Consort of a Thousand Faces

Back then, Lü Liu had asked her smilingly, “Your Highness, General Yun is now unlike his former days. Why does he still drink fragrant tea despite his great status? Fragrant tea is what ordinary families drink.” 

 

Rancour flashed in Su Xi-er’s eyes as she gripped the teacup as if it were Yun Ruofeng’s neck. She wanted nothing more than to torture him to death and make him die without a burial site!

 

Her expression became increasingly heavy until the waiter came with the dishes on a tray. When he caught sight of Su Xi-er’s current appearance, he jumped in fright. What’s going on?

 

“Miss…” The waiter placed the tray down as he trembled in fear. “Your dishes are here.”

 

Su Xi-er kept her chilly gaze and thanked the waiter. She then picked up the chopsticks and slowly ate the Lotus Root Salad.

 

Lotus Root Salad is Nanzhao’s speciality. There is sweetness encompassed in bitterness, and acts as great nutrition for women.

 

“Miss, please enjoy it slowly. Please call this lowly one again if you have any other instructions.” Seeing that Su Xi-er’s complexion was ghastly, the waiter immediately withdrew.

 

Su Xi-er ate a few bites of Lotus Root Salad before turning to the steamed corn bun. She pulled it open before adding some salted vegetables and biting into it.

 

During the tumultuous war, there was so little food that even having steamed bread to eat was considered a luxury.

 

No matter how hard it was, she had endured for the sake of quelling the civil unrest. After the war had ended, everything was back on track. New policies were implemented, leading to a rapid upturn in Nanzhao’s overall situation. In only a few months, they were ranked second among the four countries, but they were still a massive distance away from Beimin. At the very least, the situation was much better than it had been in the past.

 

She originally thought that the situation would continue to improve, but who would have known...

 

Gradually, Su Xi-er raised her head. Her sorrow was like a river gushing turbulently in her heart.

 

Pei Qianhao looked downwards as he stood at the edge of the second floor. Although he couldn’t see Su Xi-er’s face, he could tell from her rear figure that she was extremely grieved at this moment. It isn’t sadness, not is it sorrow, but anguish that she is experiencing.

 

Before she entered the palace, she had been bullied by others, and the kind-hearted manager died because he saved her. Men have been reduced to a loathsome existence in her eyes. However, if that’s the case, she should detest Beimin. Why is it that her anguish is becoming increasingly obvious as we approach Nanzhao?

 

“Your Highness…” Seeing that Prince Hao was gazing at Su Xi-er for such a long time, Wu Ling couldn’t help but call out to him. 

 

“Have you thoroughly investigated Su Xi-er’s matters before she entered the palace?”

 

Wu Ling nodded. “Everything has been investigated thoroughly. As for her parents, they are already dead, and dead men tell no tales, so I can’t check from anywhere.”

“Are her parents related to Nanzhao?”

 

Wu Ling didn’t understand. Why is Nanzhao pulled in now? “Your Highness, her parents were Beimin’s citizens. They were born in and died in Beimin. As they were too indigent, their bodies weren’t even properly buried. This subordinated has patrolled the area and didn’t even find their graves.”

 

Pei Qianaho snorted coldly. “They degenerated to the stage of selling their daughter off. It also serves them right to have been reduced to such an end.”

 

Wu Ling’s body stiffened. He made out the pity and hatred in Prince Hao’s tone. For the sake of Su Xi-er, Prince Hao’s emotions have already become like this?

 

“Your Highness, don’t you feel that your words are a little strange? You have never taken pity on…”

 

Pei Qianhao shot a cold look that immediately silenced Wu Ling. “When did this prince take pity on someone? I was simply judging the matter as it stands. They abandoned their daughter and struggled to live by eking out a meagre existence.”

 

“Your Highness… perhaps you don’t understand impoverished people.” Wu Ling didn’t dare to raise his head, but felt that what he said was very reasonable.

 

Pei Qianhao laughed and looked at Su Xi-er. At this moment, her expression had already returned to normal as she slowly ate the steamed bun and Lotus Root Salad.

 

“This prince indeed doesn’t understand impoverished people.” However, I know that no matter how tough the going got, my parents didn’t abandon me. But the relationships between humans can’t beat how fate makes fun of people.

 

He then went downstairs.

 

Wu Ling watched as Pei Qianhao slowly walked to Su Xi-er’s side, clearly having become compassionate. 

 

It does make sense if I think about it. No matter how callous a person is, once they hear about Su Xi-er’s tragic past, their heart would also go out to her. Although Prince Hao is cold, he treats all of his subordinates extremely well.

 

However, Su Xi-er is really unique. She elicited Prince Hao’s displeasure again and again, yet escaped from danger again and again. 

 

If it had been any other woman, even losing their head wouldn’t be enough to make up for their mistakes!