Chapter 291:1 Don’t Have A Sense Of Security
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
At that time, “she” hated Xiao Jin and wished that he would die on the battlefield. How could she be willing to accept the gift? Later, the Empress scolded “her” very severely, and “she” finally took the jade Ruyi scepter with her.
After bringing the jade Ruyi scepter back, “she” discovered that there was something hidden in the jade Ruyi scepter. It was the “evidence” of Xiao Jin’s treason!
However, “she” was hoping that Xiao Jin would die back then. Even though she knew what those things meant, “she” still placed the jade Ruyi scepter in his study.
Su Ying collected herself and looked at the Empress with a sinister, icy gaze.
When the Empress met Su Ying’s gaze, she felt her heart skip a beat abruptly and goosebumps rose all over her body.
By the time she wanted to see the expression in Su Ying’s eyes clearly again, Su Ying had already lowered her eyes, making it impossible for others to probe further.
“Yes. Didn’t Your Imperial Highness ask me to put it in his study?” When Su Ying raised her eyes again, her eyes were filled with bafflement.
Su Ying had changed so quickly that the Empress was unable to react in time. However, the completely ignorant expression in front of her eyes matched the Empress’s impression of Su Ying.
When she saw that Su Ying did not know the secret of the jade Ruyi scepter, the smile in the Empress’s eyes deepened.
“Yes. It seems that this jade Ruyi scepter is really effective. Didn’t Prince Qi return from the war victorious?”
“It’s such a good jade Ruyi scepter. Your Imperial Highness should prepare one for the First Prince next time.”
The Empress’s smile froze. She had the feeling that Su Ying’s words had a hidden meaning.
“You have left the capital for quite some time, and you weren’t good at managing the affairs of the rear courtyard of Prince Qi’s Manor in the past. 1 also felt sorry for you, so I found two capable assistants for you. I personally coached them, so if you have anything you don’t understand, just ask them. Let them serve Prince Qi well and share his burdens with you.”
As the Empress spoke, a palace maid walked in with two fair and beautiful women.
After the two entered the room, they walked up to Su Ying and bowed courteously. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Su Ying understood at once. The Empress was trying to plant spies in Prince Qi’s Manor.
“Who will pay for their food and expenses?”
The Empress was stunned and was unable to react for a moment. “Wh… what?”
Su Ying patiently repeated, “Their expenses such as food, accommodation, and transportation are all borne by Your Imperial Highness?”
The Empress understood, yet didn’t quite seem to understand. Was Su Ying arguing with her about the living costs of the two women?
“Prince Qi’s Manor will be responsible for these people that I gave you, of course.”
“I don’t want them.”
The Empress was utterly speechless.
“What?” The Empress thought she had misheard.
Su Ying replied very seriously, “These two people look like they need expensive things from head to toe. Your Imperial Highness, His Highness only earns that little bit of silver a month, and his house was searched and belongings confiscated in the past. You know very well whether your side have returned all the things that your side have confiscated. It’s fine if you don’t return everything, but you still gave people to Prince Qi’s Manor. Do they think they can fill their stomachs with wind?”
The Empress was completely dumbfounded. She didn’t know if Su Ying was really stupid or if she was just pretending to be stupid. She, a dignified Princess Consort Qi, was actually rejecting the people the Empress rewarded her all because of a few taels of silver every month?
Su Ying must be pretending to be stupid and crazy, but judging from her expression, she seemed to be quite serious.
“Su Ying, this is a gift from me to you…”
“When you give them for free and pay for their expenses, then that is a gift. If 1 bring these two back to Prince Qi’s Manor and 1 have to fork out my own silver, that is just adding to our financial burden. Your Imperial Highness may not be aware, but His Highness is very poor now.”
The Empress took a deep breath to calm herself down.
“Fine, fine, fine. 1 will bear the costs. Just take it that I’m feeling sorry for you. Take these two back and have them serve Prince Qi well. I will bear all their expenses!”
