Chapter 464
~ AN EMPTY STRAW BAG ~
After hearing Zhang Wan’s words, Mu Yunyao didn’t know what to say, so she could only respond in silence.
Zhang Wan chuckled and lifted her hand to remove her veil gently, revealing her face. The wound on her face was very severe, and the two scars extending from the side of her nose to her lower jaw were very noticeable. “Little Sister Mu, is my appearance extremely ugly?”
“Beauties are in the bone, not in the skin. Elder Sister Zhang’s temperament is gentle, has a poetic and scholarly spirit, which is unmatched by many people.”
“Oh, the Zhang Wan you’re talking about has already been killed by the wolves in the hunting grounds, and I … I am no longer her.” Zhang Wan took a deep breath and put her veil back on, “I don’t know why, but I feel that I should come to see you. Little Sister Mu, now that you have Grand Princess Yi De’s love and have an incredible identity, you have to be extra careful. This person is prone to deceive reason with jealousy and might even do something. I don’t know what you will do. You have to be careful yourself.”
“Did Elder Sister Zhang hear anything?” Mu Yunyao’s heart stirred.
“What can I hear? It’s just a reminder for you, which can be regarded as repaying the favor you gave me when you sent me the letter.” Zhang Wan turned her head to look at camellia flowers on the ground. “Heling Flower, I like it very much. Little Sister Mu, don’t forget to to give them to my maid.”
Seeing that she didn’t want to speak anymore, Mu Yunyao didn’t force herself to ask, “I definitely won’t dare to forget.”
“Alright, then I’ll be taking my leave. Little Sister Mu’s clothes are thin, so there’s no need to send me off.” After Zhang Wan finished speaking, she directly left the greenhouse. When Mu Yunyao put on her cloak and went out, she had already gone far away.
Jin Lan helped Mu Yunyao pull her cloak back. She didn’t understand what was going on, “Miss, what did this Miss Zhang come here for?”
“Farewell.”
“Farewell?” Jin Lan didn’t understand.Mu Yunyao blinked and suppressed the bitterness in her heart. She turned around and returned to the greenhouse, looked at the flower crane feathers planted on the ground, and she reached out her hand to touch the colorful lotus-like petals, “Jin Lan, prepare the flower pot. Transfer these flowers into the pot a few days in advance and carefully take good care of them. On the 26th, the flowers will definitely bloom beautifully.”
“Yes.”
The Zhang Wan of the past was already dead, and now this one was born entirely for revenge.
Suddenly, she saw her own shadow in Zhang Wan’s body. If she did not have Mother, she would probably be even more extreme than Zhang Wan. However, it’s the Su family. It’s easy to get in and difficult to get out. I hoped that she would not regret today’s decision.
On the 22nd of the first lunar month, Su Jin and Yang Lian returned to the Capital. The Su family sent people to greet them. The Second Madam arranged for them to stay at the Luoxia Yuan, which is the closest to the Old Madam’s courtyard. She heard that Su Jin had fainted on the spot upon seeing the Old Madam. Yang Lian sighed when he saw Su Wenyuan and was even more surprised when he heard him talk about the current situation of the Su family.
When Su Jin returned, she was incredibly dissatisfied with the Second Madam’s handling of the affairs in residence. Seeing that Su Qingwu’s happy event was approaching, she quickly bought many things and filled all parts of the Su family.
In the Palace, after being favored, Su Yuyi lived in the side hall of Cuirong Residence. Every day, she would go to Imperial Concubine De to set up a routine. When she helped with the dishes this day, she looked in a trance and directly poured a hot soup onto Imperial Concubine De’s legs. Although the Palace clothes were thick in winter, and Imperial Concubine De was not severely burned, she punished Su Yuyi.
Feeling sad, Su Yuyi wandered around the Imperial Garden and met Honorable Zhou. The sky was cold, and the roads were slippery. Su Yuyi bumped into Honorable Zhou, and the two of them fell into the lake together. By the time they managed to get out of the water, the two of them had already fainted. Su Yuyi had caught a cold and couldn’t get up from the bed, yet Honorable Zhou unexpectedly had a miscarriage.
