Chapter 14 Setting a Trap to Join the Party
Suddenly, Madam Wen laughed. Zhang Mama, understanding, quickly helped her up, saying, "The old lady is just joking with you."
“We’re all on the same side. Since Ningxiang is her good sister, she’s naturally one of us at Zhuyuan. As long as you’re loyal, you’ll get your share of the benefits.”
Yuanxiang, remembering Ningxiang's usual lavish spending, reddened her eyes and nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Fortune favors the bold; the daring get rich while the timid starve!
Lady Crown Prince, please don't blame me!
Madam Wen gave Zhang Mama a look, and the latter understood, asking in a guiding tone, "The old lady is concerned about the young master and his wife, that's why she summoned you here for questioning, do you understand?"
Yuanxiang was taken aback, then immediately realized: "This servant knows that the old lady is kind-hearted and does all this for the good of the young master!"
Zhang Mama nodded with a smile, took out a silver coin and stuffed it into her hand: "Then why don't you talk to the old lady properly!"
"Sigh!" Yuanxiang's eyes flashed with greed as she took the silver nude and began to touch it incessantly.
Wen was very satisfied with her greedy and unseemly behavior; as long as she was greedy enough, she could control her!
Yuanxiang had been keeping a close eye on the movements at Jingxin Garden today in order to defect, and now she was talking animatedly.
"Today, the Third Young Master and the Fourth Young Master were scolded by the Madam for not studying properly at the academy. She even threatened to send them to the border to become soldiers!"
Madam Wen narrowed her eyes, her gaze venomous: "Absurd! How can the sons of our Su family become common soldiers? This Madam Yun is simply muddle-headed, does she really think everyone wants to be like her brute father and brothers!"
Yuanxiang nodded in agreement, praising Madam Wen: "There's something even worse. Not only did Madam frighten the two young masters, but she also didn't take the young master seriously."
She blushed slightly as she thought of the handsome, refined, and talented Crown Prince. She also felt that Yun Shi's usual attitude towards the Crown Prince was unfair, and her words conveyed a sense of indignation on behalf of the Crown Prince.
"The young master has been busy for several days and finally managed to come, but the madam still complained that he talked too much! She directly ordered her head maid to shut him up. That night, she even prepared a whole duck feast to humiliate him!"
Yuanxiang looked sad and tried to get close to Wen Shi, but was scared away by a look from her.
She puffed out her cheeks, feigning innocence: "Madam, you are the young master's mother, how can you allow the madam to treat the young master like this!"
Madam Wen snorted, "I do feel sorry for my son. This Yun family comes from a military family, yet she doesn't know how to be considerate of her husband. It's a pity my son has no one by his side."
As if suddenly remembering something, she sat up with the help of Granny Zhang and carefully examined Yuanxiang. This seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl was fresh-faced and, although her appearance was average, she could still be described as cute.
"I think you're quite good-looking and clever. My son is missing a lovely lady like you to keep him company."
Yuanxiang lowered her head shyly, just missing the fleeting sarcasm in Wen's eyes.
"However, Lady Yun is jealous, and the young master is kept under her watchful eye. If you want her to relent, you'll have to find a reason." Lady Wen hinted to Yuanxiang, "I think you're a good one too. If you're willing to wait for the opportunity to have the young master elevate you to the position of concubine, you'll be a proper mistress, which is much better than having to carefully serve Lady Yun."
Yuanxiang had come for wealth and status, and after hearing what Wen said, she was indeed tempted.
Becoming a concubine means becoming the mistress; if she were to give birth to a young master, her future would be secure.
Yuanxiang smiled, pursing her lips: "This servant will obey the old lady's every command!"
When Wen saw the fish take the bait, she laughed heartily: "Good, good, good!"
That would be wonderful if we listened to her completely!
Yuanxiang was unaware that she had fallen into the trap set by the Wen family, still dreaming of becoming Su Junyao's concubine. After being reprimanded, she returned to Jingxin Garden in the dark.
After Yuanxiang left, and with no one around, Madam Wen kept turning the prayer beads in her hand. After reciting a passage from the Diamond Sutra, she slowly opened her eyes: "Is everything settled?"
