Chapter 353

Chapter 353: The End "Madam Lou was given some silver by Prince Rong, so she had to go back first," Bai Shuang explained. "She asked me to come check on you first. If you had left with Prince Rong, she wouldn't need to bother. If you hadn't managed to leave, she would find another way to rescue you." This explanation made sense. Zhao Susu didn't grow suspicious. "My father's status restricts him, so he doesn't dare to openly break with Lady Cui. I see it clearly now—relying on the Prince's mansion, there's no telling when I'll get out, but I can't bear another day in Jing'an Hall!" "Then... then would you be willing to acknowledge Madam Lou as your mother?" Bai Shuang asked cautiously. "Madam Lou said that in this life, she doesn't ask for your affection, only to hear you call her 'Mother' once, and then she'll help you plan your escape." "Mother? Fine." As long as she could leave this godforsaken place called Jing'an Hall, calling someone "Mother" was nothing. Zhao Susu was willing. "Tell her to hurry. Otherwise, in this hellhole of a place, I might die any day now!" "Alright, alright, alright. I'll go back and tell Madam Lou to take you away as soon as possible." Bai Shuang said this while breathing a sigh of relief. But then a furious roar came from the next room—"Susu!" Zhao Susu was stunned. "F... Father?" Prince Rong charged over from the next room, his eyes blazing with fury. "Susu, you... you've deceived us terribly!" "No, Father, it's not like that!" Zhao Susu turned to look at Bai Shuang, then rushed at her like a madwoman. "You bitch! You set me up! I've never wronged you—why would you harm me?!" Bai Shuang was knocked to the ground. Nanny Qiu and the others came over to restrain Zhao Susu. Xie Yunting stood nearby, chuckling. "Prince Rong, now you understand, don't you? What humiliation? She came to rescue her own biological daughter. You've been truly foolish—raising someone else's daughter for over thirty years, only for it to become a joke in the end. So what do you say now? Still want to acknowledge this daughter?" "Xie Yunting, shut your damn mouth!" Prince Rong roared, then felt a surge of blood rush to his head. He couldn't get the breath out for a long moment, and after a while, he spat out a mouthful of blood. "Father!" Zhao Zhongren supported his father and hurriedly sent Steward Lin to fetch a physician. Prince Rong fainted. Zhao Susu still wanted to explain, but was held down by Nanny Qiu. "Big brother, I'm your most beloved sister! I really am your sister! Don't listen to that bitch's nonsense. All these years of your affection for me—was it all fake?" Zhao Zhongren's gaze at Zhao Susu was extremely complicated. For so many years, his affection for Zhao Susu had been real. For the sake of this sister, the Rong Commandery Prince Mansion had spared no effort or expense. Now he was being told she wasn't his real sister? Zhao Zhongren couldn't accept this reality. He followed Steward Lin and brought his father to the guest quarters. As for Zhao Susu, she looked at Xie Yunting and the others with overwhelming hatred. "Xie Yunting, Cui Lingrong, you filthy pair! Don't think I don't know—you two got together long ago. You had a good time last night, didn't you!" Mentioning last night's events, Cui Lingrong understood that Zhao Susu had a hand in that too. "Zhao Susu, you brought this entirely upon yourself." Cui Lingrong now looked at Zhao Susu as if she were already dead. "Before, you were Prince Rong's daughter, so he kept protecting you. And now?" "Cui Lingrong, you poisonous woman!" "Poisonous woman? If I were truly poisonous, I'd have sold you to a brothel." Cui Lingrong let out two cold laughs. "Save your energy. No matter how much you curse me, I'll be living in wealth and glory in Bianjing while you suffer torment in Jing'an Hall until you die. Between you and me, there's now a world of difference." Zhao Susu struggled with all her might to charge at Cui Lingrong, but was pinned down firmly by two matrons. "I won't let you get away with this! Even as a ghost, I'll drag you down with me!" "Then I'll be waiting to see if you have that ability!" Cui Lingrong turned and left. By this time, Prince Rong had also woken up. Cui Lingrong walked into the room and looked at Prince Rong on the bed. "I told you long ago—it's not worth it for someone like her." "You... you knew all along?" Prince Rong said weakly. "I didn't know. I just found it strange why Madam Bai treated Madam Zeng so poorly, even hurling vicious words whenever Madam Zeng's situation improved. Now I understand—because Madam Zeng isn't Madam Bai's daughter, but someone from your Rong Commandery Prince Mansion." Cui Lingrong observed Prince Rong's pale face. Although many things were caused by Zhao Susu, the Rong Commandery Prince Mansion had failed to distinguish right from wrong and had blindly indulged Zhao Susu. If they had disciplined her strictly from the start, none of what followed would have happened. So while Zhao Susu was detestable, the Rong Commandery Prince Mansion was not innocent either. "Haha, I've been such a fool!" Prince Rong thought of his dead son and wife, and suddenly burst into laughter. "I've been truly stupid, deceived for so long. Lady Cui, you've won—won completely. I won't come to rescue her anymore." "Won?" Cui Lingrong laughed coldly. "Who has truly won? Because of Zhao Susu, I've been plagued by troubles these past few years. Prince Rong, just you wait—you'll get your retribution too." With that, Cui Lingrong walked out of the room. Just then, Cui Zeyu arrived with his men. Xie Yunting and his people had surrounded Jing'an Hall inside and out. "Don't let a single one escape!" "General, what are you doing?" Steward Lin rushed over hurriedly. "Our Jing'an Hall is funded by the Grand Princess. Does she know you're surrounding Jing'an Hall?" The Grand Princess Steward Lin referred to was the Emperor's elder sister, but she was advanced in years and had not appeared in public for a long time. "So what if she's the Grand Princess? Do you think I, Xie Yunting, would be afraid?" Xie Yunting immediately ordered his men to detain Steward Lin, then personally led his people to arrest the managers of Jing'an Hall one by one. For a time, Jing'an Hall was in complete chaos. Xie Yunting then sent men to escort Cui Lingrong back to Bianjing first. As for Jing'an Hall, Xie Yunting searched it for a day and a night, and went directly to beg the Emperor's forgiveness the next morning. No one had expected that a place like Jing'an Hall, which appeared dignified and proper, had been used for pleasure and debauchery. And since this was the Grand Princess's establishment, the Emperor, mindful of her advanced age, did not punish her—but her sons did not fare so well. They were all exiled to Ningguta. In just a few days, another powerful family had fallen from grace in Bianjing—and it was the Grand Princess's family at that. Only then did everyone understand that when someone committed an offense, the Emperor showed no mercy whatsoever. For a time, every major family warned their young members not to go out and cause trouble, and especially not to provoke Xie Yunting. After all, that man Xie Yunting feared nothing under heaven or earth. Whoever provoked Xie Yunting would surely have a chunk of flesh bitten off. As for the women from Jing'an Hall, even those who were innocent were not accepted back by their families. Left to their own devices, some married unmarried men in the military, while others went to Xie Yunting's weaving bureau. But Zhao Susu had disappeared. Xie Yunting brought this news but showed no urgency. "Sister, guess who took Zhao Susu away?"