RPAGF Chapter 245 Su Wanniang was indeed ruthless, but her ruthlessness was mostly for self-preservation.
Chapter 245 Su Wanniang was indeed ruthless, but her ruthlessness was mostly for self-preservation.
The servants knelt down, their cries shaking the heavens, as if they had seen a savior.
Chu Ruohan looked coldly at the servants kneeling at her feet, without the slightest pity in her heart.
In her previous life, these people would have either bullied or ignored her. The fact that she didn't punish them after her rebirth is already more than enough.
In the center of the courtyard, Ma Fuhai, dressed in a conspicuous eunuch's robes, stood solemnly, holding a bright yellow imperial edict in his hands, and read it aloud.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Su Wanniang, with her profound understanding of righteousness, exposed and denounced the Marquis of Anyang and Minister Su's treasonous plot. Such loyalty is commendable. Therefore, she is hereby granted the title of County Princess and granted residence in the former Minister's mansion to recognize her merits..."
The voice echoed clearly through the noisy mansion.
Su Wanniang knelt below, dressed in gorgeous clothes, her hair piled high and surrounded by pearls and jade.
His eyes, however, revealed a hint of undisguised smugness and relief.
Upon hearing the imperial edict read aloud, she kowtowed heavily, her voice clear and crisp, "Su Wanniang, I accept the edict and express my gratitude."
Then, without making a sound, he gave a wink to the old woman beside him.
The old woman understood immediately and quickly took out a heavy purse from her sleeve and handed it to Ma Fuhai.
Ma Fuhai reached out and took the purse, weighed it in his hand, and his smile widened. "Thank you, County Princess. You have shown great righteousness. Good days are yet to come!"
Su Wanniang's lips curled up slightly, revealing a satisfied smile, and she personally saw Ma Fuhai off.
Just as he reached the door, he bumped into Chu Ruohan.
Upon seeing this, Ma Fuhai immediately stopped smiling and said respectfully, "This servant greets the Crown Prince's wife."
Chu Ruohan nodded slightly, her expression calm, but her gaze was like a sharp sword as she shot towards Su Wanniang. She slowly said, "Eunuch Ma, you're too kind. It's only been less than half a day, and the imperial decree has already been issued?"
His voice carried a hint of doubt and inquiry.
Ma Fuhai quickly explained, "Replying to the Crown Prince's wife, this imperial edict was prepared two days ago and is just waiting for the right time to be issued."
Chu Ruohan sneered inwardly; this indeed confirmed her guess.
The Emperor had long known that the Marquis of Anyang would rebel, but was just waiting for the right moment to strike.
Her gaze was fixed on Su Wanniang; this woman was truly ruthless.
Su Wannian noticed Chu Ruohan's gaze, but she did not back down at all. Instead, she straightened her back and met Chu Ruohan's gaze.
After Ma Fuhai took his leave, only Chu Ruohan and Su Wanniang remained in the courtyard.
"Congratulations, County Princess," Chu Ruohan said calmly.
Su Wanniang gave a bitter smile, turned and walked to the stone bench under the corridor, slowly sitting down: "Although I am the eldest daughter of the Su family, I have been manipulated by others since childhood. Marrying the Marquis of Anyang is nothing more than a bargaining chip for family alliances..."
"Does this mean we have to die with them?"
"I simply chose a path for myself, a path that I can make my own decisions about."
Chu Ruohan looked at her, a complex emotion rising in her heart. This woman was ruthless enough to betray her own family in order to protect herself.
But in these deep mansions, who isn't subject to the whims of others?
Chu Ruohan sat down opposite her, looking at her coldly: "So you knew all along that the Marquis of Anyang was plotting a rebellion?"
“I don’t know everything,” Su Wanniang shook her head. “I just noticed something unusual. That night, I secretly read his secret letter and found out that he was actually colluding with foreign enemies and trying to overthrow the Eastern Jin Dynasty.”
A flash of hatred crossed her eyes: "These men are willing to sacrifice everything for power, why should I be buried with their ambitions?"
Su Wanniang was indeed ruthless, but her ruthlessness was mostly for self-preservation.
In this patriarchal society, women sometimes have to make cruel choices if they want to control their own destiny.
Chu Ruohan was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Thank you?"
"Why are you thanking me?" Su Wanniang asked, puzzled.
The bewilderment in her eyes was undisguised; she clearly didn't understand Chu Ruohan's words of thanks.
"Didn't you write that note?" Chu Ruohan asked.
"What note?"
Chu Ruohan stared intently at her, not missing a single subtle expression on her face.
Su Wanniang's reaction was too natural; it didn't seem like she was lying.
But if it wasn't her, then who left that note that said "run away"?
She seemed to have overlooked something, but she couldn't quite grasp it in her mind...
A cry interrupted Chu Ruohan's thoughts. She saw soldiers escorting a group of female relatives out of the inner courtyard.
Yang Zhaozhao was being held by two soldiers. She looked haggard, her clothes were disheveled, and her hair was mostly undone.
Yang Zhaozhao was still under house arrest, so how could the Marquis's mansion have been raided so suddenly?
She struggled to reach Su Wan Niang, then collapsed at her feet, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded, "Madam, please save me! I don't know anything!"
Su Wanniang looked down at Yang Zhaozhao, her eyes showing no pity, but rather a hint of mockery.
"Weren't you usually the Marquis's favorite? Always so high and mighty, but now that trouble has struck, it's like everyone's fleeing for their lives?"
Yang Zhaozhao knew that she must have a way to escape unscathed...
"Madam, I know I was wrong, please have mercy!" Yang Zhaozhao knelt down and kowtowed, making muffled "thump" sounds, and blood quickly seeped from her forehead.
The soldiers stepped forward to pull Yang Zhaozhao away, but she couldn't break free. With gritted teeth, she cried out in a sob, "I'm pregnant! Please, Madam, save Zhaozhao for the sake of the child!"
This sentence is like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.
Su Wanniang's eyes instantly turned cold. She stood up, took a step back, and exchanged a glance with Chu Ruohan.
"Take her away," Su Wanniang said coldly.
Chu Ruohan didn't even glance at Yang Zhaozhao, and went straight to Aunt Zhao, who was surrounded by soldiers.
Although Aunt Zhao was also being held captive by soldiers, her expression was surprisingly calm, as if she had already seen through everything.
"Auntie..." Chu Ruohan called softly.
When Aunt Zhao saw Chu Ruohan, she gave a stiff smile, reached out and gently patted Chu Ruohan's hand.
"When the tree falls, the barbarians scatter. As long as you can save yourself, that's good enough. I've lived a full life. It's just a matter of being beheaded, nothing to be afraid of..."
Chu Ruohan held Aunt Zhao's hand tightly, a wave of sorrow washing over her: "Aunt, I will..."
“No,” Aunt Zhao shook her head to interrupt her, “At a time like this, it’s already difficult enough to get out unscathed. Don’t risk your life for my sake.”
"Take them away!" the officers urged, roughly separating the two.
As Chu Ruohan watched Aunt Zhao's departing figure, her hands clenched into fists, her nails digging deep into her palms without her noticing.
She was powerless to protect Aunt Zhao, and it was clearly the men's insatiable greed that dragged the women into it.
"Are you really not going to save her?" Su Wanniang suddenly asked, her voice tinged with inquiry.
Chu Ruohan snapped out of her daze and looked at Su Wannian with a complicated expression: "Do you think I have that ability?"