Chapter 63 - 063 Suxi
Chapter 63: Chapter 063 Suxi
He Ying was at a loss for words.
Regarding this matter, his actions had indeed been improper.
But he was the Emperor, who would dare lecture him on propriety?
However, he liked her and did not want to upset her, so he acquiesced, changing his statement, “But rules are rigid, people are flexible. The atmosphere is lively right now, Princess Consort Sang, let’s not ruin the mood.”
Sang Ruoshui: “…”
She felt reprimanded and was very annoyed, her dissatisfaction towards Sang Yan increased even more.
To think that for a stranger, he would humiliate her like this!
Yet all she could do was respond with a smile, “The Emperor is right, it is I who am too rigid.”
With that, the minor episode passed.
The palace maid also brought over the cured meat.
The barbecue event continued.
Sang Ruoshui also got to eat some barbecue.
But even the gourmet food could not mend her foul mood.
Upon returning to Yuesang Palace with the smell of fireworks still clinging to her, her expression immediately darkened.
“This is outrageous! Utterly outrageous!”
She was so angry that she threw things around, saying, “Using a stranger to anger me! Does she not consider me her sister at all? Fool! Idiot! I’ve never seen anyone bend over backwards like this!”
Xiangxiu watched indifferently, too tired to say anything.
After Sang Ruoshui vented her anger and broke out in sweat, she sat down to rest for a while, then went to write a letter.
She wanted her mother to come into the palace and teach her a good lesson!
*
Sang Yan had been busy with a barbecue party the day before and went to bed late.
The next day
Even the cat did not wake her.
When she woke up naturally, it was already late in the morning.
After quickly freshening up,
she was ready to have breakfast when she heard Qiuzhi say,
“Miss, Princess Consort Sang has sent a message that your mother has arrived and asks you to come to Yuesang Palace as soon as possible.”
Her original mother?
Why had she come to the palace all of a sudden?
Had something happened and she was seeking her help?
Thinking this, Sang Yan no longer found her meal appetizing.
She ate hastily.
Then she went to Yuesang Palace.
As soon as she entered, she heard her original mother’s crying.
“What are we going to do?”
“Your sister-in-law is still pregnant!”
“That’s the Sang Family’s lifeline!”
“How am I supposed to explain this when your father and brothers return?”
“Oh heavens, how am I to live with this!”
The chaotic crying communicated no useful information.
Sang Yan frowned as she entered, asking, “What happened?”
Mrs. Lin’s eyes were red and swollen, her hair disheveled. Seeing her eldest daughter, she flung herself at her, sobbing, “Ah Yan, what am I to do? Your younger brother’s wife, your sister-in-law, is missing!”
Sang Yan: “…”
Missing?
Did that mean she had disappeared?
She hurriedly asked, “What do you mean? Explain clearly!”
Mrs. Lin sobbed, “It was the night before last. After having dinner, your sister-in-law said she was tired; pregnant women are often like that, so I didn’t think much about it and let her go to her room to sleep. But the next day, she wasn’t in her room anymore. The maids who were supposed to stay up through the night were too deep asleep and didn’t know a thing. Anyway, she was gone.”
Listening, Sang Yan felt it either seemed like elopement or a kidnapping.
If it was a kidnapping, who could it be?
“Why kidnap a pregnant woman?”
“Is it for revenge or retribution?”
While pondering this, Sang Yan heard Mrs. Lin crying, “Your brother’s wife’s pregnancy is unstable; what are we going to do if something happens?”
The situation was serious and urgent.
In this backward era, complications with a pregnant woman could easily lead to her death along with the unborn child’s!
Sang Yan also became anxious, “Has a report been made to the authorities?”
Just as Mrs. Lin was about to speak, she turned pale, her body swayed, but luckily Sang Ruoshui supported her.
“Mother, don’t cry, sit down and talk.”
Sang Ruoshui helped Mrs. Lin to sit down on a chair.
Wiping her tears, Mrs. Lin sobbed, “We have reported it, but a day has passed and nothing has been discovered.”
She was crying so hard that she looked like she was about to faint.
Sang Yan hurriedly console her, “Don’t panic; the more you hurry, the more confused you’ll get.
Now that Mrs. Lin has come to the palace, she must be seeking help from the Emperor.
The matter is indeed urgent.
Sang Yan quickly asked Qiuzhi to summon the Emperor.
When He Ying arrived, Mrs. Lin had already fainted from crying and was resting on Sang Ruoshui’s bed.
Seeing the Emperor arrive, Sang Ruoshui also started sobbing weakly, “Your Majesty, please, you must save my sister-in-law.”
He Ying nodded then turned to Sang Yan and asked, “What’s the exact situation?”
He had already heard about the disappearance of Sang Yan’s sister-in-law, Suxi, from Qiuzhi.
Sang Yan had less knowledge about the disappearance of Suxi than Sang Ruoshui did, so she let her speak, “Stop crying and quickly tell the Emperor the details.”
Reminded by Sang Yan, Sang Ruoshui held back her tears and explained, “My sister-in-law went missing the night before last. She is now five months pregnant. She is indifferent and quiet, hardly goes out, and definitely doesn’t make enemies. Who would target her? My second brother adores her. He’s currently away with our father in Wuzhou to exterminate locusts and even wrote asking me to take good care of her, and now she’s gone…”
Tears welled up again at this point.
Growing impatient, Sang Yan pressed, “Have you checked with her parents’ home? Could she have gone back there herself?”
Sang Ruoshui raised her teary eyes, her expression dazed, “Did you forget, sister? My sister-in-law doesn’t have a family.”
Sang Yan was at a loss.
How could she know about the original host’s sister-in-law?
After the original host became a widow, she lived in despondence, her memory was muddled, knowing only that her brother had married.
“How does she not have a family?”
Sang Yan felt that the issue might be related to the original host’s sister-in-law.
Sang Ruoshui explained, “She was brought here by my second brother from Min State four years ago. At that time, Min State was in chaos, her family had all died, and she had lost her memory out of shock. My brother, seeing her pitiable state, brought her back.”
A hero saving a damsel in distress?
And amnesia?
Sang Yan felt this plot was heading toward melodrama.
She couldn’t help speculating, “Could it be she regained her memory and remembered her family? And went back home?”
Sang Ruoshui shook her head, “She would have left a note then. My brother loves her dearly, and our parents never mistreated her. Now that she’s pregnant, how could she leave without a word?”
Could your brother have had a deep feud with her?
Did he deceive her by his side while she had amnesia?
Now that your brother is away, she suddenly remembers everything, recalls what your brother did, and decides to leave?
Sang Yan suppressed these wild thoughts and asked, “Why was Sang Jue in Min State at the time?”
Hearing this question, Sang Ruoshui frowned, “Don’t you remember that too, sister? He was traveling abroad for studies, apprenticed with the Swordsman Tan Yunjian from Min State, learning swordsmanship, just when the conflict broke out.”
It sounded innocuous enough.
Yet, Sang Yan still felt something was amiss.
But what exactly?
She couldn’t figure it out at the moment.
At this moment, He Ying said, “First draw a likeness of your sister-in-law. I will send a Hidden Guard to secretly look for her.”
“Yes.”
Sang Ruoshui quickly drew a portrait of Suxi.
Suxi had a serene demeanor, with a hint of vermillion in her eyebrows and eyes, which added a sense of aloofness that seemed unapproachable.
Now rendered on the paper, in between the lines of her face, aside from aloofness, was there also a sense of desolation?
Looking at the portrait, Sang Yan thought to herself: What secrets does this Suxi hide?