Chapter 201: Win or Lose

Lan Zhihui walked out of the cabin with a calm face and said to a young maidservant beside her, “It’s over. Let’s tell the Crown Princess Consort.”

“Yes,” the young maidservant responded and boarded another boat, heading towards the riverbank.

In the teahouse opposite the riverbank, Yu Long was looking at the river surface through the window.

She could not see everything clearly, as the river center was far away from her. She only saw that several boats gathered at the river center, and after a while, gradually separated and traveled in different directions.

Just then, a young maidservant hastily came up with her head low. After entering Yu Long’s room, she bowed her head and knelt. “Crown Princess Consort, Secondary Consort Lan asked me to report to you. She would like you to know that what you’ve asked her to do has been done perfectly.”

Yu Long clenched her teacup tightly, her fingertips quivering with excitement.

“Really?”

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“Yes, it’s over.”

Yu Long stood up, and for a moment, she could not believe what she heard.

The woman she had been competing with for so long, the woman she had tried to kill by all kinds of means, was finally dead.

No one would be able to threaten her in the future, and no one would be able to compete with her for Xiao Lie.

She no longer had any worries.

Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Yu Long turned to look at the center of the river and asked, “Is she still on that ship?”

“Yes, Secondary Consort Lan is waiting for you, Crown Princess Consort. She hasn’t moved the body yet,” the young maidservant replied respectfully.

“Alright, lead the way.”

How could she completely believe her maidservant without seeing her body?

The Crown Princess Consort left the teahouse and walked swiftly towards the riverbank. Her usual steady steps quickened, as she could not wait.

There was a boat waiting on the riverbank. After Yu Long got on the boat, the boatman immediately rowed towards the center of the river.

At this time, there was only one ship stopping at the center of the river, alone and in silence.

As they approached the ship, Yu Long could smell the blood in the air. She closed her eyes, placed her hands on the chest, and took a deep breath to try to calm herself down.

When the boat arrived at where the ship was, Yu Long quickly boarded the ship and walked swiftly towards the cabin. She placed her slightly trembling hand on the wooden door and pushed it open.

Her feet had not completely touched the floor of the cabin yet when she suddenly froze at the door.

There was no corpse in the cabin. Dancers were still dancing on the red carpets, and their dance moves outlined against the beautiful lanterns up there. Besides the dancers, three people were sitting at the table in the middle of the cabin.

They were Xiao Lie, Su Jiu, and Lan Zhihui.

The three of them were drinking and chatting merrily. When they heard the sound at the door, they looked back, and their eyes fell on Yu Long’s shocked expression.

Su Jiu smiled and asked first, “Crown Princess Consort, are you coming to collect my body?”

Yu Long’s face was as pale as a sheet of paper.

Lan Zhihui got up and smiled softly. “I’m sorry, Crown Princess Consort. If it weren’t for Su Jiu, I wouldn’t be able to stay with His Highness and have today’s glory and wealth. I can’t be ungrateful for those who have helped me. Do you agree, Sister?”

Yu Long’s fierce eyes glinted with ruthless hostility as she stared at Xiao Lie.

Opposite her, Xiao Lie looked cold. “Yu Long, you colluded with Official Lyu and nearly committed a murder. Now I have both the witness and evidence. My father, the Emperor, is waiting for us in the palace!”

Yu Long stepped forward and sneered, “Where are your witnesses? I suppose you’ve killed them, all of them, right? As for Secondary Consort Lan, she and Su Jiu plotted against me and slandered me. They shall be put in prison!”

“You can still maintain your calm expression. I’m beginning to admire you, Crown Princess Consort. But I used to believe that you weren’t afraid of admitting what you’ve done.”

Su Jiu approached Yu Long slowly and smiled. “Do you think this is fun? From excitement to disappointment, is it interesting? So, how can I let you die? I like to see you hate me and go crazy because you can do nothing about me. The more you hate me, the happier I am.”

Finally, Su Jiu walked out slowly and said to Xiao Lie, “Your Highness, please take care of the rest.”

“Ah Jiu!” Xiao Lie ignored Yu Long and caught up with her. “Let’s go and see my father. No matter what happens, you’re still a victim in this situation.”

Su Jiu raised an eyebrow and answered, “Alright.”

Xiao Lie instructed his men to take Yu Long to the palace to see Emperor Zhao Ping.

It was warm today, and Emperor Zhao Ping’s health was improving. He was discussing state affairs with several ministers, including Yao Bing, in the Royal Study.

All of a sudden, Chief Eunuch hurriedly entered Royal Study and said, “Your Majesty, His Highness is here.”

“So? What are you panicking for?” Emperor Zhao Ping smiled and asked.

