Chapter 18: Su Rao’s First Display of Talent (2) (Bonus Chapter for Recommendations)

Chapter 18: Su Rao's First Display of Talent (2) (Bonus Chapter for Recommendations)

"You dare to deceive the emperor, Su Rao? You're done for, you're so done for!"

The Seventh Princess, rescued from the water, coughed and gasped, drenched like a drowned rat, but she still couldn't forget the face she had seen on Su Rao just now.

With that face, though slightly pale with a hint of yellow, she was undeniably a beauty. How could it possibly match the rumors of ugliness?

Su Rao had actually disguised her appearance, and for all these years too. Now, she was truly doomed.

Su Rao curled her lips, dismissing her with a scoff. She glanced at the Seventh Princess with an air of disdain, as if she were looking at a fool.

The princess was all nose and no eyes.

"Yun Luoling, have you lost your mind? Is there anything I, Su Rao, have ever wanted but failed to obtain? That would be a colossal joke."

As she spoke, a strong sense of arrogance and privilege exuded from her. She toyed with a white porcelain bottle in her hand, which contained 'Floral Dew,' a beauty product crafted by Young Master Xiao. It had skin-lightening and wrinkle-reducing properties and was safe for use by people of all genders and ages, being natural and harmless.

The Seventh Princess' gaze was fixated on the white porcelain bottle in Su Rao's hand.

Suddenly, a loud cry echoed, "Su Rao, it was indeed you who abducted Young Master Xiao!"

Yun Muyi's gaze also fell on Su Rao's hand, then shifted to her face after a breath. He had seen her previous sallow complexion; her current skin tone indicated she had been using the floral dew for quite some time.

At least half a year.

"It was this young lady who took away Young Master Xiao. What can you do about it? I deliberately oppose you! Since Young Master Xiao doesn't fancy me, you won't get him either. Whoever this young lady can't have, nobody else will!"

The angrier the Seventh Princess became, the more outrageous Su Rao's words were. A faint blush gradually appeared on her face, as if filled with nostalgia and regret.

"It was Young Master Xiao's skin—so delicate, smooth, and fragile that it seemed to break with a gentle breeze. Touching it felt even smoother than the finest silk gauze. When he left, he said he would never return."

Even Su Rao found her own words melodramatic, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin.

"Su Rao, this princess will kill you! This princess will kill you, ah! Puh—"

So agitated was the Seventh Princess that she spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted.

"Seventh Sister," Yun Muyi called out in distress.

Su Bo hurriedly instructed the servants to bring the estate physician.

Foreseeing the situation, Su Bo had already summoned the physician along on his way.

The physician promptly took the Seventh Princess's pulse. Nothing serious, it seemed; she was merely suffering from excessive anxiety and stress.

Just as he finished his diagnosis, Su Rao suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed.

"Sis..."

Su Er swiftly supported Su Rao, noticing the faint flutter of her eyelids. His tense nerves relaxed, but a sense of helplessness emerged in his heart.

He understood why Su Rao had fainted in this manner.

Although Princess Qi's intrusion into their Su family was indeed wrong, her collapse from anger within their home would shift the blame onto the Su family. However, if Su Rao fainted as well, and especially if it was due to severe injuries inflicted by Princess Qi, the situation would take on a different dimension.

Their Su family had only this beloved daughter, treated with the utmost care, fearing even the slightest harm. Rao'er had always remained at home, causing no trouble, yet the Seventh Princess had brazenly intruded into their household and injured their daughter.

The Seventh Princess and Rao'er had never seen eye to eye, and despite occasional clashes over the years, she had never dealt such a harsh blow. Rao'er had never harmed the Seventh Princess, so the princess must give them a satisfactory explanation.

With a grim expression, Su Er picked up Su Rao and strode towards the Ruo Xiang Pavilion. Before leaving, he cast a cold glance at the Seventh Princess, who was now unconscious in Yun Muyi's arms. The murderous intent was palpable, and Yun Muyi sensed it effortlessly.

The estate physician hurriedly followed them.

This sudden turn of events interrupted Yun Muyi's plans before they could even begin.

Su Rao, having seen Yun Muyi arrive, naturally anticipated his intentions and would not allow him the chance to act. It was not the right time, not while he was merely the Fourth Prince.

There was still a long way to go!

She would no longer sit idly by, letting fate dictate her destiny. This time, she was not the six-year-old child, powerless to stop the tragic loss of her father and mother. This time, she would fight, challenge fate, regardless of the outcome.

