Chapter 346

Chapter 346: Refusal to Acknowledge Two days prior, Prince Rong had made a special trip to Jing'an Hall. Seeing his daughter reduced to skin and bones, his heart felt as though it were being twisted with a knife. "Song Shulan, you are truly incompetent!" Prince Rong said with irritation. "She's just a woman, and you still can't handle her. Are you even fit to be called a man?" "That's not it, Your Highness. Behind that Cui woman stands the Duke of Dingguo's mansion and Zhuang Huaiming. How would I dare touch her?" Moreover, Song Shulan hadn't even been able to see Cui Lingrong recently. Prince Rong flew into a rage. "You've been married to that Cui woman for over a decade—surely you understand her temperament by now! If not for the sake of her children, she would have kicked you to the curb long ago. Since she could endure before, she can endure now." Zhao Zhongren added, "Even if you truly release Susu, Lady Cui won't fight you to the bitter end. The Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion has fallen; her two sons' futures are ruined for good." "Such a simple principle, and you, Song Shulan, can't grasp it." Prince Rong had only recently figured it out himself. "You only know how to be manipulated, but you don't know how to threaten Lady Cui. Truly useless. I'll tell you this—I didn't come to discuss with you today. I came to inform you directly. I will have your handwritten letter today." Song Shulan hesitated. "But..." "But what?" Prince Rong grabbed Song Shulan by the collar and slammed him hard against the table. Song Shulan's back collided with it, and he winced in pain. Prince Rong could wait no longer. "You heartless wretch! Susu is suffering in Jing'an Hall, and you won't even go look at her. Do you have any idea what kind of life she's living right now?" When he had seen his daughter, he learned that she had been continuously humiliated and abused. The kind of unspeakable things that Prince Rong couldn't even bring himself to say aloud. And that beast Du Cheng—he had actually deceived and seduced his daughter. The Du family? Prince Rong had already sent a letter to the Du family. If they didn't hand over Du Cheng, he would wipe out their entire clan. Song Shulan truly hadn't paid attention to Zhao Susu's current circumstances. "You don't know how much Lady Cui resents Susu. If we forcibly take her out, I'm afraid... afraid Lady Cui will become truly uncontrollable." "What are you afraid of? Even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up." Prince Rong scoffed. "Even if word gets out, at worst they'll say you're impotent. Which matters more—your reputation, or the stability of my daughter's remaining years?" Prince Rong had considered faking her death. But then his daughter would have to live in hiding, and if she were ever exposed, it would hand the Emperor another weapon against them. Ever since the Crown Prince had been born, Prince Rong and his faction had kept a very low profile. Everyone feared following in the footsteps of the Prince Gong's mansion. "I..." Song Shulan thought about how the entire Bianjing would know he was impotent, and feared he would be laughed to death. For now, Zhao Susu was in Jing'an Hall. As long as she didn't come out, Cui Lingrong wouldn't cause him trouble. As for the Rong Commandery Prince Mansion—surely they wouldn't actually kill him? He didn't want to offend Prince Rong's mansion, but he even less wanted to risk being mocked by all of Bianjing. After much deliberation, Song Shulan nodded in agreement and wrote the letter for Prince Rong. "I'm telling you, once Susu is out, we're done. No more dealings between us!" Prince Rong took Song Shulan's handwritten letter and left with his eldest son. Song Shulan, meanwhile, immediately rushed to the Cui residence. The gatekeeper blocked him, so he demanded to see Nanny Qiu. "Nanny Qiu, you must have Lingrong go to Jing'an Hall right away. Just now, Prince Rong and his son threatened me with a knife. Look at the wound on my neck—if I hadn't written the letter for him, he would have killed me!" Song Shulan pointed at the red mark on his neck, which he had inflicted on himself. Hearing this, Nanny Qiu hurried to report to her mistress. Cui Lingrong found it suspicious. "That scoundrel Song Shulan—there's no way they needed to threaten him with a sword." But thinking that Prince Rong and his son might have already left the city, she had Nanny Qiu prepare the carriage immediately and sent someone next door to ask Xie Yunting for a squad of elite guards. "Tie Song Shulan up and bring him along. Whether he was truly threatened or not, we'll know once we reach Jing'an Hall." Cui Lingrong gave the order, watched as Song Shulan was shoved into the carriage, then climbed in herself. "Lingrong, you could just go by yourself—why drag me along?" Song Shulan said guiltily. "If you don't come, how will the steward there believe that you don't want to take Zhao Susu out?" Cui Lingrong snorted. "Song Shulan, don't think you can fool me. I see right through your little schemes." Just as Cui Lingrong finished speaking, Xie Yunting's voice came from outside the carriage. "Sister Cui is heading out at this hour—she won't be back by nightfall. Better if I accompany you on the trip, to keep the roads safe." With that, Xie Yunting climbed into the carriage. The already cramped carriage immediately became even more confined. Xie Yunting shoved Song Shulan aside, squeezing him to the outermost edge. "Oh my, Marquis Song—why are you tied up?" Song Shulan, humiliated, snapped, "Xie Yunting, this is our business. What are you sticking your nose in for?" "Sister Cui asked to borrow someone from me, and I'm worried about her safety—what business is it of yours?" Xie Yunting said, taking a day off and turning to look at Cui Lingrong. "Sister, Marquis Song's mouth is too foul. Why not toss him outside and let him feel the night wind?" By now they had already passed through the city gates, and the road was nearly empty. Cui Lingrong, recalling that Song Shulan had brought this disaster upon them, agreed. Xie Yunting grabbed Song Shulan and dumped him beside the driver. "Sit steady. If you fall off the carriage, you'll be lucky to escape with just a broken arm or leg." "Xie Yunting, you're far too arrogant. No matter what, I am still a court