“His Highness… His Highness…” Eunuch Li coughed out a few words, “His Highness has tied the Crown Princess Consort up.”

Everyone looked back, flabbergasted.

Among the several ministers, only Qiao An looked calm when he turned to look outside the hall.

“Why did he tie Yu Long up? Let him come in!” Emperor Zhao Ping frowned.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Eunuch Li immediately went out and passed on the Emperor’s message.

Xiao Lie soon came in, followed by Su Jiu, and two guards escorted Yu Long behind them.

Emperor Zhao Ping’s face sank. “Lie’er, what’s this for?” he asked.

“Princess Yu Long colluded with Official Lu to assassinate innocent people,” Xiao Lie replied. “Fortunately, I saw through their plot and stopped them. I’m bringing her to you now, and I want her to confess to you, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Zhao Ping gaped at Yu Long in amazement. “What the h*ll is going on? Who did the princess want to assassinate?”

Su Jiu emerged from behind Xiao Lie and responded, “Your Majesty, the person she wanted to kill was me.”

“Jiu’er?” Emperor Zhao Ping’s eyes widened with surprise.

Why did Yu Long want to kill Su Jiu?

The ministers gawked at Su Jiu, Xiao Lie, and Yu Long, all of them stunned and lost in thought.

“My beloved deputies, that’s it for today. You can all leave now,” Emperor Zhao Ping said.

“Yes!”

All the ministers bowed to the Emperor and left.

“Okay, can any of you please tell me what the h*ll is going on?” Emperor Zhao Ping asked with a deep voice.

“It should be me,” Xiao Lie recounted to the Emperor about the whole story. Su Jiu had stopped Official Lyu’s son, Lyu Yi, from raping a woman, and had inflicted several injuries on him as a result. Later, Official Lyu brought his men to Su Jiu’s place in an attempt to kill her, but they failed because Xiao Lie had requested Hu Dapao to protect Su Jiu. Official Lyu was furious with not being able to avenge his son, so he conspired with Yu Long. On this day, Xiao Lie had managed to rescue Su Jiu before Yu Long could besiege her in a ship.

However, Xiao Lie did not mention how Yu Long had wanted to rope Lan Zhihui in but was subsequently betrayed by Lan Zhihui instead.

“I don’t believe it! Official Lyu has always been a fair guy. I can hardly believe that he deliberately broke the law!” Emperor Zhao Ping said coldly, looking up at Yu Long.

“Yu Long, is it true that you colluded with Official Lyu?”

Yu Long knelt and responded, “I was wrong. Please have mercy on me and forgive me for my sins.”

Alas, she could not deny the truth.

Emperor Zhao Ping looked at her in disappointment and said, “Yu Long, although you and Lie’er married because of the situation at that time, I’ve always liked you. Your collusion with Official Lyu truly disappoints me. Furthermore, why did you want to kill Su Jiu?”

Yu Long’s face was pale, and her body was silently quivering.

Xiao Lie glanced at her and replied for her, “Because the person I wanted to marry was Su Jiu.”

“What?”

Emperor Zhao Ping looked at Su Jiu in astonishment. When Xiao Lie married Yu Long, Emperor Zhao Ping was poisoned and comatose. After regaining consciousness, he still had to rest for some time. Later, when he saw how cold Xiao Lie was to Yu Long, he knew that Xiao Lie had not forgotten the woman he had mentioned before.

As Emperor Zhao Ping had not completely recovered yet and was always busy with court affairs, he could not think about the matter carefully.

Emperor Zhao Ping used to be like what Xiao Lie was like now. He thought that Xiao Lie would finally accept his circumstances, and forget about the woman he used to love.

Unexpectedly, the woman Xiao Lie loved was Su Yuejiu, Bai Jingrou’s daughter.

In a flash, it seemed that a lot of things were explained.

No wonder Su Jiu’s men had previously dared to accept bribes in the Crown Prince’s name in Mingyuzhai!

Su Jiu was the woman who Xiao Lie had wanted to marry before.

His son and Bai Jingrou’s daughter. Was this God’s will?

If he had known at the beginning that Xiao Lie wanted to marry Su Jiu, would he have agreed?

Emperor Zhao Ping mulled over such questions for a while. He then heaved a deep sigh and said with a deep voice, “Guards, come in!”

As soon as he spoke, Eunuch Li came in and reported to him, “Your Majesty, Lord Yun Nan is asking to see you.”

Emperor Zhao Ping frowned and muttered, “Let him come in.”

Lord Yun Nan slowly stepped into the Royal Study with a calm expression. He glanced at Yu Long kneeling on the ground, before bowing to Emperor Zhao Ping. “Your Majesty, my girl has made a mistake. However, her stupidity is forgivable. Please give her one more chance.”

