Chapter 336

Chapter 336: Trading Benefits "Zhao Susu, what did you say?" Song Shulan slammed the table and stood up. "I said, you're useless! You're a eu—" "Smack!" Before Zhao Susu could finish, Song Shulan's palm connected with her face. Zhao Susu lost her footing and fell to the ground. She clutched her cheek, and only after a moment did the sting on her face register. It hurt terribly. Madam Qian shifted slightly but ultimately didn't stand up. Lady Wu sat upright, lips pursed in a faint smile. This was Zhao Susu reaping what she sowed; she didn't mind watching Zhao Susu get struck. Old Madame Song, meanwhile, hurriedly tried to smooth things over. "What nonsense are you spouting? I think we should just send her to Jing'an Hall. That's settled!" "No!" Zhao Susu scrambled to her feet and charged at Song Shulan, but Qingshan had anticipated this and blocked her path. "Let me go! I'll beat him to death! How dare he hit me! Once my father the Prince learns of this, he won't let you get away with it!" Zhao Susu then shouted, "Song Shulan, you're a eunuch! You can hit me all you want, but I'll still say it! If you've got the guts, make me unable to speak for the rest of my life! You damned eunuch!" Damned eunuch? Song Shulan was genuinely moved to kill. But he suddenly broke into violent coughing, his body convulsing uncontrollably. Zhao Susu, however, had no intention of letting it go. "Look at yourself—a useless waste, yet you expect me to remain chaste for you? On what grounds? Since you can't be a real man, why should I have to sleep alone?" "You... you shameless woman!" Song Shulan pointed at Zhao Susu. "You venomous shrew, I won't let you get away with this! Someone—gag her!" As Song Shulan gave the order, Old Madame Song signaled Mama Xu with her eyes. Seeing Mama Xu and the others closing in, Zhao Susu retreated in panic. "What are you doing? My father is a prince! Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, save me! Father won't let them send me to Jing'an Hall!" Zhao Susu struggled, but the matrons held her down firmly. Just then, Du Shinan and Mrs. He arrived. The couple had barely stepped inside when they saw Zhao Susu being restrained. Both asked what was going on. Old Madame Song was too ashamed to explain, and Song Shulan felt even more humiliated. Song Yu, being an unmarried young lady, chose not to draw attention to herself now that the matter was settled. It was Mama Xu who stepped forward. "This fine young man your family raised—he actually rolled into bed with his own mother. You came demanding her back just days ago, but what are we supposed to do? Du Cheng committed this disgraceful act—how does your Du family intend to handle it?" Mrs. He was stunned speechless. Du Shinan was even slower to react, only confirming after a pause, "What do you mean by that?" "I mean Du Cheng has been hiding in Madam Zhao's bed all this time!" Mama Xu summarized in one sentence. "Our family has decided to send Madam Zhao to Jing'an Hall. What about yours? What are your plans? Surely you don't expect us to beat drums and gongs to deliver him to the Du residence?" Du Shinan immediately said that wouldn't do. "If that's the case, our family absolutely cannot tolerate this brat. We'll cast him out of the household. As for how you want to punish him, beat him or curse him, do as you please—is that acceptable?" Du Cheng was an adopted son to begin with; Du Shinan and his wife had no emotional bond with him. Now that something like this had happened, they had no desire to let the matter escalate. Du Shinan walked outside and kicked Du Cheng again and again. "You little bastard! Tell me—were you seduced?" Du Cheng clenched his jaw and said nothing, enduring Du Shinan's beating and cursing. Zhao Susu listened to Du Cheng being beaten, shoved past one matron, and rushed to the doorway before being grabbed again. A cloth was stuffed into her mouth, and she watched Du Cheng with tearful, heartbroken eyes. He was a man with feelings, and she a concubine with affection—the sight made Song Shulan lose all face. Du Cheng retched and spat out blood. Du Shinan was still not satisfied. "Say something! Don't tell me you've truly been bewitched, your mind clouded by that vixen!" Mrs. He also came out to curse. "I'm telling you, after committing such a shameful act, once you're back at the Du residence, the old master won't let you off easy!" Merely thinking about it made the couple feel utterly disgraced. Just then, Prince Rong arrived in haste. Seeing his daughter bound, he shoved the matrons aside. "Who gave you permission to treat my daughter this way?" The cloth was removed from Zhao Susu's mouth, and she grabbed her father's hand, sobbing uncontrollably. "Father, you've finally come! That bastard Song Shulan—he actually hit me, and he wants to send me to Jing'an Hall!" "Jing'an Hall?" Prince Rong's brows knitted tightly. "Song Shulan, you've got quite the nerve—you want to send my daughter to Jing'an Hall? Do you still have any regard for me as your father-in-law?" Facing Prince Rong, even with right on his side, Song Shulan felt somewhat deflated. It was Old Madame Song who spoke up. "Why doesn't Your Highness ask what your daughter did to make us send her to Jing'an Hall? Moreover, this was the suggestion of the Princess Consort—our family is seeking a divorce!" The person sent to fetch Prince Rong had only said that Zhao Susu was in serious trouble, without giving any specifics. Lady Wu then performed a salute and explained, "To answer Father-in-law, Susu secretly kept Du Cheng in her chambers, and today they were caught red-handed. Marquis Song wants to divorce her, but I felt that would be inappropriate. For the sake of both families' reputations, I proposed sending Susu to Jing'an Hall—it preserves both families' honor while also teaching Susu a lesson." "Is this how your mother-in-law instructed you when she was still alive?" Prince Rong was clearly displeased with this outcome. What kind of place was Jing'an Hall? It devoured people without spitting out their bones. A perfectly healthy person sent in there would go mad within a few years. It was said that the women inside were also taken by certain people for amusement, with extremely twisted methods. Ordinary people wouldn't know about such things, but Prince Rong had heard of them. Lady Wu frowned slightly. Even