Mingyu was slightly taken aback.
“The library.” Su Wanyan’s eyes lit up. “Burn down the library. There must be many rare paintings and calligraphy, as well as many ancient books by famous people inside. The princess likes scholars and literati, and she must love writing herself. Just go and burn down the library.”
"..." Set fire to the princess's library?
Only his princess would dare to come up with such a bold idea.
Mingyu hesitated for only a moment before lowering his eyes and saying, "Yes."
After Mingyu left, Su Wanyan really went to the outhouse. She was in a hurry and had been holding it in.
On the other side, in the outer hall of the eldest princess's bedroom.
Su He was brought before the eldest princess.
He was kneeling on the ground, dressed in a plain long robe, his brows still exuding the scholarly air unique to a literati. However, unlike before, Su He's expression now showed a hint of obedience.
The princess looked at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. Suddenly, she curled her lips into a cold laugh: "This is the gift Su Wanyan gave me?"
"Your Highness," said the old nanny beside him, "he's the only one in Prince Gong's carriage; there's nothing else there."
The old nanny Su He knew about this. She had even played music at the mansion a few days ago. The princess wanted to take him into her household, but he refused. Everyone in the princess's mansion knew about this.
The eldest princess looked down at Su He with disdain and said, "Raise your head."
Su He clenched her fist in her sleeve, but still obediently raised her head.
However, unlike in front of Su Wanyan, he did not look down at the ground. Instead, as Su Wanyan had taught him, he looked up and stared directly into the eyes of the princess.
Su Wanyan had analyzed the princess's psychology with him. She hoped that Su He could submit to her, but if Su He really submitted, the princess would immediately lose interest in him.
Therefore, Su He now needs to be compliant, but not too compliant.
The eldest princess raised an eyebrow, looking at Su He with interest: "You're not convinced?"
Su He lowered her eyes: "This humble subject dares not."
"I spent a month trying to win you over, but you refused to comply. Now, what benefits has Su Wanyan given you that makes you obey her?"
"Princess Gong wants me to be her informant."
Su Wanyan had told him that the princess wouldn't believe him if he made excuses, so he should just tell the truth.
This can also serve as a way for him to express his loyalty.
"Oh?" The princess smiled upon hearing this: "Then what about you now...?"
Su He kowtowed: "If I must choose between the Princess and the Princess Consort, I will only choose you. Your status is more noble than that of the Princess Consort. Rather than die at her hands, I would rather the Princess personally end my life."
Su Wanyan had analyzed that the princess's torment of him was not out of a desire for his death.
"Are you here to die?" the princess asked with a dignified smile.
"I am but a musician, with no attachments in this world. If I die, I will be spared much torment."
"Heh." The princess chuckled softly, "I've seen plenty of people who are afraid of death, but you're the first one to come begging for it."
She narrowed her eyes and commanded, "Come here."
Su He gritted her teeth and pursed her lips, obediently kneeling down.
The princess lifted his chin with her foot. Seeing that he offered no resistance, but a hint of defiance flickered across his face, she ordered, "Take him away and treat him well."
Dying isn't so fun.
No one could withstand the oppression of imperial power, and no one could maintain their integrity under her methods.
Su He took longer than she had expected.
Moreover, it passed through Su Wanyan's hands.
The eldest princess was very unhappy, but the hint of defiance in Su He's eyes aroused her desire to conquer.
So they kept him a little longer.
"Your Highness! Your Highness the Eldest Princess! Something terrible has happened!" The Eldest Princess was still lost in her thoughts when she heard someone rushing in to report.
The eldest princess frowned. She had finally gotten a little better, so what kind of trouble was this?
"It's terrible, Your Highness!" The maidservant, frightened and anxious, knelt before the Princess: "The...the library is on fire!"
"What did you say?" The princess's expression instantly turned sinister, and the four words were almost squeezed out from between her teeth.
The maidservant lay prostrate on the ground, trembling all over: "Everyone...everyone has rushed over to put out the fire, but...because the fire is too big...so..."
The eldest princess leaped to her feet, gritting her teeth and roaring, "Immediately send more men! If even one item is missing from the library, I will have you all executed!"
"Yes...yes..." The maid trembled as she retreated.
Inside that library, besides the gifts bestowed upon her by Emperor Yuanhe, there were also treasures that the eldest princess had collected from all corners of the world, including many rare paintings and calligraphy, and ancient artifacts that were now extinct!
There is also a painting of ten thousand miles of rivers and mountains, which is more than ten meters long. It depicts green mountains and clear waters, and flowers, insects, birds and animals in great detail. It is a masterpiece for all time!
The library has always been well-guarded, so why did it suddenly catch fire today?
Unable to contain her anger, the eldest princess went to the library to see for herself.
However, when I arrived at the library and saw the towering flames, my heart bled.
She stared blankly at the library, momentarily at a loss for how to react. Gone! All gone!
The fire engulfed the entire library, turning everything into a sea of flames.
I wanted to be angry, but it was as if I had lost the ability to be angry. I couldn't even be sad; all that was left was astonishment.
It was full of paper and bamboo paintings, all of which were extremely flammable. She wouldn't even let the servants light candles at night, and she always chose to go to the library during the day.
Why?
Why did it catch fire?
As if she had lost all emotion after being extremely angry, she looked at the burned-down library and her eyes gradually turned cold.
"All those who guard and manage the library shall be killed without exception, and those who participate in the firefighting shall be punished equally."
"...Yes." The old woman next to her had already buried her head in her chest, her back drenched in sweat.
The princess stared intently at the raging fire before her, her tone surprisingly calm: "Where is Su Wanyan?"
The old woman's shoulders trembled. She...she didn't know!
She replied tremblingly, "This servant... will send someone to look for it immediately."
"No need." The library had been peaceful until Su Wanyan arrived, and all her books were destroyed in the fire.
Most of the people in the mansion had already come to put out the fire, and she had probably already taken advantage of the chaos to escape.
"After Su Wanyan entered the manor, everyone in the manor who had contact with Su Wanyan was beaten to death."
The old woman beside him didn't dare to breathe loudly: "Yes..."
"A bunch of useless trash!" The princess said coldly, her face grim, and left with a flick of her sleeve.
She lost this round!
Su Wanyan, this is a fight to the death!
Meanwhile, Su Wanyan swaggered out of the Princess's residence.
Saying she swaggered around isn't quite accurate; she was jogging along, telling the servants and guards she encountered that the library was on fire and that they should hurry to put it out!
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