“Lord Yun Nan, you had previously wanted to hurt Su Jiu in Mingyuzhai. You are Lord Yun Nan! Why can’t you treat a little girl fairly?” Emperor Zhao Ping said, displeased.

“Your Majesty, it was His Highness who asked Yu Long to marry him at court. Now that the rebels have been imprisoned and the situation has settled down, His Highness wants to abandon Yu Long. He has asked for a divorce several times and has been ignoring Yu Long in his manor. Your Majesty, even if His Highness is your son, is it fair for him to treat Yu Long in this way?” Lord Yun Nan said solemnly, his words full of care for his beloved daughter.

“Lie’er is not justified in the way he treats Yu Long, but Su Jiu is innocent. Why should she suffer in this?”

“It’s my fault. I should apologize to Lady Su. Please forgive Yu Long this time, and give her one more chance!” Lord Yun Nan bent his knees and knelt before Emperor Zhao Ping.

Lord Yun Nan Manor had accomplished great feats for the founding of the Daliang Dynasty and was therefore bestowed the title of Lord from the Emperor that time. This title of nobility was subsequently passed down from generation to generation. The privilege given by the founding Emperor to Lord Yun Nan Manor was that Lord Yun Nan could participate in the selection of the Crown Prince, and that Lord Yun Nan was not obliged to kneel before the Emperor.

Lord Yun Nan used to bow to pay his respects to Emperor Zhao Ping. This was the first time that he knelt before Emperor Zhao Ping.

When Yu Long saw what his father had done for her, she prostrated with tears in her eyes. “I’ve failed to live up to your expectations. I’m sorry, Father!”

Emperor Zhao Ping sighed sympathetically. He helped Lord Yun Nan get up and said, “Jiu’er is the victim in this matter. If she forgives Yu Long, I will not hold Yu Long accountable for this.”

He then turned and looked at Su Jiu. “Jiu’er, what do you think?”

Su Jiu answered with a smile, “How can I bother Your Majesty with my matters? Your Majesty, I’m standing here unharmed, so it’s not a big deal.”

Emperor Zhao Ping smiled and said, “Although you are not a royal member, your generosity is second to none in this world!”

“I’m flattered, Your Majesty.” Su Jiu smiled cooly.

Yu Long lowered her head. Under her long sleeves, her fingers dug into her palms, leaving tiny bloodstains on her cuffs.

“Lie’er, what do you think?” Emperor Zhao Ping asked.

Xiao Lie lowered his eyes and said softly, “Since Su Jiu wants to forgive Princess Yu Long, I won’t have much else to say this time.”

Emperor Zhao Ping nodded slowly. “Jiu’er, you are a generous girl. Yu Long, I hope you will not embarrass her in the future anymore,” he said to Yu Long, who was kneeling on the ground.

“I won’t!” Yu Long responded with a sob.

“Also, from today onwards, I will acknowledge Jiu’er as my adopted daughter, and she will become Princess Rongle. She will be rewarded 3000 acres of land, as well as a palace. This will be announced tomorrow morning, and all the people in Daliang will know this!”

Xiao Lie suddenly looked up, stunned.

On the surface, Emperor Zhao Ping rewarded Su Jiu and protected her with the power of the royal family. In reality, however, the Emperor wanted to make it impossible for Xiao Lie and Su Jiu to be together.

His intention was clear. He did not want Xiao Lie to give up Yu Long.

“Su Jiu will be my daughter in the future. If anyone hurts her again, they won’t be able to get away with it. Do you understand?” Emperor Zhao Ping said solemnly.

Yu Long’s eyes flashed as she said, “Yes, I understand, Your Majesty!”

“Long Live Your Majesty. I’m so grateful!” Su Jiu knelt to thank the Emperor.

Emperor Zhao Ping helped her up and smiled. “You are my daughter now, so you should call me Father instead.”

“Yes, Father!” Su Jiu grinned.

Emperor Zhao Ping also helped Yu Long up and placed their hands together. “Jiu’er will be your sister in the future. Yu Long, you must treat her well and stop bullying her.”

Yu Long smiled and said, “Yes, I will make up for my previous mistakes!”

Su Jiu smiled. “Crown Princess Consort, thank you in advance for taking care of me in the future!”

“…That’s my responsibility after all.” Yu Long’s face was riddled with guilt and embarrassment.

“So, it’s all good now!”

Emperor Zhao Ping chuckled.

This was originally a fierce struggle, but everything seemed to be peaceful now.

When Xiao Lie left the palace, he took Su Jiu away, with the excuse of giving his royal sister a ride.

Looking at Xiao Lie’s carriage, Lord Yun Nan’s face suddenly sank.

