Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

"It can't be Madam Lou. Prince Rong sent people to the Lou family. According to what Lou Wanxian told me, the Lou family didn't dare to offend Prince Rong, so they could only follow his orders and lock Madam Lou in a dark room, only sending her one meal a day. If Madam Lou isn't dead, she's about to collapse," Cui Lingrong analyzed.

As for Zhou Mama, who was by Madam Lou's side, her tendons in her hands and feet were severed, and she was thrown into a pile of ants and bitten to death.

The hatred that Prince Rong felt for the Bai family servants was beyond words.

"If it's not Madam Lou, then it must be Prince Rong, or Lou Wanxian. They all hate Zhao Susu, right?" Cui Lingrong asked.

After investigating the matter of the switch years ago, Prince Rong originally wanted to recognize Lou Wanxian back, but he didn't know what Lou Wanxian and Prince Rong had said to each other. In the end, the matter was not reported to the Emperor. Prince Rong simply regarded Lou Wanxian as his goddaughter and gave her some money.

"Sister is clever; it was Prince Rong's men who took Zhao Susu away," Xie Yunting said.

Madam Qiu frowned. "Surely, after learning that Zhao is not his biological daughter, Prince Rong will still save her?"

Cui Lingrong shook her head. "No, the Rong Prince's Mansion is in this state because of Zhao. Zhao Susu will probably suffer even more than Madam Lou if she falls into the hands of the Rong Prince."

"I'm really curious about what methods Prince Rong will use to deal with the Zhao family." Madam Qiu was quite curious about the Zhao family's fate.

Meanwhile, at one of Prince Rong's estates.

When Zhao Susu woke up, she was first in excruciating pain. When she opened her eyes, her body was numb with pain. "Where...where am I?"

It was noisy and chaotic outside. Zhao Susu heard crying and men's... unpleasant sounds.

"Oh, you're awake." An old woman came in carrying hot water. "Look at you, only those stinky men wouldn't mind. Hurry up and wash up, someone else will be here soon."

Zhao Susu looked completely bewildered. "Where am I?"

"You don't know where the brothels are?" the old woman said thoughtfully. "Indeed, you were already unconscious when you were brought here. Men went in and out, but you didn't wake up. How much sleeping potion did they give you?"

A sudden "boom" filled Zhao Susu's mind, and her voice grew increasingly shrill, "What did you say? How did I end up in a place like this?"

"You're asking me? I don't know what you've done. Since you were sent here, you must have your reasons." Seeing that Zhao Susu still didn't understand, the old woman took a needle and stabbed it into Zhao Susu's arm. "Let me tell you, once you're in this place, you'll never leave except by death!"

She didn't want to slap him in the face; if she made him look ugly, the soldier would say, "It's best to prick him with a needle; it will hurt, but there won't be any scars."

As they were talking, someone outside urged them, "Old woman Rong, are you done talking? Hurry up and let me in to have some fun!"

"Stop rushing me. This was just delivered yesterday, and I haven't even figured it out yet." Old Mrs. Rong grabbed Zhao Susu's ear. "Did you understand what I said? Let me warn you, if you don't comply, those men have plenty of ways to torture you!"

The old woman snorted, walked out of the house, and told the men outside to line up. "These newcomers cost eight coins each time. Line up now."

The first man, who was eight feet tall, paid the money and entered the camp.

A moment later, Zhao Susu's screams could be heard from inside.

Meanwhile, in a carriage some distance away, Zhao Zhongren, his heart filled with mixed emotions, asked, "Father, have we really brought Zhao Susu here to do this?"

"What, you still feel sorry for her because she's your sister?"

"No, it's just that we've watched them grow up."

Zhao Zhongren still thinks about things from his childhood.

There was only one younger sister in the family, and the rest were all younger brothers, so Zhao Zhongren would show more favoritism towards this younger sister.

"Yes, we watched her grow up and doted on her. But have you ever thought that if your own sister hadn't been switched, she wouldn't be suffering so much in the Lou family?"

When Prince Rong spoke, his tone was filled with hatred. "In the Du family, wasn't it because she couldn't bear the loneliness that she poisoned Du Shibei, causing all those problems afterward? And then at the Jiangyuan Marquis's residence, she actually had an affair with Du Cheng? Hah."

Zhao Zhongren sighed.

Prince Rong became increasingly speechless. "Since she likes men so much, let her lie among men day and night!"

"This...sigh..." Zhao Zhongren was speechless.

"Zhongren, do you think we're doing well now?" Prince Rong said, shaking his head. "Ever since the Crown Prince was born, the Emperor has been suppressing the imperial family and powerful clans, fearing that the young Crown Prince won't be able to control those large families after ascending the throne. If we continue to oppose Xie Yunting and his ilk, we'll definitely suffer. If Xie Yunting and Cui Zeyu ask about Zhao Susu's whereabouts, just tell them the truth."

They now need to keep a low profile.

Zhao Zhongren frowned deeply; the more glorious he used to be, the more pathetic he was now.

No wonder the Emperor kept Consort De's pregnancy a secret.

"Father, can I keep my title of Prince?" Zhao Zhongren was filled with regret. "If we had known it would turn out this way, why did we protect Zhao Susu?"

"It's too late to say all this now. As for whether he can keep his title of Prince, that's up to fate. You and I drugged Cui, do you really think Cui Zeyu will let it go?" Prince Rong said that after returning, he would send gifts to Cui Zeyu.

But in fact, Cui Zeyu didn't know that his sister had been drugged.

Upon receiving the gift from Prince Rong, Cui Zeyu assumed it was about Zhao Susu, thinking that with Zhao Susu's identity revealed, Prince Rong wanted to ease tensions with them.

When Cui Zeyu visited the Cui residence, he mentioned the gift sent by Prince Rong. Xie Yunting happened to be there as well, and he chuckled upon hearing this.

"Brother Xie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing much." Xie Yunting glanced at Cui Lingrong.

Actually, Xie Yunting thought about this later. How should I put it, he was indeed not a gentleman.

His reaction was that it was good that Prince Rong had drugged him, otherwise he and Sister Cui would not know when they would have gotten to that point.

Cui Zeyu found it strange that his sister was not speaking and Xie Yunting had started drinking tea. He had a feeling that they were hiding something from him.

After dinner, Cui Zeyu had some things to say to Xie Yunting, but Xie Yunting said he was busy.

Cui Zeyu thought Xie Yunting had official business, but he didn't know that not long after, Xie Yunting appeared in Cui Lingrong's room.

Cui Lingrong had just sent Qiu Mama and the others away. At this moment, she was not wearing any makeup, but only a thin gauze dress.

"Thank you... General Xie, what are you doing in my room in the middle of the night?" Cui Lingrong covered her collar, which only made her more conspicuous.

"Sister, how cruel you are! After that day, you're just pretending it never happened?" Xie Yunting approached step by step. "I can't sleep day or night; all I see when I open my eyes is you. How can you sleep?"

"I……"

"Sister Cui, touch me. Look how hot my body is. I miss you so much." Xie Yunting held Cui Lingrong's hand.

Cui Lingrong tried to pull back, but she was no match for Xie Yunting's strength.

"Please, sister, have mercy on me!" Xie Yunting coaxed. "As long as you're willing to have mercy on me, I'll do anything for you, even be your slave or a dog. I'll be your most loyal subject."