The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady - Chapter 66

“Do you know what happens to those who deceive this princess?” Xiao Qinya’s voice was full of authority and pressure.

Xiao Yu did not dare to relax. She didn’t know this person’s temperament, and judging by how she had just dealt with the male lead, the other party was definitely not someone to mess with. Fortunately, she hadn’t lied. Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yu said calmly, “Your Highness can investigate. If you find I have lied, I will accept whatever punishment you decide.”

Staring at her for a long time, and seeing that she didn’t seem to be lying, Xiao Qinya said languidly, “You may leave for now. If I find out you’ve deceived me, not even the Prime Minister can protect you.”

“…Yes.” Xiao Yu glanced up at her, then quickly lowered her head, bowed, and withdrew from the meditation courtyard. After leaving, she went directly to the front hall to meet up with Song Luoning and returned to the capital with her.

Study in the Villa

“You said you met the Grand Princess, and her relationship with Miss Li is unusual?” Song Luoning frowned slightly.

She had heard her father mention the Grand Princess before. She was the Emperor’s younger sister from the same mother. When the late Emperor ascended the throne, the Grand Princess had just been born. The Empress Dowager was not in good health, so the Grand Princess was raised by the Empress. The late Emperor doted on her, which cultivated her arrogant and domineering nature.

When the late Emperor was alive, he chose a consort for her from a prestigious family. However, on their wedding night, news spread that the consort had been disrespectful to the princess and was directly killed by her.

This incident caused a huge stir at the time, but the late Emperor suppressed it, and the matter was forgotten.

However, she never expected the Grand Princess to like women, and that woman was General Li’s daughter.

This relationship was a bit delicate.

Song Luoning was at a loss for a moment. After a moment of thought, she warned, “Be careful during this time. After all, this is a royal secret and a serious matter. You stumbled upon it and were allowed to return unharmed. I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”

Xiao Yu felt a chill run down her spine. Whether the Grand Princess was a friend or foe, the matter itself was enough to cost her her head.

Why didn’t the Grand Princess kill her?

Xiao Yu was filled with confusion. Could it be that the Grand Princess was also wary of the Prime Minister’s residence? For now, this was the only plausible reason.

Regardless, she could only take it one step at a time.

Just then, a quarrel could be heard outside the door.

Song Luoning’s brows furrowed. Cui Zhu was guarding the door outside, and everyone in the mansion knew she was her maid. How could anyone dare to clash with her? The next second, Song Luoning’s expression darkened, and she said coldly, “Husband, why don’t you go see?”

“Huh?” Xiao Yu nodded, surprised. What audacious maid would dare to cause a ruckus outside her master’s door? She stood up. “Wife, wait a moment, I’ll be right back.”

With that, she opened the door and was about to ask what was going on when the person who came saw her first. “My Lord.”

“…” Xiao Yu was stunned when she saw who it was. How could she have forgotten about her?

Why had she come here again?

Logically, since she had just returned to the mansion, Xiao Chengzhe shouldn’t be back so soon, and she shouldn’t know that she had knocked him out. It seemed she was simply here to sow discord between herself and the young lady.

However, today she had completely fallen out with the male lead. And from the way things were developing, the male lead had also indirectly offended the Grand Princess. Given what the Grand Princess had done today, he probably wouldn’t have time to bother her.

Therefore, there was no need for her to keep this ticking time bomb by her side. It was better to use this opportunity to send her away.

Xiao Yu thought for a moment. “Miss Yuan, I’m grateful for your warning in the palace. However, I am already married and cannot accept your intentions. After I discuss it with my wife, I will definitely repay you well.”

When Yuan Niang heard this, she stepped forward and tried to grab Xiao Yu’s sleeve. Xiao Yu took a step back to avoid her. The next second, Yuan Niang covered her face with a handkerchief and began to sob, looking pitiful. “My Lord, do you dislike Yuan Niang? Are you trying to send me away? Is there something I did wrong to displease you? I will definitely change.”

Xiao Yu was stunned for a moment and couldn’t help but rub her forehead. If this woman hadn’t been born in this era, she would be an Oscar-winning actress.

It was truly frustrating.

She couldn’t just kick her out directly. Regardless of her intentions, she had saved her life. This matter needed to be handled carefully and she had to get the young lady’s opinion.

Xiao Yu thought for a moment. “You go back for now, let me think about it.”