“You’ve suffered because of me, Father.” Yu Long bowed her head.

“Su Jiu must disappear in this world. It seems that I’ve underestimated her.” Lord Yun Nan’s eyes were ruthless.

“I knew that she was going to become a serious problem for us sooner or later, so I was rushing to kill her. But I’ve lost again!” Yu Long said unhappily.

Emperor Zhao Ping was annoyed this time, and Su Jiu received her title and land instead. Thus, it would be much more difficult for Yu Long to deal with Su Jiu in the future.

“Your position is not secure yet, so I won’t return to Diannan City for the time being. You can rest assured that no one can hurt you as long as the Lord Yun Nan Manor exists!”

“Yes, I understand.” Yu Long lowered her eyes.

“Xiao Lie hasn’t bedded you yet?” Xia Cang asked suddenly.

“No.” Yu Long answered, looking dejected.

Sighing, Lord Yun Nan stroked Yu Long’s shoulder. “Come on, you need to find a way to become his real wife. Once you have his baby, everything will be much easier.”

Yu Long took a deep breath and nodded slowly. “I understand.”

When she returned to the Crown Prince Manor, Lan Zhihui was strolling in the garden with several maidservants.

When she spotted Yu Long coming, she acted as if nothing had happened and greeted her, “Crown Princess Consort.”

Yu Long looked at her coldly and said, “Sister, you must have thought that I won’t be able to come back today, right?”

Lan Zhihui asked gently, “How could I? Su Jiu said that she would forgive you, Crown Princess Consort. You don’t understand her. Under her cruel disposition, she is actually very kind-hearted.”

“You…!” Yu Long’s face was ashen, and knives seemed to grow out of her eyes. “Don’t think you’ve won this time. You’re cooperating with a wicked woman. Just wait until she abandons and murders you!”

Lan Zhihui chuckled and responded, “His Highness is on my side. What am I supposed to fear?”

Yu Long’s face sank. She snorted coldly and turned away.

Meanwhile, Xiao Lie sent Su Jiu back to her place. After they got off the carriage, he followed Su Jiu to the courtyard.

Su Jiu walked a few steps, before noticing that Xiao Lie was still not leaving. She smiled and asked, “Is there anything else, Your Highness?”

“Ah Jiu, although you’ve become my royal sister, I won’t give up!” Xiao Lie’s eyes were filled with sorrow as he looked straight at her.

“Xiao Lie, you already have one main wife and a concubine,” Su Jiu muttered.

Now that she was the Emperor’s foster daughter, their romance was supposed to end.

“You pushed Lan Zhihui to me. You promised me that as long as I marry her, you would forgive me.”

“Yes,” Su Jiu replied with a nod. “I have forgiven you.”

Xiao Lie stepped forward and grabbed Su Jiu’s hand. “Then we…”

“We’re still friends.” Su Jiu pulled her hand away as she took a step back.

“I don’t want to be friends with you. We are…” Xiao Lie gazed at her with deep eyes.

“Your Highness.”

Just then, a voice came behind Su Jiu. A man donned in a red robe came over, stretched out his hand to hold Su Jiu’s hand, and guarded her behind him. “Your Highness, Su Jiu is my wife. Please show some respect for her.”

Xiao Lie’s eyes darkened. “Ah Jiu has left the Ji Manor.”

“That doesn’t matter. She’s still Su Yuejiu and my wife,” Ji Yuxian said casually.

“Xiao Lie…” Su Jiu held Ji Yuxian’s hand tightly. “You should go. You have lots of things to do in your manor and the palace. Let’s not struggle with our matters now.”

Xiao Lie’s eyes fell on the couple’s hands. A tinge of sadness flashed in his eyes. He nodded slowly, looked at Su Jiu deeply, and turned away.

Su Jiu took Ji Yuxian’s hand and walked slowly along the veranda to the inner courtyard.

Ji Yuxian looked at her carefully and asked in a low voice, “Are you alright?”

Su Jiu shook her head and smiled self-deprecatingly. “No, I barely did anything.”

“Lord Yun Nan won’t give up easily. Fortunately, what happened this time has won you a title. They won’t come at you directly next time,” Ji Yuxian assured her.

Su Jiu’s eyes deepened, and she nodded slowly. “I’ll take extra precautions.”

The next morning, the first thing Emperor Zhao Ping announced in the court was that he acknowledged Su Yuejiu as his foster daughter and Princess Rongle.

All the ministers congratulated her in unison.

After that, the imperial censor impeached Official Lyu. He had failed in educating his son, and Lyu Yi had forced women to have s*x with him and had broken the law. Instead of punishing his son, however, Official Lyu had killed innocent people in an attempt to avenge his son.

