Chapter Ninety-Four: Lucidity

Su Liluo looked down at her own sorry state and shook her head. "I can manage on my own. I only need to trouble Your Highness..."

"Call me when you are dressed." Yun Yanyi looked at her deeply, concern flickering in his eyes, as though he feared her present condition could not bear too much strain.

Su Liluo stood for a long while, her legs trembling. Exhausted in body and spirit, she felt as if she had just run a long race. Bracing herself against the rim of the bath, she climbed out carefully, afraid of slipping even a little.

Once her feet touched the floor, she let out a quiet breath, walked to the wardrobe, took a set of underclothes at random, and went behind the screen to undress.

Just as she was about to untie her inner garment, several soft taps came from the door, followed by Yun Yanyi's cool voice. "Su Liluo, are you dressed yet? You haven't fainted, have you?"

"No... not at all. Almost. Wait a little longer." Her hands trembled of their own accord. After a moment, she forced herself to calm down and chided herself for being so unseemly. By the time she finished dressing, the room was already warm from the brazier. She threw on a light cloak before opening the door and lowering her eyes. "Come in."

Yun Yanyi stepped inside at once. Seeing that her lips were still a little pale, he pressed them together and poured her a cup of hot tea. "Drink some and warm yourself."

Su Liluo took it stiffly. At last she managed to squeeze out a smile. "Thank you, Your Highness. Please, sit."

The two of them sat in the room in silence for a while. In the end, it was Yun Yanyi who spoke first. "Do you still remember what happened today?"

There were still fragments left in Su Liluo's mind. She gave a slight nod. "I remember most of it."

Yun Yanyi paused before saying, "What happened today is something neither of us wished to see. Those people have already seen us together. As long as you say the word, I can make you the mistress of Prince Yi's manor. Rest well. Think over what I have said."

Su Liluo only stared blankly at him, not a single word slipping past her lips. Her thoughts were in chaos, and she truly had no heart to consider such matters now.

Seeing that she did not answer, Yun Yanyi did not grow angry. He simply turned and left her courtyard.

Not long after he was gone, Liuzhu hurried in. "Miss, the Old Madam has come with Madam and the others."

As soon as Liuzhu finished speaking, the Old Madam Su stormed in, accompanied by Yao Ruoshui and Su Baizhi. In a cold voice she demanded, "Su Liluo, what in the world is going on? How could you be with Prince Yi? And how could you do something so disgraceful?"

When she heard that Su Liluo and Yun Yanyi had been left alone in disordered clothing, the Old Madam's mind had gone blank. For a long while she could not make sense of why two people with no prior connection would appear together.

Su Baizhi was equally full of suspicion. She had clearly arranged for a servant boy, so why had it become Prince Yi instead? No matter how hard she thought, she could not understand it.

Su Liluo hesitated and stammered, unsure how to answer. She looked anxiously at the Old Madam, but for a long time said nothing, which only made the Old Madam more displeased.

"If you have something to say, then say it plainly. Or are you, as people outside are saying, deliberately trying to seduce Prince Yi?" The Old Madam's gaze gradually turned colder. If that were truly the case, she would never spare Su Liluo.

"Grandmother, what happened to Liluo today was purely an accident. I believe that the innocent will prove themselves innocent. Liluo has nothing more to say."

Little by little, Su Liluo regained her usual composure. No longer as flustered as before, she now spoke and acted with her own measure and restraint.

The Old Madam merely looked at her for a long while. Su Liluo did not panic; she simply stood quietly in place. At last, the Old Madam sighed and said, "For now, Grandmother will believe you. Liluo, though everyone hopes the innocent will clear themselves, one must still keep to propriety and the law. Do not do anything improper and lose your own dignity for nothing."

After a stern warning, the Old Madam finally let Su Liluo off. Su Liluo only lowered her head and answered softly, yes, and the matter was at last dropped.

Yao Ruoshui watched the Old Madam depart. Earlier, she had ordered someone to look for the servant boy. When Nanny Ping entered and quietly shook her head, Yao Ruoshui's expression darkened.

