Chapter 322

Chapter 322: Refined and Elegant The room was quiet for a long while, until Er Shun heard Madam Zhao shout "Impossible!" He wanted to move closer to hear more clearly, but two matrons were heading his way. Er Shun fled in a panic. "What was that?" The matrons ran over but saw no one—only a tile from the courtyard wall lying broken on the ground. Before long, Wang Hechun's Wife came running over to ask what had happened. "Probably a stray cat. We startled it just now," one matron said. Wang Hechun's Wife, however, dared not let her guard down. She looked around again and again, told the matrons to keep a close watch, then hurried back. "My lady, the matrons say it was a stray cat, but this servant doesn't think it looks quite right." "You think someone was eavesdropping?" Zhao Susu's heart leaped to her throat. Wang Hechun's Wife said she couldn't be certain. "It's just that... a stray cat wouldn't have that much strength to kick down a tile. But it's also possible." Zhao Susu's heart raced with panic, and she redirected all her resentment onto Madam Bai. "It's all your fault!" She gritted her teeth but dared not speak too loudly. At this moment, Zhao Susu wished she could kill Madam Bai. Madam Bai had come seeking recognition, expecting a tearful mother-daughter embrace, each pouring out their hardships, along with her daughter's gratitude toward her. Madam Bai never imagined her daughter would resent her even more. "There's no one there." Madam Bai hastily explained. "This courtyard is normally unoccupied, and it's so secluded. It must have been a stray cat. Susu, don't be angry. What I told you definitely couldn't have been overheard." "Then why are you telling me all this? Can't you stand to see me do well?" Zhao Susu couldn't accept what Madam Bai had said—that she wasn't actually the daughter of the Rong Prince Mansion. "Besides, do you have proof? What makes you think you're right?" Madam Bai's voice choked with tears. "I do, I do. When you were just born, you had a mole on your thigh, and another on the sole of your foot. I saw them clearly before I switched you." She had schemed carefully for her daughter's sake, hoping to earn her gratitude. "Now that that wretch Princess Consort Rong is dead, we mother and daughter can be close and affectionate. Susu, I am your real mother!" Madam Bai reached out to take her daughter's hand but was violently shaken off. The back of her hand immediately turned red. "Susu, you—" "You are not my mother. I would never have a base, lowly mother like you, and don't you dare try to harm me!" Zhao Susu had been the golden branch and jade leaf of the prince's mansion her entire life. She was a noble daughter of the imperial clan, by no means an insignificant nobody. Zhao Susu pointed at Madam Bai. "No matter what scheme you use to harm me, I will never yield. Madam Bai, you claim you're acting for my good, but you shouldn't have come looking for me at a time like this. I can see clearly now—you're simply trying to ruin me!" Zhao Susu had been plagued by troubles lately. If Madam Bai's words were to spread, she didn't dare imagine what would happen. What if her father began to harbor doubts after comparison and stopped protecting her in the future? What then? At this moment, a murderous glint flashed in Zhao Susu's eyes. "Susu, I am your mother. How could I ever harm you?" Madam Bai poured out her grievances. "I only came because I missed you so much. And besides, if you don't speak of it and I don't speak of it, who would ever know?" "That's not certain." Zhao Susu took a deep breath, looking at Madam Bai as if she were already dead. "No one will ever know. When I switched you, it was so you could live a good life." Madam Bai explained earnestly. "For your sake, I even went after Lady Cui. If I weren't your mother, why would I have done all that?" "Going after Cui Lingrong?" "Yes." Madam Bai recounted the haunting incident at the academy. "You have to believe me. I did it all for your good." Zhao Susu let out a cold laugh. "With skills like yours, you think you can go after Cui Lingrong? Let me tell you—you are not my mother, and I will never acknowledge you in this lifetime. If you insist on coming after me, don't blame me for being rude!" Zhao Susu walked to the door and delivered her final threat. "Madam Bai, I was born into the prince's mansion, and I will be for the rest of my life. I am absolutely not the daughter of you and some seventh-rank official. You can give up that hope!" Watching Zhao Susu walk away like that, Madam Bai was bewildered. She froze for a moment, then chased into the courtyard. She had barely called out "Susu" when a matron kicked her to the ground. "Madam!" Mama Zhou rushed over. Madam Bai wept in utter despair. "How could this be? Why?" Madam Bai didn't understand. She simply didn't understand at all. If it weren't for her switching the two children, how could Susu have enjoyed so many years of good fortune? But