Chapter 19: Marriage as a Transaction?
Yu Shengsheng looked up, her eyes widened, and went to look in the brazier regardless of anything.
It was given to her by Grandma Wu, who had personally put the ring on her head, given her a coming-of-age gift, and spoken words of blessing to her.
"Miss!" Mrs. Zhou called out in a low voice.
Yu Shengsheng seemed not to hear it and searched in the thick dust with her hands.
After burning paper money all night, there were still sparks in the ashes, which burned Yu Shengsheng's tender white fingertips and instantly formed blisters.
She seemed unaware of the pain, found the hairpin and held it tightly in her hand.
Ru Jian frowned: "That was the weapon that killed Snowball, it should be buried with Snowball."
Yu Shengsheng tightened her fingers, her knuckles turning white. "Please show some mercy, Princess, and leave the hairpin to me. I promise not to wear it and will not let it appear in front of you again."
Su Zhiyi clasped her hands together and placed them lightly on her knees: "So, what do you plan to exchange with me, sister?"
Yu Shengsheng thought for a moment and said, "Anything in my room, no, in the courtyard, as long as the princess likes it, is fine."
"I remember you had several carved rabbits, jade, sandalwood, and one made of white jade inlaid with rubies."
When Yu Shengsheng came back from counting rabbits, she inadvertently mentioned that she had never celebrated her birthday in thirteen years. Su Yanshu was so distressed that the next day he collected all kinds of rabbits in the capital for her, even more than a dozen live rabbits of different breeds.
If the old lady hadn't strongly opposed it, saying that rabbits have a strong smell and give her a headache when she smells them, and hadn't allowed me to raise one, maybe I would have raised several litters.
They can’t be kept alive, so there are all kinds of them, including wood carvings, stone carvings, and those made of gold and silver. Su Yanshu gave Yu Shengsheng a total of thirteen.
One of them was made by a master sculptor. It is made of smooth white jade and inlaid with a pair of ruby eyes, which looks lifelike.
Yu Shengsheng couldn't put them down. She placed them beside her bed and played with them every night before going to bed.
Su Zhiyi also counted rabbits and once asked Yu Shengsheng for the white jade rabbit, but Yu Shengsheng did not agree.
Su Zhiyi suggested exchanging it for a piece of fine moonlight brocade. Yu Shengsheng said that it was a gift from her second brother as a birthday gift for her. It was extremely precious and could not be replaced by any amount of money.
Later, Su Yanshu gave Su Zhiyi a set of twelve zodiac animals inlaid with gold and jade, and Su Dingqin gave her a set of riding clothes and deerskin boots, and the matter was resolved.
Now, Su Zhiyi brought it up again.
Outside the courtyard gate, Su Yanshu paused.
He also recalled the past, the white jade rabbit that had troubled his two younger sisters, and Yu Shengsheng's timid yet determined look as she held the rabbit tightly.
A small voice said that it was the gift from the second brother, extremely precious and priceless.
He unconsciously raised the corners of his mouth.
"good."
His smile froze, and he thought he had misheard, then he heard Yu Shengsheng's voice again in the yard.
Clearly, every word hit his heart.
"Okay, there are thirteen of them, including the white jade rabbit. Princess, you can choose whatever you want. You can take all of them, but just leave this plain silver hairpin to me."
Su Zhiyi was slightly surprised: "Are you really willing to give it up? You once said that it was Second Brother's intention and it would be worth a fortune."
"Now, just for this silver hairpin that a servant once wore?"
"Please help me, Princess."
Yu Shengsheng's words were like a slap in the face, hitting Su Yanshu loudly.
He really couldn't believe that these words were said by Yu Shengsheng.
How could she? How could she!
"The Confucian Sword, go get it."
Rujian entered the house, and Ruzhu led the way in front, helping to turn out all the rabbits for Rujian to take away.
Su Yanshu couldn't bear it any longer, so he strode into the courtyard. He saw the white jade rabbit in Ru Jian's hand. The ruby eyes seemed to be smiling mockingly.
