Chapter 2: Delivered Straight to the Door
"What do you want to do! We, we are all noble ladies of prestigious families, you wouldn't dare!"
"We didn't actually do anything to you, why be so petty!"
"If you truly dare to harm us, the noble families of the capital will definitely make you pay for it!"
The threats were all posturing and clawing with zero lethality; Yu Lingzhao just listened.
But at the mention of "noble families of the capital," Yu Lingzhao’s originally smiling face instantly darkened, her eyes filled with ferocity.
She raised her hand and lashed her whip across the shoulder of the girl who spoke last.
The fabric tore open, and the tail of the whip caught her jaw, leaving a bloody welt and triggering a scream.
"Whether I dare or not, do you see it now? As for the noble families of the capital?" Yu Lingzhao smiled faintly, her expression icy.
"You actually have the face to mention that? If not for relying on your families, for your repeated disrespect and wanton bullying of a First-Rank County Princess, the grass on your graves would already be two zhang high. The reputation of the noble families has long been squandered by you. This lash is merely the interest I'm collecting on our settlement in advance."
A Zhang is approximately 3.3m, so two zhang is 6.6m
Princess Qing'an and the others were stunned by Yu Lingzhao's sudden change in demeanor, not knowing how to react for a moment.
Yu Lingzhao gave them a cold glance and turned to leave.
Huaping hurriedly followed, finding that her County Princess was walking faster and faster, until she was almost jogging.
It wasn't until Yu Lingzhao’s figure vanished at the door that Princess Qing'an suddenly snapped out of it, today's events must absolutely not be made known!
She screeched: "Stop her!"
By then, Yu Lingzhao had already led Huaping away at high speed.
As for the Princess Mansion's luxurious layout and exquisite scenery, she had no time to appreciate them.
Princess Qing'an clearly had ill intentions; she had to escape immediately.
She headed straight for the main gate of the Princess Mansion.
Just as she stepped out, she saw an eight-treasure carriage adorned with pearl tassels and emerald curtains, drawn by five horses, parked at the entrance.
The family crest of the Zhennan Prince's Mansion hung from the carriage, and the black-gold silver tiger flags stood alongside ten black-gold guards.
It was an awe-inspiring sight that screamed "not to be trifled with" at first glance.
The cold-faced guard leading the group by the carriage looked over at the sound of her arrival.
He bowed his head in salute with a respectful attitude, and the identity of the man immediately surfaced in Yu Lingzhao's mind: Guan Xiao, the Captain of the Guards given to the original host by the Prince of Zhennan.
He was skilled in both letters and martial arts, capable of handling all sorts of affairs perfectly, and most importantly, he was an absolutely reliable ally.
"Guan Xiao, spread the news that County Princess Mingzhu had her head split open at Princess Qing'an's Mansion. Make sure everyone knows."
Yu Lingzhao's instructions blurted out. By the time she was seated inside the carriage, fragments of the novel were flashing through her mind like high-speed frames, and for a moment, her head felt like it was going to explode from pain.
"Hiss..."
Under the impact of these memory fragments, the complete memories belonging to the original host began to pour frantically into Yu Lingzhao's mind.
After a long while, Yu Lingzhao finally opened her eyes. It seemed she would not be going back.
Fine then; since she was here, she would make the best of it.
From this moment on, she was Yu Lingzhao, County Princess Mingzhu.
Once she regained her composure, she remembered the single most critical matter at hand, Yu Xunyang, her third brother, was currently on his way to the Princess's Mansion!
In the original book, Yu Xunyang was already furious upon learning that Yu Lingzhao had been injured.
Goaded by others, he charged straight into the Princess's Mansion to cause a scene.
Princess Qing'an intentionally harmed herself to frame Yu Xunyang, claiming he wanted to kill her to avenge his sister.
When word reached the palace, the old Emperor was livid, believing Yu Xunyang was using the power of the Zhennan Prince's Mansion to humiliate him.
He ordered Yu Xunyang to be given thirty heavy strokes with a board as a warning to others.