“Your Imperial Highness, please give me a written agreement, lest I bring them back and disputes happen.”
The Empress was so angry that she burst out laughing instead. She was now absolutely certain that the Su Ying before her was still the same idiot she knew. No, she was even dumber!
“Sure! I will give you a written agreement!”
After the Empress wrote out the agreement, Su Ying still had no intention of leaving.
“Why don’t Your Imperial Highness pay in advance? If it’s not enough, I’ll come and ask Your Imperial Highness for more?”
The Empress straightaway flung a few hundred taels of silver at Su Ying’s body. “Take it. These few hundred taels of silver are enough for them to use for several years!”
Su Ying glanced at the two young women, who had humiliated expressions on their faces, and gestured for them to pick up the banknotes on the floor.
“Oh, right. There is also the matter of the indentures to show they have sold themselves. Your Imperial Highness, please give me their indentures as well.”
The Empress tried her best to take a deep breath to prevent herself from losing her composure. “They’re all young women from the families of officials. How can they possibly have indentures?”
Su Ying frowned. “Aren’t people who serve people slaves? Don’t all slaves have indentures showing that they have sold themselves?”
The two young women were about to cry. They were both young ladies handpicked by the Empress from the families of officials. Although their backgrounds were not as noble as the Imperial family, they were still decent young ladies from the families of officials. Su Ying actually wanted their slave indentures!
It was too humiliating!
The Empress gritted her teeth. “There is none!”
“None? I can’t hit or kill them if they make a mistake?”
“You still want to hit and kill them?” The Empress couldn’t help screaming out.
“You mean if these slaves make a big mistake, they can’t be killed?” Su Ying said sternly.
The two young women knelt before Su Ying.
“Your Highness, don’t worry. After arriving at Prince Qi’s Manor, your servant will serve Your Highness and His Highness with all her heart. I will never make any mistake.”
“That’s right. Your Highness.”
“That won’t do. I’m worried if you don’t have indentures. If I accidentally slap you two to death, I’ll have to face a lawsuit.”
The two young women were speechless.
The Empress was even more speechless.
“Su Ying, don’t stand there and talk nonsense to me. You simply don’t want them. You are just jealous and can’t accommodate other women!” The Empress gradually lost her mind.
Su Ying was still calm and composed. “Your Imperial Highness, you say they are supposed to help me, so how can 1 not accommodate them? It’s just that 1 don’t have a sense of security. I just want more protection, that’s all. If Your Imperial Highness doesn’t agree, then I don’t want these people.”
“Su Ying, this is my reward for you. You have no right to refuse!” The Empress was downright furious. Eventually, she still resorted to using her authority to suppress Su Ying.
Su Ying nodded readily. “Well, as long as Your Imperial Highness gives an undertaking saying that any accidents that happen to them in the future have nothing to do with me, I’ll bring them back immediately.”
The Empress was not stupid. She took a deep breath to calm herself down again. “What can possibly happen in Prince Qi’s Manor if they stay there obediently? Princess Consort Qi is thinking too much.”
“Without Your Imperial Highness’s guarantee, I dare not accept them.”
“Su Ying! I think you are doing this on purpose!”
Su Ying flopped down on the chair, looking as if she was impervious to anything.
“If Your Imperial Highness insists on thinking like this, there’s nothing 1 can do then. Without a guarantee, these two can’t return to Prince Qi’s Manor.”
In the end, the Empress gritted her teeth and compromised by writing a disclaimer. She believed that Su Ying wouldn’t dare to do anything to her people!
Satisfied, Su Ying took the silver notes, guarded the two letters of guarantee, and brought the two beauties back to Prince Qi’s manor.
She had just arrived outside the manor when she saw Xiao Jin getting off his horse, having just returned.
“Where did you go?” Xiao Jin asked as he glanced at the two beauties behind Su Ying..
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