"Your Highness, you wouldn't be stalling for time, would you?"
As time dragged on, the scholar, who had initially been at ease, grew somewhat anxious.
Xue Shang set down her tea and looked at the scholar, her gaze shifting meaningfully. "Do you think I'm playing games with you?"
The scholar hurriedly said, "I didn't mean to question Your Highness, it's just... nearly an hour has passed, hasn't it?"
"You can't even wait an hour? Weren't you insisting that I pay the price? Don't worry. Once they return, the price will start being paid."
Mingyue folded her arms and looked disdainfully at the scholar. As for who would be paying the price then, that remained to be seen.
"Yes, you're right, Commandery Princess."
The scholar turned away, his eyes vicious. Whether they died sooner or later, they would die all the same.
He wasn't the one who couldn't afford to wait!
Mingyue's eyes lit up. "They're back! They're back!"
Mingyue went down the steps to greet them herself.
One, two, three... four.
The scholar's expression suddenly changed. This woman wasn't dead yet?
Qiuli's face was pale, and Tong Aning supported her. Seeing the scholar look as though he had seen a ghost, Qiuli actually wanted to laugh.
She curled her lips, her tone chilling. "What, did you think I was dead?"
"Wife, how could I think that? I'm happy, happy."
The scholar's words tumbled out incoherently. Xue Shang was delighted to watch it all unfold.
"Wife, listen to me," the scholar lowered his voice. "As long as I succeed, we'll have endless wealth and glory to enjoy."
"Endless wealth and glory?"
"Yes, wife. I didn't want to sell you off either. Those people were unreasonable bullies. As long as we have money, wife, as long as we have money, our lives will definitely be different."
[I'm still right here. Aren't they being a little too blatant?]
[Maybe he thinks you can't hear him.]
[Gambling is a bottomless abyss. However much money you have, it all has to go into it.]
[Then, Host, do you want to talk her around?]
[I believe in her.]
The scholar had angered Qiuli so badly that her internal organs ached as though they were burning.
Then this voice suddenly appeared, like a sweet, refreshing pear, soothing the fire in Qiuli's heart.
Qiuli looked at Tong Aning.
Tong Aning smiled at her, her smile radiant and her eyes clear.
Someone still believed in her.
All at once, Qiuli gained boundless strength. She shoved the scholar to the ground.
The scholar flew into a rage. "You..."
Qiuli asked mockingly, "What, do you want to hit me?"
"Wife, how could I hit you?"
"Stop pretending," Qiuli said coldly.
She stepped forward. "Commandery Princess, he was deceiving you from the very beginning. He wanted to utterly ruin your reputation."
Mingyue raised an eyebrow. "But that wasn't what he said before."
"That's just how good he is at lying."
"You're talking nonsense! You're the liar!" the scholar snapped in exasperation.
"I'm talking nonsense? Do you dare say those tokens of affection for the Commandery Princess didn't come from my hands? You don't know how to win her favor at all!"
Mingyue froze.
What had she just said?
[Oh my, oh my, System, I think I've learned something incredible.]
[Host, this man told Qiuli that a fellow student had fallen for a young woman and wanted his help. Qiuli believed him and helped him work through it bit by bit. She even stayed up all night making a peony lantern.]
[Wasn't a peony lantern the love token between Mingyue and the scholar?]
[Yes, Host.]
[So the person the Commandery Princess fell in love with was actually... Qiuli?]
Mingyue: "..."
She instinctively looked at Xue Shang.
Xue Shang rose. "I'm sure everyone understands now. This scholar harbored ill intentions toward Mingyue. Thank you all for bearing witness for me here. You may now leave."
After the guards left, Xue Shang scattered a handful of gold melon seeds on the ground.
Tong Aning: "..."
Dazzled by wealth, she sighed inwardly. [The Third Prince's mistake must have been failing to prepare gold melon seeds for the scholar.]
Well, then.
Sure enough, this was connected to the Third Prince again.
Xue Shang ordered the guards to take the scholar into the residence.
"Thank you for your help today, Marchioness and Aning. I'll thank you both properly another day."
Su Zhouyue smiled. "It was only a small effort. Your Highness, we'll take Qiuli back to the marquis's residence."
Xue Shang glanced at Qiuli. "Very well. Take her with you."
After Su Zhouyue and Tong Aning left with Qiuli, Mingyue stamped her foot. "Mother, why didn't you keep Qiuli here?"
"To do someone a favor that costs us nothing. Don't tell me you've really fallen in love with Qiuli?" Xue Shang asked with a smile.
Mingyue turned her head, viciousness rising in her eyes. "Mother, why are you teasing me too? Love, what love? All I want now is to grind that scholar's bones to dust and scatter his ashes!"
