Know
Shangguan Zeyu knew perfectly well who had harmed Jiang Yan, but considering some sensitive matters, he did not immediately hold Xiao Yiqing and Wu Lanyu accountable, and instead kept delaying.
Wu Lanyu noticed that Wang Qianqian was deliberately distancing herself from her and Xiao Yiqing, so she went to find her in the evening when Shangguan Zeyu took her back to Lanhuayu.
On the fifteenth, the weather cleared up again, and the moon was as bright as a large bronze mirror, hanging high in the night sky, illuminating every corner of the earth.
Wang Qianqian sat opposite the crabapple tree in the courtyard, playing the pipa.
The moonlight shone on her, casting long shadows of her and the pipa in her hands.
She noticed someone approaching and stopped.
"Sister, you seem to be in high spirits. What tune are you playing? I don't think I've ever heard it before." Accompanied by Qingmei, Wu Lanyu walked through the small gate of the fence.
Wang Qianqian remained expressionless as she watched her approach step by step.
“Since Sister Wu doesn’t like playing instruments, she naturally hasn’t heard of it.”
Wu Lanyu smiled, her eyes crinkling, "What have you been busy with these past few days, sister? You haven't come to see your younger sister at all." She sat down on the chair that Liu Ying had brought out, right across from Wang Qianqian.
"What have you been busy with lately, Sister Wu? What brings you to Begonia Garden today?" Wang Qianqian asked politely with a smile, handing the pipa to Liuying.
“Good sister, do you really not know?” Wu Lanyu looked at her with a meaningful look in her eyes.
Wang Qianqian remained serious: "What is it? I really don't know."
Wu Lanyu knew perfectly well that she was lying, but she didn't point it out. She just chuckled and said...
"I told you that you should visit your younger sister more often so you can get the latest news. Sigh! It's nothing really, it's just that that bitch Liu Ruyi is in trouble again!" He leaned closer to admire her bright red fingernails by the moonlight.
Wang Qianqian glanced at her quietly for a few moments, then gave a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.
"You did this?"
"How could that be? Do you think I have that kind of ability, sister?" Wu Lanyu smiled broadly, looking genuinely innocent.
But Wang Qianqian had known her for a long time, so she wouldn't believe what she said.
"Sister Wu, Consort Liu is not to the Prince as important as Shen Qianqian. Have you not considered the consequences of your disrespectful behavior?"
"Hmph! What will happen? What do you think my sister should do?" Wu Lanyu said angrily.
Wang Qianqian smiled apologetically and said softly, "Sister Wu, we're sisters, so let me give you some advice: if you're going to compete for the emperor's favor, then compete for it. Don't do things that harm others and don't benefit yourself. Otherwise, when the prince has had enough and settles all the old scores, who can protect you, sister?"
Wu Lanyu grinned maliciously as she looked at her.
"Sister, you're so strange! Where did you go, the one who was so eager to win favor and dragged her younger sister along?"
Wang Qianqian leaned back in her chair, smiling as she looked at the large moon hanging in the distant sky, and said.
"People always change. My sister doesn't want a life full of intrigue and backstabbing; she just wants to live a peaceful life."
Wu Lanyu sighed with regret, "But sister, you're already on the ship, how can you just get off like that?"
Wang Qianqian's face instantly darkened.
Seeing this change in her expression, Wu Lanyu curled her lips in disdain and said.
"The prince asked my sister many questions today, and my sister told me everything that the princess had asked us sisters to do."
"You...you...you're so confused!!!" Wang Qianqian was immediately shocked and turned to look at her, her eyes filled with anger and disbelief.
"The younger sister isn't confused at all! On the contrary, she feels that her chance with her older sister has come!!"
Wang Qianqian sneered, looking at her as if she were an idiot, and said.
"Wu Lanyu! I, Wang Qianqian, have never realized you were so stupid!! Are you trying to kill me?!"
Wu Lanyu wasn't angry at her insults. Instead, she smiled sweetly and said, "Sister, my dear sister, let me analyze this first before you start cursing!"
Wang Qianqian gave her a cold look and turned away.
Wu Lanyu: "Sister, don't you think about it? The Princess Consort harmed Shen Qianqian, and now she has harmed Consort Liu, as well as those other ladies before. Does the Prince not know the truth? The Prince's mind is as clear as a mirror, but he has been holding back because of the situation."
Although Wang Qianqian didn't turn to look at her, her suddenly bright eyes showed that she strongly agreed with what Wu Lanyu said.
"Sister, have you heard about what's been happening in the court lately?"
I've heard a little about it.
"I bet you know, sister," Wu Lanyu said, looking at her with an air of knowing everything. "Prince Su and the Prime Minister are so close! They're always hanging around the Empress Dowager, what are they doing? You must know, sister, right?"
Wang Qianqian didn't say anything, but her sharp eyes stared at her with a warning.
Wu Lanyu still smiled innocently.
"Good sister, do you really think your little sister is an idiot? That she doesn't know anything?"
"...When did you find out?"
"Don't worry about that. Just know that you're on Prince Su's side, and that's enough!"
The sinister look in Wang Qianqian's eyes suddenly deepened.
But Wu Lanyu saw it all, yet she wasn't afraid at all, and even smiled slightly.
"Sister, are you still thinking about killing someone to cover your tracks? Aren't you even thinking about how to save your own life?"
Why do you say that?
"Sister, think about it! The Emperor is the Emperor after all. Even if the Empress Dowager wants to side with Prince Su, do you think the civil and military officials, the other princes, especially our Prince Duan, will agree? Their defeat is a foregone conclusion!!!"
Wang Qianqian's eyes dimmed slightly.
Wu Lanyu proudly added, "Look at my father. He saw through the political landscape early on and only has eyes for the current emperor. So the prince won't touch my father, and therefore he won't touch me! So sister, follow me, and I'll keep you alive."
Wang Qianqian scoffed and gave a cold laugh.
“Good sister, ‘When you walk by the river, you’re bound to get your shoes wet.’ Since you know so much, haven’t you ever considered that the prince is not someone who can be threatened? Haven’t you ever thought that one day, when your father is no longer of value, the prince will settle all your old scores with you?”
Wu Lanyu, however, remained completely unfazed: "I really hadn't thought of that! But now that you've mentioned it, I suddenly realize that I should hurry up and gain the Prince's exclusive favor, so that this outcome won't happen!"
Wang Qianqian laughed at her for being arrogant and lacking self-awareness.
Wu Lanyu wasn't angry; she maintained a faint smile and said...
"The older sister and younger sister are now in the same boat! The older sister can't help but want to be with the younger sister!!"
Wang Qianqian turned away again, not looking at her.
Wu Lanyu smiled and gently clapped her hands, as if brushing off something dirty, then stood up, looked at her again, and said.
"In two or three days, or at most ten days, the Prince will definitely summon you for questioning. Sister, think it through these next few days." With a smile, she left.
Not long after Wu Lanyu left, Liu Ying asked with great concern.
"Master, should we kill her?"
Wang Qianqian kept staring in the direction Wu Lanyu had left, lost in thought. When she heard her question, she simply waved her right hand casually.
Xiao Yiqing originally thought that Shangguan Zeyu would verbally punish her again, just like the previous times, but in reality, she was still the same as usual.
But in reality, her eating, drinking, and other daily necessities have all become completely different from before.
She changed from eating bird's nest and ginseng soup every morning to simple, watery rice porridge.
Her usual eight dishes and one soup for lunch have now been reduced to just a simple plate of stir-fried vegetables and a small bowl of rice.
Her various fruits, snacks, and nutritious soups are no longer available, and even the most ordinary tea has no tea leaves to choose from.
Previously, there were a total of twenty people serving her in Peach Blossom Village, but now, only Chunhua remains.
Her daily evening rose bath is no longer available.
She just wanted to take a nice, hot bath, but she had to wait for Chunhua to finish her other tasks and have time to heat the water before she could take a bath.
Xiao Yiqing was the epitome of a refined lady, a golden branch and jade leaf among golden branches and jade leaves.
I've been pampered since I was a child, with everything done for me. When have I ever suffered like this?
I couldn't take it after just two days.
"My lady, the prince has ordered that you cannot..." Chunhua saw her angrily about to leave Peach Blossom Village and hurriedly stopped her.
"Get out of my way! I want to see the Prince!! I can't take it anymore!!!" Xiao Yiqing was furious and pushed Chunhua aside without any mercy.
Ignoring the pain from her hands scraping the ground, Chunhua quickly got up, ran in front of her, and stretched out her arms to block her.
"My lord!! The prince is furious right now, you mustn't go!!!"
"Look at the life I live! When have you ever seen me live like this? Even if I have made mistakes, you cannot treat me so harshly!! Don't stop me!!" Xiao Yiqing was determined to see Shangguan Zeyu.
Chunhua didn't dare to forcefully stop her. Seeing her storm out, she had no choice but to stomp her foot and follow her.
Shangguan Zeyu was handling official business in his study at Yunxiao Pavilion, and was furious because Prince Su had arbitrarily recalled the soldiers stationed outside the pass to the capital when Xiao Yiqing arrived.
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