Chapter 340

Chapter 340: True Feelings, False Intentions "Second Uncle, Second Aunt, have you forgotten how my father died?" The father Du Cheng spoke of was Du Shibei. Du Shinan was stunned. "You... what do you mean?" "Father was murdered by Madam Zhao, yet the Du family had no ability to seek justice for him. Before I came to Bianjing, the old master specifically instructed me that Madam Zhao was licentious by nature and would not remain chaste. Later, when Song Shulan became a eunuch, it was heaven helping me." Only after Du Cheng finished speaking did Du Shinan and his wife realize what was going on. Du Shinan muttered, "No wonder the old master instructed that we must have Madam Zhao take you in, even after we left the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, we were to hand you over to Madam Zhao. So that was it. Then... then didn't you ever think about your own future? What if Song Shulan tried to kill you?" "And what would there be to fear about that?" A trace of hatred flashed through Du Cheng's eyes. He had deliberately left clues for Cui Lingrong and the others. He had also deliberately allowed himself to be caught. Several times, he had even created disturbances for Song Shulan. Unfortunately, that fool Song Shulan never realized there was another man in his own house. Fortunately, Lady Cui had come, or else Song Shulan would have switched official posts again. It was laughable. A man who relied not on his own ability but on a woman to rise in rank. Song Shulan's shamelessness was something Du Cheng had never encountered before. At that moment, people arrived from outside. Lady Wu led her people in and announced that this residence was to be vacated. "You... aren't you afraid I'll file a petition to the Emperor?" Du Shinan said. "Second Master Du, is there anything you think we have to fear?" Lady Wu said. "Zhao Susu has already gone to Jing'an Hall, and she's now living a fate worse than death. From now on, our Commandery Prince Mansion no longer needs to be threatened by you. If you have the ability, by all means go to Jing'an Hall and find Zhao Susu. She's the one who did those things, and my mother-in-law also paid with her life for the Mei family matter. As for Elder Master Du, if you want to speak of it now, weigh the consequences yourselves." A crowd surged in. Mrs. He said anxiously, "Don't any of you touch my things!" Du Shinan shouted even louder, "Fine, fine, fine! We'll move! Don't touch anything—we'll do it ourselves!" "Very well, I'll give you one day." Lady Wu said she would watch them move out. With that, Lady Wu looked at Du Cheng. Du Cheng bid farewell to Du Shinan and his wife, ignoring Lady Wu entirely. Setting out from Bianjing, Du Cheng went first to Jing'an Hall. In just two days, Zhao Susu had already become haggard and worn. "Have you come to rescue me?" Zhao Susu saw Du Cheng as if she had found hope. "I knew it—you have feelings for me. You wouldn't watch me suffer here. Wuwu, you have to help me. You don't know, this place truly isn't fit for human habitation." Every day she had to do her own cooking and laundry. Not only that, Zhao Susu had become the target of bullying by her roommates. Their clothes and chamber pots all had to be washed by her. In just two days, her hands were rubbed raw, too sore to lift. Zhao Susu had never done such things before. Her delicate jade fingers were now swollen and waterlogged, and she had lost her former radiance. Seeing Du Cheng, Zhao Susu couldn't help but shed tears of grievance. "Rescue you?" Du Cheng laughed. "You... aren't you here to rescue me?" Zhao Susu couldn't tell what Du Cheng was laughing about. "What makes you think I would rescue you?" Du Cheng had bribed the guards with silver just to see Zhao Susu. "Madam Zhao, do you know how long I've been waiting for this day?" "What do you mean?" "You probably don't remember, but ten years ago, at the Du family farm, you shot and wounded a young girl. You said my sister had no eyes and ran into your arrow of her own accord, and you also severely injured my father." Du Cheng's gaze at Zhao Susu was filled with hatred. "Every single day I spent with you, I was disgusted to the core. Someone as filthy as you belongs in a place this filthy!" Zhao Susu was stunned. She vaguely remembered that such a thing had indeed happened. It had been... Du Cheng's sister? "Did you never have even a shred of true feeling for me?" Zhao Susu hadn't expected to have been schemed against by Du Cheng, and she was even more unwilling to believe it. "Of course not. Even now you still can't figure it out? Why did the Du family insist on foisting me onto you, and why did I keep approaching you again and again? Madam Zhao, do you truly think you're so beautiful that I'd covet you, or so charming that I'd be drawn to you?" Du Cheng asked. Thinking back now, there had indeed been many things that revealed something was off. But Zhao Susu had never believed anyone could harm her. She had never been on guard against someone as insignificant as Du Cheng. Now she understood. "It was the old man of the Du family? He hated that I killed his proud eldest son, so he sent you to ruin my reputation?" With that, Zhao Susu laughed bitterly. "Why didn't I think of it? I killed Du Shibei—how could the Du family possibly swallow that?" "Yes. Grandfather wanted revenge for my