Chapter 146: All Present

"Indeed? Then what about that matter concerning Li Ming's family? How has the Fourth Young Miss been these days?" Su Liliuo was intensely curious about this series of events.

Before she left, she had deliberately guided Li Ming's family to make a scene at the Shuntian Prefecture office. Yet now, she had not heard a single further word regarding the scholar. It seemed the matter had already been smoothed over by her father, Su Liliuo thought with a hint of depression.

As expected, Mammy Chang's words confirmed her suspicions. "This servant does not know either. After the Prime Minister made a trip out, there were no longer any rumors concerning the scholar's family. People outside gradually stopped talking about it; presumably, the storm has already blown over."

Su Liliuo felt rather bored. To think that she had finally encountered such a sharp sword, only for it to vanish just like that?

"Miss, it seems the master has been in rather poor spirits lately, and medicine is still being brewed in the main kitchen. Would the Miss like to go and pay her respects to the master?" Mammy Chang shared the information she had gathered. She had heard that both the Fourth Young Miss and the Mistress frequently inquired about the master's condition and had even sent pastries to the study a few times. This was prime time for the young miss to win the master's favor.

"Forget it. Father is unwilling to see me anyway; my going there would only be an eyesore to him. Sigh, after riding in the carriage the entire way, my body aches terribly. Mammy, I want to lie down for a while." A trace of fatigue clouded Su Liliuo's brows. Matching wits with Yun Yanyan during the carriage ride had taxed her mind greatly.

"Very well, Miss, rest first. Mammy will personally make you something to eat. Being away for so long, I wonder if you ate well out there." Mammy Chang unpinned Su Liliuo's hair bun, helped her lie down, and tiptoed out of the room.

Su Liliuo closed her eyes and fell deeply asleep within moments. An hour later, she woke up and heard Liuzhu muttering something outside. "Liuying, I heard that the Third Young Miss is having a very hard time lately?"

"Where did you hear that from again? The Miss is sleeping right now, keep your voice down." Unlike the bubbly Liuzhu, Liuying had a steady and composed temperament, which was why Su Liliuo felt at ease entrusting her with important matters.

"Liuzhu, come inside and speak." Curious as to why Su Shan'er was having such a difficult time, Su Liliuo called out loudly.

The two maids hurried in. Seeing that Su Liliuo had already sat up, they brought water for her to wash her face. While Liuying combed her hair, Liuzhu recounted the news she had gathered. "The Miss wouldn't know, but ever since that incident last time, the Fourth Young Miss has found the Third Young Miss an eyesore. Upon learning that the Third Young Miss's marriage has been finalized and she is soon to be wed, the Fourth Young Miss goes to the Third Young Miss's courtyard every single day to lecture and humiliate her. What I find strange is that the Third Young Miss has actually endured it all this time."

Su Liliuo merely smiled faintly. She knew that Su Shan'er's greatest pillar of support, Second Concubine, was gone. If Su Shan'er did not keep her tail tucked between her legs now and continued to butt heads with Su Baihan, she feared the Mistress would not let her off easily. There were plenty of ways to cause trouble for a woman about to be married off.

Seeing that Su Liliuo asked no further, Liuying exchanged a glance with Liuzhu, and the latter promptly shut her mouth. Su Liliuo's mind was currently focused on her own business. The shopkeeper had sent over the account books for Xuexiu, alongside the ice shop's business and the brothel's dividend profits. Su Liliuo needed to tally the money in her hands clearly before she could proceed with the renovation of the luxurious countryside villa she and Princess Anping planned to build to make a profit.

Su Liliuo immersed herself entirely in accounting and cross-referencing figures. The renovation of the estate had already begun. Princess Anping had told her early on that while she could provide the estate itself, she was short on ready cash. Frowning at the calculated sum, Su Liliuo muttered softly, "What is to be done? We are still short of some silver. Where can I make up the difference?"

Scratching her head in distress, and having already sent off the script requested by Yun Yanyan, she hesitated for a long time before finally sending word to Yun Yanyan, asking to draw a portion of her dividends in advance.

Her heart was full of anxiety, uncertain whether this method would actually work. Now that the message had been sent out, she could only treat a dead horse as if it were a live one.

