Chapter 034
Chapter 34: Princess, You Mustn’t Take the Bait!
[The heroine’s halo is not something you can fight with your princess status alone.]
Hearing this, Madam Yun shot Yun Wan Yao a meaningful glance. Yun Wan Yao nodded at once, fists tightening inside her sleeves. Today, she would stick to the princess like a shadow and not let her do anything foolish.
Madam Su held back her displeasure and said stiffly: “Thank you for your concern, Princess, but you have misunderstood. This humble woman merely caught a chill due to the sudden change in the weather.”
Inside, Madam Su burned with fury. Lately, Su Qian Xue’s scandal had spread through all of Haojing. Which of these ladies had not laughed behind her back. Today was the Yun family’s full moon banquet. They were all waiting to mock her. She had forced herself to endure and come anyway, yet before anyone else could sneer, this princess had stepped up to humiliate her by bringing up Qian Xue.
But this opponent was hard to confront. No matter how angry Madam Su felt, she dared not explode. She could only swallow her anger.
Mo Zhao Zhao smiled sweetly and said, proud and sharp: “So that is how it is. Here I thought you were upset by your young miss’s string of foolish acts.”
At that, the noblewomen covered their mouths, stifling laughter as they watched the show. Madam Su’s jaw clenched. Her face darkened. If it would not shame her further, she would have flung her sleeves and left.
She was born with a fierce temper. With the Grand Commandant’s rank at her back, she had always dominated among the capital’s ladies. When had she ever suffered such a slap.
Su Qian Xue lifted her chin slightly, eyes reddened as if aggrieved, and spoke with proper courtesy: “This humble daughter admits she was once ignorant and made mistakes, but all that is in the past. I have turned over a new leaf. Why then must the princess repeatedly humiliate me before so many people.”
[Wow, the strong pretending to be weak. The heroine is putting on a show. Princess, please do not take the bait.]
[If you lose your temper now, by tomorrow all Haojing will say you bullied her.]
[They will brand you as abusing your power to torment a young noble lady.]
Yun Wan Ning cried out in her heart, and her baby voice bubbled in a string of anxious sounds. She waved her tiny hand at Mo Zhao Zhao, trying to warn her.
The princess did not notice at all. Even if she had, she could not have understood a baby’s meaning. Thankfully, Madam Yun and Yun Wan Yao tensed at once, alert as never before. When dealing with the heroine, there could be no misstep.
Mo Zhao Zhao lifted her chin and frowned at the wronged yet oddly defiant girl: “Are you accusing this princess.”
Was this truly Su Qian Xue. Why was she so unlike the foolish girl in her memories. What had happened. It was as if Su Qian Xue had become a different person.
Su Qian Xue lowered her head and said with a smile that did not reach her eyes: “This humble daughter would not dare. I only wish to ask the princess to be generous and forgiving. Please do not harp on mistakes I made in youth. Otherwise, it will make the princess seem petty.”
Who did this girl think she was, daring to call her petty. A hot anger surged up in Mo Zhao Zhao’s chest. She narrowed her eyes and was about to erupt when a hand urgently tugged her sleeve.
She turned sharply and saw Yun Wan Yao looking at her with deep meaning, shaking her head. Mo Zhao Zhao stared in disbelief. Had A’Yao gone mad. Was she telling her to endure. Could she not see that this detestable girl was pushing the blame onto her.
Yun Wan Yao knew the princess had misunderstood, but now was not the time to explain. She turned coldly to Su Qian Xue and said, voice iced: “How dare you slander the princess. Her Highness merely stated facts, yet Miss Su at once labeled her petty and unforgiving. In your eyes, is anyone who speaks truth petty. Then tell me, who in all Great Wu would not be petty. You ask the princess to be generous and forgiving, with all these ladies watching. I would love to know exactly what Her Highness has done to warrant your accusation.”
The princess had stepped in to support the Yun family. Yun Wan Yao would shield the princess’s honor at any cost. Whatever came next, let it fall on her.
Madam Yun added with cool mockery: “Since Madam Su and her young miss arrived, the princess has said only two sentences, and both were concern for Madam Su’s health. How did Her Highness become a petty villain in Miss Su’s eyes. This madam is truly confused.”
The wind turned at once.
Only then did Mo Zhao Zhao understand that Yun Wan Yao had not asked her to swallow injustice. She had feared that a sudden outburst would lose the princess the moral high ground and invite public blame. A cold sweat pricked Mo Zhao Zhao’s back. Thank goodness for A’Yao. With her usual temper, she would already have ordered a beating. If she had, she would now be branded as abusing royal power and would stain her imperial elder brother’s carefully kept name.
Gratitude warmed her chest. She lifted her chin, steadied herself, and spoke with a bright cold smile: “So how exactly am I petty. If you cannot give a proper explanation today, then do not blame me for showing you just how petty I can be.”
Yun Wan Ning cheered inside: [Mother and Elder Sister are amazing. With a few words, they reversed the situation. Now the heroine’s plan to provoke the princess is broken. Let us see how long she can keep up this act.]
Su Qian Xue’s face turned pale. She pressed her lips together and stared at the three before her, fists tight within her sleeves. She had not expected Yun Wan Yao to pierce her trap so quickly and guard the princess so well. Truly worthy of being the heroine, Yun Wan Yao’s perception was sharp indeed.
Madam Su had to step in. She forced a smile and said, bowing toward Mo Zhao Zhao: “My daughter spoke rashly without thought. Her words were unintentional. She never meant to offend Your Highness. I hope the princess will be magnanimous and will not lower herself to my daughter’s level.”
