Chapter 337

Chapter 337: Saving the Day That his father was blinded by greed came as no surprise to Song Yu. What shame? A green hat? Murdering her husband? To her father, none of that mattered more than his official career. But today, Song Yu was determined to make Zhao Susu pay. "Didn't you say there was no witness or evidence before? Now Wang Hechun's wife has already confessed. As for the evidence..." Song Yu glanced toward the room, and Qiutang immediately went inside. Mama Xu and Lady Wu followed her in, but before they could act, Qiutang had already found the medicine packet. "Miss, I found it—hidden in the bottom compartment of the dressing table, just as Mama Wang said!" Qiutang ran out holding it. "Father, what you want to do is your business. But what concerns me and my brother is a separate matter!" Just as Song Yu finished speaking, Prince Rong shot her a glare. "You're just a young girl who left the household with your mother. Since when is it your turn to speak here?" Prince Rong roared. "What an ill-bred girl! You have no say here—get out!" Song Yu stared back at him defiantly. "Is Your Highness trying to bully us with your authority? Then by all means, do your worst. I'd like to see, here on Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion's grounds, whether you'll resort to force or some other scheme!" "Heh, don't think just because I've fallen on hard times that I have no means. I have plenty of ways to make sure you never walk out that door!" Prince Rong was determined to protect his daughter. He had only one daughter, raised in the palm of his hand. Though she was willful and foolish, she didn't deserve to be sent to a place like Jing'an Hall. Just then, Cui Lingrong suddenly stepped across the threshold. "Your Highness just said you'd make sure my daughter never walks out that door. How strange—Zhao Susu is the one who did wrong, so why punish my daughter?" Cui Lingrong let out a light laugh. "Or is it that you'd like to take this before the Emperor?" Everyone present was surprised to see Cui Lingrong arrive. Song Yu walked over to her mother's side. With her mother here, she had her backbone. "Mother, Zhao Susu and Du Cheng were caught in adultery—the evidence is conclusive. And the poison she used to harm Jin-ge before has also been found. We have nothing to fear—I have Wang Hechun's wife's confession in hand!" Song Yu hated Madam Zhao to the core. If not for Madam Zhao, her family would still be intact. Not to mention everything Madam Zhao had done to them. Cui Lingrong nodded to show she understood. Song Shulan looked over. "Lingrong, why are you here?" "I was worried Yu-jie couldn't handle this alone, so I came to check. I didn't expect someone to actually try to bully my daughter. Zhao Susu, you truly have a vicious heart. You murdered Elder Master Du, and then tried to kill Song Shulan—tell me, what kind of heart do you have?" Cui Lingrong smiled as she looked over. Hearing Cui Lingrong's words, everyone from the Rong Prince Mansion was stunned. Zhao Susu frowned deeply. "What nonsense are you spouting? How could you possibly know?" "How could I not know?" Cui Lingrong was in a rather good mood. "I warned Song Shulan long ago—he simply didn't believe me. Zhao Susu, if you want no one to know, don't do it. Since you did it, I was bound to find out. Otherwise, what hold did the Du family have over you to make you do so much for them?" With that, she looked at the couple, Mrs. He and her husband. Mrs. He stammered, "I... I never... told you anything!" That statement was as good as confirmation. Cui Lingrong said, "You didn't need to tell me. I can investigate and figure it out myself. But I don't care that Zhao Susu killed Elder Master Du. Just as Yu-jie said, Zhao Susu harmed my son—that's a debt I intend to settle." "Cui Lingrong, you're no longer part of the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion—this is none of your business!" Zhao Susu gritted her teeth, wishing she could charge at Cui Lingrong and fight her. But Cui Lingrong replied, "I may not be part of the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, but I am Jin-ge's mother, and that gives me the right to settle accounts with you on his behalf. Let me tell you—even if the Emperor himself came, I would still demand justice today, let alone a prince!" Cui Lingrong's presence filled the room. Her gaze shifted from Zhao Susu to Prince Rong. Prince Rong knew this would not end well today. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "What exactly do you want? Jin-ge is fine, and that was so long ago—how can you prove my daughter did it?" "Jin-ge's matter may be old, but Song Shulan still carries poison in his body. Even if he doesn't pursue it, what if I insist on pursuing it?" Cui Lingrong stared straight at Prince Rong without a trace of fear. "Yes, I'm just a weak woman. But what about my younger brother, or my cousin? If they submit memorials to the throne, will Your Highness still be a prince?" Indulging his daughter in crimes, with multiple offenses stacked together—Prince Rong might indeed cease to be a prince. Song Yu lacked experience and didn't have Cui Lingrong's commanding presence. The room fell silent for a moment. Cui Lingrong spoke again. "It was your household that forced Zhao Susu into this marriage and turned my life upside down. Now that I've finally gotten a hold over you, you'll have to satisfy me first." Prince Rong's expression had turned extremely grim. But Zhao Susu cursed, "Cui Lingrong, you bitch! I won't die—as long as my father is here, I will never die!" "Enough!" Prince Rong's head was throbbing as he turned and snapped, "Even now, you still show no sign of remorse. If you weren't my daughter, you would have died ten thousand times over!" "Father, you have to help me, I beg you—I'm your and Mother's most beloved daughter." Zhao Susu clutched tightly at Prince Rong's sleeve; he was her last lifeline. Cui Lingrong watched their father-daughter bond. She knew that as long as Prince Rong was there, Zhao Susu would be spared death. But if she escaped death, then Cui Lingrong would make her wish she were dead. Her gaze flickered past Lady Wu, and thinking of that place called Jing'an Hall, Cui Lingrong mused that Lady Wu was truly someone who thought of everything. But she wanted Zhao Susu to suffer even more. "My son will one day inherit the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion. I don't want my son to have to pay respects to Zhao Susu after she's gone. Whether it's mutual divorce or casting her out, Zhao Susu must leave the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion." "But—" Song Shulan had just started to speak when Cui Lingrong cut in, "Don't bring up the Emperor's betrothal decree. If the Emperor could decree the marriage, he can just as easily decree that you, Song Shulan, divorce your wife." Prince Rong asked what if he refused. "Then I'll go petition the Emperor. Don't forget, Your Highness, I hold a Gaoming title." Cui Lingrong continued, "And also, Zhao Susu must go to Jing'an Hall." That place called Jing'an Hall could make living feel worse than death. Prince Rong clenched his fists. "Cui, leave some room for mercy. Must you push things this far? If this reaches the Emperor's ears, the Rong Prince Mansion will lose face, and the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion will become the laughingstock of Bianjing. What about your two sons and your daughter—how will they hold their heads up in the future?" "That's precisely why I'm only stating the outcome. As for the process—how you explain it to the Emperor, how you spin it to the public—that's up to you." If not for the children, why would Cui Lingrong be here haggling with them? She would have had the whole of Bianjing talking about it by now. Once Zhao Susu's misdeeds spread, the Rong Prince Mansion would surely drag out the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion's dirty laundry in retaliation. Xuan-ge still had the Imperial Examination ahead of him, and marriage after that. If the family's reputation was in such disarray, how could Xuan-ge and Jin-ge ever marry into good families? Even if the Luo family didn't care, the world would still talk. Cui Lingrong couldn't indulge in momentary satisfaction and leave her three children with endless gossip and slander. Cui Lingrong said there was no room for negotiation. "I've already spared Zhao Susu's life, so she must do as I say. I'll give Your Highness a quarter of an hour to consider. If you're unwilling, then we'll burn all bridges. But you should know—if we truly burn all bridges, Zhao Susu will die without a doubt!"