The story of a bullied daughter's rise to power

Chapter 195: The Punished Lian'er

The woman lay on the ground, listening to Madam Situ's cold words, feeling a surge of regret. Because the young lady was so kind to her, she had almost forgotten her own identity. She had forgotten her position in the Situ family, and she had forgotten that she had to do what Madam Situ had told her to do.

"Madam, I know I was wrong. I won't do it again. Please spare my life." Lian'er crawled to Madam Situ's legs and begged. Madam Situ looked at her coldly, her tone indifferent, as if speaking to a dead person: "I told you before that you should take good care of the young lady. If there is any problem, come back and report immediately, but what did you do? You watched Yaorao's relationship with the prince become increasingly close, but you didn't tell me a word. If it weren't for this imperial decree, would you still help her conceal it?"

"I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong." Lian'er said in a trembling voice.

"You admit your mistake? Humph! What a good way of admitting your mistake. I didn't realize before that you, a girl, would say one thing in front of others and another behind their backs. What? Do you really think that you are worthy of being a charming personal maid? If you weren't obedient, why would I let a fool like you follow her?" Madam Situ said with disdain.

"I will never dare to do that again."

"If a person makes a mistake, it's not enough to apologize. If an apology is all that's needed to absolve one of all guilt, then there would be no criminals in this world. Lian'er, you've really gone too far this time. Even though I want to forgive you, but...what if you don't learn your lesson and do it again next time? Wouldn't that be disastrous?" Madam Situ's tone was very light. As she spoke, she took out a porcelain bottle from her bosom: "This bottle contains my Gu family's secret poison. As long as you take it, I will give you the antidote every month. However, if you do something wrong again, this antidote will be gone. What do you think? Do you want to take it?"

Hearing Madam Situ's words, her face turned pale. How could she not understand at this moment? Madam Situ was trying to control her. But she had no right to refuse. If she refused, her family, her own life, would all be lost. Thinking of this, Lian'er took the porcelain bottle and drank the poison inside.

Seeing Lian'er do this, Madam Situ smiled with satisfaction: "Well, that's more or less. You are a wise girl. You know how to choose. Okay, you can go down first. Come back to me in a month and ask for the antidote."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Keep a good eye on the young lady. If she sees the prince again, do everything you can to follow her. I want to know what this Yaorao is doing." Madam Situ ordered.

"I understand. I will definitely not let you down."

"Okay, you can go down now." Mrs. Situ said.

"I'll take my leave." Lian'er's eyes darkened, her heart filled with resentment. Why, we're both human, but I can only watch the young lady's happiness, only watch the young lady's suffering, and then put all the blame on her? The young lady enjoys the love given by the most noble person in the world, while I, for the young lady, must endure the most painful torture in the world. And all this is because she is a servant.

If only the young lady didn't exist. If she didn't exist, the lady wouldn't threaten me. Perhaps, like the young lady, I could open a restaurant.

Weixing listens to me the most. If...if I want to leave, he will definitely follow me.

Lian'er thought to herself, and a shudder ran down her spine. "Oh my god? How could I possibly think that? The young lady treats me so well, like a real sister. How could I have such a rebellious thought?"

Lian'er was shocked by her own thoughts, and quickly shook her head and stopped thinking about it.

In the room, Madam Situ fiddled with the chess pieces on the tea tray, her red lips curled up: "Oh! This person is always greedy and unsatisfied. Once she tastes the benefits, she will be dissatisfied if she is asked to return to her previous life. Everyone is like this. I just don't know if Lian'er can get through this. If this girl can always be loyal to Yaorao, then let this girl go free." Madam Situ said in a low voice.

However, this was just her plan. She had grown up in the large Gu family, and after marrying, she became the wife of the Situ family. She had met countless people and understood human nature too well. However, precisely because of this understanding, she was not sure whether Lian'er was an obedient girl.

The most terrifying thing in this world isn't betrayal. It's when…before you realize it, the person most loyal to you experiences a change of heart. She won't betray you, but she will disappoint you.

This is far more terrible than betrayal.

People always get flustered by various things.

The emperor's decree caught everyone in the capital off guard. It also broke the hearts of many women. And the protagonist of this incident? He was drinking in his own restaurant.

"Yu Sheng, how is it? Is this wine better than the ones a few days ago?" Situ Yaorao poured a glass of the fruit wine she had just made for Yu Sheng, and asked with a smile after he tasted it.

After drinking it, Yu Sheng felt the sweet taste lingering on her lips and teeth. Her eyes lit up in surprise: "It's really like that."

"The older this fruit wine is, the more fragrant it becomes. Unfortunately... I don't have enough time, otherwise I would really like to let you taste fruit wine that is more than ten years old." Situ Yaorao sighed.

"Then ten years later, if Mo Zhu and Princess Wu Yan can achieve a happy ending, I'd really like to ask for a glass of fruit wine from you, Situ." Yu Sheng said with a smile.

"What kind of fruit wine?" Mo Zhu came up to the kitchen with a tray of dishes and heard the two talking. He couldn't help but be curious.

"Mozhu, you're back just in time. Come and try this wine." Yu Sheng pulled Mozhu to sit down and pushed the wine glass to him. Mozhu heard this and picked up the glass with doubt, then drank the fruit wine in one gulp. Then he was stunned.

His mouth felt like it was filled with fresh fruit, a medley of flavors that left him speechless. And amidst all that, there was also the rich, spicy aroma of wine.

"This is?"

"This is the wine we want to sell in our restaurant."

"With this wine, even if people don't eat the food I cook, the restaurant can still be opened." Mo Zhu sighed.

"I can, but that's not all I want. I hope my restaurant can be known by word of mouth." Situ Yaorao said.

"This wine is really good." said Mo Zhu.

"Right? Situ and I were just talking about this. If you and Princess Wuyan get married ten years later, we'll ask her to prepare ten years' worth of fruit wine for you. It will surely be even more fragrant." Yu Sheng said with a smile.

It was the first time Situ Yaorao had seen Yu Sheng so happy. Perhaps it was because Mo Zhu and Wu Yan had finally come to a conclusion?

"This... If she is still with me ten years later, I would naturally wish for it. But..." Mo Zhu frowned, with unspeakable worry in his heart.

"What? Are you worried that Princess Wuyan will reject you ten years later?" Situ Yaorao asked with a smile.

Mo Zhu shook his head: "That's not the case. I just feel uneasy. I always feel that something is going to happen, but I don't know what it is."

"From what I see, you're clearly worried about gains and losses. You finally get the woman you like, but you're worried that she might regret it." Yu Sheng complained.

Mo Zhu heard this and thought about it. Maybe it was really as he said. However, the panic in his heart could not be dispelled.

"Mozhu, don't overthink it. Since the princess said so, she must have her reasons. Just believe her. Perhaps these ten years are just to test your mentality. If you worry about gains and losses, and finally think that Princess Wuyan is deceiving you, and then become disheartened, then it means that you still don't love her enough. If you love each other, you must trust each other. No matter what she says, you must believe it first, and then keep it. If she doesn't come to see you after ten years, then you can think of other things."

"How many decades are there in a person's life?" Mo Zhu smiled bitterly.

"She is the same as you. You have left her behind for the past ten years, and so has she. She even returned to the palace for you, but you still don't believe her?" Situ Yaorao frowned.

"How dare I not believe her? She can ask me to do anything she wants. How could I not believe her? I'm just afraid." The man whispered.

"If that doesn't work out, then you can meet the princess more often. Even though you can't be together, at least seeing her will give you peace of mind."