Zhou Gu didn’t know whether the emperor would be lenient with Su Rong, but she was certain that the Crown Prince, Yan Huisheng, would not allow the emperor to take things lightly.
On her journey to the Capital City, she encountered countless assassination attempts. After she arrived, there were even more attempts on her life. Using herself as a target, she stirred up all the major households in the city to create chaos for Yan Huisheng to break. A tiny misstep would have been fatal to her, and Yan Huisheng wouldn’t have gotten off lightly either. At this point, every move she made was calculated and Yan Huisheng’s cooperation was seamless. The Eastern Palace was lit up every night, and she knew very well how much energy and effort it had exhausted from both of them.
That’s why Yan Huisheng would never back down at this point without taking a big bite out of the juicy opportunity before him.
He had been secretive and patient for many years, not to remain so, but to eventually strike with a blade that remained sharp even in its sheath. Now was the moment for that sharp blade to be drawn.
Even if the emperor were the sky itself, the Crown Prince could be the sword that could pierce a hole in it. From this night onward, the emperor would no longer be able to suppress the Crown Prince. The Prince would not hold his silence any longer.
However, this is not enough. To just suppress everything is not the goal; to annihilate everything, now that is the goal.
So, Su Rong felt that she still needed to stay in the capital city of Daliang for some time to help Yan Huisheng clear all obstacles. Once she returned to Nanchu, Yan Huisheng would be free to help her, becoming her strongest supporter.
When she returned home, all the lights were on. Upon opening the door and entering the house, she saw the lady of the house waiting for her at the table.
She was surprised, "Mother, why have you not gone to rest?"
"I’m not tired. I wanted to wait for you," the lady responded casually. "Mrs. Shen has arranged for a courtyard for me, but I said I wanted to live with you. Your sisters have gone to sleep."
Su Rong let out a sigh, and cheerfully said, "Mother, you must have missed me."
The lady snorted, "Who missed you? Don’t flatter yourself."
Su Rong chuckled, "Playing hard to get."
The lady glared at her fiercely.
Su Rong asked, "What about Nurse Zhao and Yuewan? Are they okay?"
"They’re alright. Those people didn’t kill anyone. They just kidnapped us. They are either on their way back or still on the road," the lady replied.
Su Rong nodded, "Their unwillingness to kill is not due to their kindness, but out of fear of provoking me."
The lady nodded in agreement, looked at her, and asked, "What’s going on between you and Zhou Gu?"
Su Rong knew she would be asked this. As she undressed, she said, "There is no issue. He used to be the Crown Prince’s tutor. Now he naturally helps the Crown Prince. It was Zhou Gu who went into the palace tonight to see the Emperor. Although we broke off our engagement, it doesn’t mean we are mortal enemies. We have no choice but to get along. After all, we are both helping the Crown Prince. We are in this together."
The lady of the house looked at her skeptically and said bluntly, "You might not have come out of my belly, but I’ve watched you grow up. I know how sly you can be. Just tell me the truth, are you not being honest about your feelings for Zhou Gu?"
Su Rong turned around and gave the lady a look, "Mother, where did you get the idea that I’m not being honest?"
The lady humphed, "From the way Zhou Gu treats you."
Su Rong chuckled, sat down, and prepared to confront the issue, "Mother, Zhou Gu’s attitude toward me? What about his attitude made you think that I’m being dishonest?"
The lady of the house looked at her, intending to have a serious discussion with her, "Given your temperament, if you truly wish to sever ties with him, every aspect of your life should exclude his involvement. If you decide to cut ties completely, there will be no room for negotiation."
"That doesn’t count," Su Rong shook her head, "Just because the engagement is broken off, that doesn’t make us mortal enemies."
The lady of the house scoffed, "Tianzhen, how many people who have called off their engagements behave as peacefully as you two? They may not be mortal enemies, but they certainly become strangers. Even I, in Jiangning County, have heard that when his fever would not subside, you rushed hundreds of miles in the deep night to save him. Covered in blood, you reached the Capital City and barged into the Duke Residence, snatching him from the jaws of death."
Feeling helpless, Su Rong responded, "When it comes to life and death, regardless of our broken engagement, I couldn’t just stand by and watch him die."
The lady of the house poked her forehead firmly, stating bluntly, "Your words might deceive others, but not me. Be honest, do you still have feelings for him?"
Su Rong rested her head on the table, quietly reminding her, "Mother, you came to the Capital City, albeit forcibly brought here, to see my sisters and Guixue. You didn’t come to dissect my heart to see if it’s red or black."
The lady of the house merely stared at her, her gaze seeming to say, "I dare you to come up with a more inventive answer."
