The story of a bullied daughter's rise to power

"What happened, Princess?"

Hearing Situ Yaorao's question, Princess Wuyan's expression darkened even further. She simply said, "It's nothing. It's just the Empress getting angry. She always does this. But this time she didn't target my mother, which is already very good."

"Princess, do you know why she attacked you?" Situ Yaorao was puzzled. If the Queen really wanted to silence her, wouldn't it be better to just kill Princess Wuyan?

She didn't do it, and instead allowed her to live, tormented like this, for no one knew why. Situ Yaorao was confused. Someone who could sit on the throne of empress wouldn't be afraid of what others said. Even though the emperor still had a father-daughter relationship with Princess Wuyan, if the empress did something clean behind her back, the emperor couldn't punish her.

Therefore, there must be something that Princess Wuyan didn’t say.

She had suspected it before, but since the other person was unwilling to speak, she shouldn't have asked. Everyone has their own secrets, and just as Princess Wuyan had never investigated hers, she shouldn't have asked about things she shouldn't have asked.

But now, Princess Wuyan is suffering a fate worse than death, and she can't just stand by and watch.

In the Lanlin Dynasty, the only person she could get along with was Princess Wuyan. The princess didn't need to scheme against her, and she had no direct vested interests. The two of them were more like friends.

This made Situ Yaorao cherish her very much. Although they met only a few times, and their conversations were mostly about other people.

Why the trouble?

Princess Wuyan was deeply moved by this question. If she could have said it, she wouldn't still be staying in this dilapidated courtyard.

"It's better not to ask some questions. The reason I'm in this situation now is all my own fault. Since I promised others, I won't go back on my word. Even if I die because of this in the future, it's just my fate." Princess Wuyan sighed lightly.

Situ Yaorao fell silent after hearing this.

She doesn't know her name.

But facing Princess Wuyan's behavior, she was helpless.

"The emperor is still waiting for you outside, you should go back with him. Be careful with the queen, don't let her catch you." Princess Wuyan's eyes softened. She really liked Situ Yaorao.

People in the palace weren't supposed to have friends. Because of this, she'd lived alone for most of her life. But she hadn't expected to meet Situ Yaorao in this shabby little courtyard. She hadn't expected Situ Yaorao to worry about her, let alone... want to be her friend.

Seeing that Princess Wuyan was determined not to say anything, Situ Yaorao felt somewhat helpless and said, "I'll come see you another day. Princess Wuyan, although I don't know for whom you are keeping a secret or whether it will benefit you, please cherish yourself. There is someone in this capital who is waiting for you."

Princess Wuyan certainly knew who she was talking about.

Mo Zhu, the man she could never forget.

Princess Wuyan's expression darkened slightly, then she smiled: "As long as I don't die, I will."

"Goodbye," Situ Yaorao said calmly. However, she didn't know that this meeting would almost become their last. Of course, that was a story for later.

When Situ Yaorao left the house, she saw the man in the yard looking at the sky, his expression slightly distracted, as if he was lost in thought. Situ Yaorao looked at the man, a little dazed.

Tan Tai Wu Yue was probably the most elegant person she had ever met.

Situ Yaorao walked over to him and silently took his hand. Tantai Wuyue lowered her eyes slightly, turned around, looked at Situ Yaorao, and said, "Did she tell you?"

Situ Yaorao shook her head. "She didn't say anything. Princess Wuyan seemed determined to keep the secret. But what secret could it be that would make the Queen risk the discovery of the past events all these years, rather than kill Princess Wuyan?" Situ Yaorao muttered softly. It wasn't clear if she was asking Tan Tai Wu Yue or pondering it herself.

Tan Tai Wu Yue's expression remained unchanged. He simply said, "Who knows? But what I do know is that this matter has nothing to do with us. Yao Rao, consider this my request: Please don't get involved. Don't make things difficult for me." Tan Tai Wu Yue's tone was calm, as if they were just chatting casually, but Situ Yao Rao understood clearly. He was truly begging her.

