Chapter 31

Wrapped in a silk blanket, Rong Yang lifted the hem of her skirt and walked toward the carriage.

Lanxin also helped Su Yao onto the carriage.

When they returned to Rong Yang’s residence, Mama Sun saw Rong Yang drenched from head to toe and wrapped in a silk blanket. She cried out in alarm, “Princess, what happened to you?”

After following Rong Yang for so many years, this was the first time she had ever seen the princess in such a sorry state.

Rong Yang did not respond and headed straight for Jinxiu Hall.

Before Mama Sun could react, she saw Su Yao behind her also wrapped in a silk blanket, walking in dripping wet.

What had happened! Had both of them fallen into the water?

Su Yao lay against the edge of the bathing pool, her snow-white shoulders exposed above the water. Everything around her was silent, so silent that it felt as if she had returned to that underwater world.

She forcefully closed her eyes, and the image of that beautiful face moving closer and closer beneath the water suddenly flashed through her mind.

A madwoman who had imprisoned and tormented her for so long had suddenly disregarded everything to save her…

Could it be that she was no longer her?

But aside from wanting to save her, nothing else was different.

She was just as domineering and tyrannical, just as arrogant and cold…

After bathing, Rong Yang lay on the bed.

She thought of Su Yao’s low laugh on the riverbank, and those mocking words.

So she had been testing me!!

To lower the female lead’s hatred value, she inevitably had to be different from the original owner. Rong Yang had originally wanted to subtly change Su Yao’s impression of her and avoid, as much as possible, every point that would deepen Su Yao’s hatred. She had not expected that plans could not keep up with change. The shifts in the plot had left her no time to hide herself, causing the female lead to become suspicious of her. But no matter how suspicious Su Yao became, she could not possibly know that Rong Yang was not the original owner… right?

Rong Yang tossed and turned on the bed. What should she do now?

As she thought and thought, there came a light knock from outside the bedchamber.

Then Chunxi’s worried voice sounded.

“Princess, Imperial Physician Li has prepared medicine to dispel the cold. This servant has brought it for you.”

Rong Yang stared blankly, feeling a headache coming on. She did not want to drink medicine. She did not want to drink any kind of medicine.

“I won’t drink it.”

Her cool voice passed through the door and into Chunxi’s ears.

Chunxi furrowed her brows slightly and could only withdraw for now.

Early morning, in front of Rong Yang’s residence, there was a plain and narrow carriage that looked completely out of place beside the residence.

Su Yao slowly walked out of the residence gate and saw an unfamiliar coachman standing beside the carriage.

When he saw Su Yao, he stepped forward and bowed. “Princess Consort.”

“You are?”

“I am hidden guard Wang Xiao. The princess appointed me as your coachman.”

Su Yao swept him with a faint glance and nodded. “Let’s go.”

Then she turned and boarded the carriage.

After the Book of Songs class ended, Su Yao felt somewhat stifled, so she followed the corridor toward the garden to take a walk.

She ran into someone unexpected.

The Third Princess, Rong Yu’an.

She happened to be dressed in blue and white, sitting beneath unauthorized copy a tree and playing the qin. High mountains and flowing water, green leaves dancing along—indeed, it made for an excellent scene.

When she saw Su Yao, the music of the qin came to an abrupt stop. A probing gaze landed on Su Yao, neither cold nor warm.

It was her!

Su Yao prepared to take another path, but then she heard Rong Yu’an speak.

“Please wait!”

“I apologize to you on behalf of my sister.”

Hearing these words, Su Yao lifted her eyes, her brows furrowing slightly. “Rong Yuxi?”

“Yes.” Rong Yu’an nodded. “She has also paid the price for her offense. She lost two fingers on her right hand.”

“Your words do not sound like an apology. They sound more like you have come to demand an explanation.” Su Yao’s expression did not change as she spoke coldly.

Rong Yu’an walked with calm, unhurried steps, the corner of her lips curving into a faint smile that did not reach her eyes. “Fifth Princess Consort must be joking. It was originally her fault.”

“If the Fifth Princess Consort has any need in the future, you may come to me at any time. Consider it as me owing you a favor.” Rong Yu’an’s words were full of sincerity.

“Oh? What can you help me with?” Su Yao swept a glance over Rong Yu’an and asked.

“That depends on what the Fifth Princess Consort needs.” Rong Yu’an raised her brows slightly as she spoke, looking as though she had everything under control [bailiantales.com]and could give Su Yao whatever she needed.

