Chapter 5: The Late Night Visitor
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Yes, Sister. Didn’t you say that you fancied the carved red jade pendant from Zhen Bao Pavilion and asked me to buy it for you? Its price is naturally high as it is the most treasured item in the whole shop. Dear Sister, do… you… not have the money? B-but… the staff at the pavilion has already made an exception for me. On account of our family name, they agreed to let me buy the pendant with an advanced payment of 1,000 taels.” Chu Liuyue looked embarra.s.sed.
First Elder—who had been standing beside her—almost stopped breathing. That was 199,000 silver taels! Even for the Chu family, it wasn’t easy to come up with that amount of money at once. He stared at Chu Xianmin. No matter how much he had favored her, he was only greatly dissatisfied with her at the moment. He reprimanded her coldly. “Minmin! You’re too ignorant for your own good!”
They had to buy this pendant at all costs now that their family name was on the line. Otherwise, if word of this was to get out, they wouldn’t know what other people would say about the Chu family.
Chu Xianmin opened her mouth to defend herself, but nothing could come out. She didn’t even ask Chu Liuyue to buy anything for her, not to mention the carved red jade pendant in Zhen Bao Pavilion that was worth 200,000 silver taels.
That pendant had been famous for a long time. It was a treasure made from the finest red jade. Although it was good for cultivation, it was far from being worth 200,000 silver taels! That’s why it remained unsold in the shop for the longest time!
She never expected Chu Liuyue to be so scheming.
Chu Liuyue planned for Chu Xianmin to cough up the 200,000 silver taels herself!
Chu Xianmin shook with anger. If First Elder wasn’t here, she would have pounded Chu Liuyue and shredded her into pieces!
Throughout all these years, all she had managed to save was only about 4,000 to 5,000 silver taels. Two hundred thousand silver taels were too ma.s.sive a hole for her to fill.
However,… the Chu family’s name was on the line. She had to take care of this matter at all costs.
“I-I… I will definitely pay for this out of my own pocket. First Elder, you mustn’t worry about it.” With gritted teeth, she forced a smile. “Mother has always loved me. She had promised to fulfill one of my requests if I came in first place in the academy’s a.s.sessment.”
Chu Xianmin’s mother, Lu Yao, came from the Lu family—one of the top merchant families in the entire Imperial City.
She said this to show that she could get the money and wouldn’t make things difficult for the Chu family no matter what. On the other hand, she also wanted to use the Lu family’s name to elevate her status.
As she expected, First Elder’s demeanor softened considerably upon hearing the Lu family’s name.
“Indeed, your mother loves you the most because you are an outstanding daughter. I recall that the academy’s a.s.sessment is in one month’s time?”
Tian Lu Academy was the school Chu Xianmin had been studying at. It was also the most prominent academy to have ever existed in the entire Country Yao Chen. Those who entered the academy were all enviable geniuses. Even children of royal blood wanted to enter and undergo their a.s.sessment.
Simply because of this, Chu Xianmin was loved throughout the Chu family.
“Yes.” Chu Xianmin became much more energetic. Then, something occurred to her. A trace of shyness appeared on her pretty face. “Brother Jin… His Highness also said that he would reward me if I placed first in the a.s.sessment.”
Chu Liuyue raised her eyebrows a notch.
The ‘Brother Jin’ Chu Xianmin had just mentioned was none other than the current Crown Prince, Rong Jin. He was also engaged to Chu Liuyue.
From her expression, anyone could tell that something was going on between Chu Xianmin and the Crown Prince.
First Elder’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
The Crown Prince, a favorite of His Majesty, was highly gifted and capable. The Chu family had been declining. If they could climb up this enormous tree—the Crown Prince—everything would be different.
Chu Xianmin seemed to have suddenly thought of something. She gave Chu Liuyue a quick glance and explained somewhat nervously, “Sister, there isn’t any cause for misunderstanding. There is really nothing going on between Brother Jin and me. He is looking out for me simply because both of you are engaged. If you can get into the academy, I’m sure Brother Jin will treat you…” She stopped talking abruptly.
Everybody knew that Chu Liuyue was a born loser. She couldn’t even cultivate normally, much less get into Tian Lu Academy.