“My Lord, Yuan Niang has been alone since childhood. The Emperor bestowed Yuan Niang to you, so I am your person. I am willing to serve you for the rest of my life. If you don’t want me, I’ll have no choice but to die.” She cried so hard that tears streamed down her face.

“…”

This woman, Xiao Yu was so angry she laughed. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she was a heinous scumbag. She was about to speak when a clear, pleasant female voice came from behind her: “Why don’t we have Miss Yuan go to the villa in the suburbs to help out? This way, Miss Yuan won’t have to humble herself, and she will have a place to stay. If Miss Yuan wants to get married in the future, we will certainly prepare a generous dowry for her.”

Xiao Yu’s eyes lit up the moment she turned around and saw Song Luoning. As expected of the young lady, she solved her problem in one go.

Before Yuan Niang could react, Xiao Yu grabbed Song Luoning’s hand and winked at Cui Zhu. “Didn’t you hear? What are you waiting for? Go tell the housekeeper to make the arrangements. Do you want to be punished?”

The clever little maid said “yes” and turned to leave the courtyard.

“My Lord, Yuan Niang doesn’t want to get married.” Realizing what was happening, Yuan Niang stamped her foot in anger, but it was too late.

She had failed to complete the task her master had given her and was unwilling to just go back like this.

“My Lord…” Yuan Niang opened her mouth, but then she heard Xiao Yu scold the maids of Luoshuang Courtyard, “Why are you standing there? Go and help Miss Yuan pack her things and go back.”

No, she couldn’t be sent away like this. A hint of resentment flashed in Yuan Niang’s eyes. Her fingers curled up under her sleeve, and she said bitterly, “My Lord, aren’t you afraid of being blamed by the Emperor?”

Xiao Yu pretended not to hear and helped the young lady back into the study, whispering to her.

After the person left, Xiao Yu hesitated and said with a serious expression, “We can’t let her run away for now.”

After pretending for so many days, she finally managed to get her to send the message. If she were to escape again and report them, all her hard work would have been for nothing. Heaven knows what she had gone through these past few days.

“If my husband is worried about her running away, why not keep her in the mansion?” Song Luoning raised an eyebrow, pulled her hand back, and deftly avoided Xiao Yu’s proximity. She turned and sat in a round chair, poured herself a cup of tea, and took a sip.

Her hand was empty, and Xiao Yu touched her nose. She also sat down and said with a hint of grievance, “My wife is always teasing me. You know I can’t wait to be away from her, yet you still wrong me like this. If she continues to stay in the mansion, the maids on night duty will eventually find out, and then where would I put my face?”

Hearing this, Song Luoning’s face turned red. The image of this rascal climbing in through her window every night flashed through her mind. She sighed slightly.

Her words were reckless; she had no shame at all.

Xiao Yu also poured herself a cup of tea and drank it in one go. “If it weren’t for the fact that she warned me in the palace and that she is a weak woman, it would be difficult for her. I wouldn’t have indulged her.”

It was already hard for women in this era, let alone for a pawn in the hands of a superior, who could be given away at any time.

Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but sigh. However, she was lucky that she and the young lady were together and didn’t have to go through too much hardship.

“Husband, are you feeling sympathy for her?” Song Luoning asked in return.

“…” What was the young lady thinking? Xiao Yu panicked and quickly held up three fingers to swear. “Heaven and earth are my witnesses, wife, you can’t wrong me. My feelings for you are a testament to the heavens. I was just feeling a little emotional.”

Song Luoning was amused by her and curved her lips without saying a word. Then, her eyes filled with a hint of confusion. She, too, knew how difficult it was for women, especially in this male-dominated society. Women were always seen as accessories to men. Men could have three wives and four concubines, while women had to follow the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues and were bound by the female precepts.

Women from ordinary families didn’t even have the chance to study, or even a chance to fight against the injustice of fate.

Thinking of this, Song Luoning lowered her eyes, wondering what she was thinking. After a long time, she finally asked, “Husband, do you still remember the dream you told me about last time?”

Xiao Yu’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t know why she suddenly brought it up. She was stunned for a moment and then gave a low “hmm.”

“In your dream, what role did you play?” Her tone was calm, even a little ethereal.

This made her uneasy. Xiao Yu was unsure of her intentions. She hesitated for a moment and said, “Wife, why do you ask?”

