Chapter 32: Punished to Kneel
“If Su Qi Qi did not desire to change her fate within the w.a.n.g fu, she definitely would not take the initiative to save you. If you didn’t threaten her with her life, she also wouldn’t take the initiative to mix an antidote for you.
This time, she is also wavering over which side to help. From what I can tell, she definitely has this capability. It’s just that she doesn’t want to put in all her effort for you.
What’s more, with her intelligence, she shouldn’t be reacting so simply like this.
That Su Shi Chang treats her in such a way, what family worries would still be holding her back?” Lei Yu Feng has always taken pleasure in provoking Mo Wen Chen. Right now his(MWC’s) mood was too good, of course he(LYF) had to provoke him a bit. Not to mention, he sent him go to protect Su Qi Qi’s mother, of course he had to collect some interest.
Su Qi Qi, her appearance was not stunning, she had no talent no virtue, yet she turns a blind eye to Mo Wen Chen.
Look at the Hua Qian Zi that lives in the courtyard. The person is the number one beauty of Northwest China, and even she’s crazy for Mo Wen Chen.
Really don’t know if it’s because Su Qi Qi lacked emotions or if it’s really that Mo Wen Chen’s charm is not strong enough.
“Continue.” Mo Wen Chen only glared at Lei Yu Feng.
He also knows of Su Qi Qi’s hesitation that day. Furthermore, that time he was also indignant, yet he kept the expression that he would regard wrongdoing with equanimity on his face.
In regards to Su Qi Qi, he still doesn’t understand her.
Sometimes, she is gentle, but sometimes, she’s actually cold-hearted, throwing everyone a thousand miles away.
“How about this? If you can make Su Qi Qi fall in love with you, I’ll give you the Lei family’s Yellow Emperor’s Sword, if you can’t…… You must give the famous guqin, Jiao Wei to me.” Naturally Lei Yu Feng was counting his chickens before they hatched.
Hearing this, Mo Wen Chen didn’t immediately respond. Lei Yu Feng loved guqins to the point of stupidity, he had always had the desire to acquire Jiao Wei.
But Mo Wen Chen also really wanted to get the Yellow Emperor’s Sword.
So this way, the two of them actually clicked together.
Although Su Qi Qi’s temperament was extremely quiet and cool, and also excessively arrogant, but Mo Wen Chen knew what the gaze that she often left lingering on his body meant.
Wanting to make Su Qi Qi fall in love with him, it was also not too difficult, it only needed that little bit of effort.
But Lei Yu Feng didn’t think that was so. He felt like Su Qi Qi probably really hates Mo Wen Chen right now.
Of course, he doesn’t wish Su Qi Qi would be like this at all. It was just that Mo Wen Chen caused all this himself.
That scene on the road here always made Lei Yu Feng have a whole new level of respect for Su Qi Qi, yet he also felt that Mo Wen Chen was way too heartless and cold-blooded.
But as long as he could get Jiao Wei into his hands, who cares about so much.
Leaving the alley, Mo Wen Chen keep feeling as if something was restlessly stirring in the depths of his heart.
He has such pride, such arrogant, yet unexpectedly he can’t even subdue a single woman?
At this very moment, Mo Wen Chen really wanted to know, when it comes to a time where she truly has to pick one, Su Qi Qi, who would she choose?
Su Qi Qi was pulled by Su Meng Ru to where the Empress Dowager was.
The Empress Dowager’s age didn’t look very old, she maintained herself very well. It’s just that when she saw Su Qi Qi and Su Meng Ru, her originally benevolent expression became several degrees colder.
The Empress Dowager that worshiped year-round, abstaining from eating meat and constantly reciting Buddhist scripture was currently handling the prayer beads in her hand with her eyes close. Leaving Su Qi Qi and Su Meng Ru to kneel there.
The two sisters shared a glance, neither of them dared to say anything.
An unmeasured while pa.s.sed before the Empress Dowager opened her eyes. She gestured her hand, indicating for Su Meng Ru to stand up: “Empress must deal with all the matters in the Inner Palace, large or small, so don’t waste time here anymore. You should hurry and leave.”
This was an obvious order to leave.
Su Meng Ru had entered the palace for almost half a year. She know that this Empress Dowager didn’t like her, but today, she had intentionally brought Su Qi Qi with her. She wanted to test if this Empress Dowager actually had a complaint against the people of the Su family or whether she simply had an objection towards only her, Su Meng Ru.
Seeing the Empress Dowager act in such a way, Su Meng Ru’s brows severely knitted for a moment. After giving thanks for the grace, she turned and left.
Without even giving an additional glance at Su Qi Qi. Intelligent as(ru) Su Meng Ru(ru) is, she already understood it was the Su family that this old lady had a problem with.
