Di Daughter's Strategy - Chapter 56

Chapter 56

After Luo Yi’er left, Yueling Residence fell quiet. Luo Yu remained curled up with her knees hugged, but the shyness and gentleness on her face had completely vanished.

Some maids withdrew to attend to their duties, leaving only her personal maid, Qiao’er.

She lowered her head, so Qiao’er couldn’t see her expression. However, recalling the scene by the lake earlier, Qiao’er couldn’t help but voice her lingering fear: “Miss, you shouldn’t have tried to mediate earlier. That way, you could have avoided this unexpected misfortune.”

She only knew that for some reason, Princess Anru had gotten into an argument with someone.

At first, the young lady was just sitting casually in the farthest corner. But later, after seeing the eldest miss approach, the young lady, who usually never involved herself in such matters—actually went over to mediate as well.

Princess Anru was accustomed to being overbearing; how could she listen to a mere concubine-born daughter?

It was unclear what nerve that person had touched, but it had enraged Princess Anru, her face flushed crimson. Qiao’er only vaguely heard the words “Prince Wen.”

Amid the pushing and shoving, the young lady suddenly fell into the water. At that moment, everyone nearby was shocked and stunned. Fortunately, Prince Wen happened to be passing by and rescued the young lady.

Remembering the rumors circulating in the capital, Qiao’er’s expression changed: “In the future, Miss, you should stay away from Princess Anru. Although Her Highness is of noble status, still…”

Luo Yu remained motionless. Qiao’er’s words gradually trailed off. After a long moment, she finally heard her young lady say, “What status does the princess hold? Even if her reputation suffers, she is still a high and mighty princess. As for me, I’m just a concubine-born daughter. What right do I have to be picky?”

Qiao’er fell silent, her words stuck in her throat. In truth, her reminder was unnecessary. Even if Luo Yu wanted to get closer to Princess Anru, how could Anru possibly allow it?

Her circle consisted entirely of legitimate daughters of officials ranked third-grade or higher.

These people unconsciously formed a clique, excluding those they were unwilling to accept, and concubine-born daughters happened to be among them.

Luo Yu concealed all her emotions deep within. Lying on the bed, facing the wall, she seemed weary: “Alright, you may leave now.”

Qiao’er didn’t dare say more and withdrew with light steps.

Instantly, only she remained in the room. Suddenly, she opened her eyes, her brows furrowing fiercely.

When Princess Anru got into an argument with someone, she had naturally been too lazy to get involved, afraid of getting herself into trouble.

She had kept her distance.

Then she noticed Luo Qian was also among them, appearing as if she had seen someone who shouldn’t be there.

At that time, feeling suspicious and wanting to see for herself, she had walked over and started mediating from the outer edge, discreetly observing the people around her.

She saw a servant dressed in the Marquis’s mansion’s maid attire standing not far away, head lowered, while Luo Qian stood by the lake. That maid was approaching Luo Qian amid the chaos.

She saw Luo Qian’s expression change, then the maid seemed to glance somewhere else, her gaze finally lingering for a moment on the lake behind Luo Qian.

If she hadn’t been watching the two closely, she wouldn’t have noticed the maid’s look.

Suddenly, she looked toward the place the maid had glanced earlier. It seemed a group of people were heading in their direction.

She had an intuition that this could be an opportunity, though what kind of opportunity, she wasn’t sure.

It was just a matter of whether she dared to gamble or not.

She watched as the maid took another step toward Luo Qian. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Amid the chaos, pretending to be accidentally bumped, she slipped and “unexpectedly” fell into the water.

She saw clearly: the maid’s movements halted, unable to conceal a flicker of surprise in her eyes. But soon, she paid no further attention to Luo Qian.

Instead, taking advantage of the moment when everyone’s attention was on her, she silently vanished from the spot.

As the freezing cold lake water chilled her face pale, she saw someone approaching from another direction—Prince Wen.

When Prince Wen rescued her, she knew her gamble had paid off.

Even as a concubine-born daughter, she had the support of a large tree for shade. Bearing the name of the Marquis of Qi’s mansion, with everyone watching, Prince Wen had rescued her.

Thus, he needed to marry her; otherwise, her reputation would be tarnished, and how could she face the world in the future?

When she was being carried back, she instinctively glanced at Luo Qian, only to see an expression of disbelief in her eyes. Though puzzled, she no longer had the mind to unravel the mystery.

However, Luo Yi’er’s words had extinguished all the hidden excitement in her heart.

Let Madam Chu send gifts to express gratitude, suppress this matter, and wait for it to fade into obscurity in two years?

Then what was the point of her suffering like this?

Luo Yu clutched the corner of the quilt tightly, the look in her eyes growing colder. She had never made an effort in vain.
Could this matter be so easily suppressed?
How could it be that simple!

Once the birthday celebrations ended and all the guests had been seen off, Luo Yi’er returned to Yunxia Courtyard. After washing up, her clothes were half undone, lazily draped over her.

Fortunately, the room was warmed with charcoal, so she didn’t feel cold at all. She gazed at the chessboard on the table before her, where a white piece was trapped with no escape, while another white piece beside it showed faint signs of coming to life.

Her eyes grew even more indifferent. Moonlight seeped through the cracks in the window, casting a faint glow on her jade-like face.

Casually moving a piece, she sealed off any chance of survival for the white piece that was about to revive.

Only then did she find a moment of leisure, a slight curve appearing at the corner of her lips. She withdrew her hand, cradling the warming pan in her arms, and leaned sideways on the chaise longue.

Carelessly, she asked Pansi, “Did you find out?”

“We’ve had someone following Xiaoxi. She was indeed away from the kitchen for a period today.”

Logically, today being the old madam’s birthday with many guests, the kitchen was the busiest place. Xiaoxi shouldn’t have left the kitchen at all, yet she had.

Pansi continued, “The young miss guessed correctly. Xiao Xi did indeed appear at the scene.”

“According to the informant, she seemed to want to say something to the Eldest Miss. But soon after, the Fourth Miss fell into the water, and for some reason, she left directly, returning to the kitchen. After that, there was no further movement.”

Listening quietly as Pansi finished speaking, Luo Yi’er lowered her gaze, mentally sifting through the entire incident.
She had some conjectures.

Xiaoxi was Prince Wen’s person. Her appearance by the lake must have been on Prince Wen’s orders.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been present where she shouldn’t have been at that time.

Her initial target must have been Luo Qian, which was why she gave the informant the mistaken impression that she wanted to say something to Luo Qian.

But what could those two possibly have to say to each other?

One wanted the other dead; the other had been exposed because of her.

And why did this person become Luo Yu instead?

A faint flicker of amusement passed through Luo Yi’er’s eyes.

Absently toying with the warming pan, she considered that her fourth sister had always been clever, never missing out on any advantage she could gain. It wouldn’t be surprising if she had noticed something.

She had deliberately tested Luo Yu with those words today in Yueling Residence.

Although she had gotten the result she wanted… what would Luo Yu do?
She shouldn’t simply give up now.

Luo Yi’er rested her chin on one hand, pondering thoughtfully.
If she were Luo Yu, what would she do next?

She wanted Prince Wen to marry her, but the madam might suppress the matter. She might not even get to see Prince Wen again.

Out of a woman’s sense of propriety, she couldn’t even voice her true thoughts in front of the madam.

Then… she could only make the matter public.

If everyone knew about it, regardless of whether it was to protect Prince Wen’s reputation or to give the Marquis’s mansion an explanation, Prince Wen would have to take responsibility for Luo Yu.

Even if everyone knew that Prince Wen had merely rescued someone.