Li Mingjue didn't know which act she was playing, but he still stopped in his tracks following her lead.
Qi Yu raised her eyebrows at him, indicating that he should just watch her performance.
She deliberately shook Li Mingjue's hand and yelled incoherently, "I haven't taken my treasure yet! I won't leave without it!"
"Alright, alright, alright," Li Mingjue looked at his foolish Princess helplessly, "What other treasures are there? I will take them all with you today, alright?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Yu finally nodded contentedly, "You must keep your word, my Lord!"
It was the first time Li Mingjue heard the term "my Lord" from her, although he knew it wasn't sincere, it still startled him for a moment.
Turning around, Qi Yu looked at Qi Wei and the other two, hands on her hips, and said, "Where is the jade pendant my mother left me? I want to take it with me today!"
Qi Wei frowned, what jade pendant?
Was this fool making up things just to deceive him?
The Madam Wang and Qi Anran were shocked, however.
How could this fool remember that?
The jade pendant Qi Yu mentioned did indeed exist, as she had seen it from the memories left by the original owner.
When she was five years old, her mother fell ill and died. Before passing away, she used all her savings to buy a valuable jade pendant to leave for her.
Qi Yu's mother knew that if she left money, it would surely be taken by Madam Wang, so it was better to convert it into a jade pendant for Qi Yu.
Before leaving, Qi Yu's mother held her hand, repeatedly instructing her to hide the pendant well and not let others see it.
However, unexpectedly, such an inconspicuous jade pendant was also stolen by the Maid Hong Xing.
After Hong Xing got the jade pendant, she originally wanted to keep it for herself.
But then she thought, anything belonging to Qi Yu probably wasn't valuable, and it would be better to hand it over to Madam Wang, thus earning herself some reward money.
Hong Xing handed over the jade pendant cheerfully and got two taels of silver as she wished.
However, she did not expect that the jade pendant was actually very valuable.
Hong Xing could not see the value of the jade pendant, but Madam Wang was an appraiser.
She immediately had someone appraise the jade pendant. After knowing its value, she was overjoyed and locked it in a small cabinet in Qi Anran's room along with other treasures.
Over the years, she had also leveraged her power as the wife of the Prime Minister to procure many benefits, all of which she dared not disclose to Qi Wei.
She thought that Qi Anran would surely marry into royal or noble status, and the dowry could not be small.
Therefore, she had been saving over the years, just waiting to use it as a dowry for Qi Anran when she married.
Qi Anran was all too aware of this, so when Qi Yu mentioned the jade pendant, her face almost turned completely pale.
If Qi Yu really found that jade pendant, wouldn't the other treasures be discovered as well?
No, she absolutely couldn't let this happen!
Qi Anran's expression softened a bit, and she stepped forward to the still-fuming Qi Yu and said, "Sister, are you mistaken? You were only five when your mother passed away; what jade pendant could she have left you?"
"Exactly," Madam Wang chimed in, "And you haven't worn any jade pendant all these years; you must be mistaken."
Qi Yu snorted coldly, "I am not mistaken at all, my mother did leave me a jade pendant. I remember it clearly, you are all treating me like a fool!"
It's just an act, isn't it? Who can't play that game!
As she spoke, she quickly blinked her eyes, squeezing out a few tears.
"I don't care, it's something my mother left for me, and I must take it away today!"
Li Mingjue had originally thought she was deliberately tormenting the Qi Family, but seeing her speak with such genuine emotion, even bursting into tears, he somewhat panicked.
"Don't cry, I will definitely find the Jade Pendant for you," Li Mingjue quickly comforted her in a soothing voice.
He then turned to Qi Wei, his tone cold as he said, "I believe the Princess would not lie, and if someone indeed took her Jade Pendant, I will not let them off easily!"
Qi Wei quickly agreed, "You are right, Prince."
He glanced at Madam Wang and Qi Anran and said in a low voice, "If either of you know about this, hand over the Jade Pendant now!"
Madam Wang's face changed, but she firmly denied it, "Master, when has there ever been such a Jade Pendant in this residence? It's likely that the fool is misremembering!"
There was no way she could hand over the Jade Pendant as it was carefully prepared as part of Qi Anran's dowry.
Qi Yu pursed her lips, dissatisfied, "You must have hidden my Jade Pendant!"
"How could that be possible!" Madam Wang defensively retorted loudly, her conscience pricked.
Qi Anran glared resentfully at the relentless Qi Yu, feeling a headache coming on, "Sister, how could you think that? If it really comes to it, I will buy you a new Jade Pendant tomorrow."
If that fool actually managed to dig out the Jade Pendant, all her years of effort would be wasted!
The only course of action for now was to appease Qi Yu first.
But Qi Yu shook her head, resisting, "I don't want the rubbish you buy, I want the one my mother left for me!"
"Qi Yu!" Qi Anran's temples throbbed, unable to restrain herself.
Wasn't this fool someone who believed anything people told her?
Why was she being so difficult today?
Li Mingjue saw Madam Wang and Qi Anran constantly trying to delay Qi Yu, and he had a rough idea of what was happening.
It seemed that the Prime Minister Residence indeed had something hidden.
Qi Wei, fed up, saluted Li Mingjue saying, "In that case, why not let YuYu herself say where her Jade Pendant is? If it can be found, let it be."
"If not," he paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, his gaze turning slightly malevolent as he watched Li Mingjue, "shouldn't the Prince owe an explanation to our Prime Minister Residence?"
Madam Wang was utterly panicked, "Master, how can this be!"
Though she was certain that Qi Yu couldn't possibly know where the Jade Pendant was hidden, she feared the worst.
If that fool actually found it, she could throw herself into the Yellow River and still not be clear.
Qi Wei waved his hand impatiently, "Enough, causing such unrest in the house over a simple Jade Pendant!"
He did not believe that Qi Yu's mother could have left her anything of value, and for all these years, he had never seen any trace of a Jade Pendant on Qi Yu.
This matter was probably just something Qi Yu had imagined; he truly did not believe she could find any Jade Pendant within the Prime Minister Residence.
Qi Yu curled her lips, seeing them falling into the trap themselves.
They would have only themselves to blame if she was ruthless in the end.
Seeing that Qi Wei had made up his mind, Madam Wang could only feign calm and look toward Qi Yu, "Go ahead, girl, where is the Jade Pendant?"
Qi Yu furrowed her brows, pondering for a while.
Madam Wang watched her troubled expression and began to relax slightly.
She had said it, this fool surely was spouting nonsense.
How could this fool possibly...
Just as she was silently mocking Qi Yu for her delusion, she saw Qi Yu suddenly brighten up, pointing excitedly at the front yard, and said, "I know now, my Jade Pendant is in my sister's room!"