Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister’s Scheming Daughter - Chapter 359

Bai Ruo raised her head in surprise, a hint of confusion in her eyes. “Miss, what plans do you want me to carry out?”

“Although Father Emperor has given the order to treat the royal family of the previous dynasty kindly, there are not many members of the royal family left. You are the eleventh princess of the previous dynasty who lives in the capital. Now that you have heard that the former dynasty’s remnants have come to assassinate His Majesty, you can’t just sit by and watch. Since someone has exposed your identity, you might as well make proper use of your identity. Don’t wait for others to plot against you before finding ways to prove your innocence.”

Bai Ruo nodded and quickly understood what Shen Ninghua meant. “Yes, Miss. What do you need me to do? Please enlighten me, Miss.”

A cold light flashed through her eyes. Shen Ninghua looked at the bright sunlight outside and slowly said, “Write a complaint and launch a petition to the imperial court.”

The sudden assassination in the imperial palace caused the atmosphere in the capital, which had just relaxed, to tense up again. All the officials stayed in their own residence, canceling all their outing plans. They did not want to cause any trouble at this troubled time. A single mistake at a moment like this would probably cost their positions and even lives.

Baili Jinchuan, however, was particularly leisure. He held the chess pieces and arranged them on the chessboard one by one. Yang Yingxue came in with tea and snacks. She could not help but bite her lips. “Your Highness, you have been sitting here for the whole afternoon. I have made some snacks for you. Do you want to have a taste?”

“Who let you in? Didn’t I tell you to stay in your courtyard?! Get out!” Baili Jinchuan frowned, his thick eyebrows looking particularly cold.

Yang Yingxue took a deep breath to calm the pain in her heart. She thought for a long time before gathering her courage to come here, so she absolutely could not let all her efforts go to waste. “Your Highness, I am your side concubine. It is natural for me to take care of your health. You have not eaten breakfast. Your stomach may…”

“Take care of my health? Hmph, don’t you want to take care of my feelings too?” Baili Jinchuan turned to stare at Yang Yingxue’s face. “Don’t you know that every time I look at your face, I always think of the word ‘fake’?”

“Fake?” Yang Yingxue’s hand that was holding the tray was shaking, and the tea cup shook slightly, which produced a slight sound of collision.

Baili Jinchuan spoke mercilessly, “Yes, a fake!”

Yang Yingxue’s face was pale, and she could not help but feel grief and indignation in her heart. “The real thing has already been collected and cherished by others. Yes, I’m a fake, and I’ve always been clean. As for the real thing, don’t you find her dirty even if you get your hands on her now?”

Slap! Baili Jinchuan raised his hand and slapped Yang Yingxue in the face. “How dare you!”

The tray in her hand fell to the ground. The teacup and snacks were scattered on the ground. Yang Yingxue fell to the ground after being slapped, and she happened to land her hand on the broken pieces of the teacup. Blood instantly flowed out and dyed her palm red.

Baili Jinchuan’s gaze was cold, and there was no slightest change of expression from beginning to end. “I can tolerate you staying in the mansion, but I won’t allow you to speak ill of her. I never hit women, but you caused me to make an exception.”

Yang Yingxue laughed in a low voice. “Haha! No, it’s not me, but it’s Shen Ninghua who caused you to make an exception! You’ve made many exceptions for her, haven’t you? She is the number one beauty in the capital. I’m afraid that a fake like me will never be able to compare to her.”

“Go back to your courtyard!” The disgust in Baili Jinchuan’s eyes almost overflowed. He didn’t want to look at her at all. He had agreed to marry her in order to provoke Shen Ninghua, but Shen Ninghua had always been indifferent.

Yang Yingxue slowly got up and directly pulled out the porcelain piece in her palm. Blood kept flowing out, but she seemed to feel no pain at all. “Your Highness, do you want to get the real thing?”

Baili Jinchuan frowned and looked at her, hissing in disgust, “What does it have to do with you?”

“How about I give you a hand?”

“Will you be willing to help me?”

Yang Yingxue sat across from Baili Jinchuan. Blood continuously dripped from her palm onto the dress, which formed gorgeous flowers on the light-colored dress. “I don’t think you will ever lay eyes on me, a fake, if you do not obtain the real thing. Since that’s the case, why don’t I help you achieve your goal? I will help you obtain the real thing, and you’ll promote me as your official princess. What do you think?”

Baili Jinchuan was taken aback as if he had not expected her to say this. He then sneered, “Do you think you have what it takes to become the official princess?”

“Do you want to keep the position for Ninghua?” Yang Yingxue smirked, “Your Highness, please don’t forget her identity. She is Princess Zhaohua, Prefectural Prince Yi’s legitimate wife, and your sister-in-law. You can get her, but you can never give her a status! And I don’t want your love, I only want the position of princess.”

Baili Jinchuan narrowed his eyes slightly. “What can you help me with?”

Hearing this, Yang Yingxue knew that he was tempted. “I am Shen Ninghua’s cousin. This identity is useful most of the time. Once you get close to Shen Ninghua, I think she will be so defensive and repulsive. But I am different. I am her cousin. I am one of her few relatives, remember?”

Baili Jinchuan rubbed the white jade chess piece in his hand and remained silent.

Yang Yingxue sat calmly, her eyes filled with confidence.

After a long while, Baili Jinchuan raised his head. “Alright, deal. When the matter is settled, I will give you the position of official princess.”