A slight wordplay on two words that sound the same and is written almost the same.
Looks like, she must think of a way herself.
His Majesty’s att.i.tude towards this Empress Dowager is to see, hear, and obey after all.
Of course, except for major events.
“You are Su Shi Chang’s eldest daughter?” Without letting Su Qi Qi stand up, the Empress Dowager coldly questioned.
Those pair of severely cold eyes stunned Su Qi Qi for a moment. Her heart tightened, she told herself to be prudent, otherwise she will have to endure physical punishment again.
“Replying Empress Dowager niang niang, yes.” Su Qi Qi submissively replied.
Trying hard to make herself calm.
If something happened to her within this palace, it’s unpleasant to say, but Mo Wen Chen will probably watch with folded arms. Even though these past few days his att.i.tude had been very good and his tone was also very gentle, but Su Qi Qi didn’t dare to hold any hopes of him.
She knew that she can only rely on herself for everything.
Only her own self was the most reliable.
“Is your mother still well?” The Empress Dowager whirled to a different topic. The depths of her eyes were as ice-cold as before and stared directly at Su Qi Qi.
“Replying Empress Dowager, very well.” Su Qi Qi was unable to make any sense of the matter and could only cautious and solemnly reply.
At the same time, she was pondering over it silently. Based on that gentle personality her mother had, she probably couldn’t provoke the Empress Dowager. But by the looks of it, it seems this Empress Dowager hates her mother.
The Empress Dowager actually gave a cold sneer: “Is that so……”
She clapped her hands: “Good, very good. As long as she’s living well, then ai jia(I)* feels relieved. It’s just, if you have the chance, pa.s.s on to her this. What she wishes for, she shall never obtain.”
“ai jia” is a very specific term to refer to oneself that only a widowed empress uses.
Lightly frowning, Su Qi Qi calmly agreed.
“But you are her daughter, so you should atone for her wrongs. Before the sky turns dark, you are not allowed to leave. Go ahead and kneel.” The Dowager Empress threw down these words and turned to leave.
Only leaving Su Qi Qi to kneel alone on the gra.s.s. She felt her legs going a bit numb, but she didn’t dare to say anything.
She bitterly laughed silently to herself, the person her mother provoked was actually Empress Dowager niang niang, seriously who could have been able to tell? A weak and delicate woman like her mother, did she even have such nerves?
Everything here is too complicated.
Mo Wen Chen who had returned to Bie Courtyard didn’t see any traces of Su Qi Qi. His heart felt unhappy and originally he wanted to send someone to find Su Meng Ru to demand the person back but the spy he left behind actually reported that Su Qi Qi was kept behind by the Empress Dowager.
For this time, Mo Wen Chen also had no way of demanding the person from the Empress Dowager and could only anxiously wait inside Bie courtyard.
His heart was restless and worried. Growing up inside the palace from childhood, he understood the Empress Dowager’s personal character the most. He doesn’t know how Su Qi Qi could have strung up a relationship with the Empress Dowager, but he know that this time will be full of thorns.
Kneeling all the way until the sky turned heavily dark, Su Qi Qi finally slowly go up. It was just that she had knelt for too long and both her legs had already turned completely numb and wouldn’t listen to commands. She only took one step before her entire body fell to the floor.
Suddenly the door opened wide. The Empress Dowager walked in with slow graceful steps, a faint smile on her face. From the point of view of outsiders, it was full of benevolence, but from Su Qi Qi’s point of view, it was extremely cold and merciless.
If she could, she would definitely have Su Qi Qi torn into ten thousand pieces.
Really don’t know what kind of hate it was, that would cause this woman to become like this.
“That’s enough, continue tomorrow.” Seeing Su Qi Qi’s sorry figure fallen on the floor and the habitual submissive expression on her face, the expression of resigning herself and submitting meekly to insult made Empress Dowager niang niang very pleased. Nodding her head, she indicated that she could leave.
No palace maids stepped forward to help her up, they all just coldly watched. Su Qi Qi used her hands to support herself as she stood up with great difficulty, but she didn’t dare to use too much time to avoid angering Empress Dowager niang niang again.
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“Many thanks, Empress Dowager niang niang.” Su Qi Qi still gritted her teeth and kowtowed, giving thanks before limping away.
There was a m.u.f.fled pain in her chest. Lifting her head to look at the sky, she doesn’t know what it was that she did wrong, for her life to be so unfortunate like this.
She did not cry, she just felt that the road ahead was a ma.s.s of pitch-black.
This incident, she cannot mention it to anyone, because she was afraid her mother would be worried.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira, Edited by Sonia