Side story: Zhao Ruyu 5

Hearing this, Zhao Ruyu felt extremely conflicted.

She humbled herself and became a concubine in the Prince Jingping's Estate, all for this position.

She had been striving for this goal without success. Ironically, by the time she decided to leave, it had already been achieved.

Of course, she had considered this issue when she sought help from Zhao Ruxi. If the Consort of Prince of Jingping did not want to let her go but could not keep her, she might try to retain her by making her the official wife.

But what good would it do to be officially recognized as the top official?

Reborn, she found herself worse off than in her previous life, and she harbored a deep resentment. She felt that once she became the heir apparent of the Prince Jingping's Estate's mansion, even the capable Zhao Ruxi and the abandoned Fu Yunlang would only have the right to bow before her.

What did the grievances she suffered in private matter compared to getting revenge?

Once she came to her senses, she realized how ridiculous her thinking was.

You live your own life, not someone else's.

Even if Zhao Ruxi didn't become the Crown Princess, she could still live her happy life after bowing to him.

She, on the other hand, had to watch her husband embrace two women and fight with his concubines, swallowing her bitterness in silence.

Fu Yunlang felt even more strongly that it was impossible for a man and a woman to be together. Not to mention that she was just the heir apparent of the Prince's mansion and the future wife of the General Who Protects the Nation, even if she were the Consort of Prince of Jingping, Fu Yunlang would not have had the opportunity to bow to her.

Because she had once been a concubine and was promoted to the position of principal wife, Zhao Ruxi, Fu Yunlang, and other noble ladies looked down on her from the bottom of their hearts.

She had thought all of this through before asking Zhao Ruxi for help.

She also knew that if Zhao Ruxi kindly helped her, and she took advantage of her kindness to become the official wife, given Zhao Ruxi's personality, she would never let her have a good life, and Zhao Family's brother and sister-in-law would also announce that they were severing ties with her.

Anyway, she wasn't a member of the Zhao Family. Cutting ties with them was a piece of cake.

A princess consort with no family background, no connections, and rejected by the Crown Princess—forget about a good life, she probably wouldn't even be able to save her own life.

"Your Highness, you've misunderstood. I'm not using tricks to get you to elevate me to the position of wife; I genuinely want to leave this place. No matter what the Crown Prince says, I will not change my mind."

She looked directly at Consort of Prince of Jingping: "If it is inconvenient for you and the Crown Prince today, then my elder sister-in-law and second sister-in-law will come to see you tomorrow."

With that, she bowed, stepped out of the door, and turned back to her own courtyard.

Consort of Prince of Jingping was speechless for a long time after being silenced by Zhao Ruyu's attitude.

After a long pause, she asked the maid beside her, "Has she gone mad? Does she really want to leave here?"

The maid didn't dare to make a sound.

She knew that Consort of Prince of Jingping wasn't really asking her a question, but was just talking to herself.

"Where is the Crown Prince?" Consort of Prince of Jingping asked again.

"I'll go ask," the maid said, and went out. She returned a moment later and reported, "She's in Concubine Qiao's room."

"You worthless wretch!" Consort of Prince of Jingping cursed angrily.

"Go, tell him to coax Zhao Ruyu," she added. "Tell him everything, and tell him to make sure Concubine Zhao stays, and that I agree to make her my official wife."

"Yes."

Just as the maid was about to leave, Consort of Prince of Jingping called her back, "Don't let Concubine Qiao know about this."

Her son, who's like barbecued pork, is useless and easily influenced. Without Concubine Qiao's instigation, he makes a foolish mistake on important matters.

After Zhao Ruyu's situation improved, she also won over three maids and servants. As soon as she returned to the courtyard, she found out that Xiao Sijie was staying with Concubine Qiao.

So she returned to the courtyard, didn't change her clothes, and waited for Xiao Sijie to arrive.

Sure enough, Xiao Sijie arrived not long after, spouting sweet words and making numerous promises, almost to the point of swearing an oath to heaven.

"Since you say you only love me, then swear to heaven and write a guarantee that from this day forward, I will be the only woman in your household. After you finish writing it, you must dismiss Concubine Qiao and the others, and you will never take another concubine. I want to take this guarantee to my elder brother as a witness. Do you dare to write it?"

Xiao Sijie: "..."

As the youngest son of the legitimate heir, Xiao Sijie was pampered from a young age. He also considered himself dashing and charming, and was pursued by women.

If Zhao Ruyu were still his beloved, he could still tolerate it and pretend to coax her. But now his beloved is Concubine Qiao. Hearing this, he immediately lost his patience.

"What arrogance! You're just a concubine, yet you expect me to dismiss all my other concubines? Who do you think you are? Promoting you to the position of principal wife is already a favor to the Zhao Family. Don't push your luck and take advantage of me."

"If that's the case, then there's nothing more to say. You can leave. I want to go, and no one can stop me," Zhao Ruyu said.

Hearing the maids outside trying to stop Concubine Qiao, she raised her voice and said, "I know you like Concubine Qiao the most, and I won't get in your way now. Please leave."

"I'll lay this out with you when I get back to the manor today. Don't even think about using someone else to drug me and harm me. The Zhao Family is coming to pick them up tomorrow. If anything happens to me, you'll see whether your power or the Crown Princess's is greater."

The arguing outside stopped abruptly.

Zhao Ruyu said this intentionally for Concubine Qiao to hear.

She worried that Consort of Prince of Jingping and Xiao Sijie wouldn't let her go, but couldn't do anything about it, so she used Concubine Qiao to drug her. Then she could shift the blame onto Concubine Qiao, making it harder for Zhao Ruxi and Zhao Jingli to cause trouble for the Prince Jingping's Estate's Mansion.

Concubine Qiao was eager for her to leave. Now that she knew she intended to go, she naturally wouldn't be foolish enough to be used as a pawn by that mother and son.

"You, you... you're utterly unreasonable." Xiao Sijie stormed off.

Concubine Qiao followed and left.

Zhao Ruyu called the maid in and asked, "Was that Concubine Qiao who came just now? Did she hear what I said?"

The maid said, "It's Concubine Qiao. She heard you." She asked, "Aunt, are you leaving?"

Zhao Ruyu nodded. "If I leave, and you're willing to come with me, I'll buy you out of the money."

After Zhao Ruxi became the Crown Princess, when Zhao Ruyu's situation changed, she took the opportunity to propose replacing the servants. These two maids and one old woman were all specially bought by her from a matchmaker. They were paid for by the Prince Jingping's Estate's Mansion, and their indentures were in the hands of the Consort of Prince of Jingping.

If she were to take these three people with her when she left, Consort of Prince of Jingping would likely not make things difficult for her because of these three servants.

Once she leaves the manor, she'll need several trustworthy servants to serve her; relying solely on Fushu won't suffice.

Consort of Prince of Jingping had been hoping for the best, but in the evening she received an invitation that the eldest and second young mistresses of the Zhao Family's second branch would be visiting her the next day.

Now she was completely convinced that Zhao Ruyu was leaving.

"What should we do, Your Highness? Are we really just going to let her go like this?" She was completely at a loss.

After considering for a long time, Prince of Jingping sighed, "Forget it, let her go. It's not worth angering the Crown Princess for her sake."

Consort of Prince of Jingping sighed, "That's all we can do."

Then she said resentfully, "The Crown Princess is really something. She said she wouldn't care at all, so why is she now supporting her leaving the palace? Is she playing us for fools?"