The Vicious Female Supporting Character and The Sadistic Heroine Got Together [Through the Book] - Chapter 42

Lost in thought about Tang Suan, Shen Chou was suddenly startled awake by Tang Yi’s desperate shout at Li Changsheng.

She glanced around, relieved to find herself still undetected. Patting her chest, she quietly exhaled in relief.

Turning her gaze toward Tang Yi and Li Changsheng, she saw Tang Yi screaming at Li Changsheng with heart-wrenching intensity: “Li Changsheng, how could you deceive me? I loved you so deeply!”

As she spoke, Tang Yi burst into tears.

Li Changsheng regarded her calmly. “You claim to love me, yet I never knew it. Besides, as the Fifth Prince, I am far too noble for the affections of any commoner!”

Tang Yi fell silent, stunned.

Watching this unfold, Shen Chou grew puzzled. This doesn’t make sense. Li Changsheng is usually so cautious and reserved. He would never say something like that.

Shouldn’t he be pleased to hear Tang Yi confess her love? Has he taken the wrong medicine, or is he digging his own grave?

Though Tang Yi posed no real threat to him, she could still cause trouble. Shen Chou found this puzzling.

Could it be because he despises her so much? she wondered.

Never mind. Let’s just keep watching the drama unfold, Shen Chou thought, turning her attention back to the scene.

This time, Li Changsheng’s attitude toward Tang Yi had undergone another dramatic shift.

He grabbed Tang Yi by the shoulders and said, “Don’t worry. Once I become Crown Prince, I’ll definitely make you a Secondary Consort.”

At that moment, Shen Chou really wanted to retort, How many times have you said that to different women, Li Changsheng?

No, that’s not the point. Why has his attitude changed again? Does he fear Tang Yi now?

Tang Yi looked at Li Changsheng and said, “I don’t want to be a Secondary Consort anymore. This time, I only want to be Empress! If you can’t make that happen, I’ll expose everything about you.”

Hearing this, Shen Chou was bewildered. Besides our joint scheme to frame A-Suan, what other leverage does she have over Li Changsheng?

Li Changsheng froze for a moment, his eyes darkening. He nodded slowly. “Fine, I agree. Now, will you keep quiet?”

Tang Yi tilted her head, raised a hand to caress Li Changsheng’s cheek, and smiled. “Of course not, Your Highness. I love you so much. How could I ever bear to hurt you?”

Is it just my imagination, Shen Chou thought, or does Tang Yi seem to be… darkening somehow?

As Tang Yi’s hand stroked his face, a flicker of disgust flashed through Li Changsheng’s eyes, though he quickly masked it.

With those words, Tang Yi turned and walked away. The moment her back was turned, a sinister smile spread across her face.

As if I’d ever trust Li Changsheng again after this! she thought. Even if I can’t bring him down, I’ll make his life a living hell to avenge today’s humiliation.

She’d make Li Changsheng realize that Tang Yi wasn’t someone to be trifled with. The moment she’d plotted against Tang Suan and understood the grave consequences, she’d lost all fear.

Li Changsheng’s face darkened. He clenched his fists, his eyes burning with hatred as he watched Tang Yi’s retreating figure.

Who does she think she is? Threatening me? Does she even deserve to live? He’d have to find a way to dispose of Tang Yi before she could ruin his grand plans.

Seeing Tang Yi approaching, Shen Chou hastily sidestepped to the right, only to turn and find Tang Yi had already passed by.

Perhaps in her haste, Tang Yi hadn’t noticed her, allowing Shen Chou to breathe another sigh of relief.

Now that Tang Yi was gone, Shen Chou figured it was time to leave too. But the moment she lifted her foot, she accidentally stepped on a loose pebble.

Why am I so unlucky? Frustration clouded Shen Chou’s face as she clenched her fists, resisting the urge to punch herself.

What if Li Changsheng finds out? Shen Chou thought anxiously, turning to look in his direction. This time, she didn’t see him.

Could he have left? Shen Chou’s spirits lifted. Great! Now I don’t have to worry anymore.

But the moment she turned back, she sensed a tall figure looming before her.

I’m done for, Shen Chou thought, a sense of dread washing over her.

She looked up and met Li Changsheng’s gaze. He stared down at her. “What are you doing here?”

“Ah… I…” Shen Chou stammered, desperately searching for an explanation, but finding none.

Instinctively, she bolted, but after only a few steps, she was panting heavily and forced to slow down and stop.

Shen Chou glanced back and realized Li Changsheng wasn’t following.

Great! she thought, relieved to be safe.

But then, a new realization struck her: Why did I run in the first place? Doesn’t running just make me look guilty?

And where could she even run to? Back to the Princely Estate? But she was now Li Changsheng’s Imperial Consort.

Besides, she was A-Suan’s inside agent, tasked with monitoring Li Changsheng’s every move. How could she do that if she wasn’t by his side?

Shen Chou felt utterly foolish. Now she was torn between running back or staying put.

After a moment of internal struggle, she decided to return.

She had barely taken a few steps back when Li Changsheng appeared, walking toward her.

She quickly lowered her head and greeted him, “Greetings, Your Highness.”

Li Changsheng studied her. “Didn’t you run away? Why are you back?”

“Well… um…” Shen Chou stammered, unable to find the words.

