Chapter 111: Escaped

The butler of the Prime Minister’s residence had dispatched all the servants to various locations in search of Su Baizhi.

Accompanied by her maids, Jinling and Yinling, Su Baizhi arrived near the Huo family residence and hid in a side alley. Before long, she watched as Yun Fengxiao accompanied Lady Huo in a carriage for her return visit to her maiden home. The sight of the exquisite carriage set Su Baizhi’s heart ablaze with fury, and seeing Yun Fengxiao gallantly helping Lady Huo down from the carriage filled her with a suffocating sense of jealousy.

Jinling pleaded from the side, "Young Miss, you have already seen the Crown Prince; let us return now. If the Eldest Young Miss discovers us, it will be a disaster."

Su Baizhi was startled and immediately hurried back with her maids. Halfway there, she was spotted by a servant from the Prime Minister’s residence who shouted, "The Second Young Miss is here!"

Su Liluo, who had been following close behind, immediately grabbed Su Baizhi’s hand and asked anxiously, "Second Sister, where have you been? I searched everywhere for you; I never expected to find you here."

Su Baizhi opened her mouth to provide an excuse but immediately shut it. She cast a warning glance at her two maids and lowered her head, weeping. On one hand, she hoped to win Su Liluo’s sympathy; on the other, the thought of Yun Fengxiao and Lady Huo left her heart aching with grief.

Seeing the crowd of onlookers growing, Su Liluo advised, "Second Sister, there are too many prying eyes here. Let us return to the residence first."

Su Baizhi realized this as well. The sight of the dense crowd and the whispers of the bystanders made her deeply embarrassed. She nodded and agreed, "Sister is right." A group of servants surrounded the two as they returned to the manor, the crowd’s murmurs growing louder as they watched them depart.

"Isn’t that the young miss from the Prime Minister’s residence? What game are they playing?" one person asked her neighbor, having just arrived and unaware of what had transpired.

A woman nearby enlightened her, "You don't know? The Prime Minister’s daughter went missing, and they sent people out to look for her. Who would have thought she’d turn up on her own?"

The surrounding crowd heard every word, and the news of the Prime Minister’s daughter’s disappearance spread throughout the streets.

As soon as Su Baizhi and Su Liluo entered the Prime Minister’s residence, they found the Old Madam and Yao Ruoshui waiting in the main hall. Because of her disappearance, the entire household had been stirred into a frenzy. As the two stood in the hall, Yao Ruoshui walked over to Su Baizhi and asked with concern, "Zhier, where on earth have you been?"

Seeing her return, the Old Madam’s earlier anxiety dissipated, but her eyes darkened as she observed Su Baizhi’s flustered appearance. She demanded sternly, "Su Baizhi, tell me the truth right now. Where did you go? The entire household was searching for you, yet you simply walked back on your own. Explain yourself at once."

Upon hearing the report from those who had been searching, the Old Madam was burning with suppressed anger. Su Baizhi stood with her head bowed, silent, her indifferent attitude further irritating Yao Ruoshui.

Yao Ruoshui nudged Su Baizhi and urged anxiously, "Zhier, speak up! Can’t you see your grandmother is angry? Tell us where you went; Mother won't blame you."

Yao Ruoshui assumed she was merely afraid of punishment. Although she felt frustrated, the Old Madam’s presence loomed larger, forcing Yao Ruoshui to suppress her own temper and demand an explanation.

After a long pause, Su Baizhi gritted her teeth and said, "Grandmother, Mother, I simply had an urgent need and went to the latrine. I never expected to alarm the entire household."

"That is definitely not true. Sister, tell the truth—what good deeds were you actually up to?" Su Shan’er arrived just in time to hear the explanation and immediately refuted it. She was certain Su Baizhi had been up to no good and was merely using the latrine as an excuse.

Su Baizhi neither explained nor argued back. This only confirmed Su Shan’er’s suspicions. "Grandmother, Sister Zhier must have done something she is ashamed to mention. There is no need to force her; perhaps in time, she will be willing to speak." Su Shan’er poured oil on the fire, and Su Liluo gave her a secret thumbs-up—it was truly effective.

