Chapter 23
Yue Mingming was very proud and slapped the divorce agreement in front of Su Dingrou, but it did not have the expected effect.
Su Dingrou only glanced silently at the piece of paper she had once longed for and said, "I...can't divorce."
Yue Mingming was stunned, thinking to herself, "Sister, you can't play like this! I almost died before Zhao Congyun agreed. If he knew we were playing tricks on him like this, he might really let me die!"
"Why? Don't you want to be with General Shen?" She asked puzzledly: "Could it be that... you suddenly like the prince?"
Su Dingrou smiled faintly and ignored her joke: "It would be irresponsible for me to leave now."
She reached out and grabbed Yue Mingming, carefully examining the girl's face, which had noticeably lost weight. "If you hadn't come to save me, you wouldn't have fallen into Li Pingru's trap and nearly lost your life."
"To be honest, it was only when Zong Wu wrote to me from Jiangzhou that I realized how much effort you and the prince put into this grain transport disaster relief... Compared to you, not only did I not help at all, but I also created problems for everyone for my own selfish interests... I'm sorry!"
She paused and said, "I know you want to help me, but I can't just think about myself...so I decided to stay. If Li Pingru wants to harm you again, we can take care of you."
Yue Mingming was stunned. She didn't expect that the reason Su Dingrou stayed was... because of her.
"Then...what about General Shen? What about your happiness?" Yue Mingming said.
"He'll understand."
Su Dingrou lowered her eyes to look at the letter with wet ink on the table. Yue Mingming followed her gaze and saw clearly the few beautiful words "We will continue in the next life, and I will never let you down..."
This is a farewell letter.
Yue Mingming was quick-witted and decisive. He snatched the letter and tore it to pieces. "Sister Su, what's with all the talk about this life and the next... can you please not make it so poignant? Just because you're afraid of Li Pingru, are you backing down and giving up the divorce agreement we fought so hard for... Does she deserve it?!"
Su Dingrou looked at her blankly: "But you..."
Yue Mingming threw the shredded paper into the incense burner, clapped his hands and said, "Sister Su, you don't have to worry about me! She's just a small monster at most. Although she's a bit disgusting and I can't defeat her for the time being, I'm the protagonist! I have an aura, why would I be afraid of her?"
Su Dingrou didn't understand the unfamiliar words she said, but was infected by her unreasonable optimism and couldn't help but glance at the divorce letter that she deliberately pushed away.
Yue Mingming noticed her hesitation and continued, "We agreed before that you would go find your love and I would take the throne as the princess. You can't go back on your word!"
Su Dingrou's eyes showed worry. "I'm not greedy for this position... If the prince agrees, I can give it to you at any time, but have you really thought it through? Do you really want to get involved in this mess?"
Yue Mingming knew she was genuinely worried about him, and his heart warmed. He dropped his joking attitude and said seriously, "Sister Su, this isn't a question of whether I want to get involved or not. Do you think if I back down and stop provoking Li Pingru, she'll let me go?"
She smiled bitterly and said, "I was afraid before. I thought about letting things take their course, and I also thought about clinging to someone powerful... But it doesn't work. It won't help at the critical moment... Just like when I fell into the river, my brother tried his best to stop my father from hurting me, and there was a pleasure boat in the distance to save me, but if I didn't learn to swim, I would still drown."
She recalled the initial panic and helplessness she felt when she first entered the game, and her eyes gradually became determined: "Now that I'm in this game, I can't just sit there and wait for death... I need to gain as much strength as I can to protect myself and the people I care about."
"I don't have many friends here, and you're one of them," Yue Mingming said with a smile, "Sister Su, I'm actually quite timid, so can you be brave and set an example for me first?"
Be a brave person...
Su Dingrou clenched the divorce letter and silently made a promise in her heart, but this promise had nothing to do with love.
She smiled, tears rolling down her eyes: "Okay, I'll try."
*
Old Master Su is indeed very difficult to deal with.
Su Dingrou was a down-to-earth person. She returned home and told her grandfather the truth about what had happened. The old man was so angry that he almost fainted and he would never agree to their divorce.
Su Dingrou was also a stubborn person. She knelt in front of her grandfather's door for a day and a night, and finally fainted due to exhaustion. Old Tutor Su ordered people to carry her back to the palace and told her to "die in the Zhao family."