at a time like this, her father-in-law still wanted to protect Zhao Susu? "Father-in-law, I did this also to appease the anger of the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion." Lady Wu deliberately mentioned Song Shulan, hoping he would catch her meaning. Song Shulan wasn't that foolish. He took a quiet breath and said, "Indeed, Your Highness. Surely you don't think Zhao Susu can still live well after doing something like this?" "Why not?" Prince Rong pressured with authority. "She is my daughter—I will naturally protect her. Since you can't get along with her, let her go to the Rong Prince Mansion's estate. We'll announce to the public that she's going there to recuperate, and you won't need to manage her anymore." Send her to the Rong Prince Mansion's estate? That meant no punishment whatsoever! Moreover, once Zhao Susu went to the estate, she could do whatever she pleased—she might even find a new lover and enjoy herself. Song Shulan feared the Rong Prince Mansion's power, but he wasn't that much of a coward. "Your Highness, isn't this going too far? Even if you are a prince, that doesn't mean the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion can suffer such humiliation and still watch Zhao Susu walk away unscathed to live a good life!" Zhao Susu stood behind Prince Rong, wishing she could cut Song Shulan into a thousand pieces. "Song Shulan, are you determined to drive me to death? If you want me dead, I won't let you have it easy either. I'll tell everyone in Bianjing about your affairs—I'll make the whole city know you're nothing but a eunuch!" "Enough!" It wasn't Song Shulan who shouted, but Prince Rong. Prince Rong's head ached terribly. "Even at a time like this, you still don't recognize your mistake?" "Father, your daughter had no choice. Song Shulan can't perform in that regard, and I can't get a mutual divorce. Please, Father, grant your daughter and Du Cheng your blessing. We'll go to the estate and never appear again." Zhao Susu looked at her father with pleading eyes. "In all this world, only Du Cheng is sincere with me. Without him, I cannot live!" At the mention of Du Cheng, Prince Rong was furious. What was this nonsense? Prince Rong glared fiercely toward the courtyard. At that moment, Du Cheng had climbed to his feet and was also looking toward Prince Rong. No one expected Du Cheng to speak at this moment. "I won't go to the estate. I want to return to the Du family." "What?" Zhao Susu said urgently. "If you return to the Du family, they won't let you off. Since things have come to this, let's leave together. With my father here, he'll help us." But Du Cheng shook his head. "The Du family has shown me kindness. I've already wronged my grandfather today—I must return and apologize in person." "But didn't you say you wanted to be with me—" "Shut your mouth!" Prince Rong couldn't bear to listen any longer and swept a glare over. "Say one more word, and I'll send you to Jing'an Hall!" Zhao Susu fell silent, her mind racing with thoughts of why Du Cheng wouldn't go with her. Without Du Cheng, what would she do for the rest of her life? Prince Rong looked at Song Shulan and Old Madame Song again. "I can leave all of Susu's dowry behind. In addition, I'll compensate the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion with twenty thousand taels of silver. Is that acceptable?" The Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion lacked money. Old Madame Song, having endured two years of hard times, felt her heart stir at the mention of twenty thousand taels of silver. Moreover, if she insisted on punishing Zhao Susu today and Prince Rong truly flew into a rage, the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion wouldn't fare well either. "Shulan, what do you think?" Old Madame Song asked. Hearing his mother ask, Song Shulan knew she was tempted. But he was the one who'd been cuckolded. To swallow this humiliation, twenty thousand taels wasn't enough. "I also want the position of Minister of Revenue. If Your Highness can secure that for me, I can swallow this insult." In Song Shulan's view, promotion was the most important thing. "Do you know what you're saying?" Prince Rong clenched his fists. "Of course I know. With Your Highness's abilities, it may be difficult, but it's not impossible." Song Shulan knew this was his last chance to profit from Prince Rong. "Until I'm promoted, Zhao Susu cannot leave the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion. She'll serve as a slave and maid there—the lowest, most menial servant!" "You!" Prince Rong was currently out of favor and already under scrutiny. Helping Song Shulan get promoted would be fraught with danger. But for his daughter's sake, he hesitated. Lady Wu had no choice but to speak up. "Father-in-law, the Rong Prince Mansion can barely protect itself right now. If we give The Emperor any leverage over this matter, our mansion will be finished!" "Then you would have me watch your sister go to Jing'an Hall? Do you know that once she enters Jing'an Hall, she will..." Prince Rong's chest heaved violently. "Your mother, on her deathbed, worried most about Susu. If not for her sake, then for that." Prince Rong closed his eyes. Just as he was about to accept the terms, Qiutang suddenly entered from outside, holding Wang Hechun's Wife's confession. Song Yu had no intention of letting Zhao Susu off easily. She had already ordered Wang Hechun's Wife to be dragged away for interrogation earlier. Whatever misdeeds Madam Zhao had committed, Wang Hechun's Wife would surely know. "Father, you truly are too easily swayed by profit." She should have realized it sooner—the reason her father forgave Zhao Susu time and again was precisely because there was something to gain from her. It was up to her to handle this herself. "Yu-jie, this is a matter for the adults. Don't interfere." Song Shulan told Yu-jie to stay out of it. But Song Yu paid no heed. "Here is Wang Hechun's Wife's confession. Besides detailing Madam Zhao's adultery, Father, do you know why you've been falling ill lately?" Song Shulan was stunned. "It's because Madam Zhao has been poisoning you!" Song Yu said each word deliberately. "If you wish to trade profit for forgiveness, that's your choice. But not only did she poison you, she also poisoned Jin-ge. That score, I will settle with Madam Zhao!"