Chapter 9: The Furious Han Princess
“F*ck!”
“F*ck!!!” Su Yuzhou was so angry that she gritted her teeth, fiercely throwing the bronze-made cup in her hand to the ground.
“Why can’t I refuse this bastard’s request?” Su Yuzhou was furious. Although she admitted that under years of friendship, and with such an intimate relationship with Lu Cheng’an, it was indeed possible to further develop their relationship, but she could understand that. However, she was still an unmarried young woman.
Lu Cheng’an stayed overnight at her Han Palace and made such excessive demands. Not only had she given birth to Lu Cheng’an’s child, but she also showed enjoyment in the simulated deduction.
What does this mean? What does this mean?
Su Yuzhou felt like her head was going to explode. This was a great humiliation to herself! It was the shame of her life! As the most dignified eldest Princess, she couldn’t accept that she would become like this.
However, the next moment, when Su Yuzhou saw the silver coins constantly jumping in her private treasury, she calmed down a bit.
“My darling has contributed to me, so I’ll forget about his offenses.” Su Yuzhou had long been trying to find a way to get silver for herself, but she always struggled to develop it, and her income was always very low from start to finish. Without silver, it was simply impossible to move forward in this simulated deduction. With silver, activities in various aspects could be carried out.
Of course, Su Yuzhou didn’t forget to take care of her son every day. After all, he was a piece of flesh from her own body. Even though Su Yuzhou had thousands of grievances against Lu Cheng’an and wanted to poke him in the backbone, what malice could she have towards her own child?
“I’ve waited in the mansion for a year, and he hasn’t come to see me once, worse than a beast.” Su Yuzhou thought to herself as she observed her son’s attributes and portrait.
“He looks just like a porcelain doll, so cute.” Su Yuzhou smiled. “I must nurture you into a wise ruler.”
After selecting the itinerary for the next few days, she moved on to the next month.
The next moment, Su Yuzhou’s expression changed.
[In the summer of the 16th year of Zhengying, your father summoned you to the palace. Along with you in the palace were your two younger sisters – Princess Qin and Princess Jin, and… the Deputy Chief of the Cabinet, Lu Cheng’an.]
Seeing this line of words and images, Su Yuzhou knew she was in trouble.
She thought to herself, “I’m afraid there are rats in my Han Palace from other people’s homes.”
[Emperor Su Yiming glanced around.]
“Loyal Minister Lu, I heard that you have been very close to my eldest daughter recently. Some people have accused you of having an affair with Yuzhou. I ask you, is this true?”
Su Yuzhou thought for a moment. This matter must not be exposed. If it were exposed, not only would she be finished, but Lu Cheng’an’s official position would also be in jeopardy.
She looked at the three options on her side.
Su Yuzhou chose to vehemently deny.
But Lu Cheng’an, on the other hand, was very straightforward.
[Lu Cheng’an knelt down on the ground, “I confess my guilt.”]
[Emperor Su Yiming was furious. He raised his hand and smashed the inkstone on the table to the ground, sighing deeply, “Minister Lu, you have received great grace from the country, how could you do this?”]
Su Yuzhou sighed sadly. Now it was really trouble. How could Lu Cheng’an confess in an instant?
She looked at the three options on her side.
[1: Shift the blame and angrily rebuke Lu Cheng’an.]
[2: Honestly confess and admit guilt.]
[3: Take full responsibility and protect Lu Cheng’an.]
Su Yuzhou closed her eyes and chose the third option. She couldn’t bring herself to do the first option, and the second option, bowing and admitting guilt, had no benefits whatsoever. The emperor wouldn’t forgive her just because she apologized; he would still punish her. At least with the third option, she could save Lu Cheng’an. Even if she suffered, was sent to the Imperial Clan House or even to the Ministry of Justice, at least there would be someone outside to look after her.
[You quickly knelt down and said, “Your Majesty, this matter is entirely my fault.”]