Following this, Qing'an bribed the guards carrying out the punishment to break Yu Xunyang's left leg and deliberately blocked imperial physicians from treating him, causing him to be crippled for life.
Afterward, although the old Emperor knew Princess Qing'an had been the one pulling the strings, the damage was done.
Naturally, the Emperor would not admit he was wrong; he simply bestowed some gifts upon Yu Xunyang and grounded Qing'an for a month.
Yu Lingzhao touched the wound on her forehead, her expression unreadable.
Trading Yu Xunyang's leg for just one month of being grounded?
What a lovely dream she's having!
"Tell Guan Xiao to keep a lookout. The moment he sees Third Brother, tie him up and bring him straight back to the Prince's Mansion."
Desperate times called for desperate measures. When her third brother got stubborn, no one could talk sense into him except for her and her second brother.
The best way was to simply tie him up.
Yu Lingzhao had no doubt about Guan Xiao's efficiency; by the time she reached the Mansion, Guan Xiao should have brought her brother back.
Sure enough, just as Yu Lingzhao stepped off the carriage, she saw Guan Xiao riding from a distance with her third brother tied up.
Yu Lingzhao withdrew her gaze and looked toward the main gate of the Zhennan Prince's Mansion, low-key, ancient, solemn, and majestic.
Her eyes moved up to the plaque; the four characters for "Zhennan Prince's Mansion" were written with particular vigor, revealing the sharp, lethal aura of a military commander.
Yu Lingzhao searched her memory; these characters were personally written by the old Prince of Zhennan, Yu Lie, and a rubbing of them was kept in the study.
When Feiwu and Caiji came out from the Mansion leading the maids to greet her, they saw their County Princess standing under the plaque in a daze with her hair unbundled.
Their hearts skipped a beat and leaped into their throats: The County Princess was injured!!
The two of them rushed forward together, "County Princess, you..."
Yu Lingzhao snapped out of it at the sound and shook her head slightly, "It's nothing, we'll talk later."
Just as she finished speaking, Guan Xiao arrived with Yu Xunyang.
Seeing Yu Xunyang's defiant face, Yu Lingzhao gave him a slight smile: "Third Brother."
Yu Xunyang couldn't help but shiver involuntarily. Why did it feel like he caught a glimpse of his second brother's shadow for a moment?
But he couldn't be bothered with that; seeing his sister's injury, he immediately began to struggle, "Zhaozhao! Zhaozhao!"
Yu Lingzhao nodded, slightly tilting her chin to signal Guan Xiao to bring Yu Xunyang into the Prince’s Mansion before saying anything else.
Guan Xiao stopped his movements to untie the ropes and instead nimbly tightened the bindings on the Third Young Master.
Yu Xunyang turned his head to glare at him, furious, but with zero deterrent effect.
Feiwu and Caiji escorted Yu Lingzhao toward the main hall of the Mansion.
Now that she was on her own turf, Yu Lingzhao finally had the presence of mind to observe her surroundings.
The Zhennan Prince’s Mansion in the capital was a residence bestowed during the reign of the late Emperor.
The entire estate appeared exceptionally solid and ancient; the pavilions, terraces, rockeries, and ponds were simple yet grand.
Not many flowers were in sight, but there were several locust trees with lush canopies and vigorous vitality, clearly meticulously maintained by someone over the years.
Everywhere Yu Lingzhao walked, people along the way knelt or bowed in greeting.
After entering the main hall, she went straight to the seat of honor, flicked her robes, and sat down.
Yu Xunyang was right behind her, so stunned by her aura that he stood rooted to the spot, forgetting even to take a seat.
Feiwu brought hot tea. Yu Lingzhao had just taken it into her hands and hadn't had time to drink when she heard a report from the gatekeeper saying that Miss Chu had arrived.
Chu Yulan?
That "confidante" who goaded her third brother into looking for trouble with Qing’an?
Fine then.
She hadn't even gone looking for trouble yet, and here it was, delivered straight to her door.
Comments
Post a Comment