Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
âShe wonât complain,â Su Yingxue took a sip of tea and spoke calmly.
âWhy?â Zhilanâs watery eyes were filled with curiosity.
âDue to the commotion surrounding her arrival in the manor, Father has already lost face, and the Ministry of Rites has also encountered obstacles. Considering Liu Shulanâs mindset, she should understand the consequences if she were to repeatedly provoke the man she relies on as soon as she enters the house.
Moreover, the Marquisâs Manor isnât a place where she is the only woman. There are two younger and more beautiful courtesans here!â
Su Yingxue raised her eyebrows at Zhilan.
Zhilan smiled and replied, âIn that case, not only will Lady Liu be unable to report you, but sheâll also need to clean up Qingxin Court. Otherwise, if Master sees it in a neglected state, heâll undoubtedly be disappointed and visit the courtesansâ quarters.â
âExactly! When men have multiple women to choose from, theyâll undoubtedly seek one who pleases them both physically and emotionally,â Su Yingxue added, a hint of disdain in her eyes.
âBut I feel that some men wonât be like the Marquis, for instance, our Eldest Young Master, and perhaps⦠Ninth Prince!â
Zhilan playfully winked at Su Yingxue.
Su Yingxue turned around and narrowed her eyes, saying, âYou naughty girl, youâre teasing your Miss!â
âI misspoke, please donât be angry, Miss! 1 just feel that Ninth Prince is an extraordinary man, and he treats you exceptionally well! He considers everything for your benefit.â
âYou naughty girl, youâre still talking!â
Su Yingxue chased after her, and the two of them began to playfully roughhouse in the courtyard.
Zi Wei watched from the shadows. He may not have understood the meaning behind Zhilanâs jest, but he could discern that whenever Chu Yihanâs name was mentioned, Su Yingxueâs smile was genuinely heartfelt.
In Qingxin Court, Liu Shulan and Su Yurou arrived with a group of people. Liu Shulanâs expression was stern, while Su Yurou exclaimed, âSu Yingxue! Youâve gone too far! What kind of place is this? How can anyone live here?â
Su Yurou had joined the Marquisâs Manor late and was unaware of the past events at Qingxin Court. She believed that Su Yingxue was motivated by fear of her mother and had assigned her to the largest Qingxin Court in the Marquisâs Manor.
However, the place was dirty and run-down, covered in dust, and an occasional cold wind sent shivers down oneâs spine in the courtyard.
Liu Shulan, who had been pampered by Su Dingheng for years, couldnât help but feel a twinge of anger upon entering Qingxin Court.
However, after a brief moment, she composed herself and immediately instructed Su Yurouâs servants, âBegin cleaning immediately, discard any old items, and move things from Yaoguang Garden. Before Marquis arrives tonight, make sure this place is redecorated to look fresh and appealing.â
The servants promptly went about their tasks, while Su Yurou continued to protest, âMother! We should complain this to Father and have him stand up for us! Letâs see how Su Yingxue bullies us!â
âYou fool!â Liu Shulan gave Su Yurouâs hand a heavy pat. âCanât you see how skilled Su Yingxue is at her tactics?â
âYour father has stirred up quite a bit of trouble by accepting me as his concubine. We havenât yet figured out why the Ministry of Rites rejected it. And there are still two young and beautiful courtesans in the manor. If I cause more trouble for your father, no matter how deep his affection is for me, heâll grow weary of it.
âAs for Su Yingxue? Even if 1 report her, what then? Sheâll use her recent assumption of family leadership as an excuse to avoid repercussions. Your father wonât punish her severely, and sheâll remain the Marquisâs legitimate daughter.â
Liu Shulanâs gaze turned cold. Every step of Su Yingxueâs plan was carefully aimed at the mother-daughter pairâs lifeline, ensuring that even if they suffered, they couldnât speak out..