Emperor Zhao Ping announced Official Lyu’s suspension and ordered him to reflect on himself at home.

Ministers who knew the inside story were aware that Official Lyu had offended the Emperor’s new favorite, Princess Rongle. They speculated that this time, Official Lyu would probably be unable to come back.

In the main hall, Prince Yu kept his head down and looked terrible.

Perhaps he was not worried about the loss of his supporters in the court, but rather how to face the angry Princess Consort Yu after returning home.

After the winter came, snow flurries fell from the sky, and the weather became frigid. The dripping water would turn into ice, before landing on the ground.

In the early morning a few days later, Princess Yu covered her face with her hands. Emperor Zhao Ping, who was sitting on the Dragon Throne, noticed his unusual expression and asked seriously, “Why are you covering your face with your hands? You don’t want to see me?”

Prince Yu panicked and replied, “T-there’s no such a thing, Father!”

“Then put your hands down.”

Abashed, Prince Yu stuttered, “I… I…”

Emperor Zhao Ping hated his son’s indecisiveness the most. He shouted, “Put your hands down!”

Prince Yu brought down his hands from his face, startled by his father’s anger.

The ministers looked over and grinned, but they immediately shut their mouths and plastered stoic expressions.

Emperor Zhao Ping observed the scratches on Prince Yu’s face. “What’s wrong with your face?” he asked with a frown.

Prince Yu’s face blushed pink as he responded, “Father when I left my manor this morning, I fell down the stairs by accident.”

“Since you are injured, apply some ointment on your face. There is no need to hide it. Otherwise, others would think that you have done disrespectful acts,” Emperor Zhao Ping said.

“Yes! Once the audience leaves, I will apply some ointment,” Prince Yu answered.

Emperor Zhao Ping and Prince Yu’s conversation nearly made the ministers burst into laughter, though they tried their best to suppress it.

With one glance, they knew that the wounds on Prince Yu’s face were inflicted by a woman. Prince Yu was afraid of his wife; this was no longer a secret in the court. Prince Yu must have been beaten by Princess Consort Yu again last night.

Emperor Zhao Ping was the most powerful man in this world and no woman dared to hurt him, so he did not know that such a fight between husband and wife could happen. When Prince Yu gave the excuse, Emperor Zhao Ping genuinely believed him.

Moreover, when the ministers and officials on the court pondered more about it, they understood why Emperor Zhao Ping believed his son. Although Prince Yu was a spineless coward, he was ultimately still a prince. How could a woman beat him?

Everyone knew what had happened in their minds, but they dared not tell the Emperor, so they avoided the topic and handed their memorial to the Emperor instead.

They were certain that the reason why Princess Consort Yu had scratched Prince Yu was that her father had been dismissed at home.

She wanted Prince Yu to go and beg Emperor Zhao Ping for mercy for his father, but when Prince Yu hesitated, they broke into a fight.

Of course, it was a unilateral fight. Prince Yu was wounded on his face, and he slept all night on the floor. This morning, the wound on his face was so obvious that he had to cover it with his hands.

At this time, Princess Consort Yu was still angry at home. She threw dishes and smashed bowls at home.

Everyone in Prince Yu Manor was afraid of her, so they hid outside the door. Only Princess Consort Yu’s most trusted maidservant stepped forward and dared to comfort her. “Princess Consort Yu, if you feel bored, why don’t you go see an opera? I heard that there’s a new teahouse on Zhuque Street, and the opera performance there is highly acclaimed. The waiters there are also very handsome!” the young maidservant whispered to Princess Consort Yu.

As soon as she finished speaking, Princess Consort Yu, who was still angry, took a deep breath and squinted her eyes. “When did it open? How did I not know about it?” she asked.

“It’s still quite new!” the young maidservant replied.

Princess Consort Yu raised her hand and combed her hair. “Do my make up for me. Let’s go and have a look!”

“Yes!”

After the time it would take to burn an incense stick, Princess Consort Yu went out and took a carriage to Zhuque Street.

Indeed, a new teahouse was opened on Zhuque Street. Its antique facade and elegant layout inside were pleasing to the eye. As soon as Princess Consort Yu entered the teahouse, the refreshing aroma of tea engulfed her.

Princess Consort Yu brought her maidservant to the private room on the second floor. The teahouse waiter had a good figure and a comely appearance.

“My lady, how can I help you? What kind of tea do you like?” the waiter asked politely

Princess Yu sat lazily on the chair, carefully observing the waiter. “What kind of tea do you have?” she asked.

“Biluochun, Meirenjian, Longjing — all kinds of good tea! We have everything you want, depending on which kind of tea you prefer!” the waiter said with a chuckle.

“Then, I’ll have a pot of Meirenjian,” Princess Consort Yu replied with a flirtatious smile.