As for the Yun family’s mother and daughter, she did not spare them a glance, as if they were dust.
Mo Zhao Zhao’s face darkened, and she said with open threat: “Madam Su speaks rather lightly. You slandered a princess. Do you think a mere do not stoop to her level can smooth this over. If such behavior goes unpunished, who will fear consequences in the future. What becomes of my reputation then.”
Madam Su shielded her daughter and said calmly: “Then what would Your Highness prefer. Everything is my fault for not teaching my daughter well. If punishment is needed, punish me instead.”
She knew her own status. Even a princess could not truly touch her. But Su Qian Xue refused this cover. She stepped forward and said with bold calm: “Princess asks why I am so narrow-minded. Yes, I made mistakes. But who is perfect. Has the princess never erred. Why must Your Highness always speak of mine. The sages say: seeing the virtuous, think to emulate; seeing the wicked, reflect within oneself. Knowing my mistakes, the princess should avoid repeating them, not use them as constant ridicule against me. Besides, you only see my errors and never my strengths. Is that not narrow-minded.”
Mo Zhao Zhao stood stunned. Everyone stood stunned.
They had all heard that the Su family’s daughter was dull. Yet today, she argued with ease and held her ground with a sharp tongue. Who would believe this was the same simpleton of rumor.
Madam Yun and Yun Wan Yao exchanged looks of surprise. [No wonder Little Fourth said the heroine’s tongue is mightier than a sword. It is no exaggeration.]
With a few wise lines, Su Qian Xue had pushed the princess toward the trap. If they did not know the truth, someone would next ask about her strengths. That was precisely the moment Su Qian Xue wanted. It would give her a stage to shine.
After all, Little Fourth had said the heroine had countless skills. Perhaps today she was destined to become famous, halo blazing, even if the story had veered so far from the original path.
[See, see. The heroine’s sharp tongue will turn the tide again,] Yun Wan Ning sighed, anxious and helpless. [This plot master is stubborn. Even when the story twists, he drags it back to the key points.]
Mo Zhao Zhao came back to herself and opened her mouth to demand, full of sarcasm, that Su Qian Xue list her strengths. Yun Wan Yao moved faster. She covered the princess’s mouth and signaled frantically with her eyes. [Good princess, do not fall for her trick. Do not become her stepping stone.]
Mo Zhao Zhao swallowed the words and glared in confusion. [What is wrong with A’Yao today. Why can I not understand her at all.]
Su Qian Xue narrowed her eyes at Yun Wan Yao, a faint doubt rising. This girl seemed off today, as if she could read thoughts. Could this heroine be so formidable.
Yun Wan Yao laughed, cold and clear: “Who said the princess must acknowledge your strengths to avoid being narrow-minded. She is royalty. Who are you. What right do you have to demand that the princess notice your good points. Besides, given your notorious past, it would be quite hard to find any strengths at all.”
Her blunt words broke Su Qian Xue’s careful setup. The sting of status sank deep. [Everyone is born equal,] she told herself, yet the habit of inferiority tugged at old wounds.
The sharp exchange ended in a brittle peace.
For the rest of the banquet, Yun Wan Yao stuck to Mo Zhao Zhao and did not let her move recklessly. The princess was deeply dissatisfied. [Since when did I, a princess of Great Wu, have to hold back like this.]
Then she saw Su Qian Xue slip away toward the small lakeside behind the garden, alone. A cunning idea flashed across her eyes. She rubbed her belly, put on a pained face, and said innocently: “A’Yao, my stomach hurts. I need to step away for a moment.”
Yun Wan Yao answered at once: “I will come with you.”
Mo Zhao Zhao pressed her back and whispered urgently: “You must stay here with Auntie Ye. Look at Madam Su. She clearly holds a grudge against Auntie Ye. If we both leave, who knows what might happen.”
“No, I must come along,” Yun Wan Yao insisted. Her heart raced. Little Fourth’s warnings weighed heavy. Su Qian Xue was heading for the lake, exactly as foretold. How could she let the princess out of sight.
Mo Zhao Zhao frowned and said: “Forget it then. Let us stay.”
Just then, a Yun family maid came and whispered a few urgent words in Yun Wan Yao’s ear. Her face changed. She hesitated and said to the princess: “I must step away for a moment. Promise me you will stay here and not wander, understood.”
Mo Zhao Zhao’s eyes lit up at once. She nodded with solemn promise: “Of course. I will wait right here for your return.” She added under her breath with a sly smile: “At most, I will step away briefly to relieve myself.”
Distracted, Yun Wan Yao nodded and lifted her skirts, leaving in a hurry.
As soon as Yun Wan Yao vanished, Mo Zhao Zhao glanced around. Madam Yun was busy with the ladies. Madam Su’s eyes were dark as she watched Madam Yun. The princess rose without a sound and slipped toward the lake.
The small lake lay behind a stone-blue wall. From afar, she saw Su Qian Xue standing at the water’s edge, alone and unguarded. Mo Zhao Zhao’s spirits rose. She followed the long, winding corridor at a swift, silent pace.
At the lakeside, Su Qian Xue caught a flash of scarlet drawing near and curled her lips into a hidden smirk. [This fool truly means to follow the plot and push me into the lake. Then let us see who learns a lesson.]
She stood still and waited. Then a towering rockery blocked her view, and the red figure vanished. Confused, Su Qian Xue frowned and held her position, patient and watchful.
At that same moment, in the shadow of the corridor’s rockery, a hand clamped over Mo Zhao Zhao’s mouth. Strong arms seized her and dragged her into a hidden attic above the walkway. Her frantic struggle left no trace behind.