Chapter 4

As soon as Su Yao returned to Fanghua Hall, she ordered water to be prepared for a bath.

Submerging herself in the warm bathtub, the scent of that person’s touch finally disappeared from her body. The rising mist blurred her face.

Several days passed in succession. She had thought that after Rong Yang returned to the residence, she would make a huge fuss over her injury and trample Su Yao’s dignity beneath her feet. Unexpectedly, things on that side were unusually quiet.

Without Rong Yang’s disturbances, Su Yao also managed to calm down these past two days and continue reading.

Lanxin stood by her side serving her. These past few days had been a rare period of peace for master and servant. Sometimes, just thinking about it made Lanxin’s eyes turn red.

Although the Su residence could not compare to the powerful officials and nobles of the capital, Su Yao had still been raised delicately since childhood. Now that she had fallen into such a mire, who knew how much pain Miss felt inside?

Lanxin did not know that Su Yao had actually already grown used to it.

She could sleep even in a crude room. She could swallow food that was difficult to eat. She had merely lost the desire for food; eating was only for the sake of staying alive.

Early summer was rainy. The fine drizzle continued until noon without stopping.

“Miss, someone from that side came to invite you to the dining hall for a meal.” Lanxin’s eyes were full of worry.

The last time Rong Yang had said she was inviting Su Yao to dine was a year ago.

That madwoman had deliberately ordered the kitchen to prepare some sticky, mushy food, then forced Su Yao to taste it from her high and mighty position. After returning, Su Yao had vomited nonstop and suffered for a long time.

Su Yao put down her book and glanced at the rainwater dripping from the eaves.

“Let’s go.”

Just as she stepped out of the hall, muffled thunder sounded from the horizon.

Lanxin followed behind her, having already made up her mind. If that madwoman made things difficult for Miss, she would block in front of her no matter what.

After returning from Prince Jing’an’s residence, Rong Yang had been exhausted in both body and mind. Facing a woman who wanted to cut her into a thousand pieces while still having to put on an insufferably arrogant appearance in front of her was truly tiring.

These past few days, Rong Yang had nothing to do, so she strolled through the garden and admired the flowers. In her previous life, she had liked flowers most, but she had practically always been in the hospital, and the doctors had not allowed her to touch anything that had not been disinfected.

Today, the empress had sent someone from the palace with a message, asking Rong Yang and Su Yao to go to the palace tomorrow.

When Su Yao arrived at the dining hall, the woman seated in the main seat at the center stolen contentof the table did not lift her eyes. Her long hair fell loosely, covering her lowered gaze. Even without seeing her expression, one could still feel her arrogance and coldness.

The maid serving at the side carefully and attentively placed eating chopsticks, a bowl, and a spoon in front of Su Yao.

“Serve the meal,” Rong Yang ordered lightly.

The maid serving the dishes was extremely good at reading expressions. The moment Rong Yang lifted her eyes, she knew which dish Rong Yang wanted to eat.

Rong Yang ate elegantly. She was used to chewing slowly and carefully. When she lifted her eyes and looked at Su Yao, she saw that Su Yao had not touched any of the dishes the maid had served her.

In the original book, during the later stages, the female lead often suffered from stomach pain. The medical skills here were not as advanced as those in the real world, nor was there medicine capable of treating stomach pain. Every time her stomach hurt, she endured it by force. Of course, this debt was also counted against Rong Yang. Every time her stomach hurt, Su Yao’s hatred toward the original owner deepened another layer…

Rong Yang put down her chopsticks. The maids serving the dishes were so frightened that they hurriedly knelt on the ground.

“Princess Consort, are you dissatisfied with the dishes the maids served?” Rong Yang spoke with an imposing dignity that did not require anger.

Su Yao did not speak.

“Then let the princess consort’s personal maid serve the dishes. If the princess consort is still dissatisfied, drag her out and beat her to death with rods.”

With one light sentence, she easily decided another person’s life and death.

Su Yao’s fingers clenched until they turned white.

Unwillingly, she picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of meat from the plate in front of her, and placed it in her mouth.

It was not unpleasant to eat, nor did it have any strange smell.

Lanxin’s face was full of worry.

Su Yao gave Lanxin a look, indicating that it was fine and asking her to serve the dishes.

Lanxin observed carefully. Only after seeing which dishes Rong Yang had eaten did she feel at ease enough to pick them up and place them on Su Yao’s plate.

When dinner ended, although Su Yao had not eaten much, she had still eaten a little.

“Come with me to the palace tomorrow.”

Su Yao said coldly, “I don’t want to go.”

She hated Rong Yang, and she also hated every person and object by Rong Yang’s side.