Granny Zhang: "You can rest assured, Madam. Granny Qin's youngest son is in our hands; she can only die. It's just that this Ningxiang girl is clever enough to leak information to Yuanxiang."
She sought out Ningxiang to leave herself a way out, thinking that if something happened, someone would expose the old lady's affair for her.
She never expected that she would treat Yuanxiang as a sister, but Yuanxiang would treat her as a stepping stone.
Granny Qin had already prepared an excuse to take the blame herself. She and Madam Yun already had a falling out over the family's silver, and she could simply insist that the poison in the tonic was something she harbored and wanted to kill Madam Yun out of spite. As for where Ningxiang's powder came from, only the person who put it there would know.
"Both mother and daughter are dead, so there's no way to verify the facts."
Madam Wen nodded, doing ruthless things while pretending to be kind. "Amitabha. Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life. Please comfort Granny Qin's family and don't let them cause any trouble."
"I understand."
"Also, send some silver to Xiulan. It's tough for her, a woman raising a child alone in the capital." Madam Wen felt sorry for her niece and complained repeatedly about Madam Yun's jealousy. "Xiulan and Yao'er are childhood sweethearts, deeply in love. Madam Yun is so clueless!"
Zhang Mama lowered her head and smiled obsequiously, saying that they were a good match, but she didn't understand why their matriarch insisted that the young master marry a woman whose husband had died and who had a child with him.
Su Junyao had no idea that his mother had tricked him. He grabbed two juicy duck legs and headed home.
Chiu Chiu must love her loving father very much!
Chiu Chiu felt her saliva flowing freely, and her little nose made a "plop plop" sound.
Yun Jinglan was both annoyed and amused; she had never seen a little child with such a temper. She glared angrily at the culprit, "She can't eat it anyway, why did you buy it to tempt her?"
"And you two," Yun Jinglan pointed to the two brothers who were munching on duck legs next to Qiuqiu's cradle in front of her, "Stop teasing your little sister, go eat outside!"
The twins pretended not to hear, and somehow managed to make the ordinary duck leg taste like a delicacy.
Chiu Chiu's face turned bright red from holding it in. She hated that she didn't have any teeth!
[Oh my god, where is the sibling love we were promised? Where is the father-daughter bond we were promised? And where is Qiuqiu's roast duck leg?]
If I stand idly by today, and disaster befalls me one day, who will offer me a hot meal then?
[Rebel, Su Qiuqiu, you must rebel! For duck leg freedom, fight to the death!]
Chiu Chiu clenched her little fists and snapped angrily.
She was still a baby, and her threat to her two older brothers was less than a glance from her father.
Su Junyao originally intended to let Qiuqiu smell the two duck legs before letting his wife taste them, but his two sons intercepted them.
Seeing his daughter's eyes red with anger, he quickly hugged her and coaxed her softly, "Sweetie, Daddy will give you something delicious when you're a little older, okay?"
"You mustn't cry, or you won't be the prettiest little fish anymore."
Su Jingwen looked like he'd seen a ghost. Had his father gone mad?
Suddenly even the duck legs smelled delicious.
Seeing the stunned look on his third brother's face, Su Junyao glanced at the two brothers and said something colder than the heaviest snowfall of the year: "Tomorrow I will personally take you to the academy and discuss your studies with your teacher."
The twins were terrified and immediately held up a duck leg to Chiu Chiu, saying, "Give it to Chiu Chiu!"
“Father, we were wrong. We shouldn’t have teased our little sister. We’ll find any kind of leg for her, let alone duck legs. Please don’t go to the academy.”
If you're unhappy, then Chiu Chiu will be happy.
Hehe, silly brother, you're about to be sent home by the teacher!
With the prophecy of the Cloud Pearl Tower in mind, Su Junyao became unusually concerned about the strange and unusual things that Qiuqiu sometimes said.
Upon hearing this, the tiger's eyes widened, startling the twins so much that their legs trembled. They quickly looked to their mother for help.
Yun Jinglan ignored it, simply smoothed her stray hairs, and said calmly, "If you can't stay at the academy, go to Wangyun Pass and seek refuge with your elder brother."
Twins: "!!!"
Chirp is talking nonsense!
(End of this chapter)
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