If, after the fight, she was still unable to change her fate, she would accept it and live on for the sake of her parents' peace in the afterlife. Until the day she could endure no more, until her hatred consumed her conscience...

"Granddaughter, my precious granddaughter."

The esteemed General Su and the others made their timely appearance. Despite his steady pace, General Su's steps were hurried.

Princess Qi had rashly entered the Su residence. Even if the elders like General Su knew about it, they would pretend ignorance. When adults intervene in children's squabbles, the nature of the situation changes entirely.

However, now that Princess Qi was enraged to the point of fainting, and Su Rao was severely injured and unconscious, it would be unreasonable for the Su family not to step in.

Disregarding Princess Qi's status, the Su family's unconditional doting on Su Rao alone called for their intervention at this moment.

General Su strode forward with large steps, reaching the Fourth Prince's side in two strides.

His rage seemed to be boiling over, smoke practically emanating from his furious countenance as he pointed an accusing finger at Princess Qi in Yun Muyi's arms. After a long while, he managed to force out a single sentence through gritted teeth:

"If anything happens to my beloved granddaughter, I, an old man, will risk my life, throw away my dignity, and seek justice for her! Princess Qi, you dare to bully my Su family as if we have no capable members!"

These few short words appeared to have drained all of General Su's strength. His face flushed red as he puffed up his beard and glared, his chest heaving with deep breaths.

Father Su and Uncle Su hurriedly patted General Su's back to calm him down.

"Father, please calm down, let's go see Rao'er first."

The old General Su immediately subsided his anger and strode towards the Ruo Xiang Pavilion.

"Scram, get out of here! The doors of the Su family aren't high enough to receive the favor of the Seventh Princess!"

It seemed that the old general had lost his temper, as his military roughness emerged. His voice echoed with intense fury, even though he was already far away.

Yun Muyi now appeared equally powerless. The fact that the old general didn't swing a sword at him showed how much he doted on Su Rao.

"I apologize on behalf of the Fourth Prince. Father is just worried about Rao'er and has momentarily lost his wits."

Uncle Su San did not follow but instead bowed apologetically, though his expression seemed somewhat forced. He was also inwardly furious.

"Since the Seventh Princess is unharmed, I suggest the Fourth Prince take her back immediately. The night air is chilly; we wouldn't want her to catch a cold."

At the same time, he instructed a maid to fetch a change of clothes for the Seventh Princess.

The Fourth Prince picked up the Seventh Princess and respectfully avoided Uncle Su San's gesture of apology.

"It was all due to Seventh Princess's lack of understanding and her playful behavior with Miss Su. I apologize for the incident, and I, Yun Muyi, will ensure that the Su family receives an explanation. I hope, General Su, that you won't let this matter affect your health."

Uncle Su nodded with a smile. "I will convey Prince Four's words to my father."

With Seventh Princess in tow, the Fourth Prince bid farewell, and the smile on Uncle Su's face vanished abruptly.

His expression turned grim.

He strode over to Ruo Xiang Pavilion in two steps.

As for Yun Muyi, who had just left the General's Mansion, his gaze darkened as he looked at the Seventh Princess in his arms.

Su Rao's bloodied state indicated severe injuries. If the Su family were to bring this matter before their father, he might also be implicated, arousing the emperor's suspicion.

In an instant, he boarded his carriage to return to the palace.

Having failed to accomplish his goal and instead causing such a major problem, he shouldn't have allowed Yun Luoling to come. She was more of a hindrance than a help.

Frustrated, Yun Muyi blamed himself, but not for a moment did he suspect Su Rao.

Given Su Rao's affection for Young Master Xiao, it wouldn't be surprising if she had done such a thing. Yun Muyi was somewhat aware of her character; she wasn't the type to harbor deep schemes. He deduced that someone must have instigated Seventh Princess to barge into the Su family residence.

Originally, he had intended for Yun Luoling to provoke trouble for Su Rao at the Su household. That way, his subsequent visit to the Su family, upon receiving news, would seem justified both emotionally and logically. Once he left a favorable impression on Su Rao, if she fell for him, there would be no need for him to take action directly. Su Rao would undoubtedly fight tooth and nail to marry him.

But now, let alone marrying Su Rao, he himself might first have to kneel in the Luantian Palace as punishment. He shouldn't have softened his heart and allowed his seventh imperial sister out of the palace just because of her persistent pleading, which led to this disaster.

General Su only had that one precious granddaughter. If anything truly happened to her, who knew what the old man might do? He might even demand the seventh imperial sister's life as retribution, an eye for an eye.