Chapter 173: The Fake Young Lady Gets Her Wish and Becomes a Favored Concubine?

Liu Qiongzhu stared blankly at the old man before her, her father.

At this moment he glared at her like a fierce god and evil spirit, pointing at her nose and scolding her sentence by sentence.

Liu Qiongzhu's head buzzed.

She didn't understand why her life had become like this.

She had once been noble and precious, the eldest legitimate daughter of the Jiangjun Fu whom all the young ladies and gentlemen of Jinling vied to befriend!!

Now she was actually slapped to the ground by a lowly old man.

A crowd of people gathered around her.

Wang Shi could only dare to hide at the side, silently shedding tears.

Her birth father, mingling with the crowd, pointed at her and hurled abuse, as if she had committed some heinous crime.

"I knew she would despise us. Look, she doesn't cook or wash dishes each day, let alone sweep and wash clothes—before, Ca'er wasn't like this!"

"Exactly, Ca'er even lets Yuanbao ride her like a horse."

"We get food as soon as we rise each day, have clean clothes to wear at a hand's reach, and the rooms are spotless and tidy—all thanks to Ca'er's work."

"Exactly, she can't compare to Ca'er—look, since she returned, every day she's lazy, expecting clothes to be handed to her and food to be fed to her, waiting for us to serve her."

"She really still thinks she's the young lady of a high household? She doesn't even look at what fate she actually has!"

"Exactly, they've been kicked out of the Jiangjun Fu yet still put on airs. Wasn't it said in the letter that she was noble and precious, more favored in the manor than Ca'er?"

"Pah! Now she's even lost her person—surely Prince Yun doesn't want her anymore."

"You bully Yuanbao; in this household there's no good days to be had!"

"Exactly, hurry up and get up to boil foot-washing water for us!!"

Saying that, the third aunt stepped forward to grab Liu Qiongzhu's hair.

Luying lunged forward to shield Liu Qiongzhu, who seized the chance to burst out the door and flee the Liu household.

She kept running until she reached the private residence where she had once lived together with Prince Yun.

Liu Qiongzhu pounded on the door crying for help, but the maidservants who saw her still dared not let her in.

"Miss, it's not that we servants won't let you in; we simply have no order from the lord, and we dare not act on our own."

"Miss, you should go plead with the lord."

"Seek Your Highness?"

Liu Qiongzhu thought of his present heartlessness and, for some reason, simply dared not go to Prince Yun's Mansion.

She feared Prince Yun would completely break ties with her and utterly abandon her…

So she could only lower herself and plead: "Grannies, sisters, please help me tell His Highness that I am waiting here for him, just hoping to see him once—would that be alright?"

"If there is a future, I will certainly not mistreat any of you."

They all agreed with their mouths, but after Liu Qiongzhu turned away, she heard them utter a "pah."

"Lowly……"

Such words drifted into Liu Qiongzhu's ears; she felt her face would be burned through.

Liu Qiongzhu dared only to sit beneath the tree outside the private residence, cupping her face as she sobbed "wu-wu."

Night deepened, the curfew hour arrived, and Liu Qiongzhu hid in the shadow behind the tree, daring not to show herself.

That day snowflakes still drifted in the sky; she stared blankly at the fine snow floating above, while beneath her lay a snowdrift, the cold making her ache to the marrow.

She even thought she would die that very night.

Just as her body grew somewhat stiff and she could hardly move, a shadow suddenly fell over Liu Qiongzhu's head.

She lifted her head, thinking she saw Zhuang Sanlang.

But the voice that spoke was: "Zhuer, how should this king deal with you?"

He crouched and lifted Liu Qiongzhu's delicate chin; she used to be somewhat pearl-round and jade-smooth in her fullness, now she is three parts more like a frail Xi Shi, a willow swaying in the breeze, evoking pity.

Tsk tsk, look, how pitiful.

Actually, she now bears a different kind of charm.

"Your Highness..."

Liu Qiongzhu's scalding tears instantly poured down.

Prince Yun: "From now on, will you obey my words?"

Liu Qiongzhu clung to his hand, as if grasping floating duckweed while drowning.

"Whatever you say, Zhuer will listen."

She pressed her icy cheek against his palm; from now on, the only thing she could rely on in this world was Prince Yun.

That night, Prince Yun carried Liu Qiongzhu into the private residence.

The next day, the Liu household received news that Liu Qiongzhu had been lifted into Prince Yun's Mansion in a sedan.

The Liu family rejoiced uncontrollably, feeling that good days for the whole family had finally arrived.

But when Liu Qiongzhu went to Prince Yun's Mansion, she only took Luying with her.

The Liu family could only stare longingly, unaware that upon entering Prince Yun's Mansion, Liu Qiongzhu would face even greater storms, leaving no room to attend to them.

Prince Yun consecutively favored Liu Qiongzhu for several days.

Liu Qiongzhu knew Princess Nanping would hold a horse-riding gathering today, so she mentioned it before Prince Yun, which led him to entrust Princess Qinyu with bringing her along.

She had originally intended to come and catch up with Pan Li and the others; in all of Jinling she is now nearly isolated and helpless.

But she never expected to hear Pan Li disparaging her behind her back!

After Liu Qiongzhu went to the Yun Prince's Mansion, her days were not as easy as imagined; instead, each day she had to rise early to pay respects to the consort and also endure the slight of even a concubine.

Even Cao Rouer looked at her askance everywhere.

She was already exhausted in body and spirit, her grievances bottled up to the extreme, yet she had to suffer this injustice as well!

Instantly, a deep resentment welled up in her heart.

