Jinyi Spring

Chapter 220 A Bad Thing

Unable to leave the house, Shui Raofu deliberately ran to the door and spoke loudly.

"...It's still my aunt Yanghe who's on my side, and my father and grandmother dote on me. They reduced the time from two months to half a month, and in a few days this princess will be able to go out. Humph, you midwife, you'll be so infuriating..."

If you can't criticize Empress Xiaoxian, you can at least criticize the midwife, right? Besides, there are plenty of midwives in the world, not just Shui Chuchen.

Shangguan Ruyu blushed, stood up and said, "Shui Raofu, the Emperor's uncle also said that you are not allowed to disrespect your elder sister. If you dare to talk nonsense again, I will go to the Imperial Study to report to the Emperor right now."

Shui Raofu said indignantly, "Shangguan Ruyu, you're siding with outsiders! I'm your cousin, how can you speak up for Shui Chuchen?"

Shangguan Ruyu snorted coldly, "Shui Chuchen is not only my cousin, but also my mentor and friend. Besides, it's wrong of you to side with what's right and not with your own family."

Shui Raofu stomped her feet in anger, "You damned Shangguan Ruyu, you stinky Shangguan Ruyu, I'm ignoring you!"

Then, with a loud bang, he slammed the door shut.

When Shangguan Ruyu entered the main hall, he saw Shui Chuchen and Feng Buji sitting on the daybed. One of them lowered his head, and the other turned his head away, ignoring him.

Shangguan Ruyu stepped forward and bowed deeply. "When I get back today, I will tell my mother about the insults Shui Raofu used, and I will forbid my mother from pleading for her anymore."

Then, he bowed to the left and then to the right, finally coaxing Shui Chuchen and her brother to look at him.

He took a red envelope from his pocket and handed it to Feng Buji. Then he looked at Shui Chuchen, his beautiful eyebrows furrowing slightly, his peach blossom eyes filled with tenderness and concern.

Her tone was tinged with self-reproach, "Cousin, please accept my condolences. My maternal grandmother scolded me today. I should have asked her to protect Empress Xiaoxian sooner."

She added, "Of course, we can't reveal General Wang's matter. We just ask her to look after Empress Xiaoxian. Perhaps... she can escape that calamity. Cousin, I'm sorry."

Shui Chuchen looked at him, her heart filled with complex emotions.

She couldn't say Shangguan Ruyu wasn't intelligent—his talent in medicine was unparalleled, and he was certainly capable of distinguishing right from wrong. It was simply that Empress Dowager Xue was too good at disguising herself, or perhaps that deep bond between grandmother and grandson obscured his sense of right and wrong.

She picked up her teacup, using the rim to conceal the slight displeasure in her eyes, and said softly, "It's not my cousin's fault. Who could have predicted those things?"

Shangguan Ruyu apologized again for her mother's pleading for Shui Raofu, saying, "I shouldn't have stopped her, cousin, please don't be angry."

Shui Chuchen was truly displeased. In order to please Empress Dowager Xue, Princess Yanghe was becoming increasingly unfair in her actions.

No wonder Shui Raofu is fearless; even after her mother's death, Empress Dowager Xue is there to protect her.

Shangguan Ruyu further explained, "My mother is the most filial. When the Xue family suffered a great calamity, she did this in order to make my maternal grandmother happy."

Shui Chuchen still wanted to get information out of him, so she couldn't be stubborn anymore and just gave a faint "hmm".

She instructed Peony and Chrysanthemum to take Feng Buji to the plum garden to see the flowers and pick a few branches to put in a vase. The red plum blossoms were in full bloom, making it the perfect time to enjoy them.

Only Shui Chuchen, Shangguan Ruyu, and Tang Jian, who was standing by their side, remained in the room.

Shui Chuchen slowly steered the conversation, asking about the Empress Dowager's activities that day. She did this intentionally to let Tang Jian know that she trusted him. Yesterday, she had given Tang Jian a separate reward of two hundred taels of silver. Once Shangguan Ruyu started talking about Sun Chengyu, her lips couldn't stop:

"...'Little Zhao Yun' indeed! In terms of looks, he's far inferior to me. In terms of martial arts, he's far inferior to Cousin Ming. Before I went to the Imperial Hospital, I worked with him in the palace. Don't I know his abilities?"

"He's two years younger than me, and he's already a fifth-rank commander. Do you know why he rose so quickly? He's a sycophant! He's a master of flattery!"

He got more and more excited as he spoke, and leaned closer in a low voice, "Let me tell you, his father's fate is even tougher than my cousin's. He's a jinx to his wives! His first wife died along with her unborn child, his second wife died after giving birth to their eldest son, and his mother died a few years after giving birth to him."

"That stepmother is only twenty-six years old now, and she's too scared to have children. So, my cousin, you absolutely mustn't marry him! What if he's like his father, a jinx to his wives?"

"My mother told me that when the women of the royal family paid their respects to her during the New Year, my maternal grandmother hinted that she didn't know which one of you or Shui Raofu she wanted to marry. Families who were interested in you and the Second Princess before probably won't be able to come and ask for your hand in marriage anymore."

Shui Chuchen snorted coldly. Was Empress Dowager Xue deliberately sending Shangguan Ruyu to deliver a message? And she even specifically compared Shangguan Ruyu, who was the most beautiful, and Ming Shanyue, who had the best future. Was she implying that Sun Chengyu was good in every way?

Moreover, in order to ruin her, he also dragged Shui Fuyao down with him.

Unfortunately, despite all her calculations, Empress Dowager Xue did not anticipate that Shangguan Ruyu had once harbored feelings for her. Out of jealousy, she severely demoted Sun Chengyu.

It seems that Shangguan Ruyu is unaware of Sun Chengyu's unsavory private life.

Given the relationship between Shangguan Ruyu and the Empress Dowager, she couldn't reveal it. Since it was so good, she might as well tell him about Shui Fuyao.

Shangguan Ruyu leaned her head closer: "Cousin, are you really not going to consider me?"

Shui Chuchen tilted her head back and frowned, "Considering you? Cousin, aren't you afraid of giving birth to a freak like Shui Raofu?"

Shangguan Ruyu knew it was impossible for them, but she was still unconvinced and asked anyway.

Hearing this, he sat up straight and muttered, "If you dare to make Sun Chengyu your son-in-law, I'll come to your mansion for meals every day. I know him too well; he's all talk and no action, and he would never dare to offend me. No matter how angry he is, he'll still have to treat me to good food and drink."

"If you live with him, you'll have to dissect him with a scalpel in less than three days. I'll testify for you then, saying it was self-defense, and I'll even help you dispose of the body so cleanly that even the coroner won't be able to tell."

Shui Chuchen was both amused and annoyed. "You've thought of everything."

Shangguan Ruyu proudly raised her chin, "Of course, I'm your cousin and confidant. If my cousin falls into a fire pit, I'll be responsible for handing you the rope to pull you out."

He paused, then added, "Sun Chengyu likes to flatter, but he's terrible at it. I'm embarrassed for him. If you really can't find someone suitable, perhaps..."

He glanced at Shui Chuchen, his voice lowering, "Why don't you reconsider me? Even if she has a mentally challenged child, I won't mind. With a generous dowry, there will still be people who want her."

Shui Chuchen picked up her teacup, glared at him, and said calmly, "If you keep saying such absurd things, I'll dissect you right now."

Shangguan Ruyu immediately shut her mouth and sat up straight.

These conversations made Tang Jian sweat, and he bent over even lower.

Afterwards, Feng Chuchen began discussing with Shangguan Ruyu the matter of performing facial surgery on Wang Tu. (End of Chapter)