official!" Song Shulan was frightened—both his hands were bound, and if he fell, he would certainly be in for trouble. But Xie Yunting wouldn't waste words on Song Shulan. He returned to the carriage and said he had already sent someone ahead to Jing'an Hall. "Don't worry, Sister Cui. Prince Rong won't get there much faster than us. Delaying a bit will buy enough time." Cui Lingrong nodded. Watching the sky outside grow darker, she thought she should be anxious, yet somehow she wasn't afraid. Meanwhile, inside Jing'an Hall, Madam Bai was meeting with Zhao Susu. "How many times must I tell you? I will not acknowledge you!" Zhao Susu was filled with nothing but rage at the sight of Madam Bai. Her father had come just yesterday, promising he would find a way to get her out. With her father's assurance, Zhao Susu believed she would be released soon. But if her identity were exposed, the people of the Rong Commandery Prince Mansion would certainly abandon her—and might even harm her. When Madam Bai entered, she had spoken many words of sympathy, saying "you've suffered so much." Now hearing her daughter refuse to acknowledge her as her mother, her heart ached as if it were being twisted. "Susu, I came today to help you leave," Madam Bai said. "You?" Zhao Susu was momentarily stunned, then sneered. "What could you possibly do?" Having spent these days in Jing'an Hall, Zhao Susu had been worn down considerably and had come to understand the importance of power. Madam Bai was nothing but a useless woman—how could she possibly rescue her? "Susu, trust me. Do you see that woman I brought? Her build and features are somewhat similar to yours. In a moment, you'll swap clothes, and I'll take you out while she stays here in your place." Madam Bai had thought long and hard before coming up with this plan. She had initially considered bribery, but then realized that if bribery worked, the Rong Commandery Prince Mansion would surely have tried it already. Hearing this, Zhao Susu finally noticed the woman standing behind Madam Bai who hadn't spoken a word. When their eyes met, the woman immediately lowered her head in fear. "Don't worry. I spent plenty of silver and deliberately came to visit just as it was getting dark. With the dim light, the guards won't be able to see clearly. As long as you walk out of Jing'an Hall with me, you'll be free. As for the one replacing you—when they discover she's a fake in a few days, at worst they'll give her a beating and let her go." Madam Bai said earnestly. "Susu, you are flesh of my flesh. When I think of you suffering in Jing'an Hall, my heart aches terribly." The woman Madam Bai had brought was named Bai Shuang, a woman from a collateral branch of the Bai family. Her child was sick at home, and she was desperately poor, in urgent need of money. Madam Bai had promised Bai Shuang a large sum, and only then did Bai Shuang agree to come and stand in for Zhao Susu for a while. Although Bai Shuang was from a collateral branch, her connection to Madam Bai's line had been separated by several generations. She had only heard that Madam Bai and Princess Consort Rong were sisters—she knew nothing else. Having listened for a while now, Bai Shuang was utterly confused, feeling she couldn't quite make sense of the relationship between this mother and daughter. "Susu, hurry up. If we dawdle any longer, who knows when the next chance will come!" Madam Bai urged anxiously, watching the sky darken. The steward would surely come to hurry them along soon. But Zhao Susu didn't move. Her father had come yesterday, saying he would immediately go to Song Shulan for the letters, and no matter what, he would make Song Shulan agree to release her. If she left with the letters, she would still be the daughter of the Rong Commandery Prince Mansion. Even if she couldn't live as ostentatiously as before, at least she'd have the Rong Commandery Prince Mansion as her backing, and she could still enjoy wealth and honor for the rest of her life. But if she left with Madam Bai, she would have to live in obscurity forever, and might even be hunted down by Cui Lingrong's people. Zhao Susu wanted to get out, but she didn't want to continue living a hard life afterward. "No. I won't go with you. I'll wait for my father to come rescue me." Zhao Susu stood up. "Susu, you're being foolish!" Madam Bai was frantic with worry. "If Prince Rong had a way, he would have come to rescue you long ago. Why has there been no movement at all?" Mama Zhou also urged, "That's right, miss. You wouldn't know this while you're in here, but the Emperor has had a son, and the Prince Gong's mansion has been raided and exiled. The Rong Commandery Prince Mansion can barely protect itself right now—it simply has no strength to spare to rescue you. You should listen to the madam and come with us. Once you're out of Jing'an Hall, you won't have to suffer anymore." Madam Bai said with heartache, "Susu, I know you blame me for being useless. But this is no time for stubborn pride. Come with me—I've prepared silver for you. Take the money and a travel permit to Jiangnan, and you can live a life of comfort without a care." "Impossible! My father came to see me just yesterday. You're trying to drive a wedge between us—he hasn't given up on me at all!" Zhao Susu had never thought highly of Madam Bai from the start, and was even less willing to acknowledge herself as Madam Bai's daughter. Madam Bai was taken aback. "You... you're telling the truth?" "Why would I lie to you?" Zhao Susu had lost her patience. "I'm not going to Jiangnan, not at all. I want to be the daughter of the Rong Commandery Prince Mansion. Madam Bai, I'll tell you ten thousand times over—I am not your daughter. I will always be the daughter of the Rong Commandery Prince Mansion!" Madam Bai's heart seemed to crack open. The daughter she had gone to such lengths to swap had refused to acknowledge her. And worse, the girl showed her not a shred of gratitude. Could it be that she had truly done wrong? Just then, the steward of Jing'an Hall pushed open the door. "Are you two done talking? Zhao Susu, your father has come to see you." The moment he finished speaking, Prince Rong appeared at the doorway and saw Madam Bai and her maids inside the room. Recognizing Madam Bai, Prince Rong's eyes were filled with confusion.