Su Zhouyue temporarily settled Qiuli in the marquis's residence, because she knew her daughter wouldn't abandon Qiuli.
Sure enough, once she had made the arrangements, Tong Aning declared her the best mother in the world. Su Zhouyue was thoroughly pleased.
But before long, Su Zhouyue began to get a headache.
Because Tong Aning wanted to study medicine now.
Su Zhouyue asked, "How is your riding coming along?"
Tong Aning was immensely pleased with herself. "It's no challenge for me at all. Shall I have Yingtao bring Bright Pearl out right now?"
"That won't be necessary."
"You believe me, Mother?"
"I'm worried about my courtyard."
Tong Aning: "..."
She muttered, "Bright Pearl turned over a new leaf ages ago. She doesn't eat your flowers anymore."
Su Zhouyue asked, "Why do you want to study medicine?"
"Then I'll be able to save people."
At the time, she had thought the nanny was so impressive. If she knew medicine too, she could have treated Qiuli right away.
The nanny was very good, and there was no shortage of physicians in the residence.
But she wanted medical skills to become an ability of her own, even if she learned only the basics.
Tong Aning reminded Su Zhouyue of herself.
When she was little, she had wanted to learn everything too. There was never any harm in learning more.
Su Zhouyue stroked Tong Aning's little face and asked, "Aren't you afraid of hardship?"
"You can never have too many skills."
[I'll worry about that when I give up.]
Su Zhouyue: "..."
"All right. I'll find someone to teach you."
"Mother is the best."
Tong Aning happily cupped Su Zhouyue's cheeks and kissed her.
"What's gotten into Aning today? Why is she so happy?"
Tong Aobai walked in from outside. His broad palm covered Su Zhouyue's hand and patted it. Su Zhouyue gave him a sidelong glance, and Tong Aobai urged, "Hurry and tell me."
"Your darling daughter wants to study medicine."
Tong Aobai's expression shifted.
Tong Aning asked worriedly, "Father, you don't want me to study medicine?"
"That's not it."
Tong Aobai looked at Tong Aning and asked seriously, "Aning, are you planning to practice acupuncture on your father in the future?"
Tong Aning blinked innocently. "Yes."
Tong Aobai's heart instantly sank to rock bottom. He tweaked Tong Aning's nose. "I knew it."
Tong Aning smiled slyly. "I was teasing you. How could I practice acupuncture on you, Father? It would hurt so much."
[Father's a daughter slave. He'll ask me to stick needles in him himself later.]
Tong Aobai: "..."
He certainly would not.
"Father, did one of your colleagues get practiced on?"
Tong Aobai sighed. "It's the great general's daughter. I hear she's already a little demon king at such a young age."
[System, why do I remember the great general having no daughter?]
[He does. The great general has a son and a daughter, but his daughter hasn't been found yet.]
[Then this is... a fake heiress?]
[That's right.]
A fake heiress?
Tong Aobai and Su Zhouyue exchanged a glance. This was no small matter.
They both wanted to hear more.
Tong Aning suddenly furrowed her brows. Had she discovered them?
[System, I think calling you System all the time sounds awful. Let me give you a new name.]
[Yes, yes! I've wanted a new name for ages.]
Tong Aobai: "..."
Although he also thought System sounded bad, that didn't seem to be the point right now!
Su Zhouyue took in Tong Aobai's anxious agitation and said, "Aning, go back to your room for now."
Tong Aning nodded. "All right."
After Tong Aning left, Su Zhouyue said unhurriedly, "In a couple of days, I'll send the general's wife an invitation to visit."
Tong Aobai said, "You've thought of everything, my dear."
"I'm only doing what I should. Our Aning has been blessed by heaven. Even if it's only to accumulate more merit for her, I must do more good deeds."
"Yes, yes."
"His Majesty asked you to decide on a candidate for Minister of War. Have you made up your mind?"
"I'm still thinking."
"Don't offend His Majesty again and make Aning worry about you."
"What are you saying, my dear? As long as I'm here," Tong Aobai took Su Zhouyue's hand, "I won't let you or the children worry."
Su Zhouyue leaned into Tong Aobai's embrace. "All right, then."
Who knew how long the human and system spent tinkering away in the room.
At dinnertime, the Tong family finally heard Tong Aning's cheers.
Tong Fengye asked, "Did she manage it?"
Tong Aobai said, "Don't talk."
Tong Fengye aggrievedly shut his mouth.
Tong Aning came out of her room, and Su Zhouyue beckoned to her. "Aning, come and eat."
"All right."
Tong Aning sat beside Su Zhouyue and glanced around the table. "Where's Eldest Brother?"
"Something came up at the Ministry of Justice. Your eldest brother won't be back until later."
[This is bad, Host! Someone is plotting against your eldest brother!!!]
The Tong family froze. What???
Author's note: