The Fourth Lady

By the time she returned to the Su manor it was already evening. Everything that had happened today very quickly entered the ears of Ning Siyao and Chai Yiyun, but this was just the result she was looking for.

After returning to Yingshuangyuan, Yaoyao, who had picked up her scent, jumped into her arms. It look to her with its round glossy eyes.

"Zizhu, did the young miss encounter anything bad at school today?" Baizhi worriedly asked. Reminded of Qingyan's past experiences, Baizhi lightly sighed, "Our miss is still too nice."

Zizhu look to Baizhi and shook her head. Although they were outside and couldn't see what had happened inside, they could still hear the gossips.

For example, Cui Hanqun wasn't able to Qingyan embarrass in front of others, but rather was sneered at himself; or when Wei Yun tried to bully Qingyan, but ended up poisoned.

In the end, Su Qingyan did become different from before. If it was like in the past, Qingyan definitely wouldn't have acted so easy going and calm like today.

"Lue anything is fine for tonight. In a bit, I want to properly finish the assignment teacher Mo assigned." Saying that, Qingyan sat in front of her desk. The little fox was also set aside, although its waving tail looked as if it was driving the bugs away for Qingyan.

After hearing Qingyan's request, Lue replied in a small voice.

Because they understood Su Qingyan's personality well, they felt that the current Su Qingyan wasn't the arrogant and crude Su fourth miss they knew previously.

Su Qingyan flipped open the last assignment Mo Hen assigned. This kind of problem for the Su Qingyan in the past was definitely a challenge, but for her, she wasn't the Empress for 10 years for nothing. Qingyan pondered for a moment, then quickly wrote out an extensive answer on the paper.

After she finished writing, she realized that she hadn't had dinner yet. She tiredly let out a yawn and gently called out, "Zizhu, why did you not know to call me for dinner?"

Upon hearing Qingyan's voice, Zizhu smilingly pushed open the door with freshly made mushroom and chicken congee and a plate of marinated spicy cabbage.

"Miss, it's not that I didn't call for you, it's just that miss was too focused and didn't hear me knocking on the door." Zizhu said this as she placed the two dishes onto the dining table, "Miss must be hungry, hurry and eat."

Su Qingyan stood up and stretched for a bit. Truthfully speaking, she was hungry, though she had always been like this, too wrapped up in her work and neglected her meals. At that time, it was always Yimei that brought her a bowl of steaming hot noodles.

Su Qingyan looked to the mushroom and chicken congee and lightly smiled. In a soft voice, she replied, "Zizhu, thank you."

Zizhu listened to her and smiled in reply, "It's my duty to take care of young miss, how could I let miss thank me."

Qingyan watched Zizhu shake her head. Thereafter, she lowered her head and began eating.

Zizhu didn't know that during her most difficult times, she was also once taken care of like this.

They didn't understand that in a misfortunate situation, even if it was just a bowl a water, the favor would be returned tenfold.

The most intimate four servant girls by her side once, aside from Yizhu, had all passed on.

And now that she had another chance, the ending of those 3 girls, shall be the ending for Yizhu as well.

Thinking of this, Qingyan tightly clenched her fist. Qilian Qingyi, Weisheng Junyan, this time what you owe me, I will definitely make you pay.

As soon as Su Qingyuan returned from school, she immediately told Ning Siyao everything that had occurred at school, although she didn't mention the part about Cui Hanqun embarrassing himself. She did, however, focus on Su Qingyan's unusual behavior.

If it was according to the past, then Su Qingyan would have already been at a loss for what to do. But according to her performance today, it was as if she had already predicted everything. "Yuan'er, you don't need to worry about her stealing away you spotlight. After all, you still need to properly prepare for the Talent Conference." Ning Siyao said as she delightfully look to Su Qingyuan. She, Ning Siyao, was Jingguo Marquis's legitimate daughter, there wasn't anything regarding the inner manor* that she hadn't seen before. She didn't believe she couldn't beat a mere girl that hasn't even reached marriageable age yet.

(*TN: The term is similar in meaning to the inner palace where the emperor's harem resides but on a lower scale; the line basically is referring to the women's political battles in a household) Thinking of this, her lips curled into a violent smile:

Su Qingyan, if you must blame, then blame yourself for getting in Yuan'er's way. Don't blame me for being merciless.

"Wei Mama." Ning Siyao called out to the old lady next to her in a calculating tone, "Go inform granny Ruo to prepare to make a move, if the plan this time is a success, then eliminate granny Ruo as well." Granny Wei look to Ning Siyao and nodded, "I will take care of granny Ruo later. I'll let those brats at Yingshuang yard know."

As if already imagining Su Qingyan's misfortune, Ning Siyao slowly curled her lips in to a smile.

Qingyan looked out to the brightly lit yard and smiled. The flickering candlelight paired with Qingyan's red attire made her look as if she was malevolent spirit from the depths of hell.

Su Qingyan motionlessly sat on the window sill gazing at the stars in the night sky. The sky tonight was particularly full of stars, as if indicating that tomorrow will be a clear day.

The snow white fox curled up next to Qingyan's leg, occasionally swaying its tail.

"Miss, the things you wanted have been prepared."

Seeing Fengqing suddenly appear at her window sill, Su Qingyan delightfully smiled. She agilely jump down from the window sill, unlike that of a delicate maiden. Fengqing originally thought that she would fall, but instead she beautifully landed on her feet.

"Take me to see." Su Qingyan said as she smiled at Fengqing.

Su Qingyan followed Fengqing to an unused storage room. Inside, there were seven to eight red wooden cases, and next to each wooden case stood four men in black.

"Open them." Su Qingyan looked to them and said in a causal tone.

Upon hearing the order, the men in black opened the wooden cases, and from within the wooden cases came various poisonous snakes. Seeing them, the men in black all backed away, as if they would without a doubt perish if they went near the snakes.

"You all can head back now. Obviously, I'll be taking care of these poisonous snakes." Su Qingyan waved her hand at them to dismiss them.

She knew that although these snakes were different in species, they all carried deadly venom. Perhaps, with just one bite from a certain snake, you'll immediately be killed.

Those snakes, as if seeing an opportunity when they saw Su Qingyan, all rushed towards her. But a single action from Su Qingyan made them all stop in their tracks.

Erecting a finger to her lips, those snakes all quiet down. They even neatly lined themselves up in order according to their toxicity.

"Little ones, I'm very happy to meet you all." As she said this she extended her arm out a cobra. Just when Fengqing thought that the cobra would bite her, it instead obediently coiled itself onto her arm. It appeared to be rubbing itself against her. Thereafter, it flicked out its long tongue as if it was expressing something.