"You want me to seduce the Crown Prince? Why are you crying now that I've entered the pala

Chapter 232 Jealousy and Punishment
A servant brought hot water for the distinguished guest to wash and groom.

After tidying herself up, Qin Su prepared to visit Aunt Xu.

As soon as she moved, Chu Jiang naturally followed.

He didn't want to be separated from her for even a moment.

To his surprise, he was refused: "I'm going to visit my mother. What are you going there for?"

Chu Jiang was about to suggest that he wait outside when the little girl glared at him: "Mother is timid, you'll scare him if you go. Besides, there's a banquet being prepared in the manor, and people from other households will be there too. If you come with me, I wonder what they'll say behind my back."

Chu Jiang's sharp eyebrows flashed with a hint of disdain, as if to say, "What others think is none of my business."

Although he didn't care about other people's opinions, he eventually gave in when the girl insisted.

“I haven’t seen my mother in a long time. If you go, even if you don’t care, others will keep urging you because they are afraid of your status…”

The rest is self-evident; in short, his presence will influence her.

Chu Jiang looked at her. Only she dared to use such a reason to drive him away. If it had been anyone else today... if it were anyone else, he wouldn't have followed at all.

"Okay, I'll wait for you at the banquet. You can stay as long as you want; no one will rush you." He said these words against his will, then lowered his head and kissed the girl's lips, finally giving in.

So the servants waiting at the door saw that after His Highness the Crown Prince came out, whose complexion had already been rather poor, his complexion seemed to have worsened.

His gaze sent a chill down your spine for no apparent reason.

I have no idea what just happened in the room.

And so, Chu Jiang was coaxed to the backyard to take his seat first, while Qin Su followed the maid to visit Aunt Xu.
-
Because of her lowly status, even though her daughter had become a concubine, Aunt Xu was not entitled to be seated in such a public setting.

Fortunately, Qin Su had told her in advance that she would come, so her courtyard was still lively.

Those who used to look down on her now fawn over her.

Especially when the summons for the arrival of the "Concubine" came from the doorway, almost everyone looked over.

Unfortunately, they were not qualified to see Qin Su.

The area was quickly cleared away by the next group of palace maids who came in.

So when Qin Su came in, the room, which was warm and cozy with the underfloor heating on, was only occupied by Aunt Xu, who was looking forward to her arrival, and two familiar-looking maids.

"Greetings, Your Highness, Consort..."

Aunt Xu had previously learned the etiquette for meeting important people, and when Qin Su came, she excitedly got out of bed and stood up to greet her.

Halfway there, Qin Su stopped him: "Auntie, there's no need for such formalities."

With just one sentence, her cheeks were already flushed with excitement: "Yes, yes..."

Qin Su took her seat, and the palace maids went outside.

Soon only Qin Su and Aunt Xu remained in the room.

When Qin Su was still in the Prime Minister's residence, Aunt Xu was completely subdued by her. Now that her status has changed, Aunt Xu's fear of her is mixed with her desire to please her.

"It's been a long time since you've been back. How have you been, Auntie?" Qin Su asked.

"Good, very good. The servants are all very obedient, and the master has not mistreated me either, even the madam..."

Aunt Xu originally wanted to tell Qin Su about her recent life, but when she met the girl's overly cold gaze, she suddenly realized something.

She realized that Sangsang might not have wanted to ask those questions.

She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice slightly: "Should I... or not?"

Qin Su smiled and said that Aunt Xu wasn't that stupid.

"Whether it's good or not is up to Mother to decide, but is there anything different from before?" Qin Su smiled and picked up a piece of fruit from the table to taste.

These fine pastries and fruits in front of them would almost never have appeared on the table of the "mother and daughter" in the past.

"What's different..."

Aunt Xu subconsciously followed Qin Su's words and thought, "If I had to say something, it would be," she quickly glanced at Qin Su, "that the eldest young lady has come more often and frequently asks Sangsang about your past."

Seeing Qin Su look up at her, she hurriedly waved her hand: "Don't worry, don't worry, I didn't say anything. When she asked me, I pretended to be sick and had a bad memory, and that I had forgotten everything. I promise I didn't say anything."

After all, changing into a completely different person overnight is simply too shocking...

Others might not know, but she... she raised her for so many years, how could she not find out...

"Is there anything else?"

Qin Su didn't notice Aunt Xu's distraught appearance and continued to ask gently.

Aunt Xu forced herself to come to her senses and forced a smile: "No... Madam has come a few times, asking if I have any messages for you. That's all."

Qin Su listened, her smile still gentle, but there was no real joy in her eyes.

The Qin family has never let her down.