father, but he couldn't contend with the power of the Rong Prince Mansion, so he could only choose me to come to Bianjing." Du Cheng saw the pain on Zhao Susu's face and knew his goal was achieved. "Madam Zhao, you're destined to remain here for the rest of your life, suffering in this stench!" Seeing Du Cheng rise to leave, Zhao Susu lunged at him, but Du Cheng kicked her away. "You can't leave! How could you do this to me?" Even when her affair was discovered, Zhao Susu hadn't been this panicked or resentful. She had thought that with the Rong Prince Mansion behind her, she would surely be saved from this disaster. But now, she truly hated. She had been sincere with Du Cheng, even considering killing Song Shulan so that she and Du Cheng could be together forever. And now Du Cheng was saying it was all a lie? "Du Cheng, you have no heart! You'll die a miserable death! I'll curse you so that in every lifetime, no one will ever truly love you!" Zhao Susu screamed herself hoarse, collapsing to the ground in loud sobs. But Du Cheng only looked at her coldly. "Madam Zhao, you're the one who will burn in hell forever." He didn't look back, walking out of the room with finality. His life might no longer hold a bright future, but having taken revenge on Zhao Susu, he could die without regrets. Not long after Du Cheng left, someone arrived with silver to make arrangements for Zhao Susu. "Madam An, our Prince said he'll send silver every month from now on. Just take it—all we ask is that you show our young lady some consideration." The steward, Madam An, looked at the bank draft in her hand—one hundred taels. Only a fool would turn down easy money. "Since it's the Prince's instruction, I'm naturally willing to help," Madam An said, and promptly arranged a private room for Madam Zhao. "Thank you kindly. One more thing—the Prince would like to know: how much silver would it take to take her away? Just name your price, anything will do!" "That's not easy to arrange. If she'd been sent here with the Prince's Mansion's signature and seal, you could take her anytime. But this person was sent by the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, so you'd need a letter from them to take her out. If you can manage that, anything is negotiable. Otherwise, if the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion sends someone later, we at Jing'an Hall won't be able to account for it." Madam An saw the visitor off, then arranged a private room for Zhao Susu—one that was airy and faced the sun. The lodging was much better, and Zhao Susu thought she could finally breathe easier, no longer tormented by the pervert she'd been rooming with. But living alone actually gave other stewards their opportunity. When she woke in the middle of the night, a hand clamped over her mouth. "Don't scream. If you go along with me, I promise you won't have to empty chamber pots or wash clothes tomorrow!" Zhao Susu wanted to cry but had no tears. At this moment, she truly regretted it. But she didn't regret what she had done wrong—she regretted that when she married into the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, she should have had Song Shulan divorce Cui Lingrong and then sent Cui Lingrong straight to meet the King of Hell. While Zhao Susu was falling from one abyss into another, Cui Lingrong received a message from Lady Wu. "Our mistress says the Prince still hasn't given up on rescuing Madam Zhao. Our mistress is ultimately a person of the Prince's Mansion and can't openly oppose the Prince. But if the Prince obtains a letter from the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, he will definitely come to take Madam Zhao out. Please think of a way—ideally, keep her detained at Jing'an Hall." Otherwise, if a letter from the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion were produced, Zhao Susu wouldn't need to use a false identity. Cui Lingrong couldn't help but sigh. The Prince and Princess Rong truly doted on this daughter—they were willing to pay any price to clean up Zhao Susu's mess. "I understand. Thank you for making the trip." Cui Lingrong thought about how the Prince Rong had sent people to Jing'an Hall to make arrangements, so she sent Er Shun and Nanny Qiu to Jing'an Hall as well. The next day, Nanny Qiu returned and reported that in the past few days, besides the Prince Rong's people going to Jing'an Hall, Du Cheng had also paid a visit. "What did he go for? It can't be that he still has feelings for Zhao Susu?" Cui Lingrong asked. Nanny Qiu shook her head. "I don't think so. I asked the steward—Du Cheng didn't pay any money or make arrangements. He only met with Madam Zhao once, and afterward she kept cursing and screaming at the top of her lungs." Cui Lingrong was puzzled. She couldn't figure out why Du Cheng had gone. However, she had also heard that the second branch of the Du family had been driven out by Lady Wu and was now renting a small courtyard. That was what Mrs. He had come to tell her. She had offered a few words of comfort and tried to probe for information, but hadn't gotten anything useful out of her. "Oh, and the steward at Jing'an Hall said that the day before yesterday, another group of people came to make arrangements, asking them to look after Madam Zhao. But they didn't reveal their identity, so no one knows who they were." Nanny Qiu said.