When the Emperor heard the news, he flew into a rage. He hadn’t doted on Honorable Zhou for several months, but she was two months pregnant … Once this matter was revealed, the entire harem became silent. Honorable Zhou and the Palace maids who had served the two of them the other day were all killed by the staff. Su Yuyi was so frightened that she fainted. After waking up, she was told that she was confined to the side hall of Cuirong Residence, and it was undecided when the confinement would be lifted.
Imperial Concubine De angrily brought people to the side hall and asked people to drag Su Yuyi off the bed before slapping her twice in the face.
Su Yuyi’s clothes were thin as she knelt on the ground, her entire body trembling. “Imperial Concubine De, please help me. I have just been favored by the Emperor, and I haven’t had the chance....”
Imperial Concubine De laughed coldly, “Help you? Su Yuyi, do you really think I don’t know your careful thoughts? Go to the Imperial Garden and stroll around. Do you think that you’ll be celibated after you’ve became a favorite? You think that you have the ability to break into the imperial harem, so you can put medicine in my eyes, right?”
She punished Su Yuyi for pouring hot soup on her, and she had gone to the Imperial Garden, where she felt aggrieved, hoping to meet the Emperor by chance and complain to him?
Su Yuyi quickly shook her head, “Niang Niang, how could I have such thoughts? I relied on you to help me to have today.”
“Let’s not talk about useless things. Every year, a group of people like you dies in the Imperial Harem, and I have seen a lot in this Palace!” Furthermore, put away your tears. I will not pity you even if I see you, as I am not the Emperor. On the contrary, I will feel extremely disgusted.”
“Niang Niang…” Su Yuyi looked at Imperial Concubine De and felt chills in her heart.
Imperial Concubine De took a deep breath, “Stay here and be honest. If you have nothing to do, just copy out the scriptures and don’t think those thoughts. Otherwise, I’ll personally take care of you and save you from causing more disasters!”
“Niang Niang, where is the Emperor..…”
“Honorable Zhou just had an accident. At this time, just clip up your tail and be a human being. Don’t you think the Emperor is annoying enough?” Imperial Concubine De swept a glance at Su Yuyi and saw that she was still crying. She endured the disgust in her heart, “I’ll think of a way for you to regain the favor of the Emperor.”
“Yes, many thanks, Niang Niang.”
Imperial Concubine De returned to the main hall in a rage. The Palace maid stepped forward to massage Imperial Concubine De’s shoulders, “Esteemed Niang Niang, Honorable Zhou’s matter … There is the shadow of Imperial ConcubinLi behind her. You said that we threatened Honorable Zhou and took away the Acacia Incense from her hands. Wouldn’t it be known to Concubine Li?”
“Su Yuyi’s front foot is favored, but her back foot is calculated. It is impossible to say that there is no trace of Imperial Concubine Li and the rest. Completely destroyed the Acacia Incense, and do not leave any traces behind. For Imperial Concubine Li to make use of this opportunity, she must also find evidence.”
“Yes, Niang Niang.”
“As the Li family’s influence grew, Imperial Concubine Li made her move again and again in the harem... If I had a child, how could I have been forced into such a situation?” Imperial Concubine De closed her eyes, and her tone exceptionally heavy.
“Niang Niang, it’s all this servant’s fault for talking too much. Please punish me.” Seeing Imperial Concubine De’s sorrowful and indignant expression, the Palace maid hurriedly knelt down to plead guilty.
“It’s none of your business, so get up.” Imperial Concubine De opened her eyes, “Take care of Su Yuyi carefully and teach her everything that should be taught to her. My good sister only thinks that Su Yuyi is as beautiful as a flower and will definitely become a big thing in the future, but she has made her into an empty straw bag. She’s such a mess inside. If I teach her properly now, I might be able to give her a little bit more of a temper.”
“Yes, Niang Niang.”
On the twenty-sixth day of the first lunar month, the Sixth Princess, Huaiyang, married a first-class imperial bodyguard, Su Qingwu. At the same time, he also married the legitimate daughter of the Great Scholar’s residence, Zhang Wan.
A peony-patterned red velvet carpet stretched from the entrance of the Palace to the gates of the Su family. The common folk of the Capital gathered on the main street, standing behind the guards on both sides, waiting with excitement to watch the Sixth Princess’s festive sedan chair pass by.