s ruthlessness, sparing my loving grandmother from continuing to be exploited by her.

More importantly, I thank you for allowing me to see through the hypocrisy around me and for helping me determine to seek justice for my father, ensuring I don’t face him in the afterlife without honor."

Qi Guanshuangshuang remained silent for a while, patting Fang Miaqing’s shoulder; she truly admired Fang Miaqing, calm and rational, most importantly, steadfast in principles and forthright.

After tapping her palm twice with the foldable fan, Qi Guanshuangshuang’s smile became more genuine: "If you truly thank me, how about doing business with the Qi Guan Family in the future?"

Fang Miaqing’s serious face showed a hint of laughter: "If you can wait, once I rise up, I will cooperate with the Qi Guan Family, and then I hope the Qi Guan Family Head won’t break his promise."

"No worries. While I can’t vouch for everything, I can assure you I’ll uphold my commitments with integrity."

Seeing Fang Jingyao’s party vanishing into the distance, Qi Guanshuangshuang and Fang Miaqing descended from the city wall, with the patrolling soldiers entirely ignoring Qi Gongshuangshuang and Fang Miaqing’s presence.

Since it was an order from Lord Prefect, and they weren’t always stationed atop the wall, once in a while, letting them take in the view was acceptable, they acted as though nothing was out of the ordinary.

......

Three days had passed since watching Fang Jingyao’s escape from atop the city wall alongside Fang Miaqing, when Fang Miaqing also left Yun City to carve out her own world.

Fang Jingyao fled too hastily, unaware that the silver mine issue, although exposed to the Magistrate of Yun City, hadn’t officially entered the judicial process.

The silver mine affair, Qi Guanshuangshuang told Fang Miaqing, allowing Fang Miaqing to use it for a transaction with the Magistrate, gifting the mine to the Magistrate in exchange for silence on the matter publicly.

Even the Magistrate of Yun City had connections. Having secured the silver mine, they certainly wouldn’t submit it to the court, and as repayment, the Magistrate assisted Fang Miaqing in destabilizing the Fang Family and scaring away Fang Jingyao.

Indeed, Fang Jingyao, upon realizing the silver mine issue, was terrified and fled without verifying its authenticity.

Then, not far into her escape, she encountered mountain robbers arranged by Fang Miaqing, who seized everything valuable from Fang Jingyao and her party, including the horses.

Without Silver or transportation, Fang Jingyao and Fang Miaozhen, both accustomed to luxury, accompanied by the more delicate Liu Xi, were entirely reliant on the steward and the two confidants.

Servants accustomed to such a master like Fang Jingyao, having witnessed her numerous dark methods, had no loyalty whatsoever.

These three directly stole the still valuable jade pieces, hidden in the hat and shoe heels, and fled overnight.

With no money or people surrounding her, only two burdensome tagalongs by her side, compounded by her imagined pursuers, Fang Jingyao was truly helpless, crying out in vain.