Princess Consort Yu was not a beauty. Her eyes were narrow and long, her face was flat, and her nose was low. She squeezed a flirtatious smile and made the rouge on her face visible.

The waiter shivered and turned around swiftly.

After a while, the waiter came in with tea and snacks on the table.

“My lady, please.”

The young waiter was in his twenties. He had a good figure and a beautiful face. When he gave Princess Consort Yu the clear tea, his fair and slender fingers caught her attention.

Princess Consort Yu stretched out her hand and touched the back of his hand. “It smells great,” she said in a seductive tone.

The young man’s hand trembled, and the tea almost spilled out. He smiled and said, “Yes, our tea is good!”

With that said, he retracted his hand from under the woman’s hand.

“It’s very good. Chun’er, please reward him.” Princess Consort Yu smiled.

“Yes!” Princess Consort Yu’s maidservant took out a gold ingot and handed it to the young waiter. “This is my lady’s reward to you. Take it.”

The dazzling golden color of the ingot nearly blinded the waiter. He immediately grasped it with both hands and thanked Princess Consort Yu profusely, “Thank you, my lady! Thank you!”

“As long as you serve me well, you will get more rewards!” Princess Consort Yu gave him a meaningful look.

“Yes, please come to visit our humble teahouse in the future!” The young waiter bowed to Princess Consort Yu and left with a smile on his lips.

Princess Consort Yu’s anger had vanished without a trace by then. Her eyes lingered on the young man’s figure as he disappeared from the door, before finally sipping the tea.

The stove warmed the private room where Princess Consort Yu was, and the heat rose. Feeling hot, Princess Consort Yu said, “Chun’er, open the window.”

“Yes!” the maidservant responded.

Chun’er opened the window facing a prune tree garden behind the private room. A cool breeze swept in and blew away the sultry heat. Princess Consort Yu instantly felt better, and the strong desire in her heart calmed down a little.

However, the handsome look of the young waiter still lingered in her mind.

When she was half-conscious, a low voice came in through the window out of nowhere.

“Official Lyu truly has bad luck this time.”

The faint voice startled Princess Yu. Frowning, she got up and walked to the side of the window to listen.

“Why do you think so?” Someone seemed to ask the guy who just spoke.

“His son was raped by so many people, and he was seriously injured. What’s more, Lyu Yi was then hanged from the city gate, and many people saw his corpse. What a disgraceful sight! Official Lyu has now become the joke of Shengjing City. He couldn’t avenge his son, and now he’s suspended at home. Moreover, Prince Yu does not dare to speak up for his father-in-law. Don’t you think Official Lyu is such a miserable guy, my lady?”

“That sounds extremely miserable indeed. However, Su Jiu, the woman who harmed Official Lyu’s son, is very powerful. She has the Emperor on her side, and General Hu also protects her. She hurt Official Lyu’s son but in the end, she gets a reward. You see, no one can touch her.”

“My lady, I heard that Su Jiu is the shopkeeper of Qingxin Tavern on this street?”

“Yes, it should be her.”

“I just saw a woman in a male robe entering Qingxin Tavern. I was told that it was Su Jiu.”

“She’s a civilian from an ordinary family. How can she dare to challenge Official Lyu? I suppose she has high prestige, backed up with power.”

“That’s true. Everyone in Official Lyu Manor is a spineless coward!”

Princess Consort Yu was enraged by the master and servant’s conversation next door.

Her face was ghastly pale and trembling. She raised her hand to close the window. “Su Jiu, you are so evil towards us. I will never forgive what you did to my brother,” she said coldly.

The young maidservant said, “Qingxin Tavern is on this street.”

“Let’s go and find out how much of a devil she is. I’m very interested in what she’s capable of!” she shouted as she left.

Princess Consort Yu’s eyes were ruthless, and her interest in tea and the young waiter disappeared entirely. She brought her maidservant with her and hastily walked downstairs.

In the next room, Yu Long sat in front of the window. Hong Xiu looked at the door, hurriedly closed it, and walked over to whisper to Yu Long, “Crown Princess Consort, Princess Consort Yu is currently heading for Qingxin Tavern with her maidservant.”

Yu Long held her teacup, glanced at the scenery outside the window, and smiled lightly.

Princess Consort Yu left the teahouse and went straight to Qingxin Tavern.

As soon as Princess Consort Yu entered Qingxin Tavern, she asked to see the shopkeeper.

Li Tai walked over and smiled politely. “I’m the shopkeeper. What can I do for you, my lady?”

“I’m not looking for you. Where is Su Jiu?” Princess Consort Yu asked.

Li Tai’s eyes gleamed. “Why are you looking for our master, my lady?” she asked.

