Volume One, Chapter 19: You Want Me to Return the Gold?

He felt a sudden tightness in his chest, as if Su Zhizhi were still chattering in his ear.

"This woman? Known for performing good deeds? Does she look the part?"

Su Zhizhi gave a soft laugh, the sound carrying an ethereal quality through her mask. "Has the Prince seen the scroll I gifted you?"

"I have seen it, yet I do not grasp the Master's hidden intent."

Su Zhizhi spoke with gravity, "What is this cage? And what is this bird? You will understand in time, Your Highness. But I implore you, do not become the one who closes the cage door."

"I have medicinal herbs to process from today's harvest, so I shall not keep you for a meal."

With that, Su Zhizhi turned and walked away, her gait firm and resolute.

Not long after, she watched as Prince Jin emerged from Yongming Pavilion with heavy steps.

"Your Highness, do I truly not need to go back in?" Su Zhizhi hurried to meet him, showing not a hint of guilt.

Fang Hui followed cautiously behind the Prince, his gaze flickering toward Su Zhizhi as he fretted internally about whether he had spoken out of turn. It would be disastrous if he had offended the Pavilion Master.

Noticing his gaze, Su Zhizhi turned and flashed him a radiant smile. "Master Fang, I have troubled you today."

Fang Hui hurriedly waved his hands. "Princess, please do not be so formal. You must come and visit often."

As soon as the words left his lips, the smile on Su Zhizhi's face froze. She really could not afford to be too gentle with this old man.

"Master Fang, what did you just say?" Prince Jin stopped and turned around, his brow furrowed.

Fang Hui was startled, realizing his blunder. He hung his head, beads of cold sweat forming on his brow, and stammered, "No, no... that is not what I meant... I only meant that I welcome the Prince and the Princess to visit together often."

Prince Jin was utterly baffled. The Master of Yongming Pavilion had barely allowed Su Zhizhi to set foot inside, yet was now talking about frequent visits? He had come today with full sincerity to thank the Master for saving his life, only to be brushed off with a few perfunctory words. Was he, a Prince, considered less important than this madwoman in the Master's eyes?

Prince Jin gripped the scroll tightly, his knuckles turning white. With an angry scowl, he marched up to Su Zhizhi and shouted, "Return to the Prince's estate!"

The cold, sharp command hung in the air. Su Zhizhi felt a jolt of surprise. Was he really going to act like a petulant child? Within the Qingxin Hall of Yongming Pavilion, she had been meticulously cautious, not daring to utter a single word to him. The Prince was suspicious by nature; one wrong move and he might discern that something was amiss.

***

Su Zhizhi felt a surge of secret triumph. Fortunately, her acting was top-tier, and she had successfully deceived this fool, Wei Guxiao.

Inside the carriage, Prince Jin’s expression was dark. Su Zhizhi stared out the window, remaining silent. The scent of pear blossoms grew heavy, and the atmosphere plunged to freezing. Knowing the Prince’s mercurial temper, Su Zhizhi dared not speak. She still had to play the part of the Princess well to find the opportunity to save the girls in the Xuanlin Tower.

As the carriage neared the Prince's estate, a familiar voice rang out from outside.

"Bring your Princess out!"

"If the Princess does not come out today, we will not leave!"

Lifting the curtain, Su Zhizhi saw her three older brothers and Su Wanwan standing by the stone lions. As the carriage came to a halt, Su Zhizhi stepped down, opting to observe the situation calmly before making her presence known.

Seeing the uninvited guests at his gate, Prince Jin’s brow knitted in annoyance. He loathed the sight of these well-dressed nobles loitering at his entrance. "Xiao Lizi, drive them away at once!"

Su Wanwan looked up, the Prince’s striking appearance catching her attention. "Who are you?"

Xiao Lizi signaled for a dozen guards to surround the group. "You dare not recognize His Highness? Are you blind?"

"The Prince?" Su Wanwan peered closer. Was this the husband the Emperor had bestowed upon her? He was a hundred times more handsome than the mediocre-looking Crown Prince. What kind of luck did Su Zhizhi have? Not only was the Prince alive, but he was also as handsome as Pan An. All of this should have been hers.

Su Wanwan turned and spotted Su Zhizhi standing behind her, a disdainful smirk playing on her lips.

"Su Zhizhi, to think you are still standing here unscathed." Su Wanwan’s tone was filled with anger and a hint of jealousy.

"Otherwise, Sister, did you expect me to be lying in a coffin to greet you?"

Her third brother, Su Wen, impatient with the pleasantries, demanded, "Su Zhizhi, return the thousand taels of gold our Duke’s estate gave you for your medical expenses!"

Su Wen’s words made Prince Jin pause. This woman, who supposedly lacked the funds to pay for her own treatment, had somehow acquired enough gold to lend him money for his debts? He lingered, standing to the side, ready to watch the spectacle.

Qingzhu, long resentful of how the Duke’s estate had treated her mistress, rushed forward. "Second Young Master, that was the dowry the Prince gave my mistress. As for the rest, it was her own dowry. When my lady left the Duke’s estate, she didn't take a single coin!"

Not a single coin? Then where did the twenty thousand taels of gold come from? Prince Jin was filled with suspicion.

Nurse Wang, having finished her household duties, rushed out upon hearing the Princess had returned. Seeing her mistress being bullied, she felt insulted herself. Rolling up her sleeves, she marched forward and shoved Su Wen hard in the chest. Su Wen stumbled backward, nearly falling to the ground.

"You wretched old hag! How dare you push me? Like mistress, like servant!" Su Wen prepared to strike her.

Su Zhizhi reacted instantly, grabbing his wrist firmly. "Third Brother, you are behaving most unseemly today."

"I..."

Nurse Wang only regretted not having used more force; she should have lifted this disrespectful man up and slammed him into the dirt. "Young Master, when my lady came to the Prince's estate, the Duke’s estate sent nothing but empty chests and cheap tricks! Are you not ashamed? How dare you come here demanding money from her?"

Su Zhe stepped forward, moving between Su Wen and Su Zhizhi. He spoke in a gentle, pacifying tone: "Sister Zhizhi, we do not mean to make things difficult for you. But you gave ten thousand taels of gold to the Prince's estate, while the Duke’s estate spent a thousand taels to save you, and we are currently quite strapped for funds."

Strapped for funds? Su Zhizhi looked up, scanning the group before her gaze landed on Su Wanwan.

"Second Brother, how can you say that? I see that the jewelry Su Wanwan is wearing alone is worth far more than a thousand taels of silver, is it not?"