He endured the pain and stared at Song Jie, surprised that Song Jie came to confront him openly in the middle of the night.
He thought Song Jie wouldn’t want anyone to know about his connection with Xie Yushu—it was not something proper to be revealed.
But Song Jie made it clear: stay away from Xie Yushu.
He didn’t understand why Song Jie had such possessiveness over a substitute.
Before he could answer, shouting came from outside the door.
“Move aside!”
Song Jie’s hand froze.
He didn’t have to look to know who it was.
Outside, the servant respectfully said, “Mother Consort.”
No one dared to stop her.
A thin Taoist nun rushed in, wearing a Daoist robe with a jade crown holding her hair.
She slapped Song Jie’s hand away from the hairpin and angrily scolded, “Song Jie, how dare you be rude to the prince!”
Song Jie’s wrist went numb.
The ethereal nun pulled Xiao Zhen up and shielded him fiercely like a protective eagle.
“There’s bleeding. Call Yuanqing Master to check on you.”
The nun anxiously looked at Xiao Zhen’s face, then scolded Song Jie again, “Song Jie, what madness is this? Even if he’s out of favor, he’s still a prince, and you are a subject…”
“It’s nothing, Mother Consort.”
Xiao Zhen grabbed her hand, smiling to calm her.
“Song Xiang is just joking with me.”
Song Jie sneered and stood.
“Mother Consort, you know your son’s position in the palace is awkward because of you. If you know this, then you should understand that the only reason he’s alive and in his current status is because of me.”
He sneered at the mother and son and laughed loudly, “Without me, he would have died in the palace long ago. He’s quite content with this bit of humiliation.”
The nun’s eyes turned red with anger.
“If you hate me, why…”
“I have nothing to do with Mother Consort, so where is the hate?”
Song Jie interrupted with a smile.
“If Mother Consort truly cares for Xiao Zhen, she should learn to endure my little humiliations like him.”
The nun’s lips tightened as tears threatened to fall.
Only then was Song Jie satisfied, smiling as he left the meditation hall and returned to his carriage, unable to stop coughing up a mouthful of blood.
“Your Excellency.”
Cang Shu hurriedly handed over some pills, seeing Song Jie trembling in the carriage.
“You cannot lose your temper. If you get angry, the poison in your body will activate…”
Song Jie suppressed the icy waves surging in his chest.
The pain on his wrist was more obvious, and the bone-chilling cold came in waves, as if ready to return with a vengeance.
He pressed his forehead against the cushion, involuntarily wrapping the sash from his sleeve around his wrist, as if imagining the warmth of her body.
“What time is it now?”
His voice was hoarse.
“Is it dawn?”
“Not yet, Your Excellency.”
Cang Shu replied.
Song Jie closed his eyes and suddenly felt this night—this day—was unbearably long.
He was so cold and wished the next night would come quickly, the night when Xie Yushu would come again.
“Host, you gained 1 point of Heartthrob Value last night, from Song Jie.”
Xie Yushu woke up and immediately heard the pleasant system notification.
Well, Song Jie really was a walking gold mine.
Not only did he explode with gold coins, but he also exploded Heartthrob and Green Hat values.
Did he never sleep at night?
Just crawl around in the shadows thinking about her, hating her, then thinking about her again?
The system interface showed she now had 16 Heartthrob points, 1 Green Hat point, and 260 Life points.
She didn’t rush to redeem anything yet; the Heartthrob value was quite useful.
She wanted to save up to 100 points to see what kind of heartthrob she could become.
“Jin Ye.”
She didn’t hurry to get up and beckoned Jin Ye in to count the money she’d earned in the last two days.
Jin Ye brought in a locked box full of silver notes and gold banknotes that Xie Yushu had earned.
She was a meticulous maid and had already tallied the accounts last night, whispering, “Madam earned twenty thousand taels of gold from Song Xiang last night, five thousand taels of silver notes, ten thousand taels of gold from the Fourth Prince, and ten thousand taels of silver notes.”
Her mouth trembled as she said, “Adding the previous fifteen thousand taels of silver notes, Madam now has…thirty thousand taels of gold banknotes and thirty thousand taels of silver notes.”