“Husband, just answer.”

Answer?

How was she supposed to answer? The original plot didn’t even have the original character. Xiao Yu was panicking.

Before she could think of an answer, she heard Song Luoning ask, “If you were the female teacher’s disciple, after you became emperor, would you open schools for women and allow them to serve in the government, just like her?”

“Huh?” Xiao Yu was stunned. Only then did she realize who she was referring to—the female teacher and her disciple. Back then, she had made up that part to make the young lady treat her better.

But why did the young lady bring it up?

Xiao Yu was surprised but didn’t show it. Since it was all a hypothesis, she carefully considered Song Luoning’s question and answered seriously, “If I were the female teacher’s disciple, I would definitely open a girls’ school so that all women in the world could have an education and no longer just be accessories to men. Women could also go to battle and speak their minds in the imperial court, just like men.” Just like in the world she once lived in, where women could hold up half the sky.

Song Luoning pursed her lips. “I hope you remember what you said.”

Although she didn’t understand what she meant by that, Xiao Yu obediently nodded.

Song Luoning stood up and said calmly, “It’s better to tell Father about today’s events. You knocked Xiao Chengzhe out without a word, so he might retaliate. It would be good to have Father send more people over.”

Beating up a member of the royal family was no small matter. She didn’t think he would let it go.

“Should I send someone to tell my father-in-law?” Xiao Yu stood up as well. She felt much safer with the protection of her father-in-law’s family.

Song Luoning nodded and said calmly, “Find a reliable person to go to the Prime Minister’s residence later.”

“Okay, I’ll tell Constable Liang to go on this trip.” Xiao Yu said.

Hearing this, Song Luoning’s expression paused, and her brows furrowed slightly. She hesitated to speak. “When did you become so close to Constable Liang?”

Close?

Xiao Yu smiled. Perhaps it was because they both came from Linyang County, or perhaps it was because of Constable Liang’s coming to her rescue a few times when she was in danger, and later because of Chen Yu’s relationship, that led to the current trust.

She didn’t have many friends since she came to this world. Liang Chengqiu should be considered one.

“I think she’s a good person and very reliable in her work,” Xiao Yu explained with a smile.

Song Luoning didn’t continue to ask and stood up. “Husband, you go and make the arrangements.”

Xiao Yu didn’t dare to delay. After a few words of instruction, she left the study.

Song Luoning watched her retreating figure and sighed softly after a while. By the time she came back to her senses, the person was already far away.

Xiao Yu’s arrangements were made quickly. Liang Chengqiu quickly sent the message to the Prime Minister’s residence. On the same day, the villa’s security was increased, and Yuan Niang was sent to the villa outside the capital to be looked after.

Xiao Yu was initially unsure about the male lead’s malicious methods, after all, she had knocked him out right in front of him. She knew he would eventually retaliate. She spent the night with this thought in mind, but the next day at noon, Song Yanyu brought news that almost made her jaw drop.

During the morning court, the Grand Princess used the pretext of the nation’s well-being to forcefully keep the Prince of Chang’s heir as a hostage in the capital. Xiao Chengzhe’s previous positions were all revoked, and he was virtually placed under house arrest in the heir’s mansion.

The Grand Princess was the late Emperor’s sister, and the new Emperor did not dare to offend her, so he could only comply.

The male lead, unfortunately, went from being the Emperor’s favorite to a hostage that anyone could bully overnight.

The news reached the Prince of Chang’s ears half a month later.

“How did this idiot offend the Grand Princess?” The Prince of Chang’s face was gloomy. He slammed the letter on his desk and said to the strategists below, “I feed you well and take care of you, but none of you are useful when it matters.”

The strategists below lowered their heads carefully, not daring to speak.

Since ancient times, there had been a rule for the sons of vassal princes to be taken as hostages in the capital. However, under normal circumstances, a vassal prince would choose a son born from a concubine to be sent to the capital as a hostage. A hostage was generally seen as a discarded son. How could they let the heir be the hostage? What would people say about him?

He couldn’t care less about anything else now. He immediately wrote a letter and sent it to the palace by a fast horse.

The Emperor, who was muddle-headed, received the Prince of Chang’s letter and, ignoring the opposition of his court officials, secretly issued an edict to send Xiao Chengzhe back to Qingzhou.

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