The humiliation she suffered today will be repaid in full someday!

And the culprit behind all of this is none other than Li Qingluo!

She now bears the name of the Jiangjun Fu's eldest legitimate daughter—can she really be considered utterly glorious?

However, Li Qingluo felt nothing at the sight of Liu Qiongzhu's gaze—her skin didn't itch, her flesh didn't hurt.

Even Princess Qinyu came specially to stand before her, curiously staring: "Are you truly the legitimate daughter of the Jiangjun Fu, Li Qingluo?"

Li Qingluo bowed: "This commoner, Li Qingluo, greets Your Highness, the Princess."

Princess Qinyu smiled and reached out: "Indeed, you bear the grace of a noble lady just as the rumors say! No matter how hardship-filled your upbringing, your bloodline's talent cannot be hidden."

Princess Qinyu's eyes and tone were full of admiration for Li Qingluo, yet Li Qingluo felt strangely odd.

Wasn't this Princess Qinyu just speaking up for Liu Qiongzhu a moment ago?

Yet she turned around and began praising herself.

It seems she, who grew up in a foreign palace since childhood, is quite adept at navigating both sides.

Li Qingluo said: "This commoner feels humbled; the Princess overpraises."

Nanping grew impatient, waving and calling: "Whoever has come today! This County Princess is going to the racetrack—who's coming with me?"

Li Qingluo looked around but still hadn't spotted Pei Nanjia's figure.

However, County Princess Nanping had already taken her to the racetrack.

Today the racetrack has been wholly reserved by County Princess Nanping, with troops stationed in three layers inside and out.

There are not only bonfires but also pitched tents for the ladies to rest.

Nearby, a cook was roasting a whole sheep, boiling hot water and preparing hot soup.

Without masters or elders to supervise, the young women quickly cast off restraint, riding horses and playing ball with abandon.

Li Qingluo dared only to sit on her horse, walking slowly as Deng Mama led the reins.

Nanping, meanwhile, seemed to have returned to the northwest, galloping and laughing loudly, her joy quickly spreading across the entire field.

As Nanping had already lapped Li Qingluo three times, Li Qingluo couldn't help but break into a tentative trot.

"Miss, please go slowly, slowly—"

Nanping said: "With me here, I'll keep your lady safe!"

Nanping came over again, her nose red, and seized Li Qingluo's reins.

"Luo'er sister, summon your courage, just follow the horse's motion, keep your balance—you'll absolutely not fall!"

Li Qingluo startled: "Nanping—"

Before she could finish her protest, Nanping grabbed her and took off running.

Li Qingluo couldn't help but let out a low cry, and she was flung along with the horse.

After a few jolts, she nearly rolled off, but quickly recalling her grandmother's and Nanping's earlier advice, she lowered her torso, arched her back, steadied herself, and clung to the reins as the horse bucked.

As a result, she quickly found a feel for riding.

Racing freely, the cold wind and blowing snow struck her face, leaving Li Qingluo feeling both clear-headed and exhilarated.

All the earlier turmoil seemed to vanish at that moment.

She only wished to drift freely between heaven and earth, to become a small bird, a horse, a snowflake.

After a few laps, Li Qingluo actually broke into a sweat.

Nanping reined her to a stop: "Luo'er sister, though learning felt exhilarating and you'd love to keep riding, we can't overdo it, or your legs and waist will suffer."

"Shall we rest a while?"

The two dismounted, and Nanping led Li Qingluo back to the tents.

Inside the tent, the charcoal fire made it warm and toasty.

Que'er and Nanping's personal maids hurried over, untied their cloaks and outer garments, and quickly wiped them down with hot water.

After a sip of hot ginger tea, both Li Qingluo and Nanping couldn't help but sigh.

Comfortable!

Nanping flung herself over, laughing: "Luo'er elder sister, have you really learned to ride today?"

Li Qingluo cupped her chubby cheek and squeezed: "Yes. I also owe thanks to my riding little master; otherwise I wouldn't know when I could finally let go."

Nanping hugged her, coquettish: "Then how will you reward me properly? I want to live at your place!"

Li Qingluo looked at her with a complex expression: "My household is now shunned by everyone—why do you insist on going? Nanping, do you truly not see how chaotic my family is?"

Nanping said: "The disgraceful act was done by her, Liu Qiongzhu, not you, Luo'er sister. Besides, hasn't your family already expelled her, making her surnamed Liu? Although my mother dislikes my frequent association with you, I am simply drawn to you—and I also like your older sister Nanjia."

Li Qingluo gently patted Nanping's head.

She asked Nanjia: "Why didn't you come today?"

Nanping said: "I heard she fell ill. She wrote me a letter, telling me not to worry about here and to focus on recovering."

She fell ill?

Li Qingluo thought, I ought to go see her.

Regarding Master Qingyang, Li Qingluo had still wanted to find a chance to ask her, thinking she could meet today, but she never expected she wouldn't be able to come.

As they were talking, a commotion suddenly arose outside.

"Sounds like Liu Qiongzhu? Come on, let's go see."

The two linked hands and stepped out of the tent, only to see a crowd already gathered on the other side.

Before they drew near, they heard Pan Li's loud voice: "Liu Qiongzhu, what good deed have you done!!"

"That horse belongs to the Cui family—although Cui Jiuniang was just playing chess today and didn't go to the field, how could you, out of jealousy, poison her mount?"

"No matter how you say it, Cui Jiuniang was also your older brother's fiancée, you're too vicious!"

A round-faced girl stepped out at this moment and retorted to Pan Li: "What nonsense are you talking? The marriage between our Cui family and their Li family may not necessarily succeed!"