If someone had really cared about her engagement with the Crown Prince, Chu Liuyue wouldn’t have been bullied to this extent!
Chu Ning gritted his teeth, but his heart grew cold.
The official engagement was in a month. He thought that would change the situation, but it now seemed like it was just his delusions.
He had heard that the Crown Prince was interested in Chu Xianmin. However, he didn’t expect that it had already reached such a blatant stage! They didn’t care about Yue’er at all! To think that his poor daughter had loved the Crown Prince wholeheartedly.
Chu Xianmin was secretly complacent with herself as she looked at Chu Liuyue. She had expected to see pain on Chu Liuyue’s face, but to her surprise, Chu Liuyue didn’t seem to care at all.
Not only was she not shocked or disappointed, but she even laughed! “It’s wonderful as long as Third Sister can come up with the money.”
Chu Xianmin was stunned. Why did she have the feeling that the Crown Prince wasn’t as important as the 200,000 silver taels?
“Father and I will take our leave since the matter has now been settled.” After saying that, Chu Liuyue actually turned around and left with Chu Ning.
“You…” Chu Xianmin felt a blockage in her chest as if her punch had landed on cotton.
Chu Liuyue suddenly stopped and turned around at the doorway. Her dark, cold eyes pierced straight into Chu Xianmin’s, and it actually brought on a pressurized silence. “By the way, Third Sister, it’s better if you are careful with that mouth of yours from now on. If I hadn’t come back in time today, everyone would have thought I had stolen your things and ran away. If that were the case, I would never be able to clear my name, right?”
Chu Xianmin suddenly s.h.i.+vered. She knows! She must know. Chu Xianmin wanted to argue, but felt an invisible force over her head, making her unable to move.
It wasn’t until Chu Liuyue’s figure disappeared outside the door that she gradually slowed down, her forehead covered in a cold sweat.
Chu Xianmin’s eyes flashed with fierce determination.
She had to check on the Song Lian trio’s situation before finding a way to deal with Chu Liuyue once and for all.
…
Chu Liuyue and Chu Ning returned to the remote courtyard where they resided.
“Yue’er, you’ve had a long day. Go and take a rest.” Chu Ning felt pained as he patted Chu Liuyue’s head.
Chu Liuyue took in her surroundings quickly. Despite having the memories from her last life, she still sighed inwardly when she saw her surroundings.
It wasn’t a courtyard, but a few dilapidated houses that were almost completely deserted.
It became clear as to what kind of life the father-daughter duo had been living.
n.o.body would believe that Chu Ning—who was once the Chu family’s next head—and Chu Liuyue, the family’s t.i.tular eldest daughter, would live in a place like this.
Chu Liuyue nodded gently. “The same goes to you, Father.”
Chu Ning moved his lips. He wanted to ask her something, but he could only sigh in the end.
“Yue’er, I know you like the Crown Prince, but I’m afraid he’s not the right man for you. Chu Xianmin is talented and has the support of the family clan. If you go against her like you did earlier, I’m afraid…”
Chu Liuyue smiled. “Don’t worry, Father. I know what to do.”
Chu Ning was full of worries. Suddenly, he was unable to speak when he looked into those smiling, calm eyes.
Yue’er… something is different about her. He nodded and ruffled his daughter’s hair before leaving.
Chu Liuyue’s eyes landed on her father’s right leg, which barely supported him, and quickly moved away while he pushed the door open.
The night curtain rose outside. A pale ray of moonlight streamed in through the broken window.
Chu Liuyue walked to the window. She tapped it gently, deep in thought.
She had already asked for the date during the day. It was the seventh month’s tenth day in year 832 of Country Yao Chen. It was exactly one year after ‘she’ died when she compared the date to the Tianling Dynasty’s yearly calendar.
In other words, she was reborn Chu Liuyue’s body one year after her death. With her current status and strength, she needed to plan her revenge with great care.
Suddenly, her expression changed. She swiftly turned her head towards her bed. “Who’s there?”
There was dead silence in the room, and the air almost froze.
For a moment, a pair of icy-blue eyes appeared in the darkened room.
Taking a closer look, Chu Liuyue was shocked to see an enormous white lion lying obediently on her bed! “Xue Xue?”