Just as Princess Consort Yu was about to speak, the maidservant next to her pulled Li Tai’s sleeves and raised her voice. “My lady and Su Jiu are old friends. She heard that Lady Su is here today, so she came here to visit her. We saw Su Jiu come in, so don’t tell us that she’s not here!”

“That’s it.” Li Tai hesitated and said, “Please wait for a moment. I’m going to inform my master and ask if she has time to see you.”

“Hurry up!” Princess Consort Yu urged her impatiently.

“Yes!”

Meanwhile, Su Jiu was checking the accounts in the attic on the third floor. When she heard that someone was looking for her, she let the assistant lead the visitors to her without asking much.

Princess Consort Yu brought her maidservant up to the stairs, and despite the assistant blocking the door, she forcefully pushed the door open.

Seeing the woman sitting at the table, Princess Consort Yu’s eyes blazed with anger. “Are you Su Jiu?” she asked coldly.

Su Jiu raised her head and saw that the person in front of her was furious. She asked lightly, “Who are you?”

“It was you! You’ve ordered people to hurt my younger brother!” Princess Consort Yu was full of anger as she glared at Su Jiu’s face with hatred and jealousy.

Su Jiu immediately understood that this woman was Lyu Yi’s sister, Official Lyu’s eldest daughter, and Prince Yu’s wife.

“So you’re Princess Consort Yu.” Su Jiu raised her eyebrows and got up from the table. “It was Lyu Yi who had hurt my friend first, so I had to do it.”

“How dare you?! Who do you think you are? That woman is a whore, a lowly and inferior whore! She deserved it! How dare you hurt my brother? I must make you pay for what you’ve done to him!” Princess Consort Yu scolded furiously.

Now, Su Jiu understood that the woman in front of her was a maniac. Su Jiu looked at her coldly and shrugged. “So, what do you want to do to me, Princess Consort Yu? How are you going to make me pay for what I’ve done?” she asked with a smile.

“Chun’er!” Princess Consort Yu suddenly yelled.

“Yes!” the maidservant answered.

“What I hate the most is a glib tongue. Slap her 30 times!”

Princess Consort Yu was accustomed to acting like a queen in Prince Yu Manor. Even Prince Yu had to obey her, so she thought that she could hit everyone at will except the Emperor.

“Yes!” The maidservant named Chun’er glanced at Su Jiu and stepped forward, with a vicious sneer at the corner of her lips.

…

At this time, downstairs, Nangong Bi saw Su Jiu’s carriage parked outside the door and walked in with excitement.

Nangong Bi didn’t see Li Tai. She looked for Su Jiu on the first floor and couldn’t find her. She then grabbed an assistant and asked, “Where’s Su Jiu?”

Just as the assistant was about to speak, the curtain behind the cashier counter was lifted, and Li Xin walked in and greeted, “How are you, Mrs. Hu?”

Nangong Bi often visited Su Jiu’s tavern, and she was familiar with Li Xin. She nodded and asked with a smile, “Is Su Jiu here today?”

Li Xin immediately responded, “Master is here. A woman was looking for the master with a sullen look just now. At this time, they should be upstairs. Hurry up and find out for yourself, Mrs. Hu”

“A woman?” Nangong Bi frowned and asked, “Who is it?”

“I don’t know, Mrs. Hu. Please go upstairs,” Li Xin urged.

“Okay, I’ll go and have a look.” Nangong Bi quickly walked upstairs.

There was only one attic on the third floor, where account books were kept. Whenever Su Jiu came to the tavern, she would often rest in the attic. The door of the attic was facing the wooden stairs. As soon as Nangong Bi went up, she heard a sound inside. She was about to push the door, anxious. Just then, Princess Consort Yu was thrown out by Su Jiu, bumping into Nangong Bi who was just about to come in.

The two collided together, fell to the ground at the same time, and rolled down the stairs.

“Princess Consort Yu!”

“Nangong Bi!”

Two quick shouts burst out. Su Jiu rushed out of the attic first and darted towards Nangong Bi.

“Ah!”

Princess Consort Yu let out an ear-piercing scream, while Nangong Bi groaned. They finally stopped at the entrance of the stairs on the second floor.

Princess Consort Yu sat on Nangong Bi’s leg and wailed.

Su Jiu rushed over, directly lifted Princess Consort Yu, and threw her out. She then held Nangong Bi in her arms.

Nangong Bi looked ghastly pale as sweat rolled down her forehead. She grabbed Su Jiu’s arm and muttered in pain, “Su Jiu… my stomach hurts… It hurts so much.”

“Stomach pain?” Su Jiu stroked her flat belly and asked, “Where does it hurt?”

“I don’t know! It just hurts so much!”