Seeing that Su Baizhi could not offer a coherent explanation, the Old Madam’s eyes held a trace of disappointment. "If you refuse to speak, then so be it. Someone, come—"

"Grandmother, Zhier will tell you... The day of your birthday is approaching, and I wanted to prepare a grand gift for you. That is why I snuck away from Eldest Sister to go see it. I never intended to cause such a commotion. Grandmother, I didn't mean to." Su Baizhi said, weeping.

Yao Ruoshui felt a pang of heartache and interceded, "Mother, Zhier has already admitted her mistake. She acted out of filial piety. Please forgive her this once. Our Zhier is truly pitiful; her genuine filial heart has been trampled upon like this."

Yao Ruoshui glared fiercely at Su Shan’er, who shivered and said nothing more. Tears welled in the Old Madam’s eyes as she said repeatedly, "Good, good. Zhier has a kind heart. Since it was done with good intentions, she should not be misunderstood. However, you must inform those around you next time, or it will be bad if your Eldest Sister is frightened like this again."

Su Baizhi nodded submissively, "Zhier understands. Grandmother, rest assured, I will not let you worry again."

Watching her resolve the unauthorized outing so easily, seeing the Old Madam moved by her words and Yao Ruoshui looking at her with pride, Su Liluo found it all utterly tedious. While they were still reveling in the display of affection, she offered a polite bow and returned to her room.

Su Shan’er watched as Su Baizhi was coddled by the Old Madam and Yao Ruoshui, forgiven even after such a major incident. She hated her own lack of status in the house. Su Baizhi had reached this point only because she possessed a face capable of deception. She vowed to reveal her true colors and ensure her ruin, leaving her with no hope of recovery.

After escorting the Old Madam back to her courtyard, Su Baizhi was pulled to her room by Yao Ruoshui. Only once they reached her mother’s sanctuary did she finally relax. Feeling her back clammy with cold sweat, she took deep, ragged breaths.

Once her mind cleared, Su Baizhi thought carefully and realized something was wrong. If she had gone out with Su Liluo, why had it been the household servants who came looking? Was all of this a trap set by Su Liluo? The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Looking at Yao Ruoshui, Su Baizhi cried out, "Mother, you must stand up for your daughter!"

"What is it? You were fine just a moment ago. Speak clearly, Zhier. Mother will not let you suffer any grievances." Yao Ruoshui’s eyes turned red with anxiety, assuming her daughter had suffered some great injustice outside and was finally ready to confide in her.

Su Baizhi realized that Su Liluo had become far too clever, even setting such a trap for her without a sound. Hatred burned in her heart. Seeking her mother’s guidance, she told her exactly what had happened.

"Mother, today’s incident was a setup by Su Liluo. She intentionally sent someone to report it, just to make me lose favor in Grandmother’s eyes. Mother, I will never let her get away with this." Su Baizhi gritted her teeth, her tone so vicious that Yao Ruoshui couldn't help but stare at her.

Seeing her daughter’s face flushed with fury, she quickly signaled for a damp cloth to wipe Su Baizhi’s face, comforting her softly, "Zhier, your wedding day is near. Don't think about anything else; just focus on marrying the Crown Prince. As for Su Liluo, Mother will take care of her for you. Rest assured, I will not let her continue to oppose you in this world."

Su Baizhi’s face finally brightened into a smile, and she pouted, "Mother, you are truly the best to me. But be careful, Mother, do not let anyone discover that it was you who acted."

Yao Ruoshui stroked her hair and laughed, "Silly girl, you don't need to worry about how Mother handles things. Once she is removed, you will be the only legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister’s residence, and no one will ever be able to compare to you again."

Su Baizhi imagined her future triumph and couldn't help but laugh out loud. Seeing her daughter happy, Yao Ruoshui was pleased, but she patted Su Baizhi’s hand and whispered a final instruction, "Zhier, do not be impulsive. Remember, the most important thing right now is to marry the Crown Prince. Do you understand?"