After Su Dingrou woke up, she wanted to go back again, but was stopped by Zhao Congyun this time. He brought more than 20 volumes of precious ancient books to lobby the old tutor in person, but the old tutor showed no mercy and kicked her out with the books.
Upon hearing this, Yue Mingming quietly asked Su Dingrou, "Is your grandfather your biological one? You weren't adopted, were you?"
Su Dingrou smiled bitterly, "Grandfather has always been like this. In his heart, the etiquette and laws of our ancestors are the most important. He even dared to contradict the emperor to his face... I did such a rebellious thing, but he didn't sever ties with me or remove me from the family tree. He really loves me."
"I just don't believe it. He has never done anything out of line in his life!" Yue Mingming said indignantly.
The next second, she suddenly remembered something and slapped her forehead, saying, "I'm the one with the brain full of water! How could I forget such an important thing!"
She blinked, grabbed a handful of melon seeds, and said with a sly smile, "Sister Su, what's your grandfather's name?"
………
After dinner, Su Dingrou took Yue Mingming back to his grandfather's house.
The old tutor had a stern face, and before she could teach her granddaughter a lesson, she was pulled away alone by a shameless girl next to her.
Su Dingrou was both curious and worried. Yue Mingming had been secretive and refused to reveal his plans. She had only inquired about the old man's physical and mental condition and had prepared a handful of pills in advance. Some were for soothing the liver and regulating qi, some for calming the mind and opening the orifices, and even some for emergency treatment and heart protection...
Su Dingrou was sure that this was not prepared by Yue Mingming for her.
After anxiously waiting for more than half an hour, the door finally creaked open and the old tutor walked out with a sullen face, followed by Yue Mingming, who was beaming with joy.
"Grandpa, then it's a deal! A gentleman's word is as good as gold!"
The old tutor snorted coldly, as if to agree, then without even looking at anyone else, he turned around and went back to his room angrily.
Su Dingrou frowned and asked, "Is Grandfather okay? What did you talk about? Did he give you any trouble?"
Yue Mingming smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Sister Su, we had a very pleasant chat… Your grandfather agreed to your divorce and doesn’t object to you being with General Shen!”
Su Dingrou looked at her in disbelief, a light gradually ignited in her eyes: "Really?! Grandfather...he agreed?"
Yue Mingming nodded vigorously.
Su Dingrou stood there in a daze, tears welling up in her eyes without her realizing it. Yue Mingming walked over, wiped her face with his sleeve, hugged her and said, "Sister Su, you're free! That's great!"
"Thank you." Su Dingrou leaned in Yue Mingming's arms, her shoulders shaking, and she burst into tears.
She had never thought that one day she would actually get what she wanted. It was a luxury she dared not even dream about, and even dreaming about it would make her feel guilty.
Until Yue Mingming showed up and told her with a grin that she could... as long as she was willing, as long as she was a little brave.
"What exactly did you say to my grandfather?" Su Dingrou couldn't help but ask after her emotions gradually calmed down.
Yue Mingming laughed heartily: "I really can't tell you this! I swore to your grandfather that I wouldn't tell you this, even in my dreams!"
Su Dingrou burst out laughing and didn't ask any more questions. Yue Mingming also felt relieved.
She simply relied on the system to gossip about the old master's life. Yue Mingming firmly believed that everyone had their youthful recklessness and could not help themselves, and the old master was no exception!
After digging deeper, she uncovered a poignant story: when the old tutor went to Beijing to take the imperial examination, he stayed at a friend's house and was cared for by the friend's wife. They developed a tacit affection for each other. At the time, no one spoke about it, and it was impossible to say anything. They could only suppress this affection deep in their hearts for many years, keeping it a secret.
Later, the old tutor won the first place in one fell swoop, rose step by step in the officialdom, and helped his friend many times. The two are still close friends to this day.
Yue Mingming knew very well that the old tutor cherished this friendship very much, so he used this secret as a threat in exchange for Su Dingrou's lifelong happiness.
In fact, the old tutor could have denied it outright, but he was the most upright person, he would not lie, and he was very proud, which gave Yue Mingming the opportunity to show his skills.
Before leaving, Yue Mingming solemnly apologized to the old man at the door, and a faint sigh came from the room.
"Remember to take the bottle of Xiaoyao Pills on the table!" Yue Mingming instructed through the door, hugged Su Dingrou again, and then left reluctantly.
From now on, she will fight alone in that palace.
