The Female Cannon Fodder With Boundless Merits
Chapter 285 - 289: The Struggle in the Inner Residence (15)

Chapter 285: Chapter 289: The Struggle in the Inner Residence (15)

Old Madam was furious. The favorable public opinion environment she had worked hard to create had just like that been torn apart and analyzed away.

Long isolated in the inner courtyards, she had still underestimated the fear that people had towards those capable figures from the worldly society.

Those people ran off quickly, especially the few who had been bold enough to speak up. They wished they could turn back time to before they spoke and give that blabbermouth version of themselves a few slaps in the face.

Out of nowhere, resentment welled up against that fair-skinned girl, who seemed so easily bullied.

You see, those half-baked martial heroes and heroines from worldly society, one more high-profile than the next, yet you, a formidable expert, made yourself appear delicate and fragile, just like a young lady from a noble family. Why on earth would you do that...

All one could hope for was that she wouldn’t hold grudges and leap into one’s home at midnight to deliver a palm strike in one’s sleep.

Su Li: "Old Madam, aren’t you leaving? Go home and sort out my mother’s dowry. We will come to collect it."

Old Madam’s fingers trembled as she pointed at Su Li: "You..."

In her anger, she actually fainted on the spot.

"As you get older, you should just lie down comfortably at home. To run around outside for the sake of your son... it’s indeed... the anxiety of a loving mother."

Fortunately, the old lady had already passed out; otherwise, if she had heard Su Li’s following remark, she would probably have been so angry she might have spewed blood.

One could foresee that after Su Li’s reflections on Duke Ying’s deep bond with his mother spread, Su Shi’s reputation outside might suffer a shadow.

If the master of Duke Ying Mansion, Su Shi, was entirely unaware of such elaborate actions, it would be utterly preposterous.

Since he knew and yet still allowed his elderly mother to worry and work herself to exhaustion for his sake, it was a serious display of filial impiety. As a courtier, he was likely to be impeached for this.

If Old Madam were awake, she could have kept the surrounding servants in check and prevented them from spreading the word, but now she had fainted.

Without the person in charge, the surrounding servants, who were not up to par, had created a scene of chaos.

"Old Madam..."

It was only after pinching her pressure points and massaging her temples with all kinds of techniques that they finally managed to bring Old Madam slowly back to consciousness.

By then, Su Li and Gai Yinyin had already returned behind closed doors.

Looking at the tightly shut gate, Old Madam’s murky eyes flashed with a cold light. Clutching her oppressed chest, she gritted her teeth and said, "Let’s return to the mansion."

The saying about ’trying to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it’ was exactly this situation.

Not only was her mission unaccomplished, but she had also become a laughingstock.

Old Madam didn’t even dare to think how outsiders would talk about Duke Ying Mansion after that day.

There were still a few children at home—Su Ying, for the time being, was not considered.

Since she was not her son’s flesh and blood, Old Madam naturally didn’t have much affection for her. But there were still two other girls and a boy in the mansion who were about to be engaged.

Su Xue and Su Ming were very much liked by Old Madam.

Old Madam held her head as she was helped back, a sight that shocked both Su Shi and Zhu Liusha.

Zhu Liusha didn’t know the cause and effect, only wondering how Old Madam could have become like this after just going out.

As a daughter-in-law, she was sensible and stepped forward to try to assist Old Madam.

But before she could get close, she was pushed to the ground by Old Madam herself.

Thinking that the root of all this was the woman before her, Old Madam became angry.

The old lady was entirely misplacing her anger.

Zhu Liusha had not expected the old lady to act like this. In the past, even when she was given a cold shoulder, Old Madam had never laid hands on her.

Caught off guard, when her body fell to the ground, she instinctively braced herself with her hands, and a surge of sharp pain swept over her.

"In truth," Zhu Liusha wasn’t young anymore; before she had met Su Shi, she had spent some time enduring hardship with her daughter. Although her health had been restored later, the foundation of her body had been damaged to some extent.

When she was young, she didn’t notice it, but as she aged, all sorts of problems began to emerge.

It was just a fall, but when Zhu Liusha raised her wrist, it hung limply, and her entire face contorted in pain.

And her husband, who dearly loved her, didn’t notice her right away.

Su Shi quickly stepped forward and carefully examined his mother; his face flushed an abnormal red with anger.

He suppressed the surge of rage and asked in a steady voice, "Did that wicked girl treat you this way?"

The Old Madam felt very comforted by her son’s immediate concern for her.

But as soon as Su Li was mentioned, the Old Madam’s face grew even paler, and she sighed deeply three times, "Such misfortune for our family...."

"My son," she said, "that girl is sheer wickedness through and through. How could Gai Yinyin, with her gentle nature, have given birth to such a formidable daughter?"

"I’m afraid the other party holds a grudge against our family."

It was then that Su Shi realized he had made a foolish mistake, thinking he could use familial affection and public opinion to hold sway over her.

He paced restlessly, his peripheral vision catching the worried look of his old mother, and immediately bent over in a guilty bow, "I have been unfilial, causing mother undue concern."

"No harm done, what do you plan to do now, my son?"

"Nothing serious, I will go to the Imperial Palace again in a moment."

Su Shi asked the servants to help the Old Madam away, and only then did he notice Zhu Liusha, who was standing off to the side, desolate and weeping with her head down, holding her wrist.

"Madam...."

Zhu Liusha turned her head away, not wanting to look at him.

Hearing the commotion, Su Ying, who had come out with her younger brother and sister to see what was happening, immediately noticed Zhu Liusha’s abnormal wrist.

"Mother, what’s happened to your hand?"

Only upon hearing this did Su Shi notice Zhu Liusha’s pale face and the cold sweat on her brow.

"Quick, Su Ying, go summon the physician to our home."

Because of her concern for her mother, Su Ying moved quickly.

Although unaware of the details, she was certain that her mother’s condition must be connected to her father.

And now, Su Ying’s resentment towards her stepfather was growing stronger within her.

Su Li didn’t know that the once harmonious and united family of Duke Ying Mansion, due to her direct or indirect influence, had developed feelings of resentment towards each other.

Imperial Palace, midnight.

The Imperial Study Room was brightly lit, its doors wide open, and every ten steps stood the tall, formidable Jinyiwei, rendering the room impregnable.

Inside the room, the Emperor paced anxiously and turned to the small old man who was leisurely sipping tea, "Mr. Xue, do you think the young lady will come tonight?"

"I’ve ordered vigilant defenses everywhere. Even if she’s extremely skilled, it will be difficult for her to get close to me, right?"

The small old man replied: "You are underestimating the capabilities of a Great Grandmaster. Be patient and wait."

After midnight had passed, Murong An turned his head, intending to talk again with the Tributor, thinking perhaps the Tributor had oversold the skills of that girl.

With the tight security in the Imperial Palace, not even a fly could get in, let alone a living person appearing before him without alarming the guards.

He felt somewhat proud, thinking that the young Great Grandmaster must have been aware of her own limits after all.

Emperor Murong An’s expanding smile had not yet faded from his face when suddenly, a phantom shadow seemed to flash by his side.