Rong Yang gave a mocking laugh. “I am not asking for your opinion. You do not have the right to choose, Fifth Princess Consort. Tomorrow morning, I will wait for you.”

Her gaze looked at Su Yao like a blazing torch. As a Qianyuan, that gaze and pressure that left one with nowhere to hide made others fall silent.

For now, Su Yao could only accept it. She would endure. She had always been waiting for an opportunity—an opportunity to leave Rong Yang forever without letting her family be hurt. So she would not alert the enemy easily.

Rong Yang knew this very clearly.

“I understand.” Su Yao stood and angrily left with Lanxin.

However, in the original plot, the two of them had never gone to the palace together at this time. Without realizing it, she had changed the plot. She did not know whether it would have any effect.

“Chunxi, make arrangements for tomorrow morning,” Rong Yang instructed.

“Yes!” Chunxi lowered her head and accepted the order. Every time a message came from the palace inviting her to enter, the princess would angrily refuse. This time, the princess was willing to go to the palace. The empress should be very happy.

She and Xiaqing had originally received orders directly from the empress. When Rong Yang was five, they had been sent to protect Rong Yang by her side. At that time, they had been nine.

Early the next morning, the carriage from the Princess’s residence moved to the crisp sound of horse hooves, passing through bailiantales.com street after street in the capital before slowly stopping outside the palace gates.

The tassels hanging from the four corners of the carriage curtains swayed in the air, and the gorgeous carriage body drew many people to stop and watch.

At first, the imperial guards on duty outside the palace did not know whose carriage it was and stopped it for inspection. When they saw Chunxi take out the Fifth Princess’s token, they froze. It had been so long since the Fifth Princess had entered the palace that the imperial guards did not react immediately when they saw the token.

Rong Yang lifted the carriage curtain and glanced outside. The red dress embroidered with gold and adorned with jade, that beautiful and arrogant face, and those sharp peach blossom eyes made the imperial guards lower their heads and bow, not daring to look any longer. They hurriedly let them pass.

If they looked two more times, their eyes might have to move elsewhere…

The towering palace complex was magnificent and dazzling. Golden tiles and vermilion eaves stood solemn and majestic, rising and falling with imposing grandeur.

After they entered the palace, the empress sent soft sedan chairs to receive them.

The two of them waited for a while in the inner hall of Ningkun Palace before they were summoned.

The empress of the Kingdom of Yong was a Kunze, forty years old, and had given birth to two daughters. Her eldest daughter was the current Princess Royal, Rong Huan, while her second daughter was Rong Yang. Although she had given birth and was no longer young, she was naturally beautiful and well-maintained, looking no different from a woman of around thirty.

In the original book, the empress was skilled in power and strategy and controlled most of the government affairs of the Kingdom of Yong. However, the emperor had always wanted to take control of court politics into his own hands, so the two of them had always appeared harmonious on the surface while being divided at heart.

As the youngest princess, Rong Yang was also the empress’s last child. From birth, she had been deeply favored by both the emperor and empress. In addition, she possessed the most superior Qianyuan bloodline, so the empress valued her especially. In the ABO world, the scent released by Qianyuan could suppress Kunze, while the ​Read on BaiLianTales​scent of Kunze could suppress Zhongyong. A superior-grade Kunze could suppress an ordinary Qianyuan, and Su Yao was a superior-grade Kunze.

But what accompanied Rong Yang, besides her superior bloodline, was her violent temperament.

That temperament had also given the emperor and empress endless headaches. The emperor, in particular, was utterly disappointed in her. Later, he simply left her to her own devices. The empress would occasionally show concern, but she was too busy with political affairs and had no time to attend to so much.

Because it was summer, the empress wore a silver-white deep robe with a crossed collar. Mountains, rivers, dragons, and phoenixes were embroidered upon it, making it both gorgeous and solemn.

“This child greets Mother Empress!”

Rong Yang led Su Yao in bowing and kneeling together.

The empress sat in the main seat of the great hall. She gently raised her hand, her gaze both tender and dignified as she looked down at them.

“Rise. Grant them seats.”

Rong Yang and Su Yao slowly stood and sat on the right side.

The empress’s gentle gaze examined Rong Yang. Toward Su Yao, however, her expression was rather indifferent.

The female official following the empress stepped forward to pour tea.

“I heard you were injured?” The empress’s gentle and amiable voice sounded in the silent hall.

“It’s nothing. I’m already well.” Rong Yang replied lightly, her face without the slightest ripple.

The empress swept a glance over Rong Yang, a trace of expectation in her tone.

“That is good. Since you rarely come here, why not stay and have lunch together?”