But seeing that Zhang was willing to make so many arrangements for Concubine Xu, whom she had always looked down upon, it seemed that she had given up and had no choice but to please the concubine.

But Qin Su knew that the mother and daughter wouldn't give up so easily.

Today's banquet, ostensibly to welcome her back to the mansion, actually has ulterior motives.

Putting everything else aside, let's just talk about the male lead, Murong Jing. He was the one who absolutely shouldn't have been at the banquet today, but Qin Qionghua invited him.

Although we don't know what her plan is, one thing is certain—she's definitely up to no good.

"Your Highness, please rest well. If you feel unwell, just tell the nanny outside, and she will find a way to let me know."

After Qin Su finished her usual meeting with Aunt Xu and learned the information she wanted, it was time to leave: "Your Highness is still waiting for me, so I cannot stay with you any longer."

Aunt Xu was already both afraid and apprehensive about this "daughter," but now that she had met her, she was assured of her future livelihood. Hearing that her daughter was leaving, she naturally agreed, though she still feigned regret and reluctance.

"Of course we can't keep Your Highness waiting any longer. You may go now, your aunt won't keep you any longer."

As she spoke, she raised her hand to wipe away her tears, which was seen by the servant who opened the door.

Qin Su let the palace maids help her put on the cloak, her eyes glancing at Aunt Xu's slightly curled legs, her gaze flickering slightly.

Suddenly she asked, "Does Mother's leg still hurt?"

Aunt Xu paused in her fake crying, looked up at her somewhat blankly, but pressed her aching calf with her hand and forced a smile: "Fortunately, I have received treatment from a doctor this winter, and I am much better than in previous years."

Qin Su pursed her lips without saying anything, nodded to her, and got up to leave.

Seeing that she was really leaving, Aunt Xu's heart stirred, and she couldn't help but say, "Sang Sang..."

Qin Su paused slightly as she stepped out the door and turned back to look at her.

"N-nothing, I just suddenly wanted to call you,"

Looking at that increasingly unfamiliar beautiful face, Aunt Xu couldn't describe the feelings in her heart: "Go ahead, don't keep His Highness waiting. I... I'm doing well in the manor, you don't need to worry. Be careful with your words and actions in the palace, and take good care of yourself."

As Aunt Xu spoke, for some reason, her nose tingled, and she actually felt like she was about to cry.

Qin Su turned her head slightly and softly replied, "Yes, daughter knows," then turned and left without looking back.

“Sang Sang…”

Aunt Xu subconsciously reached out her hand towards her back, but she couldn't grab anything.

"They're gone, they're gone already..."

She murmured to herself, feeling an inexplicable emptiness in her chest.

Just then, a joyful voice suddenly came from outside:

"Auntie, the palace maid by the side of the Consort said that you have a chronic leg ailment, so she specially bestowed imperial medicine upon you." Auntie Xu was slightly taken aback upon hearing this and looked at the excited little maid.

Suddenly, I remembered what the girl had once said: "As long as Mother is obedient, I will make your life better than that of your stepmother."

She took the medicine bottle from the maid; the bottle itself looked very expensive.

She really did...keep her word.
-
After bidding farewell to Aunt Xu, Qin Su followed the servants to the back garden to attend the banquet.

But who would have thought that they would meet an unexpected person on the way—or rather, someone they would never have met if the other person hadn't been waiting for them.

"My sister looks great, I almost didn't recognize her."

Qin Su and Qin Wanrou met on the covered walkway. One was beautifully made up, like a magnificent peony; the other was fresh and ethereal, like a secluded orchid in a valley.

The vermilion railings and the snow-white painted walls, though pleasing to the eye of each other, create a scene of exquisite beauty.

Qin Qionghua waited for Qin Su's answer, but to her surprise, the girl didn't say a word. She merely glanced at her side, and immediately a cold-faced, arrogant palace maid stepped forward with her head held high.

"How dare you! You don't even bow before the concubine!"

Qin Qionghua's smile faltered, and she looked at Qin Su with a slightly shocked expression.

It was as if he was questioning her: How dare you ask me to bow?

Qin Su finally spoke, but what she said was, "Is my sister hard of hearing and can't understand what I'm saying?"

As she spoke, two palace maids stepped forward and, one after the other, forced Qin Qionghua to kneel on the ground.

Her knees ached from their movements, but that was nothing compared to her feverish cheeks.

In an instant, she wanted nothing more than to tear Qin Su to pieces and eat her.

"What kind of look is that?" The palace maid's ghostly voice rang in Qin Qionghua's ears.

She suddenly came to her senses, forcibly suppressing all her anger, and lowered her head: "This humble woman greets Your Highness, the Consort. I was momentarily flustered and lost my manners. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

When he spoke, his fingernails almost dug into his flesh.