To her surprise, someone actually delivered the needed funds right to her doorstep. Staring at the bank notes, Su Liliuo felt a wave of astonishment. She had an impulse to ask questions, but figured it would be entirely redundant. The estate's renovation was of the utmost importance, so she pushed the matter to the back of her mind, attributing it simply to her own good character.

Having gathered enough silver, Su Liliuo arranged to meet Princess Anping at a restaurant and handed over the funds she had raised. When she saw the box full of bank notes, Princess Anping's jaw dropped as she pointed and asked, "Sister Liliuo, did you earn all of this by yourself?"

"Mm. Princess, take this money and have people renovate the estate according to the blueprints. This is merely investment capital; once the estate starts generating revenue, I believe this money will be earned back very soon." Su Liliuo felt no heartache; the thought of accumulating more and more silver in the future made her extremely excited.

Admiration shone in Princess Anping's eyes. "Sister Liliuo, you are simply too amazing! Collaborating with you was truly a wise move." The princess congratulated herself on her good judgment, never expecting that Su Liliuo possessed such immense capability.

After chatting for a while, the hour grew late. Su Liliuo hurried to return to her residence, and Princess Anping did not linger either, each taking her maids back to her respective manor.

Upon returning to the Prince Annan's Estate, Princess Anping saw the head maid from her mother's side waiting at the entrance. Upon seeing her, the maid said respectfully, "Princess, the Princess Consort is waiting for you."

"Did Mother say what she wanted with me?" Princess Anping followed the maid all the way toward the main courtyard of the Prince Consort. The maid shook her head. "This servant does not know. The Princess Consort only instructed me to invite the Princess over."

Seeing that the maid was completely clueless, Princess Anping asked no more and walked straight into the room. Seeing her mother seated on the couch, she bowed and offered her greetings. "This daughter greets Mother."

"Come quickly. Did you go to see the eldest young miss of the Su family today?" The Prince Consort took Princess Anping's hand and asked gently.

She nodded, her voice bubbling with cheer. "Yes, I just parted ways with Sister Liliuo. Why is Mother suddenly concerned about this?"

She felt somewhat puzzled. In the past, the Prince Consort never questioned where she went, so why the sudden inquiry today? Could it be that she had heard some rumors?

"Nothing. Is a mother not allowed to care about you? The Prime Minister's residence has become quite famous in the capital lately, and Mother is just worried you might be deceived by others." The Prince Consort did not spell it out directly, but upon the mention of the Prime Minister's residence, Princess Anping understood the gist of it.

"Mother, rest assured. Sister Liliuo is nothing like those other young misses in the Prime Minister's residence. Surely you know my judgment of character." Princess Anping was immensely proud to have gained Su Liliuo as a friend and feared that the Prince Consort might harbor misunderstandings about her.

"Is that so? Mother was merely asking. After all, the family upbringing of the Prime Minister's residence is truly nothing to write home about." Remembering the chaotic mess within the Prime Minister's household, the Prince Consort felt somewhat displeased. Su Liliuo had also emerged from that very household; who was to say she wasn't cut from the same cloth?

"Mother is overthinking it. How can Sister Liliuo be mentioned in the same breath as those people? When we went to the estate this time, I almost caused her to be injured, yet she still spoke up on my behalf in front of my brother." Remembering how Su Liliuo had completely brushed off that thrilling incident, Princess Anping's eyes welled with moisture.

Seeing how deeply fond of Su Liliuo her daughter was, and having listened to a detailed recounting of the event, the Prince Consort nodded. "It seems her character is good, then Mother can rest easy." The Prince Consort had only asked probing questions out of concern that Princess Anping might be cheated, and hearing her daughter's firm reply dispelled all her doubts.

Su Baihan had just left Su Shan'er's courtyard, having inevitably traded cold and cutting remarks with her. Su Shan'er bit her lip, hatred burning in her eyes, yet she uttered not a single word. The moment Su Baihan departed, she violently smashed a teacup on the table against the floor. The crisp shattering of porcelain slightly eased the stifled anger in her chest.

"Su Baihan, just you wait..." Su Shan'er etched every single humiliation she suffered day by day deep into her heart, waiting for the day she could return them all to Su Baihan tenfold.