Meanwhile, Lu Cheng’an sighed heavily. He hadn’t expected that his words would come true, leading to such consequences. He couldn’t deny this situation. It was obvious that either Princess Jin or Princess Qin had received firsthand information and wanted to bring him and the Han Princess down. If they could obtain information from the Han Princess’s mansion, it must have been someone from within, possibly someone related to the other two Princesses. Now Lu Cheng’an could only admit his mistake. Even though the Hanlin Academy had some influence, if their leader was taken down, the Han Princess’s faction would likely fall into turmoil.
[1: Shift the blame and point fingers at the Han Princess.]
[2: Resign and ask for punishment, willing to become the Han Princess’s husband.]
[3: Berate the Princesss of Qin and Jin, confront them head-on.]
After some thought, Lu Cheng’an chose the second option.
[You bowed down and said, “Your Majesty, the guilty minister deserves a thousand deaths. I am willing to resign to express my gratitude to Your Majesty. If Your Majesty does not forsake me, I wish to marry the Han Princess.”]
[Emperor Su Yiming was furious, “Get out! You have brought disgrace upon my royal family and dare to harbor delusions of becoming the Han Princess’s husband.”]
[“Spread my decree: from today onwards, Lu Cheng’an is relieved of his position as Deputy Chief of the Cabinet, degraded to a commoner, and exiled to Liangzhou. Without permission, he shall never set foot in the capital again.”]
[“Exile is my grace to you.”]
[Lu Cheng’an knelt down again, “Your humble subject, Lu Cheng’an, humbly accepts your grace.”]
Su Yuzhou’s vision went dark. Although she had enjoyed scolding Lu Cheng’an as worse than a beast earlier, now that Lu Cheng’an had truly been dismissed from office and banished from the capital, she felt completely overwhelmed.
[Lu Cheng’an left the palace slowly, casting a glance at you before leaving.]
Su Yuzhou sat up straight from her bed. The simulated deduction had reached this point, and she couldn’t sleep anymore.
At this moment, she noticed a faint flickering light outside her door. Was someone watching her?
Su Yuzhou became even more furious. In the simulated deduction, she had been tricked by spies from the Han Princess’s mansion. Now that she knew there were other people’s spies in the Han Princess’s mansion, she would replace all the maids and servants in her mansion tomorrow. She would rather make a mistake and kill the wrong person than let anyone go.
But the simulation continued.
[Emperor Su Yiming walked up to the Princesss of Qin and Jin, his voice cold, “Do you two feel happy? Do you think I don’t know what you’re plotting?”]
[“I’m not dead yet.” Emperor Su Yiming slammed the table and said, “What you have, I gave you. If I could give it to you, naturally I can take it back. Both of you, get out of here.”]
[The Princesss of Qin and Jin looked at each other and left the palace one after another.]
[In the palace, only you and your father remained.]
[For a stick of incense’s time, he remained silent.]
[You dared not breathe, trembling with fear.]
[Emperor Su Yiming walked over slowly, and you knelt on the ground. He asked in a gentle tone, “My grandchild, is it a boy or a girl?”]
[You answered truthfully, “Reporting to Father, it’s a boy.”]
[Emperor Su Yiming’s face showed undisguised joy. He shouted, “Bring him to me, quickly… bring him to me.”]
[Then, he suppressed his joy and regained the majesty befitting of the royal family. He lowered his voice, “I know Minister Lu is a capable man, but he made a mistake, and I have to punish him.”]
[“As for how he comes back, I hope this favor is not given by me, but by you.”]
Su Yuzhou was stunned. The amount of information was overwhelming, and this sudden happiness left her bewildered. All along, she had lacked confidence in the power struggle with her two younger sisters because she had no power, no money, and her father’s attention. Lu Cheng’an’s downfall had chilled her heart even more. But now, with this sentence, Su Yuzhou understood. Her father wanted her to succeed him. In this simulated deduction of the power struggle, she had won. And the decisive factor in winning the power struggle was… she had given birth to a son?