“With those two fingers?” Su Yao said with a cold laugh. Without waiting for Rong Yu’an’s response, she walked away directly.

Rong Yu’an’s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. Watching Su Yao’s back, her gaze suddenly turned cold.

This woman…

According to Rong Yuxi, Rong Yang cared about this woman. But all the information Rong Yu’an had gathered through her people was about Su Yao being imprisoned and abused. Only recently had Rong Yang begun treating her like a vase and displaying her. Rong Yu’an did not believe Su Yao did not hate Rong Yang.

Now, her mother’s position was threatened by the empress and was on the verge of collapse, while Father Emperor’s side still lacked a proper pledge of allegiance. If she could use Rong Yang to deal a painful blow to the empress, then Father Emperor would surely look at her differently, and Mother Empress would also have a chance to ascend to the central palace.

Rong Yang cared about her…

If she cared, that made things easier.

The hidden guards reported Su Yao’s every move in the academy to Xiaqing, and Xiaqing then reported it to Rong Yang…

The two of them had met…

After the matter with Rong Yuxi, Xiaqing had told Rong Yang that someone was secretly using maids and guards leaving the residence to inquire about Su Yao’s information.

Rong Yang had said not to bother with it, to let them investigate if they wanted. She had not expected the person investigating to truly be Rong Yu’an. This point had also appeared in the original book. Although it was now slightly different, fortunately, the main storyline had not been cut off.

Rong Yang frowned tightly. Then how should she reduce the hatred value on her side plot?

Why had the hatred value dropped by a few points last time?

This was also something Rong Yang had not figured out these past few days.

After thinking about it, the greatest possibility was that she had chosen to save Su Yao without hesitation…

For the next few days, everything remained peaceful. Rong Yang almost never saw Su Yao. Su Yao left the residence early every day, and after returning from classes, she stayed in Fanghua Hall, burying herself in books.

According to Xiaqing, Su Yao’s monthly examination had not reached the first-class ranking she wanted.

Since the female lead was working so hard, Rong Yang was also happy to be free.

That lasted until Donglin Academy sent over an invitation.

“Donglin Academy’s centennial banquet?”

Chunxi nodded. “Yes. Invitations were sent to all the great noble houses in the capital. I heard the emperor and empress will jointly write an inscription and present it as a gift.”

Rong Yang looked thoughtfully at the invitation in her hand.

“The academy has also organized a competition among the students in the four arts: qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. The princess consort has entered the chess competition,” Chunxi reminded her.

Rong Yang glanced at Chunxi. She certainly knew what Rong Yang was thinking.

“Then we will go.”

Chunxi answered, “Yes. Princess, will you go with the princess consort tomorrow?”

“Mm…” Rong Yang replied.

The next day, when Rong Yang boarded the carriage, Su Yao was already sitting inside.

Since the incident of falling into the water last time, the two of them had not properly seen each other for some days.

Inside the carriage, Rong Yang sat to one side with a distant, cold expression, with no intention of speaking. Su Yao was also silent.

Was it a cold war? Naturally, it did not count as one. They simply had nothing to say to each other.

When Rong Yang arrived at the academy gate, it was still early, and not many people had come yet.

The moment Su Yao got off the carriage, she was about to walk straight toward the academy.

Chunxi leaned slightly closer to Rong Yang and reminded her softly, “Princess, the hidden guards reported that Rong Yuxi is also here.”

Rong Yang froze slightly. She had forgotten that troublemaker who feared the world was not chaotic enough. Although two of her fingers had been cut off, it was hard to say whether she would cause trouble for the female lead again.

“Stop.” Rong Yang spoke coldly, calling out to the person who was about to walk far away.

Su Yao looked back, lowering her lashes and avoiding meeting Rong Yang’s gaze, as if only this could lessen her disgust toward Rong Yang.

“I am going to find the academy head. Lead the way.”

Rong Yang stood before the academy gate, wearing a black gauze dress edged in gold. Her dark hair, black as a spring, was fastened with a crabapple flower buyao and hung behind her. Her skin was fair and delicate, glowing with a lustrous sheen beneath the sunlight.

“Just find any servant in the academy. They all know where the academy head’s pavilion is,” Su Yao said.

“I want you to lead the way. Do you not understand my words? Did you not say you would be an obedient princess consort?” Rong Yang’s brows were cold.