Chapter 242

Chapter 242: Another Victory Report?

“Imperial Brother, did you hear that?” Sheng Zhi Wan said. “Duke Qi dared to call this princess by name.”

Sheng Zhi Wan continued, “Before, when Duke Qi called my name, this princess was generous and did not argue. But now Duke Qi did it again.”

“Disrespecting this princess is disrespecting the Imperial House,” Sheng Zhi Wan said. “Third Imperial Brother, do you think they respect you?”

“Y-you…” Duke Qi stiffened when he met the Third Prince’s gaze.

Duke Qi swallowed his anger and forced himself to speak again. “Princess’s price is simply too outrageous. Golden Wound Skin-He A Ling Dew is worth at most one thousand taels. Five thousand taels?”

Duke Qi sneered. “Forgive this old official for being ignorant, but I truly don’t know what fool would spend that much silver on one bottle.”

Sheng Zhi Wan lifted a brow. “What? Duke Qi does not know that Qi Shi used this princess’s medicine, and that this bottle was bought by him for five thousand taels at Hall of Rare Treasures?”

“If Duke Qi does not believe it, Duke Qi can go ask Hall of Rare Treasures,” Sheng Zhi Wan said with a smile. “Duke Qi is Qi Shi’s father. I’m sure the shopkeeper of Hall of Rare Treasures won’t hide it from Duke Qi.”

Duke Qi’s expression locked completely.

So the fool Duke Qi had just cursed was actually- his own son?

Duke Qi’s old face flushed between green and red.

Qi Fei Rui stared at Sheng Zhi Wan.

In the past, Qi Fei Rui had not realized it, but now she saw how sharp-tongued her former sister-in-law was.

And in this matter, Sheng Zhi Wan was in the right.

The Duke Residence clearly should not keep tangling with Sheng Zhi Wan. Shu Lang’s injuries also needed treatment as soon as possible.

“Fine!” Qi Fei Rui stepped forward. “Everything will be done as Princess demands.”

“Tomorrow the Duke Residence will send five thousand taels to Princess’s residence,” Qi Fei Rui said. “Also, besides the treatment and nourishment costs, our Duke Residence will pay an extra two hundred taels.”

“When he recovers, I will personally bring Shu Lang to apologize to him.”

After Qi Fei Rui finished, Duke Qi clearly did not want to agree, but when Duke Qi met Qi Fei Rui’s eyes, Duke Qi only snorted and said nothing more.

As for Qi Shu Lang…

Apologize to a fool who had caused him to suffer like this?

Absolutely not.

The Duke Residence took Qi Shu Lang and left, and the crowd of commoner scattered as well.

Sheng Yuan Hao glanced at Shang Xing Yu and Sheng Zhi Wan and smiled faintly. “Young Master Shang Er, since you and Qing Ning are not married yet, you should be careful.”

“If you damage Qing Ning’s reputation, it won’t be good.”

“This minister will remember Imperial Brother’s teachings,” Shang Xing Yu said quickly, clasping his hands.

“…Imperial Brother?” Sheng Yuan Hao finally noticed how Shang Xing Yu had addressed him.

Sheng Yuan Hao’s mouth twitched hard, and he turned and left.

What happened there quickly reached the Imperial Palace.

Inside the Imperial Study, Emperor Chong Sheng’s vermilion brush paused.

A cold smile appeared at the corner of Emperor Chong Sheng’s mouth.

So she really was like that person.

The same pity for the world. The same love of meddling.

Or maybe…

Emperor Chong Sheng felt disdain in his heart, but on his face he only sighed and said, “It seems that Qing Ning still hasn’t forgotten Shu Xian.”

“She is using this matter to clash with the Duke Residence.”

Su De Yun listened with his back bent and said nothing.

But Su De Yun did not think so.

That day, when Princess divorced Qi Shi, Su De Yun had been there. Princess’s eyes truly held not even the slightest shadow of Qi Shi.

It was strange.

If Su De Yun had not seen it with his own eyes, Su De Yun would have found it hard to imagine how someone who once begged so fiercely for a marriage decree could leave just as fiercely.

In the end, it could only mean that Qi Shi had disappointed Princess too deeply.

Emperor Chong Sheng looked at Su De Yun. “Why aren’t you speaking? Do you think what I said was wrong?”

Su De Yun quickly dropped to his knees. “This servant does not dare to guess Princess’s thoughts.”

“You old thing, what’s wrong with telling me?” Emperor Chong Sheng said.

But Emperor Chong Sheng did not even wait for Su De Yun to answer. Emperor Chong Sheng sighed to himself. “Women are always obsessed with private love.”

“Qing Ning begged for an edict to marry, and then begged for an edict to divorce. If she says she has no feelings for Qi Shu Xian, I don’t believe it.”

“Now, the news of Qi Shu Xian’s victory probably came back and stirred her again…”

Emperor Chong Sheng went on, looking almost troubled. “But even though she is my daughter, I am first the Emperor of Sheng Kingdom. I must put the realm first.”

“Since Qi Shu Xian has talent, I cannot stop using him just because of Qing Ning.”

Su De Yun hurried to flatter him. “Your Majesty was wise. Your Majesty always put the commoner and the realm first. Princess Qing Ning will surely understand Your Majesty’s intentions in her heart.”

“Understand?” Emperor Chong Sheng shook his head. “She is still a woman. What woman in this world isn’t petty?”

“She should be grateful if she doesn’t hate me for still reusing Qi Shu Xian.”

Su De Yun did not speak again.

If Princess Qing Ning were petty, she would never have sold cotton cheaply in Mo Bei.

Mo Bei suffered a great disaster. The court argued for days without any result, yet Princess Qing Ning, this supposedly petty woman, solved Mo Bei’s crisis.

But Su De Yun would never say those words in front of His Majesty.

Only after Emperor Chong Sheng fell silent for a long time did Su De Yun bow and retreat step by step, carefully closing the doors of the Imperial Study.

Su De Yun finally breathed fresh air outside, only to see his newly taken godson, Su Xiang, hurrying over.

Su De Yun made a hand sign.

Su Xiang immediately lightened his steps, but the excitement in Su Xiang’s whisper was still hard to hide. “From Mo Bei!”

A letter sealed with hardened wax was placed into Su De Yun’s hands.

Su De Yun listened and stared at the seal, and his heart sank as his eyelid twitched.

Another urgent report from Mo Bei.

But this time, it was not delivered with loud fanfare like before, riding openly through the city gate.

This time, it was secretly sent into the Imperial Palace.

It was possible that military news needed secrecy, but for some reason, it made people uneasy.

Emperor Chong Sheng took the letter and said with delight, “Good! It must be another report of victory. Qi Shu Xian is truly formidable!”

“If Sheng Kingdom had a few more young commanders like him, why would we fear we couldn’t expand our borders? Hahaha!”

As Emperor Chong Sheng laughed, the letter was already torn open.

Emperor Chong Sheng’s gaze fell on the page.

Then Emperor Chong Sheng’s smile froze.

The paper slipped from Emperor Chong Sheng’s hand-