Yang Yingxue stood up and tidied up her dress. She lowered her eyes to hide the desolation in her eyes. “Alright, I’ll take my leave now.” Baili Jinchuan would always give in when it came to Shen Ninghua. The same thing happened during their wedding as well as now! They clearly had similar faces, but their fates were completely different. A fake? Haha, how ironic!

Looking at Yang Yingxue’s back, Baili Jinchuan sneered. His eyes fell on the chessboard with black and white pieces. His fingers clenched the chess pieces tightly. “I can’t give her a status?! If my position is high enough, who will dare to say anything?”

A guard ran in quickly. “Your Highness, Bai Ruo from Prefectural Prince Yi’s residence is kneeling at the entrance of the Palace, saying that she wants to bring a case to the imperial court.”

“Bai Ruo? The newly-identified princess from the previous dynasty, and now the imperial court… It seems that she is planning to strike first! Have someone contact Qi Yuechan and let her enter the Palace. When the time comes, seize the opportunity.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Dressed in the clothes of the former dynasty’s royal family, Bai Ruo knelt at the entrance of the Palace in a meticulous manner with the written complaint in her hands.

Qi Yuechan ran over quickly, her face full of heartache. “Xiu’er, I will kneel in your place. You must not ruin your own body like this.”

Bai Ruo glanced at her. “Madam Qi, you have already married the Hu. You are no longer worthy of being Father Emperor’s concubine, nor are you my mother.”

Qi Yuechan’s expression changed, her face filled with disbelief. “What do you mean by this? In your eyes, am I not your mother anymore?”

“You’re still my biological mother, but you have lost the right to be my mother. If Father Emperor was still alive, I’m afraid he would divorce you.”

“H-How can you be so unfilial…”

Bai Ruo sneered and said in a low voice, “You sold me off regardless of family love. Why should I be filial to you?”

Qi Yuechan widened her eyes slightly. “Y-You still remember?”

“Of course! I remember everything clearly.” Seeing the guards coming out of the Palace, Bai Ruo quickly suppressed the hatred in her eyes and respectfully raised the written complaint above her head.

“His Majesty has summoned the Eleventh Princess to the Palace to have an audience with him.”

Qi Yuechan was startled. She stood up and was about to follow Bai Ruo, but the guard stopped her. “His Majesty has only summoned the Eleventh Princess. No one else is allowed to enter!”

Qi Yuechan was a little dumbfounded. If she was not allowed to enter, how could she achieve her goal?

“Xiu’er…”

Bai Ruo looked straight ahead. “Madam Qi, just wait and see.”

Inside Chengqian Hall, Baili Qingcang looked down at Bai Ruo on the ground. “Duanmu Yuxiu, what is this about?”

“Your Majesty, I want to clear the name of the Duanmu Imperial Family.”

“Clear the name of the Imperial Family?”

“Yes.” Bai Ruo took a slight breath. The majestic pressure coming from Baili Qingcang made her feel extremely depressed. “Since the end of the previous dynasty and the end of the Duanmu Imperial Family’s rule, the Duanmu Clan is very grateful that we have received your forgiveness and can continue to live in our homeland. The Duanmu Clan no longer has the intention to restore their country. Moreover, under your governance, Da’an Kingdom is prospering and peaceful. We know where we stand, and we will not overstep our boundaries.”

The coldness in Baili Qingcang’s eyes faded a little. “Are you here today to show your loyalty?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Bai Ruo raised her head and looked straight into Baili Qingcang’s eyes. “The members of the Duanmu Clan have withered. Now, I can be considered to be the most representative of the Duanmu Clan. The reason why I came today is to show you our gratitude. Our Duanmu Clan has never thought of restoring our country. We are even more grateful to Your Majesty for your benevolence. Some treacherous people are acting in the name of the Duanmu Clan, and they actually want to assassinate Your Majesty. They are trying to tarnish our reputation. Your Majesty, please scrutinize this matter and clear our name.”

Baili Qingcang took the written complaint that the eunuch handed over, and the serious look in his eyes slowly deepened. “Alright, I understand and am aware of the intentions of the Duanmu Clan. Don’t worry, I don’t suspect the Duanmu Clan because of this lowly trap. Go back. When I have people investigate it thoroughly, I will bring you justice.”

“Yes, I, Duanmu Yuxiu, thank Your Majesty for your kindness.” Bai Ruo stood up and slowly left the main hall.

In Prefectural Prince Yi’s mansion, Hong Ling served the tea to Shen Ninghua and couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, do you think Bai Ruo will succeed?”

Shen Ninghua smiled. “Although His Majesty is suspicious of us, he will definitely accept Bai Ruo’s words.”

“Why are you so confident?”

Shen Ninghua smiled. “Although Da’an Kingdom looks stable, its foundation is still shallow. The Duanmu Dynasty has ruled for hundreds of years. Although the corrupted politics disrupted the peace and harmony of the country during the last years of the dynasty, there are still many people loyal to the dynasty. Father Emperor has wanted to deal with these people for a long time. This time, Bai Ruo represents the Duanmu Clan to enter the Palace to show their loyalty. This is such a good opportunity. Even if he knows that this is our trick, he will accept it.

Hong Ling looked at Shen Ninghua with admiration. “Miss, you are so intelligent.”

“I just took advantage of the right timing. Did you bring Qi Yuechan back?”

“Yes, she wanted to follow Bai Ruo into the Palace, but our people brought her back. I sent people to search her, but they did not find anything from her. Miss, do you suspect Qi Yuechan?”

Shen Ninghua pondered for a moment. “I always feel that her sudden appearance is unreasonable. Have someone keep an eye on her. Do not let anything go wrong, or everything will be in vain.”

“Yes, Miss.”