Li Changsheng pressed on, “What did you see just now?”

Shen Chou answered smoothly, “Your Highness, I saw nothing.”

Li Changsheng gave her a skeptical look, his expression clearly saying, “I don’t believe you.”

Shen Chou: …

If I tell him I know about his alliance with Tang Yi to frame A-Suan, would he kill me? Probably not.

Shen Chou recalled what the System had told her: Li Changsheng had chosen to collaborate with Tang Yi to have Tang Suan demoted because he wanted A-Suan to become the Pavilion Master of Cloudwind Pavilion, preferably to inherit the Throne of Yun State, and then help him ascend to become Crown Prince.

“What did you see?” Li Changsheng repeated.

Fine, I’ll risk it, Shen Chou thought.

Gritting her teeth, she said, “I saw you with Tang Yi.”

Tang Suan sat high above, her regal bearing commanding the attention of the crowd below. Only after everyone had fallen silent did she speak.

“Let me make this clear: from this day forward, I am your Pavilion Master. Anyone who refuses to acknowledge my authority is welcome to challenge me, just as the Second Pavilion Master did today! Of course, that assumes you believe your martial skills surpass his. Don’t overestimate yourselves.”

Tang Suan deliberately emphasized the final syllable, her tone carrying a deeper meaning.

The crowd glanced at Cang Qinglan, who lay defeated beside Tang Suan, and wisely chose to remain silent.

Seeing their reaction, Tang Suan’s lips curled into a smile. “Since there are no objections, let’s move on to the next matter. As I’ve already stated, from this day forward, I am your Pavilion Master. Therefore, I will establish several new rules to build upon our existing foundation.”

“First, intentional troublemaking is strictly forbidden. Violators will receive one hundred lashes. Second, bullying the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled is prohibited. Violators will have their martial arts cultivation crippled. Third, arson, murder, and looting are forbidden. Violators will have both hands severed. Fourth, betrayal of the Cloudwind Pavilion is forbidden. Violators will be expelled from the pavilion. Fifth, betrayal of the Pavilion Master is forbidden. Violators will be hunted down and killed. Sixth, infighting among fellow disciples is forbidden. Violators must administer their own punishment. Seventh, collusion with enemies is forbidden. Violators will be made into human pigs. Eighth, rape and murder are forbidden. Violators will be castrated.”

As her words fell, a chill ran down the spines of every man present.

Tang Suan surveyed the crowd, then pointed at Qingque’s body on the ground. “Finally, anyone who dares to speak ill of me behind my back will suffer the same fate as Qingque.”

The crowd bowed their heads in unison. “We understand, Pavilion Master.”

“Very well. You may all leave now. I have something to discuss with Pavilion Master Cang Qinglan,” Tang Suan said.

Once the others had departed, only Tang Suan and Cang Qinglan remained in the hall. Cang Qinglan, sensing the unspoken invitation, stepped forward, closing the distance between them.

Tang Suan gazed at her, wasting no time on pleasantries. “Do you remember what I said before our match? If I won, you would give me the Concentric Gu and another Gu worm I wanted.”

Cang Qinglan nodded. “I remember. May I ask which other Gu worm you require, Pavilion Master?”

“Do you have any Gu worms capable of controlling a person’s thoughts and actions?”

Cang Qinglan hesitated before replying, “Yes, but such Gu worms inflict severe harm upon their master. I strongly advise against attempting to use them lightly.”

Tang Suan considered her words. Realizing the implications for her plans, she changed her request. “Then never mind. Do you have any poisonous Gu worms? The kind that can lie dormant in a person’s body for an extended period, activating only after a set time, leaving no trace of the cause of death?”

“Yes,” Cang Qinglan replied.

She retrieved a small box from her robes and presented it to Tang Suan as if it were a precious treasure, explaining how to use the Gu worm within.

Tang Suan listened intently, nodding repeatedly. She possessed a remarkable aptitude for this art, having previously only skimmed a few scrolls and grasped the barest basics.

Under Cang Qinglan’s guidance, she quickly mastered the techniques for controlling the Gu worm, surprising even Cang Qinglan herself.

Tang Suan closed the box containing the Gu worm and turned to Cang Qinglan. “Now, give me the Concentric Gu.”

As everyone knew, the Concentric Gu, also known as the Love Gu, consisted of a male and female pair. Miao girls nurtured these worms within their own bodies from childhood, feeding them with their own flesh and blood.

When they met the man they loved, they would transfer the Gu worms into his body, ensuring his unwavering loyalty and preventing him from ever betraying her love.

However, Cang Qinglan had modified the Concentric Gu. It no longer needed to be nurtured within the body; daily irrigation with heart’s blood was sufficient.

And it wasn’t even true heart’s blood, but rather blood drawn from the fingertips. After all, the ten fingers were connected to the heart.

Cang Qinglan was deeply curious about what Tang Suan wanted with the Concentric Gu. Could it be that she had someone she cared for? Cang Qinglan had heard that the Pavilion Master had been close to the Fifth Prince, Li Changsheng, during her time in the capital. Could the Fifth Prince be the object of her affection?

But the Pavilion Master’s mother was a princess of Yun State, forced to her death by the Emperor of the Li Dynasty. Li Changsheng’s father was the very man who had killed her mother. How could they possibly be together?

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