“Don’t panic! I’ll take you to the medical hall immediately!” Su Jiu carried Nangong Bi in her arms and crossed over Princess Consort Yu, who was knocked down by her. She rushed downstairs in a haste.

“Su Jiu…” Nangong Bi bit her lips, her body twitching in pain.

Su Jiu walked downstairs while holding Nangong Bi. All of a sudden, her palms touched a somewhat sticky liquid. Panicking, she got into the carriage and ordered with a trembling voice, “Hurry! Go to the medical hall!”

Er Mao saw the situation, and he knew that it was urgent. Without uttering a word, he flicked his whip and made the horse hurry to the nearest medical hall.

Half an hour later, Hu Dapao came after hearing the news. When he entered the medical hall and saw Su Jiu’s gloomy face, his heart instantly sank.

“How’s Bi’er?” Hu Dapao’s voice carried a tone of anxiety.

“She’s still in a coma. The doctor said that she can’t move for the time being. You can go to the patient room and check on her,” Su Jiu said with a dejected expression. “Dapao, I’m so sorry.”

Hu Dapao pushed the door open and strode in.

The old doctor with a white beard was packing up his medical kit. Nangong Bi was lying on the bed with a thin quilt over her, and her face was deadly pale.

“How is she?” Hu Dapao asked in a panic.

The doctor shook his head and answered, “I can’t keep the child. I’m sorry.”

A “boom” echoed in Hu Dapao’s brain. It was as if someone punched him hard. His surroundings darkened, and he almost fainted on the ground.

Nangong Bi was pregnant with his child?

He did not know that, and now their baby was gone.

“Right now, what’s most important is to calm your wife down. When she wakes up, please try to comfort her,” the old doctor said, carried the medicine kit with him, and left the room.

Su Jiu stood at the door, biting her lower lip. She collapsed to the ground against the wall and buried her head in her arms.

Only Hu Dapao’s loud gasp could be heard in the patient room. Soon, the gasp stopped, and the room was enshrouded in deafening silence.

Su Jiu’s body shivered all over, and she felt a pang in her chest. She seemed to lose all her strength in an instant.

“Jiu’er.” A gentle voice rang above her head, and a man’s dry and warm hand stroked her head with comfort.

Su Jiu raised her head, her eyes visibly red. “Ji Yuxian, Nangong Bi…” she muttered, choking with sobs.

“I know,” Ji Yuxian took her hand and hugged her in his arms. He comforted her with a distressed soft voice. “She’s safe. She can still have babies in the future.”

Panic-stricken, Su Jiu’s body trembled. “It’s all my fault! This is their first child.”

Ji Yuxian hugged her tightly. “It’s not your fault. It was just an accident. Nangong Bi won’t blame you,” he whispered.

Su Jiu closed her eyes and buried her face in Ji Yuxian’s arms. It seemed that she was feeling much more pain than getting her heart stabbed.

A moment later, Hu Dapao came out carrying Nangong Bi, who was still sleeping in his arms. His face was gloomy as he explained, “Chief, Bi’er didn’t know that she was pregnant. Now the baby is gone, but please don’t tell her. Let’s just pretend that nothing happened.”

Su Jiu nodded. “I will.”

Hu Dapao hastily walked out with the woman.

“Let’s go back.” Ji Yuxian held Su Jiu’s shoulder.

Su Jiu’s eyes were cold. She nodded slowly, staring at Hu Dapao’s slightly hunched figure.

After Su Jiu and Ji Yuxian left, Yu Long slowly walked out from the next room, holding a few packs of herbs in her hand. Next to her was Hong Xiu.

“Doctor, the people who left just now looked upset. What happened?” Hong Xiu asked curiously.

The old doctor sighed. “That lady lost her child.”

“Oh!” Hong Xiu nodded and looked at Yu Long with a smirk.

“Your lady is healthy. The headache is probably caused by the winter wind. Take these herbs back home and eat them for two days,” the doctor instructed.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Yu Long said lightly as she slowly walked out of the hospital with Hong Xiu.

They got on the carriage, and Hong Xiu was excited. “Crown Princess Consort, Nangong Bi has disrespected you several times, and this was a lesson for her.”

Yu Long glanced at the bustling street outside the window. “This is just the beginning.” Her voice was as cold as the winter gale.

She would not allow herself to lose every time. It was now Su Jiu’s turn to pay the price.

“Yes, as long as they’re going against you, they won’t have a good ending,” Hong Xiu said with contempt. “Nangong Bi has lost her child because of Su Jiu, and Hu Dapao probably hates her now.”

Yu Long’s lips curved into a smile as she muttered, “So, this is just the beginning.”

Hong Xiu looked at the herbs in her hands and threw them out of the window.