Rong Yang originally wanted to refuse, but knowing the ending, she felt somewhat unable to bear it. In the original book, this empress’s ending had not been very good. Even at the moment of her death, she was still thinking about Rong Yang’s safety…

She nodded, which counted as agreeing.

Seeing that her daughter, who had been unwilling to be close to her for so long, was willing to stay for a meal, the empress’s mood relaxed considerably. Even Su Yao beside her looked slightly more pleasing to the eye.

“In a while, I will send someone to call Rong Huan over too. It has been a long time since the family sat together.”

“All right,” Rong Yang said.

Afterward, the empress and Rong Yang chatted about some family matters, and Rong Yang answered each one. Su Yao sat to the side, stolen content and no one knew whether she was listening or thinking about something else.

Very soon, this harmonious atmosphere was interrupted by Eunuch Xu, the chief eunuch. He said there was a memorial that required the empress to handle.

The empress gave a few instructions, telling Rong Yang and Su Yao to walk around, then led a group of people away.

Rong Yang felt it was boring to sit there. Since she had come to the palace, she planned to walk around and take a look.

Su Yao did not want to go, and Rong Yang did not say much. She left her in Ningkun Palace, adding a harsh sentence in passing.

“Wait here for me. Don’t wander around. Otherwise, you know the consequences.”

Rong Yang walked within the palace walls. The palace maids and eunuchs all lowered their heads and hurried along. When they saw Rong Yang, they bowed and paid respects, not daring to whisper at all.

As she walked, she arrived at the imperial garden.

All kinds of rare and exotic plants gave off fresh fragrances. Among them, a crabapple tree especially caught Rong Yang’s liking. She now knew what was missing from the garden in her residence.

Not far away, she saw an elegant and richly dressed woman ahead, surrounded by a crowd, leisurely feeding the fish in the imperial garden pond.

She seemed to be one of the consorts in the palace. Rong Yang did not want to look for trouble [stolen content]herself, so she took a detour to the other side.

An hour later, Rong Yang returned. It was not that she had finished touring the imperial garden, but that every time she walked a short distance, she would encounter a consort; after walking a bit farther, she would encounter another lady. She did not want to deal with those people too much, so she planned to return obediently to Ningkun Palace and wait for the empress.

When she came back, she saw that apart from a few on-duty maids and female officials, Su Yao, who should have been sitting there, was nowhere to be seen.

Where was the female lead? Where had she gone alone?

“Someone,” Rong Yang called with a frown.

“Princess.” The female official in the hall hurriedly stepped forward and bowed.

“Where is the Fifth Princess Consort?”

“The Princess Royal came. She and the Princess Royal went out.” Sensing Rong Yang’s displeasure, the female official answered carefully.

She went out with Rong Huan?

She wasn’t willing to go out with me?

In the original book, the two of them had not had much contact and did not know each other.

She was willing to bother with a woman she did not know, but she did not take my words seriously at all.

Rong Yang frowned. With a sweep of her sleeve, she sat down. In an instant, the air inside the hall turned cold and chilling. It was clearly already summer, yet it seemed as if they were in deep winter.

The female officials and maids inside the hall even softened their breathing. It was as if they saw the empress’s shadow in Rong Yang.

“Send people to find her!” Rong Yang’s voice was low and slow.

“Yes.” The female official hurriedly arranged for people to search.

Just as she was about to leave the hall, the female official saw Rong Huan and Su Yao returning. She immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

“What is this?” Rong Huan asked in confusion when she saw the female official looking hurried and preparing to lead people out.

Her figure was slender, and her white dress fluttered with the wind. She was noble and elegant, like an orchid and jade tree. Her skin was fair, her brows and eyes lively, her lips vivid red, and her eyes clear and bright as if holding a spring within them.

“Greetings, Princess Royal and Fifth Princess Consort.” The female official knelt and bowed, her voice especially loud.

Rong Huan was a Qianyuan of both virtue and talent, with a meticulous mind. She was also the empress’s most capable right-hand person in court. Her only shortcoming was that she was romantic and amorous. The book said that in her residence, read the original at bailiantales.comaside from her princess consort, she had also taken four or five women as concubines, and beauties had never stopped gathering by her side.

“The Fifth Princess ordered us servants to go find the Fifth Princess Consort.”

Rong Huan looked toward Rong Yang, who sat at the table without saying a word. She had understood this younger sister since childhood. Toward people or things that belonged to her, Rong Yang had an extremely strong desire for control. She was surely angry about Su Yao leaving Ningkun Palace. Rong Huan deliberately put on a serious tone.

“Rong Yang, it has been so long since we last met, and now you are unwilling even to acknowledge this Sister?”

Only then did Rong Yang stand and walk forward.