Su Liluo had been watching the mother and daughter closely. Seeing that look on Yao Ruoshui's face, she immediately asked in alarm, "Mother, what is the matter? Are you feeling unwell?"

Su Baizhi at once took Yao Ruoshui's hand and said gently with a smile, "Sister needn't worry. Mother is fine. She has only been busy these past few days arranging Father's birthday banquet and feels a little tired. Since there is nothing wrong on sister's side, I will help Mother back first."

Su Liluo nodded lightly. "Mother, do take care of your health. Liluo will not see you out."

With Su Baizhi and Nanny Ping supporting her, Yao Ruoshui had barely stepped out of the room when she waved her hand and said with a dark expression, "That little wretch truly is capable."

Su Baizhi glanced around the courtyard, where there were too many ears and too many eyes, and quickly helped Yao Ruoshui away. Only after they had reached a place without anyone nearby did she lower her voice and ask, "Mother, why did you behave like that just now?"

Yao Ruoshui tightened her grip on Su Baizhi's hand and sighed softly. "Child, this time we still failed to control her. That servant boy has vanished without a trace."

She did not dare speak the worry in her heart, fearing the boy might already be beyond help. Su Baizhi comforted her at once. "Mother, there's no need to worry. If the servant cannot be found, then so be it. But since we finally caught her with such leverage, we must not let it go lightly."

Yao Ruoshui also felt that this was only proper, and she nodded. "Baizhi, do you have any good idea?"

"Mother, why not spread today's matter far and wide? Su Liluo will be so ashamed she won't dare step outside." Su Baizhi smiled faintly. When the time came, Su Liluo would have to endure every scathing word thrown at her.

"That is an excellent plan. We must make her understand the consequences. Wasn't she bold? Let's see how she fares this time. The gossip alone will drown her. I'd like to see how Su Liluo still has the nerve to remain alive in this world."

A vicious smile spread across Yao Ruoshui's face. She exchanged a glance with Su Baizhi, and the two immediately set people to work.

Left alone in her room, Su Liluo thought over what had happened today and felt that something was not right. Someone had clearly tried to scheme against her. With a cold voice, she called, "Someone come."

Liuzhu hurried in. "What does Miss command?"

"Go and summon a servant boy for me."

After some thought, Su Liluo still felt it would not be proper to have Liuzhu and the others inquire around. It would be better to find a servant from the courtyard; men moved more conveniently and could gather information more easily.

Liuzhu quickly called in a tall, thin man from the courtyard. Separated by the screen, Su Liluo could only make out a vague silhouette. She asked quietly, "I want you to do something for me. Are you willing?"

"Miss need only give the order," the servant replied respectfully.

Su Liluo nodded inwardly, then lowered her voice and told him what she wanted investigated.

"...That is all. Go and handle it. I will pay all the silver needed for the inquiries. I only want to know who that person really is."

She still remembered the voice she had heard just before losing consciousness, though she had not seen the face. By the time she woke, Yun Yanyi's men had already dealt with everything, leaving Su Liluo in a difficult position.

For now, she could only have someone in the courtyard investigate which side that servant had belonged to.

The man accepted the order and left. Very soon, he returned with the results. As Su Liluo listened to what he reported, a coldness spread across her face that kept strangers at a distance. She had never imagined that such a dangerous scene had been the work of her own good sister.

"Su Baizhi, you really are something. To think you would scheme against me."

Su Liluo growled the words through clenched teeth. Her expression was far from pleasant, and seeing the servant still kneeling below, she waved him away in irritation. "You may go now."

The servant withdrew at once. Su Liluo lay back on the couch, staring at the teacup before her in deep thought. So this had been Su Baizhi's doing. Her dear stepmother must surely have known as well. After all, nothing that happened at the banquet could ever escape that woman's notice. So the two of them had joined forces to deal with her now?

"They're taking me for a soft persimmon, thinking they can squeeze me however they like. They don't even fear cutting their own hands."

Su Liluo muttered bitterly, and a trace of dissatisfaction with her own carelessness also rose in her heart.