Susu refused to acknowledge her. Madam Bai cried so bitterly that she fainted. Mama Zhou hurriedly sent for a physician, and there was another flurry of activity. When they returned to the Lou residence and Madam Xia asked what had happened, Mama Zhou could only say that the lady had suddenly fainted, not daring to tell the truth. But Madam Xia found it strange—her mother-in-law had been especially delighted before leaving, yet returned having fainted? Madam Xia always felt her mother-in-law harbored some secret, given how erratic she was, not at all like a normal person. Meanwhile, Zhao Susu sat in the carriage, lost in thought the entire way. When she returned to the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, she ran into the two Lis on the way. They greeted her, but Zhao Susu didn't even hear them. All the way back to Wutong Courtyard, Du Cheng could also tell something was off. "What's wrong with you? I noticed you weren't yourself even before we left." "It's just—" The words were about to slip out, but Zhao Susu swallowed them back. She did like Du Cheng, but she wasn't completely without sense. Even if this matter was false—though it very well might be... Zhao Susu was unwilling to admit it was true, but what if? She couldn't gamble on that "what if." Mother had died for her sake. Father had done so much for her as well, and her two elder brothers too. If any rumor were to reach the Rong Prince Mansion, and she lost its protection, what would happen to her? Given her current relationship with Song Shulan, he would likely divorce her. "It's just those people outside being too annoying, still saying bad things about me." Zhao Susu wrapped her arms around Du Cheng's waist. "I haven't done anything wrong. Every man for himself. Those people at the Ji'en Hall are nothing but lowborn commoners. Me going over to show my face was already more than they deserved." "Yes, it's all their fault." But Du Cheng didn't actually think so. He had a feeling something else had happened to Zhao Susu today. After Zhao Susu fell asleep, Du Cheng got up and summoned Wang Hechun's Wife. "I'm truly worried about Susu. How could that matter today have turned out that way?" Wang Hechun's Wife's heart skipped a beat. Hadn't the mistress said nothing? Could it be that she'd said more afterward? She lowered her eyelids to avoid Du Cheng seeing her panic. "Yes, we never imagined such a thing could happen either." As she spoke, Wang Hechun's Wife kept cautiously glancing toward the inner room. Du Cheng asked, "Indeed, I never imagined it either. Truly detestable. Mama Wang, you're the one closest to Susu. Tell me—what can be done to help Susu vent this anger?" Vent anger? Wang Hechun's Wife thought to herself—regarding Madam Bai wanting to acknowledge the relationship, the mistress only wanted to stay far away from her. She hadn't heard the mistress mention any revenge against Madam Bai. Wang Hechun's Wife felt a strange unease. "That won't be necessary. The mistress shouldn't stir up more trouble right now. You should rest early—it's getting late." Du Cheng failed to pry anything out and felt a pang of regret. Over at the Cui residence, after hearing what Er Shun had reported, Cui Lingrong kept pondering—what exactly was the "impossible" Zhao Susu had spoken of? "Nanny Qiu, what could Zhao Susu and Madam Bai possibly have to talk about?" Cui Lingrong asked. Nanny Qiu shook her head, saying she didn't know. "They've never had dealings before. It's just that this time is truly strange. Er Shun said he heard the two were very displeased with each other, but unfortunately didn't catch what it was about. Perhaps we could have someone watch both sides—maybe they'll meet again? Or perhaps go to Madam Zeng?" At the mention of Lou Wanxian, Cui Lingrong hesitated. "If it only involved Zhao Susu, we could go to Lou. But this matter also involves her mother. Even if Lou says she's not favored by her mother, mother and daughter are still mother and daughter—they share blood ties." Cui Lingrong shook her head and said to forget it. She had people watch Zhao Susu and Madam Bai. The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Cui Lingrong brought food and other provisions to the academy to see Xuan-ge. Yu-jie insisted on going along, and when Qi-jie'er found out, Cui Lingrong had no choice but to bring them all. "When you arrive at the academy, you must not run around. The academy is full of men, and you're all young ladies now, understand?" Cui Lingrong admonished them repeatedly. The carriage traveled for an hour and a half. By the time they reached the academy, Cui Lingrong's back and waist ached. She had just stepped down from the carriage and taken a breath of fresh air when she heard Qi-jie'er happily call out "Father." Cui Lingrong turned to look. Her cousin stood in green robes, as upright as a pine. Their eyes met, and Zhuang Huaiming smiled toward her, appearing even more refined and elegant.