Qin Sangsang, Qin Sangsang...

Is this what it means for a petty person to gain power?

How dare they humiliate me like this.

If I had known this day would come, I would definitely...

"To err is human, to forgive divine. Since you know you've made a mistake, then kneel here until the banquet begins."

Qin Su's casual remark instantly froze all of Qin Qionghua's resentment.

Before the banquet begins?

She did it on purpose!
Qin Qionghua could no longer hold back and suddenly looked up at Qin Su: "Qin Sangsang, I am your sister!"

Qin Su smiled and said, "You're only being punished by kneeling because you're my sister. If you weren't my sister, guess what would have happened today?"

Qin Qionghua frowned, about to say something, when she saw the girl looking at the frozen river not far away and say calmly, "In this cold weather, it's not too much to ask you to go into the water and retrieve something for me, is it?"

Before the word "dare" could be uttered, memories began to resurface—

"My sister accidentally dropped the hairpin that Mother gave me into the water. Just let her pick it up. Mother, please don't punish her."

Qin Qionghua's face turned deathly pale instantly, and the resentment in her eyes as she looked at Qin Su lessened slightly: "Are you deliberately... taking revenge on me?"

"Sister didn't do anything wrong, why would I take revenge on you?" Qin Su tilted her head and smiled, so beautiful yet so cold: "I'm just teaching you some manners."

Teach her manners...

It was that familiar phrase again: "Does my sister dislike the food in the kitchen? Then she should cook for herself from now on, so as not to waste food. As a daughter of the Prime Minister's family, she should know her manners and not let outsiders laugh at her."

Whether it was the icy chill that seeped into her clothes and penetrated her bones, Qin Qionghua felt cold all over.

She was so cold that her teeth chattered, and she dared not argue with her anymore.

She didn't say anything more until Qin Su and his men left.

"Miss..."

Not far away, Cuihe stared wide-eyed at the young lady kneeling on the corridor, completely stunned.

Qin Wanrou, who was beside her, also looked grim: "She even dared to deal with the eldest sister, could it be... could it really be that she's come back for revenge?"

Cuihe was almost in tears; she wanted to ask too!
"The Concubine has arrived!"

With these words, the previously noisy banquet suddenly fell silent for a moment, and everyone's eyes couldn't help but turn towards the direction of the garden gate.

The banquet at the Prime Minister's residence was held in the garden, with tarpaulins used to shield the area from the wind and snow.

Under the canopy were low tables for guests to take their food, and stoves were lit around the perimeter for warmth. Stepping inside, it was as warm as spring, and even though it was outdoors, it didn't feel cold.

There is a high platform in the middle, where singers and entertainers are performing.

Chu Jiang had been getting impatient all along, and when he saw Qin Su return, he immediately got up from his seat and went to greet her.

This scene, witnessed by others at the banquet, drew sighs of admiration for the favored eldest daughter of a concubine.

"Why did it take you so long? Aren't you cold?"

Chu Jiang pulled her into his arms, took her hand and touched it, and was relieved to find that she wasn't too cold.

"I'm not cold."

Qin Su smiled at him, her beautiful eyes seeming to see only one person.

Chu Jiang's heart stirred; he really wanted to drive everyone away and do something.

"Has Her Majesty met your concubine?"

Qin Rusong mustered his courage and spoke up. After Qin Su nodded in response, he said, "Why don't you take a seat first?"

Qin Su could tell that the tyrant looked unwilling.

She gently shook the man's long, strong fingers.

What could Chu Jiang do but indulge her?

"Let's go."

He led his men to his previous seat, leaving Prime Minister Qin, who had come over on his own initiative, behind.

"It'll be soon. Let's go back after the banquet, okay?"

Qin Su whispered soothing words in the man's ear.

Chu Jiang grasped her hand in return without saying a word, but judging from the strength of his grip, he was indeed enduring it.

Shortly after the two took their seats, the performance on stage was temporarily suspended.

Qin Su and the tyrant were not in much interest, and were just talking amongst themselves.

Suddenly, someone exclaimed in surprise, as if something had happened.

She glanced at it casually, then froze—

On the high platform, the elaborately made-up woman dressed in a thin dance costume was none other than Qin Qionghua, whom she had just punished by making her kneel in the corridor.
"Everyone says that the Prime Minister's daughter is an exceptional dancer. I am fortunate to have seen her today, thanks to His Highness the Crown Prince."

On stage, a young girl twirls like the wind amidst the snow, her colorful skirt fluttering, her slender waist drooping like a willow branch.

The audience was completely engrossed, but Qin Su noticed her provocation.

Not far away, another person was stunned into place by her dance moves.