If she got involved, he would have to choose between himself and the Queen.

"I understand. I will never get involved in this. As long as the Queen doesn't harm me." Situ Yaorao said.

Only after receiving Situ Yaorao's assurance did Tan Tai Wu Yue smile with satisfaction.

After leaving the palace, Situ Yaorao felt a lot more relaxed.

This Tan Tai Wu Yue was extremely kind to her and would give her almost anything she wanted.

Time flies when people are happy. In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. These three days were the holiday for the Crown Prince's wedding. After this time, Tan Tai Wu Yue would have to go south to deal with the plague.

In the early morning, the sun quietly emerged from the clouds. The sky was a little gloomy, as if it would rain at any moment. Tantai Wuyue dressed and prepared to leave.

Situ Yaorao sat on the bed, looking at the man, and couldn't help asking: "Do you have to go?"

"Hmm?" Tan Tai Wu Yue was a little surprised. He didn't expect Situ Yao Rao to ask this out of the blue, but he nodded without changing his mind. "I must go. They say wealth and honor are sought through risk, and the same is true for me. In the capital right now, Lao Liu and I are on par, but the choice that the emperor has in mind is neither me nor him. If I want the emperor to pass the throne to me, the best way is to make meritorious contributions. The plague has made life miserable for the people. Yu Gong, I have a responsibility to the court, and personally, I don't want to see those innocent people die. So, I must go."

Tan Tai Wu Yue's words made Situ Yaorao's heart excited.

This man is not the arrogant and conceited person that outsiders think he is. He is very gentle, but no one understands him.

Situ Yaorao got off the bed, hugged the man's waist, and whispered, "Go early and come back early, I'll wait for you at home."

Waiting for you at home... Tantai Wuyue's pupils shrank, and a faint smile appeared on his usually cold face, like the melting of ice and snow and the blooming of spring flowers. He hugged the woman in his arms and whispered in her ear, "Okay, wait for me at home."

After saying that, he pushed Situ Yaorao away and left.

Tan Tai Wu Yue left in a hurry, not even letting Situ Yaorao take a second look. He feared that if he stayed any longer, he would regret heading south. With no way south, his life or death uncertain, if anything really happened… Tan Tai Wu Yue didn't dare to think about it, nor did he want to think about it.

"Crown Princess, Concubine Mu is here to visit." Lian'er's respectful voice rang out from outside the door. Situ Yaorao frowned when she heard it. "What is she doing here?"

"This... said they are here to invite the Crown Princess for tea."

"Have tea?" Situ Yaorao sneered in her heart. She hadn't seen Mu Lingwan make any moves in the past three days. Tan Tai Wu Yue had just left the house, and she invited her to have tea right after?

"Let her come into the yard and wait for me in the hall." Situ Yaorao put on her clothes, looked at herself in the bronze mirror, sighed in her heart, and then walked out of the house.

Mu Lingwan was a proud, delicate, and resourceful woman of extraordinary talent. If it weren't for her humble origins, the position of Crown Princess would have long been in her hands.

However, there are no ifs in this world.

Situ Yaorao looked at Mu Lingwan, who was drinking tea in the hall, and walked out. A smile appeared on her face. "I didn't know that my sister came here without much preparation. I'm sorry for neglecting her."

Hearing Situ Yaorao's voice, Mu Lingwan quickly put down her teacup, walked to Situ Yaorao affectionately, and said, "My sister greets my elder sister."

"Get up. You and I are sisters, why be so polite?" Situ Yaorao said this, but did not help her. Instead, she walked to her own seat.

As the Crown Princess, she had to be audacious. If she was too polite to Mu Lingwan, she would bite back sooner or later. Therefore, Situ Yaorao was very cautious.

Mu Lingwan didn't care about this. She just smiled and said, "Sister, you've just arrived at the Prince's Mansion. If there's anything you don't know, you can tell me directly. I've lived in the mansion for a long time. I don't know everything about it, but I know almost everything."