Chapter Eighty-Nine The Uproar

“How did this happen? Wasn’t someone told to keep an eye on her and let her rest properly?” Su Liluo asked in confusion.

Su Dongxuan hurriedly explained, “Elder Sister, I don’t know what came over Fourth Sister. She suddenly said she was going to smash the shop, and she kept saying that Sister let others humiliate her, so she must take revenge for this.” There were even more ugly words she could not remember, so she left them out.

Su Liluo wiped the sweat from Su Dongxuan’s forehead and said softly, “Fifth Sister, please help me keep watch out front first. Entertain our honored guests and do not slight them. I’ll go take a look.”

Su Dongxuan nodded and went toward the front. Su Liluo arrived in the back courtyard and saw that Su Baihan had smashed quite a few things, all while shouting, “Su Liluo, you wretch! You actually helped outsiders humiliate me. I insist on making you lose this shop…”

She hurled a cup forward. Su Liluo dodged, and it shattered beside her.

“What are you going mad for?”

Su Liluo walked in. With red-rimmed eyes, Su Baihan cursed, “So you finally came. I thought you were afraid. You must be pleased to see the princess humiliate me, aren’t you?”

Su Liluo looked on coldly as she raged. Seeing that she showed not the slightest remorse, Su Liluo raised her hand and slapped her. “Su Baihan, I am slapping you so you can wake up a little. Grandmother sent you to help me, but look at what you have done now. You’ve only made things worse.”

Su Baihan clutched her face in disbelief and glared at Su Liluo across from her. Su Liluo caught her breath and continued, “You still dare glare at me? This is entirely your fault. You do not know the difference between superior and inferior. I am your elder sister, yet you show me not the least respect. You oppose me in front of outsiders at every turn. Must you be satisfied only when you have utterly disgraced the Su family? The princess is not someone you can lecture. If she were not magnanimous, she would have disciplined you herself. Then let us see who could save you.”

The more Su Baihan heard, the fiercer the fire in her eyes burned. Her whole face twisted in rage as she shouted, “Su Liluo, how dare you hit me! I will kill you.” With that, she rushed forward, intending to strike Su Liluo back.

Su Liluo did not waste words with her. She simply scattered some medicinal powder toward her, and Su Baihan thudded to the ground at once. The courtyard fell silent. Su Liluo and the maid together helped Su Baihan inside to lie down, and without caring about the disarray in the courtyard, she immediately went to the front to receive the guests.

There she saw Su Dongxuan speaking with a group of noble ladies. Her voice was gentle; though small in stature, her face shone with a bright and enthusiastic smile. Seeing her composed and graceful, speaking with such clarity and poise, Su Liluo was quietly satisfied.

When the noble ladies had left, Su Liluo pulled Su Dongxuan into a corner and gave her a thumbs-up. “Fifth Sister, you were wonderful. I feel at ease handing the guests over to you.”

Su Dongxuan lowered her head shyly. “Elder Sister, I merely did what I ought to do. By the way, how is Fourth Sister? Has she stopped making a scene?”

Thinking of Su Baihan, Su Liluo’s eyes turned cold. Seeing Su Dongxuan looking at her with concern, she quickly soothed her. “Don’t worry, Fifth Sister. Your Fourth Sister is perfectly fine. If anything happens when we return to the manor, it will only be pinned on me. You may rest easy. Hurry and go greet the guests.”

Su Dongxuan nodded. Then Su Liluo led her back into the circle of ladies. As fewer and fewer customers remained in the shop, Su Liluo left the last few to the shopkeeper and took Su Dongxuan and the others back to the manor.

Just after returning, Su Baihan woke up. She held her head for a moment, not knowing where she was. When she saw Su Liluo beside her, she remembered what had happened earlier and shouted, “Su Liluo, you dared hit me. I’m going to tell Grandmother!”

Su Baihan rushed toward Old Madam Su’s courtyard. Su Liluo said gently to Su Dongxuan, “Fifth Sister, hurry back and tell Aunt about the interesting things that happened today. There is no need for you to go to Grandmother’s side.”

Su Dongxuan wanted to say more, but Su Liluo cut her off at once. “Fifth Sister, do you not trust your elder sister? I will be fine. Go back now.”

Only then did Su Dongxuan leave, glancing back every few steps toward her own courtyard. When Su Liluo arrived afterward in Old Madam Su’s courtyard, Su Baihan had already embellished the story and told it to Old Madam Su. As soon as Su Liluo entered, Old Madam Su looked at her coldly.

With tears hanging on her face, Su Baihan smiled smugly. “Elder Sister, if you want me to forgive you, then you must give me the shop’s finest treasure from Snow Brocade House. Only then can you wash away the humiliation I suffered today.”

Su Liluo gave a cold laugh and said lightly, “How greedy of you, Sister. But do not forget, this humiliation was brought on by you yourself.”

She then reported the matter to Old Madam Su, truthfully recounting how Su Baihan had offended Princess Bai Yingnan in the shop. Old Madam Su turned to Su Baihan and angrily rebuked her, “Han’er, how dare you lie to your grandmother? Go back and copy the books one hundred times. You will not eat today.”

Old Madam Su had not expected Su Baihan to be so bold as to show not the slightest respect even to a princess. If she were not punished now, how could things ever be managed afterward?

Su Baihan was thunderstruck and cried out, “Grandmother, on what grounds? That Bai Yingnan is only a princess. What is so great about her? My father is the court’s chancellor. It should be she who yields to me!”

Seeing that Su Baihan still did not realize her mistake, Old Madam Su’s eyes reddened as she panted with anger. Her raised hand was about to fall across Su Baihan’s face when Su Baizhi, seated below, hurriedly stopped her. “Grandmother, please calm your anger. Han’er is merely confused, which is why she spoke recklessly.”

Seeing Su Baizhi persuade Old Madam Su and the slap at last not land on Su Baihan, Su Liluo sneered inwardly. This Su Baihan must have lost her mind. The prince’s house has enjoyed honor for generations, while a chancellor has never been one and the same. She cannot even tell that much apart—no wonder she would say such treasonous things.

Su Shan’er suddenly stepped forward and said, “Grandmother, Fourth Sister cannot really be blamed for this. Second Sister is Fourth Sister’s own sister, yet she has neglected to teach Han’er properly all these years. That is why Elder Sister was made to lose face before the other noble ladies today.”

Su Baizhi looked at Old Madam Su, as if wanting to speak but stopping herself, and in the end she gritted her teeth and said, “Grandmother, this is all my fault as an elder sister. I am willing to be punished together with Han’er. I beg Grandmother to agree.”

Seeing that Su Baizhi was deliberately winning pity, Su Shan’er immediately mocked her a few times. “Second Sister is just putting on airs. You know full well that Grandmother will not punish you, yet you still pretend you want to share hardship with Fourth Sister. Truly, what deep sisterly affection.” She stressed the last four words with great emphasis.

Old Madam Su saw the sisters fighting for favor, unable to tolerate one another, and the one who had stirred it all up was Su Shan’er. She snapped, “Shut your mouth. Say another word and you will be punished as well.”

Su Shan’er could only glare bitterly at Su Baizhi and say no more, though the hatred in her eyes, if it could have taken shape, would likely have sliced Su Baizhi into a thousand pieces.

Seeing Su Baizhi protect her younger sister, Old Madam Su softened and said, “Zhi’er, do not be foolish. Your sister has done wrong, but you are a good child. How could Grandmother punish you?”