That was too much.
She never even dreamed of so much money.
Madam had earned so much in just a few days.
She added, “And the one thousand taels of silver notes returned by Qiao Bao’er haven’t been counted.”
“That’s small change. I gave it to Xizhi to cover daily expenses and bonuses.”
The currency in this world floated, so Xie Yushu…
Hearing this didn’t feel real, so she asked the system how much her money was worth in RMB.
The system quickly replied, “Thirty thousand taels of silver notes convert to about 13 million RMB. Thirty thousand taels of gold banknotes convert to approximately 150 million RMB.”
Xie Yushu sat upright, pinching herself in disbelief—so painful it made her want to laugh wildly.
Heavens, 150 million!
This RMB figure was something she only dreamed of before, and now she really had it!
Her heart surged with arrogance.
Making 150 million in a few days meant making a billion and returning to her original world was no problem at all!
“Host…Your Life Value has not yet accumulated 1,000 days, and the Main Quest is only 5% complete.”
The system quietly reminded her.
This did not dampen Xie Yushu’s arrogance.
The whole point was to make the supporting female lead happy, easy enough.
But she recalled that last night when dealing with Pei Shilin and his mother, the Main Quest progress didn’t increase.
“Yes, Host.”
The system said, “The Main Quest is to make Xie Yushu’s life happy. The backend recently added a Happiness Value for the supporting female lead.”
A new progress bar popped up on the system interface—
[Supporting Female Lead Happiness Value \ 5%].
Perhaps for Xie Yushu, taking revenge on Pei Shilin and his mother was just satisfying, not happiness?
True happiness would be her real mother, Qiao Bao’er, living well too.
“Madam.”
Yin Ya brought water and complained, “Xiao Dao burned the robes you wore back last night early this morning.”
Song Jie’s clothes?
Xie Yushu got up to wash and saw Xiao Dao in the courtyard helping tidy the small kitchen, the sun making the back of his neck red.
“Burn it, then.”
She had wanted to use those clothes to raise some Green Hat Value for Pei Shilin, but she was a bit curious—did Xiao Dao burn the clothes out of liking her, or was he worried she’d be discovered wearing a man’s robe?
If it was the former, why hadn’t he raised any Green Hat Value?
The system analyzed, “Maybe he thinks he has no standing.”
Wow, Xie Yushu was amazed that there were still normal men in this world.
Xizhi Mammy had already bought breakfast.
Xie Yushu ate casually and wanted to visit Qiao Bao’er.
Before she could leave, Lianxiang Mammy came kneeling at the courtyard gate.
“Madam, someone from Yong’an Marquis Manor has been waiting a long time and didn’t dare disturb you…”
Xie Yushu saw her tail-between-legs expression and chuckled—kindness leads to being bullied, but being mean is quite satisfying.
She took Jin Ye and Yin Ya to the front courtyard, where she met Zhen Nanny, the dowry mammy of Yong’an Marquis’s wife Meng Min.
Along with Zhen Nanny were several maids carrying various gifts, filling an entire table.
Xie Yushu had thought Pei Shilin and his mother would be causing trouble today demanding divorce but was puzzled by how quiet they were—turns out they were in the main hall with the guests.
Meng Min had served the Empress Dowager in the palace as the Yong’an Princess, and her dowry mammy was no ordinary servant but a palace maid assigned by the Empress Dowager to accompany her in marriage.
In the original story, Meng Min trusted this mammy the most.
Zhen Nanny managed a whole household of maids and servants and spoke with great authority.
The Pei family was used to flattering the powerful and fearing the lowly, so naturally they didn’t dare be disrespectful to Zhen Nanny.
Xie Yushu glanced at Pei Shilin and his mother, both looking as if they were near death.
Pei Shilin’s right arm was in a sling; he stared at her like a corpse.
Mother Li Huixian hadn’t slept all night and didn’t dare even look at Xie Yushu, like a mouse seeing a cat.
Zhen Nanny smiled and rose to greet her, politely calling her “Miss Yushu.”