Su Rong smiled wryly and decided to be straightforward, "Regardless of how I feel about Zhou Gu, what does it matter? After all, I’m the one who called off our engagement. Moreover, I have accepted Ye Guixue’s betrothal gifts and agreed to our marriage. These are the facts. It was a decision I made, for better or worse."
The lady of the house choked, momentarily speechless.
Su Rong sighed and patted her hand, "Mother, Guixue is truly wonderful. Once you see him, you’ll know. I chose a very suitable son-in-law for you. Once you meet him, you’ll realize that he’s the one who ends up at a disadvantage by marrying me."
The lady of the house grumbled, "At least you’re aware. Even I, stuck out in Jiangning County, have heard of the brilliance and talent of Ye Xiang’s Residence’s second young master. Back when you were diving into rivers to catch fish, climbing mountains to catch birds, and fighting to the point of being covered in wounds, sobbing and seeking my help to vent your frustrations, what were you worth? Naturally, you weren’t worthy of him."
Su Rong: "..."
Is this not how a mother should be? Ruthlessly deriding her child without any hesitation.
When Su Rong fell silent, the lady of the house glared at her, "Even if you have cancelled your engagement with Zhou Gu, you should not have accepted Ye Guixue so quickly. Sure, he might be a good man, but if you still have Zhou Gu in your heart, you should not have accepted Ye Guixue before moving on. Today, I saw the longing in Zhou Gu’s eyes for you, it’s clear he has yet to get over you. Aren’t you creating a mess?"
Su Rong sat upright and answered seriously, "Mother, I am not messing around. Even if I had some slight feelings for Zhou Gu back when I was in Jiangning County, for the sake of my future and his prospects, I don’t think my choice was wrong. How valuable is romantic love? You told me it’s not worth mentioning. I truly wasn’t expecting him to be unable to let me go. I thought Zhou Gu, a proud and prosperous man from the Duke Residence, and so accomplished from his time as a companion reader in the Eastern Palace, would not be a blank sheet of paper that accepts the first person who makes a mark on it. If that were the case, he should have chosen Duanhua. But I appear to have overestimated him and underestimated myself. As things stand now, if he can’t let me go, I have to share some of the responsibility. I thought it would be best for both of us, but if he’s not doing well, naturally I can’t just stand by and ignore it."
Su Rong sighed, recalling the scene in front of Fan Yu’s house earlier today. Remembering Zhou Gu’s condition and what he had said to her, her temples began to throb again, she admitted: "You’re right in criticizing me, I was impulsive. But I’ve been targeted for assassination since I was young, the situation in Nanchu is unfavorable, the Nangong family reigns supreme, and the royal family of Nanchu is also not easy to deal with. The support of the Ye Xiang Residence and the control of a hundred thousand soldiers can save me a lot of effort. The key is Ye Guixue himself, the son-in-law groomed by the Nanchu King for me. I genuinely admire him, and I’m willing to have him as my king’s husband. Therefore, there wasn’t much to hesitate about at the start, any hesitations would’ve indicated disrespect to my status as the Nanchu Princess."
She massaged her temples, "Mother, I am the Nanchu Princess. In the future, I’ll take over the Nanchu King’s position and govern Nanchu. The livelihood of the country’s people rests on my shoulders. Dawei is lurking and ready to pounce. A war with Daliang and Nanchu is inevitable. In light of the overall situation, what value do personal feelings hold? In comparison to my status, with control over Nanchu and the nation’s fortune, what value does romantic love hold? In comparison to Zhou Gu, who has a promising future as an influential minister guiding the crowned prince of Daliang, what value does a fragment of affection hold?"
She let go of her hand, looking at the lady of the house, "Mother, the act of choosing is just a thought. Criticizing me now is of no use, till today, I do not regret my decision."
The lady of the house softened her expression, her tone became more gentle, "I’m not criticizing you. Given what you said, one cannot say your choice was wrong. But speaking from experience, I know that things aren’t always as they seem."
"You think romantic love doesn’t amount to much because you’ve never lost at it." The lady of the house sighed lightly. "Nevertheless, there’s no point in discussing it now. Seeing as you’ve chosen Ye Guixue, it would be better to maintain some distance from Zhou Gu. If you wanted to quickly cut ties, don’t soften your approach afterwards."
Su Rong nodded, pondering in silence. She wanted to keep her distance, but didn’t expect that due to circumstances, they ended up neither too close nor too far. Saving a person’s life isn’t easy, but destroying a person’s psyche is incredibly simple. She wanted him to be okay, but if he didn’t think the same...
What could she do?
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