I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?

Chapter 431: You Sure Are Vicious

She would seek revenge against the Beili Emperor, but she would never be the one to start a war between two nations. This was a vengeance she would claim herself!

In that moment, the way Zhan Chi looked at Xi Fengying shifted slightly. It was a look of admiration. For a woman to possess such resolve was truly remarkable.

Ye Qianning lowered her gaze, her small hand slightly cupped as she tapped rhythmically on the stone table, seemingly lost in thought.

"Just let me stay a few more days. You can name any price," Xi Fengying said, her voice softening.

Zhan Chi looked at Ye Qianning as well.

"The soldiers will be back to search again. And next time, they’ll likely focus their search on women. You won’t be safe here."

The Beili Emperor was ninety percent sure she hadn’t left the city. If one sweep failed to find her, there would be a second. And the next search wouldn’t be so easy to get through.

"The rear courtyard is full of your father’s concubines. If I’m added to the mix, no one should get suspicious."

"You? Heh, at your age, you could be my grandmother." Ye Qianning stared, sizing her up.

Zhan Chi: "..."

Xi Fengying’s face flushed. "...Don’t misunderstand. I meant I could hide among them. Everyone knows the General’s manor has many concubines. No one would notice an extra woman."

’I’m only twenty-seven, I’m really not that old...’

"Eight hundred thousand taels of Gold."

"Fine." ’Eight hundred thousand taels isn’t much.’

"Remember to go write an IOU for each of the concubines. Stamp each one with your seal or provide a personal token, so you don’t try to back out of it later."

"Alright." Xi Fengying nodded.

"That’s eight hundred thousand taels *each*, by the way. Don’t get it wrong."

"What?"

"Any less and the deal’s off."

"..."

Xi Fengying’s face froze. She should have known this child wouldn’t be so easy to deal with. Eight concubines, eight hundred thousand taels each... that added up to an astronomical price.

"So, are you leaving, or are you writing the IOUs? It’s up to you." Ye Qianning’s eyes were already slitted, and now her smile turned them into a single thin line.

"I’ll go write the IOUs right now." ’When you’re backed into a corner, you have no choice but to give in.’

"I won’t see you out."

Xi Fengying rose and walked out of the pavilion. She wasn’t heartbroken over the money; a problem that could be solved with money wasn’t a real problem. But... ’even if I dismantled my entire palace, would it even be worth this much?’

"Eight hundred thousand taels each? You’re ruthless," Zhan Chi said, stunned.

"It would be a shame not to."

"They’ve added a lot more soldiers in the Capital today, and even the Imperial Palace’s Hidden Guards have been dispatched. If they come searching our manor, it won’t be easy to fool them, especially when they check the women," Zhan Chi said with concern.

"It’s fine. The concubines’ identities aren’t on any official register, and they rarely leave the manor, so almost no one has seen them. With a little disguise, she won’t be recognized." Ye Qianning’s skills with makeup were first-class.

In her past life, she had moved freely between various identities and venues, all thanks to her mastery of disguise.

Zhan Chi nodded slightly. Then a thought suddenly struck him, and he looked at her in surprise. "You had a plan for this all along?"

Ye Qianning just glanced at him sideways. "With things this critical, did you really think I would let her leave so easily?"

If she got caught, there was a fifty percent chance she’d give up the General’s manor. ’I can’t trust someone I’ve only just met.’

"Then why did you..." Zhan Chi started to ask, but the words caught in his throat as understanding dawned on him.

He stared at Ye Qianning, his eyes filled with utter astonishment.

At that moment, he had to admit she was terrifyingly intelligent. And after the shock, a wave of pride washed over him.

’A child prodigy. The Zhan family has produced a truly remarkable child.’

’She must have inherited the intellect of several generations of the Zhan family combined...!’

From the very beginning, Ye Qianning had been testing her. A truly clever person knows what they must be willing to give up.