Su Yanshu snatched it away and threw it heavily to the ground.
With a crisp "bang", the white jade rabbit was smashed into pieces!
"Su Shengsheng, you don't deserve it."
Su Yanshu looked at her blistered fingers and paused for a moment, but still reached out his hand: "Give it to me."
Yu Shengsheng looked haggard and clenched the hairpin tightly.
Su Zhiyi pursed her lips slightly, watched quietly, and said nothing.
She had been practicing martial arts since she was a child and had a good hearing. When she asked that question just now, she had already heard Su Yanshu coming.
"I said, bring it here."
"Second Master, why do you have to make trouble for a hairpin?" Yu Shengsheng bowed, "Please help me, Second Master."
Su Yanshu sneered and snatched the hairpin away. The tip of the hairpin scratched the blister on her hand, causing her to tremble in pain.
Su Yanshu continued to move, opened the coffin lid and threw the hairpin in: "She should be buried with Snowball."
"If you don't accept, Old Lady Wu can be buried with you."
Yu Shengsheng pursed her lips and swallowed her words.
Su Yanshu glanced at her hand and said, "Remember, you asked for it."
He turned around and walked in front of Su Zhiyi again, squatted down and said softly: "Don't be afraid, Yi, I will give you a few more beautiful and fun rabbits."
Su Zhiyi nodded: "I'll listen to my second brother."
Su Yanshu felt extremely comforted. As expected, the sister he raised since childhood was different.
"Knowing the meaning!"
A voice came from the gate of the courtyard, and before the person arrived, a faster shadow came like wind and lightning.
Before he could see clearly, Yu Shengsheng had already stepped back instinctively. His face turned pale and bloodless. He did not care about the pain in his hand and subconsciously grabbed Madam Zhou's arm tightly. His whole body was tense and goose bumps appeared on every inch of his skin.
A large dog rushed in front of Su Zhiyi, supporting itself on the ground with its powerful claws. Its fur was shiny and its fangs were sharp enough to easily bite through a person's throat.
"Shuangbai? Why is it you?" Su Zhiyi was delighted and patted the dog's head.
She clapped her hands a few times, and the dog seemed to get the command and turned to look at Yu Shengsheng.
Yu Shengsheng stepped back in fear, her whole body stiff, and Jin Baobao stood in front of her.
"Miss, don't be afraid. I can kill two of these beasts by myself."
Shen Zhiyuan said angrily, "How dare you! Yu Shengsheng, not only did you kill Xueqiu, you also want to indulge this bitch to be rude to Shuangbai?"
Su Yanshu frowned slightly when he saw Yu Shengsheng standing there like a fool, with lips trembling and not daring to speak.
"Shen Zhiyuan, Shengsheng killed Xueqiu. I asked her to keep vigil for Xueqiu for one night. The matter is now over."
Shen Zhiyuan was also stunned, surprised by this punishment.
He glanced at the dog mourning hall and the coffin and snorted coldly: "That's better."
"Your bloodthirsty nature is a good match for Kong Dezhao."
Su Yanshu looked unhappy: "What nonsense are you talking about? Kong Dezhao is the prince of Nanshun. What does Shengsheng have to do with him?"
"I heard from my father that Kong Dezhao is going to Beijing to collect this season's military pay, rations, and weapons, but why would a prince like him need to come in person?"
Shen Zhiyuan glanced at Yu Shengsheng: "He came to Beijing just for a blind date."
Yu Shengsheng's face was as white as paper. She was wearing a white dress and had her black hair tied up lightly. She looked surprisingly beautiful.
Shen Zhiyuan suppressed the unspeakable throbbing in his heart, thinking that Kong Dezhao had gotten away with it.
Yu Shengsheng pulled out a strand of rationality from her panic: "Blind date? What does it have to do with me?"
How could she marry someone else?
She has someone she loves and cherishes, and she also wants to escape from the Su family and be with him.
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