*
For several days in a row, the capital was shrouded in wind and rain.
The canal transport case finally came to an end. The officials involved were either beheaded or exiled. No one noticed that a witness named Sun Dayong in prison suddenly died of an illness. His body was thrown into a mass grave and then secretly transported out.
Apart from official business, people on the streets were talking about the famous playboy and dissolute prince, who finally angered the princess and ended up divorcing her.
The old tutor was so ashamed and angry that he took sick for many days. In the palace, the emperor angrily rebuked his brother's ridiculous behavior over the years and ordered him to reflect on himself behind closed doors. He was not allowed to leave the house unless summoned, and was not allowed to set foot in the Yaoyue Tower.
This time, Zhao Congyun was unexpectedly obedient. He stayed at home and reflected on his mistakes honestly. He presented his brother the emperor with a well-written letter of reflection every day to show his sincerity.
A few days later, he attached a letter of appeal to the letter of self-reflection, asking the emperor to forgive his concubine for the crime. As long as the emperor agreed, he would reform himself, live a good life, and never go out to have affairs with other women again.
The emperor originally wanted to refuse, but the queen inadvertently suggested that she could promote her niece from a concubine to the principal wife.
The emperor thought for a long time and agreed to Zhao Congyun's request. He issued an amnesty decree to pardon Yue Mingming from her status as the daughter of a criminal, but he did not respond to the queen's proposal.
In the palace, Yue Mingming received the pardon order and was overjoyed.
"So... I'm safe? Will there be any stain left behind?"
Zhao Congyun said, "Have you never heard of 'The Emperor never jokes'? What do you think the Emperor's personally signed pardon is?"
"I understand!" Yue Mingming carefully took it into his arms and said with a chuckle, "Thank you so much, Your Highness, for saving my life again!"
Zhao Congyun's brush never stopped copying the calligraphy, and he said calmly, "It has nothing to do with me."
"Ah... Your Majesty, it's better to do good things without leaving a name."
Yue Mingming came over to the table and began grinding ink for him. "I know everything. Those rumors slandering you, and the memorials to the court implicating you in your conduct, were all orchestrated by you... just to avoid embarrassing Sister Su."
Zhao Congyun did not answer, but concentrated his attention on the paper. His writing was so smooth and graceful that both the characters and the person looked very beautiful.
Yue Mingming was stunned for a moment, then continued to flatter him: "And you sacrificed your beauty a few days ago to seduce Li Pingru... I admit that I was a little angry at the time, but after learning your intentions, I especially admire your ability to bend and stretch..."
Zhao Congyun's hand suddenly stopped, and he looked up and said, "Explain yourself clearly... What do you mean by sacrificing your looks? What do you mean by seducing?"
Yue Mingming laughed, "You hate her so much, yet you've been dining with her every day lately... If she didn't think she had a chance, why would she be so eager to beg the Queen to become the princess?"
Zhao Congyun slowly put down his pen without commenting.
"Your brother probably didn't like her becoming your princess, and you took the opportunity to plead for me, so the emperor pardoned me and used me to contain Li Pingru, right?"
"Did you figure it out on your own, or was there someone guiding you?"
Zhao Congyun glanced at the garden, where Uncle Dong was directing the servants to prune the osmanthus trees.
"Half and half!" Yue Mingming smiled brightly: "Isn't that a big improvement?"
"It seems his brain has grown back." Zhao Congyun nodded. "I have some good news for you. The medicine you gave me is real. Sun Dayong is fine. I have arranged for him to leave the capital. Su Dingrou will go with him. They will stay in Sichuan for a while and then go to Jiangzhou after the news has died down."
Yue Mingming was overjoyed: "Great! Three good things have happened at once, I have to have a big drink today!"
Zhao Congyun seemed to remember something, and his eyes dimmed for a moment: "No more drinking. Drinking will only make things worse... and it will also cause arguments."
"How about I make you some soup? The kitchen just got some pink lotus roots from Honghu Lake, perfect for stewing pork ribs."
Zhao Congyun shook his head: "You're not sincere enough. I don't want something that's just for show."
"Then... what do you want?" Yue Mingming had a bad feeling.
"Come to me tonight at midnight." Zhao Congyun's eyes sparkled, and he smiled, "Do you dare?"
"No problem! See you then!" Yue Mingming said stubbornly, feeling very panicked inside.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