She said, “Madam has been worried about Miss Yushu. She was ill these past days, but feeling better now, so I was sent to bring some food and supplies for you and Madam Pei.”
Xie Yushu looked over the table.
The gifts were all precious items, some intended for Pei Shilin and Mother Li Huixian.
Meng Min understood social etiquette well.
She used to detest Xie Yushu and didn’t care if Xie Yushu was driven out on the day of her return to the in-laws, but now she brought gifts.
It meant she had investigated the “Dried Fruit Shop” Xie Yushu mentioned and believed her.
She must have use for her.
This was good—mutual benefit.
“How is your mother’s health?”
Xie Yushu smiled as she pointed to a few valuable items for Jin Ye and Yin Ya to collect.
“I was just thinking of going back to see my mother, and she sent you. Isn’t that serendipity?”
Zhen Nanny’s smile stiffened.
Miss Yushu was very different from before—no longer just smart but like a smiling tiger, no longer caring about her status as an illegitimate daughter, speaking like a real mother and daughter.
“Yes.”
Zhen Nanny smiled again.
“Madam is well now and hopes Miss Yushu will come back to the manor to keep her company.”
She looked at Pei Shilin.
“But unfortunately, Master Pei was seriously injured. I wonder if Miss Yushu has time to return?”
Xie Yushu looked at Pei Shilin with a troubled expression and pretended to be delicate, “Yes, my husband is hurt so badly. I’m in a terrible mood. Has he improved today?”
Pei Shilin looked stiffly at her, amazed by her acting skills.
How was he hurt like this?
He was unconscious all night last night, and his good wife was taken away by Song Xiang!
“It’s fine.”
Mother Li Huixian looked at Pei Shilin, then forced a smile at Xie Yushu.
“I’ll take care of Shilin. Since the Marquis Consort invited you, Yushu, you should go back and accompany her.”
Pei Shilin was furious to the point of vomiting blood.
This was his good mother!
Last night she was crying and shouting that today she would have to divorce Xie Yushu and kick her out of the Pei Mansion.
Now, seeing the people from Yong’an Marquis Manor, she immediately changed her tune.
“In that case, if my husband is able, please send me back to Yong’an Marquis Manor.”
Xie Yushu pressed her advantage.
“Don’t let others misunderstand that I’m on bad terms with my husband.”
Who would misunderstand?
Who would care?
She just wanted to torment him!
Pei Shilin’s face darkened, lips turning black, but he finally said, “Alright, I’ll send you back to Yong’an Marquis Manor.”
He couldn’t refuse in front of the people from Yong’an Marquis Manor!
“Thank you, husband.”
She put on a fake, happy smile.
Pei Shilin endured the pain and accompanied Xie Yushu out of the mansion, helping her onto the carriage sent by Yong’an Marquis Manor.
The summer heat was fierce, and just this walk made his newly healed arm ache so badly he was sweating.
Xie Yushu was very happy, changing to another face inside the carriage and smiling sweetly, deliberately asking, “Looks like my husband calmed down after a night’s sleep and doesn’t want a divorce anymore. I told you, as long as my husband and mother-in-law treat me well, I’ll naturally let you all live in peace.”
Pei Shilin stared at her, no longer angry, just helpless and in pain, asking, “Xie Yushu, what do you want from me to let me go?”
She sat up straight, eyes full of tenderness as she looked at him.
“Husband, don’t say that. What marriage doesn’t have its ups and downs? I truly want to live with you.”
Pei Shilin looked at her eyes, nearly unable to tell how many faces she had.
How could she be such a good actress?
Were their fights really normal?
She was the one who broke his arm!
Knowing he couldn’t argue with her, he said, “If you say you want to live well with me, then fine. From now on, you can’t go to Song Jie’s mansion to see him.”
Xie Yushu grabbed his arm in surprise.
“Husband, you forgot—it was you who told me to go.”
Pei Shilin’s arm hurt, and he was choked up inside.
“I wronged you before. Now you don’t need to go anymore. Can you do that?”
Xie Yushu suddenly heard the system alert—
“Congratulations, Host. The Supporting Female Lead’s Main Quest is now 7% complete.”
The system sounded excited.