“Greetings, Eldest Sister.”

Among the five princesses, Rong Yang was the youngest. She was unwilling to call the others Sister, but Rong Huan was the one exception.

“All right, don’t be angry. When I entered the hall, I happened to see that your princess consort’s clothes had been wet by tea, so I took it upon myself to bring her to the side hall to change.”

Rong Huan walked straight forward, her words carrying an unquestionable tone.

“I understand, Eldest Sister.”

Su Yao could not help sneering inwardly. This whole family was exactly the same. They always liked forcing their own thoughts onto others.

The place where the tea had spilled did not affect anything. It would have been perfectly fine not to change clothes, yet Rong Huan insisted that she go change.

“Sit,” Rong Huan said.

Her casual words nevertheless made people unable to disobey.

As the Princess Royal, among the princesses, although Rong Huan was gentle and generous, she possessed an extremely strong deterrent force. Sometimes, the original owner would not listen to the empress, but she would not refuse Rong Huan’s words. Perhaps it was bloodline suppression…

Rong Yang silently returned to her original seat. Su Yao also sat beside her.

“You rarely enter the palace today. You are not allowed to anger Mother Empress, and you are even less allowed to cause trouble.” Rong Huan sat opposite Rong Yang. Without lifting her eyes, she lightly tasted the tea on the table.

“Mm,” Rong Yang answered. From the corner of her eye, she looked at the female officials and maids still kneeling at the doorway.

“Pour tea.”

The female official immediately led the maids to stand and refill the tea for them.

Suddenly, a crying voice came from outside the hall.

“Wuwuwu, Rong Huan…”

The voice was wronged and delicate, like honey beneath the sun, making one’s heart inexplicably sweet. She was crying, yet her crying did not irritate people.

A seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl ran in and stepped into the great hall.

Her face was charming and adorable, and the pair of crabapple flower buyao hairpins in her glossy black hair drew the eye.

Hearing the voice, Rong Huan said helplessly, “No sense of seniority or propriety. What kind of behavior is it to cry like this?”

Jiang He’s crying stopped immediately, and she muttered to herself, “I just like calling your name.”

Only after walking in did she notice that there were other people in the hall. She focused her gaze.

“Rong Yang?” Jiang He seemed somewhat puzzled. “Why are you here?”

“Why can’t I be here?” Rong Yang said carelessly.

Jiang He was the daughter of the empress’s elder brother from her natal family. She was around the same age as Rong Yang. Since childhood, the two of them had been ​stolen content​incompatible. Whenever they met, they either mocked each other coldly or fought to determine a winner.

Rong Yang could not stand Jiang He’s delicate manner, and Jiang He could not stand Rong Yang’s arrogance.

But there was one thing: Rong Huan was unexpectedly especially tolerant toward this younger cousin who was not her blood sister.

Those who did not know might even think there was something between the two of them.

Rong Huan rubbed her forehead. These two had not seen each other for so long, yet the moment they met, they were still at each other’s throats.

Jiang He stepped forward and sat intimately beside Rong Huan, grabbing her sleeve with an expression as if she was about to cry.

“If you were coming to Aunt’s place, why didn’t you bring me with you?”

“Stop making trouble. You should properly greet the Fifth Princess and Fifth Princess Consort,” Rong Huan said helplessly.

“Fifth Princess Consort?” Jiang He caught the part she wanted to hear and turned her gaze toward the woman sitting beside Rong Yang.

“So the one you married is actually such a beauty… Rong Yang, your romantic fortune isn’t shallow. This bestowed marriage must suit your wishes very well, right?” Jiang He sneered.

The common people did not know, but they knew very well that Rong Yang had been extremely dissatisfied with this imperial [bailiantales.com]decree of marriage. Because of it, she had not entered the palace for a long time.

Before Jiang He’s words had even finished, Rong Huan tugged at her sleeve. Rong Yang had finally come to Kunning Palace once. She could not let Jiang He anger her into leaving…

Rong Yang raised her eyes, turned her head slightly, lifted her brows faintly, and said coldly, “Of course. If you envy me, I can go ask Mother Empress to issue a marriage decree for you.”

Hearing this, Jiang He’s expression changed.

“But whoever marries a mad, rude, and ordinary-looking woman like you would truly be suffering one misfortune after another.” Rong Yang continued mocking her.

“You… No matter who marries me, it would still be better than marrying a heartless and cold-blooded person like you!” Jiang He stood up and said angrily to Rong Yang.

“Heh. Who would want to marry you?” Rong Yang snorted coldly.

Jiang He glanced at Rong Huan and was about to speak again.

“Enough!” Rong Huan slapped the table angrily. “Both of you, be quiet for a while.”